Isradipine therapy in Cacna1dIle772Met/+ mice ameliorates primary aldosteronism and neurologic abnormalities

Somatic gain-of-function mutations in the L-type calcium channel CaV1.3 (CACNA1D gene) cause adrenal aldosterone-producing adenomas and micronodules. De novo germline mutations are found in a syndrome of primary aldosteronism, seizures, and neurologic abnormalities (PASNA) as well as in autism spectrum disorder. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we here generated mice with a Cacna1d gain-of-function mutation found in both adenomas and PASNA syndrome (Cacna1dIle772Met/+). These mice show reduced body weight and increased mortality from weaning to approximately 100 days of age. Male mice do not breed, likely due to neuromotor impairment, and the offspring of female mice die perinatally, likely due to lack of maternal care. Mice generated by in vitro fertilization showed elevated intracellular calcium in the aldosterone-producing zona glomerulosa, an elevated aldosterone/renin ratio, and persistently elevated serum aldosterone on a high-salt diet as signs of primary aldosteronism. Anesthesia with ketamine and xylazine induced tonic-clonic seizures. Neurologic abnormalities included hyperlocomotion, impaired performance in the rotarod test, impaired nest building, and slight changes in social behavior. Intracellular calcium in the zona glomerulosa, aldosterone levels, and rotarod performance responded to treatment with the calcium channel blocker isradipine, with implications for the therapy of patients with aldosterone-producing lesions and with PASNA syndrome.

Unbalanced Expression of Glutathione Peroxidase 4 and Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase Affects Acrosome Reaction and In Vitro Fertilization

Glutathione peroxidase 4 (Gpx4) and arachidonic acid 15 lipoxygenase (Alox15) are counterplayers in oxidative lipid metabolism and both enzymes have been implicated in spermatogenesis. However, the roles of the two proteins in acrosomal exocytosis have not been explored in detail. Here we characterized Gpx4 distribution in mouse sperm and detected the enzyme not only in the midpiece of the resting sperm but also at the anterior region of the head, where the acrosome is localized. During sperm capacitation, Gpx4 translocated to the post-acrosomal compartment. Sperm from Gpx4^+/Sec46Ala mice heterozygously expressing a catalytically silent enzyme displayed an increased expression of phosphotyrosyl proteins, impaired acrosomal exocytosis after in vitro capacitation and were not suitable for in vitro fertilization. Alox15-deficient sperm showed normal acrosome reactions but when crossed into a Gpx4-deficient background spontaneous acrosomal exocytosis was observed during capacitation and these cells were even less suitable for in vitro fertilization. Taken together, our data indicate that heterozygous expression of a catalytically silent Gpx4 variant impairs acrosomal exocytosis and in vitro fertilization. Alox15 deficiency hardly impacted the acrosome reaction but when crossed into the Gpx4-deficient background spontaneous acrosomal exocytosis was induced. The detailed molecular mechanisms for the observed effects may be related to the compromised redox homeostasis.

Examination of the Contributions of Maternal/Placental-Derived Galectin-1 to Pregnancy Outcome

Galectin-1 (gal-1), a member of a family of evolutionarily conserved glycan-binding proteins, is differentially expressed at the feto-maternal interface and appears to be functionally polyvalent, with a wide range of biological activities. However, the contributions of maternal and/or feto-placental gal-1 to the signaling networks promoting a healthy pregnancy are still being elucidated. This chapter discusses the methods commonly employed to study the maternal or feto-placental contribution of gal-1 during pregnancy in mice. The methods described here can be used to decipher the specific role of each source, e.g., maternal and/or feto-placental derived gal-1 in the orchestration of pregnancy-associated processes.

Reproductive Performance after Unilateral or Bilateral Oviduct Transfer of 2-Cell Embryos in Mice

