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Biomedical subjects

G Dawson

Publications and source records attributed to G Dawson.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 13 in a phenotypically normal child.

A case of maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 13 is described. The subject is a phenotypically normal male who inherited a t(13;13)(p11.2;p11.2) from his mother who is a carrier of this translocation. The mother was ascertained through a history of recurrent abortion and is phenotypically normal. The translocation in both subjects was studied by cytogenetic and DNA analysis and appears to be a true dicentric isochromosome. These findings show that maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 13 has had no pathological consequences and suggests that there is no imprinting of genes on maternally derived chromosome 13.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1994

Frontal electroencephalographic correlates of individual differences in emotion expression in infants: a brain systems perspective on emotion.

Emotion expressions can be characterized by both the type of emotion displayed and the intensity with which the emotion is expressed. Individual differences in these two aspects of emotion appear to vary independently and may perhaps account for distinct dimensions of temperament, personality, and vulnerability to psychopathology. We reviewed several sets of data gathered in our laboratory that indicate that these two dimensions of emotion expression are associated with distinct and independent patterns of frontal EEG activity in infants. Specifically, whereas the type of emotion expression was found to be associated with asymmetries in frontal EEG activity, the intensity of emotion expression was found to be associated with generalized activation of both the right and the left frontal regions. Moreover, we reviewed and provided evidence that measures of asymmetrical frontal activity are better predictors of individual differences in the tendency to express certain emotions, such as distress and sadness, whereas measures of generalized frontal activity are better predictors of individual differences in emotional reactivity and emotion intensity. The neuroanatomical bases of emotion were discussed with special reference to the role of the frontal lobe in emotion regulation. It was hypothesized that the frontal activation asymmetries that have been found to accompany emotion expressions reflect specific regulation strategies. The left frontal region is specialized for regulation strategies involving action schemes that serve to maintain continuity and stability of the organism-environment relation and of ongoing motor schemes, such as those involved in language and the expression of happiness and interest. In contrast, the right frontal region appears to be specialized for regulation strategies that involve processing novel stimuli that disrupt ongoing activity, such as might occur during the expression of fear, disgust, and distress. Furthermore, it was proposed that individual differences in patterns of frontal EEG asymmetries during emotion may be related to socialization influences rather than solely innate factors. It was speculated that the pattern of generalized frontal lobe activation that accompanies the experience of intense emotions may reflect, in part, the relatively diffuse influence of subcortical structures on the cortex and may serve to increase the infant's general readiness to receive and respond to significant external stimuli.

Affect↗
PubMed1993

Differential solubilization of membrane lipids by detergents: coenrichment of the sheep brain serotonin 5-HT1A receptor with phospholipids containing predominantly saturated fatty acids.

Most membrane receptors lose binding activity during purification and we studied the correlation between this event and differential solubilization of membrane lipids by detergents. Both 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate [Chaps; high critical micellar concentration (cmc) approximately 0.5%] and n-dodecyl beta-D-maltoside (DDM; low cmc approximately 0.009%) solubilized the 8-[3H]hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin ([3H]8-OH-DPAT)-binding serotonin 5-HT1A receptor (5-HT1A-R) optimally at 2% (w/v) detergent concentration despite the widely differing cmc of the two detergents. In contrast, n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (octyl glucoside; high cmc approximately 0.7%), Thesit (low cmc approximately 0.005%), and Triton X-100 (low cmc approximately 0.013%) solubilized virtually no [3H]8-OH-DPAT-binding activity. The total mass of solubilized lipids was always low at 0.5% detergent concentration and attained a plateau between 1 and 2.5% for all detergents except octyl glucoside. The mass of octyl glucoside-solubilized lipids showed an increasing trend even at 3.0% detergent concentration. The total amount of solubilized lipid is unrelated to the amount of 5-HT1A-R solubilized but the species of lipid is important. Thus Chaps and DDM, with diverse structures and cmc, both preferentially solubilized phospholipids enriched in saturated fatty acids (67 and 72%, respectively). In contrast, octyl glucoside, Triton X-100, and Thesit showed no preference in solubilizing phospholipids. Octyl glucoside, which solubilized significantly higher proportions of saturated fatty-acid-containing phosphatidylethanolamine (slightly higher saturated fatty acids in total phospholipids), also produced more (twofold higher) solubilized 5-HT1A sites than Triton X-100 and Thesit. This suggests an optimum involvement of saturated fatty acid side chains in forming tightly packed vesicles which stabilize the 5-HT1A-R more than the vesicles of higher fluidity formed by phospholipids containing higher proportions of cis-double-bonded unsaturated fatty acids. Indeed, delipidation of the 1.5% Chaps-solubilized receptor preparations by Sephacryl S-200 column chromatography eliminated essentially all [3H]8-OH-DPAT-binding activity. Therefore, for efficient recovery during solubilization and reconstitution of a prototypic heptahelical receptor (5-HT1A), it is essential to stabilize the receptor protein through association with saturated phospholipids.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗
PubMed1993

Protein kinase C-epsilon is a developmentally regulated, neuronal isoform in the chick embryo central nervous system.

