bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lipopolysaccharide and proinflammatory cytokines stimulate interleukin-6 expression in C2C12 myoblasts: role of the Jun NH2-terminal kinase
Authors: Frost Robert A. , Nystrom Gerald J. , Lang Charles H.
Published: March 2015

IL-6 is a major inflammatory cytokine that plays a central role in coordinating the acute-phase response to trauma, injury, and infection in vivo. Although IL-6 is synthesized predominantly by macrophages and lymphocytes, skeletal muscle is a newly recognized source of this cytokine. IL-6 from muscle spills into the circulation, and blood-borne IL-6 can be elevated >100-fold due to exercise and injury. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether inflammatory stimuli, such as LPS, TNF-α, and IL-1β, could increase IL-6 expression in skeletal muscle and C2C12 myoblasts. Second, we investigated the role of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, and the Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) in particular, as a mediator of this response. Intraperitoneal injection of LPS in mice increased the circulating concentration of IL-6 from undetectable levels to 4 ng/ml. LPS also increased IL-6 mRNA 100-fold in mouse fast-twitch skeletal muscle. Addition of LPS, IL-1β, or TNF-α directly to C2C12 myoblasts increased IL-6 protein (6- to 8-fold) and IL-6 mRNA (5- to 10-fold). The response to all three stimuli was completely blocked by the JNK inhibitor SP-600125 but not as effectively by other MAP kinase inhibitors. SP-600125 blocked LPS-stimulated IL-6 synthesis dose dependently at both the RNA and protein level. SP-600125 was as effective as the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone at inhibiting IL-6 expression. SP-600125 inhibited IL-6 synthesis when added to cells up to 60 min after LPS stimulation, but its inhibitory effect waned with time. LPS stimulated IL-6 mRNA in both myoblasts and myotubes, but myoblasts showed a proportionally greater LPS-induced increase in IL-6 protein expression compared with myotubes. SP-600125 and the proteasomal inhibitor MG-132 blocked LPS-induced degradation of IκB-α/ϵ and LPS-stimulated expression of IκB-α mRNA. Yet, only SP-600125 and not MG-132 blocked LPS-induced IL-6 mRNA expression. This suggests that IL-6 gene expression is a downstream target of JNK in C2C12 myoblasts.
Suppression of vagal motor activities evokes laryngeal afferent-mediated inhibition of gastric motility
Authors: Kobashi Motoi , Koga Tomoshige , Mizutani Masatoshi , Matsuo Ryuji
Published: March 2015

We previously reported that the activation of water-responsive afferents in the superior laryngeal nerve was responsible for the inhibition of gastric motility. The present study was undertaken to clarify the roles of the vagal preganglionic neurons responsible for laryngeal afferent-mediated inhibition of gastric motility. Intravenous injection of atropine abolished the inhibition of motility in both the distal and the proximal stomach induced by water administration into the larynx. The neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV), which project to the abdominal viscera, were exclusively inhibited by water administration. Taken together, inhibition of neurons in the DMV induces inhibition of gastric motility evoked by laryngeal water-responsive afferents via a cholinergic pathway. Because chemical lesions of the intermediate DMV, but not the caudal DMV, abolished the inhibition of the distal stomach motility induced by water administration, the intermediate DMV is responsible for the inhibition shown in the distal stomach.
Physiological genomic analysis of the brain renin-angiotensin system
Authors: Davisson Robin L.
Published: March 2015

The brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has long been considered pivotal in cardiovascular regulation and important in the pathogenesis of hypertension and heart failure. However, despite more than 30 years of study, the brain RAS continues to defy explanation. Our lack of understanding of how the brain RAS is organized at the cellular and regional levels has made it difficult to resolve long-sought questions of how ANG II is produced in the brain and the precise mechanisms by which it exerts its actions. A major reason for this is the difficulty in experimentally dissecting the brain RAS at the regional, cellular, and whole organism levels. Recently, we and others developed a series of molecular tools for selective manipulation of the murine brain RAS, in parallel with technologies for integrative analysis of cardiovascular and volume homeostasis in the conscious mouse. This review, based in part on a lecture given in conjunction with the American Physiological Society Young Investigator Award in Regulatory and Integrative Physiology (Water and Electrolyte Homeostasis Section), outlines the physiological genomics strategy that we have taken in an effort to unravel some of the complexities of this system. It also summarizes the principles, progress, and prospects for a better understanding of the brain RAS in health and disease.
Effect of electroacupuncture on pressor reflex during gastric distension
Authors: Li Peng , Rowshan Kasra , Crisostomo Melissa , Tjen-A-Looi Stephanie C. , Longhurst John C.
Published: March 2015

The effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the reflex cardiovascular response induced by mechanical distension of the stomach was studied in ventilated male Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized by ketamine and α-chloralose. Repeated balloon inflation of the stomach to produce 20 mmHg tension on the gastric wall induced a consistent rise in mean arterial pressure, while heart rate (372 ± 22 beats/min) was unchanged. This response was reversed by transection of the splanchnic nerves. Bilateral application of EA (1–2 mA, 2 Hz) at Neiguan-Jianshi acupoints (pericardial meridian, Pe 5–6) over the median nerve for 30 min significantly decreased the pressor response from 33 ± 6 to 18 ± 4 mmHg ( n = 7, P < 0.05). This effect began after 10 min of EA and continued for 40 min after termination of EA. EA at Zusanli-Shangquxu acupoints (stomach meridian, St 36–37) over the deep peroneal nerve similarly inhibited the pressor response. The effect lasted for 10 min after EA was stopped ( n = 6, P < 0.05), while EA at Guangming-Xuanzhong acupoints (gallbladder meridian, GB 37–39) over the superficial peroneal nerve did not inhibit the pressor response. Naloxone injected intravenously ( n = 6) immediately after termination of EA or administered by microinjection into the rostral ventrolateral medulla (rVLM) 25 min after initiation of EA ( n = 6) reversed the inhibition by EA, suggesting an opiate mechanism, including the rVLM, was involved.
Phenylephrine-induced elevations in arterial blood pressure are attenuated in heat-stressed humans
Authors: Cui Jian , Wilson Thad E. , Crandall Craig G.
Published: March 2015

To test the hypothesis that phenylephrine-induced elevations in blood pressure are attenuated in heat-stressed humans, blood pressure was elevated via steady-state infusion of three doses of phenylephrine HCl in 10 healthy subjects in both normothermic and heat stress conditions. Whole body heating significantly increased sublingual temperature by ∼0.5°C, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), heart rate, and cardiac output and decreased total peripheral vascular resistance (TPR; all P < 0.005) but did not change mean arterial blood pressure (MAP; P > 0.05). At the highest dose of phenylephrine, the increase in MAP and TPR from predrug baselines was significantly attenuated during the heat stress [ΔMAP 8.4 ± 1.2 mmHg; ΔTPR 0.96 ± 0.85 peripheral resistance units (PRU)] compared with normothermia (ΔMAP 15.4 ± 1.4 mmHg, ΔTPR 7.13 ± 1.18 PRU; all P < 0.001). The sensitivity of baroreflex control of MSNA and heart rate, expressed as the slope of the relationship between MSNA and diastolic blood pressure, as well as the slope of the relationship between heart rate and systolic blood pressure, respectively, was similar between thermal conditions (each P > 0.05). These data suggest that phenylephrine-induced elevations in MAP are attenuated in heat-stressed humans without affecting baroreflex control of MSNA or heart rate.
Individual differences in subjective and objective alertness during sleep deprivation are stable and unrelated
Authors: Leproult Rachel , Colecchia Egidio F. , Berardi Anna Maria , Stickgold Robert , Kosslyn Stephen M. , Van Cauter Eve
Published: March 2015

This study examines the individual reproducibility of alterations of subjective, objective, and EEG measures of alertness during 27 h of continuous wakefulness and analyzes their interrelationships. Eight subjects were studied twice under similar constant-routine conditions. Scales and performance tasks were administered at hourly intervals to define temporal changes in subjective and objective alertness. The wake EEG was recorded every 2 h, 2 min with eyes open and 2 min with eyes closed. Plasma glucose and melatonin levels were measured to estimate brain glucose utilization and individual circadian phase, respectively.