Embryo transfer (ET) is a frequent procedure in contemporary animal and transgenic facilities. We compared the reproductive performance of mice after unilateral and bilateral ET of 15 to 18 two-cell embryos per recipient. The genetic backgrounds of the donors were C57BL/6J (B6J), C57BL/6N (B6N), or fewer than 5 generations of backcrossing to B6 (unknown substrain, <5G B6). The pregnancy rate was significantly higher for bilateral than for unilateral ET for B6J lines (85.4% compared with 79%) but similar between modes for B6N (73.7% compared with 77.9%) and <5G B6 (77% compared with 74.5%) lines. The birth rates after unilateral and bilateral ET were 30.8% and 33.0% for B6J lines, 24.5% and 26.9% for B6N lines, and 31.0% compared with 28.2% for <5G B6 lines, with no significant difference between the modes of ET. Birth rate was significantly higher for B6J lines than B6N lines after both unilateral and bilateral ET. For B6J and B6N lines, the number of pups born per litter was significantly higher for bilateral than unilateral ET. Unilateral ET yielded 0.24 to 0.31 pup per embryo transferred compared with 0.27 to 0.33 pups after bilateral ET. Over all genetic backgrounds, 3.03 to 4.09 embryos were required to produce a single pup. The present study provides data to aid in decision-making as to whether unilateral or bilateral ET should be performed. Bilateral ET results in a larger litter but increases pain and discomfort in recipients. However, unilateral ET saves time and contributes to refinement because surgical trauma is reduced.

Energy- and CO2-reduction potentials by anaerobic treatment of wastewater and organic kitchen wastes in consideration of different climatic conditions

The classical municipal wastewater treatment in Germany consists of an aerobic carbon and nitrogen elimination and mostly an anaerobic sludge treatment. Organic kitchen wastes from separate waste collection as well as yard wastes are converted mostly in composting plants to soil conditioner. With these conventional types of treatment, the energy potential in waste and wastewater is lost due to aerobic material conversion. In this article three scenarios for the treatment of municipal wastewater and waste are compared on the subject of energy efficiency and useable potential: Sc1. the classical wastewater treatment and the composting of the organic waste fraction, Sc2. the anaerobic treatment of wastewater combined with deammonification and the digestion of the organic waste fraction, and Sc3. a mutual anaerobic treatment of wastewater and waste as co-digestion with deammonification. The calculation of energy and CO2-balance considers different climatic conditions. In case of using anaerobic treatment, not only the energy balance will be positive, also the CO2-balance is improved by the substitution of fossil fuels with generated biogas.

The valuation of malnutrition in the mono-digestion of maize silage by anaerobic batch tests

Anaerobic digestion is a technology which is used to produce methane from organic solids and energy crops. Especially in recent years, the fermentation of energy crops has become more and more important because of increasing costs for energy and special benefits for renewable energy sources in Germany. Anaerobic bacteria require macro and micro nutrients to grow. Absence of these elements can inhibit the anaerobic process significantly. In particular mono-substrates like maize or certain industrial wastewater often cannot provide all required nutrients. For this reason this research investigates the influence of substrate and trace elements on anaerobic digestion in detail. Different agricultural anaerobic biomasses are analysed with special regard to their trace element content. Based on these results, the influence of three trace elements (iron, cobalt, and nickel) on anaerobic digestion was studied in anaerobic batch tests at different sludge loading rates and for different substrates (maize and acetate). Biogas production was found to be 35% for maize silage and up to 70% higher for acetate with trace element dosage than in the reference reactor.

Anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater using the UASB-technology

The anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater enables new applications for the reuse of wastewater. The effluent could be used for irrigation as the included nutrients are not affected by the treatment. Much more interesting now are renewable energies and the retrenchment of CO(2) emission. With the anaerobic treatment of municipal wastewater, not only can the CO(2) emission be reduced but "clean" energy supply can be gained by biogas. Most important for the sustainability of this process is the gathering of methane from the liquid effluent of the reactor, because the negative climate-relevant effect from the degassing methane is much higher than the positive effect from saving CO(2) emission. In this study, UASB reactors were used with a flocculent sludge blanket for the biodegradation of the carbon fraction in the wastewater with different temperatures and concentrations. It could be shown that the positive effect is much higher for municipal wastewater with high concentrations in hot climates.

[Neurogenic sarcoma of the vagal nerve]

A rare case of neurogenic sarcoma of the vagal nerve was presented. Ten cases of such location have been described so far. Neurogenic sarcoma derives from supported elements of peripheral nerves. Its development is asymptomatic and usually the first manifestation is the occurrence of the tumour. This kind of disease is local malignant neoplasm, but it can give metastases, and then the prognosis is significantly worse. The modern treatment is radiotherapy with preceding radical dissection.

