A theory for the chemical mediation of the excitability of the brain, with special reference to natural and drug-induced sleep

A comparison of the dose response effects of pyrimidine ribonucleosides and adenosine on sleep in rats

The dose-response effects of intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of the pyrimidine ribonucleosides cytidine and uridine and the purine ribonucleoside adenosine on sleep and wakefulness (W) in rats were examined and compared. All three drugs were administered at doses of 1,10, and 100 nmol in volumes of 5 microliter, with control animals receiving equivolumetric infusions of 0.9% saline. Treatment with 1 nmol cytidine significantly increased W and decreased both deep slow wave sleep (S2) and total sleep (TS) during both the 3-6 and 0-6 h recording periods. In addition, this dose of cytidine significantly increased light slow wave sleep (S1) during the first 3 h of recording. The 10 nmol dose of cytidine increased W and decreased TS during the 0-6 h recording. ICV administration of uridine produced no significant changes in sleep and W at any dose during any of the recording periods examined. In contrast, adenosine exhibited significant hypnotic effects at all doses examined. All three doses of adenosine significantly reduced W and increased TS during both the 0-3 and 0-6 h recording periods. The 1 and 100 nmol doses of adenosine also significantly increased S2 during both the 0-3 and 0-6 h periods. In addition, the 100 nmol dose of adenosine significantly decreased W and increased both S2 and TS during the second 3 h of recording. Both the 1 and 100 nmol doses of adenosine also significantly reduced the latencies to the onset of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pyrimidine-degrading enzymes. Purification and properties of beta-ureidopropionase of Euglena gracilis

In photoorganotrophically grown, mid-log phase cells of Euglena gracilis, enzymes of pyrimidine degradation including uracil reductase, dihydrouracil dehydrogenase, dihydropyrimidinase, and beta-ureidopropionase, were detected in a crude extract. beta-Ureidopropionase (N-carbamoyl-beta-alanine amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.6) was purified 100-fold by heat treatment, ammonium sulphate fractionation and chromatography using Sepharose 6B and DEAE-Sephadex A-25. The enzyme follows Michaelis-Menten kinetics (Km of beta-ureidopropionase for beta-ureidopropionate 3.8 . 10(-5) M, Hill coefficient n = 1). Other enzyme properties are: pH optimum 6.25, temperature optimum 60 degrees C, stimulation by Mg2+, inhibition by Cu2+, Mr approximately 1.5--2 . 10(6). beta-Ureidoisobutyrate, the intermediate of thymine degradation, and beta-ureidopropionate are competing substrates of beta-ureidopropionase (Ki = Km of beta-ureidopropionase for beta-ureidoisobutyrate 1.8 . 10(-5) M). Structural analogues of beta-ureidopropionate, isobutyrate and propionate are competitive inhibitors (Ki of beta-ureidopropionase 0.3 and 0.16 mM, respectively). There were no indications of regulatory function of beta-ureidopropionase in pyrimidine degradation.