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R D Schwartz

Publications and source records attributed to R D Schwartz.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Unilateral kindling of the inferior collicular cortex does not transfer to the contralateral seizure sensitive site or alter [3H]flunitrazepam and [35S]TBPS binding.

Acute electrical stimulation of a specific area in the inferior collicular cortex produced bilateral collicular afterdischarge and symmetrical wild running seizures. However, generalized seizures induced by kindling the inferior collicular cortex did not alter the kindling rate in the contralateral side. Furthermore, after both sides of the inferior collicular cortex have been kindled unilateral electrolytic lesions did not alter the seizure initiation or generalization elicited from the contralateral side. Since GABAergic function has been implicated in inferior collicular seizures, potential seizure-induced changes were measured for the chloride channel ([35S]TBPS) and the benzodiazepine receptor ([3H]flunitrazepam). Prior kindling did not alter [35S]TBPS or [3H]flunitrazepam binding in the central nucleus or cortex of the inferior colliculus, the medial geniculate, or the deep prepiriform cortex. Thus, the permanent neural change that subserves seizure generalization from the inferior collicular cortex is unilateral, but this change is not reflected by altered binding characteristics of the GABAA receptor complex.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

cAMP analogs inhibit gamma-aminobutyric acid-gated chloride flux and activate protein kinase A in brain synaptoneurosomes.

The effects of permeant cAMP analogs were studied on the function of the gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor and on the activation of protein kinase A in brain synaptoneurosomes. Incubation of cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes with permeant cAMP analogs decreased muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake in a concentration-dependent manner. The order of potency was chlorophenylthio-cAMP (CPT-cAMP) greater than dibutyryl-cAMP greater than 8-bromo-cAMP. This order of potency was reflected by the ability of the analogs to gain access to the intravesicular compartment. cAMP, which failed to penetrate the membrane, had no effect. The half-maximal and maximal effects of the cAMP analogs were similar in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and cerebellum. To determine whether the cAMP analogs were acting through the activation of protein kinase A, protein kinase A activity was measured in lysed synaptoneurosomes, using kemptide as the substrate. In the lysed preparation, where the cAMP analogs have direct access to intracellular enzymes, the order of potencies of the cAMP analogs to activate protein kinase A (8-bromo-cAMP greater than CPT-cAMP greater than dibutyryl-cAMP) differed from the order of potencies to inhibit muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake. In regional studies, the greatest effect of CPT-cAMP was observed in the cortex, whereas the smallest effect was observed in the hippocampus and cerebellum. To determine whether cAMP inhibition of GABA-gated ion flux was due to activation of protein kinase A, the time course for each response was measured. Inhibition of muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake by cAMP analogs was nearly complete by 5 sec. Significant activation of protein kinase A by CPT-cAMP was also observed as early as 5 sec, but protein kinase A activation continued up to 10 min. The protein kinase inhibitor peptide inhibited protein kinase A activity in lysed synaptoneurosomes but had no effect on ion flux in intact synaptoneurosomes, as expected. However, a permeant kinase inhibitor, H-8, also failed to inhibit the effect of cAMP analogs on the muscimol response, yet it inhibited protein kinase A activity. The failure of H-8 to inhibit cAMP analog effects on GABAA receptor function was most likely due to the presence of ATP inside the synaptoneurosomes, because H-8 inhibition of protein kinase A was reduced in the presence of ATP. These results indicate that cAMP and cAMP analogs must penetrate the intravesicular compartment to inhibit GABAA receptor function. Although cAMP analogs decrease GABA-gated ion flux under conditions in which they activate protein kinase A, a causal relationship remains to be established.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1990

Localization and characterization of 35S-t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate binding in rat brain: an autoradiographic study.

