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Biomedical subjects

E Ueno

Publications and source records attributed to E Ueno.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Evidence that alterations in gamma-aminobutyric acid and acetylcholine in rat striata and cerebella are not related to soman-induced convulsions.

Many reports have suggested that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) may play a role in organophosphate-induced convulsions. The balance between GABA and acetylcholine (ACh) in the brain also has been suggested by some investigators to be related to brain excitability. We examined these questions by studying the levels of GABA and ACh and the ratios of GABA to ACh in rat striata and cerebella (two major motor control areas in the CNS) after the administration of soman, an organophosphate acetylcholinesterase inhibitor also known as nerve gas. Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-300 g were injected subcutaneously with three different doses of soman: a subconvulsive dose of 40 micrograms/kg (approximately 30% of the ED50 for convulsions in rats), a convulsive dose of 120 micrograms/kg (approximately one ED50 for convulsions), and a higher convulsive dose of 150 micrograms/kg (approximately 120% of the ED50 for convulsions). The incidence and severity of convulsions were monitored in individual rats until they were sacrificed by focused microwave irradiation of the head at the following time points after soman administration: 4 min, a time prior to the onset of convulsions; 10 min, the time of onset of convulsions; 1 h, the time of peak convulsive activity; and 6 h, a time at which rats were recovering from convulsions. Results showed that in rat striata and cerebella, neither changes in levels of GABA and ACh nor changes in ratios of GABA to ACh were related to soman-induced convulsions, i.e., none of the changes in either levels or ratios of these two neurotransmitters were related to the initiation of, maintenance of, or recovery from soman-induced convulsions.

Acetylcholine↗

Evidence that changes in levels of cyclic nucleotides in the CNS are not related to soman-induced convulsions.

Others have suggested that organophosphate-induced convulsions are related to changes in levels of cyclic nucleotides, especially in cerebella. We have examined this question by subcutaneously injecting male Sprague-Dawley rats (approx 250-300 gm) with three different doses of soman: a subconvulsive dose of 40 micrograms/kg, a convulsive dose of 120 micrograms/kg (which is approx 90% of the ED50 for convulsions) and a higher convulsive dose of 150 micrograms/kg. The incidence and severity of convulsions were monitored until the rats were sacrificed by focused microwave irradiation of the head at the following times after injections: 4 min, 10 min, 1 hr and 6 hr, which represent times prior to onset of convulsions, at onset of convulsions, at peak convulsive activity and during recovery from convulsions, respectively. Results showed that in rat striata, cerebella and thoracic spinal cord, neither changes in levels of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP nor changes in ratios of cyclic AMP to cyclic GMP were correlated with soman-induced convulsions, i.e., none of the changes in cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP and/or in the ratios of cyclic AMP to cyclic GMP were related to the initiation of, maintenance of, or recovery from soman-induced convulsions.

Animals↗

Biochemical and immunochemical similarity between erythrocyte membrane aspartic proteinase and cathepsin E.

An aspartic proteinase previously thought to be unique to erythrocyte membranes, termed "EMAP", has been shown to be closely related to cathepsin E. Enzymic comparison revealed that these two enzymes resembled each other in molecular weight, susceptibility to pepstatin and chromatographic behaviors on DEAE-Sephacel and Mono P chromatofocusing columns. They were immunoprecipitated by antiserum against human EMAP in a similar way. Immunochemical similarity between the two enzymes was also substantiated by immunoblot analysis.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Dynamic association of band 3 with triton shells in human erythrocyte ghosts.

To test a possibility that free band 3 and ankyrin-linked band 3 are exchanged in situ, band 3 was labeled with 125I, using intact red blood cells and lactoperoxidase. The cytoplasmic surface of this labeled band 3 was considered to be intact. When Triton shells were incubated with Triton supernatants prepared from 125I-labeled intact erythrocytes at 37 degrees C in the presence of Mg-ATP under isotonic conditions, the incorporation of free 125I-labeled band 3 to shells was observed. This incorporation was affected by the presence of Triton X-100 in the incubation mixture, and significantly decreased when the content of Triton X-100 was less than 0.04% (v/v). On the other hand, ankyrin-linked 125I-labeled band 3 was released when shells prepared from 125I-labeled intact erythrocytes were incubated with the Triton supernatants at 37 degrees C under the same condition as when free 125I-labeled band 3 incorporation was observed. These results strongly suggest that free and ankyrin-linked band 3 exchanged with each other in the presence of Triton X-100. A water-soluble 43 kDa fragment of band 3 inhibited the incorporation of free 125I-labeled band 3 to the shells and also inhibited the Mg-ATP-dependent shape change of ghosts in the absence of Triton X-100. Both of these inhibitory effects remained, even after 10 min of heat treatment at 100 degrees C, but drastically decreased by treatment with trypsin. Our results strongly suggest that a dynamic exchange of the free band 3 for ankyrin-linked band 3 may occur in intact erythrocytes, and it may even contribute to the shape change of erythrocytes.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Isolation, and catalytic and immunochemical properties of cathepsin D-like acid proteinase from rat erythrocytes.

