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Biomedical subjects

S W Jones

Publications and source records attributed to S W Jones.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Slow synaptic transmission in frog sympathetic ganglia.

Bullfrog ganglia contain two classes of neurone, B and C cells, which receive different inputs and exhibit different slow synaptic potentials. B cells, to which most effort has been directed, possess slow and late slow EPSPs. The sEPSP reflects a muscarinic action of acetylcholine released from boutons on B cells, whereas the late sEPSP is caused by a peptide (similar to teleost LHRH) released from boutons on C cells. During either sEPSP there is a selective reduction in two slow potassium conductances, designated 'M' and 'AHP'. The M conductance is voltage dependent and the AHP conductance is calcium dependent. Normally they act synergistically to prevent repetitive firing of action potentials during maintained stimuli. Computer stimulation of the interactions of these conductances with the other five voltage-dependent conductances present in the membrane allows a complete reconstruction of the effects of slow synaptic transmission on electrical behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Muscarinic and peptidergic excitation of bull-frog sympathetic neurones.

The large B cells of bull-frog sympathetic ganglia are well known to be depolarized by slow synaptic transmission, muscarinic agonists, analogues of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), and substance P. Voltage-clamp analysis shows that these actions result from two underlying mechanisms: inhibition of the M-current, a voltage-dependent potassium current; and in some cells, an inward current associated with an increase in conductance. The additional inward current appears as a voltage-insensitive change in the instantaneous conductance (i.e. apparent leak conductance). The additional inward current is typically slower in onset and offset than is M-current inhibition. It is typically seen for higher concentrations and longer durations of agonist application. In many cells, only a decrease in M-current can be demonstrated. Muscarine inhibits the M-current with 50% inhibition (I50) at 0.7 microM. At least 86% of the M-current is muscarine sensitive. At comparable concentrations, oxotremorine produces less M-current inhibition than does muscarine. Some analogues of teleost LHRH (T-LHRH) are more potent as M-current inhibitors than T-LHRH itself. Those peptides tend to act more slowly than T-LHRH. Substance P shows variable potency for M-current inhibition, with I50 s ranging from 2 nM to greater than 2 microM on different cells. The response to long applications of substance P desensitizes in some cells, which has not been observed for comparable applications of muscarinic or LHRH agonists. Other tachykinins (including substance K) inhibit the M-current. C-terminal fragments of substance P are ineffective, and M-current inhibition by substance P is not blocked by [D-Pro2,D-Trp7,9]- or [D-Arg1,D-Pro2, D-Trp7,9,Leu11] substance P. The slow muscarinic excitatory post-synaptic potential (e.p.s.p.) produces a graded inhibition of up to 90% of the M-current. Occasional cells show an additional inward current with an associated increase in conductance during the slow e.p.s.p. This effect is less marked than with exogenous muscarinic agonists. The late, slow e.p.s.p., which is produced by stimulation of high threshold C-fibre inputs and is resistant to cholinergic antagonists, also involves M-current inhibition. An additional inward current can be observed in some cells. M-current inhibition (by agonists or slow synaptic potentials) increases the number of spikes produced by a given depolarizing current, often allowing maintained firing. This action is not mimicked by equivalent depolarization, and is still seen when the cell is manually clamped to the original resting potential.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1985

Proglumide analogues: potent cholecystokinin receptor antagonists.

Proglumide [N-(benzoyl)-L-glutamic acid-1-di-n-propylamide] is a specific cholecystokinin receptor antagonist. In the present study we synthesized various analogues of proglumide and used pancreatic acini from guinea pig pancreas to examine the abilities of these analogues to function as cholecystokinin receptor antagonists. Each analogue inhibited cholecystokinin octapeptide-stimulated amylase secretion but did not stimulate amylase secretion when present alone. There was a close correlation between the ability of a particular analogue to inhibit the action of cholecystokinin on acinar cell function and its ability to inhibit binding of 125I-cholecystokinin. Structure-function studies demonstrated that neither the dipropylamide nor the benzoyl moieties are essential for inhibiting the action of cholecystokinin but that both groups are important in determining the inhibitory potency. Replacing the dipropylamide group with a hydroxyl group caused a 13-fold decrease in potency. Replacing the benzoyl moiety by an acetyl group caused a 30- to 40-fold decrease in inhibitory potency, whereas replacing the benzoyl moiety by a p-chlorophenoxyacetyl or phenoxyacetyl moiety caused a 75-fold increase in potency. Replacing both the dipropylamide moiety with a hydroxyl group and the benzoyl moiety with a phenoxyacetyl group resulted in a 5-fold decrease in inhibitory potency. Inhibition of cholecystokinin-stimulated amylase release by both the phenoxyacetyl and p-chlorophenoxyacetyl analogues was competitive in nature, fully reversible, and specific for those secretagogues that interact with the cholecystokinin receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amylases↗
PubMed1984

