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Biomedical subjects

E Westerberg

Publications and source records attributed to E Westerberg.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Cerebral metabolic and circulatory effects of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, a neurotoxic industrial solvent. 2. Tissue concentrations of labile phosphates, glycolytic metabolites, citric acid cycle intermediates, amino acids, and cyclic nucleotides.

In order to obtain information on the mechanisms of neurotoxicity of 1,1,1-trichloroethane, rats maintained artificially ventilated on N2O:O2 (70:30) were exposed to a concentration of 1,1,1-trichloroethane of 8000 ppm, 43.7 mg L-1, that induces moderate ataxia in awake, spontaneously breathing animals. After 5 and 60 min of exposure, as well as after a 60-min recovery period following 60 min of exposure, the brain was frozen in situ and cortical tissue was assayed for phosphocreatine (PCr), + ATP, ADP, AMP, glycogen, glucose, pyruvate, lactate, citric acid cycle intermediates, associated amino acids, and cyclic nucleotides; in addition, purine nucleotides, nucleosides, and bases were assayed by HPLC techniques. Exposure of animals to 1,1,1-trichloroethane failed to alter blood glucose, lactate, and pyruvate concentrations. However, the solvent induced highly significant increases in tissue lactate and pyruvate concentrations that were also reflected in cisternal CSF. Associated with these changes were increases in all citric acid cycle intermediates except succinate, an increase in alanine concentration, and a rise in the glutamate/aspartate ratio. After 5 min, a small decrease in glycogen concentration also occurred. All these changes were reversed when the exposure was terminated. No changes were observed in tissue concentrations of purine nucleotides, nucleosides, and bases except for a small reduction of ATP concentration after 60 min of exposure, still noticeable after 60 min of recovery. Apart from a small reduction in cAMP concentration after 5 min of exposure, cyclic nucleotide concentrations did not change.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Changes in regional neurotransmitter amino acid levels in rat brain during seizures induced by L-allylglycine, bicuculline, and kainic acid.

Changes in amino acid concentrations were studied in the cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus of the rat brain, after 20 min of seizure activity induced by kainic acid, 47 mumol/kg i.v.; L-allylglycine, 2.4 mmol/kg i.v.; or bicuculline, 3.27 mumol/kg i.v. in paralysed, mechanically ventilated animals. Metabolic changes associated with kainic acid seizures predominate in the hippocampus, where there are decreases in aspartate (-26%), glutamate (-45%), taurine (-20%), and glutamine (-32%) concentrations and an increase in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration (+ 26%). L-Allylglycine seizures are associated with generalized decreases in GABA concentrations (-32 to -54%), increases in glutamine concentrations (+10 to +53%), and a decrease in cortical aspartate concentration (-14%). Bicuculline seizures, in fasted rats, are associated with marked increases in the levels of hippocampal GABA (+106%) and taurine (+40%). In the cerebellum, there are increases in glutamine (+50%) and taurine concentrations (+36%). These changes can be explained partially in terms of known biochemical and neurophysiological mechanisms, but uncertainties remain, particularly concerning the cerebellar changes and the effects of kainic acid on dicarboxylic amino acid metabolism.

Allylglycine↗
PubMed1983

Uptake of a novel anticonvulsant compound, 2-amino-7-phosphono-[4,5-3H]heptanoic acid, into mouse brain.

The time course of radioactivity in plasma, liver and brain is described following the intraperitoneal injection of 2-amino-7-phosphono-[4,5-3H]heptanoic acid in mice. Using high performance liquid chromatography of dansylated extracts of mouse brain the radioactivity attributable to 2-amino-7-phosphono-[4,5-3H]heptanoic acid has been determined at 0.25-180 min after injection. The time course, with a peak concentration at 30 min, declining markedly between 90 and 180 min, corresponds to the anticonvulsant action.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗
PubMed1983

Effect of 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid on regional brain amino acid levels in fed and fasted rodents.

2-Amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid, an antagonist of excitation caused by dicarboxylic amino acids with a selective action on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, has been administered in an anticonvulsant dose (1 mmol/kg i.p.) to fed or fasted rats and mice. The drug impaired motor activity in fasted mice. Glucose and amino acids were determined in dissected regions of brain fixed by microwave irradiation. Glucose content was low in the brains of fasted rats and mice but was restored to normal (fed) concentration 45 min after the administration of 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid in fasted mice. In fed animals, 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid did not change brain aspartate concentration. In fasted animals, aspartate concentration was raised in most brain regions. In fasted rats and mice, 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid significantly increased glutamine in rat cortex and mouse striatum, decreased glutamate content in rat striatum, and decreased aspartate concentration in all regions except mouse cortex and striatum. GABA levels were significantly decreased in rat striatum and hippocampus. These changes are consistent with an increased synaptic release of glutamate and aspartate following blockage of their post-synaptic action at selected sites.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗
PubMed1982

The use of automated headspace gas chromatography for determination of 1,1,1-trichloroethane in rat blood and brain tissue.

1,1,1-trichloroethane in blood and brain tissue from rats which had been artificially ventilated with solvent (8000 ppm) was analysed by automated headspace gas chromatography using a fused silica capillary column. A given concentration of 1,1,1-trichloroethane in the brain could be correlated with a corresponding concentration in the blood; both the uptake and release of the solvent were quicker in blood than in brain. No volatile metabolites of the solvent were found. Automated headspace gas chromatographic analysis is a rapid and sensitive technique for the quantitative registration of volatile organic solvents, e.g. of industrial importance, in body fluids and tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The influence of bicuculline-induced seizures on free fatty acid concentrations in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum.

