[A simple and rapid method capable of detecting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by single culture on an agar plate]

A novel simple agar plate capable of detecting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) by single culture was developed. The agar plate included 1) mannitol and a pH indicator, and 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphoric acid, both for identification of Staphylococcus aureus by its ability to digest mannitol and produce phosphatase; detection of the former by change in color of pH indicator and the latter by fluorescence of 4-methylumbelliferone, 2) oxacillin at a minimum concentration just to eliminate methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), and 3) phenylethyl alcohol to inhibit growth of most gram negative rods. The method was simple, sensitive, time-saving, and quite effective in the identification of MRSA directly from clinical specimens. Neither false positive nor false negative results were observed by the present method.

Effect of side-stream cigarette smoke on the hepatic cytochrome P450

The effect of inhalation of side-stream cigarette smoke on the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P450 was investigated Rats were placed in a chamber of 0.1 m3 in volume, in which cigarettes were burned at the rate of 1, 3, or 5 cigarettes per h, 8 h/day for 5 days. Cytochrome P450 and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase showed no significant changes; however, cytochrome b5 increased significantly. On the other hand, the activity of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) decreased in the rats treated with a high concentration of cigarette smoke. In order to study the changes of isoforms of cytochrome P450, western blot analyses were performed. The inductions of three kinds of isoforms, cytochromes P450IA1, IA2, and IIB1, were demonstrated immunochemically. However, there were disagreements between the results of the western blot analyses and the measurements of total cytochrome P450 content and AHH activity.

Induction of mitochondrial chaperonin, hsp60, by cadmium in human hepatoma cells

Mitochondrial dysfunction is readily induced by a low level of cadmium both in vivo and in vitro. The gene expression of mitochondrial hsp60 was induced in a dose- and time-dependent manner and also in parallel with the accumulation of cadmium in mitochondria. The levels of hsp60 mRNA increased with time until 18 h, while the induction of heat shock 70 (hsp70) gene peaked at 6 h and then declined. On the other hand, the levels of metallothionein mRNA reached to a plateau at 6 h and were maintained at this level continuously. These results suggest that the regulatory mechanism and/or the signals for hsp60 induction by cadmium are independent from those of hsp70 and metallothionein.

A direct enzyme immunoassay for 18-hydroxycortisol in urine: a new tool for screening primary aldosteronism

A microplate enzyme immunoassay has been developed for the measurement of 18-hydroxycortisol in urine. An antiserum was produced by immunization of rabbits with a 3-O-(carboxymethyl)oximino-18-hydroxycortisol-bovine serum albumin conjugate. IgG was isolated from the antiserum and was biotinylated. Newly synthesized p-nitrophenyl ester of the oxime was used for the preparation of steroid-horseradish peroxidase conjugate. After an incubation of diluted urine samples (or standards) and the steroid-enzyme conjugate with the biotinylated antibody, the resulting antigen-antibody complex was separated by adding a portion of the reaction mixture into the avidin-coated microtiter plate. Peroxidase bound to solid phase was measured colorimetrically. The standard curve was linear from 0.25 to 10 ng/well. Intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 5.5-8.8 and 7.8-8.2%, respectively. The assay was specific except for 18-hydroxycortisone with minor cross reaction. Urinary 18-hydroxycortisol excretion ranged 836-7460 and 26-696 nmol/24 h, respectively, in patients with primary aldosteronism (n = 8) and in control subjects (n = 40). This simple and rapid (< 4 h) assay is suitable for screening patients with primary aldosteronism.

[Rapid alteration in serum lipoprotein profile after bile drainage in a patient with acute bile duct obstruction: contribution of cholestasis to cholesteryl ester-dominant ApoE-rich HDL accumulation]

Remarkably increased cholesteryl ester-dominant apoE-rich HDL with alpha 2-mobility, similar to the apoE-rich HDL observed in primary biliary cirrhosis, was found in a patient with acute bile duct obstruction due to common bile duct carcinoma. Bile drainage rapidly lowered her serum apoE-rich HDL from 34.1 to 6.1 mg/dl and from 96 to 10 mg/dl in terms of apoE (control; 2.6 +/- 1.5 mg/dl, n = 38) and of cholesterol (control; 6.7 +/- 2.3 mg/dl, n = 38), respectively. Disturbance in hepatic lipoprotein clearance due to the presence of cholestasis without severe liver damage is a possible cause of accumulation of cholesteryl ester-dominant apoE-rich HDL. Hence, plasma cholesteryl ester-dominant apoE-rich HDL level is supposed to be a good indicator of hepatic lipoprotein clearance. The measurement of this lipoprotein and the analysis of its lipid composition, by our convenient method, would be useful for the diagnosis of cholestasis and for the evaluation of hepatic function in cholestatic patients.