Decrements of subjective alertness and performance deficits were found to be highly reproducible for a given individual. Remarkably, there was no relationship between the impairments of subjective and objective alertness. With increased duration of wakefulness, EEG activity with eyes closed increased in the delta range and decreased in the alpha range, but the magnitudes of these changes were also unrelated. These findings indicate that sleep deprivation has highly reproducible, but independent, effects on brain mechanisms controlling subjective and objective alertness.
Disrupted circadian rhythms in VIP- and PHI-deficient mice
Authors: Colwell Christopher S. , Michel Stephan , Itri Jason , Rodriguez Williams , Tam J. , Lelievre Vincent , Hu Zhou , Liu X. , Waschek James A.
Published: March 2015

The related neuropeptides vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI) are expressed at high levels in the neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), but their function in the regulation of circadian rhythms is unknown. To study the role of these peptides on the circadian system in vivo, a new mouse model was developed in which both VIP and PHI genes were disrupted by homologous recombination. In a light-dark cycle, these mice exhibited diurnal rhythms in activity which were largely indistinguishable from wild-type controls. In constant darkness, the VIP/PHI-deficient mice exhibited pronounced abnormalities in their circadian system. The activity patterns started ∼8 h earlier than predicted by the previous light cycle. In addition, lack of VIP/PHI led to a shortened free-running period and a loss of the coherence and precision of the circadian locomotor activity rhythm. In about one-quarter of VIP/PHI mice examined, the wheel-running rhythm became arrhythmic after several weeks in constant darkness. Another striking example of these deficits is seen in the split-activity patterns expressed by the mutant mice when they were exposed to a skeleton photoperiod. In addition, the VIP/PHI-deficient mice exhibited deficits in the response of their circadian system to light. Electrophysiological analysis indicates that VIP enhances inhibitory synaptic transmission within the SCN of wild-type and VIP/PHI-deficient mice. Together, the observations suggest that VIP/PHI peptides are critically involved in both the generation of circadian oscillations as well as the normal synchronization of these rhythms to light.
Uteroplacental insufficiency increases apoptosis and alters p53 gene methylation in the full-term IUGR rat kidney
Authors: Pham Tho D. , MacLennan Nicole K. , Chiu Christina T. , Laksana Gisella S. , Hsu Jennifer L. , Lane Robert H.
Published: March 2015

Uteroplacental insufficiency causes intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), which is associated with adult onset diseases such as hypertension. Previous studies demonstrate that growth retardation in humans and rats decreases glomeruli number; however, the molecular mechanisms responsible for this reduction are unknown. Apoptosis plays a key role in renal organogenesis. We therefore hypothesized that the in utero deprivation associated with uteroplacental insufficiency decreases glomeruli, increases apoptosis, and alters the mRNA levels of key apoptosis-related proteins in full-term IUGR kidneys. To prove this hypothesis, we induced asymmetric IUGR through bilateral uterine artery ligation of the pregnant rat. We found that uteroplacental insufficiency significantly reduced glomeruli number while increasing TUNEL staining and caspase-3 activity in the IUGR kidney. A significant decrease in Bcl-2 mRNA and a significant increase in Bax and p53 mRNA further characterized the IUGR kidney. Because altered p53 CpG methylation affects p53 expression, we analyzed p53 promoter CpG methylation using methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes and real-time PCR. Uteroplacental insufficiency specifically decreased CpG methylation of the renal p53 BstU I site promoter without affecting the Hha I or the Aci I sites. Uteroplacental insufficiency also induced a relative hypomethylation from exon 5 to exon 8, which was associated with deceased mRNA levels of DNMT1. We conclude that uteroplacental insufficiency alters p53 DNA CpG methylation, affects mRNA levels of key apoptosis-related proteins, increases renal apoptosis, and reduces glomeruli number in the IUGR kidney. We speculate that these changes represent mechanisms that contribute to the fetal origins of adult disease.
Urea transporter expression in aging kidney and brain during dehydration
Authors: Trinh-Trang-Tan M.-M. , Geelen G. , Teillet L. , Corman B.
Published: March 2015