35S-t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS) binding to slide-mounted rat brain sections was characterized for subsequent autoradiographic analysis. Cortical brain mash slices, preincubated with EDTA to remove endogenous GABA, were used for biochemical characterization. Steady state for 35S-TBPS binding was reached by 3 hr of incubation at 22 degrees C. The association rate constant (K1) and dissociation rate constant (K2) were 0.377 min-1 microM-1 and 0.011 min-1, respectively. Dissociation was monophasic and slow (t1/2 = 80 min). The kinetically derived KD was 29.4 nM. Scatchard analysis indicated a single population of binding sites with a KD of 21.0 +/- 2.2 nM and a Bmax of 1.59 +/- 0.13 pmol/mg protein. Both picrotoxin and muscimol inhibited 35S-TBPS binding completely with IC50s of 251 +/- 13 nM and 203 +/- 41 nM and nHs of 0.98 and 1.4, respectively. The distribution of 35S-TBPS binding sites in the rat brain resembles that of other ligands that bind to GABAA receptor complex with some regionally specific differences. Regions with a high degree of 35S-TBPS binding included the inferior colliculus, medial septal nucleus, central and paracentral nuclei of the thalamus, olfactory tubercle, zona incerta, dentate gyrus, and substantia nigra. 35S-TBPS preferentially bound to the molecular vs granular layer of the cerebellum. Omission of the preincubation markedly but variably decreased 35S-TBPS binding. The greatest regional decreases occurred in areas with a high degree of GABA synthesis. In addition, 35S-TBPS binding was inhibited to different degrees in the cell layers of the cerebellum. The addition of 1 microM GABA to the incubation medium of preincubated slices also produced variable decreases in 35S-TBPS binding to cerebellar layers. These findings support previous studies that demonstrate GABAA receptor heterogeneity. Our study confirms the suitability of 35S-TBPS for use as a ligand in autoradiography and demonstrates that the distribution of 35S-TBPS binding sites is significantly influenced by the preincubation-incubation conditions used.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Differential seizure sensitivities to picrotoxinin in two inbred strains of mice (DBA/2J and BALB/c ByJ): parallel changes in GABA receptor-mediated chloride flux and receptor binding.

Two strains of mice were shown to possess a differential sensitivity to picrotoxinin-induced convulsions; picrotoxinin elicited both tonic and clonic seizures at lower doses in the DBA/2J (DBA) strain compared to the BALB/c ByJ (BALB) strain. Less protection of picrotoxinin-induced tonic seizures was afforded by pentobarbital in the DBA strain. Biochemical studies revealed that picrotoxin inhibited 36Cl- efflux from forebrain synaptoneurosomes only in the DBA strain. In addition, picrotoxin inhibited pentobarbital-induced 36Cl- efflux to a greater extent in the DBA strain. No differences were observed in the binding of [3H]muscimol or [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS) to forebrain homogenates, while pentobarbital was a less potent inhibitor of [35S]TBPS binding in the DBA strain. These findings suggest a genetic basis for the behavioral differences in convulsant sensitivity as well as for the neurochemical differences in allosteric coupling between convulsant and depressant/anticonvulsant sites associated with the GABA receptor-gated Cl- channel.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Colchicine administered into the area of the nucleus basalis decreases cortical nicotinic cholinergic receptors labelled by [3H]-acetylcholine.

Lesions in the nucleus basalis in the rat are known to decrease presynaptic markers for acetylcholine, including levels of cholineacetyltransferase (CHAT), high affinity uptake of choline and levels of acetylcholinesterase. Effects of lesions of the nucleus basalis on populations of nicotinic and muscarinic receptors are less well understood. After bilateral injection of the neurotoxic agent, colchicine into the nucleus basalis in the rat, levels of CHAT in the cerebral cortex were reduced 44%. Muscarinic cholinergic [( 3H]QNB) and dopaminergic [( 3H]spiroperidol) binding was not changed in the cortex, hippocampus or striatum. However, significant decreases in nicotinic binding sites, labelled by [( 3H]acetylcholine), were observed in the frontal cortex of nucleus basalis treated animals; scatchard plot analysis indicated a significant decrease in the number, but not affinity, of nicotinic binding sites. Colchicine injected into the nucleus basalis had no effect on the binding of [3H]acetylcholine in the hippocampus, but decreased binding of [3H]acetylcholine in the striatum. Subsequent experiments, in which colchicine was administered into the striatum at a site above the nucleus basalis had no significant effect on nicotinic binding in the striatum or frontal cortex. These results support the hypothesis that degeneration of the nucleus-basalis-cortical cholinergic pathway results in a loss of presynaptic nicotinic binding sites in the cortex as well as in the striatum (through transsynaptic degeneration of the cortico-striatal pathway).

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1989

Prenatal exposure to nicotine impairs nervous system development at a dose which does not affect viability or growth.

