Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C L Fraser

Publications and source records attributed to C L Fraser.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Evidence that parathyroid hormone-mediated calcium transport in rat brain synaptosomes is independent of cyclic adenosine monophosphate.

In vivo PTH administration to rats resulted in increased brain synaptosomal Ca++ transport, while parathyroidectomy (PTX) resulted in decreased transport. To determine the mechanism of action of PTH on Ca++ transport in rat brain synaptosomes, we performed transport studies by the Na-Ca exchanger and also measured cAMP generation in synaptosomes from PTX rats. Ca++ transport was studied after in vivo additions of either bovine (b)PTH, cAMP, or forskolin, and adenylate cyclase activity was assessed after additions of either bPTH, forskolin, sodium fluoride (NaF), or isoproterenol. In the presence of 1-34 bPTH [10(-7) M], Ca++ uptake was significantly increased by 55% (P less than 0.001) above control, while 3-34 bPTH [10(-7) M] had no effect on uptake. Both 8br,cAMP [10(-6) M] and dibut,cAMP [10(-6) M] also significantly increased (P less than 0.001) Ca++ uptake above control by 63 and 44%, respectively. Similarly, forskolin [10(-5) M], the adenylate cyclase activator, increased Ca++ uptake by 41%. We next evaluated Ca++ efflux, and found that 1-34 bPTH [10(-7) M], 1-84 bPTH [10(-7) M], and forskolin [10(-5) M] also increased Ca++ efflux by 50, 73, and 120%, respectively, above control. Since Ca++ transport was increased by either PTH, cAMP, or forskolin, we decided to determine if PTH action on Ca++ transport in synaptosomes was dependent on cAMP. This was investigated by measuring cAMP production during the conversion of 32P-ATP to 32P-cAMP in the presence of an ATP regenerating system (30 micrograms creatine phosphokinase, 10 mM creatine phosphate), and the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitor (1 mM IBMX). Whereas forskolin [10(-4) M] and NaF [100 mM] significantly increased (P less than 0.001) adenylate cyclase activity in synaptosomes by eight- and fourfold, respectively, neither 1-34 bPTH nor 1-84 bPTH increased synaptosomal cyclase activity. However, in canine renal cortical plasma membranes (CRCPM), we observed significant increases in cAMP production with either forskolin, NaF, or PTH. Finally, to determine if synaptosomes contain an intact adenylate cyclase system, we measured cAMP production in the presence of the beta adrenergic agent, isoproterenol. Isoproterenol significantly increased adenylate cyclase activity in both synaptosomes (90%) and CRCPM (50%). These data suggest that although there is an intact adenylate cyclase system in rat brain synaptosomes, PTH-stimulated calcium transport in synaptosomes appears to be independent of this system.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1986

Water and nonelectrolyte permeability in brain synaptosomes isolated from normal and uremic rats.

Water and nonelectrolyte permeabilities of synaptosomes isolated from the brain of normal and uremic rats were measured by stopped-flow light scattering. Intensity of scattered light (550 nm) increased linearly with decreasing synaptosome size in the range of normal size to 30% of normal size. In response to a 250-mM inwardly directed gradient of an impermeant solute (mannitol or sucrose), there was a 100- to 500-ms time course of increased light scattering resulting from osmotic water efflux. In response to an inwardly directed urea gradient, light scattering first increased (water efflux) and then decreased (urea influx) over a 2- to 10-s time course. Based on an average synaptosome surface-to-volume ratio of 86,000 cm-1, determined by electron microscopy, the permeability coefficient for osmotic water transport (Pf) is 4.5 X 10(-3) cm/s and for urea transport (Purea) is 1.5 X 10(-6) cm/s (23 degrees C); temperature-dependent studies gave an activation energy for Pf of 18 (greater than 16 degrees C) and 3 kcal/mol (less than 16 degrees C) and for Purea of 9.8 kcal/mol (10-55 degrees C). Osmotic water and urea transport were not inhibited by 2 mM p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate, 120 microM phloretin, and 10 microM phenylurea or by exposure to high-energy radiation (0-10 Mrad). Diffusional water permeability coefficient is approximately 4 X 10(-4) cm/s based on the time course of light scattering after mixture of synaptosomes in D2O buffer with isosmotic H2O buffer. Water and urea transport properties of synaptosomes isolated from uremic rats were not significantly different from those of normal rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Abnormal sodium transport in synaptosomes from brain of uremic rats.