Aging is commonly associated with defective urine-concentrating ability. The present study examined how the kidney and the brain of senescent (30-mo-old) female WAG/Rij rats respond to dehydration induced by 2 days of water deprivation in terms of urea transporter (UT) regulation. In euhydrated situation, senescent rats exhibited similar vasopressin plasma level but lower urine osmolality and papillary urea concentration and markedly reduced kidney UT-A1, UT-A3, and UT-B1 abundances compared with adult (10-mo-old) rats. Senescent rats responded to dehydration similarly to adult rats by a sixfold increase in vasopressin plasma level. Their papillary urea concentration was doubled, without, however, attaining that of dehydrated adult rats. Such an enhanced papillary urea sequestration occurred with a great fall of both UT-A1 and UT-A3 abundances in the tip of inner medulla and an increased UT-A1 abundance in the base of inner medulla. UT-A2 and UT-B1 were unchanged. These data suggest that the inability of control and thirsted senescent rats to concentrate urine as much as their younger counterparts derives from lower papillary urea concentration. In aging brain, UT-B1 abundance was increased twofold together with a fourfold increase in aquaporin-4 abundance. Dehydration did not alter the abundance of these transporters.
Human glucagon gene promoter sequences regulating tissue-specific versus nutrient-regulated gene expression
Authors: Nian Min , Gu Jun , Irwin David M. , Drucker Daniel J.
Published: March 2015

The glucagon-like peptides (GLPs) are synthesized and secreted in a nutrient-dependent manner in rodents; however, the factors regulating human GLP-1 and GLP-2 biosynthesis remain unclear. To understand how nutrients regulate human proglucagon gene expression, we studied the expression of a human proglucagon promoter-growth hormone (GH) transgene in 1.6 human glucagon-GH transgenic mice. Fasting-refeeding significantly decreased and increased the levels of circulating mouse insulin and transgene-derived hGH ( P < 0.05 fasting vs. refeeding) and decreased and upregulated, respectively, the levels of endogenous mouse proglucagon RNA in the ileum but not in the jejunum or colon. High-fiber feeding significantly increased the levels of glucose-stimulated circulating hGH and upregulated levels of mouse intestinal proglucagon gene expression in the jejunum, ileum, and colon ( P < 0.05, 0 vs. 30% fiber diet). In contrast, neither fasting-refeeding nor a high-fiber diet upregulated the expression of the human proglucagon promoter-hGH transgene. These findings demonstrate that human proglucagon gene regulatory sequences specifying tissue-specific expression in gut endocrine cells are not sufficient for recognition of energy-derived signals regulating murine glucagon gene expression in enteroendocrine cells in vivo.
Dynamic synchronization analysis of venous pressure-driven cardiac output in rainbow trout
Authors: Minerick Adrienne Robyn , Chang Hsueh-Chia , Hoagland Todd M. , Olson Kenneth R.
Published: March 2015

