PubMed · 12967437
The source did not provide an abstract. Follow the original record for more information.
Explore connections, maps & timelines
J Mark FitzGerald. 2003. Asthma.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12967437/
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.
KEEP EXPLORING
The aim of this work was to demonstrate an alteration of the anterior hypothalamic catecholaminergic system in aortic coarctated (ACo) rats by the perfusion of beta-adrenergic antagonist and the microinfusion of beta-adrenergic agonist. Wistar urethane-chloralose anesthetized rats were used. The carotid artery was cannulated for blood pressure recording and changes in blood pressure were measured. A concentric microdialysis probe was inserted in the anterior hypothalamus. Metoprolol (a beta(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist) perfusion (6 microg ml(-1)) reduced the mean arterial pressure (MAP) in the ACo rats but not in sham operated (SO) animals. The anterior hypothalamic infusion of non-specific beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol induced a dose-dependent decrease of blood pressure in both experimental groups, but the depressor response was significantly lower in ACo rats. The pretreatment with atenolol, a selective beta(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist, increased the depressor effect of isoproterenol in ACo rats, but not in SO rats. On the other hand, the hypotensive action of isoproterenol was significantly diminished after the administration of non-specific beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol in SO and ACo rats. The anterior hypothalamic infusion of clenbuterol, a selective beta(2)-adrenergic agonist, induced a dose-dependent decrease of blood pressure in both experimental groups. The depressor response to clenbuterol (1 nmol) was significantly lower in ACo rats than in SO rats. In summary, this study provides the evidence that there is a beta(1)-adrenergic compromise in anaesthetized ACo rats and this compromise may be involved in the maintenance of hypertension. On the other hand, this study also suggests the existence of pressor beta(1)-adrenoceptors in the anterior hypothalamic area of ACo rats but not in SO rats. We also found a diminished depressor beta(2)-adrenergic activity in ACo rats.
In this study, differential display technology was used to compare gene expression in cultured fibroblasts from patients with major depression, melancholic subtype vs nonmelancholic depressives and normal volunteer controls. Genes differentially expressed in depressives and normals included an overexpressed 269 bp sequence tag showing approximately 95% identity with the Homo sapiens long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) gene sequence in the 3' noncoding region. The 269 bp complimentary DNA probe hybridized with the 1.9 kb PTX3 mRNA. The densitometric analysis of slot blots showed that the mean steady-state mRNA level of PTX3 was 3.5-fold higher in the melancholic group as compared to that in normal controls and in nonmelancholic depressives (n=8, all groups). Incubation experiments were then conducted: confluent fibroblasts from melancholics and normal volunteers were incubated with isoproterenol 1 microM, dexamethasone (DEX) 500 nM, and interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) 50 ng/ml, for 0, 0.5, 1, 4, and 24 h. mRNA was isolated and quantitated using Northern blot analysis. Isoproterenol produced no significant change in PTX3 expression; DEX produced a significant increase at 4 and 24 h; IL-1beta induced an increase in both the groups that peaked at 4 h, declining to near basal levels at 24 h. There were no differences between melancholics or controls in mean change or maximum response with either DEX or IL-1beta. The results are consistent with the reported effects of IL-1beta on PTX3 expression in mouse brain. The results are of potential importance because PTX3 is a member of the long pentraxin subfamily of acute-phase proteins, which is inducible by IL-1beta, and may play roles in neuroimmunity and neuroprotection.
Two inbred mouse strains, A/Snell and A.Swiss, which were produced as congenic with regard to the H-2 histocompatibility gene complex, are homozygous for two different groups of isoproterenol-induced salivary polypeptides (IISP). These polypeptides, which have been considered as markers of the hypertrophic growth of the parotid acinar cells, are members of the complex family of salivary proline-rich proteins (PRP) on the basis of both their massive accumulation in the parotid acinar cells in response to chronic isoproterenol, secretory character, high solubility in trichloroacetic acid and metachromatic staining by Coomassie blue. IISP expressed in both mouse strains were identified by unidimensional SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis and Coomassie blue staining both in parotid gland homogenates and in whole salivas obtained from mice repeatedly stimulated at 24-h intervals with isoproterenol. Parotid glands from 40 mice (20 A/Snell and 20 A.Swiss) and salivas from 270 mice (200 A/Snell and 70 A.Swiss) were analyzed. One of the congenic strains (A/Snell) expressed five IISP (Mr 65, 61, 51.5, 38, and 37 kDa) and the other strain (A.Swiss) expressed six IISP (Mr 59, 57, 54.5, 46, 36, and 34 kDa). No inter-individual intra-strain variations were observed, thus defining strain-associated patterns of IISP (PRP).