Deformation of erythrocytes in microvessels and glass capillaries: effects of erythrocyte deformability

OBJECTIVE

The deformation of erythrocytes in microvessels less than 15 microns in inner diameter was analyzed using a microvascular bed isolated from rabbit mesentery. The deformation was compared with that found in glass capillaries.

METHODS

Human erythrocytes were perfused through two media: first, a microvascular-bed section isolated from rabbit mesentery; and second, a set of glass capillaries. Images of deformed erythrocytes were recorded on videotape under strobe light and analyzed with an image processor. The flow velocity of the erythrocytes was determined from the difference of their positions between video frames or by a dual-spot cross-correlation technique. Erythrocyte deformability was modified with diamide, diazene dicarboxylic acid bis[N,N-dimethylamide], by crosslinking spectrins.

RESULTS

Symmetrical (parachute-like or slipper-like) deformation of erythrocytes was observed only in microvessels smaller than 13 microns in inner diameter. Erythrocytes in microvessels were less deformed than those in glass capillaries with corresponding diameters, and the marginal cell-free layer was narrower. The deformation increased by increasing the flow velocity of erythrocytes, and the cell-free layer became wider. Diamide-treated cells in microvessels were less deformed than normal cells and showed slightly narrower cell-free layers. Stronger stress in narrower microvessels induced further deformation of cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Erythrocyte deformation in microvessels was essentially different from that in glass capillaries, and the effect of erythrocyte deformability on the flow dynamics of erythrocytes in microvessels was properly evaluated using an isolated microvascular bed.

Microglial ramification requires nondiffusible factors derived from astrocytes

It is generally accepted that process-bearing microglial cells origina te from ameboid macrophage-like mesodermal cells. This transformation, often called ramification, accompanies down regulation of macrophage-like properties, but the mechanisms involved in ramification have not been clarified. We investigated factors to promote ramification in culture. Isolated ameboid microglial cells were seeded on living or paraformaldehyde-fixed astrocyte monolayers. About 80% of the cells ramified on the fixed astrocytes in astrocyte-conditioned medium as well as on the living astrocytes. In fresh culture medium, 50% of the cells on the fixed astrocytes ramified. On the other hand, ameboid cells rarely ramified on noncoated glass coverslips even in the conditioned medium. Ameboid cells cultured on extracellular matrices dervied from astrocytes ramified more than on those coated with plasma fibronectin or collagen type I. A synthetic peptide containing Arg-Gly-Asp sequence or a tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein partially reversed the ramification induced on the fixed astrocyte monolayers. These results show that some nondiffusible factors derived from astrocytes are essential for microglial ramification. A part of the nondiffusible factors are present in the extracellular matrices, and the effects might be mediated by integrins. Some diffusible factors secreted by astrocytes seem to promote ramification, if the nondiffusible factors are present. The experiments using the fixed astrocyte monolayers may be useful to identify the diffusible factors responsibile for ramification.

6B4 proteoglycan/phosphacan is a repulsive substratum but promotes morphological differentiation of cortical neurons

6B4 proteoglycan/phosphacan is one of the major phosphate-buffered saline-soluble chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans of the brain. Recently, this molecule has been demonstrated to be an extracellular variant of the proteoglycan-type protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTPzeta (RPTPbeta). The influence of the 6B4 proteoglycan, adsorbed onto the substratum, on cell adhesion and neurite outgrowth was studied using dissociated neurons from the cerebral cortex and thalamus. 6B4 proteoglycan adsorbed onto plastic tissue culture dishes did not support neuronal cell adhesion, but rather exerted repulsive effects on cortical and thalamic neurons. When neurons were densely seeded on patterned substrata consisting of a grid-like structure of alternating poly-L-lysine and 6B4 proteoglycan-coated poly-L-lysine domains, they were concentrated on the poly-L-lysine domains. However, 6B4 proteoglycan did not retard the differentiation of neurons but rather promoted neurite outgrowth and development of the dendrites of cortical neurons, when neurons were sparsely seeded on poly-L-lysine-conditioned coverslips continuously coated with 6B4 proteoglycan. This effect of 6B4 proteoglycan on the neurite extension of cortical neurons was apparent even on coverslips co-coated with fibronectin or tenascin. By contrast, the neurite extension of thalamic neurons was not modified by 6B4 proteoglycan. Chondroitinase ABC or keratanase digestion of 6B4 proteoglycan did not affect its neurite outgrowth promoting activity, but a polyclonal antibody against 6B4 proteoglycan completely suppressed this activity, suggesting that a protein moiety is responsible for the activity. 6B4 proteoglycan transiently promoted tyrosine phosphorylation of an 85x10(3) Mr protein in the cortical neurons, which correlated with the induction of neurite outgrowth. These results suggest that 6B4 proteoglycan/phosphacan modulates morphogenesis and differentiation of neurons dependent on its spatiotemporal distribution and the cell types in the brain.

