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Effects of castration, estrogen replacement and estrus cycle on monoamine metabolism in the nucleus accumbens, measured by microdialysis.

Changes in monoamine concentration in the nucleus accumbens were measured by microdialysis during the estrus cycle of intact females rats as well as untreated ovariectomized rats and ovariectomized rats treated with estrogen and progesterone. Norepinephrine (NE), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, (DOPAC), serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The ratio of MHPG to NE and DOPAC to DA were significantly increased during proestrus when compared to other phases of the estrus cycle. The ratio of 5-HIAA:5-HT, however, was significantly reduced during proestrus. Treatment of ovariectomized rats with estradiol at either 1 microgram/day or 10 micrograms/day significantly increased the ratio of MHPG:NE and DOPAC:DA. In contrast, the ratio of 5-HIAA:5-HT decreased significantly. Progesterone had no significant effect on the concentrations of 5-HT or 5-HIAA, but attenuated the effect of estrogen on the ratio of MHPG:NE and similarly reduced the ratio of DOPAC:DA. These studies are consistent with the hypothesis that estrogens are associated with enhanced metabolism of NE and decreased metabolism of 5-HT and dopamine in the nucleus accumbens of freely moving rats.

Animals↗

Chemical and biological characterization of dissolved organic matter from silver fir and beech forest soils.

Despite a growing attention to the dissolved organic matter (DOM) in terrestrial ecosystems and evidence of the fact that vegetation affects the quality of both undissolved and dissolved organic matter in soil, the role of DOM as a biological indicator is still poorly understood. In this work, the fertility of 59 sites, divided into eight key alliances of the order Fagetalia sylvaticae Pawl., was studied considering chemical and biological parameters such as soil DOM, hormone-like activity, low-molecular-weight (LMW) aliphatic and phenolic acids, and floristic data. Both non-parametric tests and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed differences between silver fir and beech forests and within each type of forest. There were also differences between neutrophilous and acidophilous types. What's more, PCA reveals the dominance of the auxin (IAA)-like activity, and of some phenolic acids in distinguishing the acidophilous beeches (ACI) form the other types, whereas the gibberellin (GA)-like activity is more relevant in neutrophilous conditions such as thermophilous (THE) and mesophilous (MESO) beeches and montane (MO), high montane (HMA), high montane (HMC) silver fir forests. The GA-like activity is also related to the succinic, fumaric, malonic, and l-malic acids in the MO, HMA and HMC silver fir forests. Moreover, the role of LMW aliphatic acids in mobilizing the hormone-like activity, which improves forest growth, is stressed. The growth of seedlings of Picea abies was influenced by the phenolic acid content. At concentrations between 1 and 100 microM, phenylacetic and protocatechuic acids inhibited root growth to the same extent as indoleacetic acid, while p-hydroxybenzoic acid had a stimulating effect comparable to that of gibberellic acid. The aliphatic and phenolic acids appear to be related to plant strategies that influence soil fertility affecting plant growth through rhizodeposition. The role of LMW aliphatic and phenolic acids as molecular markers of ecosystem function is noted.

Abies↗

[Establishment of embryogenic cell suspension culture and plant regeneration of edible banana Musa acuminata cv. Mas (AA)].

