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Exercise training increases glucose transporter content in skeletal muscles more efficiently from aged obese rats than young lean rats.

Glucose uptake in rat skeletal muscles decreases with age and obesity, but increases with chronic exercise training. The purpose of our study was to determine whether the GLUT4 content in several skeletal muscles from 1-mo-old young, lean rats and 12-mo-old aged, obese rats alters with exercise training. For exercise, a treadmill run of approximately 1 km/day was made for 4 wk by both groups of rats. The concentration of GLUT4 per protein in membrane fraction from several skeletal muscles was measured by immunoblotting. The amount of GLUT4 in the gastrocnemius and white quadriceps from aged rats slightly but significantly decreased to 73% and 78% of that from young rats, respectively. However, no significant difference in GLUT4 amount in the soleus, plantaris, and red quadriceps was observed between young and aged rats. The exercise training resulted in a larger increase in the amount of GLUT4 in each muscle from aged rats than in muscles from young rats. In aged rats, GLUT4 amount increased significantly with exercise training by 30, 33, 41, and 27% in the soleus, plantaris, gastrocnemius, and red quadriceps, respectively, compared with the sedentary controls. However, in young rats, exercise-induced increase of GLUT4 amount was significant only in the plantaris, and the increase was 17%. In exercised aged, obese rats, decreases of body weight, plasma triglyceride levels, and plasma free fatty acid were also observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aging↗

Effect of anti-rat interleukin-6 antibody after spinal cord injury in the rat: inducible nitric oxide synthase expression, sodium- and potassium-activated, magnesium-dependent adenosine-5'-triphosphatase and superoxide dismutase activation, and ultrastructural changes.

OBJECT: The inflammatory cells that accumulate at the damaged site after spinal cord injury (SCI) may secrete interleukin-6 (IL-6), a mediator known to induce the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Any increased production of NO by iNOS activity would aggravate the primary neurological damage in SCI. If this mechanism does occur, the direct or indirect effects of IL-6 antagonists on iNOS activity should modulate this secondary injury. In this study, the authors produced spinal cord damage in rats and applied anti-rat IL-6 antibody to neutralize IL-6 bioactivity and to reduce iNOS. They determined the spinal cord tissue activities of Na+-K+/Mg++ adenosine-5'-triphosphatase (ATPase) and superoxide dismutase, evaluated iNOS immunoreactivity, and examined ultrastructural findings to assess the results of this treatment. METHODS: Seventy rats were randomly allocated to four groups. Group I (10 rats) were killed to provide normal spinal cord tissue for testing. In Group II 20 rats underwent six-level laminectomy for the effects of total laminectomy alone to be determined. In Group III 20 rats underwent six-level T2-7 laminectomy and SCI was produced by extradural compression of the exposed cord. The same procedures were performed in the 20 Group IV rats, but these rats also received one (2 microg) intraperitoneal injection of anti-rat IL-6 antibody immediately after the injury and a second dose 24 hours posttrauma. Half of the rats from each of Groups II through IV were killed at 2 hours and the other half at 48 hours posttrauma. The exposed cord segments were immediately removed and processed for analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that neutralizing IL-6 bioactivity with anti-rat IL-6 antibody significantly attenuates iNOS activity and reduces secondary structural changes in damaged rat spinal cord tissue.

Animals↗

Effect of naked eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding rat augmenter of liver regeneration on acute hepatic injury and hepatic failure in rats.