Hepatic lipase gene therapy in hepatic lipase-deficient mice. Adenovirus-mediated replacement of a lipolytic enzyme to the vascular endothelium

Hepatic lipase (HL) is an endothelial-bound lipolytic enzyme which functions as a phospholipase as well as a triacylglycerol hydrolase and is necessary for the metabolism of IDL and HDL. To evaluate the feasibility of replacing an enzyme whose in vivo physiologic function depends on its localization on the vascular endothelium, we have infused recombinant replication-deficient adenovirus vectors expressing either human HL (HL-rAdV; n = 7) or luciferase cDNA (Lucif-rAdV; n = 4) into HL-deficient mice with pretreatment plasma cholesterol, phospholipid, and HDL cholesterol values of 176 +/- 9, 314 +/- 12, and 129 +/- 9, respectively. After infusion of HL-rAdV, HL could be detected in the postheparin plasma of HL-deficient mice by immunoblotting and postheparin plasma HL activities were 25,700 +/- 4,810 and 1,510 +/- 688 nmol/min/ml on days 5 and 15, respectively. Unlike the mouse HL, 97% of the newly synthesized human HL was heparin releasable, indicating that the human enzyme was virtually totally bound to the mouse vascular endothelium. Infusion of HL-rAdV in HL-deficient mice was associated with a 50-80% decrease in total cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipids, cholesteryl ester, and HDL cholesterol (P < 0.001) as well as normalization of the plasma fast protein liquid chromatography lipoprotein profile by day 8. These studies demonstrate successful expression and delivery of a lipolytic enzyme to the vascular endothelium for ultimate correction of the HL gene defect in HL-deficient mice and indicate that recombinant adenovirus vectors may be useful in the replacement of endothelial-bound lipolytic enzymes in human lipolytic deficiency states.

Increase in insulin release from rat pancreatic islets by quinolone antibiotics

1. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism(s) of hypoglycaemia caused by quinolone antibiotics. We investigated the effects of various quinolone antibiotics on insulin release in rat pancreatic islets. 2. At a non-stimulatory concentration of 3 mM glucose, lomefloxacin (LFLX) or sparfloxacin at 1 mM and pipemidic acid (0.1-1 mM) induced slight insulin release but tosufloxacin or enoxacin up to 100 microM did not. 3. At the stimulatory concentration of 10 mM glucose, all quinolones augmented insulin release in a dose-dependent manner. LFLX (100 microM) shifted the dose-response curve of glucose-induced insulin release to the left without altering the maximal response. 4. At 10 mM glucose, LFLX (100 microM) increased insulin release augmented by forskolin (5 microM) or 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (100 nM) but not by raising the K+ concentration from 6 to 25 mM. 5. Verapamil (50 microM) or diazoxide (50-400 microM) antagonized the insulinotropic effect of LFLX. 6. These data suggest that quinolone antibiotics may cause hypoglycaemia by increasing insulin release via blockade of ATP-sensitive K+ channels.