Protein kinase C (PKC) is expressed as many isoforms and in high quantities in the central nervous system (CNS), which suggests an important role for this enzyme in neuronal development and function. We used specific antibodies to investigate the expression of the known PKC isoforms in extracts from chick major CNS areas during embryogenesis, from day 3 (E3) of incubation to day 1 post-hatching (P1). PKC-epsilon was the predominant isoform and was expressed from E6 onward in all brain regions, except retina (E12 and on). PKC-alpha/beta and -zeta isoforms were expressed at lower levels prior to PKC-epsilon expression and throughout embryogenesis. No other isoforms were detected in neural tissue preparations. We then used neural culture systems derived from the chick CNS to study the expression of PKC isoforms in neuroblasts, cortical neurons, and cortical glial cells. Western blotting and immunostaining of neuroblast-enriched cultures, derived from E3 CNS, showed only the Ca(2+)-dependent PKC-alpha/beta to be present. Studies on neuronal cultures derived from E6 cerebral hemispheres revealed only the Ca(2+)-independent PKC-epsilon to be expressed in neurons, as predicted by the developmental studies on tissue homogenates. PKC-epsilon immunoreactivity was seen intracellularly in differentiating neurons, regardless of their neurotransmitter phenotypes, and it correlated well with the level of neuronal activity. Furthermore, PKC-alpha/beta immunoreactivity was verified on glia cells, as the glial lineage emerges in E15 cortical cultures. These data suggest that PKC-epsilon expression is associated with the final neuroblast division in neurons, and the correlation of PKC isoform expression and neural cell lineage is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Heterologous expression of the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor in neural and non-neural cell lines.

Stable expression of neuronal receptors in cell lines of neural origin is important for studies of neurotransmitter mediated signal transduction. We have achieved this for the first time in three cell lines which are derived from various tissues of neural origin (hippocampus, HN2; chinese hamster brain explant, NCB-20; rat dorsal root ganglion, F-11). Following electroporation assisted transfer of a construct containing the hippocampal serotonin 5-HT1A receptor (5-HT1AR) DNA, one neural cell line, NG-108-15 (murine neuroblastoma x C6 glioma), failed to express the transfected activity, while three others as well as the non-neural CHO (chinese hamster ovary) cells expressed high levels of the receptor. Upon normalization to coexpressed human beta-hexosaminidase B activity, it was found that the human 5-HT1AR, which is normally concentrated in the hippocampus and at a lesser density in the brain, was expressed at the highest level (15.7 x 10(4) receptors/cell) in the HN2 followed by the NCB-20 (8.3 x 10(4) receptors/cell), F-11 (4.4 x 10(4) receptors/cell) and lastly the non-neuronal CHO (4.2 x 10(4) receptors/cell) cells. Ten-twelve days after passage, a striking increase in expression of the receptor was observed only in the cell lines of neural origin. By contrast, there was no appreciable increase in expression of the transfected 5-HT1AR in the non-neural CHO cells over time. This late increase in expression was eliminated in cells which had been maintained in low glucose (1 g/L) for the first two days after passage, thus establishing a vital role of glucose in expression of the transfected 5-HT1AR in cell lines of neural origin. In all cases the 5-HT1AR was negatively coupled to adenylate cyclase, as evidenced by an agonist mediated decrease in prostaglandin E1 stimulated cyclic AMP levels.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗
PubMed1993

Opioid peptides activate phospholipase D and protein kinase C-epsilon in chicken embryo neuron cultures.

The mu-opioid peptide morphiceptin stimulated a Ca(2+)-independent protein kinase C (PKC-epsilon) that is expressed both in embryonic day 6 chicken telencephalon and in derived neuronal cultures. This activation was seen as a 2-fold increase in the activity and level of cytosolic PKC-epsilon and as a transient increase in membrane-associated PKC-epsilon following morphiceptin treatment. Morphiceptin did not activate phospholipase C-mediated phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis but did transiently activate (2- to 3-fold) phospholipase D (PLD), as measured by phosphatidylethanol formation in neuron cultures derived from embryonic day 6 or day 7 cerebral hemispheres. This PLD activation could provide an alternative source of diacylglycerol for the activation of PKC-epsilon and was naloxone-reversible and at least partially blocked by the tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A. Addition of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulated both PLD and PKC-epsilon activities to a greater extent than opioids. The phorbol ester and insulin stimulation of PLD was also blocked by herbimycin. Both morphiceptin (in a naloxone-reversible manner) and phorbol ester increased phosphorylation of similar cytosolic proteins in intact cells, demonstrating a functional role for the PKC-epsilon activation by opioids. This is evidence that opioid receptors are transiently coupled to tyrosine kinase, PLD and PKC-epsilon activation and, by implication, to neuronal cell growth during brain morphogenesis.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1993

Regulation of phospholipase D activity in a human oligodendroglioma cell line (HOG).

