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J Auta

Publications and source records attributed to J Auta.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

GABAA receptors and benzodiazepines: a role for dendritic resident subunit mRNAs.

This review is designed to describe the evolution of the seminal observation made simultaneously in 1975 by Dr. W. Haefely's laboratory (Hoffman La Roche, Basel, Switzerland) and in the Laboratory of Preclinical Pharmacology (NIH, St. Elizabeths Hospital, Washington DC), that benzodiazepine action was mediated by a modulation of GABA action at GABA(A) receptors. In fact, our suggestion was that the benzodiazepine receptor was "a receptor on a receptor" and that this receptor was GABA(A). Needless to say, this suggestion created opposition, but we did not abandon the original idea, in fact, as shown in this review, there is now universal agreement with our hypothesis on the mode of action of benzodiazepines. Hence, this review deals with the allosteric modulation of GABA(A) receptors by benzodiazepines, the role of GABA(A) receptors and benzodiazepine structure diversities in this modulation, and describes the results of our attempts to establish a benzodiazepine (imidazenil) devoid of tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and changes in the expression of GABA(A) receptor subunits during tolerance. It also deals with the idea that the synthesis of GABA(A) receptor subunits triggered by tolerance resides in dendrites and spines where mRNAs and the apparatus for this translation is located. New analytic procedures may foster progress in the understanding of tolerance to and withdrawal from benzodiazepines.

Allosteric Regulation↗
PubMed2001

Down-regulation of dendritic spine and glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 expressions in the reelin haploinsufficient heterozygous reeler mouse.

Heterozygous reeler mice (HRM) haploinsufficient for reelin express approximately 50% of the brain reelin content of wild-type mice, but are phenotypically different from both wild-type mice and homozygous reeler mice. They exhibit, (i) a down-regulation of glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD(67))-positive neurons in some but not every cortical layer of frontoparietal cortex (FPC), (ii) an increase of neuronal packing density and a decrease of cortical thickness because of neuropil hypoplasia, (iii) a decrease of dendritic spine expression density on basal and apical dendritic branches of motor FPC layer III pyramidal neurons, and (iv) a similar decrease in dendritic spines expressed on the basal dendrite branches of CA1 pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus. To establish whether the defect of GAD(67) down-regulation observed in HRM is responsible for neuropil hypoplasia and decreased dendritic spine density, we studied heterozygous GAD(67) knockout mice (HG(67)M). These mice exhibited a down-regulation of GAD(67) mRNA expression in FPC (about 50%), but they expressed normal amounts of reelin and had no neuropil hypoplasia or down-regulation of dendritic spine expression. These findings, coupled with electron-microscopic observations that reelin colocalizes with integrin receptors on dendritic spines, suggest that reelin may be a factor in the dynamic expression of cortical dendritic spines perhaps by promoting integrin receptor clustering. These findings are interesting because the brain neurochemical and neuroanatomical phenotypic traits exhibited by the HRM are in several ways similar to those found in postmortem brains of psychotic patients.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Glutamic acid decarboxylase and glutamate receptor changes during tolerance and dependence to benzodiazepines.

Protracted administration of diazepam elicits tolerance, whereas discontinuation of treatment results in signs of dependence. Tolerance to the anticonvulsant action of diazepam is present in an early phase (6, 24, and 36 h) but disappears in a late phase (72-96 h) of withdrawal. In contrast, signs of dependence such as decrease in open-arm entries on an elevated plus-maze and increased susceptibility to pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures were apparent 96 h (but not 12, 24, or 48 h) after diazepam withdrawal. During the first 72 h of withdrawal, tolerance is associated with changes in the expression of GABA(A) (gamma-aminobutyric acid type A) receptor subunits (decrease in gamma(2) and alpha(1); increase in alpha(5)) and with an increase of mRNA expression of the most abundant form of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), GAD(67). In contrast, dl-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor GluR1 subunit mRNA and cognate protein, which are normal during the early phase of diazepam withdrawal, increase by approximately 30% in cortex and hippocampus in association with the appearance of signs of dependence 96 h after diazepam withdrawal. Immunohistochemical studies of GluR1 subunit expression with gold-immunolabeling technique reveal that the increase of GluR1 subunit protein is localized to layer V pyramidal neurons and their apical dendrites in the cortex, and to pyramidal neurons and in their dendritic fields in hippocampus. The results suggest an involvement of GABA-mediated processes in the development and maintenance of tolerance to diazepam, whereas excitatory amino acid-related processes (presumably via AMPA receptors) may be involved in the expression of signs of dependence after withdrawal.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Reelin secretion from glutamatergic neurons in culture is independent from neurotransmitter regulation.

