Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Trabucchi

Publications and source records attributed to M Trabucchi.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity in muscle of patients with carcinoma.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity has been measured in muscle biopsies taken from healthy controls and from cancer patients. In both groups the muscles were clinically and morphologically normal. The phosphodiesterase activity was significantly increased in muscles from cancer patients using both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP as substrate. These findings are in line with previous reports indicating that malignancy may interfere with metabolism of the host muscular tissues, and suggest the possibility that the observed biochemical changes might be an aspect of an early muscle neurogenic involvement.

2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases↗

Bromocriptine and lisuride stimulate the accumulation of cyclic AMP in intact slices but not in homogenates of rat neostriatum.

The effects of bromocriptine and lisuride on cyclic AMP concentrations in homogenates and in intact slices of rat neostriatum were investigated. Significant increases in cyclic AMP concentration were found after a 10-min exposure to bromocriptine and lisuride in striatal intact slices. On the contrary, as previously found, the two dopaminergic ergot derivatives did not stimulate dopamine-senstiive adenylate cyclase present in striatal homogenates. The stimulatory effects observed only in intact tissues were blocked by the specific dopamine receptor blocking agent fluphenazine. It is tempting to conclude that dopaminergic ergot derivatives have a site of action different from that stimulated by classic dopamine agonists in tissue homogenates.

Animals↗

Basal, cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases in human brain tumors.

Since the effects of cyclic nucleotides are mediated via protein kinases activation, we have studied the properties and regulation of these enzymes in cytosol and particulate fraction of normal cerebral tissues and of some human brain tumors. We found that distribution and activity of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases are regulated differently among various brain tumors and in comparison to normal gray and white matter. Pathological tissues show an higher cGMP-dependent protein kinase and this biochemical pattern is particularly evident in tumors with more pronounced malignancy. These data further confirm the hypothesis of a correlation between the increase of cGMP function and cellular growth and malignancy.

Astrocytoma↗

Dopamine receptors and sleep induction in man.

Sleep induction has been studied in humans after the administration of apomorphine, a direct stimulant of the central dopaminergic system. The drug induced sleep and vomiting in healthy volunteers while it had no significant effect on 10 Parkinsonism patients treated for a long period with L-dopa. Apomorphine given to a group of Parkinsonism patients not receiving any specific treatment, and with a lower degree of disease severity, induced vomiting and sleep with a pattern similar to that in healthy subjects. A relationship between the dopaminergic system and sleep induction is suggested.

Aged↗

Ergot alkaloids and cyclic nucleotides in the CNS.

Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine show a higher blocking effect towards the dopamine-induced stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity than to the apomorphine-induced stimulation. This could reflect a possible specificity of the compound to dopaminergic receptor. Bromocriptine blocks in a more competitive way the activation of adenylate cyclase induced in vitro by dopamine, but increases the levels of cAMP in rat striatum in vivo. This effect is blocked by haloperidol and reserpine when given together with bromocriptine. On the base of the biochemical observation and various behavioral data the drug has been used in the treatment of parkinsonism with contrasting results and of Huntington's chorea. Moreover, bromocriptine induces a marked decrease of cGMP levels in cerebellum such as haloperidol and chloropromazine while apomorphine and other dopaminergic drugs increase the levels of cGMP. At the dose of 1 mg/kg, bromocriptine as well as DH-ergotoxine markedly reduces the levels of striatal DOPAC.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Interaction of ergot alkaloids with dopaminergic receptors in the rat striatum and nucleus accumbens.

Various ergot alkaloids and derivatives were investigated for their interaction with dopaminergic receptors at the level of the rat corpus striatum and nucleus accumbens. Dihydro(DH)-ergotoxine, DH-ergocornine, DH-ergocryptine, DH-ergocristine, 2-Br-alpha-ergocryptine, ergotamine and DH-ergotamine were shown to inhibit, at micromolar concentrations, the dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity of rat striatal and nucleus accumbens homogenates. Interestingly, the inhibitory effect of the ergot drugs was higher in the nucleus accumbens than in the striatum. Moreover, the ergot drugs were more active in displacing 3H-haloperidol than 3H-dopamine from striatal membranes. The results, which are in apparent contradiction with previously obtained behavioral, pharmacological and clinical data, are discussed in the light of the possible presence in the central nervous system of distinct dopaminergic receptors with different conformations.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Localization of nigral dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase on neurons originating from the corpus striatum.

Nigral basal adenylate cyclase and dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase, glutamate decarboxylase, choline acetyltransferase, and tyrosine hydroxylase activities were measured in rats with hemitransections at various levels or with electrolytic lesions of the medial forebrain bundle or the crus cerebri. The loss of nigral dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity after the various brain lesions was correlated with loss of nigral glutamic acid decarboxylase but not that of tyrosine hydroxylase; nigral choline acetyltransferase was unaffected in all cases. The data indicate that the nigral dopamine-sensitive adenylate cylase activity may be localized on neurons afferent to the nigra, probably originating from the globus pallidus and possibly from the tail of the caudate. The results suggest that dopamine, released from nigral dendrites, may influence dopaminergic activity indirectly by modulating impulses transmitted to the nigrostriatal neurons through the crus cerebri.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Guanosine 3'-5'-monophosphate in the CSF of neurological patients.

Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) levels have been measured in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with various neurological diseases. The subjects with epilepsy or cerebrovascular diseases do not show any difference from the controls. Moreover, in the CSF of patients having cerebral tumors the levels of cGMP are markedly increased. This change is in line with previous in vitro studies on the increase of cGMP during cell growth and cell proliferation showing that the role of the nucleotide is important for the control of the life cycle of the cell.

Adolescent↗