Osmotic stress mimics effects of vasopressin on learned behaviour

It has been suggested that arginine vasopressin (AVP) is involved in the retention of learned responses, in addition to its classical physiological functions of water retention and modulation of blood pressure. AVP administered subcutaneously (s.c.), intraventricularly or intracerebrally can prolong extinction of active avoidance behaviour and can enhance retention in inhibitory (passive) avoidance. These effects have been interpreted as a direct action of AVP on the central nervous system to facilitate memory consolidation. AVP also has facilitatory effects on cognitive function in humans, and marked deficits in AVP function have been associated with certain types of psychopathology. Alternative hypotheses for the behavioural actions of AVP have involved motivational constructs such as arousal, and our recent work has focused on the role of arousal resulting from the activation of peripheral visceral signals in the behavioural effects of peripherally administered AVP. The development of a specific antagonist for AVP, 1-deaminopenicillamine-2-O-methyl tyrosine arginine vasopressin (dPTyr(Me)AVP), which can reverse the behavioural effects of exogenously administered AVP, has provided a powerful tool for examining the role of AVP in the behavioural responses produced by physiological challenges known to release vasopressin. However, the relationship between the behavioural effects of exogenously administered AVP and the behavioural function of endogenously released AVP has not been evaluated. We report here that a potent peripheral osmotic stimulus, the intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of hypertonic saline, at doses known to release AVP both centrally and peripherally, will produce behavioural effects similar to those of exogenously administered AVP. Furthermore, the prolongation of active avoidance induced by this osmotic stimulus is reversed by pretreatment with dPTyr(Me)AVP, suggesting that endogenously released AVP may also produce behavioural effects.     

Central target for the behavioural effects of vasopressin neuropeptides

The neurohypophysial hormone vasopressin exerts antidiuretic, vasopressor and behavioural effects (for example, facilitation of memory processes). Vasopressin may alter animal behaviour via direct effect on brain processes. Recently, however, it has been suggested that vasopressin acts mainly at peripheral receptor systems and influences behavioural mechanisms by altering visceral afferent signals. We now present data showing that (1) central administration of [Arg8]vasopressin (AVP) and more potently [pGlu, Cyt]AVP(4-8), the desglycinamide derivative of a peptide generated from AVP by brain synaptic membranes, produce the behavioural effect (promotion of passive avoidance behaviour) without the pressor effect; (2) central administration of a vasopressor antagonist blocks the behavioural but not the pressor effect of systemically administered AVP; and (3) [pGlu, Cyt]AVP(4-8) induces the behavioural effect in the absence of the pressor effect. The results indicate that AVP and related peptides affect passive avoidance behaviour by a direct central action and that the structural requirement for activation of central vasopressin receptors differs from that of the peripheral cardiovascular receptors, although both can be blocked by the same vasopressor antagonist.     

Identification of nesfatin-1 as a satiety molecule in the hypothalamus

The brain hypothalamus contains certain secreted molecules that are important in regulating feeding behaviour. Here we show that nesfatin, corresponding to NEFA/nucleobindin2 (NUCB2), a secreted protein of unknown function, is expressed in the appetite-control hypothalamic nuclei in rats. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of NUCB2 reduces feeding. Rat cerebrospinal fluid contains nesfatin-1, an amino-terminal fragment derived from NUCB2, and its expression is decreased in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus under starved conditions. I.c.v. injection of nesfatin-1 decreases food intake in a dose-dependent manner, whereas injection of an antibody neutralizing nesfatin-1 stimulates appetite. In contrast, i.c.v. injection of other possible fragments processed from NUCB2 does not promote satiety, and conversion of NUCB2 to nesfatin-1 is necessary to induce feeding suppression. Chronic i.c.v. injection of nesfatin-1 reduces body weight, whereas rats gain body weight after chronic i.c.v. injection of antisense morpholino oligonucleotide against the gene encoding NUCB2. Nesfatin-1-induced anorexia occurs in Zucker rats with a leptin receptor mutation, and an anti-nesfatin-1 antibody does not block leptin-induced anorexia. In contrast, central injection of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone elevates NUCB2 gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus, and satiety by nesfatin-1 is abolished by an antagonist of the melanocortin-3/4 receptor. We identify nesfatin-1 as a satiety molecule that is associated with melanocortin signalling in the hypothalamus.     