An erythrocyte membrane-associated cathepsin D-like acid proteinase, termed "EMAP," was purified to homogeneity from freshly collected rat blood in a yield of 60-65%. The molecular weight of the enzyme was determined to be 80,000-82,000 by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. The enzyme was inhibited strongly by pepstatin and partially by HgCl2, Pb(NO3)2, and iodoacetic acid. The preferred substrate for the enzyme was hemoglobin. The enzyme also hydrolyzed serum albumin and casein, but to lesser extents, with an optimum pH of 3.5-4.0. However, it could not hydrolyze leucyl-2-naphthylamide, benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Arg-4-methyl-7-coumarylamide or other synthetic substrates at pH values ranging from 3.5 to 9.5. The enzyme was very similar to human EMAP in a number of enzymatic properties, whereas it differed from rat cathepsin D in several respects, such as pH stability, molecular weight, isoelectric point, and chromatographic properties. Immunologically, the enzyme cross-reacted with the rabbit antibody prepared against human EMAP. The patterns of immunoelectrophoresis, immunoblotting, and immunoprecipitation of the enzyme were remarkably similar, if not identical, to those of human EMAP. In contrast, rat EMAP showed no reaction with the rabbit antibody raised to rat spleen cathepsin D. These results indicate that EMAP is a unique cathepsin D-like acid proteinase different from ordinary cathepsin D.

Animals↗

Morphological abnormalities of erythrocyte membrane in the hereditary neurological disease with chorea, areflexia and acanthocytosis.

A study with freeze-fracture electron microscopy was made on erythrocyte membrane in 5 patients with the hereditary neurological disease with chorea, areflexia, and acanthocytosis (Levine et al. 1968). Fixed or unfixed specimens from circulating blood were processed by the freeze-fracture technique, and the distribution of the intramembranous particles was studied. A significant increase in areas without intramembraneous particles (IMP-free areas) was found in all cases with the disease as compared to normal subjects. The group mean value of IMP-free areas was 0.11 +/- 0.01 X 10-2 micrometer2/micrometer2 fracture face in the normal P face and 0.10 +/- 0.04 in the normal E face, compared with 1.77 +/- 0.49 in the P face and 1.33 +/- 0.17 in the E face in material from patients. Although abnormalities in lipid metabolism or membrane properties of erythrocytes have not been revealed in this condition hitherto, the present data suggest an abnormality of membrane fluidity due to abnormal lipid metabolism in this unique disease with neurological disorders and acanthocytosis.

Acanthocytes↗

Alteration of metabolism of retinal taurine following prolonged light and dark adaptation: a quantitative comparison with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Alteration of metabolism of taurine in prolonged light- and dark-adapted frog retinae were studied in comparison with that of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the following results were obtained. (1) Statistically significant alterations in retinal taurine, an increase in dark-adapted, and a decrease in light-adapted states, respectively, occurred when frogs were adapted continuously to light or dark for more than 3 weeks. Under the same experimental conditions, no alteration in retinal GABA was noted. (2) At 3 weeks and thereafter, a significant increase of retinal cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase (CSD; EC 4.1.1.12) activity, an enzyme involved in the biosynthetic pathway of taurine, also occurred in the dark, whereas the activity in the light-adapted retina was reduced. On the other hand, the retinal activity of L-glutamate decarboxylase (GAD; EC 1.1.1.15), the rate-limiting enzyme of GABA biosynthesis, was not altered in dark- as well as light-adapted state. Similarly, retinal GABA-transaminase (GABA-T; EC 2.6.1.19)-succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH; EC 1.2.1.16) was unaltered. (3) These alterations in retinal taurine were, however, unaccompanied by any changes in factors related to transmitter actions such as evoked release, high affinity uptake, and specific binding to synaptic membranes. The above results suggest that, different from GABA as a potent candidate for inhibitory neurotransmitter, retinal taurine may act as neuromodulator and/or may play an important role as a basic factor for maintaining cellular integrity under certain pathophysiological conditions.

4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase↗