Measurement of venous function in vivo is inherently difficult. In this study, we used the Hilbert transform to examine the dynamic relationships between venous pressure and cardiac output (CO) in rainbow trout whose blood volume was continuously increased and decreased by ramp infusion and withdrawal (I/W). The dorsal aorta and ductus Cuvier were cannulated percutaneously and connected to pressure transducers; a flow probe was placed around the ventral aorta. Whole blood from a donor was then I/W via the dorsal aortic cannula at a rate of 10% of the estimated blood volume per minute, and the duration of I/W was varied from 40, 60, 80, 90, 120, 230, 240, 260, 300, and 340 s. Compliance [change in (Δ) blood vol/Δvenous pressure] was 2.8 ± 0.2 ml · mmHg-1· g-1( N = 25 measurements; 6 fish with closed pericardium) and 2.8 ± 0.3 ml · mmHg-1· kg-1( N = 19 measurements, 4 fish with open pericardium). Compliance was positively correlated with the duration of I/W, indicative of cardiovascular reflex responses at longer I/W durations. In trout with closed pericardium, CO followed venous pressure oscillations with an average time lag of 4.2 ± 1.0 s ( N = 9); heart rate (HR) was inversely correlated with CO. These studies show that CO is entrained by modulation of venous pressure, not by HR. Thus, although trout have a rigid pericardium, venous pressure (vis-a-tergo), not cardiac suction (vis-a-fronte), appears to be the primary determinant of CO. Estimation of venous compliance by ramp-modulation of venous pressure is faster and less traumatic than classical capacitance measurements and appears applicable to a variety of vertebrate species, as does the Hilbert transform, which permits analysis of signals with disparate frequencies.
Effects of prior stress on LPS-induced cytokine and sickness responses
Authors: Johnson John D. , O'Connor Kevin A. , Hansen Michael K. , Watkins Linda R. , Maier Steven F.
Published: March 2015

It has recently been reported that exposure to inescapable tailshock (IS) enhances the release of proinflammatory cytokines following bacterial challenge. However, it is not known whether the level of potentiation of proinflammatory cytokines is sufficient to exaggerate any of the physiological processes that are regulated by these cytokines. Thus, LPS was administered and fever, activity, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) responses, and proinflammatory cytokine release were assessed during both the light and dark phases of the light cycle following IS. Exposure to IS resulted in elevated basal core body temperature during the light phase but not the dark phase and decreased activity during the dark phase but not the light phase. IS animals had significantly greater fever, corticosterone, and ACTH responses following LPS during both the light and dark phases, whereas enhanced proinflammatory cytokine responses were only observed during the light phase. These data suggest that enhanced proinflammatory cytokine responses are not necessary to observe enhanced HPA or fever responses.
Effect of glucose and oxygen deprivation on heme oxygenase expression in human chorionic villi explants and immortalized trophoblast cells
Authors: Appleton S. D. , Lash G. E. , Marks G. S. , Nakatsu K. , Brien J. F. , Smith G. N. , Graham C. H.
Published: March 2015

Although hypoxia induces heme oxygenase (HO)-1 mRNA and protein expression in many cell types, recent studies in our laboratory using human placental tissue have shown that a preexposure to hypoxia does not affect subsequent HO enzymatic activity for optimized assay conditions (20% O2; 0.5 mM NADPH; 25 μM methemalbumin) or HO-1 protein content. One of the consequences of impaired blood flow is glucose deprivation, which has been shown to be an inducer of HO-1 expression in HepG2 hepatoma cells. The objective of the present study was to test the effects of a 24-h preexposure to glucose-deprived medium, in 0.5 or 20% O2, on HO protein content and enzymatic activity in isolated chorionic villi and immortalized HTR-8/SVneo first-trimester trophoblast cells. HO protein content was determined by Western blot analysis, and microsomal HO enzymatic activity was measured by assessment of the rate of CO formation. HO enzymatic activity was increased ( P < 0.05) in both placental models after 24-h preexposure to glucose-deficient medium in 0.5 or 20% O2. Preexposure (24 h) in a combination of low O2and low glucose concentrations decreased the protein content of the HO-1 isoform by 59.6% ( P < 0.05), whereas preexposure (24 h) to low glucose concentration alone increased HO-2 content by 28.2% in chorionic villi explants ( P < 0.05). In this preparation, HO enzymatic activity correlated with HO-2 protein content ( r = 0.825). However, there was no correlation between HO-2 protein content and HO enzymatic activity in HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cells preexposed to 0.5% O2and low glucose concentration for 24 h. These findings indicate that the regulation of HO expression in the human placenta is a complex process that depends, at least in part, on local glucose and oxygen concentrations.
Lipid oxidation fuels recovery from exhaustive exercise in white muscle of rainbow trout
Authors: Richards Jeff G. , Heigenhauser George J. F. , Wood Chris M.
Published: March 2015