The causes of central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction in uremia are not well known and are not completely reversed by dialysis. This problem was investigated in synaptosomes, which are membrane vesicles from synaptic junctions in the brain. We measured Na uptake under conditions of control, veratridine stimulation, and tetrodotoxin inhibition, in synaptosomes from normal and acutely uremic (blood urea nitrogen, 250 mg/dl) rats. In the control state, maximal Na uptake was 2.2 +/- 0.2 and 1.9 +/- 0.3 nmol/mg of protein in normal and uremic synaptosomes, respectively. With veratridine stimulation, Na uptake was increased by 1.9 and 3.6 nmol/mg of protein in normal vs. uremic rats (P less than 0.001). The increased veratridine-stimulated Na uptake observed in uremia could be due either to increased membrane permeability to Na or decrease in the Na-K ATPase pump activity. To investigate this, we studied the Na-K ATPase pump function by evaluating uptake of K (using rubidium as a tracer), uptake of Na during ATP stimulation, and inhibition of Rb and Na uptake by ouabain. In uremic rats both Rb uptake and ATP-stimulated Na uptake were significantly less than in normals (P less than 0.005). This suggests a defect in the Na-K ATPase pump. Membrane permeability for Na was then evaluated both by measuring initial Na uptake, and with addition of valinomycin. No change in Na uptake pattern was observed with valinomycin, and initial Na uptake was not significantly different in normal versus uremic synaptosomes. These data show that (a) in uremic rats veratridine-stimulated Na accumulation is significantly greater than normal; (b) the increased Na accumulation observed in uremia appears to be due to alterations in Na-K ATPase pump activity; and (c) the altered Na accumulation observed is probably not due to a uremic environment, but may be secondary to a physiologic alteration in synaptosomal function due to the uremic state. These abnormalities may affect neurotransmission and may be associated with the CNS alterations observed in uremia.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1985

Calcium transport abnormality in uremic rat brain synaptosomes.

Brain calcium is elevated in patients and laboratory animals with uremia. The significance of this finding is unclear. We evaluated calcium transport in brain of both normal and acutely uremic rats (blood urea nitrogen = 250 mg/dl) by performing studies in synaptosomes from rat brain cerebral cortex. Synaptosomes are vesicular presynaptic nerve endings from brain that contain mitochondria and are metabolically active. Two mechanisms of calcium transport were evaluated using radioactive 45Ca++ as a tracer. Both mechanisms were evaluated in the absence of exogenously administered parathyroid hormone (PTH). We first evaluated Na+-Ca++ exchange in vesicles that were loaded with NaCl in an external media containing 10 microM CaCl2. Both initial rates of calcium transport and equilibrium levels of calcium accumulation in synaptosomes prepared from uremic rats were significantly greater (P less than 0.005) than in normal. To assess calcium efflux, ATP-dependent calcium uptake (1 mM ATP) was studied in inverted plasma membrane vesicles loaded with KCl. In the uremic synaptosomes, a significant increase (P less than 0.005) in ATP-dependent calcium uptake was observed as compared with the normal. These studies show that (a) Calcium accumulation via the Na+-Ca++ exchanger is increased in synaptosomes prepared from uremic rat brain. (b) Calcium influx into inverted plasma membrane vesicles from uremic rats via the ATP-dependent calcium transport mechanism is increased when compared with normal. (c) The increased calcium accumulation in uremia by both Na+-Ca++ exchange and ATP-dependent calcium transport mechanism appears to be a result of increased synaptosomal membrane permeability to calcium. Both these abnormalities of calcium transport in uremia would tend to increase brain extracellular calcium in vivo. The defects observed in uremia do not appear to be readily reversible, and the relationship to PTH is presently unclear. These abnormalities may affect neurotransmission in the uremic state.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1975

Exponential kinetics of formation or organic microstructures.

Organic microstructure production in Miller-Urey spark discharge flasks in an energy-dependent, autocatalytic process which follows first order kinetics similar to microbial growth curves. These relationships hold for all three major morphological types of microstructures observed. The three types are assembled from smaller precursor subunits which associate according to a binomial distribution. These structures could have formed bounded systems in which pre-biological processes might have occurred.

Ammonia↗