Lindsey Grandison

Oxidative stress mediates neuronal DNA damage and apoptosis in response to cytosine arabinoside.

Cytosine arabinoside (AraC) is a nucleoside analog that produces significant neurotoxicity in cancer patients. The mechanism by which AraC causes neuronal death is a matter of some debate because the conventional understanding of AraC toxicity requires incorporation into newly synthesized DNA. Here we demonstrate that AraC‐induced apoptosis of cultured cerebral cortical neurons is mediated by oxidative stress. AraC‐induced cell death was reduced by treatment with several different free‐radical scavengers (N‐acetyl‐l‐cysteine, dipyridamole, uric acid, and vitamin E) and was increased following depletion of cellular glutathione stores. AraC induced the formation of reactive oxygen species in neurons as measured by an increase in the fluorescence of the dye 5‐(6)‐carboxy‐2′,7′‐dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. AraC produced DNA single‐strand breaks as measured by single‐cell gel electrophoresis and the level of DNA strand breakage was reduced by treatment with the free radical scavengers. These data support a model in which AraC induces neuronal apoptosis by provoking the generation of reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative DNA damage and initiating the p53‐dependent apoptotic program. These observations suggest the use of antioxidant therapies to reduce neurotoxicity in AraC chemotherapeutic regimens.

Location and characterization of opiate receptors regulating pituitary secretion

Abstract The site at which opiate agonists and antagonists act to alter secretion of prolactin, growth hormone and luteinizing hormone as well as the pharmacological specificity of the opiate receptors mediating these effects were examined in rats. Injection of β-endorphin but not a 10 fold higher dose of the non opiate peptide β-endorphin, increased release of prolactin and growth hormone in male rats while inhibiting luteinizing hormone release in ovariectomized, estrogen primed female rats. Prior treatment with naltrexone i.p. blocked these responses. Injection of naltrexone into the hypothalamus lowered prolactin release. In rats with a surgically formed hypothalamic island systemic administration of morphine or naltrexone altered prolactin release in the same manner as was observed in intact animals. In contrast no effects of β-endorphin or naltrexone were observed on the spontaneous secretion of prolactin in vitro . In addition β-endorphin did not alter the inhibition of prolactin release produced by apomorphine in vitro . The ED50 for stimulation of prolactin release following intraventricular administration of β-endorphin or the synthetic enkephalin analog FK 33-824 was the same, approximately 0.1 ng/rat. However FK 33-824 at 0.2 ng/rat was able to produce much greater analgesia and catatonia than β-endorphin. The metabolism and distribution of β-endorphin was examined but did not account for these differential effects. These results indicate that opiate agonists and antagonists can act at the hypothalamic but not the anterior pituitary level to alter release of prolactin, growth hormone and luteinizing hormone. In addition the data suggest that the opiate receptors mediating release of prolactin may have a different pharmacological specificity from those involved with analgesia and catatonia.

Suppression of Prolactin Secretion by Benzodiazepines in vivo

Administration of benzodiazepines to male or female rats was observed to inhibit prolactin release. Basal secretion of prolactin was only slightly suppressed with the highest dose of benzodiazepines; however, the rise in prolactin release following a stimulus was prevented even at low doses (0.1-1 mg/kg). The benzodiazepine diazepam blocked stress-induced prolactin release and, when given during the critical period of proestrus, the proestrus surge of prolactin. Diazepam administration also blunted the release of prolactin induced by dopaminergic receptor blockade following haloperidol, or by serotonergic receptor activation produced by fluoxetine, a serotonergic reuptake inhibitor plus 5-hydroxytryptophan, a serotonin precursor. Inhibition of prolactin release by benzodiazepine was dose related, and inhibition was still evident after repeated diazepam injection. The potency of three benzodiazepine analogues to inhibit prolactin release correlated with their potency to displace radiolabeled diazepam binding from brain membrane fractions or to induce other biological responses (clonazepam greater than diazepam greater than chlordiazepoxide). These actions of benzodiazepines on prolactin release are similar to those reported for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The hypothesis of a benzodiazepine GABA receptor complex suggests that GABA may be involved in these in vivo actions of diazepam.

