Distribution and characterization of the TRH receptors in the CNS of ataxic mutant mouse

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the cerebellum

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was originally isolated from the hypothalamus. Besides controlling the secretion of TSH from the anterior pituitary, this tripeptide is widely distributed in the central nervous system and regarded as a neurotransmitter or modulator of neuronal activities in extrahypothalamic regions, including the cerebellum. TRH has an important role in the regulation of energy homeostasis, feeding behavior, thermogenesis, and autonomic regulation. TRH controls energy homeostasis mainly through its hypophysiotropic actions to regulate circulating thyroid hormone levels. Recent investigations have revealed that TRH production is regulated directly at the transcriptional level by leptin, one of the adipocytokines that plays a critical role in feeding and energy expenditure. The improvement of ataxic gait is one of the important pharmacological properties of TRH. In the cerebellum, cyclic GMP has been shown to be involved in the effects of TRH. TRH knockout mice show characteristic phenotypes of tertiary hypothyroidism, but no morphological changes in their cerebellum. Further analysis of TRH-deficient mice revealed that the expression of PFTAIRE protein kinase1 (PFTK1), a cdc2-related kinase, in the cerebellum was induced by TRH through the NO-cGMP pathway. The antiataxic effect of TRH and TRH analogs has been investigated in rolling mouse Nagoya (RMN) or 3-acetylpyridine treated rats, which are regarded as a model of human cerebellar degenerative disease. TRH and TRH analogs are promising clinical therapeutic agents for inducing arousal effects, amelioration of mental depression, and improvement of cerebellar ataxia.

Serotonergic regulation of the spinal cord content of thyrotropin releasing hormone in the cerebellar ataxia mutant mouse

The effects of serotonin (5-HT) and various serotonin receptor antagonists on the spinal cord thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) content were studied in the rolling mouse Nagoya (RMN) and in the unaffected C3H mouse. TRH was extracted from the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral cord, at 1 h after the intraperitoneal injection of a serotonin precursor, 2 serotonin agonists, and 5 serotonin receptor antagonists. Administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan and 2-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine resulted in an increase of the spinal cord TRH content in C3H mice, but not in RMN. Parachlorophenylalanine decreased the spinal cord TRH content in C3H mice, while it increased TRH levels in all regions of the RMN spinal cord. The TRH contents were decreased in all regions of the spinal cord after 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine administration in both C3H mice and RMN. In C3H mice, methysergide, mianserin, ketanserin, and spiperone significantly decreased the TRH content in all regions of the spinal cord, while 3 alpha-tropanyl-1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid ester (ICS205-930) did not affect it. These antagonists paradoxically increased TRH levels in the cervical cord in RMN. The degradation of synthetic TRH by cord homogenates and the number and affinity of spinal cord serotonergic receptors (5-HT1 and 5-HT2) showed no significant difference between C3H mice and RMN. These results suggest that TRH turnover is abnormally regulated by serotonergic neurons in the RMN and that the dysfunction of the serotonergic nerves is attributable to the serotonin autoreceptor.

Neurotransmitter receptors of the rolling mouse Nagoya: a quantitative autoradiographic study

The distribution of neurotransmitter and neuromodulator receptors was studied in the brain of the rolling mouse Nagoya (RMN) and in controls, using in vitro receptor autoradiography. Quantitative autoradiography was used to map adenosine A1 (labeled with [3H]cyclohexyladenosine), GABAA [( 3H]muscimol), opiate [( 3H]naloxone), L-glutamate [( 3H]L-glutamate), benzodiazepine [( 3H]flunitrazepam), and muscarinic cholinergic [( 3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate) receptors. In the cerebellar cortex, GABAA and adenosine A1 binding sites were significantly reduced in the RMN, whereas other transmitter binding sites were not significantly altered. Adenosine A1 binding sites were also reduced in the cerebral cortex and caudate-putamen. Benzodiazepine binding was significantly decreased in the cerebral cortex and increased in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus. These results suggest that neurochemical alterations in the caudate-putamen as well as in the cerebellar cortex play important roles in the ataxia and motor dysfunction of the RMN.

