Alterations in rat brain polyphosphoinositide metabolism due to acute ethanol administration

The effects of acute ethanol administration on the polyphosphoinositide metabolism of rat brain cerebral cortex were examined. Intracerebral injections of [gamma-32P]ATP proved to be an effective in vivo method to prelabel brain phospholipids, especially the polyphosphoinositides. High acute doses of ethanol (8 or 6 g/kg b.wt.) administered by gavage significantly inhibited the breakdown of polyphosphoinositides as judged by an elevation in the concentration as well as the labeling of these compounds. Concomitantly, there was a significant reduction in the level of diacylglycerols. Low acute doses of ethanol (2 g/kg b.wt.) did not seem to have any effects on the basal levels or labeling of these compounds. The changes in polyphosphoinositide labeling due to ethanol intoxication were reverted to near control values when animals regained their righting reflex (approximately 4 hr). These studies demonstrate that, under normal conditions, polyphosphoinositides and diacylglycerols are maintained in a dynamic equilibrium and that acute doses of ethanol can suppress the signal transduction process and disturb this equilibrium.

Effects of ATP on phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C and inositol 1-phosphate accumulation in rat brain synaptosomes

Incubation of rat brain synaptosomes prelabeled with [2-3H]inositol resulted in a time-dependent release of labeled inositol 1-phosphate. This process was Ca2+ dependent, and ATP (1 mM) enhanced the inositol 1-phosphate formation three- to fivefold. Using [1-14C]arachidonoyl-phosphatidylinositol which was introduced into saponin-permeabilized synaptosomes, ATP (1 mM) and free Ca2+ (approximately 20 microM) enhanced the phospholipase C hydrolysis of this substrate to form labeled diacylglycerol. When the same permeabilized synaptosomal preparation was incubated with [2-3H]inositol-phosphatidylinositol, ATP not only enhanced the formation of labeled inositol 1-phosphate, but also inhibited the conversion of inositol 1-phosphate to inositol. Furthermore, ATP appeared to reduce the Ca2+ requirement of the phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C. Inhibition of the conversion of inositol 1-phosphate to inositol could not be overcome by increasing the Mg2+ concentration in the incubation medium. Although the ATP effect is not viewed as a receptor-mediated event, it is possible that such an event may occur in synaptosomes under conditions in which intrasynaptic Ca2+ concentration becomes elevated.

Acute tachycardia and pressor effects following injections of kainic acid into the antero-dorsal medial hypothalamus

The responses of systemic arterial blood pressure and heart rate to intra-cerebral injections of the excitatory neurotoxin, kainic acid, were examined in urethane-anesthetized rats. Injections of kainic acid into the antero-dorsal medial hypothalamus produced dose-related increases in both blood pressure and heart rate over a range of 30-1000 ng. Exophthalmos, mydriasis, increased respiratory rate and movements of the vibrissae were also noted. Injections of 1000 ng of kainic acid into the antero-dorsal medial hypothalamus produced significantly greater increases in blood pressure and heart rate than comparable injections of equimolar doses of the excitatory neurotoxins, quisqualic acid, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid or quinolinic acid. No differences in the magnitude of the cardiovascular responses to 1000 ng of kainic acid were detected between injections directed towards the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), lateral hypothalamus or lateral cerebral ventricle. In contrast, at doses of 30 ng, injections directed towards the paraventricular nucleus produced significantly greater responses than comparable injections into the lateral hypothalamus, medial thalamus or lateral cerebral ventricle. The distribution of radiolabelled kainic acid at this dose was found to extend ipsilaterally in the medial hypothalamus as far as 1 mm rostral and caudal to the injection site. The results suggest that excitation of neuronal cell bodies within the medial hypothalamus by excitatory neurotoxins produces acute increases in blood pressure and heart rate. However, widespread diffusion of kainic acid, in particular, was documented and caution in interpretation of the results produced by local intra-cerebral injections of this agent is recommended.

Effects of chronic ethanol administration on rat brain phospholipid metabolism

Alterations in brain phospholipid metabolism were observed after chronic ethanol administration for 16 days to developing rats. Animals were injected intraperitoneally with 32Pi 16 h prior to killing. Overall uptake of 32Pi by brain did not differ between the control and ethanol-treated groups, which were killed 2 h and 24 h after the last ethanol feeding. Except for an increase in the labeling of myelin after ethanol treatment, the amount of radioactivity recovered in the synaptosomal-mitochondrial and plasma membrane fractions of control and ethanol-treated groups was not different. Relative to the radioactivity of phosphatidylcholines, which indicated no change, there were increases (20-44%) in labeling of ethanolamine plasmalogens, phosphatidic acids, and phosphatidylinositols in cortical synaptosomes from the 2-h ethanol-treated group. In the plasma membrane fractions, however, increases (9-14%) in labeling of phosphatidylserines and phosphatidylinositols were observed in both 2- and 24-h ethanol-treated groups. In both membrane fractions, there was an obvious increase (44-86%) in labeling of polyphosphoinositides at 24 h after withdrawal from ethanol. Results thus indicate an adaptive increase in the biosynthesis of ethanolamine plasmalogen and brain acidic phospholipids due to chronic ethanol administration. Furthermore, the increase in labeling of polyphosphoinositides in the 24-h withdrawal group may reflect the hypoactivity associated with ethanol withdrawal.

Increased acidic phospholipids in rat brain membranes after chronic ethanol administration

Two types of plasma membranes isolated from rat brain cortex were used to study the membrane-perturbing properties of ethanol. Rats administered ethanol in the form of a liquid diet showed an increase in levels of phosphatidylserines, phosphatidylinositols and phosphatidic acids as compared to controls. The results present evidence that chronic ethanol treatment results in an increase in the acidic phospholipids in brain membranes. This type of membrane modification may have important implications for the function of membrane transport enzymes such as (Na+, K+)-ATPase, which also increases in activity upon chronic ethanol administration.

Different RNA patterns of globin and non-globin 40S heterogeneous nuclear RNA-protein complexes in chicken reticulocyte nuclei

40s heterogeneous nuclear RNA-protein complex (HnRNP) was isolated from chicken reticulocyte nuclei after digestion of RNA by the endogenous nuclease. The size of the total RNA and beta globin RNA was compared by agarose and high resolution acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The results show that size of the total RNA ranges between 20 to 650 bases and the most prominent sizes are between 20 and 70-80 bases. The size of the RNA increases at roughly 10 base intervals between 40 and 70 bases on an acrylamide gel. The size of the beta globin RNA is smaller (25-50 bases) than the total RNA and also the RNA pattern is considerably different from that of total RNA. This suggests that, although the overall structure of 40s HnRNP might be the same, there is significant differences in the interaction of globin RNA with HnRNP protein and that of non-globin RNA with HnRNP protein in chicken reticulocyte nuclei.