Genetic basis of susceptibility for development of neoplasms following treatment with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) or X-rays in the platyfish/swordtail system

Summary Specific genotypes of the xiphophorine fish develop neoplasms following treatment with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea or X-rays. Several of these neoplasms can be related to the presence of specific chromosomes. The implications of these findings are discussed.Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft through Sonderforschungsbereich 103 Zellenergetik und Zelldifferenzierung, Marburg (projects C 9 and C 10), and by Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen. We are indebted to Prof. K. Frese, Veterinär-Pathologisches Institut, Giessen and Dr H. D. Mennel, Pathologisches Institut, Freiburg, for their help in the classification of neoplasms. We furthermore thank K. Klinke for breeding the fish. Dedicated to Prof. C. Kosswig on the occasion of his 75^th birthday.The paper contains parts of the dissertations of S. Abdo, J. Haas and G. Kollinger.supported by the Egypt ministry of education.     

Reciprocal changes in serum free thyroxine fraction and thyrotropin level after administration of thiocyanate to rats

Summary The administration of thiocyanate to rats caused a significant increase of serum free thyroxine fraction, which coincided with the significant decrease of TSH level. The other components (AFT₄, T₄, T₃) in serum at this time were decreased or unchanged. The finding suggests the role of free thyroxine fraction in feed-back regulation of TSH secretion.Acknowledgment. We thank Dr A. Parlow and the NIAMDD, Rat Pituitary Hormone Distribution Program, for material for rat TSH immunoassay; Dr J. Nauman (Inst. Postgrad. Med., Warsaw, Poland) for T₃ antibody, and to Ing. J. Sadlo, Mrs M. t'astná and Miss R Fajkoová for technical assistance.     

Imbalance in the activities of alkaline phosphatase and Na+-K+-ATPase in the brain of experimentally induced phenylketonuric squirrels (Funambulus palmarum)

Summary Phenylketonuric squirrels have shown marked inhibition of alkaline phosphatatase in the olfactory lobes and cerebral hemispheres, whereas the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase remained less altered. In the pathogenesis of phenylketonuria inhibition of alkaline phosphatase at the level of Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB), leads transport system to impaired functioning.This work was done in the Department of Zoology, University of Udaipur, Udaipur-313001, India.     

Action of glutamic acid and of some glutamate analogues on the molluscan central neurones

Summary The effects of L-glutamic acid and of some glutamate analogues have been studied on the central nervous system of the snailHeobania vermiculata, using conventional electrophysiological techniques. The glutamate H-response had the mean equilibrium value of-(57±4) mV and was associated with a Cl^– conductance change. The D-response to glutamate application showed an involvement of sodium ions. Aspartate was agonist of glutamate action and displayed similar equilibrium value of the H-response, whereas quisqualate H-response was non-invertible.The authors wish to express their thanks to Prof. A. Curatolo for his continual interest and advice, and to Dr J. Stinnakre for the criticism of the text.     

Migration of lymphoid cells to the bone marrow of rat following eradication of cells in DNA synthesis and in mitosis

Summary Eradication of replicating bone marrow cells of rat by means of combined administration of single doses of hydroxyurea and vinblastin is followed within 9–10 h by an inflow of lymphoid cells of extramedullary origin in the range of 13,200,000/femur. The rat bone marrow with a high content of lymphoid cells was previously shown to be concentrated in stem cells. The factor(s) which convey the information of decrease of replicating marrow cells to extramedullary sites is at present unknown.Acknowledgment. This study was supported by a grant from the Chief Scientist Office, Ministry of Health, Israel.Hydroxyurea for this investigation was given as a gift by the Squibb Institute of Medical Research, Princeton, N.J. USA, to which the authors are indebted.     

The timing of cyclophosphamide therapy in tumor-bearing rats affects the resistance to tumor challenge in survivors

Summary Cyclophosphamide given to rats 2 or 5 days after an injection of Yoshida ascites sarcoma cured approximately the same proportion of animals, but the resistance to a subsequent tumor challenge was found only in rats treated with the drug 5 days after tumor injection.     

Imbalance in the activities of alkaline phosphatase and Na+-K+-ATPase in the brain of experimentally induced phenylketonuric squirrels (Funambulus palmarum).

Phenylketonuric squirrels have shown marked inhibition of alkaline phosphatase in the olfactory lobes and cerebral hemispheres, whereas the Na+-K+-ATPase remained less altered. In the pathogenesis of phenylketonuria inhibition of alkaline phosphatase at the level of "Blood-Brain Barrier" (BBB), leads transport system to impaired functioning.     

Demonstration of generators of the locomotor and respiration rhythms in the cervico-thoracic spinal cord of rabbits

In curarized Rabbits whose cervico-thoracic cord has been isolated through C2 and Th12 transections, a pharmacological activation (nialamide-DOPA) disclosed distinct rhythmic efferent activities, locomotor-like bursts in forelimb muscle nerves and "respiratory" discharges in the phrenic nerves: they originate respectively from a cervico-thoracic locomotion generator and from a "respiration" generator; these spinal generators appear to be interconnected with each other.     

Conversion of mammalian cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase into modulator-dependent protein kinase (type II) in vitro

The spontaneous conversion of mammalian cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (G-PK) into modulator-dependent protein kinase (type II) (M-PKII) in the absence of cGMP or histone was observed in vitro. The findings, together with similarity in substrate protein specificity, suggest that M-PKII is the catalytic subunit of mammalian G-PK.     

Effects of thyrotrophic-releasing hormone (TRH) on thermoregulation in the rat

At ambient temperatures (Ta) of both 8 and 22 degrees C, intraventricular administration of TRH (10-80 microgram) produced a dose-dependent hypothermia in rats. The hypothermia was due to both decreased metabolic heat production and cutaneous vasodilatation. In contrast, at 30 degrees C Ta, TRH increased metabolic heat production (due to behavioral excitation) and led to hyperthermia.