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Biomedical subjects

F Battaini

Publications and source records attributed to F Battaini.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Non-vascular central nervous system effects of calcium entry blockers.

Calcium entry blocker (CEB) use has been proposed in a variety of neurological dysfunctions. Some of the new clinical applications suggest a direct non-vascular action on neuronal activity. This view is supported by the observation that in brain CEBs bind preferentially to neuronal terminals and not to vascular elements. The data reported indicate that CEBs modify both in vitro and in vivo neurotransmitter release using brain slices and that their binding sites display some degree of plasticity in various experimental conditions altering neuronal transmission.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1984

Unresponsiveness of GH cells to cyclo(histidyl-proline), a metabolite of thyrotropin releasing hormone.

Cyclo(Histidyl-Proline) is a metabolite of thyrotropin-releasing hormone. It has been suggested that this peptide plays a role in regulating prolactin secretion in GH cells. An investigation of the effect of cyclo(His-Pro) on GH cells indicated that it does not affect basal prolactin release or accumulation or the levels stimulated by TRH. cAMP levels in GH cells are elevated by TRH or VIP, but not influenced by cyclo(His-Pro). cGMP levels in GH cells are not affected by either TRH or cyclo(His-Pro). While there is specific binding of TRH to receptors in GH cells, no such receptors for cyclo(His-Pro) are detectable. It is suggested that GH cells are unresponsive to cyclo(His-Pro).

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Chronic lead exposure differentially affects dopamine transport in rat striatum and nucleus accumbens.

Dopamine release and uptake were investigated in striatum and nucleus accumbens slices of rats chronically exposed to lead. No indication of altered endogenous dopamine release under basal or depolarized conditions was observed in both areas. On the other hand lead intoxication inhibited striatal dopamine uptake while stimulating it at the mesolimbic level. Cocaine binding, that is related to the uptake system, appeared to be down-regulated in the striatum and unaffected in the nucleus accumbens. The results suggest that chronic lead might interfere with dopaminergic transmission at the presynaptic level through specific and differential interactions with the uptake process depending on the area examined.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Chronic lead treatment affects dopaminergic control of prolactin secretion in rat pituitary.

The effect of lead exposure on dopaminergic mechanisms regulating prolactin (PRL) secretion was studied in rats by measuring dopamine (DA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid hypothalamic concentrations and DA receptor density in the hypothalamus and pituitary of lead-exposed animals. [3H]Sulpiride was used as dopamine receptor ligand. A decrease of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) hypothalamic concentrations and a decrease of DA receptor density in the pituitary are shown. The decreased [3H]sulpiride binding in the pituitary is consistent with the elevated serum PRL concentrations previously described in lead-exposed rats.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1984

Chronic dihydroergotoxine treatment affects the number of dopamine recognition sites in rat striatum.

Ergot derivatives have been proposed to have ameliorative effects in various pathological conditions where dopaminergic transmission is believed to be impaired, namely Parkinson's disease, amenorrhea-galactorrhea syndrome, and in the treatment of behavioural disturbances of the elderly. To get more insight into a possible involvement of a direct action of ergot derivatives on dopamine receptors we studied the effect of acute and chronic dihydroergotoxine (DHT) treatment on 3H-Spiroperidol and 3H-N-Propylnorapomorphine (3H-NPA) binding to rat striatal membrane preparations. The results are in favor of an interaction of ergot derivatives with dopamine recognition sites both after acute and chronic treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Caerulein peripheral injection: a study on the correlation with dopaminergic metabolism.

Immunocytochemical and electrophysiological studies indicate the existence of a functional relationship between Cholecystokinin (CCK) and dopaminergic transmission. In order to gain more information on this relationship, the effect of Caerulein, a CCK stable analogue, on rat spontaneous locomotor activity and on biochemical markers of dopaminergic transmission were measured simultaneously. The concentrations of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and the spontaneous or K+ evoked release of dopamine were studied in rat striatum and nucleus accumbens immediately after testing for motor activity. An almost complete reduction in locomotor activity but not significant changes in DOPAC content and dopamine release were observed in rats injected with the peptide (0.25/microgram/Kg, intraperitoneally). DOPAC concentrations were slightly (30%) decreased by increasing 200 folds caerulein dose. In addition, a very minute dose of haloperidol (25 /microgram/Kg) potentiated the caerulein (0.25/microgram/Kg) induced hypomotility, while the parameters of dopaminergic metabolism were unaffected. Our results indicate the existence of a relevant pharmacological interaction between caerulein and dopamine antagonists, although it is not clear whether this interaction takes place at the dopamine terminals level.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1984

Differential effects of caffeine on dihydroxyphenylacetic acid concentrations in various rat brain dopaminergic structures.

The behavioural and neurochemical effects of caffeine were examined in rats. The intraperitoneal administration of different doses of caffeine significantly decreased DOPAC concentrations in striatum, hypothalamus and frontal cortex, but increased them in nucleus accumbens. These observations suggest that the effects of caffeine on the central nervous system (cns) are at least partially mediated through an interaction with the dopaminergic system.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1983

Detection in human serum by radioimmunoassay of histidyl-proline diketopiperazine, a metabolite of thyrotropin-releasing hormone.

