Deficiency of kallikrein-like enzyme activities in cerebral tissue of patients with alzheimer's disease

Summary We examined the changes in the intracerebral activities, at the time of postmortem autopsy, in patients with Alzheimer's disease. When compared with the control group, the activity of kallikrein-like enzyme was significantly decreased, while prolyl endopeptidase activity increased, in the patients group. Aprotinin inhibited 50% of the activity of the former enzyme at 2×10^–7M. Taken together with the results of a multivariate study, the above findings may indicate that intracerebral kallikrein deficiency plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.     

Sandwich enzyme immunoassay of mouse mammary tumor virus

Summary A highly sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay for the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is described. The assay can detect 3 ng/ml of MMTV. The enzyme used is ß-D-galactosidase fromEscherichia coli and the solid phase used is a piece of silicon rubber.     

Development of adenocarcinomas after transplantation of rat glandular stomachs treated in vitro with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences - Glandular stomachs of fetal and newborn Wistar rats were transplanted s.c. after treatment in vitro with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) at...     

Influence of pulsing electromagnetic field on the frequency of sister-chromatid exchanges in cultured mammalian cells

Exposures of Chinese hamster cells to pulsing electromagnetic field (PEMF) with 0.18-2.5 mT did not influence the baseline frequency of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE). The results suggest that PEMF with the magnetic intensity examined does not interfere with DNA replication nor produce DNA lesions, thereby leading to an increased frequency of SCE.     

Primary structure of the receptor for calcium channel blockers from skeletal muscle

The complete amino-acid sequence of the receptor for dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers from rabbit skeletal muscle is predicted by cloning and sequence analysis of DNA complementary to its messenger RNA. Structural and sequence similarities to the voltage-dependent sodium channel suggest that in the transverse tubule membrane of skeletal muscle the dihydropyridine receptor may act both as voltage sensor in excitation-contraction coupling and as a calcium channel.     

Circadian fluctuation of susceptibility to haloperidol under constant conditions

An endogenous circadian rhythm of the sedative and antiapomorphine effects of haloperidol was observed under constant conditions for 7 days as well as under an entrained light-dark cycle.     

Receptor binding and internalization of immobilized transcobalamin II by mouse leukaemia cells

Membrane transport of vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin; Cbl) into mammalian cells is mediated by the serum protein transcobalamin II (TCII). In mouse leukaemia L1210 cells, TCII-Cbl binds to membrane receptors in a rapid, temperature-independent step and is internalized by a slow, temperature-dependent process. To delineate the location of receptors on these cells, we have constructed a visual probe by covalently coupling purified TCII-Cbl to submicrometre latex particles (minibeads). We report here that when L1210 cells are incubated with minibeads containing TCII-Cbl at 4 degrees C and examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the particles are found attached predominantly to microvilli. Incubation of the cells at 37 degrees C results in the internalization of the minibeads. As visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), this endocytotic process seems to occur in clathrin-coated pits and vesicles at the cell surface.