Pre- and postnatal development of dopaminergic neuron numbers in the male and female mouse midbrain

Quantitative information about dopaminergic neuron numbers in the mesencephalon is needed to assess the significance of physiological cell death in the regulation of the development of this neural system. Therefore, stereological techniques were applied to determine absolute numbers of mesencephalic neurons immunoreactive to tyrosine hydroxylase during the ontogenetic period between embryonic day (E) 13 and postnatal day (P) 90. Male and female CBA/J mice were examined separately. The most rapid development with a 2.5-fold increase of total counts of immunostained cells per midbrain took place in the prenatal period. Beginning at E21, immunostained cells were counted separately in their three main locations, substantia nigra (SN), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and retrorubral field (RRF). Neuron numbers in RRF and VTA reached adult levels perinatally. In contrast, counts of immunostained cells in SN continued to increase postnatally. The only sign of cell loss was a transient decrease in VTA cell numbers (but not in total numbers of immunostained midbrain neurons) between E21 and P14. There were no statistically significant sex differences in cell numbers at any time point investigated. It is concluded that physiological cell death is not a major factor in the developmental regulation of dopaminergic cell numbers in the mouse midbrain.

[Gastric carcinoma. Our experience]

This study analysed 66 cases of gastric cancer from 1985 to 1992. Twenty-seven patients (41%) has been treated with anti-H2 drug, either medical care or Jerkily "a la demande": 12 patients have been treated several years. Of the 66 patients: 52 (89%) were operated on while the other 16 received medical treatment because of the extension disease and their precarious condition. Long-term 35 (67%) patients (of the 52 operated) died four years later, independently of the stage and PKT of the first and the second level. The 27 patients treated with anti-H2 drug showed the most undifferentiated grading and 88% belong to the third and the fourth stage; moreover 81% underwent first diagnostic endoscopy notwithstanding a clinical and surgical history of gastric ulcer. Is it possible, therefore, that anti-H2 drug delay the diagnosis.

The effect of ACTH on the arterial blood pressure, heart rate and blood histamine level in rabbits

A rapid blood pressure fall, persisting for over one hour, was observed after ACTH injection. The heart rate was initially increased and returned to its basal level within one hour. On the other hand, the level of histamine was significantly increased only in the 60th minute of the experiment. The results obtained showed that a possibility of an indirect ACTH action through an effect of histamine metabolism cannot be excluded.

Behavioral and electrophysiological effects of peptides related to lipotropin (beta-LPH)

Both C-terminal fragments of lipotropin (beta-LPH) (endorphins) and N-terminal fragments (e.g., ACTH 4-10) delayed extinction of pole-jumping avoidance behavior in rats. After subcutaneous injection Met5-enkephalin appeared to be as active as ACTH 4-10 whereas beta-LPH 61-69, alpha- and beta-endorphin were more potent in delaying extinction of pole-jumping avoidance behavior (approximate ED50 of alpha-endorphin 4 x 10(-11) M rat.) However, the potency of beta-LPH 61-69 and alpha-endorphin appeared to be approximately the same whereas that of beta-endorphin was less than that of ACTH 4-10 after intraventricular administration (approximate ED50 of alpha-endorphin 0.2 x 10(-11) M rat). alpha-Endorphin and ACTH 4-10, administered subcutaneously in a dose which markedly delayed extinction of pole-jumping avoidance behavior, had only slight effects on open field behavior and on responsiveness to electric footshock. A 5 times higher dose of both peptides facilitated passive avoidance behavior. Morphine in two doses significantly delayed extinction of pole-jumping avoidance behavior but the effect was not dose dependent. The specific opiate antagonist naltrexone, however, markedly facilitated extinction of the avoidance response. ACTH 4-10, alpha- and beta-endorphin and a behaviorally potent ACTH 4-9 analog (Org 2766) restored pole-jumping avoidance behavior of rats pretreated with naltrexone. Treatment with a similar dose of naltrexone blocked beta-endorphin-induced analgesia. These results suggest that the influence of peptides related to C-terminal and N-terminal fragments of lipotropin on extinction of avoidance behavior may be dissociated from those exerted on opiate receptor sites. Subcutaneously injected beta-LPH 61-69 or intraventricularly administered beta-endorphin induced a shift from lower to higher frequencies of hippocampal theta rhythm during paradoxical sleep in the same way as that found after ACTH 4-10. This effect is interpreted as indicating an increased arousal state in certain midbrain limbic structures. This may, as has been postulated for ACTH 4-10, alter the motivational value of environmental stimuli (e.g., aversive stimulation).

