Biomedical subjects

M D Tuong

Publications and source records attributed to M D Tuong.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Rat cerebral mast cells undergo phenotypic changes during development.

The evolution of rat cerebral mast cell phenotype during development was studied using antibodies against the granule chymases, rat mast cell protease I (RMCP-I) and rat mast cell protease II (RMCP-II) and their gene transcripts, as markers for serosal and mucosal mast cells, respectively. In situ hybridization using specific oligoprobes for RMCP-II permitted visualization of RMCP-II mRNA-containing cells as early as day 15 of embryonic development (E15). From E19 to day 4 postpartum (D4) their number increased whilst they migrated from the pia mater to the choroid fissure; at D8 cells expressing RMCP-II gene transcripts were no longer observed. The 3'-end untranslated nucleotide sequence of the RMCP-I cDNA was established in order to design selective cDNA probes for Northern blot analysis of both enzymes. Northern blot analysis revealed a strong expression of RMCP-I and RMCP-II mRNAs at D2. At D4, RMCP-I mRNA expression was still high, whereas that of RMCP-II was decreased. In adult brain, mRNA expression for both proteases was low, but detectable. Quantification of both proteases by ELISA showed that, from E19 to D4, levels of RMCP-II were maximal at E19 and remained constant until D4, whereas RMCP-I increased as a function of age. Thereafter, levels of both proteases decreased progressively, but were still present in the adult brain, with RMCP-II being uniformly distributed and RMCP-I concentrated in the thalamus. Immunohistochemical staining showed RMCP-II-immunoreactive cells within the pia mater at E19; on D2 and D4, cells with both RMCP-I and RMCP-II immunoreactivities were found within the choroid fissure and from D8, only RMCP-I-immunoreactive mast cells were observed. In the thalamus of adult rats, the latter had a perivascular localization. This study shows that in the adult, both types of mast cells are present, although in small numbers, except for RMCP-I-immunoreactive mast cells which are abundant in the thalamus. The changes in the number and phenotype of cerebral mast cells may result from the influence of a number of growth factors during development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Fasting or dexamethasone treatment reduce protease content in rat lung mast cells and modulation of histamine synthesis by H3 receptors.

The sensitivity of mast cells to H3-receptor modulation was studied in rat lung under various hormonal conditions. The heterogeneity of mast cell sub-populations in rat lung was assessed by the tissue content of rat mast cell protease I (RMCP I) and rat mast cell protease II (RMCP II). After 24 h fasting, concentrations of RMCP I were unchanged whereas the concentration of RMCP II was significantly reduced by 49%. The [3H]histamine (HA) synthesis was concomitantly decreased by 35%. In addition, the modulation of [3H]HA synthesis by the H3 receptor agonist, (R)alpha-methylHA and by the antagonist, thioperamide, observed in control rats, was lost in fasted rats. Single and repeated administrations of dexamethasone did not influence RMCPI concentrations, but decreased the concentrations of RMCP II with a parallel decrease in [3H]HA synthesis. The inhibitory effect of (R)alpha-methylHA on [3H]HA synthesis was also reduced. These results suggest that a subpopulation of RMCP II-containing mast cells, very sensitive to environmental factors, could be the mast cells synthesizing HA in an H3-receptor-dependent manner.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

S-[2-(4-imidazolyl)ethyl]isothiourea, a highly specific and potent histamine H3 receptor agonist.