Reelin (Reln) is a glycoprotein that in postnatal and adult mammalian brain is believed to be secreted from telencephalic GABAergic interneurons and cerebellar glutamatergic granule neurons into the extracellular matrix. To address the question of whether Reln neurosecretion occurs via a regulated or a constitutive process, we exposed postnatal rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) maintained in culture for 7-9 days to: (i) 100 microM N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in a Mg(+2)-free medium to stimulate NMDA-selective glutamate receptors and Ca(2+)-dependent neurotransmitter release, (ii) 50 mM KCl to depolarize the cells and elicit Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis, (iii) 10-100 microM nicotine to activate excocytosis by nicotinic receptors present in these cells, (iv) 10 microM 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-nitro-2, 3-dioxo-benzo[f]quinoxaline-7-sulfonamide in combination with 10 microM dizocilpine to block alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid- and NMDA-preferring glutamate receptors activated by endogenously released glutamate, or (v) EGTA (5 mM) to virtually eliminate extracellular Ca(2+) and block Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis. Although, CGNs express and secrete Reln (measured by quantitative immunoblotting), none of the above-mentioned conditions that control regulated exocytosis alters the stores or the rate of Reln release. In contrast, application of either: (i) a Reln antisense oligonucleotide (5'-GCAATGTGCAGGGAAATG-3') (10 microM) that reduces Reln biosynthesis or (ii) brefeldin A (5 x 10(-5) M), an inhibitor of the traffic of proteins between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi network, sharply curtail the rate of Reln secretion. Because, in subcellular fractionation studies, we have shown that Reln is not contained in synaptic vesicles, these data suggest that Reln secretion from CGNs does not require Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis, but probably is related to a Reln pool stored in Golgi secretory vesicles mediating a constitutive secretory pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Imidazenil prevention of alprazolam-induced acquisition deficit in patas monkeys is devoid of tolerance.

The partial allosteric modulators (PAMs) of gamma-aminobutyric acid-gated Cl(-) current intensities at gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors have high affinity but low intrinsic efficacy on benzodiazepine recognition sites. Unlike the full allosteric modulators (FAM), like alprazolam, triazolam, and diazepam, PAMs are virtually devoid of unwanted side effects, including tolerance. Imidazenil (IMD) is a PAM that elicits potent anxiolytic and anticonvulsant actions in rodents and nonhuman primates and retains its anticonvulsant and anxiolytic effects, even in rodents that are tolerant to FAMs. IMD antagonizes the side effects of FAMs in rodents and nonhuman primates. Using patas monkeys and a multiple schedule with repeated acquisition and performance of chain responses, we report that IMD administration for 17 days antagonized without showing tolerance ALP-induced disruption of acquisition.

Alprazolam↗
PubMed2000

Expression of reelin in adult mammalian blood, liver, pituitary pars intermedia, and adrenal chromaffin cells.

Reelin regulates telencephalic and cerebellar lamination during mammalian development and is expressed in several structures of the adult brain; however, only traces of reelin were believed to be in peripheral tissues. Because reelin structurally resembles extracellular matrix proteins, and because many of these proteins are expressed in blood, we hypothesized that reelin also might be detectable in the circulation. Reelin (420 kDa) and two reelin-like immunoreactive bands (310 and 160 kDa) are expressed in serum and platelet-poor plasma of rats, mice, and humans, but these three bands were not detectable in serum of homozygous reeler (rl/rl) mice. Reelin plasma levels in heterozygous (rl/+) mice were half of those in wild-type littermates. Western blotting and immunocytochemistry using antireelin mAbs indicated that reelin-like immunoreactivity was expressed in a subset of chromaffin cells within the rat adrenal medulla and in a subset of cells coexpressing alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone within the pituitary pars intermedia. However, surgical removal of adrenal or pituitary failed to decrease the amount of reelin (420-kDa band) expressed in serum. Adult liver expressed one-third of the reelin mRNA concentration expressed in adult mouse cerebral cortex. Full-length reelin protein was detectable in liver extracts in situ; acutely isolated liver cells also secreted full-length reelin in vitro. Liver appears to be a prime candidate to produce and maintain the circulating reelin pool. It now becomes relevant to ask whether circulating reelin has a physiologic role on one or more peripheral target tissues.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

Decrease in reelin and glutamic acid decarboxylase67 (GAD67) expression in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: a postmortem brain study.