Conventional breeding for dual resistance of disease and pest of Musa cultivars remains a difficult endeavor, as the plant is polyploidic and high in sterility. Biotechnological techniques, eg., genetic engineering, in vitro mutation breeding, or protoplast fusion, may overcome the difficulties and improve the germplasm. Establishment of a stable embryogenic cell suspension (ECS) is a prerequisite for any of the biotechnological breeding methods. In this study an embryogenic cell suspension was established from immature male flower of Musa acuminata cv. Mas (AA), a popular commercial variety of banana in the South-East Asian region. After culture for 5-6 months on callus induction media, which consisted of MS salts, different concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 4.1 micromol/L biotin, 5.7 micromol/L indoleacetic acid (IAA), 5.4 micromol/L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), other vitamins, 87 mmol/L sucrose, and solidified with 7 g/L agarose, meristematic globules and yellow, friable embryogenic cultures were induced from the explants of 1-15th row young floral hands of immature male flowers. Of the four treatments of 2,4-D, 9 micromol/L was the most effective on the callus induction, it transformed 40.96% and 7.45% of the cultivated male floral hands into callus and embryogenic callus respectively. The explants to produce highest frequency of the embryogenic calli were floral hands of 6 to 12th rows, which generated 5.79% of the embryogenic calli. Suspension cultures were initiated from these embryogenic calli in liquid medium supplemented with 4.5 micromol/L 2, 4-D. After sieving selection of the cultures using a stainless steel metallic strainer with pore sizes of 154 microm at 15 day intervals for 3 months, homogeneous and yellow embryogenic cell suspensions, composed of single cells and small cell aggregates, were established. Based upon the growth quantity and growth rate of ECS, it was determined that the appropriate inoculum was 2.0 mL PCV ECS/30 mL medium in 100 mL flask, and the appropriate subculture cycle was 15 days. Planting of 6 months old ECS on semi-solid medium of somatic embryo induction and development (MSD) resulted in approximately 280 x 10(3) somatic embryos/mL PCV ECS. MSD contained SH macronutrients, micro-nutrients, Fe-EDTA and MS vitamins supplemented with 4.5 micromol/L biotin, 680 micromol/L glutamine, 2 mmol/L proline, 100 mg/L malt extract, 1.1 micromol/L NAA, 0.2 micromol/L zeatin, 0.5 micromol/L kinetin, 0.7 micromol/L N6-(2-isopentenyl) adenine, 29 mmol/L lactose, 130 mmol/L sucrose and solidified with 2g/L gelrite. After 3 months of maturity on MSD, 17.28% of the somatic embryos were germinated on germination media (MG), consisted of MS salt, Morel and Wetmore vitamins, 0.2 micromol/L 6-BA, 1.1 micromol/L IAA, 87 micromol/L sucrose and solidified with 2 g/L gelrite; and 14.16% of the somatic embryos could develop into normal plantlets on rooting media contained the same composition as that of MG but without auxin and cytokinin.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗

Indole-3-Acetic Acid Control on Acidic Oat Cell Wall Peroxidases.

Incubation of oat coleoptile segments with 40 µm indoleacetic acid (IAA) induced a decrease of 35-60% in peroxidase activity at the cell wall compartment. Treatment with IAA also produced a similar decrease in the oxidation of NADH and IAA at the cell wall. Isoelectric focusing of ionic, covalent, and intercellular wall peroxidase fractions showed that acidic isoforms (pI 4.0-5.5) were reduced preferentially by IAA treatment. Marked differences were found between acidic and basic wall isoperoxidases in relation to their efficacy in the oxidation of IAA. A peroxidase fraction containing acidic isoforms oxidized IAA with a V(max)/s(0.5) value of 2.4 x 10(-2) min(-1). g fw(-1), 4.0 times higher than that obtained for basic peroxidase isoforms (0.6 x 10(-2) min(-1). g fw(-1)). In contrast, basic isoforms were more efficient than acidic isoperoxidases in the oxidation of coniferyl alcohol or ferulic acid with H(2)O(2) (5.6 and 2.1 times, respectively). The levels of diferulate and lignin in the walls of oat coleoptile segments were not altered by treatment with IAA. The decrease in cell wall peroxidase activity by IAA was related more to reduced oxidative degradation of the hormone than to covalent cell wall cross-linking.Key Words. IAA-Auxin-Wall peroxidases-Oat-Avena sativa-Diferulic acid-Ligninhttp://link.springer-ny.com/link/service/journals/00344/bibs/18n1p25.html

Journal Article↗

Transfer RNA-Peroxidase Interaction: INHIBITION OF INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID OXIDATION.

Transfer RNA from wheat germ, yeast, and Escherichia coli inhibited the indoleacetic acid (IAA)-induced spectral change in horseradish peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) and the decarboxylation of IAA. The inhibition was limited to a delay after which the increase in A(427) and the decarboxylation of IAA resumed at the same rate as in the control; the duration of the inhibition was dependent on, but not proportional to, the concentration of tRNA. Alkaline hydrolysis destroyed the inhibitory activity of tRNA. The inhibition was completely abolished when the tRNA was added 30 seconds after IAA. Thus, the tRNA appears not to react with the enzyme intermediates formed during the reaction with IAA. The inhibition by tRNA was rapidly reversed by H(2)O(2) or additional IAA, but not by 2,4-dichlorophenol. Results suggest that the tRNA interferes with the initial reaction between IAA and the heme moiety of free peroxidase, thus preventing the formation of highly active enzyme intermediates essential for IAA degradation.

