Anne M. Kask

Motor fluctuations in levodopa treated parkinsonian rats: relation to lesion extent and treatment duration

The pathogenesis of the motor fluctuations that complicate levodopa treatment of most parkinsonian patients remains uncertain. To evaluate the contribution of the degree of dopamine neuron loss and the duration of levodopa exposure, rats whose nigrostriatal system had been previously lesioned unilaterally by 6-hydroxydopamine received twice daily levodopa (25 mg/kg) injections for three weeks. The magnitude of the rotational response to levodopa more than doubled during the first week of treatment (P < 0.01), but remained essentially constant thereafter. Rats with over 95 percent loss of dopaminergic neurons evidenced a progressive shortening in the duration of levodopas motor effects (P < 0.01) as well as a failure of nearly 8 percent of levodopa injections to elicit any response after the first week of treatment. In contrast, response changes resembling those associated with end of dose deterioration and on-off fluctuations in parkinsonian patients did not occur in the less severely lesioned rats. These results suggest that the extent of a dopamine neuron loss must exceed a relatively high threshold before intermittent levodopa treatment produces changes favoring the rapid appearance of motor fluctuations of the wearing-off and on-off types.

Reversal of levodopa-induced motor fluctuations in experimental parkinsonism by NMDA receptor blockade

Dopaminoceptive system alterations in the basal ganglia have been implicated in the pathogenesis of wearing-off fluctuations that complicate levodopa therapy of Parkinsons disease. To evaluate the contribution of glutamatergic mechanisms to the associated changes in striatal efferent pathway function, we examined the ability of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blockade to modify the motor response changes produced by chronic levodopa administration to hemiparkinsonian rats. Unilaterally 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats, given levodopa/benserazide (25/6.25 mg/kg) twice daily for 3 weeks, developed a progressive shortening in the duration of their motor response to levodopa similar to that occurring in parkinsonian patients with wearing-off phenomenon. The acute systemic administration of MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) to these animals completely reversed the decrease in turning duration (P < 0.01). Intrastriatal injection of the NMDA antagonist was even more effective in prolonging the levodopa response (P < 0.01), while intranigrally injected MK-801 produced no statistically significant change in the duration of levodopa-induced rotation. Rotational intensity was unaffected by all routes of MK-801 administration. These results suggest that drugs capable of blocking NMDA receptors, especially in striatum, may help ameliorate motor fluctuations in patients with advanced Parkinsons disease.

Effects of cannabinoid receptor stimulation and blockade on catalepsy produced by dopamine receptor antagonists.

The ability of cannabinoid receptor stimulation or blockade to alter catalepsy produced by dopamine D1 and D2 receptor antagonists was studied in rats. The cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR 141716A (N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-me thyl-1H- pyrazole-3-carboxamidehydrochloride) (0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg) reduced catalepsy elicited by the cannabinoid receptor agonist CP 55,940 (1 alpha,2-(R)-5-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-2-[5-hydroxy-2-(3-hydroxypropyl ) cyclohexyl-phenol) (0.5 mg/kg). However, SR 141716A (0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg) did not decrease catalepsy produced by the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (R-(+)-7chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5- tetrahydro-1-H-3-benzazepine) (0.5 mg/kg) or the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist raclopride (S(-)-3,5-dichloro-N-(1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)-methyl-6-methoxysalicylami de) (2.5 mg/kg), suggesting that, under these conditions, endogenous cannabinoid ligands do not modulate the cataleptic effects of dopamine D1 or D2 receptor antagonists. In contrast, CP 55,940 (0.025 and 0.1 mg/kg), at doses which do not produce catalepsy when administered alone, enhanced catalepsy produced by SCH 23390 and raclopride. These results suggest that stimulation, but not blockade, of brain cannabinoid receptors modifies catalepsy behavior produced by selective dopamine D1 and D2 receptor blockade.

CCK26–33 Degrading Activity in Brain and Nonneural Tissue: A Metalloendopeptidase

Abstract: Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK26–33) is metabolized by neural membranes with an initial cleavage to CCK29–33 and subsequent breakdown to CCK31–33 and CCK32–33; this pattern of proteolysis occurs on incubation with either P2 or purified lysed synaptosomal membranes. To determine whether the pattern of CCK26–33 proteolysis is unique to the brain and whether regional brain differences in its pathway or rate exist, we analyzed the proteolysis of CCK by synaptic membranes of various brain areas and cellular membranes of peripheral tissue. The pattern of degradation in brain did not differ among the regions studied. The overall proteolysis rate, as measured by the formation of tryptophan, was higher in the striatum than in the cortex, although CCK29–33 was formed at the same rate in both areas. In nonneural tissue, the rate of degradation was highest in liver membranes and lowest in pancreatic acinar cell preparations. Thus, it appears that degradative peptidases are not necessarily colocalized with CCK receptors. The pattern of product formation is the same in peripheral compared with CNS membranes; thus, the degradative pathway does not appear to be unique to brain tissue. The enzyme present in synaptic membranes that is responsible for CCK29–33 formation requires a metal ion and sulfydryl groups for the catalysis and thus is a metalloendopeptidase. Furthermore, its activity is inhibited by Ac‐Gly‐Phe‐Nle‐al, a peptide aldehyde whose sequence bears some homology to the amino acid sequence in the region of CCK26–33 that is cleaved by this enzyme.