AIM: To study the protective effect of eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) on acute hepatic injury and hepatic failure in rats. METHODS: The PCR-amplified ALR gene was recombined with pcDNA3 plasmid, and used to treat rats with acute hepatic injury. The rats with acute hepatic injury induced by intraperitoneal injection of 2 mL/kg 50% carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) were randomly divided into saline control group and recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid treatment groups. Recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid DNA (50 or 200 microg/kg) was injected into the rats with acute hepatic injury intravenously, intraperitoneally, or intravenously and intraperitoneally in combination 4 h after CCl(4) administration, respectively. The recombinant plasmid was injected once per 12 h into all treatment groups four times, and the rats were decapitated 12 h after the last injection. Hepatic histopathological alterations were observed after HE staining, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in liver tissue was detected by immunohistochemical staining, and the level of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was determined by biochemical method. The recombinant plasmid DNA (200 microg/kg) and saline were intraperitoneally injected into the rats with acute hepatic failure induced by intraperitoneal injection of 4 mL/kg 50% CCl(4) after 4 h of CCl(4) administration, respectively. Rats living over 96 h were considered as survivals. RESULTS: The sequence of ALR cDNA of recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid was accordant with the reported sequence of rat ALR cDNA. After the rats with acute hepatic injury were treated with recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid, the degree of liver histopathological injury markedly decreased. The pathologic liver tissues, in which hepatic degeneration and necrosis of a small amount of hepatocytes and a large amount of infiltrating inflammatory cells were observed, and they became basically normal in the most effective group after four times of injection of recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid. The indexes of PCNA significantly increased in the recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid treatment groups compared to model group. The level of serum AST and ALT remarkably reduced in recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid treatment groups compared to model group. The results showed that the effect of 200 microg/kg recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid in the rats with acute liver injury was stronger than that of 50 microg/kg pcDNA3-ALR DNA. The effect of intravenous injection of recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid was better. After the rats with acute hepatic failure were treated with recombinant pcDNA3-ALR plasmid, the survival rate (40%) significantly increased in treatment groups compared to control group (15%, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The ALR gene may play an important role in relieving acute hepatic injury and hepatic failure by promoting hepatic cell proliferation and reducing level of AST and ALT in CCl(4)-intoxicated rats.

Animals↗

Kinetics of early T-cell repopulation in fully xenogeneic chimeras (F344 rat----B10 mouse): evidence for rat T-cell maturation in a xenogeneic mouse thymus.

We recently reported the model of fully xenogeneic chimerism achieved by transplantation of rat bone marrow into mouse recipients (F344 rat----B10 mouse), resulting in stable long-term rat lymphoid chimerism. We have now extended this model to examine whether developing precursor rat T cells from rat bone marrow stem cells can undergo normal differentiation in mature lymphocytes under the influence of a xenogeneic mouse thymus. We examined thymic and splenic lymphoid cells from fully xenogeneic chimeras starting 1 week after bone marrow transplantation to characterize early T-cell repopulation and phenotype. Our data suggest that developing rat precursor T cells are able to undergo normal differentiation in the mouse thymus. The first precursor T cells appeared 2 weeks after reconstitution and by week 10 accounted for more than 90% of thymocytes present in the chimeras. In chimeras, developing rat T lymphocytes in the mouse thymus exhibited an immature pattern (Thy 1.1+, alpha beta-TCRdull, CD4+ plus CD8+) when analyzed by flow cytometry. This pattern was similar to a normal rat. In contrast, splenic T-lymphoid cells showed a mature rat phenotype (Thy 1.1-, alpha beta-TCRhi, CD4+ or CD8+), again similar to a normal rat. This development began 2 weeks after bone marrow transplantation, and both thymus and spleen from chimeras exhibited "normal" rat T-cell staining profiles by 10 weeks after reconstitution. Overall, these data indicate that developing rat T cells are capable of undergoing normal maturation in a xenogeneic mouse thymus of tolerant animals.

Animals↗

Differential proliferative response of gastric mucosa during carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in susceptible ACI rats, resistant Buffalo rats, and their hybrid F1 cross.

