Faculty Bibliography

Seven L-amino acids (Trp, Arg, Lys, Met, Ile, Val, and Phe) partially (28-81%) reversed the inhibitory action of 1 microM gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([35S]TBPS) binding to rat brain membranes, with EC50 values ranging from 5 to 120 mM. D-Trp, D-Arg, D-Lys, D-Met, D-Val, and D-Phe were approximately equipotent with their L-isomers. Tyramine, phenethylamine, and tryptamine, the decarboxylation products of the aromatic amino acids (Tyr, Phe, and Trp, respectively), reversed the inhibitory action of 1 microM GABA on [35S]TBPS binding more potently than the parent amino acids (EC50 values = 1.5-3.0 mM). Human hereditary amino acidemias involving Arg, Lys, Ile, Val, and Phe are associated with seizures, and these amino acids and/or their metabolites may block GABA-A receptors. Five other L-amino acids (ornithine, His, Glu, Pro, and Ala) as well as Gly and beta-Ala inhibited [35S]TBPS binding with IC50 values ranging from 0.1 to 37 mM, and these inhibitions were reversed by the GABA-A receptor blocker R 5135 in all cases. The inhibitory effects of L-ornithine, L-Ala, L-Glu, and L-Pro were stereospecific, because the corresponding D-isomers were considerably less inhibitory. L-His, D-His, and L-Glu gave incomplete (plateau) inhibitions. Human hereditary amino acidemias involving L-ornithine, His, Pro, Gly, and beta-Ala are also associated with seizures, and we speculate that these GABA-mimetic amino acids may desensitize GABA-A receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Estradiol, administered to ovariectomized rats, increased choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in the caudate nucleus, cortex, hippocampus, and hypothalamus, suggesting possibly widespread central cholinergic involvement in estrus-related behavior. Dexamethasone also, except in hypothalamus, increased ChAT activity, notably (50%) in hippocampus. ChAT activity changes did not correlate with reported regional hormone receptor density. Estradiol's effect in the caudate suggests that hormone receptor and affected enzyme may not necessarily coexist intraneuronally

In vivo protein synthesis rates in various brain regions (cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and striatum) of 4-, 12-, and 24-month-old rats were examined after injection of a flooding dose of labeled valine. The incorporation of labeled valine into proteins of mitochondrial, microsomal, and cytosolic fractions from cerebral cortex and cerebellum was also measured. At all ages examined, the incorporation rate was 0.5% per hour in cerebral cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, and hypothalamus and 0.4% per hour in striatum. Of the subcellular fractions examined, the microsomal proteins were synthesized at the highest rate, followed by cytosolic and mitochondrial proteins. The results obtained indicate that the average synthesis rate of proteins in the various brain regions and subcellular fractions examined is fairly constant and is not significantly altered in the 4 to 24-month period of life of rats

The unilateral administration of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) through an implanted guide cannula into the caudate-putamen produced dyskinesia in the rat. Striatal GABA and dopamine were decreased and the dopamine metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic and homovanillic acid were increased on the MPA-injected side at 2-10 min after the onset of dyskinesia. The dyskinetic movements were blocked by GABA or alpha-aminooxaloacetic acid but not by glycine or haloperidol

To study the local anesthetic properties of yohimbine in more detail, its effect was examined in vitro on the scorpion toxin-enhanced specific binding of [3H]batrachotoxinin A 20-alpha-benzoate [( 3H]BTX-B) to the gating complex in sodium channel preparations from mouse brain cortex. Both equilibrium and kinetic experiments were carried out. Yohimbine inhibited the specific binding of [3H]BTX-B in the vesicular preparation with an IC50 value of 2.2 X 10(-5) M. This is about one order of magnitude higher than the concentration required for antagonism via the alpha 2-adrenoceptors; however, yohimbine is 7-fold more potent in inhibiting [3H]BTX-B binding than lidocaine. In a concentration-dependent manner, yohimbine increased the dissociation constant (Kd) of high-affinity [3H]BTX-B binding without changing the maximal binding capacity (Bmax). The dissociation rate constant was not affected by yohimbine, suggesting competitive inhibition as opposed to the action of local anesthetics involving an allosteric action via receptor sites distinct from the BTX site. Alpha 2-adrenoceptors are apparently not involved because clonidine and alpha-methyl-noradrenaline had no appreciable effect on [3H]BTX-B binding and did not antagonize the inhibitory effect of yohimbine. The present findings indicate a mechanism of local anesthetic action of yohimbine that differs from that of other local anesthetics such as tetracaine and lidocaine involving direct binding to the BTX site, thereby stabilizing a non-permeable form of the sodium channel

Since ethanol has local anesthetic activity its effect was examined in vitro on the scorpion toxin-enhanced specific binding of [3H]batrachotoxinin A 20-alpha-benzoate ([3H]BTX-B) to the gating complex in sodium channel preparations from mouse brain cortex by equilibrium and kinetic experiments. Ethanol inhibited the specific binding of [3H]BTX-B in a vesicular preparation with an IC50 value of 310 mM and a Hill number of 1.0. Ethanol increased the equilibrium dissociation constant of batrachotoxin in a concentration dependent manner without changing the maximal binding capacity and decreased the half-time of the aconitine-induced dissociation of [3H]BTX-B. Thus, ethanol acts as an apparent competitive inhibitor, allosterically affecting the [3H]BTX-B binding, like other local anesthetics. Results of competition experiments in the presence of different concentrations of ethanol and fixed concentration of tetracaine (and vice versa) are consonant with an interaction of ethanol and tetracaine with the same binding sites. Experiment carried out at 32, 37 and 42 degrees C indicated that the effect of ethanol is not mimicked by increasing the temperature

The inhibition of uptake of [3H] dopamine and [3H] 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP+) was examined in mouse striatal synaptosomal preparations. Kinetic analysis indicated that ascorbic acid is a noncompetitive inhibitor of [3H] MPP+ uptake. No inhibition of [3H] dopamine uptake is observed. The dopamine uptake blockers, GBR-12909, cocaine, and mazindol strongly inhibit (IC50 less than 1 uM) both [3H] dopamine and [3H] MPP+ transport. Nicotine, its metabolites, and other tobacco alkaloids are weak inhibitors (IC50 greater than 1 mM) except 4-phenylpyridine and lobeline, which are moderate inhibitors (IC50 = 3 to 40 uM) of both [3H] dopamine and [3H] MPP+ uptake. These similarities in potencies are in agreement with the suggestion that [3H] MPP+ and [3H] dopamine are transported by the same carrier. The differences observed in the alteration of dopaminergic transport and mazindol binding by ascorbic acid suggest that ascorbic acid's effects on [3H] MPP+ transport are related to translocation and/or dissociation processes occurring subsequent to the initial binding event

An amino acid derivative, leucinethiol, was reported to be a strong inhibitor of aminopeptidase activity. In order to obtain selective inhibitors of various brain aminopeptidases, we tested the inhibition by amino acid analogs of brain aminopeptidase activity. In particular, we synthesized the trifluoroacetyl derivatives of phenylalaninol, tyrosinol, and leucinol; leucinethiol; and phenylalaninethiol and measured their effect on soluble puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase S1 and SII purified in our laboratory. Two of the compounds, L-bis (1-thio-2-amino-4-methylpentane) dihydrochloride (TAMP) and L-bis (1-thio-2-amino-3-phenylpropane) dihydrochloride (TAPP), caused significant inhibition