Effects of imidazoline antagonists of alpha 2-adrenoceptors on endogenous adrenaline-induced inhibition of insulin release

We studied the effects of adrenoceptor antagonists and imidazoline derivatives on endogenous adrenaline-induced inhibition of insulin release in anesthetized rats. The intracerebroventricular injection of neostigmine increased plasma levels of catecholamines and glucose but not insulin. Pretreatment with an i.p. injection with phentolamine caused a dose-dependent increase in insulin secretion. When atropine was coadministered with phentolamine, the phentolamine-induced increase in insulin secretion was inhibited. Neither phentolamine nor atropine affected plasma levels of catecholamine. Yohimbine and idazoxan, which are alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists, and tolazoline, a non-selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, also reversed adrenaline-induced inhibition of insulin secretion. Phenoxybenzamine, prazosin, propranolol, and antazoline, an imidazoline without alpha 2-adrenoceptor activity, did not affect insulin levels. When agents were preinjected i.p. in rats that were given saline into the third cerebral ventricle, phentolamine and antazoline, but not yohimbine and idazoxan, increased plasma levels of insulin. The results suggest that the inhibition of insulin release induced by adrenaline was reversed by antagonism of alpha 2-adrenoceptors. Phentolamine and antazoline, both of which are imidazoline derivatives, induced insulin secretion independently of the adrenoceptors only under the resting conditions.

A mouse model for beta 0-thalassemia

We have used a "plug and socket" targeting technique to generate a mouse model of beta 0-thalassemia in which both the b1 and b2 adult globin genes have been deleted. Mice homozygous for this deletion (Hbbth-3/Hbbth-3) die perinatally, similar to the most severe form of Cooley anemia in humans. Mice heterozygous for the deletion appear normal, but their hematologic indices show characteristics typical of severe thalassemia, including dramatically decreased hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cell counts, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, as well as dramatically increased reticulocyte counts, serum bilirubin concentrations, and red cell distribution widths. Tissue and organ damage typical of beta-thalassemia, such as bone deformities and splenic enlargement due to increased hematopoiesis, are also seen in the heterozygous animals, as is spontaneous iron overload in the spleen, liver, and kidneys. The mice homozygous for the b1 and b2 deletions should be of great value in developing therapies for the treatment of thalassemias in utero. The heterozygous animals will be useful for studying the pathophysiology of thalassemias and have the potential of generating a model of sickle cell anemia when mated with appropriate transgenic animals.

Neuroglycan C, a novel membrane-spanning chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan that is restricted to the brain

Monoclonal antibodies were raised to membrane-bound proteoglycans derived from rat brain, and four monoclonal antibodies that recognized a 150-kDa chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan with a core glycoprotein of 120 kDa were obtained. Immunohistological study revealed that the proteoglycan was associated with developing neurons. We screened rat brain cDNA libraries using the four monoclonal antibodies and isolated overlapping cDNA clones that encoded the entire core protein of 514 amino acids plus a 30-residue signal peptide. The deduced amino acid sequence suggested an integral membrane protein divided into five structurally different domains: an N-terminal domain to which chondroitin sulfate chains might be attached, a basic amino acid cluster consisting of seven arginine and two lysine residues, a cysteine-containing domain, a membrane-spanning segment, and a C-terminal cytoplasmic domain of 95 amino acids. On Northern blots, the cDNA hybridized with a single mRNA of 3.1 kilobases that was detectable in brains of neonatal and adult rats but not in kidney, liver, lung, and muscle of either. The sequence of the proteoglycan did not exhibit significant homology to any other known protein, indicating that the proteoglycan, designated neuroglycan C, is a novel integral membrane proteoglycan.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with a long-term survival of 12 years after surgical resection: report of a case and review of the literature

The prognosis of primary liver cancer, especially cholangiocarcinoma, is extremely poor. A long term, 12 years survivor of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma arising in a local dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct is presented. A 40-year-old male patient was presented with recurrent upper abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice. Computed tomography revealed a localized duct dilatation, and ultrasound clearly demonstrated a tumor mass arising within the bile duct. At surgery in March, 1982, the tumor mass was resected and histologically confirmed as a well differentiated papillary adenocarcinoma arising. In March, 1994, the patient is alive and cancer-free, 12 years after surgical resection. To our knowledge, there has been no report on a patient surviving more than 10 years after initial treatment. This case suggests that a localized cystic dilatation of the intrahepatic-bile duct on imaging modalities may harbor a bile duct carcinoma, and this in turn may contribute to early diagnosis of carcinomas and improved long term survival.