The effects of a new agonist of histamine (HA) H3 receptors, Imetit (S-[2-(4-(imidazolyl)ethyl]isothiourea) were investigated in vitro and in vivo and compared to those of (R)-alpha-methylhistamine [(R)-alpha-MeHA], a prototypic drug. Imetit inhibited the binding of [3H](R-alpha-MeHA to rat brain membranes with a Ki value of 0.1 +/- 0.01 nM. The release of endogenously synthesized [3H]HA induced by K(+)-depolarization from rat brain slices and synaptosomes was inhibited by Imetit with EC50 values of 1.0 +/- 0.3 and 2.8 +/- 0.7 nM, respectively. Imetit behaved as a full agonist and was about 4 times more potent than (R)-alpha-MeHA and 60 times more potent than HA. Thioperamide, a selective H3 receptor antagonist, elicited a parallel rightward shift of the concentration-response curve for Imetit with an apparent Ki value of 5.6 +/- 1.4 nM. Imetit potencies relative to HA were less than 0.1% and only 0.6% at HA H1 and H2 receptor reference systems, respectively. Imetit was found not to be a substrate or an inhibitor of HMT. After p.o. administration to mice or rats, Imetit decreased (by approximately 50%) the tele-MeHA level in the cerebral cortex with ED50 values of 1.0 +/- 0.3 and 1.6 +/- 0.3 mg/kg, respectively. This effect was still maximal after 6 hr. The in vivo potency and duration of action of Imetit were in the same range as those of (R)-alpha-MeHA. It is therefore concluded that Imetit represents a new potent and selective HA H3 receptor agonist.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Effects of histamine H3-receptor ligands on various biochemical indices of histaminergic neuron activity in rat brain.

The interaction of the potent histamine H3-receptor ligands i.e. (R)alpha-methylhistamine, an agonist, and thioperamide, an antagonist, with the three classes of cerebral histamine receptors was studied in vitro and in vivo. The histamine-induced stimulation of 3',5'-cyclic AMP accumulation in slices of guinea-pig hippocampus was not modified by thioperamide (up to 0.1 mM) and (R)alpha-methylhistamine stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation only at millimolar concentrations. Hence, both (R)alpha-methylhistamine and thioperamide were at least 100,000-fold more potent at H3- than at H1- or H2-receptors in brain. In vivo, the turnover of histamine in rat cerebral cortex, as determined from its depletion elicited by alpha-fluoromethylhistidine in a synaptosomal fraction was not modified by mepyramine and zolantidine but was markedly enhanced by thioperamide at a low dose (ED50 = 2 mg/kg). Thioperamide also elicited a long-lasting decrease in synaptosomal histamine and increase in radioimmunoassayable N tau-methylhistamine. In contrast, (R)alpha-methylhistamine markedly reduced cortical [3H]histamine synthesis (ED50 = 5 mg/kg). This long-lasting action was accompanied by an increase in synaptosomal histamine and a decrease in N tau-methylhistamine levels. These changes were compared with those in plasma drug levels. Hence the two H3-receptor ligands appear to modify the activity of cerebral histamine neurons markedly and in a long-lasting and opposite manner.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Inhibitors and dipeptide substrates for a microsomal tyrosylsulfotransferase from rat brain.

The sulfotransferase associated with a microsomal fraction from rat brain was previously shown to transfer sulfate groups from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to peptides derived from the cholecystokinin (CCK) molecule. Three tyrosine-containing dipeptide derivatives, i.e., Cbz-Glu-Tyr, Cbz-Gly-Tyr and Ac-Phe-Tyr are shown here to accept the [35S] sulfate group from [35S] PAPS under the action of this sulfotransferase. The sulfotransferase activity evaluated with either any of these dipeptide derivatives or CCK-8 as acceptors is similarly inhibited by a series of compounds, i.e., lipophilic polycyclic compounds like fluphenazine, tyrosine derivatives like Boc-O-benzyl-tyrosine and phenolsulfotransferase inhibitors like 4,4-di-isothiocyano 2',2'-disulfonic acid stilbene.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Characterization of a tyrosine sulfotransferase in rat brain using cholecystokinin derivatives as acceptors.