BACKGROUND: Reelin (RELN) is a glycoprotein secreted preferentially by cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) interneurons (layers I and II) that binds to integrin receptors located on dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons or on GABAergic interneurons of layers III through V expressing the disabled-1 gene product (DAB1), a cytosolic adaptor protein that mediates RELN action. To replicate earlier findings that RELN and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)(67), but not DAB1 expression, are down-regulated in schizophrenic brains, and to verify whether other psychiatric disorders express similar deficits, we analyzed, blind, an entirely new cohort of 60 postmortem brains, including equal numbers of patients matched for schizophrenia, unipolar depression, and bipolar disorder with nonpsychiatric subjects. METHODS: Reelin, GAD(65), GAD(67), DAB1, and neuron-specific-enolase messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and respective proteins were measured with quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or Western blot analyses. Reelin-positive neurons were identified by immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: Prefrontal cortex and cerebellar expression of RELN mRNA, GAD(67) protein and mRNA, and prefrontal cortex RELN-positive cells was significantly decreased by 30% to 50% in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder with psychosis, but not in those with unipolar depression without psychosis when compared with nonpsychiatric subjects. Group differences were absent for DAB1,GAD(65) and neuron-specific-enolase expression implying that RELN and GAD(67) down-regulations were unrelated to neuronal damage. Reelin and GAD(67) were also unrelated to postmortem intervals, dose, duration, or presence of antipsychotic medication. CONCLUSIONS: The selective down-regulation of RELN and GAD(67) in prefrontal cortex of patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder who have psychosis is consistent with the hypothesis that these parameters are vulnerability factors in psychosis; this plus the loss of the correlation between these 2 parameters that exists in nonpsychotic subjects support the hypothesis that these changes may be liability factors underlying psychosis.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗
PubMed2000

Expression and function of striatal nAChRs differ in the flinders sensitive (FSL) and resistant (FRL) rat lines.

Rats of Flinders Sensitive (FSL) and Flinders Resistant lines (FRL) differ in their susceptibility to physiological and associated behavioral responses elicited by nicotine. In the present study, we measured dopamine (DA) content in striatal dialysates to investigate the sensitivity of FSL and FRL rats to nicotine delivered locally through a microdialysis probe placed in the striatum. We also measured the expression density of striatal high-affinity nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and that of mRNAs encoding for alpha3, alpha4, alpha7 and beta2 nAChR subunits in both lines. The DA content of dialysates was measured before and after a 1-min perfusion of nicotine (6, 10 or 20 nmoles/min) and the resulting DA increase was taken as a measure of the alkaloid's intrinsic activity for nAChRs involved in the release of DA. The nicotine-induced increase of striatal DA release was greater in FSL than in FRL rats for all concentrations of nicotine, suggesting that the intrinsic activity of nicotine was greater in the FSL than in the FRL rats. This was further supported by our finding that the density of high-affinity nAChRs in the striatum of FSL rats was 44% greater than in the FRL rats, whereas affinity (K(D)) was virtually the same in the two lines of rats. Also the expression of mRNAs encoding for alpha(4), alpha(7), and beta(2) subunits in the striatum was greater in FSL than in FRL rats (attomol/microg total RNA, alpha(4):98+/-10 vs. 77+/-7; alpha(7):279+/-16 vs. 184+/-16; beta(2):310+/-19 vs. 201+/-12). We hypothesize that the difference in nicotine-induced DA release in the striatum of FSL and FRL rats depends on the difference in nAChR subunit expression in the striatum between the two lines. The Flinders rats could be used as a model for nicotine self-administration studies to evaluate the susceptibilities of FSL and FRL rats to nicotine dependence.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Effects of negative allosteric modulators of gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptors on complex behavioral processes in monkeys.

