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At least 919 records · Page 51Linked to original sources

Nandrolone decanoate enhances hypothalamic biogenic amines in rats.

PURPOSE: To identify possible mechanisms for an anabolic-androgenic steroid induced increase in aggressive behavior and work capacity, the levels of some biogenic amines considered to be closely related to a systemic hyper-adrenergic state were measured in selected regions of the brain. METHODS: Wistar male rats were divided randomly into five groups: nontreated (control), oil-vehicle-treated (vehicle) or one of three (therapeutic dose and 10- or 100-fold higher dose) anabolic-androgenic steroid-treated (steroid-1, -2, -3) groups. Rats in the steroid and vehicle groups were given a single dose of nandrolone decanoate or oil vehicle, respectively, one week before tissue sampling. The levels of norepinephrine (NE) and its metabolite, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglycol (MHPG), serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite, 5-hydroxy-indole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) were measured in the cerebral cortex, hypothalamus and cerebellum by high-performance liquid chromatography. Immunostaining for c-fos was performed as a confirmation of increased neural activity. RESULTS: The levels of NE and MHPG were increased by approximately 2- and approximately 7-fold in the hypothalamus of the steroid-2 compared with the control and vehicle groups. The levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA were approximately 40 and approximately 50% higher in the steroid-2 compared with the control and vehicle groups. A significantly higher number of c-fos expressing neurons were observed in the periventricular region of the steroid-2 than the control and vehicle groups, indicating enhanced neuronal activity after nandrolone decanoate treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The present results, combined with previously reported findings of physical performance enhancement after anabolic-androgenic steroid treatment, are consistent with the interpretation that elevated levels of adrenergic and serotonergic amines in the hypothalamus could contribute to aggressive behaviors as well as improved physical performance.

Anabolic Agents↗

Exposure to biogenic silica fibers and respiratory health in Hawaii sugarcane workers.

We conducted a cross-sectional environmental and medical survey of 355 male sugarcane workers in Hawaii to determine whether exposure to biogenic silica fibers (BSF) affected their respiratory health. Exposures to BSF ranged from nondetectable to more than 0.700 BSF/mL and varied by job and department. Respiratory symptoms, chest radiograph findings, and pulmonary function were not associated with BSF exposures. Cigarette smoking was associated with respiratory symptoms and pulmonary obstruction. Fifteen workers had pleural thickening or pleural plaques and 3 of these workers were exposed to BSF for more than 10 years. BSF exposure does not appear to influence the respiratory health of sugarcane workers; however, further study is warranted.

Agriculture↗

Biogenic magnetite in the nematode caenorhabditis elegans.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is widely used as a model system in biological research. Recently, examination of the production of heat-shock proteins in this organism in response to mobile phone-type electromagnetic field exposure produced the most robust demonstration to date of a non-thermal, deleterious biological effect. Though these results appear to be a sound demonstration of non-thermal bioeffects, to our knowledge, no mechanism has been proposed to explain them. We show, apparently for the first time, that biogenic magnetite, a ferrimagnetic iron oxide, is present in C. elegans. Its presence may have confounding effects on experiments involving electromagnetic fields as well as implications for the use of this nematode as a model system for iron biomineralization in multi-cellular organisms.

Animals↗

CSF and urine biogenic amine metabolites in Rett syndrome.

The metabolites of dopamine (homovanillic acid-HVA), noradrenaline (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenylglycol-HMPG), and serotonin (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid-5-HIAA) were measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 38 patients and urine from 36 patients with typical Rett syndrome (RS) and compared with controls of similar age. CSF metabolite concentrations were the same in the patients and controls. Urinary metabolites expressed per mol creatinine were significantly higher in older RS patients. This difference is partly explained by lower urinary creatinine levels in older RS patients, due to their known reduction in muscle mass. Alterations in CSF or urine biogenic amine metabolite concentrations do not appear to represent the primary abnormality in RS, and their measurement cannot be regarded as a reliable means of diagnosis.

Adolescent↗

Detection of phosphonoacetate degradation and phnA genes in soil bacteria from distinct geographical origins suggest its possible biogenic origin.