Apolipoprotein E deficiency in mice: gene replacement and prevention of atherosclerosis using adenovirus vectors

Apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice develop marked hyperlipidemia as well as atherosclerosis and thus are an excellent animal model for evaluating the potential for gene therapy in human genetic dyslipoproteinemias. Recombinant adenovirus containing either human apoE (rAdv.apoE) or the reporter gene luciferase (rAdv.luc) were generated and infused intravenously in apoE-deficient mice with preinfusion plasma total cholesterol of 644 +/- 149 mg/dl an cholesterol rich VLDL/IDL. After a single infusion of rAdv.apoE, plasma concentrations of human apoE ranging from 1.5 to 650 mg/dl were achieved. Adenovirus-mediated apoE replacement resulted in normalization of the lipid and lipoprotein profile with markedly decreased total cholesterol (103 +/- 18mg/dl), VLDL, IDL, and LDL, as well as increased HDL. Measurement of aortic atherosclerosis 1 mo after adenoviral infusion demonstrated a marked reduction in the mean lesion area of mice infused with rAdv.apoE (58 +/- 8 x 10(3) microns2) when compared with control mice infused with rAdv.luc (161 +/- 10 x 10(3) microns2; P < 0.0001). Thus, apoE expression for 4 wk was sufficient to markedly reduce atherosclerosis, demonstrating the feasibility of gene therapy for correction of genetic hyperlipidemias resulting in atherosclerosis. The combined use of adenovirus vectors and the apoE-deficient mouse represents a new in vivo approach that will permit rapid screening of candidate genes for the prevention of atherosclerosis.

Comparison of methods for detecting keratoconus using videokeratography

BACKGROUND

The detection of keratoconus patterns on videokeratography is important for screening candidates for refractive surgery and for studying the genetic basis of keratoconus.

OBJECTIVE

We compared three quantitative approaches to identifying keratoconus from videokeratographic information to examine the limitations and capabilities of each test and to determine their suitability for use in the clinical setting.

METHODS

Videokeratographs typical of clinically diagnosed keratoconus (n = 44) and of various non-keratoconus conditions (n = 132, including normal, with-the-rule astigmatism, contact lens-induced corneal warpage, photorefractive keratectomy, keratoplasty, and pellucid marginal degeneration) were selected. Three methods for detecting keratoconus were used: keratometry (average Simulated Keratometry [SimK] readings > 45.7 diopters [D]); the modified Rabinowitz-McDonnell test (central corneal power > 47.2 D and/or Inferosuperior Asymmetry [I-S] value > 1.4 D); and an expert system classifier (classification based on discriminant analysis and classification tree with eight topographic indexes). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each test.

RESULTS

Sensitivities were 84% for keratometry, 96% for the modified Rabinowitz-McDonnell test, and 98% for the expert system classifier. Specificities for the three methods were 86%, 85%, and 99%, respectively. In terms of sensitivity, the expert system classifier was significantly better than keratometry (P = .04). In terms of specificity, the expert system classifier was significantly better than either of the other methods (P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

For screening candidates for refractive surgery, where high sensitivity is needed, either the modified Rabinowitz-McDonnell test or the expert system classifier is suitable. For diagnosing keratoconus, where high specificity is more useful, the expert system classifier is more appropriate than the other two methods.

Purification, characterization and developmental expression of a brain-specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, 6B4 proteoglycan/phosphacan

