Prolyl-hydroxylase activity in odontoblasts from bovine incisor and premolar teeth

Odontoblasts of incisor and premolar teeth showed high prolyl-hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.2; proline, 2-oxoglutarate dioxygenase) activity, but the activities in other regions of these dental pulps were low. These results suggest that these odontoblasts are concerned with the biosynthesis and processing of dentine collagen.

Gastroscopic biopsy of the stomach for the diagnosis of amyloidosis

1. Amyloid deposition was investigated in the biopsied specimens obtained from the stomachs of suspected cases of amyloidosis. The subjects were seven cases of suggestive amyloidosis with clinical symptoms of muscle rigidity, masked face, macroglossia and B-J proteinuria. The stomach of an autopsied amyloidosis patient was also investigated. 2. Mucosal tissue was obtained from fundus, corpus and antrum of the stomach using gastrofiberscope, Olympus GFB2. And amyloid in the tissue was detected by H & E Congo red staining and polarization microscopy. Rectal biopsy was also done in the majority of the cases to compare with stomach biopsy. 3. Positive results were obtained with gastric biopsy in all seven cases and five of the 5 cases by rectal biopsy. Thus, gastric and rectal biopsy yielded the same results so far as detection of amyloid deposition was concerned. 4. Biopsy specimens from several sites of the stomach gave similar results in regard to the amyloid deposition. Tissue deposition of amyloid in the stomach wall showed a somewhat high incidence in the walls of intramucosal capillaries and in the walls of blood vessels of lamina muscularies mucosa. Gastroscopic biopsy of the stomach proved to be useful as a routine technique for the definite diagnosis of the disease.

A new acidic protein in porcine brain

An extremely acidic protein has been isolated in a purified form from porcine rain extract, by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation followed by column chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and on Sephadex G-75. The purified protein was tentatively named as glutamic acid-rich protein because it was characterized by its remarkably high content of glutamic acid which accounted for 49% of the total amino acid composition. The protein appeared to be a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of 56 000-58 000, and had an isoelectric point of 4.6. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was Asp-Glu-Pro-Pro-Ser-Glu-Gly. The immunochemical analysis using rabbit antiserum prepared to the porcine protein has suggested that it is present in the brain of human, cow, cat, dog and goat as well as in various goat organs including liver, kidney, heart, small intestine and spleen.

Plasma cyclic AMP level in psychiatric diseases of childhood

Determinations were made of the plasma cyclic AM level to examine its relationship with hyperkinesis (Werry-Weiss-Peters Activity Scale, WWPAS) and other features of mental disorders in 80 children, of whom 21 had early infantile autism, 15 hyperkinetic mental retardation, 12 minimal brain dysfunction and 32 Down's syndrome. In autistic and hyperkinetic mentally retarded children, the plasma cyclic AMP levels were higher than in normal children and were positively correlated with the WWPAS score. In children with minimal brain dysfunction, the plasma cyclic AMP level was significantly lower than in normal children and was not correlated with the WWPAS score. In children with Down's syndrome, the plasma cyclic AMP level was somewhat higher than in normal children.

A rapid, simple determination of plasma cyclic AMP

Plasma cyclic AMP content was determined without being extracted, using binding protein obtained from rat liver. EDTA was suitable as an anticoagulant for cyclic AMP estimation. Cyclic AMP further added to EDTA plasma was able to be estimated. The estimated values by plasma dilution were almost the same as the expected values. It was thought that the direct assay was useful for determination of plasma cyclic AMP. Isoproterenol (50 microgram/kg, iv) produced an increase of plasma cyclic AMP level accompanied with a decrease of blood pressure and an increase of heart rate in anesthetized dogs. Cyclic AMP level of peripheral venous plasma was 18.6 +/- 1.32 p mole/ml in human (N=25), 21.6 +/- 3.04 P mole/ml in dogs (N=7) and 50.6 +/- 4.59 p mole/ml in rabbit (N=9). Plasma cyclic AMP level of rabbit was higher than those of human and dog.