Using ventilated rats maintained on N2O-O2 (70:30, vol/vol) we induced continuous seizures with i.v. bicuculline and analysed free fatty acids (FFA) in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum after seizures durations of 1-120 min. In the cerebral cortex, peak FFA concentrations were observed after 5 min, with a threefold increase in total FFA content. The values then remained unchanged for the next 15-20 min, but decreased thereafter. At 60 and 120 min, total FFA contents were only moderately increased above control. In the initial period, arachidonic acid increased about 10-fold and stearic acid 2- to 3-fold, with little change in palmitic acid and linoleic acid concentrations. At all times, the docosahexenoic acid concentration was markedly increased. Following its massive accumulation at 1 min, arachidonic acid gradually decreased in concentration. Pretreatment of animals with indomethacin did not alter this behaviour. After 20 and 120 min of seizure activity, changes in total and individual FFA concentrations in the hippocampus were similar to those observed in the cerebral cortex. The cerebellum behaved differently. Thus, at 20 min the only significant change was a 5- to 10-fold increase in arachidonic acid concentration and, after 120 min, total and individual FFA concentrations were similar to control values. Furthermore, since the control values for arachidonic acid were much lower in the cerebellum, the 20-min values were only about 20% of those observed in the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The metabolism of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides in rat cortex during insulin-induced hypoglycemia and recovery.

Brains of paralysed rats with insulin-induced hypoglycemia were frozen in situ after spontaneous EEG activity had been absent for 5 or 15 min ("coma"). Recovery (30 min) was achieved in a different group of rats by administering glucose after a 30-min coma period. Purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, nucleosides and free bases were determined in the cortical extracts by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The ATP values obtained with the HPLC method were in excellent agreement with those obtained using standard enzymatic/fluorometric techniques, while values for ADP and AMP obtained with the HPLC method were significantly lower. Comatose animals showed a severe (40-80%) reduction in the concentrations of all nucleoside triphosphates (ATP, GTP, UTP and CTP) and a simultaneous increase in the concentrations of all nucleoside di- and monophosphates, including that of IMP. The adenine nucleotide pool size decreased to 50% of control level. The concentrations of the nucleosides adenosine, inosine, and uridine increased 50- to 250-fold, while the concentrations of the purine bases, xanthine and hypoxanthine, rose 2- and 30-fold, respectively. There were no increases in the concentrations of adenine, guanine, or xanthosine. Following glucose administration there was a partial (ATP, UTP and CTP) or almost complete (GTP) recovery of the nucleoside triphosphate levels. During recovery, the levels of nucleoside di- and monophosphates and of adenosine decreased to values close to control; the rise in the inosine level was only partially reversed, and the concentrations of hypoxanthine and xanthine rose further. The adenine nucleotide pool size was only partially restored (to 67% of control value). The adenine nucleotide pool size was not increased by i.p. injection of adenosine or adenine under control condition, or during the posthypoglycemic recovery period.

Adenine↗
PubMed1978

Adenosine and cyclic AMP in cerebral cortex of rats in hypoxia, status epilepticus and hypercapnia.

The influence of hypercapnia, hypoxia and status epilepticus on cerebral cortex concentrations of adenosine, adenine nucleotides and cyclic AMP was studied on lightly anaesthetized (70% N2O) and artificially ventilated rats. Neither hypercapnia (arterial PCO2 about 80 and about 300 mmHg) nor hypoxia (minimal values of 19 mmHg) altered tissue concentrations of AMP, cyclic AMP or adenosine. Bicuculline-induced status epilepticus was accompanied by increased concentrations of cyclic AMP but adenosine concentration did not change. Experiments with ischemia, and those in which tissue hypoxia was exaggerated by unilateral carotid artery ligation, showed that tissue adenosine concentrations were elevated only when AMP concentration rose. It is concluded that the marked increase in cerebral blood flow which occurs in hypoxia and status epilepticus is unrelated to changes in tissue adenosine concentration and that the increase in cyclic AMP during neuronal hyperactivity is triggered by other mechanisms than adenosine accumulation.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1977

Adenosine in rat cerebral cortex: its determination, normal values, and correlation to AMP and cyclic AMP during shortlasting ischemia.

It has recently been suggested that adenosine is a metabolic coupling factor responsible for an increased cerebral blood flow during hypoxia or increased functional activity. However, tissue adenosine concentrations have been reported to increase in situations previously shown to be unassociated with changes in tissue AMP concentrations. The present experiments were undertaken to assess cerebral cortex concentrations of adenosine under normal circumstances, and to relate changes in adenosine, AMP and cyclic AMP during shortlasting ischemia. Following freezing and extraction of tissue, adenosine was measured using high pressure liquid chromatography. In paralyzed and anaesthetized (70% N2O) rats, freezing of tissue through intact skull bone gave an adenosine concentration of 0.9 +/- 0.1 mumol-kg-1 (mean +/- S.E.M.). With freezing through the exposed dura the concentration was 3 times as high with a large scatter. When special precautions were taken to avoid tissue trauma during craniotomy, the adenosine concentration was 1.1 +/- 0.1 mumol-kg-1. It is concluded that previously reported values are erroneously high. During the first 60 s of total ischemia there was a linear correlation between increase in AMP and in adenosine concentration (as well as between adenosine and cyclic AMP concentrations). It is concluded that increases in tissue adenosine concentration only occur if AMP accumulates. However, since (relative) changes in adenosine concentrations are at least twice those of AMP, analyses of adenosine may provide sensitive measures of a change in phosphorylation state.

Adenosine↗