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Effects of noise on monoamine levels in the rat brain using in vivo microdialysis.

The concentrations of monoamines in the striatum, dorsal raphe and cortex of the brain of male Sprague-Dawley rats were monitored using in vivo microdialysis before, during and after noise exposure. Some 120 h after implantation of the microdialysis probe in the desired area, the rats were exposed to white noise (110 dB) for 20 min. The concentrations of monoamines in the dialysate were determined by HPLC. Exposure to white noise increased epinephrine in the striatum (42%) and dorsal raphe (39%), values then declined to baseline. In contrast, white noise decreased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the striatum (99%) and cortex (53%); these levels remained depressed following noise cessation. Noise also decreased homovanillic acid (HVA) in the striatum and in 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the striatum and dorsal raphe nucleus. Other neurotransmitters (norepinephrine etc.) did not change significantly in any region. These results suggest that noise influences monoamine levels differently in different brain regions.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

Effects of dietary tyrosine on L-dopa- and amphetamine-induced changes in locomotor activity and neurochemistry in mice.

Recent findings suggest that intraperitoneal injections of L-tyrosine at high doses (100 mg/kg) alters amphetamine-induced changes in behavior by restoring amphetamine-induced decreases in whole brain norepinephrine (NE). The present study examined the motor effects of L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa) and d-amphetamine sulfate in mice after treatment with a basal casein diet supplemented with L-tyrosine. The basal diet supplemented with 1-4% L-tyrosine, or 1-4% L-phenylalanine, produced no changes in motor activity in otherwise untreated mice. Whereas L-dopa (25-100 mg/kg) following inhibition of extracerebral decarboxylase by Ro 4-4602 (25 mg/kg) slightly decreased activity in diet control (casein) animals, this drug treatment enhanced motor activity in a dose-related fashion when L-tyrosine was added to the diet. Increases in motor activity following low doses of amphetamine (0.75-1.5 mg/kg) in casein control mice were antagonized by dietary L-tyrosine, but a higher dose of d-amphetamine (3 mg/kg) interacted with the addition of L-tyrosine producing an increase in motor activity. Neurochemical changes observed in brain concentrations of tyrosine, dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), tryptophan, serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) following drug and diet treatments suggest that 5-HT systems, in addition to catecholamine systems, may be involved in mediating these effects.

Animals↗

Neuroendocrine and psychological effects of restricted environmental stimulation technique in a flotation tank.

The restricted environmental stimulation technique or REST is a method of relaxation where the level of environmental sensory inputs is kept very low. A particular REST technique called tank flotation, or flotation REST, consists of 1 h sessions in a tank containing water with a high salt content and maintained at 35.5 degrees C. In this protocol, five normal subjects were studied before and during 2 h after a 60 min flotation REST session and a control session of 60 min in a supine position on a bed. Cortisol, thyreostimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), prolactin, melatonin, luteinizing hormone (LH), growth hormone (GH), beta-endorphin, vasopressin (ADH), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were measured in plasma. HVA, 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and vanylmandelic acid (VMA) were measured in urine. There were no changes in hormones concentrations that could be attributed to flotation REST. The urinary excretion of VMA was lower after the flotation REST session. The psychological consequences of flotation REST were more easily demonstrated than the neuroendocrine changes that are assumed to reflect the state of relaxation. Flotation REST increased subjective levels of sedation and euphoria. The possible mechanisms by which flotation REST induces relaxation are discussed.

Adult↗

Effects of intraventricular methotrexate on cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolites in rhesus monkeys.

Previous work suggested that methotrexate (MTX) may cause encephalopathy by inhibiting biosynthetic pathways for dopamine and serotonin in the brain. We examined this issue by measuring the neurotransmitter metabolites homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the lumbar CSF of rhesus monkeys receiving continuous intracerebroventricular infusions of MTX or dichloromethotrexate. Infusion of the lowest dose (0.05 mg/day) produced a large (300%) rise in homovanillic acid levels and a modest elevation in 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid. During higher dose infusion, which was associated with clinical encephalopathy, the biogenic amine metabolites fell from their previous elevated levels. In one encephalopathic monkey, an injection of 1 mg of leucovorin produced a marked elevation in CSF monoamine metabolites within 1 hour and rapid clinical recovery. In contrast, leucovorin produced no change in monoamine metabolites in control animals. The data suggest that MTX may block egress of monoamine metabolites from CSF at the lower doses and suppress neurotransmitter turnover at toxic doses which cause encephalopathy. Serial measurements of CSF monoamine metabolites deserve further investigation as biochemical markers for toxic effects of MTX on neuronal metabolism in the CNS.