Interaction of substance P antagonists with substance P receptors on dispersed pancreatic acini.

In the present study we examined the abilities of three analogs of substance P, [D-Pro2-, D-Phe7-, D-Trp9]-substance P, [D-Pro2-, D- Trp7 ,9]-substance P and [D-Arg1-, D-Pro2-, D- Trp7 ,9-, Leu11 ]-substance P to alter substance P-induced changes in pancreatic acinar cell function and to occupy substance P receptors. At 30 microM, each analog of substance P lacked agonist activity and inhibited amylase secretion stimulated by substance P receptor agonists. The inhibition was reversible and specific for peptides that interact with substance P receptors (physalaemin, substance P, eledoisin, kassinin ). The analogs of substance P did not inhibit the actions of cholecystokinin, caerulein, gastrin, carbamylcholine, secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, PHI, ionophore A23187 or 8Br -cAMP. At high concentrations, [D-Arg1-, D-Pro2-, D- Trp7 ,9-, Leu11 ]-substance P, but not [D-Pro2-, D- Trp7 ,9]-substance P or [D-Pro2-, D-Phe7-, D-Trp9]-substance P, caused a small but significant inhibition of bombesin-stimulated amylase release. For each analog of substance P, the inhibition was competitive in nature in that there was a rightward shift of the dose-response curve for physalaemin-stimulated amylase secretion with no change in efficacy. From Schild plots of the ability of [D-Arg1-, D-Pro2-, D- Trp7 ,9-, Leu11 ]-substance P to inhibit either substance p- or physalaemin-stimulated amylase release, the slopes were not different from unity. For each analog of substance P, there was a close correlation between its ability to inhibit substance P- or physalaemin-stimulated amylase release and its ability to inhibit binding of 125I-labeled substance P or 125I-labeled physalaemin. [D-Arg1-, D-Pro2-, D- Trp7 ,9-, Leu11 ]-substance P was 2-fold more potent than [D-Pro2-, D- Trp7 ,9]-substance P which was 4-fold more potent than [D-Pro2-, D-Phe7-, D-Trp9]-substance P, (i.e., pA2 6.1, 5.9, and 5.2, respectively). For each analog, the dose-response curve for its ability to inhibit physalaemin-stimulated amylase release was superimpossible on the dose-response curve for its ability to inhibit binding of 125I-labeled physalaemin. These results indicate that each of these analogs of substance P is a specific competitive inhibitor of the action of the substance P on dispersed acini from guinea-pig pancreas, and that their abilities to inhibit substance P-induced changes in acinar cell function can be accounted for by their abilities to occupy the substance P receptor.

Amylases↗
PubMed1984

Teleost luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone: action on bullfrog sympathetic ganglia is consistent with role as neurotransmitter.

