Changes in the activities of protein kinase modulators in the cerebellum of mice due to ethanol,caffeine, or phenobarbital administration

Summary Decreased activities of both the inhibitory modulator of adenosine 35-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (A-PK) as well as the stimulatory modulator of guanosine 35-monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (G-PK) from the mouse cerebellum were noted due to the administration of excessive doses of ethanol, caffeine, and phenobarbital for up to 28 days. The dose-dependence of the inhibition of A-PK or the stimulation of G-PK was observed as a function of the amount of protein kinase modulators in the cerebellum of mice receiving different doses of ethanol.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by a grant (RR 08119-06-PK modulator project) from NIH, USA. J.L. Williams, T. Floyd-Jones, C.F. Duggans, D.L. Boone, and S.O. Smith were prebaccalaureate trainees of MBS program. Authors thank Dr J.F. Kuo of Emory University for encouragement in this project.     

Changes in the protein kinase C activity or rat sternomastoid muscle during development and after denervation

The relationship between the activity of protein kinase C (PKC) and muscle innervation was explored in the rat sternomastoid muscle (SM) from day 18 of gestation (E18) to adult age. Between E18 and birth, PKC activity rose 5-fold, and during the day after birth, diminished to a level characteristic of the mature muscle. The rise chiefly occurred in the neural part of the muscle, in both the membrane and the cytosol fractions. Between E18 and day 5 after birth, the ratios of membrane to cytosol PKC activity rose from 0.5 to 10 and 3 respectively in the neural and aneural parts of the muscle. Denervation of adult SM reduced PKC activity by half in the membrane fraction of the neural part but did not significantly change it in the membrane or cytosol fractions of the aneural parts. These results suggest that innervation plays an important part in determining the level of PKC activity in muscle.     

Changes in the protein kinase C activity or rat sternomastoid muscle during development and after denervation

Summary The relationship between the activity of protein kinase C (PKC) and muscle innervation was explored in the rat sternomastoid muscle (SM) from day 18 of gestation (E18) to adult age. Between E18 and birth, PKC activity rose 5-fold, and during the day after birth, diminished to a level characteristic of the mature muscle. The rise chiefly occurred in the neural part of the muscle, in both the membrane and the cytosol fractions. Between E18 and day 5 after birth, the ratios of membrane to cytosol PKC activity rose from 0.5 to 10 and 3 respectively in the neural and aneural parts of the muscle. Denervation of adult SM reduced PKC activity by half in the membrane fraction of the neural part but did not significantly change it in the membrane or cytosol fractions of the aneural parts. These results suggest that innervation plays an important part in determining the level of PKC activity in muscle.     

Effect of cortisone or triiodothyronine administration to pregnant rats on lysosomal hydrolases in fetal forebrain and cerebellum

Summary Triiodothyronine injected daily to pregnant rats for the last week of gestation (50 g/100 g b.wt) increased the specific activities of 5 acid glycosidases in the fetal forebrain and cerebellum. Cortisone (50 mg/100 g b.wt) administered in the same period had no effect on cerebellum acid hydrolases, but decreased their activity in the forebrain.Supported by grant No. HD 08536 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.     

Changes in efferent activities of the gastric vagus nerve by administration of glucose in the portal vein.

Injection of glucose in the portal vein, as well as in the left carotid artery, brought a transient decrease in efferent discharges of the gastric vagus nerve, whereas venous injection of regular insulin brought a gradual increase in the discharges.     

Changes in serum proteins due to lesion or resection of the olfactory bulbs of the rat

Resumen La sección y extirpación bilateral de los bulbos olfactorios, en ratas de ambos sexos, producen disminución de las proteínas séricas totales, albumina y globulinas y, sin modificaciones de la globulina. Esa disminución se hace significativa 21 días después de las operaciones.     

Changes in the liver protein pattern due to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)

Riassunto Mediante elettroforesi in fase libera è stato studiato il protiogramma epatico durante l'intossicazione con dietilamide dell'acido lisergico (LSD) nel ratto albino.Si sono osservate profonde modificazioni del quadro le quali sonto completamente reversibili.     

Changes in activity and hormonal sensitivity of brain adenyl cyclase following chronic ethanol administration

Zusammenfassung Nachweis, dass durch langdauernde Äthanol-Zufuhr die Adenyl-Zyklase-Aktivität in der Grosshirnrinde von Mäusen vermehrt wird, während die fermentative Aktivität bei der akuten Zufuhr sich nicht verändert. Die Empfindlichkeit der Adenyl-Zyklase-Aktivität auf Norepinephrin im Mäusegehrin ist nach dieser Äthanol-Zufuhr deutlich herabgesetzt.