Cyclo(His-Pro) is believed to be a metabolite of TRH. A specific antiserum directed against cyclo(His-Pro) was used to detect immunoreactive material in human serum. Gel filtration column chromatography was used to establish that cyclo(His-Pro)-like immunoreactivity was found not only in free form established to be identical to cyclo(His-Pro) by high pressure liquid chromatography analysis on reverse phase and cation exchange columns, but also in a fraction of about 100,000 mol wt. Free cyclo(His-Pro) was released by heating column fractions of 70,000 mol wt that were not immunoreactive before heating. A procedure for estimation of the content of free cyclo(His-Pro) in human serum was developed. Normal levels of cyclo(His-Pro) determined by this procedure were in the range of 11-33 pmol/ml. The level of cyclo(His-Pro) in sera of individuals with hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or alcoholic cirrhosis was in the normal range, while patients with renal failure had approximately 3-fold elevated levels of the peptide. Analysis of human sera drawn at 3-h intervals over a 24-h period suggested a circadian rhythm of cyclo(His-Pro) levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Histidyl-proline diketopiperazine: its biological role as a regulatory peptide.

Histidyl-proline diketopiperazine [cyclo(His-Pro)] is a metabolite of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH). This review summarizes the literature concerning cyclo (His-Pro) and, in addition, some studies dealing with TRH and other peptide that are considered of interest. The enzymes concerned with the metabolism of TRH are discussed. Distribution studies of peptides by immunological methods show that, while TRH is concentrated in synaptosomes, cyclo (His-Pro) is not, suggesting that cyclo (His-Pro) is not a classical neurotransmitter. Rat brain contains approximately three times as much cyclo (His-Pro) as TRH, mainly localized in the pituitary and hypothalamus. While the TRH is found in a free form, the cyclo (His-Pro) is bound to a carrier of molecular weight approximately 70,000. While specific membrane receptors for TRH have been detected in pituitary cells, no such receptors for cyclo (His-Pro) have yet been found in brain or pituitary; however, there is a specific binding of cyclo (His-Pro) to adrenal cortex membranes. Both TRH and cyclo (His-Pro) have effects in the central nervous system or pituitary. These include effects on prolactin release, thermoregulation, CNS depression, stereotypic behavior and cyclic nucleotide levels. Possible mechanisms and interrelations of these effects are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Sulpiride and the role of dopaminergic receptor blockade in the antipsychotic activity of neuroleptics.

It is now generally recognized that dopamine receptors exist in the CNS as different subtypes: D1 receptors, associated with adenylyl cyclase activity, and D2 receptor, uncoupled to a cyclic AMP generating system. In order to understand the role of D1 and D2 receptors in the antipsychotic action of neuroleptics, we have performed subchronic treatment with haloperidol, a drug which acts on D1 receptors, and sulpiride, a selective antagonist to D2 receptors. Long-term treatment with haloperidol does not induce significant supersensitivity of the D2 receptors. In fact under these conditions 3H-(-)-sulpiride binding, which is a marker of D2 receptor function, does not increase in rat striatum, while the long-term administration of sulpiride itself produces supersensitivity of D2 receptors. Moreover, sulpiride does not induce supersensitivity of the D1 receptors, characterized by 3H-spiroperidol binding. These data suggest that both types of dopamine receptors may be involved in the clinical antipsychotic effects of neuroleptics. Unilateral lesion of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway produces an increase of striatal dopaminergic receptors, measured either by 3H-spiroperidol and 3H-(-)-sulpiride binding. These findings suggest that D1 and D2 receptors are present in postsynaptic membranes while it is still not known whether they exist in the same cellular elements.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1979

Interaction of sulfpride and ergot derivatives on rat brain DOPAC concentration and prolactin secretion in vivo.

Sulpiride, which differs from classical neuroleptics by not producing major extrapyramidal side effects, is a potent antiemetic agent and stimulates prolactin secretion in both laboratory animals and man. In parallel it increases dopamine synthesis in both striatum and nucleus accumbens. Bromocriptine and metergoline are two effective agents in suppressing prolactin release and postulated to stimulate dopamine receptors. The interactions of these two ergot derivatives with sulpiride have been investigated on prolactin release and on striatal and limbic DOPAC accumulation. Bromocriptine at all doses tested was able to suppress the increased in vivo prolactin secretion observed after sulpiride administration. Metergoline antagonized the sulpiride-induced prolactin increase only at low doses; on the contrary higher doses potentiated it. High concentrations of bromocriptine suppressed the sulpiride-induced increased of DOPAC levels in striatum and n. accumbens, while metergoline potentiated the sulpiride-induced accumulation of brain DOPAC.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Omegaconotoxin binding decreases in aged rat brain.

Omegaconotoxin binding was studied in young (3 months) and old (24 months) male Sprague-Dawley rats. In both groups omegaconotoxin binding displayed high affinity, was specific and saturable. The age-related changes are mainly a decrease in the Bmax in striatum and cortex (-29% and -31%, respectively). Binding parameters were unmodified in hippocampus of the two age groups. These data are consistent with the decrease of calcium uptake and neurotransmitter release observed in the brain of aged rodents.

Age Factors↗