Bullfrog sympathetic ganglion neurons have a "late, slow" excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) that is mediated by a peptide similar to mammalian luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (M-LHRH) (Jan, Y. N., L. Y. Jan, and S. W. Kuffler (1979) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 76: 1501-1505). On biochemical evidence (Eiden, L. E., E. Loumaye, N. Sherwood, and R. L. Eskay (1982) Peptides 3:323-327) the endogenous LHRH-like peptide in the ganglion may be identical to teleost LHRH (T-LHRH; [Trp7,Leu8]M-LHRH) (Sherwood, N., L. Eiden, M. Brownstein, J. Speiss, J. Rivier, and W. Vale (1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 80: 2794-2798). We have found that T-LHRH acts qualitatively like M-LHRH on bullfrog ganglion cells, but it is quantitatively more potent. As for M-LHRH, the primary action of T-LHRH under single-electrode voltage clamp is to inhibit the M-current, a voltage-dependent potassium current that is active in the region between rest and threshold in these cells. The M-current is also inhibited during the late, slow EPSP. Both T-LHRH and the late, slow EPSP can also induce an additional inward current, associated with an increased conductance, in some cells. An LHRH antagonist is effective against both T-LHRH and the late, slow EPSP. These results are consistent with a role for T-LHRH as the natural transmitter for the late, slow EPSP in bullfrog sympathetic ganglia.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Structure-function studies of N-acyl derivatives of tryptophan that function as specific cholecystokinin receptor antagonists.

Benzotript, N-p-chlorobenzoyl-L-tryptophan, is a specific cholecystokinin receptor antagonist. In the present study we used dispersed pancreatic acini to examine tryptophan as well as several different N-acyl derivatives of tryptophan for their abilities to function as cholecystokinin receptor antagonists. L-Tryptophan, D-tryptophan as well as each acyl derivative tested inhibited cholecystokinin-stimulated amylase secretion and outflux of 45Ca and there was a good correlation between the ability of a particular agent to inhibit the action of cholecystokinin on acinar function and its ability to inhibit binding of 125I-labeled cholecystokinin to pancreatic acini. Results with butyloxycarbonyl-L-tryptophan indicated that the inhibition of the action of cholecystokinin caused by L-tryptophan and various acyl derivatives is specific, competitive and fully reversible. In functioning as a cholecystokinin receptor antagonist the relative potencies of the agents tested were: carbobenzoxy-L-tryptophan greater than benzotript greater than benzoyl-L-tryptophan = butyloxycarbonyl-L-tryptophan greater than acetyl-L-tryptophan greater than L-tryptophan. In inhibiting the actions of cholecystokinin, native as well as N-acyl derivatives of D-tryptophan were equipotent with the corresponding compound containing L-tryptophan. Although L-tryptophan inhibited the actions of cholecystokinin, L-phenylalanine, L-methionine or L-aspartic acid, even when tested at concentrations as high as 3 mM, did not alter the action of cholecystokinin on pancreatic acini. The antagonism of the actions of cholecystokinin was not restricted to N-acyl derivatives of L-tryptophan because butyloxycarbonyl-L-methionine and butyloxycarbonyl-L-phenylalanine but not butyloxycarbonyl-L-aspartic acid also antagonized the actions of cholecystokinin. These results demonstrate that both the nature of the N-acyl group and the amino acid residue are important determinants of the affinity of the antagonist for the cholecystokinin receptor. For derivatives of L-tryptophan, the more hydrophobic the N-acyl moiety, the greater the affinity of the derivative for the cholecystokinin receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

COOH-terminal fragments of cholecystokinin. A new class of cholecystokinin receptor antagonists.

COOH-terminal fragments of cholecystokinin varying in length from 1 to 3 amino acids and their NH2-terminal butyloxycarbonyl derivatives were investigated for their ability to interact with the cholecystokinin receptor on dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas. No fragment stimulated amylase secretion when present alone, but each of the butyloxycarbonyl derivatives and the COOH-terminal tripeptide amide inhibited the stimulation of enzyme secretion by cholecystokinin. In each case the inhibition was surmounted by increasing the concentration of cholecystokinin. Each fragment also inhibited binding of 125I-labeled cholecystokinin, with significant inhibition occurring with 30 microM butyloxycarbonyl tripeptide amide, 0.3 mM butyloxycarbonyl dipeptide amide, 10 mM butyloxycarbonyl phenylalanine amide and 3 mM tripeptide amide of cholecystokinin. In each case, there was a close correlation between the ability of the fragment to inhibit binding of 125I-labeled cholecystokinin and its ability to inhibit cholecystokinin-stimulated amylase release, cholecystokinin-stimulated 45Ca outflux and cholecystokinin-stimulated residual stimulation of amylase secretion. The inhibition of amylase secretion caused by the butyloxycarbonyl tripeptide of cholecystokinin was reversible and specific for those peptides which interact with the cholecystokinin receptor (i.e., cholecystokinin, caerulein, gastrin); it did not inhibit the actions of bombesin, carbachol, physalaemin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, secretin, PHI, ionophore A23187 or 8-bromo cyclic AMP. These results demonstrate that COOH-terminal fragments of cholecystokinin comprise a new class of cholecystokinin receptor antagonists.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1983

Substance P inhibits the M-current in bullfrog sympathetic neurones.