Oligodendroglial cells express many specific proteins, such as myelin basic protein (MBP), which are physiologically phosphorylated by protein kinase C (PKC). Diacylglycerols are physiological activators of PKC and can be liberated from phospholipids by the direct receptor-mediated activation of phospholipase C (PL-C) or indirectly via the activation of phospholipase D (PL-D). In a well-characterized human oligodendroglioma (HOG) cell line, PL-C (measured by release of [3H]inositol phosphates) and PL-D (formation of [3H]myristoylated or palmitoylated phosphatidylethanol) were activated by both carbachol (blocked by pirenzepine, suggesting an M1 receptor) and histamine (H1 receptor) but not glutamate, bradykinin, or phenylephrine. PL-C stimulation by carbachol or histamine was completely inhibited by short-term treatment (< 30 min) with phorbol ester (TPA), a PKC activator. In contrast, PL-D activation by either carbachol or histamine was stimulated in additive fashion by TPA, suggesting at least two distinct mechanisms for PL-D activation. Down regulation of PKC by prolonged (24 hr) treatment with TPA reversed the inhibitory effects of TPA on PL-C and the stimulatory effects on PL-D. However, the PKC inhibitors H-7 and galactosylsphingosine did not inhibit the TPA-mediated stimulation of PLD while the less-specific PKC inhibitor, staurosporine, was only partially inhibitory. Preexposure of cells to carbachol, greatly reduced both PL-C and PL-D activation by carbachol, suggesting homologous desensitization. Time-course studies indicated that PL-D activation (10 sec or less) was at least as fast as PL-C activation, and the affinity of carbachol and histamine for the receptor coupled to either phospholipase (EC50 = 5-10 microM) was about the same.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1993

Expression of oligodendrocyte-associated genes in cell lines derived from human gliomas and neuroblastomas.

Two putative human oligodendroglioma cell lines were examined for the expression of the oligodendrocyte-associated genes, 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide-3'-phosphodiesterase, myelin basic protein, myelin proteolipid proteins, and myelin-associated glycoprotein. The expression of these genes also was examined in control astrocytoma and neuroblastoma cell lines. In addition, the expression of the non-oligodendrocyte-specific genes, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neuron-specific enolase and neurofilaments (NF) NF-L and NF-M also were examined. All the cell lines expressed 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase, neuron-specific enolase, and vimentin, and none expressed myelin-associated glycoprotein. The "oligodendrocyte-specific" myelin proteolipid protein mRNAs and the "neuron-specific" NF-L mRNA were expressed in the two astrocytoma cell lines, which also expressed GFAP. Expression of intermediate filament protein genes was more restricted. The astrocytoma, neuroblastoma, and oligodendroglioma cell lines expressed only GFAP, NF-M, and cytokeratin K7, respectively. These results: (a) provide molecular data confirming the classification of the two cell lines as oligodendrogliomal and suggest that their molecular profiles are indicative of immature oligodendrocytes; (b) demonstrate the expression of cytokeratins in oligodendrogliomal cell lines and suggest that apparent GFAP expression in oligodendrogliomas detected by immunocytochemical methods may be due to cross-reactivity with cytokeratins, with which they share common polypeptide sequence; and (c) indicate that astrocytoma cell lines can exhibit a "mixed" phenotype, expressing genes associated with fully differentiated oligodendrocytes and neurons.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed1993

Subclassification of children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder: a questionnaire based on Wing's subgrouping scheme.

A questionnaire (the Wing Subgroups Questionnaire, or WSQ) for subclassifying children with autism into one of Wing's three hypothesized subgroups was developed, and the validity of this measure was assessed. Forty parents of children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS) completed the questionnaire. Results indicated that the questionnaire has adequate external criterion-referenced validity with similar subgroup ratings made by clinicians, and good internal consistency. Furthermore, results revealed three distinct and separate subgroups corresponding to Wing's subclassification scheme. Other analyses suggested that Wing assignment based on the WSQ was independent of chronological age and age equivalents for social and daily living skills, but not independent of diagnosis of autism vs. PDDNOS, IQ, severity of autism, sex, receptive language mental age, and age equivalents for communication skills. Finally, a discriminant analysis indicated that, of all the dependent variables examined in the present study, the clinicians' Wing assignment was the best predictor of Wing assignment based on the parent-completed WSQ. These findings provide support for Wing's classification system, and suggest that the WSQ is a valid and useful tool for subclassifying individuals with autism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Receptor inhibition by immunoglobulins: specific inhibition by autistic children, their relatives, and control subjects.