Effect of nocistatin in pain modulation

Using tail-flick latency as the nociceptive index and von Frey hair to measure the mechanical allodynia, the aim of the present study is to determine whether nocistatin, injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.), would reverse the anti-morphine effect of orphanin FQ (OFQ), and, injected i.c.v. or intrathecally (Lt.), would inhibit the mechanical allodynia in a L5 and L6 spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain in rats. The results show that i.c.v. injection of nocistatin produces no significant changes in the TFL, nor does it affect morphine analgesia. In addition, i.c.v. or i.t. nocistatin produces no significant changes in withdrawal threshold of the nerve-lesioned hind paw. However, nocistatin significantly reverses the antagonistic effect of OFQ on morphine analgesia when it was coinjected i.c.v. with OFQ. The results suggest that nocistatin can reverse the anti-morphine effect of OFQ in rat brain, but cannot inhibit the mechanical allodynia of neuropathic pain in rat brain and spinal cord.     

Corticotropin-releasing factor is a potent inhibitor of sexual receptivity in the female rat

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), the recently characterized and synthesized 41-amino acid polypeptide isolated from ovine hypothalami, has been shown to be a potent stimulator of adenohypophyseal beta-endorphin and corticotropin (ACTH) secretion both in vitro and in vivo. In common with other regulatory peptides, CRF has also been demonstrated to possess extra-hypophysiotropic roles. Indeed, intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) administered CRF elicits several endocrine and behavioural responses compatible with the concept that this peptide could be a key signal in coordinating the organism's endocrine and behavioural responses to stressful and other adaptive stimuli. We now provide the first evidence for neurally placed CRF in the control of a specific hormone-dependent behavioural response and unequivocally demonstrate an extremely potent suppressive effect of CRF on sexual behaviour in the female rat when microinfused into the arcuate-ventromedial area of the hypothalamus (ARC-VMH) and the mesencephalic central grey (MCG).     

精氨酸加压素免疫阳性神经元在中菊头蝠(Rhinolophus affinis)脑中的分布

精氨酸加压素(arginine vasopressin,AVP)属于垂体后叶激素家族,它与神经内分泌的调节、心血管功能的调节、血压调节、学习和记忆以及生殖等生理功能密切相关.AVP在不同哺乳动物中枢神经系统内的分布方式和传输路径存在明显差异.本实验采用免疫组织化学ABC法系统观察了AVP免疫阳性神经元和免疫阳性神经纤维在中菊头蝠(Rhinolophus affinis)脑中的形态特征和分布特点.结果显示AVP免疫阳性神经元和免疫阳性神经纤维明显可见于中菊头蝠下丘脑室旁核、视上核、视交叉上核、下丘脑外侧区、正中隆起和垂体后叶,其细胞形态与其它哺乳动物相应结构的细胞特征类似,提示AVP神经元在哺乳动物下丘脑中的分布具有高度的保守性,AVP在中菊头蝠下丘脑可能有着与其它哺乳动物类似的功能.室周视前区、终纹床核和前脑外侧束也有少量AVP免疫阳性(immunoreactive arginine-vasopressin,AVP-ir)神经元分布,而在海马、隔核、杏仁核和侧间隔等边缘核团没有发现与大鼠等哺乳动物相应结构类似的分布,这可能与蝙蝠的视觉退化有关.     

压宁定治疗围术期高血压

目的 静脉注射压宁定治疗围术期高血压疗效观察。方法 择期手术１７例,围术期发生高血夺廛静注压宁定２５～５０ｍｇ,观察注药前后的血压变化。结果 注药后血压、心率收缩压乘积显著低于注药前（Ｐ〈０．００１）。注药前后心率无显著性差异（Ｐ〉０．０５）。结论 压宁定治疗围术期高血压有良好的临床应用价值。     

Carboxy terminus of vasopressin required for activity but not binding

Vasopressin antagonists are valuable pharmacological tools for investigating physiological and behavioural functions of the nonapeptide arginine-vasopressin (AVP). The removal of glycinamide from the carboxy terminus of AVP drastically reduces its characteristic vasopressor and antidiuretic activities. In contrast to this we show here that removal of the carboxy-terminal glycinamide or the glycine at position 9 from several vasopressin antagonists makes little difference to their ability to block vasopressor and antidiuretic responses to AVP. These data demonstrate the critical structural requirements of the carboxy-terminal position for receptor activation, in contrast to the lack of such requirements for receptor binding. They also provide an avenue to a wide variety of antagonists substituted at the carboxy terminus (for example radiolabelled derivatives and affinity ligands) and suggest clues for the development of more potent and/or selective antagonists.     