A large brain-specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, identified with monoclonal antibody 6B4 (6B4 proteoglycan/phosphacan), was isolated from rat brain. Soluble proteoglycans in the phosphate-buffered saline extract from 20-day-old rat whole brain were fractionated by anion exchange chromatography and CsCl density gradient centrifugation. 6B4 proteoglycan was further purified by gel filtration and additional ion exchange chromatography. The molecular mass of 6B4 proteoglycan shifted from 800 to 300 x 10(3) mol. wt after chondroitinase ABC digestion. The core protein was substituted with chondroitin sulfate chains with an average molecular weight of 21,000, keratan sulfate and HNK-1 carbohydrates. Glycosidase digestion of 6B4 proteoglycan with O-glycanase, N-glycanase, endo-beta-galactosidase, or keratanase did not remove the HNK-1 epitopes. The expression of 6B4 proteoglycan was developmentally regulated in the rat cerebral cortex; appearing first at embryonic day 14, peaking at postnatal day 0, and persisting throughout adulthood at a lower level. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that 6B4 proteoglycan was distributed along the radial glial fibers and on the migrating neurons in the embryonal rar cerebrum. The radial glial fibers were stained intensely all along their length, but the neurons in the cortical plate were not stained in contrast to the moderate staining of the migrating neurons in the intermediate zone and the subplate. From postnatal day 5 to postnatal day 20, 6B4 proteoglycan was present throughout the cortex. After postnatal day 30, staining of the neuropil was weakened, and the expression of 6B4 proteoglycan was restricted around subsets of neurons. The positive neurons were mostly non-pyramidal cells (> 95%) and were relatively concentrated in layers IV and VI of the primary somatosensory cortex. Immunohistochemical analysis of the dissociated cortical neurons indicated that 6B4 proteoglycan was distributed on the cell bodies and neurites. 6B4 proteoglycan strikingly promoted neurite extension of cortical neurons from embryonic day-16 rat embryos when coated on coverslips as a substrate. 6B4 proteoglycan is a brain-specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan which carries keratan sulfate and HNK-1 carbohydrates. The spatiotemporal expression profile and effects on the dissociated cerebral neurons suggest that 6B4 proteoglycan plays important roles in the migration and differentiation of neurons in the immature cortex, and also in the maintenance of subsets of neurons in the mature cortex.

A new family of retroviral long terminal repeat elements in the human genome identified by their homologies to an element 5' to the spider monkey haptoglobin gene

A new family of retroviral long terminal repeats that we name Spm-LTR has been identified as a result of DNA sequence comparisons between the entire GenBank databank and an element, SPHP, located 5' to the haptoglobin gene of spider monkeys. The 18 human Spm-LTR sequences so identified fall into three subtypes. There is no sequence similarity between Spm-LTR elements and any endogenous retroviral LTR sequences previously reported except for general features that define LTRs. However, a previously described repeated sequence (MER-4) forms a portion of the Spm-LTR sequence.

Gene targeting approaches to complex genetic diseases: atherosclerosis and essential hypertension

Gene targeting allows precise, predetermined changes to be made in a chosen gene in the mouse genome. To date, targeting has been used most often for generation of animals completely lacking the product of a gene of interest. The resulting "knockout" mice have confirmed some hypotheses, have upset others, but have rarely been uninformative. Models of several human genetic diseases have been produced by targeting--including Gaucher disease, cystic fibrosis, and the fragile X syndrome. These diseases are primarily determined by defects in single genes, and their modes of inheritance are well understood. When the disease under study has a complex etiology with multiple genetic and environmental components, the generation of animal models becomes more difficult but no less valuable. The problems associated with dissecting out the individual genetic factors also increases substantially and the distinction between causation and correlation is often difficult. To prove causation in a complex system requires rigorous adherence to the principle that the experiments must allow detection of the effects of changing only a single variable at one time. Gene targeting experiments, when properly designed, can test the effects of a precise genetic change completely free from the effects of differences in any other genes (linked or unlinked to the test gene). They therefore allow proofs of causation.

Neutron generator at Hiroshima University for use in radiobiology study

A neutron generator (HIRRAC) for use in radiobiology study has been constructed at the Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University (RIRBM). Monoenergetic neutrons of which energy is less than 1.3 MeV are generated by the 7Li(p,n)7 Be reaction at proton energies up to 3 MeV. The protons are accelerated by a Schenkel-type-accelerator and are bombared onto the 7Li-target. An apparatus for the irradiation of biological material such as mice, cultured cells and so on, was designed and will be manufactured. Neutron and gamma-ray dose rates were measured by paired (TE-TE and C-CO2) ionization chambers. Contamination of the gamma ray was less than about 6% when using 10-microns-thick 7Li as a target. Maximum dose rates for the tissue equivalent materials was 40 cGy/min at a distance of 10 cm from the target. Energy distributions of the obtained neutrons have been measured by a 3He-gas proportional counter. The monoenergetic neutrons within an energy region from 0.1 to 1.3 MeV produced by thin 7Li or 7LiF targets had a small energy spread of about 50 keV (1 sigma width of gaussian). The energy spread of neutrons was about 10% or less at an incident proton energy of 2.3 MeV. We found that HIRRAC produces small energy spread neutrons and at sufficient dose rates for use in radiobiology studies.