Forty-two parents of children with autistic disorder, 15 children with autistic disorder, 17 siblings of children with autistic disorder, and 12 unrelated normal adult controls were studied to determine if immunoglobulins isolated from their plasma would inhibit binding of the 5HT1A agonist, [3H]-8-hydroxy-N,N-dipropyl-2-aminotetralin (DPAT) to 5HT1A receptors in human hippocampal membranes. There were no significant differences among the means of percentage inhibition of DPAT binding of parents, children with autistic disorder, siblings, or unrelated controls. In addition, there were no differences in the proportion of subjects with > 15% DPAT inhibition among autistic children, their parents, their siblings, or unrelated controls. Immunoglobulin inhibition was not specific for the 5HT1A receptor binding site, since immunoglobulins inhibited binding to 5HT2, D1, D2, and alpha 2-adrenergic binding sites. The immunoglobulins isolated from normal controls inhibited [3H]-rauwolscine binding at alpha 2-adrenergic sites less than immunoglobulins of children with autistic disorder and their parents and siblings. This study did not support the hypothesis that autoantibodies to 5HT1A or 5HT2 receptors are characteristic of autistic disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Effect of the benzodiazepine receptor agonist, zolpidem, on palatable fluid consumption in the rat.

Two experiments examined the effect of the benzodiazepine receptor agonist, zolpidem, on palatable fluid intake in water-deprived rats. In the first experiment, pretreatment with 3.0 or 10.0 mg/kg zolpidem IP was found to increase consumption of a novel glucose drink (3% d-glucose and 0.15 sodium saccharine w/v in water). The increase in fluid consumption induced with zolpidem was comparable to the increases observed with diazepam and the benzodiazepine partial agonist, FG 8205. Experiment 2 demonstrated that this zolpidem-induced increase in drinking could be observed in both naive rats and in rats that had been habituated to the glucose drink and the testing environment: pretreatment with 3.0 mg/kg PO of zolpidem was found to increase fluid consumption in rats that had received either 0 or 8 days pre-exposure to the testing conditions. Contrary to earlier reports, these results support the conclusion that zolpidem, like other benzodiazepine agonists, can directly modulate ingestive behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Effects of hypoxia on oligodendrocyte signal transduction.

We have previously established that 21-day-old postnatal rat oligodendrocytes, maintained in monolayer culture and subjected to 6 h of hypoxia, show reversible inhibition of synthesis of alpha-hydroxy fatty acid and myelin basic protein but a dramatic induction of a 22-kDa protein, suggesting that this is a good model to study the mechanism of CNS demyelination caused by hypoxic injury. We now report that hypoxia also dramatically inhibits the basal protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation of myelin basic protein and myelin 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase by 80%, but that the inhibition of phosphorylation can be reversed by addition of a protein kinase C activator, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The mechanism of action appears to involve the uncoupling of signal transduction at a site before phospholipase C, because hypoxia did not affect protein kinase C activity or its translocation to the membrane fraction. The most potent activator of phospholipase C (as measured by inositol phosphate release) was carbachol (muscarinic M1 receptor agonist), followed by L-phenylephrine (alpha 1-adrenergic receptor agonist) in normal oligodendrocytes. Excitatory amino acids and histamine were ineffective. Hypoxia for 6 h completely inhibited both muscarinic and alpha 1-adrenergic receptor-mediated inositol monophosphate release but did not affect phospholipase D-coupled phosphatidylethanol production in response to carbachol. We therefore conclude from this and earlier work that early, reversible changes in oligodendrocyte metabolism result not simply from ATP depletion, but may specifically target GTP binding protein-mediated processes.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The role of glycosphingolipids in hypoxic cell injury.

Recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanism of cell injury have led to the realization that cell injury is a gradual process, which involves, in its early stages, specific biochemical responses of cells to the injury process. In this review, we have shown that the pursuit of the mechanisms by which inhibition of a specific GSL (GalCer) in hypoxic OLG occurs can lead to (1) an understanding of how the synthesis and transport of GalCer are regulated in the cell, and (2) evidence that the injury causes a potentially devastating (yet reversible) block in the production of this important lipid. This review has also discussed evidence that GSL, in their roles as regulators of the cell's interaction with its environment, can play important roles in determining the outcome of injurious processes.

Animals↗