The oxidative utilization of lipid and carbohydrate was examined in white muscle of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) at rest, immediately after exhaustive exercise, and for 32-h recovery. In addition to creatine phosphate and glycolysis fueling exhaustive exercise, near maximal activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) at the end of exercise points to oxidative phosphorylation of carbohydrate as an additional source of ATP during exercise. Within 15 min postexercise, PDH activation returned to resting values, thus sparing accumulated lactate from oxidation. Glycogen synthase activity matched the rate of glycogen resynthesis and represented near maximal activation. Decreases in white muscle free carnitine, increases in long-chain fatty acyl carnitine, and sustained elevations of acetyl-CoA and acetyl carnitine indicate a rapid utilization of lipid to supply ATP for recovery. Increases in malonyl-CoA during recovery suggest that malonyl-CoA may not regulate carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 in trout muscle during recovery, but instead it may act to elongate short-chain fatty acids for mitochondrial oxidation. In addition, decreases in intramuscular triacylglycerol and in plasma nonesterified fatty acids indicate that both endogenous and exogenous lipid fuels may be oxidized during recovery.
Impaired skeletal muscle perfusion in obese Zucker rats
Authors: Frisbee Jefferson C.
Published: March 2015

Skeletal muscle arterioles from obese Zucker rats (OZR) exhibit oxidant stress-based alterations in reactivity, enhanced α-adrenergic constriction, and reduced distensibility vs. microvessels of lean Zucker rats (LZR). The present study determined the impact of these alterations for perfusion and performance of in situ skeletal muscle during periods of elevated metabolic demand. During bouts of isometric tetanic contractions, fatigue of in situ gastrocnemius muscle of OZR was increased vs. LZR; this was associated with impaired active hyperemia. In OZR, vasoactive responses of skeletal muscle arterioles from the contralateral gracilis muscle were impaired, due in part to elevated oxidant tone; reactivity was improved after treatment with polyethylene glycol-superoxide dismutase (PEGSOD). Arterioles of OZR also exhibited increased α-adrenergic sensitivity, which was abolished by treatment with phentolamine (10-5 M). Intravenous infusion of phentolamine (10 mg/kg) or PEG-SOD (2,000 U/kg) in OZR altered neither fatigue rates nor active hyperemia from untreated levels; however, combined infusion improved performance and hyperemia, although not to levels in LZR. Microvessel density in the contralateral gastrocnemius muscle, determined via histological analyses, was reduced by ∼25% in OZR vs. LZR, while individual arterioles from the contralateral gracilis muscle demonstrated reduced distensibility. These data suggest that altered arteriolar reactivity contributes to reduced muscle performance and active hyperemia in OZR. Further, despite pharmacological improvements in arteriolar reactivity, reduced skeletal muscle microvessel density and arteriolar distensibility also contribute substantially to reduced active hyperemia and potentially to impaired muscle performance.
Reduced endogenous GABA-mediated inhibition in the PVN on renal nerve discharge in rats with heart failure
Authors: Zhang Kun , Li Yi-Fan , Patel Kaushik P.
Published: March 2015