Changes in preproenkephalin messenger RNA level in the rat ventromedial hypothalamus during the estrous cycle

To gain a better understanding of the relationship between the female rat reproductive system and preproenkephalin (PPE) expressing neurons under physiological conditions, we examined changes in PPE mRNA levels in the mediobasal hypothalamus during the rat estrous cycle by means of northern blotting and in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISHH). In the Northern blot studies, we found that PPE mRNA levels in the mediobasal hypothalamus were significantly increased by noon of proestrus compared to those in the morning and stayed high until diestrus day 1, and returned toward low levels on diestrous day 2. In contrast, measured as controls, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase mRNA levels were significantly higher on proestrus regardless of time of day compared to diestrus day 2, and levels of calcineurin mRNA on proestrous and estrous were significantly lower than diestrous day 1 and day 2. ISHH studies revealed that these changes in PPE mRNA levels were specific in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus pars ventrolateralis (VMHVL), since we could not see any significant changes in signal in other parts including ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus pars dorsomedialis and arcuate hypothalamic nucleus. In the VMHVL, PPE mRNA levels in the afternoon of proestrous were significantly higher than those in the afternoon of diestrous day 2 whereas no significant change in PPE mRNA was observed in the caudate-putamen. The present study provides additional information relevant to possible implications of PPE gene expression in female reproductive systems, since changes in PPE mRNA levels may be associated with estrogen as well as progesterone or other hormonal concentrations during the estrous cycle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Morphine does not stimulate prolactin release during lactation

The ability of morphine to stimulate prolactin and growth hormone (GH) release was investigated in male rats and in female rats during diestrus, proestrus and lactation. In agreement with previous reports, acute morphine administration produced an increase in circulating levels of prolactin in male and in diestrous and proestrous female rats. In contrast to these results, morphine administration (10 or 15 mg/kg, s.c.; 5 mg/kg, i.v.; 5 or 10 micrograms, i.c.v.) did not produce an increase in prolactin levels in lactating dams. Morphine stimulates prolactin release in part by decreasing dopamine turnover in the tuberoinfundibular neurons in the median eminence. In order to assess the functional activity of these neurons during lactation, haloperidol (0.1 or 0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) was given to lactating dams. There was a significant increase in prolactin levels following haloperidol administration, suggesting that these dopaminergic neurons are participating in the modulation of prolactin release during lactation. In contrast to the insensitivity of the lactating rat to morphine stimulation of prolactin release, the intraventricular administration of two other opiate receptor agonists, beta-endorphin (10 or 20 micrograms) and [D-Ala-D-Leu]enkephalin (DADLE; 5 or 10 micrograms), produced significant increases in circulating levels of this hormone. The GH response to morphine, beta-endorphin and DADLE was also measured in these same rats. All these opiate receptor agonists stimulated GH release in male rats and in female rats during diestrus and proestrus as well as during lactation. These observations suggest that the suckling stimulus during lactation renders the rat refractory to morphine stimulation of prolactin release, possibly as a result of down-regulation of the mu-opiate receptor subtype.