[Magnet-supported chemiluminescent detection for amplified mecA gene of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus]

A method of chemiluminescent detection for mecA gene of methicillin-resistant S. aureus amplified by polymerase chain reaction, was developed. The senseprimer was biotinylated at 5'-end, and an oligonucleotide probe, complementary to the senseprimer, was labeled with acridinium ester at 5'-end. Template DNA was obtained from colonies of S. aureus cultured on blood agar. Polymerase chain reaction product was hybridized with the probe and was separated using streptavidin-coated magnetic microparticles in magnetic field. The pellet was washed by decantations, and was measured for chemiluminescence in an automatic luminescence reader. For reference, drug sensitivity and presence of mecA gene were tested by dilution method and electrophoresis of polymerase chain reaction product, respectively, for each colony studied. Results showed that methicillin-resistant S. aureus (n = 44) and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (n = 19) can be successfully differentiated by chemiluminescence measurement. This method is specific, rapid, and suitable for handling a large number of samples.

Increase in extracellular acetylcholine level by sigma ligands in rat frontal cortex

The effects of sigma ligands on the central acetylcholine (ACh) systems in the rat frontal cortex were examined. By using brain microdialysis techniques, we showed that nonbenzomorphan sigma ligands, (+)-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine and 1,3-di(2-tolyl)guanidine (DTG) dose-dependently increased the extracellular ACh level in this area. Similarly, benzomorphan sigma ligands, (+/-)-pentazocine and (+)-N-allylnormetazocine [(+)-SKF-10,047] also increased the extracellular ACh level. The increase in extracellular ACh level elicited by (+)-SKF-10,047 was greater than that by (-)-SKF-10,047. Moreover, the (+)-SKF-10,047- and DTG-induced increase in the extracellular ACh level were reduced significantly by simultaneous administration of haloperidol, a putative sigma receptor antagonist, whereas the (+)-SKF-10,047-induced increase was unaffected by (+/-)-3-(2- carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid, a competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channel antagonist. On the other hand, none of the sigma ligands tested in this study had any effects on acetylcholinesterase or choline acetyltransferase activity and sodium-dependent high affinity choline uptake site in the rat frontal cortex. Ranking of potency for increasing extracellular ACh level was in the following order: (+/-)-pentazocine > (+)-SKF-10,047 > (+)-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine > DTG. This order was positively correlated with the order of binding potency for the (+)-[3H]SKF-10,047 binding site in the rat frontal cortex, but was not correlated with binding to the [3H]DTG, [3H]quinuclidinyl benzylate and [3H]AF-DX116 ([3H]11-[(2-[(dimethylamino)methyl]-1-piperidinyl)acetyl]-5, 11-dihydro-6H-pyrido[2,3-b][1,4]benzodiazepine-6-one) binding sites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

In situ kinetics of acinar, duct, and inflammatory cells in duct ligation-induced pancreatitis in rats

BACKGROUND

Acute pancreatitis remains a disease of uncertain pathogenesis. The resolution of the cellular events that underlie the development of pancreatitis may allow for significant advances in therapy.

METHODS

A new experimental approach to acute pancreatitis in the rat, i.e., selective ligation of pancreatic ducts and immunohistochemical analysis of cellular kinetics using a panel of monoclonal antibodies, was devised.

RESULTS

Immunostaining showed that the majority of the infiltrating cells bore macrophage-specific antigens (ED1-positive). Some neutrophils were also among the cellular infiltrate, but only a few T (OX19-positive) or B (His14-positive) lymphocytes were seen. At a later stage, more than half of the mononuclear cells in the stroma were neither macrophages nor lymphocytes, but possibly fibroblasts. In vivo labeling of proliferating cells with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine and immunostaining showed active proliferation of duct epithelial and wall cells of the interlobular pancreatic duct on days 1 and 2, proliferation of nonacinar cells on days 1-4, and proliferation of acinar cells on days 2-28.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate an important role of macrophages and the presence of complex processes of degeneration and regeneration in duct ligation-induced pancreatitis.