[Spinal cord tumor in childhood--case report on an extradural cyst in the spinal cord]

The present paper is concerned with special aspects of the incidence, type-specificity, age distribution, and symptomatology of spinal tumors in childhood. Differences from similar processes observed in adults agre discussed. Difficulties of diagnosis are reported, and the advantages and disadvantages of various diagnostic methods are described. The case of an eleven-year-old child who was diagnosed as having developed an extradural spinal cyst has been restored to for a discussion of this rare phenomenon. The usually unfavorable prognosis in the case of childhood spinal tumors underscores the need for early recognition and immediate surgical therapy.

The effect of ACTH on oxygen uptake by skeletal muscle, brain, liver, kidney and myocardium slices of the rat

Using Wartburg's method the effect of ACTH on oxygen uptake by slices of various tissues of the rat was investigated in relation to the duration of ACTH action in the organism. A reduction in oxygen uptake by tissue slices was found 1 hour after ACTH injection with a rise after 16 hours. It seems that in the first phase ACTH exerts an inhibitory effect on tissue respiration indirectly through the adrenal cortex, while in the second phase it may exert a stimulatory influence either directly or by some other mechanisms.

Changes in excitability of the theta activity generating substrate by ACTH 4-10 in the rat

The present experiments tested the sensitivity of theta activity to ACTH 4-10 a peptide known to facilitate the maintenance of conditioned behaviors. Hippocampal theta activity was induced by electrical stimulation of the reticular formation in freely moving rats. The administration of ACTH 4-10 produced a typical 0.5 c/s shift indominant frequency and an increase in 7.5-9.0 c/s components of induced theta activity. The effects were maximal between 60-120 min after subcutaneous injection and lasted several hours. The fact, that a similar effect could be obtained by an increase in stimulus intensity suggests an elevated excitability in the theta generating system in the presence of the peptide. The possible significance of this finding for the maintenance of learned behavior is discussed.

Problems in electrical stimulation of afferent pathways for oxytocin release

Recent investigations in the rabbit have indicated the presence of well-defined afferent nervous pathways for release of neurohypophysial oxytocin. To study these pathways for later use in hypothalamic unit recording, intramammary pressure responses (milk ejection) and arterial pressure were recorded in 45 lactating rabbits with post-pontine brainstem transection. Systematic exploration of the mid-brain tegmentum and ventromedial forebrain areas was carried out with a bipolar stimulating electrode. Release of oxytocin, shown by milk-ejection responses similar to those evoked by a 1–2 mu. synthetic oxytocin occurring in the absence of detectable pressor effects, was recorded in less than half the animals. The location of positive stimulation sites was very variable between animals and reproducibility of responses from the same site was poor. It is concluded that present evidence does not support a discrete afferent path in the mid-brain for the milk-ejection reflex and a possible explanation for the inconstant results of stimulation experiments is suggested.

The role of the dorsal tracts of the spinal cord and of the mesencephalic and thalamic lemniscal system in the milk-ejection reflex during milking in the ewe

The milk-ejection reflex after different lesions of the sensory system was studied by mechanical milking of the ewe. Only animals with lesions which did not produce locomotor ataxia were investigated. Section of the dorsal tract of the spinal cord at different thoracic levels blocked the milk-ejection reflex. This was not due to postoperative shock, because the same type of lesion made at the sacral level was without effect. Moreover, unilateral section of this tract blocked the reflex when milking was limited to the ipsilateral mammary gland. At the cervical level, the interruption of the dorsal tract was ineffective, which can probably be explained by the existence, in sheep, of the spino-cervico-thalamic tract. The latter becomes ventral at the cervical level. Lesions of the lemniscal system in the mesencephalon (bilateral coagulation of the medial lemniscus) and in the thalamus (bilateral destruction of the ventral posterolateral nucleus) do not inhibit the milk-ejection reflex.

The role of the spinal lemniscal system is discussed in relation to the work of others and to the electrophysiological results obtained by one of us. It is suggested that two sensory systems (lemniscal and extralemniscal) have to interact to induce the release of oxytocin evoked by the stimuli of mammary origin during milking.