Effect of centrally administered encephalinamides on regional cerebral blood flow in the dog

Encapsulation mechanisms and structural studies of GRM2 bacterial microcompartment particles

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are prokaryotic organelles consisting of a protein shell and an encapsulated enzymatic core. BMCs are involved in several biochemical processes, such as choline, glycerol and ethanolamine degradation and carbon fixation. Since non-native enzymes can also be encapsulated in BMCs, an improved understanding of BMC shell assembly and encapsulation processes could be useful for synthetic biology applications. Here we report the isolation and recombinant expression of BMC structural genes from the Klebsiella pneumoniae GRM2 locus, the investigation of mechanisms behind encapsulation of the core enzymes, and the characterization of shell particles by cryo-EM. We conclude that the enzymatic core is encapsulated in a hierarchical manner and that the CutC choline lyase may play a secondary role as an adaptor protein. We also present a cryo-EM structure of a pT = 4 quasi-symmetric icosahedral shell particle at 3.3 Å resolution, and demonstrate variability among the minor shell forms.

Effects of systemic and epidural morphine on antidiuretic hormone levels in children

BACKGROUND

Although the use of opioids during general anaesthesia suppresses stress response to surgery and pain, the effects on antidiuretic hormone (ADH) are controversial. The aim of this study was to find the effects of morphine with either intravenous infusion or epidural route on ADH and other stress hormones.

METHODS

Fifty children aging (1-15 years) undergoing major genito-urinary or abdominal operations were included in this study. The patients were allocated randomly to two groups receiving either a single dose of epidural morphine 0.1 mg.kg-1 (EP group, n = 25) postinduction or morphine infusion (INF group; n = 25) at 0.02 mg.kg-1.h-1 following 0.05 mg.kg-1 bolus. Blood samples were withdrawn for plasma ADH, osmolality, glucose, cortisol, insulin and morphine level analysis following induction and 1, 5, 12 and 24 h after initial morphine administration.

RESULTS

The two groups were similar in demographic factors, pain scores, sedation scores, and incidence of nausea and vomiting. The amount of morphine received was different between groups and the changes in serum levels of morphine were statistically significant in EP group ( P < 0.05). The changes in cortisol, blood glucose and insulin levels were insignificant in both groups (P > 0.05). The changes of ADH levels were significant at time-points in both groups, reaching control levels at the 24th hour (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Despite the effective pain therapy and suppression of cortisol and insulin response to surgical stimulus, the increase in ADH secretion is not effected by systemic or epidural morphine administration.

Effects of halothane, alpha-chloralose, and pCO2 on injury volume and CSF beta-endorphin levels in focal cerebral ischemia

Anesthetic agent, arterial pCO2 level, and opioid peptides have all been implicated in the pathophysiology of experimental stroke models. The effects of halothane, alpha-chloralose, and differing concentrations of arterial pCO2 on injury volume and CSF beta-endorphin levels were studied in a feline model of experimental focal cerebral ischemia. The type of anesthetic agent used had no effect on injury volume following 6 h of focal cerebral ischemia. Over a 6-h period, beta-endorphin levels significantly increased from 10.1 +/- 5.0 fmol/mL at zero time to 14.4 +/- 7.2 fmol/mL at 6 h under halothane anesthesia (p < 0.05), whereas they did not significantly change (10.1 +/- 6.7 to 7.8 +/- 4.7 fmol/mL) under alpha-chloralose anesthesia. In contrast, hypercapnia had no effect on beta-endorphin levels, but significantly increased injury volume from 30.6 +/- 5.7% of the ipsilateral hemisphere under normocapnic conditions to 37.1 +/- 5.9% under hypercapnic conditions (p < 0.05). These results suggest that hypercapnia increases injury volume in a feline model of focal cerebral ischemia, and pCO2 should be controlled in experimental focal cerebral ischemia models.