Determination of urinary 18-hydroxycortisol by isocratic normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A method for the determination of urinary 18-hydroxycortisol by high-performance liquid chromatography is described. Urinary samples were first mixed with an internal standard, 18-hydroxyprednisolone. 18-Hydroxycortisol and 18-hydroxyprednisolone, extracted by a Bond Elut column, were dehydrated by 1% (w/v) p-toluenesulphonic acid to the 11,18-epoxides. The epoxides were separated into two distinct peaks on a Resolve Silica column with a mobile phase of chloroform-methanol (100:2.5, v/v). The detection wavelength was 248 nm. The urinary 18-hydroxycortisol concentration was calculated from peak-height ratio of 11,18-epoxycortisol to 11,18-epoxyprednisolone. The linearity of the ratio was satisfactory in the range 12.5-300 ng per injection of 11,18-epoxycortisol. A specific increase of urinary 18-hydroxycortisol in patients with primary aldosteronism was demonstrated.

Proliferation kinetics of macrophage subpopulations in a rat experimental pancreatitis model

The kinetics of rat macrophage proliferation in the inflamed pancreas was analysed using a duct-ligation pancreatitis model. We performed a double immunostaining of pancreatic cryosections using a panel of monoclonal antibodies to either macrophage-specific (ED1, ED2) or macrophage-related (CR3 and Ia) antigens in combination with a cell marker of DNA synthesis (5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine, BrdU). One hour labeling with BrdU revealed each recorded macrophage phenotype to have a very high labeling index (12-28%), peaking on day 2 after induction of pancreatitis. The percentage of each proliferating phenotype also reached 20-40% of the total BrdU+ cells on day 2. The proliferating macrophages consisted of heterogeneous subpopulations including monocyte-like cells and resident macrophages. Their growth occurred in a relatively synchronized fashion, and seemed to be triggered by common proliferative signals.

Correlation between potentiation of neurogenic twitch contraction and benzomorphan sigma receptor binding potency in the mouse vas deferens

The effects of sigma receptor ligands on the neurogenic twitch contraction in the ddY mouse vas deferens were studied. In functional studies, (+)-N-allylnormetazocine ((+)-SKF-10,047) and (+)-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine ((+)-3-PPP) potentiated neurogenic twitch contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. The potentiation by each (+) enantiomer was significantly more potent than that by the respective (-) enantiomer. In addition, haloperidol and (+/-)-pentazocine also potentiated neurogenic twitch contractions. The order of potentiating ability was: haloperidol > (+/-)-pentazocine > (+)-3-PPP > (-)-3-PPP > (+)-SKF-10,047 > (-)-SKF-10,047. In contrast, other sigma receptor ligands, 1,3-di(2-tolyl)guanidine (DTG) and rimcazole, suppressed this twitch contraction. In addition, rimcazole significantly antagonized the (+)-SKF-10,047-induced potentiation at concentrations which did not affect contractions per se. Furthermore, binding studies showed that the kinetic parameters and the inhibitory potencies of sigma receptor ligands for the binding of [3H](+)-SKF-10,047 in the mouse vas deferens were similar to those in the guinea pig brain. The order of potency of sigma receptor ligands to potentiate the neurogenic twitch contraction in the mouse vas deferens was significantly correlated with the potency to inhibit [3H](+)-SKF-10,047 binding in both mouse vas deferens and guinea pig brain. These results indicate that sigma receptor ligands regulate the neurogenic twitch contraction, which is mediated by rimcazole-sensitive benzomorphan-type sigma receptors.