Prenatal exposure to high doses of nicotine (greater than 6 mg/kg/day) via maternal infusions has been shown to impair nervous system development and to decrease viability and growth. In the current study, we have examined the effects of infusing pregnant rats with 2 mg/kg of nicotine per day from gestational days 4 through 20. At this lower dose, there was neither interference with maternal weight gain nor any increase in resorption rate. Intrauterine and postnatal growth was maintained at normal or supranormal rates in the exposed offspring. Nevertheless, sufficient nicotine penetrated the fetal brain to cause persistent alterations in [3H]nicotine binding sites, abnormalities of cellular development [assessed by measurements of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)], and impairment of development of peripheral noradrenergic projections (assessed by kidney norepinephrine levels); in each case, the neural alterations were virtually equivalent to those obtained previously at the higher, growth-suppressant dosage. These findings indicate that growth impairment alone is insufficient to predict the adverse effects of nicotine on development.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1989

cAMP and forskolin decrease gamma-aminobutyric acid-gated chloride flux in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

The effects of the cyclic nucleotide cAMP on gamma-aminobutyric acid-gated chloride channel function were investigated. The membrane-permeant cAMP analog N6,O2'-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate inhibited muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake into rat cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 = 1.3 mM). The inhibition was due to a decrease in the maximal effect of muscimol, with no change in potency. Similar effects were observed with 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor isobutylmethylxanthine. The effect of endogenous cAMP accumulation on the gamma-aminobutyric acid-gated Cl- channel was studied with forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase. Under identical conditions, in the intact synaptoneurosomes, forskolin inhibited muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake and generated cAMP with similar potencies (IC50 = 14.3 microM; EC50 = 6.2 microM, respectively). Surprisingly, 1,9-dideoxyforskolin, which does not activate adenylate cyclase, also inhibited the muscimol response, suggesting that forskolin and its lipophilic derivatives may interact with the Cl- channel directly. Indeed, forskolin inhibition of muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake was extremely rapid (within 5 sec), preceding the accumulation of sufficient levels of cAMP. After 5 min, a slower phase of inhibition was seen, similar to the time course for cAMP accumulation. The data suggest that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAA) receptor function in brain can be regulated by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1988

The GABAA receptor-gated ion channel: biochemical and pharmacological studies of structure and function.

In the past few years, substantial advances have been made in analyzing the structure and function of the GABA receptor-gated Cl- channel. A major goal is to identify the molecular characteristics of the GABAA receptor that are necessary for maintaining normal GABAergic neurotransmission. Future studies will undoubtedly include techniques that have been used successfully to construct a detailed structural and dynamic model of the nACHR-gated ion channel. These include X-ray scattering, single group rotation theory, and genetic homology, deletion and site-directed mutation studies. Such techniques will make it possible to identify the structural defects that give rise to abnormal GABA receptor function and possibly to sleep, anxiety and seizure disorders.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Alcohols stimulate gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor-mediated chloride uptake in brain vesicles: correlation with intoxication potency.

A series of short-chain alcohols, including ethanol, were examined for their abilities to stimulate gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor-mediated chloride uptake into isolated brain vesicles. All of the alcohols tested stimulated 36 chloride uptake, at concentrations that occur during acute intoxication, and their potencies in stimulating GABA receptor-mediated chloride uptake were highly correlated with both their intoxication potencies in rats (r = 0.96; P less than 0.0001) and their membrane/buffer partition coefficients (r = 0.91; P less than 0.0005). Thus, the activity of alcohols at the GABA receptor-coupled chloride ion channel appears to be related to their ability to enter hydrophobic regions of the neuronal membrane. These data suggest that the anxiolytic, sedative/hypnotic and intoxicating properties of ethanol may, in part, be mediated via an action at central GABA receptors.

Alcoholic Intoxication↗
PubMed1988

Regulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid/barbiturate receptor-gated chloride ion flux in brain vesicles by phospholipase A2: possible role of oxygen radicals.

