Influence of ethanol on calcium,inositol phospholipids and intracellular signalling mechanisms

Summary Studies have implicated Ca⁺⁺ in the actions of ethanol at many biochemical levels. Calcium as a major intracellular messenger in the central nervous system is involved in many processes, including protein phosphorylation enzyme activation and secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters. The control of intracellular calcium, therefore, represents a major step by which neuronal cells regulate their activities. The present review focuses on three primary areas which influence intracellular calcium levels; voltage-dependent Ca⁺⁺ channels, receptor-mediated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, and Ca⁺⁺/Mg⁺⁺-ATPase, the high affinity membrane Ca⁺⁺ pump.Current research suggests that a subtype of the voltage-dependent Ca⁺⁺ channel, the dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca⁺⁺ channel, is uniquely sensitive to acute and chronic ethanol treatment. Acute exposure inhibits, while chronic ethanol exposure increases⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺-influx and [³H]dihydropyridine receptor binding sites. In addition, acute and chronic exposure to ethanol inhibits, then increases Ca⁺⁺/Mg⁺⁺-ATPase activity in neuronal membranes. Changes in Ca⁺⁺ channel and Ca⁺⁺/Mg⁺⁺-ATPase activity following chronic ethanol may occur as an adaptation process to increase Ca⁺⁺ availability for intracellular processes. Since receptor-dependent inositol phospholipid hydrolysis is enhanced after chronic ethanol treatment, subsequent activation of protein kinase-C may also be involved in the adaptation process and may indicate increased coupling for receptor-dependent changes in Ca⁺⁺/Mg⁺⁺-ATPase activity.The increased sensitivity of three Ca⁺⁺-dependent processes suggest that adaptation to chronic ethanol exposure may involve coupling of one or more of these processes to receptor-mediated events.     

生产肌醇新工艺的研究

为了克服传统肌醇生产方法的缺陷，探讨了新的生产工艺，即在常压条件下、酸性介质中以多元醇为溶剂使菲汀水解，其收率比传统工艺高出１倍。     

Nitroglycerin-induced desensitization of vascular smooth muscle may be mediated through cyclic GMP-disinhibition of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis

Summary The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that nitroglycerin-induced desensitization of vascular smooth muscle is mediated through cyclic GMP-disinhibition of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis. Norepinephrine-induced contraction and increased levels of inositol monophosphate, a measure of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis, in rat aorta. Prior treatment with nitroglycerin inhibited both the norepinephrine-induced contraction and the elevated levels of inositol monophosphate to the same relative magnitude. The nitroglycerin-induced inhibition of contraction and inositol monophosphate formation were prevented in tissues desensitized with nitroglycerin. These results suggest that: 1) nitroglycerin may inhibit vascular smooth muscle contraction through cyclic GMP-inhibition of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis and 2) desensitization to the relaxant effects of nitroglycerin may be due to disinhibition of the hydrolysis.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by grants from the Veterans Administration, American Heart Association Southwestern Ohio Chapter, and BRSG 507 RR05-408-24 and RO1 HL 34895 from the National Institutes of Health to RMR. JKC is a recipient of a Key Pharmaceutical Company Predoctoral Fellowship. Address all correspondence to R. M. Rapoport.     

MS培养基无机盐水平、肌醇浓度和pH值对绿豆试管内萌发的影响

以绿豆为材料,分别研究了不同培养基无机盐水平、肌醇浓度和不同pH值对绿豆种子试管内萌发的影响。结果表明：过高的无机盐水平会抑制绿豆的萌发,较低的无机盐水平（1／4MS）可以促进绿豆的萌发,但是无机盐水平过低,也不利于绿豆的萌发;绿豆在pH=6稍偏酸性条件下萌发率最高,生长最好。随着pH值的降低或升高（pH〈6或pH〉6）,绿豆的萌发率逐渐降低,生长逐渐缓慢。当pH〈3或pH〉9时,绿豆的萌发完全受到抑制;绿豆萌发的最适肌醇浓度为2g／L。     