Phosphonoacetate is regarded as an antiviral xenobiotic whose mineralization can be catalysed by an enzyme, phosphonoacetate hydrolase, encoded by the phnA gene. To date the enzyme's activity has been detected in only a limited number of bacteria. Its expression has been shown to occur in a manner independent of the phosphate status of the cell, in direct contrast to the general rule of organophosphonate metabolism being under the control of the pho regulon. In this study the environmental occurrence of the phnA gene was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction amplification of DNA extracts obtained directly from various soil environments. Sensitivity of this method was improved such that a positive result was routinely obtained with soil spiked with as few as 6 colony-forming units (cfu) per gram of soil of Pseudomonas fluorescens 23F (phnA(+)). When total DNA from a variety of Northern Irish, Greek and Bolivian soils was tested, all were positive for phnA. Bacteria capable of utilizing phosphonoacetate as sole carbon, energy and phosphorus source, with the release of essentially equimolar concentrations of phosphate to the culture supernatant, were isolated from all soil samples tested. Analysis of three such isolates revealed all to be species of Pseudomonas sensu stricto, possessing phosphonoacetate hydrolase activity in cell-free extracts. Sequence determination of the phnA gene revealed a similarity of the putative protein sequences at levels of 98.3-99.3% between the Pseudomonas strains. This is the first study to use molecular methods to investigate the distribution of a gene encoding organophosphonate metabolism, and indicates that the phnA gene is ubiquitous within soils from geographically distinct regions. Such an observation supports the proposition that phosphonoacetate is a compound that may also have a biogenic origin.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Biogenic aldehydes in brain: characteristics of a reaction between rat brain tissue and indole-3-acetaldehyde.

When indole-3-acetaldehyde was incubated with rat brain tissue, an aldehyde dehydrogenase-independent irreversible disappearance of the aldehyde was found. This was accompanied by an increase in absorbance at 240-400 nm, with a peak at 310 nm. The results suggested that this change in absorbance was caused by a membrane-bound nonenzymatic reaction between indole-3-acetaldehyde and phospholipids. A similar reaction occurred between indole-3-acetaldehyde and pure preparations of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine, but not phosphatidylcholine. Indole-3-acetaldehyde levels also decreased slightly when incubated with albumin but absorbance at 310 nm was unaltered. It is suggested that nonenzymatic reactions between indole-3-acetaldehyde (or other biogenic aldehydes) and membrane components might occur in vivo, and could be involved in the effects of drugs such as ethanol and barbiturates.

Albumins↗

Amphetamine and reserpine deplete brain biogenic amines and alter blow fly feeding behavior.

HPLC with electrochemical detection was used to determine the levels of p-hydroxyphenylethanolamine (octopamine), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (dopamine), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the brains of control, reserpine, and d-amphetamine-treated blow flies, Phormia regina Meigen. Parallel studies were carried out to assess the effects of the two drugs on fly feeding behavior, measured as mean acceptance threshold: the minimum sucrose concentration to which the average fly in a population will respond by proboscis extension when its tarsi contact the solution. In saline-injected control flies, all three amines were found at levels of approximately 2 pmol/brain. Thirty minutes after injection with d-amphetamine (12 micrograms/fly), brain octopamine was depleted by 85%, whereas dopamine and 5-HT were depleted by 70%. Reserpine (5 micrograms/fly) caused 70% depletion of dopamine and greater than 90% depletion of both octopamine and 5-HT 24 h after injection. However, the effect of reserpine was much slower in onset (hours versus minutes) and more persistent (days versus hours) than was the effect of d-amphetamine. With either drug, the time course of amine depletion closely matched the time course of the increase in feeding threshold observed in drug-treated flies. These results suggest that CNS pools of the biogenic amines, octopamine, dopamine, and 5-HT are important in governing blow fly responsiveness to food stimuli.

Amines↗

Formation of a new biogenic aldehyde adduct by incubation of tryptamine with rat brain tissue.

Tryptamine was degraded by incubation with rat brain homogenate to an unknown product. The reaction was stimulated by the nonionic detergents Triton X-100 and Lubrol PX and less by the zwitterionic detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS). The same results were obtained with pig brain and bovine brain. The monoamine oxidase inhibitor pargyline inhibited the reaction strongly, indicating the participation of the enzyme on the reaction. Addition of 17,000 g supernatant from rat brain homogenate increased the formation effectively whereas phospholipids or chloroform/methanol (7:3) extract from the 17,000 g supernatant showed only little or no effect. Chromatographic and electrophoretic properties as well as the chemical reaction of the product with specific reagents suggest that the compound consists of an indole part and an amino acid part. The product could be identified by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and by comparison with the synthetic substance (4R)-2-(3-indolylmethyl)-1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid. It is formed by the enzymatic oxidation of tryptamine producing indole-3-acetaldehyde which spontaneously cyclizes with free L-cysteine from the tissue. The results suggest that the reaction of biogenic aldehydes with brain macromolecules may proceed via an analogous reaction.