Effect of naltrexone on regional brain oxygen consumption in the cat

Cerebral blood flow was measured by 141Ce and 85Sr microsphere accumulation, and oxygen saturation of arterial and venous blood within 9 regions of the brain was determined by microspectrophotometric measurement in chloralose anesthetized cats. Extraction was calculated as the difference between oxygen content of arterial and venous blood. Oxygen consumption was computed as the product of blood flow and oxygen extraction. Global and regional comparisons were made between 7 anesthetized cats and 7 anesthetized cats given 1 mg/kg naltrexone HCl i.v. Naltrexone treatment reduced total brain oxygen consumption by 48% at 20 min after intravenous injection. Analysis of the anterior and posterior cortex, lenticulate nuclei, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, medulla, pons and cerebellum indicated that the oxygen consumption of the pons and hypothalamus was reduced to the greatest extent. The decreased oxygen consumption reduced blood flow in the whole brain, and the pons. The oxygen supply to consumption ratio was not altered by naltrexone except in the hypothalamus where an even greater excess of oxygen was delivered. These observations are interpreted as indicating that opiate receptor blockade is associated with reduced brain metabolism and that this response is not restricted to regions of high opiate receptor concentration.

Prolactin release and tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neuronal activity following single and double injections of morphine

It is well established that opiate agonists alter tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic activity and consequently prolactin release. The purpose of this study was to characterize the effects of morphine on prolactin secretion and tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neuronal activity with respect to time after administration. Additionally, the effect of an initial morphine injection on the response produced by a second injection of morphine was determined. The rate of depletion of median eminence dopamine content following synthesis inhibition by alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine was used as an index of dopaminergic neuronal activity. Male rats given a single injection of morphine sulfate (15 mg/kg, s.c.) showed a significant increase in circulating prolactin levels and had a lower rate of median eminence dopamine turnover 1 h after injection. Four hours after injection, circulating prolactin levels were similar to those in vehicle treated rats, while dopamine turnover was significantly higher than controls. When two injections of morphine sulfate (15 mg/kg, s.c.) were given 4 h apart, the stimulation of prolactin release produced by the second injection was significantly attenuated. Although this second injection caused a significant decrease in dopamine turnover, the turnover rate following this injection was significantly greater than that following the initial injection. The combination of fluoxetine and 5-hydroxytryptophan (FLX/5-HTP) caused an initial increase in prolactin secretion with plasma values returning to basal levels by 4 h. When rats were pretreated with FLX/5-HTP instead of morphine, the prolactin response to an injection of morphine 4 h later was not attenuated. Similarly a FLX/5-HTP pretreatment had no influence on a second injection of FLX/5-HTP administered 4 h later.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of RHC 80267, a diglyceride lipase inhibitor, on prolactin secretion and calcium uptake in GH3 pituitary cells.

The effect of the diglyceride lipase inhibitor RHC 80267 on the prolactin secretory process was examined in clonal anterior pituitary GH3 cells. This compound reduced basal prolactin secretion as well as secretion induced by TRH and phospholipase C but not that induced by phorbol myristate acetate. Although exogenous phospholipase C increased diglyceride, no increase in the products of diglyceride lipase was detected. Moreover, low doses of RHC 80267 were observed to effectively block potassium-stimulated 45calcium influx. It is unlikely that RHC 80267 inhibits prolactin release solely by inhibiting diglyceride lipase. These data suggest blockade of plasma membrane calcium channels as an alternate mechanism for the inhibitory actions of RHC 80267 on intact GH3 cells. These observations may have implications for RHC 80267 action in other cell types.

Effect of GABA agonists and modulators on prolactin release

Abstract Administration of GABA agonists has been found both to stimulate and inhibit prolactin secretion in vivo . These independent actions represent a stimulatory effect after intracerebroventricular injection mediated by an action within the CNS and an inhibitory response resulting from a direct action of GABA on the pituitary cell membrane to reduce prolactin release. Thus the response to exogenously administered GABA or its agonists depends on the route of injection. In this study amino oxyacetic acid and isonicotinic acid hydrazide were given to increase or decrease respectively the concentration of endogenous GABA. Benzodiazepine was used to enhance the affinity of the receptor for endogenous GABA. Unlike the agonists used previously these drugs enter the CNS after systemic administration and can thus produce two opposing effects. The results indicated that increased blood and brain GABA content or receptor affinity was associated with reduced prolactin release. These effects however were more significant when basal prolactin secretion was stimulated by estrogen or haloperidol.