The effect of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) on the proliferative characteristics of the pyloric epithelium was investigated in ACI and Buffalo rats and their F1 rats, which are susceptible, resistant, and resistant, respectively, to gastric carcinogenesis by this chemical. After injection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd), DNA synthesizing cells in the pyloric epithelium were stained immunohistochemically with anti-BrdUrd antibody. The average number and range of distribution of cells labeled with BrdUrd in the pyloric glands were significantly larger in ACI rats than in Buffalo or F1 rats after administration of MNNG (83 micrograms/ml in the drinking water) for 2 or 16 weeks. In control rats given tap water for 2 weeks, there was no significant difference in these values in the three groups (Experiment 1). The distribution of cells that were labeled with [methyl-3H]MNNG in the pyloric epithelium was measured by histoautoradiography, and the distribution of cells double labeled with both [methyl-3H]MNNG and BrdUrd was also analyzed. Rats were given 83 micrograms/ml of MNNG in their drinking water for 2 weeks and then received [methyl-3H]MNNG by gavage and an injection of BrdUrd 2 and 1 h, respectively, before sacrifice. The average number of double labeled cells (i.e., replicating cells exposed to MNNG) was significantly larger in ACI rats than in Buffalo or F1 rats. In control rats given tap water without MNNG for 2 weeks, there was no significant difference in these values in the three groups (Experiment 2). Cells double labeled with [methyl-3H]MNNG and BrdUrd are considered to be cells with the potential to establish mutations (cell population at risk of MNNG-induced carcinogenesis). Our results show that, after MNNG treatment, the size of this cell population is larger in susceptible ACI rats than in resistant Buffalo and F1 rats. Thus, differential responses of the gastric mucosa to MNNG may be a key factor in the difference of susceptibility to gastric carcinogenesis between ACI and Buffalo rats.

Animals↗

Dopamine agonist-induced locomotor activity in rats treated with 6-hydroxydopamine at differing ages: functional supersensitivity of D-1 dopamine receptors in neonatally lesioned rats.

Locomotor responses caused by dopamine receptor agonists with presumed specificity for D-1 or D-2 receptor subtypes were compared to apomorphine-induced locomotion in neonatally and adult 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-treated rats. In adult 6-OHDA-treated rats, apomorphine and the D-2 agonist, LY-171555, produced a marked, dose-related increase in locomotor activity. Increases in locomotion observed in neonatally 6-OHDA-treated rats after apomorphine and LY-171555 administration were less than one-third of those seen in rats treated as adults with 6-OHDA. Neonatally 6-OHDA-treated rats, positive for L-dihydroxyphenylalanine-induced self-biting, exhibited a small increase in locomotion after a single exposure to SKF-38393, a D-1 dopamine agonist. Subsequent administration of SKF-38393 to these rats resulted in an additional elevation of the locomotor response which reached a maximum after four doses. Adult 6-OHDA-treated rats were less sensitive to the locomotor stimulant effects of SKF-38393 than were neonatally 6-OHDA-treated rats. SKF-38393 and LY-171555 produced several behaviors in neonatally 6-OHDA-treated rats that were similar. These results indicate that D-1 dopamine receptors contribute to modulation of central dopaminergic function. Haloperidol and cis-flupentixol antagonized apomorphine-induced locomotion comparably in control and adult 6-OHDA-treated rats. The D-1 dopamine receptor antagonist, SCH-23390, was a less effective blocker of apomorphine-induced locomotion in 6-OHDA-treated rats than in controls. Therefore, the ability of SCH-23390 to attenuate apomorphine in control rats is likely dependent upon intact catecholamine-containing neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗

Leukotriene D4: cardiovascular and sympathetic effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats.

Leukotriene D4 (1--20 micrograms/kg i.a.) administered to conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and WKY rats caused acute elevation of blood pressure in both groups, but only in SHR a prolonged hypotensive period followed the hypertensive event. SHR rats had tachycardia during the hypertensive phase and relative bradycardia during the hypotensive phase which was more pronounced and prolonged than in WKY rats. In SHR rats only, plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine were elevated (6- and 3-fold, respectively) at the peak of the hypertensive period. Pretreatment of SHR rats with indomethacin (5 mg/kg) potentiated the LTD4-induced pressor response and shortened the hypotensive-bradycardic effect of LTD4. This same biphasic, dose-dependent response to LTD4 (1--20 micrograms/kg i.v.) was present in pithed SHR rats. Therefore, a direct action of LTD4 on vascular smooth muscle and heart is suggested. In all WKY rats and some SHR rats, a bradycardic effect of LTD4 resulted from sinus bradycardia, whereas in pithed SHR rats impaired conduction varying from transient second degree atrioventricular block to complete heart block was observed. Electrocardiographic signs of ischemia were seen only in LTD4-injected, pithed SHR rats. These results suggest fundamental differences between SHR and WKY rats in regard to their sensitivity to lipoxygenase products.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Autoradiographic distribution and receptor binding profile of [125I]Bolton Hunter-rat amylin binding sites in the rat brain.