肌醇制备工艺的研究

研究了以菲汀为原料制备肌醇的工艺过程，探讨了水解反应的压力和反应时间对肌醇产率的影响．选用混合中和脱盐剂，并采用离子交换法除去杂质，使肌醇产率明显提高，产品质量达到WS1－36（B）－89要求．     

基于植酸胶束制备纳米金及其SERS特性研究

在溶液中用替换法合成稳定的拉曼信号较强的金纳米粒子,即首先以植酸为稳定剂和控型剂,用柠檬酸三钠还原硝酸银合成银纳米粒子,再利用银纳米粒子还原氯金酸,在水溶液中制备金纳米粒子.采用紫外-可见(UV-Vis)吸收光谱、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、能量散射光谱(EDX)对金纳米粒子的光学性质及形貌结构进行了表征,实验表明合成的金纳米粒子结构均一、分散性好.以罗丹明6G为探针分子,研究了金纳米粒子作为基底的表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)效应,结果表明:这种金纳米粒子具有SERS信号强、检测限低、稳定性强等优点.     

Endocytosis and inositol hexakisphosphate levels inras transformants ofDictyostelium discoideum amoebae

Summary Fluid-phase pinocytosis kinetics and lysosomal enzyme secretion parameters were measured inDictyostelium discoideum amoebae constructed from strain AX3 by transformation with a multicopy plasmid carrying either a normalras gene (ras-Gly12), a mutatedras gene (ras-Thr12) or by the vector carrying the geneticin resistance gene only (pDNEO2). It was found that the pinocytosis rate and extent as well as the lysosomal enzyme secretion were slightly different in the three strains. These changes, however, were related to minor modifications of the cellular volumes. The overall concentration of inositol hexakisphosphate was similar in the three strains.This work was supported in part by a grant from the Ligue Nationale Française contre le Cancer (n^o 880258) to MS, and by a grant from the Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique (No. 3.623-087) to CR.     

Calcium and sodium distribution and movements in smooth muscle

Summary Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) has been used to study the subcellular distribution of Ca, Na, K. Cl, and Mg in smooth muscle. The EPMA results indicate that the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is the majorintracellular source and sink of activator Ca: norepinephrine decreases the Ca content of the junctional SR in portal vein smooth muscle. Mitochondria do not play a significant role in regulating cytoplasmic free Ca²⁺, but mitochondrial Ca content can be altered to a degree compatible with suggestions that fluctuations in matrix Ca contribute to the control of mitochondrial metabolism. The rise intotal cytoplasmic Ca during a maintained, maximal contraction is very much greater than the rise in free Ca²⁺, and is probably in excess of the known binding sites available on calmodulin and myosin. Cell Ca is not increased in normal cells that are Na-loaded. The non-Donnan distribution of Cl is not due to compartmentalization, but reflects high cytoplasmic Cl. Na-loading of smooth muscle in K-free solutions is temperature dependent, and may exhibit cellular heterogeneity undetected by conventional techniques. The total cell Mg is equivalent to approximately 12 mM, and less than 50% of it can be accounted for by binding to ATP and to actin. Mitochondrial monovalent cations in smooth muscle are relatively rapidly exchangeable.     

Phenytoin-induced DNA synthesis and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate formation in L-929 fibroblasts

Summary Culture of L-929 fibroblasts in the presence of phenytoin (2.5–5.0 g/ml) increased DNA synthesis, as indicated by increased [³H]thymidine uptake, while a higher dose (20 g/ml) inhibited DNA synthesis. In like manner, a low dose of phenytoin (5.0 g/ml) was effective in increasing inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate formation while a higher dose (10 g/ml) tended to inhibit this activity. These data suggest that the formation of inositol phosphate second messengers may play a role in phenytoin-induced fibroblast proliferation and connective tissue growth.     

刺果苏木（Caesalpinia cristal）化学成分的研究

从中国北部湾采集的剌果苏木(Caesalpinia cristal)中分离得到4个结晶化合物,通过 IR、~1H NMR,~(13)C NMR,MS以及元素分析等手段鉴定了它们的结构。本文报道(D)-4-O-甲基-肌-肌醇和24,26-甲基-3β-羟基-5-烯胆甾醇。前者是一种新化合物。