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Supported in part by grants No. MH-18663 and MH-16477 from USPHS, to whom reprint requests have to be sent.     

Deposition of fat in the liver following administration of caffeine

Zusammenfassung Koffein in Dosen von 25 und 50 mg/kg s.c. führte bei weissen Mäusen als Folge einer gesteigerten Lipolyse im Depotfett zur Abnahme des Fettgehalts des Fettgewebes, zur Zunahme der unveresterten Fettsäuren im Serum und zur Einlagerung von veresterten Fettsäuren in die Leber. Die Hauptwirkung fand sich nach 2 h. Der Gehalt des Serums an veresterten Fettsäuren und Gesamtcholesterin blieb unverändert.     

Changes in efferent activities of the gastric vagus nerve by administration of glucose in the portal vein

Summary Injection of glucose in the portal vein, as well as in the left carotid artery, brought a transient decrease in efferent discharges of the gastric vagus nerve, whereas venous injection of regular insulin brought a gradual increase in the discharges.Acknowledgment. The authors thank Prof. A. Niijima for his helpful advice.     

Induced increase of meprobamate metabolism in rats pretreated with phenobarbital or phenaglycodol in relation to age

Riassunto Si è osservato che il metabolismo del meprobamato è tanto più rapido quanto più giovani sono i ratti usati ed anche che l'induzione dell'aumento del metabolismoin vivo è tanto più intensa quanto più giovani sono i ratti usati.     

Dexamethasone protection against the acute lethality of ethanol in mice

Summary The administration of dexamethasone (DXM, 2.00 mg/kg) 1 h prior to the injection of lethal doses of ethanol was found to offer complete protection against ethanol toxicity at doses up to 5.25 g/kg and partial protection using higher doses. It is suggested that DXM central action might be involved in the protection against ethanol toxicity.Supported by a grant from U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration.     

The development of pyruvate kinase,glycerol kinase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activities in liver and adipose tissue of the rat

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, dass in der Leber die Aktivität der PEP-Kinase und der Glycerolkinase nachgeburtlich ansteigt. Im braunen Fettgewebe fällt die PEP-Kinaseaktivität nach dem 40. Tag ab. Sie fehlt im weissen Fettgewebe. Die Pyruvatkinaseaktivität fällt in der Leber nach der Geburt ab, während sie im braunen Fettgewebe ansteigt.     

Changes in free amino acid level due to physical and chemical agents in ageing Drosophila.

The effects of gamma rays and caffeine on total free amino acids were assessed in unirradiated and irradiated ageing Drosophila. As age advances, there is a rise in the quantity of free amino acids in untreated males and females. Gamma rays and caffeine strongly reduce the level of free amino acids in both the sexes.     

ATM protein kinase: the linchpin of cellular defenses to stress

ATM is the most significant molecule involved in monitoring the genomic integrity of the cell. Any damage done to DNA relentlessly challenges the cellular machinery involved in recognition, processing and repair of these insults. ATM kinase is activated early to detect and signal lesions in DNA, arrest the cell cycle, establish DNA repair signaling and faithfully restore the damaged chromatin. ATM activation plays an important role as a barrier to tumorigenesis, metabolic syndrome and neurodegeneration. Therefore, studies of ATM-dependent DNA damage signaling pathways hold promise for treatment of a variety of debilitating diseases through the development of new therapeutics capable of modulating cellular responses to stress. In this review, we have tried to untangle the complex web of ATM signaling pathways with the purpose of pinpointing multiple roles of ATM underlying the complex phenotypes observed in AT patients.     

Aberrant,canavanyl protein formation and the ability to tolerate or utilize L-canavanine

Summary L-Canavanine, 2-amino-4-(guanidinooxy)butyric acid, and L-arginine incorporation into de novo synthesized proteins was compared in six organisms. Utilizing L-[guanidinooxy¹⁴C]canavanine and L-[guanidino¹⁴C]arginine at substrate saturation, the canavanine to arginine incorporation ratio was determined in de, novo synthesized proteins.Caryedes brasiliensis andSternechus tuberculatus, canavanine utilizing insects;Canavalia ensiformis, a canavanine storing plant; and to a lesser extentHeliothis virescens, a canavanine resistant insect, failed to accumulate significant canavanyl proteins. By contrast,Manduca sexta, a canavanine-sensitive insect, andGlycine max, a canavanine free plant, readily incorporated canavanine into newly synthesized proteins. This study supports the contention that the incorporation of canavanine into proteins in place of arginine contributes significantly to canavanine's antimetabolic properties.