The effect of ethylene glycol monomethyl ether and diethylene glycol monomethyl ether on hepatic gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase

In this paper, we determined whether ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) and diethylene glycol monomethyl ether (diEGME) induce hepatic gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity. Male adult Wistar rats weighing 220 g were used as experimental animals. EGME (100, 300 mg/kg per day) and diEGME (500, 1000, 2000 mg/kg per day) were administered by gavage for 1, 2 or 5 days or 4 weeks. In the 4-week study, experimental animals were administered EGME or diEGME once a day orally, 5 days/week. EGME treatment increased the serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) level significantly, however, diEGME did not. The activities of three other enzymes (SGOT, SGPT and ALP) in serum were not altered by EGME or diEGME treatment and thus there was no biochemical indices of hepatic damage by EGME or diEGME. EGME treatment increased the GGT activities in the liver and lungs. Of the organs examined, the induction of GGT was the greatest in the liver. The inducibility in the liver was 216% for the 5-day treatment and 460% for the 4-week treatment. A dose-dependent increase of hepatic microsomal GGT activity by EGME was observed. On the other hand, renal GGT activities were declined to 72% and 60% of control by the 5-day and 4-week EGME treatments, respectively. DiEGME did not affect the GGT activities in any of the tissues except those of the brain. In the histochemical study, most hepatocytes at the periportal zones were stained with GGT staining after the 4-week treatment. However, the hepatocytes at the central zones were negative.

Histochemical study of alkaline phosphatase in primary human brain tumors: diagnostic implications for meningiomas and neurinomas

Histochemical analysis of frozen, thin sections revealed the distribution of alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) in 47 primary intracranial neoplasms in humans. The cytoplasm of meningioma cells exhibited the strongest ALPase reactivity. Pretreatment of these materials by levamisol indicated that the isozymes of ALPase had the characteristic liver-bone-kidney form. In meningiomas and astrocytomas, there was no particular relationship between ALPase activity and malignancy. In neurinomas, there was weak ALPase reactivity in a few neoplastic cells. These findings are suggestive of diagnostic implications for fibroblastic meningiomas and neurinomas at the light microscopic level.

Increased plasma apolipoprotein E-rich high-density lipoprotein and its effect on serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol determination in patients with familial hyperalphalipoproteinemia due to cholesteryl ester transfer activity deficiency

Plasma apo E-rich HDL was studied in regard to its quantity and chemical composition in the members of a family with cholesteryl ester transfer activity deficiency, exhibiting familial hyperalphalipoproteinemia. The approach involved a simple precipitation method established in our laboratory. Serum apo E-rich HDL concentrations for two homozygous members were elevated up to 66 and 60 mg/dl in terms of cholesterol (normal, 6.7 +/- 2.3 mg/dl, n = 38), and to 9.4 and 10.8 mg/dl in terms of apo E (normal, 2.6 +/- 1.5 mg/dl, n = 38). The cholesterol/apo E ratio (mole/mole) of apo E-rich HDL was higher in two homozygotes (669 and 531) than in two cholestatic patients with elevated apo E-rich HDL (268 and 149) and in normal subjects (242 +/- 115, n = 38). Chromatographic studies of the serum from a homozygote showed enlargement of all HDL subclasses and apo E in the larger HDL subclass. These facts indicate that the increase of apo E-rich HDL in this disease occurs secondarily to the enlargement of HDL particles, which require substances to cover their cores, having expanded due to the accumulation of cholesteryl ester. The sera from the homozygotes gave HDL cholesterol concentrations which were remarkably discrepant among commercial precipitating reagents, because of the difference in recovery of apo E-rich HDL with these reagents.

Similar ameliorating effects of benzomorphans and 5-HT2 antagonists on drug-induced impairment of passive avoidance response in mice: comparison with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Mice were trained to avoid electric shocks by means of step-down type passive avoidance learning tasks, and memory retention was measured 24 h after the training session. Memory impairment (amnesia) was produced by administering either p-chloroamphetamine (PCA), a serotonin (5-HT) releaser or scopolamine (SCOP), a muscarinic cholinoceptor antagonist, 30 min prior to the training session. Benzomorphans, 5-HT2 antagonists and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors were administered immediately after the training session. PCA- but not SCOP-induced amnesia was attenuated by the post-training administration of two benzomorphans, (+)N-allylnormetazocine ((+)SKF-10,047) and (+/- )pentazocine ((+/- )PTZ). Similarly, PCA-induced amnesia was reversed by the post-training administration of 5-HT2 antagonists, ritanserin (RIT) and mianserin (MIA), but SCOP-induced amnesia was not. However, the AChE inhibitors, tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA) and physostigmine (PHY) attenuated both PCA- and SCOP-induced amnesia when administered immediately after the training session. These results indicated that benzomorphans and 5-HT2 antagonists have antiamnestic effects in mice, as do AChE inhibitors. In addition, it is interesting that the patterns of ameliorating effect of benzomorphans were similar to those of 5-HT2 antagonists, which differ from those of AChE inhibitors.