Animals↗

Interactions of phenolic acids, metallic ions and chelating agents on auxin-induced growth.

By growth experiments in indoleacetic acid-1-(14)C (IAA), and determination of the (14)CO(2) evolved, it has been shown directly that polyphenols synergize IAA-induced growth by counteracting IAA decarboxylation. Sinapic and ferulic acids act like polyphenols. Endogenous polyphenols doubtless exert the same influence in intact plants. Monophenols stimulate the decarboxylation of IAA under conditions where they depress growth. When Mn(++) is present as well, this effect is enhanced. All these growth effects are paralleled by effects on the isolated IAA oxidizing enzyme of Avena.EDTA acts like the polyphenols in depressing the decarboxylation of IAA, and not synergizing with the growth induced by naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA) and 2,4-D. However, since EDTA synergizes with IAA for growth even at optimal IAA concentrations, its growth promotion probably involves an additional effect.DIECA inhibits powerfully the destruction of IAA, but without causing much growth promotion, apparently because its decomposition products inhibit respiration.Mn(++) aloné stimulates the decarboxylation of IAA, i.e. this ion promotes the IAA oxidase in vivo as it does in vitro. Nevertheless, it does not inhibit elongation, but at relatively high concentrations even stimulates it, both at low and high IAA levels. Since Mn(++) also promotes the growth induced by NAA and 2,4-D, its growth action cannot rest primarily on modifying the metabolism of the auxins.Cobalt somewhat decreases the decarboxylation of IAA, but this cannot explain its growth promotion, since Co(++), like Mn(++), stimulates elongation even at optimal IAA concentrations, and acts with NAA just as well as with IAA. Ferrous ion, on the other hand, acts like the polyphenols.Floating pea stem sections exude enough organic matter to support bacteria which after 7 hours cause considerable decarboxylation of IAA. Avena coleoptile sections have a comparable though smaller effect after 12 hours.The present experiments, with those of others, point to a major role for polyphenolase in controlling hormone balance, since the introduction into a phenolic molecule of a second, adjacent hydroxyl group changes the action from auxin-destroying to auxin-preserving. Thus the phenol oxidizing enzymes must act as general growth controllers.

Journal Article↗

Gas-Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Indole-3-acetic Acid Myoinositol Esters in Maize Kernels.

An improved method of fractionating the myoinositol esters of indoleacetic acid (IAA) from maize kernels by gas-liquid chromatography has been developed. Mass spectrometry was employed as an aid in identification of the esters. Maize kernels contain three groups of esters of IAA: (a) IAA myoinositols, (b) IAA myoinositol arabinosides, and (c) IAA myoinositol galactosides. Each group has three chromatographically distinguishable isomers. The glycosylinositols described are unique in that carbon 1 of the sugar is attached to the hydroxyl at C-5 of the myoinositol.

Journal Article↗

Measurement of the Cytoplasmic pH in Nitella translucens: Comparison of Values Obtained by Microelectrode and Weak Acid Methods.

A comparison has been made between the use of two types of pH microelectrode and the weak acid method for determining the cytoplasmic pH of Nitella translucens at an external pH of 6. There was good agreement between the value obtained with glass pH microelectrodes (7.54 +/- 0.15 se) and that obtained using the weak acid 5,5-dimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione (7.42 +/- 0.07 se). Plastic-insulated antimony microelectrodes gave a significantly lower value (6.74 +/- 0.15 se) possibly due to disruption of the insulation by the cell wall. The addition of 1 mM NaN(3) rapidly reduced the pH recorded by the glass pH microelectrodes to about 5.3. A smaller change was observed using the weak acid method. The relevance of this observation to recent work on indoleacetic acid transport is discussed.

Journal Article↗

Probenecid-induced accumulation of cyclic nucleotides, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, and homovanillic acid in cisternal spinal fluid of genetically nervous dogs.