A multiple schedule of repeated acquisition and performance of conditional discriminations was used to characterize the effects of two negative allosteric modulators of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor (ethyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate [beta-CCE] and N-methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxamide [FG-7142]), a hallucinogenic beta-carboline derivative (harmine), a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist (flumazenil) and a positive allosteric modulator (alprazolam). In the acquisition component, subjects acquired a different discrimination each session. Acquisition of a discrimination was defined by a decrease in errors as the session progressed. In the performance component, the discrimination was the same each session. Responding in both components was maintained by food presentation under a variable-ratio schedule. Incorrect responses in both components produced a 5-sec timeout. Alprazolam (0.1-18 mg/kg), beta-CCE (0.01-0.32 mg/kg), FG-7142 (0.1-18 mg/kg) and harmine (0.1-1.8 mg/kg) all dose-dependently decreased response rate in both components. However, accuracy of responding-was differentially affected by the drugs. Alprazolam selectively and dose-dependently increased percent errors in acquisition, whereas beta-CCE increased acquisition errors only at the highest doses tested in each subject. In contrast, FG-7142 and harmine had no effects on percent errors at doses that virtually eliminated responding. In all cases, performance accuracy was generally not affected. Flumazenil, at doses that had little or no effect (0.1 and 0.32 mg/kg) or occasionally decreased response rates (1 mg/kg) when administered alone, dose-dependently antagonized the rate-decreasing and error-increasing effects of beta-CCE, FG-7142 and alprazolam. In contrast, flumazenil failed to antagonize the effects of harmine. Thus, the negative allosteric modulators only moderately disrupted acquisition in comparison with the positive allosteric modulator, but the effects of both types of modulator were antagonized by the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil.

Allosteric Regulation↗
PubMed1995

Imidazenil, a new anxiolytic and anticonvulsant drug, attenuates a benzodiazepine-induced cognition deficit in monkeys.

Imidazenil is a highly potent partial allosteric modulator of gamma-aminobutyric acid action at a great variety of gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptors, whereas alprazolam is a full allosteric modulator at these receptors. Data in rats indicate that imidazenil, like alprazolam, has pharmacological effects in animals indicative of anxiolytic, antipanic and anticonvulsant activity in humans, but unlike alprazolam, in animals imidazenil does not produce ataxia, sedation, tolerance or dependence nor does it potentiate the effects of ethanol. To extend the study of the imidazenil pharmacological profile, we administered this drug and alprazolam, alone and in combination, in monkeys working in a complex behavioral task. In one component of a multiple schedule (repeated acquisition or "learning"), patas monkeys acquired a different four-response chain each session by responding sequentially on three keys in the presence of four discriminative stimuli (geometric forms or numerals). In the other component (performance), the four-response chain was the same each session. The response chain in each component was maintained by food presentation under a fixed-ratio schedule. When alprazolam (0.01-0.32 mg/kg, p.o.) was administered alone, the overall response rate in both learning and performance decreased and the percent errors in both components increased with increasing doses. Learning, however, was more sensitive than performance; i.e., error-increasing effects were seen in learning at doses that had no effect on performance accuracy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alprazolam↗
PubMed1994

The pharmacology of neurosteroidogenesis.