Increased affiliative response to vasopressin in mice expressing the V1a receptor from a monogamous vole.

Arginine vasopressin influences male reproductive and social behaviours in several vertebrate taxa through its actions at the V1a receptor in the brain. The neuroanatomical distribution of vasopressin V1a receptors varies greatly between species with different forms of social organization. Here we show that centrally administered arginine vasopressin increases affiliative behaviour in the highly social, monogamous prairie vole, but not in the relatively asocial, promiscuous montane vole. Molecular analyses indicate that gene duplication and/or changes in promoter structure of the prairie vole receptor gene may contribute to the species differences in vasopressin-receptor expression. We further show that mice that are transgenic for the prairie vole receptor gene have a neuroanatomical pattern of receptor binding that is similar to that of the prairie vole, and exhibit increased affiliative behaviour after injection with arginine vasopressin. These data indicate that the pattern of V1a-receptor gene expression in the brain may be functionally associated with species-typical social behaviours in male vertebrates.     

Cloning and characterization of a vasopressin V2 receptor and possible link to nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

The antidiuretic effect of arginine vasopressin (AVP) is mediated by renal-type (V2) receptors linked to adenylyl cyclase. We report here the cloning of the rat kidney V2 AVP receptor complementary DNA that encodes a 370-amino-acid protein with a transmembrane topography characteristic of G protein-coupled receptors, and with similarity to the V1a (hepatic) AVP receptor in its seven membrane-spanning domains. Expression of the cloned cDNA in mammalian cells showed specific ligand binding and activity characteristic of the native V2 AVP receptor. The receptor messenger RNA is detected only in the kidney. The human V2 receptor gene has been localized to the long arm of the X chromosome close to the locus for nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, an X-linked recessive disorder characterized by renal resistance to the antidiuretic action of AVP.     

AVP对VSMC脂质过氧化的影响及CGRP、SP的调节作用

目的：研究AVP对VSMC脂质过氧化的影响及CGRP、SP的调节作用。方法：以培养的大鼠血管平滑肌细胞（VSMC）为模型,动态观察了精氨酸加压素（AVP）对VSMC脂质过氧化的影响,及降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）、P物质（SP）对AVP作用的调节,旨在探讨它们在高血压病发病中的意义。结果：（1）10－7M的AVP作用后,VSMP的丙二醛（MDA）含量明显高于对照组（P＜0．01）;（2）10－7M的CGRP、SP分别与10－7M的AVP共同作用后,VSMP的MDA含量均减少,与AVP对照组比较,差异非常显著（P＜0．01）。结论：AVP参与高血压病的发病与其致VSMC的脂质过氧化损伤有关,CGRP、SP对其有拮抗作用。     

环磷酰胺对SD 大鼠生育力与早期胚胎发育毒性阳性模型的建立

摘要: 目的探讨生育力与早期胚胎发育毒性试验中,皮下给予不同剂量的环磷酰胺对SD 大鼠的影响,选择合适的剂量建立阳性模型,积累实验室背景数据。方法取7 ～ 8 周龄健康SD 大鼠176 只,雌雄各半。按体质量随机分为溶媒对照组( Veh) 、环磷酰胺低( L: 10 mg·kg － 1 ) 、中( M: 20 mg·kg － 1 ) 、高( H: 40 mg·kg － 1 ) 剂量组,每组44 只,雌性各半。雄鼠于交配前28 d 开始给药,每周一次,给药期持续整个交配期直至处死; 雌鼠于交配前14 d 开始给药,交配前每周1 次,交配成功后第0 天给药1 次,总共给药3 次。雄鼠及未交配成功雌鼠于交配结束后处死剖检,雌鼠于受孕后第15 d 剖检,统计各剂量组雄鼠生育率; 雌鼠性周期、妊娠率; 孕鼠死亡率和死胎率。结果环磷酰胺低、中、高各剂量组对SD 大鼠生育力与早期胚胎发育均有一定的毒性作用,且随给药剂量增加,毒性作用增强。结论皮下给予SD 大鼠不同剂量的环磷酰胺,高剂量组对大鼠生育力与早期胚胎发育的毒性影响较为明显,故选择此剂量作为本实验室的阳性模型。     