Acetaldehyde↗

Determination of acidic metabolites of biogenic amines in human aqueous humour by gas chromatography--negative ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry.

The concentrations of acidic metabolites derived from the biogenic amines o-, m-, and p-tyramines (o-, m-, and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acids), p-octopamine/p-synephrine (p-hydroxymandelic acid), and dopamine (homovanillic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) were measured in human aqueous humour obtained from patients undergoing elective surgery for cataract removal or for trabeculectomy as a treatment for chronic open-angle glaucoma. There were no clear differences in the pattern of metabolism of neurotransmitters between the two groups. An unexpected finding was that the o-tyramine metabolite, o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, was present in aqueous humour.

Acids↗

Enzymes related to biogenic amine metabolism and personality characteristics in depressed patients.

Levels of the activity of enzyme systems involved in the synthesis and metabolism of biogenic amines have been linked in several reports in the literature with various psychopathological conditions and with variations in personality characteristics. In particular, significant negative correlations have been reported between levels of MAO-activity and sensation seeking. In the present study levels of MAO and DBH-activity were investigated in a series of 30 depressed patients, admitted consecutively, who completed a new personality inventory, the KSP, assumed to measure relatively stable personality traits. Our findings appeared to be consistent with those of earlier authors in that the most pronounced significant (negative) correlation occurred between MAO-activity levels and the monotony avoidance subscale of the KSP. This particular subscale is aimed precisely at measuring thrill-seeking and bears a close relation to the Sensation Seeking Scale used by other authors. In addition a weak positive correlation was found between the same subscale and levels of DBH-activity. Finally a weak negative correlation emerged between levels of MAO and the Guilt subscale of the KSP.

Adolescent↗

Circadian rhythms in rat mid-brain and caudate nucleus biogenic amine levels.

1. The circadian rhythms of rectal temperature and biogenic amine levels in mid-brain and caudate nucleus have been measured in normal and adrenalectomized rats adapted to and maintained under fixed illumination cycle.2. Rectal temperature reaches a peak value between 24.00 hr and 06.00 hr during the dark phase of the illumination cycle at a time when motor activity is maximal. In adrenalectomized rats, the pattern is similar but the peak is significantly lower.3. Highest histamine levels in the caudate nucleus and mid-brain of normal and adrenalectomized rats are found at the time when body temperature and motor activity is maximal.4. Similarly, caudate nucleus and mid-brain noradrenaline levels reach their peak during the dark phase of the illumination cycle. These levels are significantly different from those found during the light phase of the illumination cycle. The rise in noradrenaline in the mid-brain of adrenalectomized rats, however, was not significant.5. Peak 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels in the caudate nucleus of normal rats and the mid-brain of adrenalectomized rats were found to be 12 hr out of phase with peak values obtained for other parameters that were measured.6. The significance of these circadian rhythms in relation to states of sleep and wakefulness, general metabolism, and motor activity is discussed.

Adrenalectomy↗

Development of a rationally designed, low abuse potential, biogenic amine releaser that suppresses cocaine self-administration.

Convergent lines of evidence support a dual deficit model of stimulant withdrawal, where reductions in synaptic dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) (5-HT) contribute to dysphoria, drug craving, and relapse. Thus, we predicted that a nonamphetamine compound with substrate activity at DA and 5-HT transporters (i.e., a dual DA/5-HT releaser) would be an effective medication for treating stimulant addictions. Ideally, this type of medication would alleviate withdrawal symptoms, suppress cocaine self-administration, and lack side effects commonly associated with central nervous system stimulants. In the present work, more than 350 compounds were screened in vitro for activity as substrate-type releasing agents at DA, 5-HT, and norepinephrine transporters. These efforts identified PAL-287 (1-napthyl-2-aminopropane) as a nonamphetamine compound with potent substrate activity at biogenic amine transporters. In vivo microdialysis in rats demonstrated that PAL-287 (1-3 mg/kg i.v.) increased extracellular DA and 5-HT in frontal cortex, but effects on 5-HT were somewhat greater. PAL-287 induced substantially less locomotor stimulation than (+)-amphetamine, a drug that increases only extracellular DA. Administration of high-dose (+)-methamphetamine or (+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine to rats produced long-lasting depletion of cortical 5-HT, whereas PAL-287 (18 mg/kg i.p. x 3) did not. PAL-287 displayed little or no reinforcing properties in rhesus monkeys trained to self-administer cocaine, yet PAL-287 produced a dose-dependent decrease in responding for cocaine when infused at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg/h. Collectively, the findings reported here demonstrate that nonamphetamine monoamine releasing agents such as PAL-287 might be promising candidate medications for the treatment of stimulant dependence.

