Persistent inverse maternal effect on corticosterone production in vitro

Summary Adrenal cells from C57BL/Tb mice produced more steroid than those from DBA/2J mice. Reciprocal differences between both backcross and F1 hybrids showed a persistent maternal effect. Mothers with high output produce offspring with reduced hormone production when adult. Corticosterone output thus depends on maternal phenotype as well as on the genotype of the isolated cells.We thank Margaret MacKendrick for her help and the Medical Research Council for a research studentship for PRWW.     

Massive striatal dopamine release in acute cerebral ischemia in rats

Summary Extracellular dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and cerebral blood flow were simultaneously determined using in vivo brain dialysis and a hydrogen clearance method in the striatum of spontaneously hypertensive rats during ischemia and after recirculation. Massive striatal dopamine release was demonstrated in acutely induced ischemic brain.     

Increased activity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV in serum of hepatoma-bearing rats coincides with the loss of the enzyme from the hepatoma plasma membrane

Summary The specific activity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV E.C. 3.4.14.-) in the plasma membrane of Morris hepatoma 9121 or hepatoma 7777 was 3.5% and 2.9%, respectively, of that in the plasma membrane of rat liver. The enzyme activity in the serum of hepatoma-bearing rats was 141% (hepatoma 91219) and 162% (hepatoma 7777) of the normal value. cytochemical investigation showed that the DPP IV activity was almost completely absent from the hepatoma cell plasma membrane and was not sequestered within these cells. Indirect immunofluorescence staining with a polyclonal antibody directed against DPP IV indicated that the loss of activity was due to the absence of DPP IV molecules in the plasma membrane. The possibility that the enzyme is transferred from the membrane into the serum as a result of structural alterations is discussed.     

Effects of progesterone and estradiol benzoate on superoxide dismutase activity in the brain of male rats

The activities of mitochondrial, manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and cytoplasmic, copper-zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) were measured in subcellular fractions of whole brain homogenates prepared from intact and gonadectomized (GDX) male rats, untreated or treated subcutaneously (sc) with a single dose of 2 mg progesterone (P) and/or 5 g estradiol benzoate (EB). Neither MnSOD nor CuZnSOD was affected by the removal of the testes. Similarly, CuZnSOD activity was steady following systemic administration of P and/or EB to intact and GDX animals 2 h or 24 h prior to sacrifice. On the other hand, both P and EB suppressed MnSOD in the brain of either intact or GDX rats. These results suggest involvement of P and EB in the control of MnSOD activity in the brain of male rats.     

Some extracellular matrix elements as markers of ‘capillary tunnels’ in hypertrophied rat heart

We studied the distribution of the extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LM) in the hypertrophied hearts of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), using an immunofluorescence method with specific antibodies. The immunohistochemical reaction was positive in the cytoplasm of some hypertrophied cardiomyocytes. The results showed that FN and LM can be used as markers for tunnels, i.e. intracardiocytic invaginations of the sarcolemma. The tunnels observed contained capillaries.     

Stress and putative endogenous ligands for benzodiazepine receptors: The importance of characteristics of the aversive situation and of differential emotionality in experimental animals

The relationships between anxiety/stress, possible endogenous ligands for benzodiazepine receptors and the behavioral modification by drugs are discussed in this short review, including the specific characteristics of elements involved in those interactions, e.g. ones concerning the aversiveness of the stressful situation and the nature of the organism under investigation. These are important factors when considering aversive tasks, insofar as they may involve stressful conditions which differ in intensity and in the degree of control afforded the subject. These characteristics may well lead to differing functional effects on GABA-gated chloride channels or, in other words, to an incongruous balance between endogenous benzodiazepine receptor agonist and inverse agonist activity. This is not surprising, as it is well known that different forms of stressors often actually produce divergent behavioral, physiological and biochemical effects. This review also illustrates the necessity of taking into account the variable effects of stressors and/or drugs on animals differing in reactivity or emotionality, even in the case of non-selected stocks. The implication is made that, by genetic and/or environmental manipulation of the emotional state of the animals used, it will be possible to obtain more clearly definable results in neuropharmacological and psychopharmacological studies.     

血啉甲醚-光动力学疗法去除大鼠前列腺增生的实验研究

以丙酸睾酮诱导的大鼠前列腺增生为研究对象,观察光动力学疗法(PDT)对大鼠前列腺增生的治疗作用.研究结果表明:单纯激光照射或单纯注射光敏剂对大鼠前列腺增生无显著影响(P>0.05);大鼠经各PDT治疗组治疗后,前列腺体积均明显减小,前列腺指数明显下降,与动物模型组存在明显差异(P均小于0.01),说明光动力疗法对前列腺增生细胞具有杀伤和抑制生长作用.     

电刺激迷走背核对大鼠心电活动的影响

用心电高频信息检测分析仪研究了电刺激大鼠迷走神经背核 (DMV)对心电活动的影响 ,分析了刺激前、刺激即刻、刺激后 4min和刺激后 8min高频心电图 (HF -ECG)的各项时域值 .结果显示 :①刺激前心率 ( 4 2 7± 5 6)次 min(x±SD ,下同 ) ,刺激即刻 ( 191± 96)次 min ,与刺激前相比心率显著降低 (p <0 .0 1) ,刺激后心率有回升的趋势 .②刺激前QRS波宽 (Ⅱ导联 ,下同 )( 14 .5± 1.3 )ms ,刺激即刻 ( 19.0± 3 .1)ms,与刺激前相比QRS波宽显著延长 (p <0 .0 1) .③刺激前QRSVp -p( 0 .5 2± 0 .12 )mV ,刺激即刻 ( 0 .3 7± 0 .10 )mV ,与刺激前相比显著降低 (p <0 .0 5 ) .④刺激前切迹数 0 .2 0± 0 .4个 ,刺激即刻 0 .7± 0 .8个 ,与刺激前相比显著增多 .结果表明刺激大鼠的DMV对HF -ECG的时域值有明显影响 ,DMV对心脏电活动有调节作用 .     

川芎嗪-双黄连-病毒唑对大鼠肺间质纤维化作用及其机理研究

气管灌注博莱霉素建立肺间质纤维化大鼠模型，次日或第15天腹腔注射川芎嗪－双黄连－病毒唑，采用Lowry法和MDA－TBA比色法及日本岛津UV－120－02型分光光度计测定大鼠肺组织羟氢酸，胶原蛋白和过氧化脂质含量，并对动物体重，存活率，肺组织病理学进行观察，结果表明，给药第28天，测定川芎嗪－双黄连－病毒唑组肺组织胶原蛋白和羟脯氨酸含量比给药第14天时分别降低了37.1%和33．0％，肺组织病理学检查，炎性细胞，纤维化程度明显降低，动物体重，存活率均有所增加。