钩藤散对麻醉犬脑血流量的影响

目的观察钩藤散对脑血流量的影响。方法选择家犬20只,随机分为5组,麻醉后股动脉插管、经压力换能器连接RM-6000型多导生理记录仪,颈总动脉和椎动脉连接MFV-3200型电磁血流量计;打开腹腔寻找十二指肠,3个实验组经十二指肠注入高、中、低剂量的钩藤散浸膏,阴性对照组注入生理盐水,阳性对照组注入尼莫地平(2 mL/kg),分别测定给药前、后脑血流量、收缩压、舒张压、平均动脉压、心率等变化,计算脑血管阻力。结果实验各剂量组及阳性药组,在给药后150 min时脑血流量显著高于(P<0.05)、脑血管阻力显著低于(P<0.05)正常对照组,180 min时有极显著差异(P<0.01或P<0.001),210 min时仍有效。结论钩藤散可明显增加脑部的供血,减少脑血管阻力,从而改善脑部营养,防治老年痴呆。     

Stimulation of food intake in rats by centrally administered hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing factor

Hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing factors (GRFs) have been purified recently from human pancreatic (hp) tumours and from rat hypothalamus (rh). GRF peptides have strong homology with peptides of the glucagon, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and PHI-27 family. Aside from their potent actions on release of somatotropin, no other biological actions of GRFs have been reported. GRF has been localized in neurones bordering the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, a region associated frequently with experimental analysis of feeding behaviour. We now report that intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.)-administered rhGRF and hpGRF(1-40) in doses of 0.2, 2.0 and 20.0 pmol, produced an increase in food intake in hungry rats. This effect seemed to be specific to GRF as i.c.v. injections of a structurally related but physiologically inactive peptide in the same doses had no effect on feeding. In addition, peripheral injections of rhGRF or growth hormone had no effect on food intake, suggesting that the present effects may be mediated centrally. Injections (i.c.v.) of rhGRF (0.2, 2.0 and 20.0 pmol) had no effect on general activity, suggesting that GRF does not produce nonspecific arousal.     

Magnocellular axons in passage through the median eminence release vasopressin

Vasopressin (arginine vasopressin, AVP) is present in two types of nerve fibres in the median eminence (ME). First, it is found in nerve terminals that originate in the parvicellular neurones of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and abut on the pericapillary space surrounding the fenestrated capillaries of the primary pituitary portal plexus in the external zone (EZ) of the ME. These neurones also synthesize corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which acts synergetically with vasopressin to stimulate release of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) from the pituitary gland (see ref. 7). Second, vasopressinergic axons of the magnocellular neurosecretory system pass through the internal zone (IZ) of the ME to terminate in the neurohaemal contact zone of the neurohypophysis. The involvement of vasopressinergic magnocellular neurones in the control of ACTH secretion is much debated. Of particular interest in this context is the origin of the vasopressin found in pituitary portal blood. Although it has been demonstrated that vasopressin and CRF are present in the same neurosecretory granules of EZ fibres, parallel determinations of vasopressin and CRF in pituitary portal blood have shown alterations of the concentration of vasopressin without a concomitant change in that of CRF. Such a dissociation suggests that either differential release of vasopressin and CRF can occur from a single population of nerve endings, or there are fibres in the pituitary-stalk ME which release vasopressin but not CRF. Here we present evidence for the latter. Our results indicate that stimuli causing depolarization of the axonal membrane in vitro elicit release of vasopressin from nerve fibres in the external and internal zones of the ME.     