Substance P (SP, 2.5-10 microM) was applied by rapid bath perfusion to bullfrog lumbar sympathetic neurones in vitro, voltage-clamped through a single micro-electrode. In unclamped cells, SP produced a depolarization accompanied by an increase in apparent input resistance. Under voltage-clamp a voltage-dependent inward current was induced by SP, during which the time-dependent relaxations induced by square voltage commands were inhibited. It is concluded that SP inhibits the M-current (IM), a species of voltage-dependent K+-current, and that IM-inhibition was the primary cause of the inward current and membrane depolarization in the cells tested.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Use of 125I-secretin to identify and characterize high-affinity secretin receptors on pancreatic acini.

We prepared 125I-secretin and studied the kinetics, stoichiometry, and chemical specificity with which the labeled peptide binds to dispersed acini prepared from guinea pig pancreas. Iodinated secretin retained intrinsic biological activity in that it was as effective but 2.5-times less potent than native secretin in its ability to bind to pancreatic acini and to increase cellular cAMP. Scatchard analysis of binding of 125I-secretin indicated that each pancreatic acinar cell has approximately 93,000 binding sites, half of which are occupied by 11 nM iodinated secretin. Binding of 125I-secretin was rapid, reversible, saturable, specific, and temperature dependent. Binding of 125I-secretin was inhibited by secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, PHI, and Gila monster venom but not by glucagon, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, cholecystokinin, caerulein, gastrin, bovine pancreatic polypeptide, somatostatin, neurotensin, leucine-enkephalin, methionine-enkephalin, carbachol, bombesin, litorin, eledoisin, physalaemin, or substance P. With agonists (secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, PHI, or Gila monster venom), as well as antagonists (C-terminal fragments of secretin), there was a close correlation between their relative potencies for inhibiting binding of 125I-secretin and their relative potencies for increasing cAMP (agonists) or inhibiting the secretin-induced increase in cAMP (antagonists). For a given agonist, however, a 40-fold higher concentration was required for half-maximal inhibition of binding of 125I-secretin than was required to produce a half-maximal increase in cellular cAMP. Thus, maximal stimulation of cellular cAMP occurs when approximately one-third of the secretin receptors are occupied by an agonist.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Action of natural glucagon on pancreatic acini: due to contamination by previously undescribed secretagogues.

In dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas, natural glucagon caused a two- to threefold increase in amylase secretion, and this natural glucagon-induced increase was augmented by theophylline. Natural glucagon also caused a sixfold increase in cellular cAMP but did not alter cellular cGMP or outflux of 45Ca. Natural glucagon caused detectable changes in cAMP and amylase secretion at a concentration of 1 microM, half-maximal stimulation at 10 microM, and maximal stimulation at 100 microM. Natural glucagon potentiated the increase in enzyme secretion caused by secretagogues that act by causing mobilization of cellular calcium but did not alter the increase in enzyme secretion caused by secretagogues that increase or mimic the action of cellular cAMP. At concentrations up to 100 microM, natural glucagon did not inhibit binding of 125I-vasoactive intestinal peptide. The potency with which glucagon stimulated amylase release and augmented the increase in amylase release caused by cholecystokinin or carbachol was the same with acini from rat or mouse pancreas as it was with acini from guinea pig pancreas. Biologically active synthetic glucagon did not increase enzyme secretion. On reverse-phase, high-pressure liquid chromatography of natural glucagon, the ability to stimulate enzyme secretion migrated differently from the glucagon. Natural glucagon, at concentrations that stimulated cAMP accumulation, did not react with vasoactive intestinal peptide or secretin radioimmunoassays. Neither insulin nor pancreatic polypeptide, which are known to contaminate natural glucagon preparations, increased enzyme secretion from pancreatic acini. Trypsin treatment abolished the ability of natural glucagon to increase enzyme secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amylases↗
PubMed1983

Absence of [125I] alpha-bungarotoxin binding to motor nerve terminals of frog, lizard and mouse muscle.