Cytosolic free magnesium concentration in human platelets

Although the magnesium ion (Mg2+) is considered to play an important role in cell activation, information is limited by the lack of suitable methods for measuring cytosolic free Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]i). We measured [Mg2+]i in resting and activated human platelets using a new fluorescent Mg(2+)-indicator, mag-fura-2. [Mg2+]i was 0.54 +/- 0.14 mM in resting platelets from 15 healthy volunteers. [Mg2+]i was elevated to 1.33 +/- 0.44 mM and 0.92 +/- 0.37 mM in platelets stimulated with thrombin and collagen, respectively. Increased Mg2+ was considered to be derived chiefly from intracellular Mg2+ mobilization. These results suggest that platelet activation is associated with the increase in [Mg2+]i. The estimation of [Mg2+]i using this method is useful for the investigation of mechanism for various cell activation.

Biological monitoring of toluene and DNA polymorphism in humans

The effects of genetic polymorphism in aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) on alcohol intakes and toluene metabolism were studied in workers who handle toluene. The genotypes of ALDH2 were divided into three groups, which were the homozygous genotype of normal ALDH2 (NN), the homozygous genotype of an inactive one (DD) and the heterozygous genotype of normal and inactive ones (ND), using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in a solution containing ddGTP. The alcohol intake of the DD group was very small. On the other hand, the alcohol intake of NN group was higher than that of DD group. That of ND group was about half way between those of NN group and DD group. The alteration of toluene metabolism by the polymorphism of ALDH2 was not clear because the exposure levels of the workers to toluene were low.

Molecular cloning of a novel protein-tyrosine phosphatase SH-PTP3 with sequence similarity to the src-homology region 2

Protein-tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are directly associated with cellular growth, signal transduction, and neoplastic transformation. Here we report the isolation of a complementary DNA (cDNA) clone encoding a novel protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) from a human T cell PEER cDNA library. The predicted open reading frame encodes a approximately 68-kDa protein composed of 593 amino acids which contains two src-homology region 2's (SH2 domains) at the N terminus; this PTP is designated as SH-PTP3. Northern blot analysis revealed that SH-PTP3 mRNA was expressed throughout many tissues and the transcriptional size was consistent at about 6.0 kb. As with other SH2 domains in src-family kinases, the SH2 domains of SH-PTP3 may play a crucial role in interactions with tyrosine phosphorylated signaling proteins, including itself and protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs), to regulate targets' enzyme activity.

Effect of tert-butyl hydroperoxide on cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase metabolism of arachidonic acid in rabbit platelets

The effect of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH) on the formation of thromboxane (TX) B2, 12-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid (HHT) and 12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) from exogenous arachidonic acid (AA) in washed rabbit platelets was examined. t-BOOH enhanced TXB2 and HHT formation at concentrations of 8 microM and below, and at 50 microM it inhibited the formation, suggesting that platelet cyclooxygenase activity can be enhanced or inhibited by t-BOOH depending on the concentration. t-BOOH inhibited 12-HETE production in a dose-dependent manner. When the platelets were incubated with 12-hydroperoxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HPETE) instead of AA, t-BOOH failed to inhibit the conversion of 12-HPETE to 12-HETE, indicating that the inhibition of 12-HETE formation by t-BOOH occurs at the lipoxygenase step. Studies utilizing indomethacin (a selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and desferrioxamine (an iron-chelating agent) revealed that the inhibitory effect of t-BOOH on the lipoxygenase is not mediated through the activation of the cyclooxygenase and that this effect of t-BOOH is due to the hydroperoxy moiety. These results suggest that hydroperoxides play an important role in the control of platelet cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase activities.