Animals↗

Biogenic methane, hydrogen escape, and the irreversible oxidation of early Earth.

The low O2 content of the Archean atmosphere implies that methane should have been present at levels approximately 10(2) to 10(3) parts per million volume (ppmv) (compared with 1.7 ppmv today) given a plausible biogenic source. CH4 is favored as the greenhouse gas that countered the lower luminosity of the early Sun. But abundant CH4 implies that hydrogen escapes to space (upward arrow space) orders of magnitude faster than today. Such reductant loss oxidizes the Earth. Photosynthesis splits water into O2 and H, and methanogenesis transfers the H into CH4. Hydrogen escape after CH4 photolysis, therefore, causes a net gain of oxygen [CO2 + 2H2O --> CH4 + 2O2 --> CO2 + O2 + 4H(upward arrow space)]. Expected irreversible oxidation (approximately 10(12) to 10(13) moles oxygen per year) may help explain how Earth's surface environment became irreversibly oxidized.

Atmosphere↗

Missing OH reactivity in a forest: evidence for unknown reactive biogenic VOCs.

Forest emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), such as isoprene and other terpenes, play a role in the production of tropospheric ozone and aerosols. In a northern Michigan forest, the direct measurement of total OH reactivity, which is the inverse of the OH lifetime, was significantly greater than expected. The difference between measured and expected OH reactivity, called the missing OH reactivity, increased with temperature, as did emission rates for terpenes and other BVOCs. These measurements are consistent with the hypothesis that unknown reactive BVOCs, perhaps terpenes, provide the missing OH reactivity.

Aerosols↗

Seasonal variations in the stable carbon isotopic signature of biogenic methane in a coastal sediment.

Systematic seasonal variations in the stable carbon isotopic signature of methane gas occur in the anoxic sediments of Cape Lookout Bight, a lagoonal basin on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Values for the carbon isotope ratio (delta 13C) of methane range from -57.3 per mil during summer to -68.5 per mil during winter in gas bubbles with an average methane content of 95%. The variations are hypothesized to result from changes in the pathways of microbial methane production and cycling of key substrates including acetate and hydrogen. The use of stable isotopic signatures to investigate the global methane cycle through mass balance calculations, involving various sediment and soil biogenic sources, appears to require seasonally averaged data from individual sites.

Anaerobiosis↗

Inhibition of biogenic amine uptake by hydrogen peroxide: a mechanism for toxic effects of 6-hydroxydopamine.

Hydrogen peroxide, dialuric acid, or 6-hydroxydopamine inhibited the uptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin into rat brain synaptosomal preparations. The addition of catalase protected all systems, but catalase was only partially protective for 6-hydroxydopamine acting upon catecholamine uptake. The data show that 6-hydroxydopamine generates hydrogen peroxide and that hydrogen peroxide can damage the biogenic amine uptake systems. Part of the damage caused by the 6-hydroxydopamine that accumulates in the catecholamine nerve terminals in vivo may be attributed to the hydrogen peroxide.

Amines↗

Vertical Flux of Biogenic Carbon in the Ocean: Is There Food Web Control?

Models of biogenic carbon (BC) flux assume that short herbivorous food chains lead to high export, whereas complex microbial or omnivorous food webs lead to recycling and low export, and that export of BC from the euphotic zone equals new production (NP). In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, particulate organic carbon fluxes were similar during the spring phytoplankton bloom, when herbivory dominated, and during nonbloom conditions, when microbial and omnivorous food webs dominated. In contrast, NP was 1.2 to 161 times greater during the bloom than after it. Thus, neither food web structure nor NP can predict the magnitude or patterns of BC export, particularly on time scales over which the ocean is in nonequilibrium conditions.

Journal Article↗

Search for past life on Mars: possible relic biogenic activity in martian meteorite ALH84001.

Fresh fracture surfaces of the martian meteorite ALH84001 contain abundant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These fresh fracture surfaces also display carbonate globules. Contamination studies suggest that the PAHs are indigenous to the meteorite. High-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy study of surface textures and internal structures of selected carbonate globules show that the globules contain fine-grained, secondary phases of single-domain magnetite and Fe-sulfides. The carbonate globules are similar in texture and size to some terrestrial bacterially induced carbonate precipitates. Although inorganic formation is possible, formation of the globules by biogenic processes could explain many of the observed features, including the PAHs. The PAHs, the carbonate globules, and their associated secondary mineral phases and textures could thus be fossil remains of a past martian biota.

Antarctic Regions↗