These studies have been conducted on 40 dogs, twenty each of a genetically nervous strain and of a normal strain of short-haired pointers. The nervous strain after about age 3 months displays extreme hypervigilance, timidity, human avoidance, and often shows catatonic-like muscle rigidity when in the presence of humans or novel stimuli. Measurements of probenecid-induced accumulation of acid metabolites in cisternal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been carried out. Among the compounds measured at from 1.5 hr to 6.0 hr after probenecid treatment, homovanillic acid (HVA) was similar for the two strains, 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) was lower, but cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) were higher for the nervous strain when compared with age- and sex-matched behaviorally normal dogs. Probenecid levels in CSF were similar at all points in time from 1.5 to 6.0 hr after its intravenous administration in a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight. These findings coupled with previously observed differences in the two strains suggest that hyperresponsiveness of the central nervous system (CNS) noradrenergic and cholinergic systems and a hyporesponsiveness of the serotoninergic system are related to the genetically expressed aberrant behavior.

Animals↗

Estimation of Free, Conjugated, and Diffusible Indole-3-acetic Acid in Etiolated Maize Shoots by the Indolo-alpha-pyrone Fluorescence Method.

Procedures for estimating free indoleacetic acid (IAA extracted from tissue homogenates by aqueous acetone), conjugated IAA (extracted by aqueous acetone and hydrolyzed by 1 n KOH), and diffusible IAA (diffused from the excised tissue into water), in shoots of etiolated 3-day-old maize (Zea mays L. cv. GH 390) seedlings are described, the indolo-alpha-pyrone fluorescence method being used to assay IAA. The reliability of the procedure is shown by comparative IAA determinations of the extracts using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method in which the methyl ester, heptafluorobutyryl derivative of IAA is assayed using the selected-ion-monitoring technique with deuterated IAA as an internal standard. A 3-millimeter-long coleoptile tip, a coleoptile with its included leaves and nodal region (whole coleoptile), and a mesocotyl each contains 0.2, 1.7, and 1.5 nanograms of free IAA, respectively. The whole coleoptile and the mesocotyl contain slightly less conjugated IAA than their content of free IAA. IAA diffuses from the coleoptile tip at the rate of 1.0 nanograms per tip per hour; from the base of the whole coleoptile and a set of leaves excised from a coleoptile, IAA diffuses at the rate of 0.62 and 0.17 nanogram per plant part per hour, respectively. The data obtained support the classical assumption that the coleoptile tip produces IAA. It is also suggested that some IAA is decomposed during its downward transport in the coleoptile.

Journal Article↗

Solubilization of the receptor for N-1-naphthylphthalamic Acid.

A receptor protein for the auxin transport inhibitor, N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA), has been solubilized from corn coleoptile membranes using Triton X-100. [(3)H]NPA binding activity of the receptor was compared in soluble and membrane-bound states. Both activities are abolished by treatment with trypsin. Differences between the two are observed in pH optima and rates of heat inactivation.At pH 5, the membrane-bound and solubilized receptors have similar affinity for NPA (K(d) about 10(-7) molar). Solubilization results in a 10-fold increase in affinity for the low-affinity auxin analogs, alpha- and beta-naphthaleneacetic acid (K(d) about 10(-5) molar). There is no measurable competition by indoleacetic acid (K(d) > 10(-3) molar) for [(3)H]NPA binding to membranes, but there is competition with the solubilized receptor (K(d) for IAA about 10(-5) molar). There is no measurable competition with benzoic acid in either preparation. These observations of an affinity of auxin analogs for the solubilized NPA receptor raise the interesting possibility that the NPA binding site is one conformation of an auxin binding site involved in polar auxin transport.

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Soluble Cell Wall Polysaccharides Released from Pea Stems by Centrifugation : I. EFFECT OF AUXIN.