In adrenal cortex and other steroidogenic tissues including glial cells, the conversion of cholesterol into pregnenolone is catalyzed by the cytochrome P450scc located in the inner mitochondrial membrane. A complex mechanism operative in regulating cholesterol access to P450scc limits the rate of pregnenolone biosynthesis. Participating in this mechanism are DBI (diazepam binding inhibitor), an endogenous peptide that is highly expressed in steroidogenic cells and some of the DBI processing products including DBI 17-50 (TTN). DBI and TTN activate steroidogenesis by binding to a specific receptor located in the outer mitochondrial membrane, termed mitochondrial DBI receptor complex (MDRC). MDRC is a hetero-oligomeric protein: only the subunit that includes the DBI and benzodiazepine (BZD) recognition sites has been cloned. Several 2-aryl-3-indoleacetamide derivatives (FGIN-1-X) with highly selective affinity (nM) for MDRC were synthesized which can stimulate steroidogenesis in mitochondrial preparations. These compounds stimulate adrenal cortex steroidogenesis in hypophysectomized rats but not in intact animals. Moreover, this steroidogenesis is inhibited by the isoquinoline carboxamide derivative PK 11195, a specific high affinity ligand for MDRC with a low intrinsic steroidogenic activity. Some of the FGIN-1-X derivatives stimulate brain pregnenolone accumulation in adrenalectomized-castrated rats. The FGIN-1-X derivatives that increase brain pregnenolone content, elicit antineophobic activity and antagonize punished behavior in the Vogel conflict test in rats. These actions of FGIN-1-X are resistant to inhibition by flumazenil, a specific inhibitor of BZD action in GABAA receptors but are antagonized by PK 11195, a specific blocker of the steroidogenesis activation via MDRC stimulation. It is postulated that the pharmacological action of FGIN-1-X depends on a positive modulation of the GABA action on GABAA receptors mediated by the stimulation of brain neurosteroid production.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Imidazenil, a partial positive allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors, exhibits low tolerance and dependence liabilities in the rat.

Long-term treatment of rats with full (triazolam) or selective (diazepam) allosteric modulators of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors rapidly induced tolerance to the protective effect of these drugs against bicuculline-induced convulsion. In contrast, long-term administration of partial allosteric modulators (imidazenil and bretazenil) of GABAA receptors, in doses equipotent to those of diazepam and triazolam that induce anticonvulsant tolerance, failed to elicit such a tolerance. Furthermore, no cross-tolerance was observed between diazepam and imidazenil. Discontinuation of long-term treatment with diazepam or triazolam, but not of long-term treatment with imidazenil or bretazenil, sensitized rats to behavioral inhibition by punishment (electric shock) in a manner that was potentiated by flumazenil. Administration of a single oral dose of [14C]diazepam or [3H] imidazenil to rats treated repeatedly with the corresponding unlabeled drug or vehicle revealed that the brain concentrations of drugs and their metabolites were similar in both groups of animals. This suggests that tolerance to the full or selective allosteric modulators of GABAA receptors may be associated with changes in the efficacy of the allosteric modulation rather than with changes in drug metabolism. Imidazenil has a longer half-life than an equipotent dose of diazepam and protects rats against bicuculline-induced convulsions for a significantly longer time than diazepam or bretazenil.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Allosteric Regulation↗
PubMed1993

Participation of mitochondrial diazepam binding inhibitor receptors in the anticonflict, antineophobic and anticonvulsant action of 2-aryl-3-indoleacetamide and imidazopyridine derivatives.

The 2-hexyl-indoleacetamide derivative, FGIN-1-27 [N,N-di-n-hexyl-2- (4-fluorophenyl)indole-3-acetamide], and the imidazopyridine derivative, alpidem, both bind with high affinity to glial mitochondrial diazepam binding inhibitor receptors (MDR) and increase mitochondrial steroidogenesis. Although FGIN-1-27 is selective for the MDR, alpidem also binds to the allosteric modulatory site of the gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptor where the benzodiazepines bind. FGIN-1-27 and alpidem, like the neurosteroid 3 alpha,21-dehydroxy-5 alpha-pregnane-20-one (THDOC), clonazepam and zolpidem (the direct allosteric modulators of gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptors) delay the onset of isoniazid and metrazol-induced convulsions. The anti-isoniazid convulsant action of FGIN-1-27 and alpidem, but not that of THDOC, is blocked by PK 11195. In contrast, flumazenil blocked completely the anticonvulsant action of clonazepam and zolpidem and partially blocked that of alpidem, but it did not affect the anticonvulsant action of THDOC and FGIN-1-27. Alpidem, like clonazepam, zolpidem and diazepam, but not THDOC or FGIN-1-27, delay the onset of bicuculline-induced convulsions. In two animal models of anxiety, the neophobic behavior in the elevated plus maze test and the conflict-punishment behavior in the Vogel conflict test, THDOC and FGIN-1-27 elicited anxiolytic-like effects in a manner that is flumazenil insensitive, whereas alpidem elicited a similar anxiolytic effect, but is partially blocked by flumazenil. Whereas PK 11195 blocked the effect of FGIN-1-27 and partially blocked alpidem, it did not affect THDOC in both animal models of anxiety.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aggression↗
PubMed1992

2-Aryl-3-indoleacetamides (FGIN-1): a new class of potent and specific ligands for the mitochondrial DBI receptor (MDR).