Neural network classification of corneal topography. Preliminary demonstration

PURPOSE

Videokeratography is a powerful tool for the diagnosis of corneal shape abnormalities. However, interpretation of the topographic map is sometimes difficult, especially when pathologies with similar topographic patterns are suspected. The neural networks model, an artificial intelligence approach, was applied for automated pattern interpretation in corneal topography, and its usefulness was assessed.

METHODS

One hundred eighty-three topographic maps were selected and classified by human experts into seven categories: normal, with-the-rule astigmatism, keratoconus (mild, moderate, advanced), postphotorefractive keratectomy, and postkeratoplasty. The maps were divided into a training set (108 maps) and a test set (75 maps). For each map, 11 topography-characterizing indices calculated from the data provided by the TMS-1 videokeratoscope, plus the corresponding diagnosis category, were used to train a neural network.

RESULTS

The correct classification was achieved by a trained neural network for all 108 maps in the training set. In the test set, the neural network correctly classified 60 of 75 maps (80%). For every category, accuracy and specificity were greater than 90%, whereas sensitivity ranged from 44% to 100%.

CONCLUSIONS

With further testing and refinement, the neural networks paradigm for computer-assisted interpretation or objective classification of videokeratography may become a useful tool to aid the clinician in the diagnosis of corneal topographic abnormalities.

In vivo cholesterol kinetics in apolipoprotein E-deficient and control mice

The in vivo total body cholesterol transport of homozygous apoE-deficient (-/-) and control (+/+) mice was evaluated by compartmental analysis of plasma cholesterol decay. Body cholesterol fractional catabolic rates of chow fed mutants were less (-/-, 0.17 +/- 0.02; +/+, 0.51 +/- 0.06 day-1) and body cholesterol contents greater (-/-, 68 +/- 5; +/+, 48 +/- 5 mumol) than controls. The body cholesterol expansion of the chow-fed mutant was extracellular with at least half in plasma. Cholesterol transport, i.e., the mass entering, moving through, and exiting the body each day, was similar (-/-, 6.9 +/- 0.7; +/+, 8.5 +/- 0.9 mumol/day) for homozygotes and controls on chow, and both tripled with cholesterol feeding. Differing from controls, however, mutants had considerable expansions of plasma and body cholesterol (-/-, 166 +/- 21; +/+, 59 +/- 11 mumol) with increments in peripheral tissue cholesterol contents. Cholesterol feeding increased control hepatic cholesterol without a change in plasma, whereas mutants had large increments in plasma cholesterol with no change in liver. Consistent with impaired hepatic uptake of cholesterol, mutants had much slower plasma clearance of lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as slower transfer to catabolic pools than normals. Treatment of homozygotes with lovastatin doubled both plasma cholesterol concentration and body cholesterol transport indicating the importance of apoE-dependent cell cholesterol transfer in synthetic down-regulation with this agent. These data indicate that mice lacking apoE have lower affinity hepatic uptake of plasma remnant cholesterol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hepatic failure in a case of multiple myeloma-associated amyloidosis (kappa-AL)

We report a case of kappa-AL amyloidosis which rapidly developed hepatic failure in a 79-year-old Japanese female who was admitted to our hospital because of abdominal distension and loss of appetite. Laboratory examination revealed a marked deterioration of liver function with cholestasis and monoclonal gammapathy. At the time that the diagnosis of IgG-kappa type multiple myeloma was made, jaundice was advanced, with continuous gastrointestinal bleeding. The patient died of hepatic failure 2 weeks after admission. Needle biopsy of the liver revealed a diffuse, massive deposition of amyloid protein.