The metabolism of polysaccharides by pea stem segments treated with and without auxin was investigated using a centrifugation technique for removing solution from the free space of the cell wall. Glucose is the predominant sugar in both the ethanol-soluble and ethanol-insoluble fractions of the cell wall solution extracted with water. In the water-soluble, ethanol-insoluble polysaccharides, arabinose, xylose, galactose, and glucose make up 9.5, 23.8, 23.9, and 39.9%, respectively, of the neutral sugars, while rhamnose, fucose, and mannose are present at concentrations between 0.5 and 2.0%.Auxin treatment enhances the levels of xylose and glucose in ethanol-insoluble polysaccharides relative to controls, and this difference can be detected within 30 minutes of auxin treatment. Cellulose-binding experiments show that the enhanced levels of xylose and glucose are in a polymer having the cellulose-binding properties of xyloglucan. (3)H-glucose labeling experiments confirm the auxin-enhanced metabolism of the xyloglucan fraction; however, increased labeling of arabinose is also observed in auxin-treated sections. Auxin treatment also causes a marked increase in the level of uronic acids centrifuged from pea internode sections. Thus, after 3 hours of incubation in indoleacetic acid, the level of uronic acids in the ethanol-insoluble polysaccharides which can be recovered by centrifugation is increased 2- to 3-fold over sections incubated in water. These auxin-enhanced changes in xylose, glucose, and uronic acids are correlated with enhanced rates of section growth.Incubation of excised pea internode sections in acidic buffers also enhances the rate of xyloglucan and polyuronide metabolism. This acid-enhanced metabolism of xyloglucan and polyuronide is inhibited by low temperature, suggesting that it is enzyme-mediated.Extraction of the cell wall solution with CaCl(2) increases the yield of all neutral sugars. Arabinose and mannose are increased 4- and 3-fold, respectively, and xylose and glucose by about 20%, while galactose levels are 40% higher in cell wall solution extracted with CaCl(2) than in that extracted with water. Although calcium increases the amount of neutral sugars extracted, it does not affect the auxin-induced changes in neutral sugars. Extraction of the cell wall solution with ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N'tetraacetic acid enhances the yield of uronic acids and also increases the difference due to auxin treatment.

Journal Article↗

Role of Phenolic Inhibitors in Peroxidase-mediated Degradation of Indole-3-acetic Acid.

7-Hydroxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran derivatives, metabolites of a carbamate insecticide carbofuran, and five other phenolic inhibitors of indoleacetic acid (IAA) oxidase interfered with IAA-induced spectral change in the Soret band of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The onset of IAA degradation required transformed HRP intermediates. The inhibitors, when added before IAA, protected HRP from reacting with IAA, thus preventing formation of highly reactive enzyme intermediates, and consequently, IAA degradation. When added after IAA, the inhibitors quickly reversed the IAA-induced spectral change of HRP and inhibited further IAA degradation.The phenolic inhibitors differed in stability and reactivity. 7-Hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, 3,7-dihydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, catechol, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and scopoletin belonged to one group which produced only a temporary inhibition to IAA-induced spectral change of HRP and IAA degradation since the inhibitors were metabolized in the reaction. The length of the lag was dependent on the IAA, inhibitor, and enzyme concentrations. 3-Keto-7-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran and 3-keto-carbofuran belonged to the other group which produced a persistent inhibition.Degradation of IAA required both the heme group and apoprotein of HRP. Reconstituted enzyme from bovine hemin and apoprotein or HRP after unfolding by urea or guanidine treatment were inhibited by the inhibitors in a way similar to the native HRP. The inhibition was reversible by higher concentrations of IAA, but the plot of 1/v versus 1/s and 1/v versus i were curvilinear, reflecting the complex nature of a competitive inhibition.

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Subclinical effects of groundwater contaminants. IV. Effects of repeated oral exposure to combinations of benzene and toluene on regional brain monoamine metabolism in mice.

Benzene and toluene are known neurotoxicants that may interact in vivo. The effect of combined treatment with benzene and toluene on the endogenous concentrations of the catecholamines norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA), the catecholamine metabolites vanillylmandelic acid (VMA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA), and the indoleamine serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), were investigated in six discrete brain regions of CD-1 mice. Groups of male, adult mice were continuously exposed to benzene (166 mg/l), toluene (80 and 325 mg/l), and combinations of benzene + toluene (80 or 325 mg/l) in drinking water for 4 weeks. Benzene produced increases of NE in the hypothalamus, cortex, midbrain and medulla oblongata, DA in the hypothalamus and corpus striatum, and 5-HT in all dissected brain regions except cerebellum. Elevated levels of various monoamine metabolites were also observed in these brain areas. Toluene ingestion alone also significantly increased the concentrations of NE, DA, 5-HT, and their metabolites in several brain regions. Mice given the combined treatments exhibited raised regional neurochemical levels when compared to the untreated controls. Increased concentrations of biogenic amine metabolites in several brain regions were greater in the combined exposures of benzene and toluene than when either chemical was used alone. The findings were different from those observed on immune parameters using similar treatment protocols, where simultaneous exposure to toluene prevented the immunotoxic effects of benzene.

Administration, Oral↗