The influence of opioids on local cerebral glucose utilization in the newborn pig

Topical methionine enkephalin, leucine enkephalin, and dynorphin (10(-6)M) previously have been observed to produce prominent pial arteriolar dilation. Dilation to these opioids could be caused directly by opioids acting on vascular receptors, or indirectly, as a consequence of increased metabolism. Therefore, we examined this possibility by determining the influence of opioids on cerebral glucose utilization in piglets with closed cranial windows using the [14C]deoxyglucose method. Qualitatively, the autoradiographic images expressed as a change in relative optical density from vehicle were unchanged by these opioids. Quantitatively, the opioids similarly had no effect on cerebral glucose utilization (53 +/- 5, 70 +/- 8, 63 +/- 5, and 52 +/- 3, mumol.100 g-1.min-1 for vehicle, methionine enkephalin, leucine enkephalin, and dynorphin, respectively). In contrast, topical glutamate (10(-3) M) produced similar dilation but increased cerebral glucose utilization (41 +/- 3 vs 89 +/- 8 mumol.100 g-1.min-1 for vehicle and glutamate, respectively). Therefore, these opioids do not appear to produce vascular effects through a change in cerebral metabolic utilization of glucose.

Regulation of cerebral blood vessels by humoral and endothelium-dependent mechanisms. Update on humoral regulation of vascular tone

Recent studies suggest that humoral and endothelium-dependent mechanisms may play an important role in the cerebral circulation. Angiotensin may acutely and chronically increase resistance of large cerebral arteries and reduce cerebral microvascular pressure without changing cerebral blood flow. We hypothesize that the brain may sense reductions in microvascular pressure and initiate compensatory neurohumoral responses to raise arterial pressure. Vasopressin appears to play an important role in regulation of production of cerebrospinal fluid and brain fluid volume. Vasopressin also may be protective when intracranial pressure is elevated. Endothelium-dependent mechanisms also may have important influences on tone of cerebral vessels. Synthesis of the endothelium-derived relaxing factor nitric oxide, or a nitric oxide-containing compound, appears to influence both basal tone and responses of large cerebral arteries to acetylcholine in vivo. Large cerebral arteries dilate in response to increased blood flow in vivo, and this response may be mediated in part by release of a humoral factor by endothelium. Endothelium-dependent responses of cerebral arterioles to receptor- and nonreceptor-mediated agonists are impaired during chronic hypertension. The mechanism of impairment of endothelium-dependent responses of cerebral arterioles appears to involve production of an endothelium-derived contracting factor.

Opioids in cerebrospinal fluid in hypotensive newborn pigs

This study was designed to determine if opioids were detectable in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and if these concentrations were altered by hemorrhagic hypotension. This study was further designed to determine the effects of topically administered opioids on pial arteriolar diameter during normotension and hypotension. Closed cranial windows were used to determine pial arteriolar diameter. Periarachnoid cortical and cisterna magna CSF was collected from piglets during normotension and hypotension (systemic arterial pressure decreased from 63 +/- 1 to 33 +/- 1 mm Hg). Opioid profiles were assessed qualitatively by radioreceptor assay, and individual opioids were measured quantitatively by radioimmunoassay. Periarachnoid cortical and cisterna magna CSF methionine enkephalin-, leucine enkephalin-, dynorphin-, and beta-endorphin-like receptor active values all were increased by hypotension. When quantified by radioimmunoassay, periarachnoid cortical CSF values for methionine enkephalin-like immunoreactivity were 1,167 +/- 58 and 2,975 +/- 139 pg/ml for normotension and hypotension, respectively. Periarachnoid cortical CSF radioimmunoassay values for dynorphin-like immunoreactivity were 15 +/- 2 and 28 +/- 2 pg/ml for normotension and hypotension, respectively. When applied topically to the cortical surface, synthetic methionine enkephalin increased pial arteriolar diameter (134 +/- 4, 158 +/- 4, and 163 +/- 4 microns for control, 574 pg/ml [10(-10) M], and 5,740 pg/ml [10(-9) M], respectively). Similarly, topical synthetic leucine enkephalin and dynorphin elicited pial arteriolar dilation. However, beta-endorphin produced arteriolar constriction. Hypotension attenuated methionine and leucine enkephalin-induced dilation and reversed dynorphin-induced dilation to concentration-dependent constriction. beta-Endorphin-induced constriction was not changed by hypotension. Therefore, opioids could contribute to the control of the cerebral circulation during hypotension.