Leucine aminopeptidase activity in muscles of dystrophic mice

Résumé L'activité de la leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) a été mesurée dans le muscle de la souris dystrophique. La LAP est peu active dans le muscle dystrophique de la souris jeune (50 à 60 jours). D'autre part, l'activité de l'enzyme est fortement augmentée dans le muscle de la souris plus agée (110 à 125 jours). Un traitement de 5 jours à l'hormone de croissance chez la souris jeune n'a pas modifié significativement l'activité de la LAP dans les muscles des souris dystrophiques ou témoins.     

Effect of furosemide on aminopeptidase activity in the rat kidney and urine

Zusammenfassung Histochemische und biochemische Untersuchungen des Verhaltens von Aminopeptidasen nach Furosemidgabe zeigen einen Abfall bzw. Anstieg der Enzymaktivitäten in Nierenschnitten und im Urin von männlichen Wistar-Ratten. Die Resultate weisen auf eine direkte, Furosemid-induzierte reversible Epithelschädigung im proximalen Tubulus hin. Unter gleichen Bedingungen sind entsprechende Befunde bei weiblichen Wistar-Ratten nicht zu erheben.

---

---

Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Dipeptidyl aminopeptidase in neonatal rat brain regions

Summary Changes in the activity of dipeptidyl aminopeptidase in rat pituitary gland and various brain regions were examined at 3, 5 and 20 weeks of age. The enzyme activity per g tissue wet weight in pituitary gland was the highest of all tissues studied. Subcellular distribution of the activity was also studied. The highest enzyme activity was found in a crude mitochondrial fraction including synaptosomes.     

Observations upon the mast cells of rat foetal tissues

Résumé Dans les études physiologiques récentes, il est dit que l'histamine foetale se montre plusieurs jours avant l'apparition des mastocytes dans les tissus foetaux. Le présent travail démontre que les mastocytes apparaissent plus tôt et sont plus répandus qu'on ne le supposait. Ces constatations confirment d'anciennes observations apparemment oubliées.     

Effect of hepatectomy on the growth of the foetal rat liver

Résumé Les auteurs ont utilisé deux lots des Rates portantes. L'un d'eux a été soumis à la laparotomie et l'autre à une hépatectomie partielle le 16ème jour de la gestation. Les animaux ont été sacrifiés à des dates échelonnées après l'intervention. Le poids des embryons et celui de leur foie, ainsi que la teneur en DNA du foie ont été mésurés.L'hépatectomie de la mère ralentit la croissance des embryons sans aucun effet spécifique sur le foie embryonnaire.     

Hormonal influences on leucine aminopeptidase in the accessory reproductive tracts of the rat

Zusammenfassung Die Aktivität von Leucinoaminopeptidase in der Prostata und den Samenbläschen der Ratten wurde mit histochemischen und quantitativen Methoden nach verschiedenen Hormonbehandlungen bestimmt. Es wurde gefunden, dass alle androlytischen Behandlungen, die eine Atrophie in diesen Organen verursachten, die enzymatische Aktivität erhöhten. Nach allen Behandlungen, die aber andromimetisch wirkten, war sie immer erniedrigt.     

Developmental and ageing changes in aminopeptidase activities in selected tissues of the rat

Aminopeptidase activities, assayed as arylamidase activities, were investigated in selected tissues of 1, 6, 12 and 24-month-old rats. The enzyme activities were found to have a heterogeneous distribution and age-related changes were observed. The highest levels of soluble arginyl-aminopeptidase activity were detected in brain homogenate at all the studied ages, whereas membrane-bound activity presented the highest levels in brain and kidney in the four ages tested. Aspartyl-aminopeptidase activity was detected mainly in the particulate fraction of kidney at all four ages. In 1, 6 and 12-month-old animals, soluble aspartyl-aminopeptidase activity was also higher in the kidney than in the rest of the tissues, whereas in the group of 2-year-old rats, the highest levels were found in both kidney and liver. Age-related changes were observed in all the studied tissues and for all the assayed enzymatic activities. In general, the maximal levels were detected in both the youngest and the oldest animals, and the minimal ones in 6 and 12-month-old rats. However, in the adrenals, the soluble and membrane-bound arginyl-aminopeptidase activity was higher in 6-month and 2-year-old rats than in 1-month and 12-month-old rats. These changes may reflect the functional status of the susceptible endogenous substrates of aminopeptidases.     

Leucine aminopeptase in the spleen

Zusammenfassung Leucinaminopeptidase wird histochemisch in der Milz von Mäusen und Ratten untersucht. Eine besonders ausgeprägte Reaktion zeigte sich in der Zentralarterienwandung und in den umgebenden Reticulumzellen der weissen Pulpa. Im Bereich der roten Pulpa verhalten sich nur die Inseln positiv, während eine extramedulläre Hämatopoese vorkommt.     

Deficiency of membrane-bound dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV in a certain rat strain

The activity of membrane-bound dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV (EC 3.4.14.5) was found to be markedly reduced in the Fischer 344 rat strain compared with that in the Wistar strain. Analysis of membrane proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Ouchterlony immunodiffusion revealed the specific absence of this enzyme molecule in the Fischer 344 strain.     

Deficiency of membrane-bound dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV in a certain rat strain

Summary The activity of membrane-bound dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV (EC 3.4.14.5) was found to be markedly reduced in the Fischer 344 rat strain compared with that in the Wistar strain. Analysis of membrane proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Ouchterlony immunodiffusion revealed the specific absence of this enzyme molecule in the Fischer 344 strain.     

The role of the kidney in gastrin metabolism in the rat

Résumé Les taux moyens de sécrétion d'acide gastrique due à l'injection par voie i.v. du SHGI et de gastrine bovine brute ont été sensiblement plus élevées et les périodes de réaction plus longues chez les rats testés que chez les rats de contrôle. Aucune différences significative n'a été observée ni dans le taux moyen de sécrétion acide ni dans la période de réaction chez les deux types de rats, après injection d'histamine dihydrochloride.

---

---

The authors are grateful to M.R.C. London for the SHGI sent to M.O.O. The work has been made possible by a fund from the University of Ibadan Senate Research Grant given to M.O.O.     

The localization of mutarotase in rat kidney

Summary The localization of mutarotase in rat kidney was investigated by fluorescein-labelled and peroxidase-labelled antibody techniques, and by method of isolation of the nuclei and cytoplasm in non-aqueous solvents. In these immunohistochemical studies, mutarotase was almost exclusively recognized in the nuclei of epithelial cells of renal tubules and glomeruli in rat. The specific activity of mutarotase was found to be 1.5 times higher in the nuclei (122 units/g dry wt) than that in the cytoplasm (80 units/g dry wt) isolated with non-aqueous solvents. These results suggest that mutarotase may be involved in the metabolism of D-glucose in nuclei.Acknowledgment. The authors thank Prof. Y. Nishizuka (Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Kobe University) for his valuable advice.     

Location of dopamie stores in rat kidney

Summary In normotensive and genetically hypertensive Wistar rats, chronic renal denervation reduces renal cortical levels of noradrenaline and dopamine by more than 90%. Non-neural stores of renal dopamine are therefore small or absent.This work was supported by the National Heart Foundation of Australia, the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and the University of Melbourne. I wish to thank K. Mather and T. Harris for able technical assistance.     

Effect of dexamethasone on Fc gamma receptor expression in foetal and neonatal rat gut

When injected into 12-day-old suckling rats, dexamethasone caused a precocious disappearance of Fc gamma receptors from enterocytes of the proximal small intestine. However, dexamethasone appeared to be necessary for the maintenance or production of such receptors in foetal rat gut cultured in vitro.