The 2 aryl-3-indoleacetamides (FGIN-1) are a new class of compounds that potently (nM) and selectively bind to glial mitochondrial diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) receptors (MDR), previously called peripheral benzodiazepine receptors, and increase mitochondrial steroidogenesis. The high-affinity binding of FGIN-1 to MDR derivatives depends on the following chemical characteristics: 1) the dialkylation of the amide; 2) the chain length of this alkyl substitution; and 3) the halogenation of aryl groups appended to the indole nucleus. FGIN-1 derivatives do not bind to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA), GABAB, glycine, glutamate, dopamine, serotonin, opiate, cholecystokinin, beta adrenergic, cannabinoid or sigma receptors. FGIN-1-27 [N, N-di-n-hexyl 2-(4-fluorophenyl)indole-3-acetamide] enters the brain, and for this reason, this FGIN-1 compound is potent and efficacious behaviorally. Like the neurosteroid 3 alpha-5 alpha tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC), FGIN-1-27 delays the onset of isoniazid-induced convulsions, but fails to delay the onset of bicuculline-induced convulsions. However, differently from THDOC, the FGIN-1-27 anticonvulsant action is blocked by the isoquinoline carboxamide PK 11195. In the elevated plus maze test, FGIN-1-27 inhibits neophobia manner that is antagonized by PK 11195 but not by flumazenil. Because FGIN-1-27 binds to MDR and does not bind to the GABAA receptors, it is inferred that FGIN-1-27 may act on GABAA receptors indirectly, presumably via a stimulation of neurosteroid synthesis and release from glial cells.

Acetamides↗
PubMed1989

Factors modifying duration of drug action: a practical for large undergraduate classes on limited laboratory space, staff and budget.

A desperate need for health professionals is answered by yearly increases in university student admissions in many developing countries. Yet economic constraints dictate that subventions for teaching and research remain static or even decrease as student populations increase. Practical teaching, for example in pharmacology, is susceptible to inadequate funding because of the capital and recurrent expenditure needed to procure and maintain laboratories, staff, animals, instruments and chemicals. Class demonstrations, although they provide a partial answer to the problem, are beset with a number of disadvantages. Provision of good training on low funds demands ingenuity to modify teaching/learning processes while still achieving the desired objectives. This paper illustrates such a procedure by describing the logistics of a practical class on 'Factors modifying duration of drug action' to large classes of undergraduate medical and pharmacy students, on limited laboratory space, staff and budget'. A sample laboratory result is included.

Education, Medical, Undergraduate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The regulation of hippocampal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) after a protracted treatment with selective or nonselective nAChR agonists.

In rats, 1 mg/kg twice daily for 10 d of nicotine, a nonselective agonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), fails to change alpha4 and beta2 nAChR subunit mRNA but significantly decreased alpha7 nAChR subunit mRNA and protein expression, which is associated with a 35-40% decrease in the number of 125I-alpha-Bgtx binding sites in hippocampus. In addition, this schedule of nicotine treatment produced a 40% increase in the number of high- (K(D) 1 nM), but decreased by 25% the number of low-affinity (K(D) 30 nM) binding sites for 3H-epibatidine in hippocampus. In contrast, repeated treatment with lobeline (2.7 mg/kg twice daily for 10 d), which selectively binds to high-affinity binding nAChRs, fails to change the expression of high- or low-affinity nAChRs. These data suggest that a simultaneous upregulation of high-affinity nAChRs and downregulation of low-affinity nAChRs is elicited by ligands that can bind to both low- and high-affinity nAChRs, but not by selective agonists of high-affinity nAChRs. One might infer that in hippocampus, high- and low-affinity nAChRs may be located in the same cells. When these two receptor types are stimulated simultaneously by nonselective ligands for high- and low-affinity nAChRs, they interact, bringing about an increase in binding site density of the high-affinity nAChRs.

Animals↗