A resetting signal between Drosophila pacemakers synchronizes morning and evening activity

The biochemical machinery that underlies circadian rhythms is conserved among animal species and drives self-sustained molecular oscillations and functions, even within individual asynchronous tissue-culture cells. Yet the rhythm-generating neural centres of higher eukaryotes are usually composed of interconnected cellular networks, which contribute to robustness and synchrony as well as other complex features of rhythmic behaviour. In mammals, little is known about how individual brain oscillators are organized to orchestrate a complex behavioural pattern. Drosophila is arguably more advanced from this point of view: we and others have recently shown that a group of adult brain clock neurons expresses the neuropeptide PDF and controls morning activity (small LN(v) cells; M-cells), whereas another group of clock neurons controls evening activity (CRY+, PDF- cells; E-cells). We have generated transgenic mosaic animals with different circadian periods in morning and evening cells. Here we show, by behavioural and molecular assays, that the six canonical groups of clock neurons are organized into two separate neuronal circuits. One has no apparent effect on locomotor rhythmicity in darkness, but within the second circuit the molecular and behavioural timing of the evening cells is determined by morning-cell properties. This is due to a daily resetting signal from the morning to the evening cells, which run at their genetically programmed pace between consecutive signals. This neural circuit and oscillator-coupling mechanism ensures a proper relationship between the timing of morning and evening locomotor activity.     

八肽胆囊收缩素抗血清翻转针刺耐受的电生理学研究

动物整体水平研究证实，八肽胆囊收缩素抗血清（ＣＣＫ－ＡＳ）可翻转电针耐受，而ＣＣＫ－ＡＳ本身不影响基础痛阈。本文采用记录神经元放电的方法证明：脑室注射ＣＣＫ－ＡＳ能翻转对长时间电针产生耐受效应的大鼠丘脑束旁核痛兴奋神经元（ＰＥＮ）和痛抑制神经元（ＰＩＮ）的电活动，使电针镇痛效应重新出现。而脑室注射正常兔血清（ＮＲＳ）对产生电针耐受效应的ＰＥＮ和ＰＩＮ的电活动无影响。从细胞水平得到的这一结果与整体水平研究的证据相一致。提示，内源性ＣＣＫ－８参与电针耐受可能是电针镇痛受到拮抗的机制之一。这一发现同时为临床医学实践提供了进一步的依据。     

胚胎－ 胎仔发育毒性试验中阳性模型的建立

摘要: 目的探讨SD 大鼠胚胎－ 胎仔发育毒性试验中,皮下给予不同剂量的环磷酰胺进行其剂量相关性的比较研究,建立阳性模型,积累实验室背景数据。方法取健康受孕SD 大鼠100 只,按体质量随机分为溶媒对照组( Veh:7. 5 mg·kg － 1 氯化钠注射液) 、环磷酰胺低( L: 7 mg·kg － 1 ) 、中( M: 10 mg·kg － 1 ) 、高( H: 15 mg·kg － 1 ) 剂量组,每孕鼠组不少于20 只,按程序皮下注射给药,观察临床表现,统计各剂量组孕鼠的体质量、摄食量、窝质量、黄体数、着床数、活胎数、死胎数和吸收胎数等指标,以及胎鼠的性别、体质量、身长、外观畸形、内脏畸形和骨骼畸形等指标。结果环磷酰胺低、中、高各剂量组对大鼠胚胎－ 胎仔发育均有毒性作用且具有明显的量效关系。结论皮下给予不同剂量的环磷酰胺对大鼠胚胎－ 胎仔发育毒性均产生影响且具有明显的量效关系,三种给药剂量均可建立胚胎－ 胎仔发育毒性试验阳性模型。     

Nucleotide sequence of cloned cDNA encoding bovine arginine vasopressin-neurophysin II precursor

The sequence of a cDNA encoding the nonapeptide arginine vasopressin (AVP) and its carrier protein, neurophysin II (NpII) from bovine hypothalamus, proves that the 166-amino acid precursor molecule contains a signal peptide of 19 amino acids followed directly by AVP connected to NpII by a Gly-Lys-Arg sequence. The carboxy-terminal region of the precursor contains a naturally occurring glycopolypeptide of 39 amino acids which is separated from NpII by a single arginine residue.