Amylin is a recently isolated peptide from amyloid plaques in noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients and showed high sequence homology with calcitonin gene-related peptide. We investigated the distribution and the binding profile of [125I]Bolton Hunter-rat amylin ([125I]BH-rat amylin) binding sites in the rat brain, as well as the affinity of rat amylin for [125I]hCGRP alpha binding sites in the brain, atrium (CGRP1 receptor-enriched tissue) and vas deferens (CGRP2 receptor-enriched tissue). High amounts of high affinity [125I]BH-rat amylin binding sites were observed in the nucleus accumbens, various hypothalamic nuclei, amygdaloid body, dorsal raphe, tegmental and parabrachial nuclei and the locus ceruleus. Interestingly, both rat amylin and salmon calcitonin revealed low nanomolar affinities (2-19 nM) for [125I] BH-rat amylin binding sites in the various brain areas, whereas human calcitonin gene-related peptide-alpha (hCGRP alpha) showed lower affinities ranging between 13 to 150 nM. Moreover, the affinity of rat amylin was much lower than that of hCGRP alpha for [125I]hCGRP alpha binding in the brain, atrium and vas deferens, except for very few areas such as the nucleus accumbens and ventral striatum. Similarly, rat amylin was much weaker (100- to 400-fold) than hCGRP alpha to induce a biological effect in the atrium and vas deferens. These results thus suggest the existence of unique [125I]BH-rat amylin binding sites in the rat brain as well as limited cross-reactivity between rat amylin and [125I]hCGRP alpha receptors present in the brain, atrium and vas deferens.

Amyloid↗

Urinary kallikrein in rats bred for susceptibility and resistance to the hypertensive effect of salt and in New Zealand genetically hypertensive rats.

Urinary kallikrein excretion was studied in rats bred for susceptibility and resistance to the hypertensive effect of salt. The rats were on a regular rat chow diet (0.45% sodium content) and tap water and were not hypertensive at the time of the study. Urinary kallikrein excretion, measured by kinin radioimmunoassay, was 10 to 20 times lower in the susceptible rats than in the resistant rats (4.39 +/- 1.61 microgram/24 hours and 56.4 +/- 5.8 microgram/24 hours, respectively; P less than 0.001). Urinary kallikrein excretion was also measured in New Zealand genetically hypertensive rats and in normotensive Wistar-Otago rats (controls). Kallikrein was found to be significantly lower in the genetically hypertensive rats than in the controls (49.1 +/- 6.2 microgram/24 hours and 76.8 +/- 6.9 microgram/24 hours, respectively); however, when expressed per 100 g of body weight, there was no significant difference. In conclusion, although urinary kallikrein excretion per rat was decreased in the genetically hypertensive rats when compared with the controls, this difference could be caused by the lower body weight of the genetically hypertensive rats. Urinary kallikrein excretion, when expressed per 100 g of body weight, is significantly lower in susceptible than in resistant rats. This could be a consequence of a genetic defect that may play a role in the development of hypertension, perhaps through alteration of renal function.

Animals↗

Cross-species transplantation tolerance: rat bone marrow-derived cells can contribute to the ligand for negative selection of mouse T cell receptor V beta in chimeras tolerant to xenogeneic antigens (mouse + rat----mouse).