Treatment of cystic ovarian disease in dairy cattle

Fourty-four Holstein Friesian cows diagnosed as having ovarian follicular cysts from rectal palpation of the ovaries and observation of estrous behavior were used for the present experiments. Of the 16 cows injected intramuscularly (i.m.) with 110 mg of depot-progestins containing 100 mg of 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate and 10 mg of progesterone in oil, 8 cows responded with conception with 103 +/- 53 days in average after the treatment. The 8 cows not responding to depot-progestins were injected i.m. with 6,000 MU of HCG on the 10th day after the treatment. As a result, 2 cows of them conceived within 72 days in average after the initial treatment. Of the other 16 cows injected i.m. with 100 mg of progesteron in oil, 3 cows conceived. Interval between the treatment and conception was 36 +/- 9 days in average. In the 11 cows which failed to respond to progesterone treatment, an intramuscular injection of 6,000 MU of HCG on the 5th day after treatment resulted in conception of 7 cows within 42 +/- 10 days in average after the first treatment. Of the remaining 12 cows which received an i.m. injection with 10,000 MU of HCG, 4 cows responded with conception with 64 +/- 51 days in average after treatment. No remarkable rise in serum progesterone levels was observed either 10 days after depot-progestins injection or 5 days after progesterone treatment. Serum progesteron levels increased distinctly after HCG injections. The combined treatment with 100 mg of progesterone and 6,000 MU of HCG at 5 days interval gave the most successful results and this treatment was effective even when performed long after calving. Thus this method of treatment of cystic ovarian disease may be recommended for practical application.

Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity was higher in the serum, the mesenteric artery and the cerebral cortex of 4-week-old stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP), and lower in the nucleus tractus solitarii than it was in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

Correlation between serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase activities in central and peripheral adrenergic neurons and adrenal glands

Serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats and Wistar-Kyoto rats had a positive correlation with dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase activities in mesenteric vessels, vas deferens, and adrenal glands at 14-16 weeks of age, a negative correlation with dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity in locus coeruleus at 3 weeks and 14-16 weeks of age, and a positive correlation with tyrosine hydroxylase activity only at 3 weeks of age, but not at 14-16 weeks of age.

Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase and other enzymes of catecholamine metabolism in human brain

The activities of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), DOPA decarboxylase (DDC), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT), and monoamine oxidase (MAO) with serotonin and phenylethylamine as substrates were measured in catecholaminergic regions of human brain from 10 controls and 3 patients with Parkinsonism. PNMT activity was detected in hypothalamus, thalamus and cerebellar nucleus of the control human brain, and was reduced in hypothalamus of Parkinsonian cases. Type A (with serotonin as substrate) and type B (with phenylethylamine as substrate) MAO activities were high in all brain regions with little individual variations in controls and Parkinsonian cases. TH activity was high in the controls and was markedly decreased, in substantia nigra, caudate nucleus, putamen and in pallidum, in all three cases of Parkinsonism. DDC activity in these regions was also decreased in 2 patients. However, one Parkinsonian case had only decreased TH and normal DDC activities. DBH activity in hypothalamus was also reduced in the Parkinsonian cases.

Effects of stereochemical structures of tetrahydrobiopterin on tyrosine hydroxylase

1. Four stereochemical isomers of tetrahydrobiopterin, i.e., 6-L-erythro-, 6-D-erythro-, 6-L-threo-, or 6-D-threo-1,2-dihydroxypropyltetrahydropterin, have been synthesized and used as cofactors for tyrosine hydroxylase (EC 1.14.18.-) purified from the soluble fraction of bovine adrenal medulla. The L-erythro- (the putative natural cofactor) and D-threo isomers showed a striking similarity in their cofactor activities for tyrosine hydroxylase; the remaining two isomeric tetrahydrobiopterins, D-erythro and L-threo isomers, also had very similar cofactor characteristics. 2. The Km values of the L-erythro and D-threo isomers as cofactor were found to be dependent on their concentrations. When their concentrations were below 100 muM, the Km values of the L-erythro and D-threo isomers were fairly low (about 20 muM). However, the Km values were markedly higher (about 150 muM) at concentrations above 100 muM. The same kinetic behavior was also observed with the tetrahydrobiopterin prepared from a natural source (bullfrog). In contrast, the Km value of the L-threo or D-erythro isomer was found to be independent of the concentration and remained constant throughout the concentration examined. 3. The Km values of tyrosine did not show much difference (from 20 muM to 30 muM) with respect to the structure of the four isomeric cofactors. At high concentrations tyrosine inhibited the enzymatic reaction with any one of the four tetrahydrobiopterin cofactors. 4. Oxygen at high concentrations was also inhibitory with any one of the four stereochemical isomers as cofactor. Approximate Km values for oxygen with the tetrahydrobiopterins as cofactor were 1-5%. 5. In contrast to the four isomers of tetrahydrobiopterin, when 6-methyltetrahydropterin or 6,7-dimethyltetrahydropterin was used as cofactor tyrosine or oxygen did no inhibit the enzymatic reaction at high concentrations, and the Km values toward the pterin cofactor, tyrosine, and oxygen were significantly higher than the Km values with the tetrahydrobiopterins as cofactor.

Vascular and brain dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity in young spontaneously hypertensive rats

Dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity was higher in mesenteric vessels, adrenal glands, and serum of 3-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats but lower in the locus coeruleus than it was in the control Wistar-Kyoto rats. The results support the concept that the nervous system is an important regulator of blood pressure.