The existence of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) on the motor nerve terminals of vertebrates has long been controversial. We have re-examined this issue by electron microscope autoradiography with [125I] alpha-bungarotoxin, following separation of nerve terminals from muscle fibers by collagenase and protease treatment. We found no label over nerve terminal membranes other than that due to background, and we calculate upper limits of less than 0.1% of the postsynaptic AChR density for nerve terminals in frogs, lizards, and mice. We conclude that there are essentially no presynaptic acetylcholine receptors that bind alpha-bungarotoxin at vertebrate neuromuscular junctions.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

125I-alpha-bungarotoxin. Effects of radiodecomposition on specific activity.

Radiodecomposition of 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin has been followed by a variety of assays, including an ion-exchange assay which reflects the ability of toxin to bind to receptor and a competition assay that is sensitive to changes in specific activity. The rate of degradation of labeled toxin can be much faster than the decay rate of 125I. The radiodecomposition rate increases with increasing specific activity but is dramatically reduced by the addition of bovine serum albumin. Our results indicate that radiodecomposition affects labeled and unlabeled molecules equally and is due mostly to secondary radiodecomposition. As expected from this mechanism, we have found that radiodecomposition does not affect the specific activity of 125I-labeled alpha-bungarotoxin. Our results from iodinated preparations of moderate specific activity (40-500 Ci/mmol), containing a mixture of unlabeled and monolabeled toxin molecules, are also applicable to preparations of pure monoiodo-alpha-bungarotoxin of similar specific activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Alpha-bungarotoxin binding in house fly heads and Torpedo electroplax.

House fly heads contain a site that binds alpha-bungarotoxin with high affinity. It is present at about 23 pmol/g of heads and binds alpha-bungarotoxin (labeled with [3H]pyridoxamine phosphate) reversibly with a Kd of 6 nM. The effects of 48 drugs have been compared on the alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites of house fly and Torpedo. The pharmacology of the house fly sites is similar to that previously reported for neuronal alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites in both vertebrates and invertebrates and is distinguishable from that of the classic nicotinic neuromuscular acetylcholine receptor, as exemplified by that of Torpedo electroplax. Differences between the house fly site and Torpedo include higher affinities of the Torpedo receptor for decamethonium, hexamethonium, carbamylcholine, and acetyl-beta-methylcholine, but lower affinities for nicotine, atropine, and dihydro-beta-erythroidine.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Quinuclidinyl benzilate binding in house fly heads and rat brain.

House fly heads contain a binding site for 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) that is quite similar in pharmacology to the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor of vertebrate tissues. The house fly site binds [3H]QNB reversibly with a Kd of 260 pM and Bmax of 1 pmol/g of heads from direct binding measurements. The Kd calculated from the ratio of the dissociation rate constant (2 x 10(-4)sec-1) to the association rate constant (2.5 x 10(6) M-1sec-1) was 80 pM. The house fly site binds (-)quinuclidinyl benzilate preferentially, as do classic muscarinic receptors. The binding is also sensitive to other muscarinic antagonists and agonists. Nicotinic and other drugs are no more effective on the house fly site than they are on the rat brain muscarinic receptor itself. These binding studies suggest that the house fly QNB binding site is a muscarinic receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Antipyrene clearance in Indian villagers.

1 Antipyrine clearance has been measured using saliva samples in 50 Maharashtrans from a village to the north of Bombay. 2 All subjects were very lean and were also anaemic probably as a result of hookworm infestation. 3 Antipyrine clearance was 36% faster than in White Londoners studied previously and more than twice as fast as in Asian immigrants living in London. 4 Clearance was 25% faster in men than in women but volume of distribution was also greater in men and mean half-lives did not differ significantly between the sexes. 5 There was a negative correlation between antipyrine clearance and haemoglobin concentration. 6 The study has identified geographic differences in antipyrine metabolism which could be clinically important. The role of anaemia merits further study.

Adult↗