Mixed xenogeneic bone marrow reconstitution (mouse + rat----mouse) results in stable mixed lymphopoietic chimerism (1-48% rat), long-term survival, and the induction of stable functional donor-specific transplantation tolerance to xenoantigens in vivo. To examine the role of negative selection of potentially xenoreactive T lymphocytes during tolerance induction across a species barrier, mixed xenogeneic chimeras (mouse + rat----mouse) were prepared and analyzed using a mixture of mouse and rat bone marrow cells for relative T cell receptor (TCR)-V beta expression on mouse T cells. In mixed xenogeneic chimeras (B10 mouse + rat----B10 mouse), T cell maturation proceeded normally in the presence of rat bone marrow-derived elements, and functional donor-specific tolerance to rat xenoantigens was present when assessed by mixed lymphocyte reactivity in vitro. V beta 5, which is expressed at high (undeleted) levels in normal B10 mice, was consistently deleted in B10 recipients of Wistar Furth (WF), but not F344 rat bone marrow, whereas the coadministration of either F344 rat or WF rat bone marrow with B10 mouse bone marrow cells resulted in a significant decrease in expression of TCR-V beta 11. Taken together, these data demonstrate for the first time that rat bone marrow-derived cells can contribute in a strain-specific manner to the ligand for negative selection of specific mouse TCR-V beta during tolerance induction across a species barrier.

Animals↗

In vitro and in vivo correlation of the inhibitory effect of cyclosporin A on the transporter-mediated hepatic uptake of cerivastatin in rats.

Previously, we have shown that the inhibition of the transporter-mediated hepatic uptake of cerivastatin (CER) by cyclosporin A (CsA) could, at least partly, explain a pharmacokinetic interaction between these drugs in humans. In the present study, we have examined the effect of CsA on the in vivo disposition of CER in rats and the in vitro uptake of [14C]CER in isolated rat hepatocytes in an attempt to evaluate the effect of inhibition of transporter-mediated hepatic uptake on the in vivo CER disposition. The steady-state plasma concentration of CER increased 1.4-fold when coadministered with CsA up to a steady-state blood concentration of 4 microM. Studies of [14C]CER uptake into isolated rat hepatocytes showed saturable transport, with the saturable portion accounting for more than 80% of the total uptake. CsA competitively inhibited the uptake of [14C]CER with a Ki of 0.3 microM. The IC50 for the uptake of [14C]CER in the absence and presence of rat plasma was 0.2 and 2.3 microM, respectively. The in vivo hepatic uptake of [14C]CER evaluated by the liver uptake index method was also inhibited by CsA in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, CsA did not inhibit the metabolism of [14C]CER in rat microsomes. The in vitro and in vivo correlation analysis revealed that this pharmacokinetic interaction between these drugs in rats could be quantitatively explained by the inhibition of transporter-mediated hepatic uptake. Thus, this drug-drug interaction in rats is predominantly caused by the transporter-mediated uptake process.

Algorithms↗

Agonist-induced internalization of leukotriene B(4) receptor 1 requires G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 but not arrestins.

The leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4)) receptor (BLT1) becomes desensitized upon repeated agonist stimulation. Little is known, however, about BLT1 internalization, which follows desensitization in most G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). In the current study, transiently expressed BLT1 readily internalized, after LTB(4) stimulation, in RBL-2H3 cells that express high levels of endogenous GPCR kinase 2 (GRK2) but did not in COS-7 or human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells, which do not overexpress GRK. The internalization of BLT1 could be blocked in RBL-2H3 cells by coexpressing dominant-negative (DN) GRK2 K220R and could be promoted in HEK293 cells by coexpressing wild-type (WT) GRK2. Coexpression of WT or DN nonvisual arrestins had no effect on BLT1 internalization. Moreover, upon stimulation with LTB(4), BLT1 did not induce arrestin-green fluorescence protein redistribution in either cell type, even in the presence of overexpressed GRK2. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments confirmed that BLT1 could associate with GRK2 but not with arrestins. A C-tail-truncated mutant of BLT1 lost the capacity to internalize and associate with GRK2 upon exposure to LTB(4), suggesting that the C-tail was required for receptor internalization and association with GRK2. Taken together, our results indicate that the C terminus of BLT1 plays a pivotal role in receptor internalization and GRK2 association. Moreover, ligand-induced BLT1 internalization is dependent on GRK2 but independent of arrestins. This may allow differential, cell-type-specific signaling in response to LTB(4), depending on GRK expression levels.

Animals↗