An apparently novel tyrosyl sulfotransferase activity was detected in a crude microsomal fraction from rat cerebral cortex by using 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phospho[35S]sulfate [( 35S]PAPS) as the sulfate donor and various cholecystokinin (CCK) fragments or derivatives as acceptors. Among the latter, the shortest substrate was tert-butoxycarbonylaspartyltyrosine (Boc-Asp-Tyr), but the reaction was optimized by increasing the length of the peptide sequence on the C-terminal side up to tert-butoxycarbonylcholecystokinin octapeptide (Boc-CCK-8) as well as by the presence of acidic amino acid residues at the N-terminal side. Peptides with an N-terminal Tyr residue (e.g., CCK-7 or enkephalins) were not sulfated. With Boc-CCK-8 the optimum pH was 5.8, and apparent KM values were 0.14 +/- 0.02 mM for the peptide (0.5 microM PAPS) and 0.12 +/- 0.01 microM for PAPS (0.25 mM Boc-CCK-8). In the presence of 0.2 mM MnCl2 the Vmax of the reaction was enhanced without change of apparent affinities of the two substrates. The possible role of this sulfotransferase activity in posttranslational modification of CCK and other secretory proteins is suggested.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Sulfation and desulfation of cerebral cholecystokinin.

An apparently novel sulfotransferase present in microsomal and vesicular fractions from rat brain is able to transfer [35S]sulfate groups from [35S]PAPS to CCK derivatives. Its optimum pH (approximately 6), its substrate specificity, and its subcellular localization are all consistent with its function as post-translational processing enzyme. However, its presence in tissues devoid of CCK argues against this idea, or could simply mean that it is involved in the processing of other peptides besides CCK. No evidence could be obtained for extensive desulfation of endogenous CCK-8 released by depolarization of brain slices.

Animals↗

PubMed1984

Stimulation of deoxy[3H]glucose uptake into slices from cerebral cortex elicited by excitatory amino acids.

Slices from rat cerebral cortex incubated in the presence of 2-deoxy[3H]glucose accumulate the sugar mainly in the form of its phosphorylated derivative. 2-Deoxy[3H]glucose uptake, measured under conditions of initial velocity, is stimulated by 50-100% in the presence of depolarising agents (KCl, veratridine) or the excitatory amino acids L- and D-glutamate, L-aspartate and L-cysteate in millimolar concentrations. In contrast a variety of putative neurotransmitters are ineffective on this test. The stimulations elicited by KCl or excitatory amino acids consist in significant increases in both the apparent Km and Vmax values of the 2-deoxyglucose transport system. The effect of excitatory amino acids is not significantly modified in the presence of tetrodotoxin or when the extracellular Ca2+ concentration is diminished, whereas it is significantly reduced in the presence of ouabain. Hence stimulation of 2-deoxy[3H]glucose uptake and phosphorylation may indirectly reflect the activation of Na+, K+-adenosine 5'-triphosphatases triggered by excitatory amino acids in target cells. The stimulation of 2-deoxy[3H]glucose uptake elicited by the three excitatory amino acids is antagonised in an apparently competitive manner by glutamate diethyl ester (apparent Ki value of congruent to 15 mM) whereas the KCl-induced stimulation is not modified. In contrast a variety of other amino acid agonists (including quisqualate, kainate, N-methyl D-aspartate) or antagonists (including gamma-D-glutamyl glycine acid and 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate) are inactive, indicating that the metabolic response is not mediated by any of the receptor subclasses identified electrophysiologically.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1977

[Norepinephrine interference in adrenal hormone balance related to blood calcium effects of PTH (author's transl)].

Decreased hypercalcemic effects of PTH are observed after medulloadrenalectomy, (table I), metoprione (table II) or cortisone (table IV) treatments in guinea pigs. 2. Norepinephrine restores the blood calcium effects of PTH in these cases but epinephrine is inactive. 3. Immediate activation of kidney adenylate cyclase by PTH (increased urinary AMPc) is also reduced in medulloadrenalectomised, cortisone or metopirone treated guinea pigs (table V). But in this test, norepinephrine reduces the effect of PTH (fig. 1).

Adrenal Glands↗