Preincubation of brain membranes with phospholipase A2 (PLA2) has been shown previously to affect the binding characteristics of various recognition sites associated with the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor complex. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of PLA2 (from Naja naja siamensis venom) on the functional activity of the GABA receptor/chloride ion channel. PLA2 (0.001-0.02 U/mg protein) preincubation decreased pentobarbital-induced 36Cl- efflux and muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake in rat cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes. The effect of PLA2 was prevented by EGTA and two nonselective PLA2 inhibitors, mepacrine and bromophenacyl bromide. The removal of free fatty acids by addition of bovine serum albumin both prevented and reversed the effect of PLA2. Products of the catalytic activity of PLA2, such as the unsaturated free fatty acids, arachidonic and oleic acids, mimicked the effect of PLA2. However, the saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid, and lysophosphatidyl choline had no effect on pentobarbital-induced 36Cl- efflux. Because unsaturated free fatty acids are highly susceptible to peroxidation by oxygen radicals, the role of oxygen radicals was investigated. Xanthine plus xanthine oxidase, a superoxide radical generating system, mimicked the effect of PLA2, whereas the superoxide radical scavenger, superoxide dismutase, diminished the effects of PLA2 and arachidonic acid on pentobarbital-induced 36Cl- efflux. Similarly, the effect of PLA2 was also inhibited by methanol (1 mM), a scavenger of the hydroxyl radical, and by catalase. These data indicate that exogenously added PLA2 induces alterations in membrane phospholipids, possibly promoting the generation of oxygen radicals and fatty acid peroxides which can ultimately modulate GABA/barbiturate receptor function in brain.

Acetophenones↗
PubMed1988

Inhibition of the GABA receptor-gated chloride ion channel in brain by noncompetitive inhibitors of the nicotinic receptor-gated cation channel.

The ability of various noncompetitive inhibitors (NCI) of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor to inhibit gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABA) receptor activity in brain was investigated. Micromolar concentrations of NCI such as tetraphenylphosphonium, mepacrine, chlorpromazine and phencyclidine inhibited muscimol-induced 36chloride (36Cl-) uptake in rat cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes in a noncompetitive manner. D-Tubocurarine behaved as a competitive inhibitor. In experiments measuring the time course of muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake, a decline in the apparent transport rate constant (k') (reflection of desensitization) occurred over the first 3 sec. At lowered temperature (22 degrees C) the k' did not decline during the first 4 sec. Under these conditions preincubation of the vesicles with tetraphenylphosphonium caused a marked decline in the apparent k' over the first 5 sec (transition T1/2 of 1.04 sec) suggesting that tetraphenylphosphonium promotes desensitization of the GABA receptor. The inhibition of muscimol-induced 36Cl- uptake by NCI was reduced in the absence of Ca++. In addition, Ca++ decreased the potency of muscimol to stimulate 36Cl- uptake with an IC50 = 64 microM. The interaction of NCI with GABA agonist and convulsant sites associated with the GABA receptor-gated Cl- channel also was investigated. NCI antagonized noncompetitively [3H]t-butylbicycloorthobenzoate binding to convulsant sites whereas only mepacrine and chlorpromazine antagonized binding of [3H]muscimol to agonist sites. These findings suggest that 1) inhibition of the GABA receptor-gated Cl- channel by NCI may explain the convulsant properties of several of these compounds and 2) there may be structural domains common to the GABA receptor and nicotinic receptor-gated ion channels that selectively permit interactions with various NCI.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Characterization of GABAA receptor-mediated 36chloride uptake in rat brain synaptoneurosomes.

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor-mediated 36chloride (36Cl-) uptake was measured in synaptoneurosomes from rat brain. GABA and GABA agonists stimulated 36Cl- uptake in a concentration-dependent manner with the following order of potency: Muscimol greater than GABA greater than piperidine-4-sulfonic acid (P4S)greater than 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo-[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol (THIP) = 3-aminopropanesulfonic acid (3APS) much greater than taurine. Both P4S and 3APS behaved as partial agonists, while the GABAB agonist, baclofen, was ineffective. The response to muscimol was inhibited by bicuculline and picrotoxin in a mixed competitive/non-competitive manner. Other inhibitors of GABA receptor-opened channels or non-neuronal anion channels such as penicillin, picrate, furosemide and disulfonic acid stilbenes also inhibited the response to muscimol. A regional variation in muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake was observed; the largest responses were observed in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and hippocampus, moderate responses were obtained in the striatum and hypothalamus and the smallest response was observed in the pons-medulla. GABA receptor-mediated 36Cl- uptake was also dependent on the anion present in the media. The muscimol response varied in media containing the following anions: Br- greater than Cl- greater than or equal to NO3- greater than I- greater than or equal to SCN- much greater than C3H5OO- greater than or equal to ClO4- greater than F-, consistent with the relative anion permeability through GABA receptor-gated anion channels and the enhancement of convulsant binding to the GABA receptor-gated Cl- channel.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Acute stress enhances the activity of the GABA receptor-gated chloride ion channel in brain.