Different mechanisms mediated by dopamine D1 and D2 receptors are involved etiologically in activity-stress gastric lesion of the rat

Rats subjected to activity-stress developed gastric lesions and showed excessive running activity with an increase of light/dark ratio. Daily treatment with centrally acting dopamine antagonists, SCH23390 [(R)-(+)-8-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-3- benzazepin-7-ol] (0.1-10 mg/kg), haloperidol (0.1-10 mg/kg), sulpiride (32-320 mg/kg), clozapine (1-100 mg/kg) and metoclopramide (1-100 mg/kg) suppressed the lesion formation: ID50 values were 0.9, 0.4, 53, 8.9 and 60 mg/kg, respectively. On the other hand, domperidone (1-100 mg/kg), a peripherally acting dopamine antagonist, failed to suppress the lesion formation and FR64822 [N-(4-pyridylcarbamoyl)amino 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine] (1-32 mg/kg), a central dopamine enhancer, aggravated it. The excessive running activity was reversed dose-dependently by treatment with haloperidol, a specific dopamine D2 antagonist, but not by SCH23390, a specific dopamine D1 antagonist. Conversely, the increased light/dark ratio was attenuated dose-dependently by SCH23390, but not by haloperidol. Neither antisecretory agents nor 5-hydroxytryptamine antagonists were effective against the lesion formation. These results suggest that an activation of central dopamine D1 and D2 receptors is responsible for the increased light/dark ratio and enhanced running activity, respectively, and that both of the changes are involved in the etiology of activity-stress induced lesions.

COOH-terminal disruption of lipoprotein lipase in mice is lethal in homozygotes, but heterozygotes have elevated triglycerides and impaired enzyme activity

The role of the enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in atherosclerosis is uncertain. To generate an animal model of LPL deficiency, we targeted the LPL gene in embryonic stem cells with a vector designed to disrupt the COOH terminus of the protein and used these cells to generate LPL-deficient mice. Germ line transmission of the disrupted LPL allele was achieved with two chimeric males, and offspring from each of these animals were phenotypically identical. Pups homozygous (-/-) for LPL deficiency died within 48 h of birth with extreme elevations of serum triglycerides (13,327 mg/dl) associated with essentially absent LPL enzyme activity in heart and carcass. Newborn heterozygous (+/-) LPL-deficient pups had lower LPL enzyme activity and higher triglycerides (370 versus 121 mg/dl) than wild type (+/+) littermates. Adult heterozygotes had higher triglycerides than wild type mice with ad libitum feeding (236 mg/dl for +/- versus 88 mg/dl for +/+) and after fasting for 4 h (98 mg/dl for +/- versus 51 for +/+) or 12 h (109 mg/dl for +/- versus 56 mg/dl for +/+). Triglycerides were present as very low density lipoprotein particles and chylomicrons, but high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were not decreased in +/- animals. Plasma heparin-releasable LPL activity was 43% lower in +/- versus +/+ adult animals. LPL activity, mRNA, and protein were lower in the tissues of +/- versus +/+ mice. Homozygous LPL deficiency caused by disruption of the COOH terminus of the enzyme is lethal in mice. Heterozygous LPL deficiency caused by this mutation is associated with mild to moderate hypertriglyceridemia without affecting static HDL cholesterol levels. Heterozygous LPL-deficient mice could be useful for determining if hypertriglyceridemia, independently or in combination with other discrete defects, influences atherosclerosis.

Sulpiride specifically attenuates psychological stress-induced gastric lesions in rodents

Gastric lesions were developed in the communication box paradigm (CB) in mice as well as in the activity-stress paradigm (AS) in rats. Treatment with sulpiride (10-320 mg/kg, p.o.) attenuated these psychological stress-induced gastric lesions in a dose-dependent manner, while it failed to suppress those induced by physical stress such as restraint water-immersion (WI) and indomethacin treatment (IND). In contrast, treatment with famotidine (0.32-10 mg/kg, p.o.) dose-dependently attenuated the gastric lesions induced by physical stress but not those by psychological stress. Pylorus-ligation study revealed that famotidine strongly reduced gastric acid secretion, whereas sulpiride minimally affected that. It was also demonstrated that physical stress (WI) enhanced acid secretion while psychological stress (CB and AS) rather depressed that. These results suggest that the mechanisms of gastric lesion formation are clearly different between physical and psychological stress and that sulpiride specifically attenuates psychological stress lesions possibly through a central mechanism.