Purification of Solid-Phase Synthesized Peptides on the Coil Planet Centrifuge

Abstract The analytical flow-through coil planet centrifuge, an instrument for countercurrent chromatography, performs the preparative purification of synthetic peptides. Various two-phase solvent systems have been tried with either phase mobile to purify many synthesized peptides. A series of N-terminal fragment peptides of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK 26–33) were synthesized by solid-phase techniques and purified on the coil planet centrifuge. The peptides were sulfated and chromatographed again. For hydrophobic peptides, purification is effected in solvent systems with a mobile aqueous phase. The n-butanol, acetic acid and water system (4:1:5 by volume) with the lower phase mobile was utilized. For sulfated peptides, the neutral system, 0.2 M ammonium acetate and n-butanol was generally applied.

MK-801 reverses effects of chronic levodopa on D1 and D2 dopamine agonist-induced rotational behavior

The effect of dizocilpine (MK-801) on dopaminergic agonist-induced rotational behavior was investigated in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway after chronic administration of levodopa. The rotational response to the D2 agonist quinpirole was markedly increased in levodopa-treated animals compared with rats chronically administered saline. The increase in responsiveness to quinpirole was reversed by co-administered MK-801. Conversely, the rotational response to the D1 agonist SKF 38393 was reduced following chronic treatment with levodopa. The decrease in response to SKF 38393 was also reversed by MK-801. Chronic treatment with levodopa failed to alter the rotational responses to two other D1 preferring agonists SKF 81297 and SKF 82968, but responses to both agonists were increased by the co-administration of MK-801. These data support the hypothesis the MK-801 may reverse the differential changes in D1 and D2 agonist-induced motor responses which result from chronic treatment with levodopa.

Preparative Purification of Peptides by Countercurrent Chromatography on the Ito Coil Planet Centrifuges

Abstract For the purification of up to 1000 mg of synthetic peptides by countercurrent chromatography, the coil planet centrifuges have proven useful in the research laboratory. Besides the earlier described horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge which chromatographs substances in all solvent systems at room temperature, the multi-layer coil planet centrifuge affords more rapid chromatography. However, separations using n-butanol, especially suited for peptides, have to be conducted at elevated temperatures. A new machine that has characteristics of both of the foregoing instruments is the compact horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge which promises rapid chromatography with full retention of the stationary phase.

Chromatography of AC-ASP-TYR-MET-GLY-TRP-MET-ASP-NH2 on the Horizontal flow-Through Coil Planet Centrifuge and the High-Speed Multi-Layer Coil Planet Centrifuge

Abstract The peptide Ac-Asp-Tyr-Met-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-NH2 was purified by countercurrent chromatography in the horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge. The solvent system used was ammonium acetate, pH 8.5 and n-butanol (1:1 by volume). The high pH served to maintain the peptide in solution. When the upper phase was utilized as the mobile phase better separation of the peptide from impurities resulted. The peptide was also chromatographed in a new apparatus, the high-speed multi-layer coil planet centrifuge. With the lower phase mobile and at a higher temperature, the peptide was fractionated very rapidly in 30 min compared to 7 hr on the other instrument.

Rapid purification of detergent-solubilized Ia antigens by immunoabsorbent chromatography

Abstract The Ia antigens from strain 2 and strain 13 guinea pig lymphocytes were solubilized with the non-ionic detergent Nonidet P-40* (NP-40) and purified by two simple affinity chromatography steps. The first step consisted of lentil lectin chromatography from which a glycoprotein-enriched fraction was obtained. The final step consisted of chromatography using la-specific immunoabsorbents, from which the antigens were eluted with acid glycine buffer. Antigen yields were determined by inhibition of cytotoxicity, and mean yields were 21% for the strain 13 Ia antigens and 19% for the strain 2 Ia antigens. Electrophoretic analysis demonstrated the high degree of purification attained. Immunoabsorbent chromatography offers a rapid and effective method for the isolation of Ia antigens.

THE PRESENCE OF IA ANTIGENS ON THE SURFACE OF LEUKEMIC CELLS IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMMUNOGENICITY OF A TUMOR SPECIFIC TRANSPLANTATION ANTIGEN

A closely related series of B cell leukemias of inbred strain 2 guinea pigs are available for study. There is strong evidence that these variants all arose from a single cell since all the variants, although having slightly different karyotypes have the same marker chromosome and all share the same surface IgM idiotype. Four of the 5 lines of leukemia have a strong TSTA as measured by immunization tests in syngeneic animals. One line lacks a TSTA and also lacks surface Ia antigens (a part of the MHC of the guinea pig). Criss cross immunization protection tests demonstrate that the TSTA of the Ia negative variant is present but not immunogenic. These studies demonstrate a close functional relationship between Ia antigens and TSTAs. An immunogenic KC1 extract from the L 2 C has been prepared; studies are now in progress to characterize the molecular species in the KC1 extract which acts as the TSTA.