Effects of N-ethylmaleimide and forskolin on glutamate release from rat hippocampal slices. Evidence that prejunctional adenosine receptors are linked to N-proteins, but not to adenylate cyclase

In the present experiments we have examined the effect of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) on the release of [3H]glutamate from rat hippocampal slices. Pretreatment of slices with NEM in a concentration between 50 microM and 200 microM, can inhibit the GTP-binding protein (Ni) that transmits receptor signals into inhibitions of adenylate cyclase, without affecting the Ns-protein, that transmits signals into stimulation of the cyclase, or the cyclase. The adenosine receptor agonist R-phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA, 1 microM) caused an approximately 50% inhibition of the evoked [3H]glutamate release. This effect was completely prevented by NEM treatment, which did not affect basal or stimulated release of the amino acid. By contrast, the effect of R-PIA was unaffected by adding an adenylate cyclase stimulator (forskolin 1 microM) and a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (rolipram, ZK 62.711, 30 microM) which raised the cyclic AMP content of the slices approximately 10-fold. In conclusion, these results suggest that the adenosine receptor that mediates prejunctional inhibition of glutamate release is coupled to a protein similar to the Ni-protein, but that another effector than adenylate cyclase is involved.

Studies on thyrotropin releasing hormone in cerebellar ataxia mutant mouse brain

The effects of cathecholamine on the regional TRH distribution in the brain was studied in rolling mouse Nagoya (RMN) and non-affected C3H mice. TRH was extracted from the hypothalamus, brain stem, cerebellum, and cerebrum one hour after i.p. injection of the precursor or inhibitors of cathecholamine. TRH was distributed throughout the brain of both affected and non-affected mice; however, in RMN, TRH levels were lower in the hypothalamus and higher in other areas. 1-Dopa caused a decrease of TRH in the brain stem but no change in other regions in the RMN brain, whereas it caused an increase in TRH levels in all areas of the C3H brain. Fusaric acid increased TRH in the hypothalamus of RMN and decreased it in the cerebellum; alpha-MPT also caused a decrease in the TRH level in the cerebellum. Reserpine increased the TRH level in the hypothalamus and decreased it in the cerebrum. From these results, it appears that cerebellar ataxia in RMN does not result from a decrease in the TRH, which is actually increased in the cerebellum. Catecholamine had different effects on TRH levels in RMN and the controls; this might be due to the excess accumulation of noradrenaline in the RMN brain.

Treatment with N-ethylmaleimide selectively reduces adenosine receptor-mediated decreases in cyclic AMP accumulation in rat hippocampal slices

N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) has been reported to interact with the GTP-binding Ni-protein; we have examined its effect on adenosine receptor binding in feline cortical membranes and on adenosine-receptor mediated effects on cyclic AMP accumulation in rat hippocampal slices. Treatment of cortical membranes with NEM (100 microM for 5 min) altered the binding of [3H]-phenylisopropyladenosine (PIA) from being almost exclusively to a single class of high affinity sites (KD = 1.65 nM) to binding at two classes of sites (KDH = 2.1 nM, KDL = 102 nM). The total number of binding sites was similar (825-845 fmol mg-1 in control membranes, 944-1428 fmol mg-1 in NEM-treated membranes). In rat hippocampal slices treated with forskolin (0.3 microM) L-PIA produced a biphasic effect on cyclic AMP accumulation: an inhibition at 0.03 to 1 microM and at higher concentrations, a stimulation. Treatment with 50 microM NEM selectively inhibited the inhibitory phase, causing stimulation at lower concentrations of L-PIA. At 50 microM, NEM did not alter basal or forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation but at higher concentrations inhibition was observed. It is concluded that NEM can, in certain doses, selectively block adenosine A1-receptor-mediated effects without affecting A2-receptor-mediated actions in the same tissue. It is suggested that this is due to NEM affecting the Ni guanine nucleotide binding protein.