The effect of acute swim stress on the functional activity of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor/chloride ion channel was studied using an assay to measure 36chloride (36Cl-) uptake into rat brain synaptoneurosomes. Muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, but not cerebellum, was enhanced (increased potency and efficacy) in rats subjected to 10 min of swimming, compared to non-stressed, control rats. The effect of swim stress on the activity of the GABA receptor/Cl ion channel was prevented by adrenalectomy.

Adrenalectomy↗
PubMed1987

Autoradiographic visualization and characterization of [3H]ouabain binding to the Na+,K+-ATPase of rat brain and pineal.

Ouabain binds to the catalytic subunit of Na+,K+-ATPase and specific [3H]ouabain binding can be used as a measure of the number of active enzyme molecules present in a given tissue. Specific [3H]ouabain binding can be demonstrated in frozen, cryostat sections from rat brain and pineal and these sites have the characteristics of Na+,K+-ATPase. Incubations carried out in the absence of ATP or the presence of excess unlabeled ouabain reduces specific binding by greater than or equal to 98%. The addition of K+ or omission of Mg2+ also result in a decrease in specific binding. Strophanthidin, digoxin and digoxigenin displace [3H]ouabain binding with IC50 values of 0.73, 0.48 and 1.4 microM, respectively. Scatchard analyses of specific [3H]ouabain binding in brain sections shows a single class of non-interacting binding sites with an apparent affinity (Kd) of 339 nM and a maximal binding capacity (Bmax) of 34.9 pmol/mg protein. [3H]Ouabain binding is unevenly distributed throughout the brain with the olfactory nuclei, superior colliculus, dentate gyrus, pontine nuclei and pineal gland having a relatively high density of binding sites. The outer layers (1-3) of the cerebral cortex show more labeling than the inner layers (4-6) and most other brain areas have intermediate levels of [3H]ouabain binding sites, whereas white matter has virtually no specific binding. Computer-assisted densitometry was used to measure changes in specific [3H]ouabain binding after kainic acid injection into the caudate nucleus. An initial increase in [3H]ouabain binding was observed at 1 and 24 h after lesioning and a decrease in [3H]ouabain binding was evident by 9 days after lesioning.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Pregnenolone-sulfate: an endogenous antagonist of the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor complex in brain?

The interaction of the 'neurosteroid', pregnenolone-sulfate (PS), with the GABA/benzodiazepine/chloride ionophore receptor complex was investigated in rat brain subcellular preparations. At low micromolar concentrations PS competitively inhibited the binding of the convulsant [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate (TBPS) and antagonized pentobarbital-stimulated [3H]flunitrazepam binding to synaptosomes. In addition, PS inhibited muscimol-stimulated 36Cl-uptake in brain synaptoneurosomes, including that PS has characteristics of a relatively potent antagonist of the chloride channel coupled to the GABA receptor. Together with our previous finding that A-ring reduced metabolites of progesterone and deoxycorticosterone also interact with the GABA receptor complex but as hypnotic barbiturates, these data suggest that the regulation of GABAergic neurotransmission by various neurosteroids may be an important mechanism for controlling neuronal excitability.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1986

A selective imidazobenzodiazepine antagonist of ethanol in the rat.

Ethanol, at pharmacologically relevant concentrations of 20 to 100 mM, stimulates gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) receptor-mediated uptake of 36Cl-labeled chlorine into isolated brain vesicles. One drug that acts at GABA-benzodiazepine receptors, the imidazobenzodiazepine Ro15-4513, has been found to be a potent antagonist of ethanol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake into brain vesicles, but it fails to antagonize either pentobarbital- or muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake. Pretreatment of rats with Ro15-4513 blocks the anticonflict activity of low doses of ethanol (but not pentobarbital) as well as the behavioral intoxication observed with higher doses of ethanol. The effects of Ro15-4513 in antagonizing ethanol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake and behavior are completely blocked by benzodiazepine receptor antagonists. However, other benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists fail to antagonize the actions of ethanol in vitro or in vivo, suggesting a novel interaction of Ro15-4513 with the GABA receptor-coupled chloride ion channel complex. The identification of a selective benzodiazepine antagonist of ethanol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake in vitro that blocks the anxiolytic and intoxicating actions of ethanol suggests that many of the neuropharmacologic actions of ethanol may be mediated via central GABA receptors.

Animals↗