Oestrogen retards the development of spontaneous thymomas in BUF/Mna rats

BUF/Mna rats develop spontaneous thymomas with nearly 100% incidence in both sexes. While the thymomas in males develop from around 9 months of age, those in females start from 13-15 months of age. To clarify the mechanism of the delay of thymomagenesis in females, the effect of sex hormones on the development of thymomas was examined after either gonadectomy or oestrogen treatment. Prepubertal ovariectomy accelerated the thymoma development in females, whereas orchiectomy did not affect it. An intraperitoneal injection of oestriol (20 mg) into males at 2 months of age remarkably diminished the thymic weight to about one-tenth of age-matched controls at 16 months of age. These results suggest that oestrogen can actually retard the onset of thymoma in spite of genetic control of its incidence. However, oestrogen did not cause thymic involution when it was injected into rats over 9 months of age. Immunohistochemically, there seemed to be no distinct difference in distribution of oestrogen-receptor-bearing epithelial cells between thymomas and 2- to 3-month-old thymuses. The oestrogen sensitivity of the thymus might be destined to be lost, as the thymic epithelial cells start neoplastic changes with the impairment of oestrogen-receptor function.

Contribution of temperature gradient to aggregation of thermal heterocopolymers of amino acids in aqueous milieu

We prepared thermal heterocopolymers of amino acids, aspartic acid and proline, and solubilized them in distilled water at boiling temperature. The resulting suspension was then cooled down while controlling the cooling rate. The maximum growth of phase-separated microspheres was found to occur at a finite, nonzero cooling rate. Temperature-gradient controlled growth of these microspheres indicates that aggregation of thermal heterocopolymers of amino acids in their aqueous milieu is irreversible. In view of the fact that evolutionary process is an indication of lasting physical irreversibility, thermal heterocopolymers of amino acids were shown to have an evolutionary significance in maintaining the capacity of irreversibility lasting over at least several hours.

Stress-induced gastric mucosal lesion and platelet aggregation in rats

The effect of cold-restraint stress on platelet function in vitro was studied in the rat model. Platelet function was assessed by platelet aggregation in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and thrombin. ADP-induced platelet aggregation was reduced in platelet-rich plasma after 2 h of cold-restraint stress. Thrombin-induced platelet aggregation was reduced with time during cold-restraint stress with a parallel increase in the lesion index. Although pretreatment of animals with atropine prevented the development of gastric mucosal lesions, platelet dysfunction was not reversed by this treatment. These results suggest that cold-restraint stress may impair platelet function, probably due to platelet activation in vivo, and that the abnormalities in platelet function may be associated with the development of gastric mucosal lesions.

Increase of extracellular acetylcholine level in rat frontal cortex induced by (+)N-allylnormetazocine as measured by brain microdialysis

Acute administration of (+)N-allylnormetazocine ((+) SKF-10,047) was found to increase the extracellular acetylcholine (ACh) level in rat frontal cortex, as measured by brain microdialysis in freely-moving rats. The increase elicited by (+)SKF-10,047 was dose-dependent and the increase was significant at a dose of 5.0 mg/kg, compared with the saline-treated group. On the other hand, the extracellular dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) level in the frontal cortex was not changed by (+)SKF-10,047 at 5.0 mg/kg, whereas extracellular ACh level increased markedly in this area. These results suggest that (+)SKF-10,047 can affect some central nervous system (CNS) functions through the increment of extracellular ACh level in rat frontal cortex at lower doses.

Molecular characterization and silk gland expression of Bombyx engrailed and invected genes

Genetic analysis in Drosophila has shown that engrailed (en) plays an important role in segmentation and neurogenesis. A closely related gene, invected (in), is coexpressed with en in the posterior developmental compartments where en is known to specify cell state. We report here the isolation of two en-like cDNAs from the middle silk glands of Bombyx mori larvae. Sequence analysis revealed that they are the counterparts of Drosophila en and in. Four highly conserved domains, including the homeodomain, were identified in these En and In proteins from Bombyx and Drosophila. In addition, two en-specific and one in-specific domains could also be found. These structurally homologous genes might share a similar role in Bombyx development. They were found to be coexpressed in the middle silk gland but not in the posterior silk gland during the fourth molt/fifth intermolt period. We speculate that these Bombyx en-like genes might be involved in the compartmentalization of the silk gland.