One characteristic of heart failure (HF) is increased sympathetic activation. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus (involved in control of sympathetic outflow) has been shown to have increased neuronal activation during HF. This study examined the influence of endogenous GABA input (inhibitory in nature) into the PVN on renal sympathetic nerve discharge (RSND), arterial blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR) in rats with HF induced by coronary artery ligation. In α-chloralose- and urethane-anesthetized rats, microinjection of bicuculline (a GABA antagonist) into the PVN produced a dose-dependent increase in RSND, BP, and HR in both sham-operated control and HF rats. Bicuculline attenuated the increase in RSND and BP in HF rats compared with control rats. Alternatively, microinjection of the GABA agonist muscimol produced a dose-dependent decrease in RSND, BP, and HR in both control and HF rats. Muscimol was also less effective in decreasing RSND, BP, and HR in HF rats than in control rats. These results suggest that endogenous GABA-mediated input into the PVN of rats with HF is less effective in suppressing RSND and BP compared with control rats. This is partly due to the post-release actions of GABA, possibly caused by altered function of post-synaptic GABA receptors in the PVN of rats with HF. Reduced GABA-mediated inhibition in the PVN may contribute to increased sympathetic outflow, which is commonly observed during HF.
Obesity-inducing amygdala lesions: examination of anterograde degeneration and retrograde transport
Authors: King Bruce M. , Cook Jack T. , Rossiter Kirk N. , Rollins Bethany L.
Published: March 2015

Small lesions centered in the posterodorsal region of the medial amygdala resulted in excessive weight gains in female rats. Unilateral lesions were nearly as effective as bilateral lesions in the first 48 h after surgery (+21 to +32 g). Assessment of lesion damage was done by both qualitative evaluation and by a quantitative grid-point counting method. The critical sites for weight gain were the intra-amygdaloid bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the posterodorsal medial amygdaloid nucleus. Incidental damage to the overlying globus pallidus was negatively related to weight gain. The cupric silver method for demonstrating axonal degeneration was applied to brains with obesity-inducing lesions. A dense pattern of degenerating terminals was found in the lateral septum, amygdala, ventral striatum, and ventromedial hypothalamus. Degeneration in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was scarce or absent. Small retrograde tracer injections made in either the intra-amygdaloid bed nucleus of the stria terminalis or in the posterodorsal medial amygdaloid nucleus labeled cells in the amygdala, lateral septum, and hypothalamus, reciprocating the anterograde projections from the amygdala to these areas. The data suggest that subdivisions of the posterodorsal amygdala participate in the regulation of feeding in a manner that is similar to the better-known role of this part of the brain in mediating reproductive behavior. Although topographical differences may exist within the amygdaloid and hypothalamic subdivisions regulating these two sexually dimorphic behaviors, the relays engaged by feeding-related connections and those related to reproduction are remarkably parallel.
Gene expression reveals vulnerability to oxidative stress and interstitial fibrosis of renal outer medulla to nonhypertensive elevations of ANG II
Authors: Yuan Baozhi , Liang Mingyu , Yang Zhizhang , Rute Elizabeth , Taylor Norman , Olivier Michael , Cowley Allen W.
Published: March 2015

The present study was designed to determine whether nonhypertensive elevations of plasma ANG II would modify the expression of genes involved in renal injury that could influence oxidative stress and extracellular matrix formation in the renal medulla using microarray, Northern, and Western blot techniques. Sprague-Dawley rats were infused intravenously with either ANG II (5 ng · kg−1· min−1) or vehicle for 7 days ( n = 6/group). Mean arterial pressure averaged 110 ± 0.6 mmHg during the control period and 113 ± 0.4 mmHg after ANG II. The mRNA of 1,751 genes (∼80% of all currently known rat genes) that was differentially expressed (ANG II vs. saline) in renal outer and inner medulla was determined. The results of 12 hybridizations indicated that in response to ANG II, 11 genes were upregulated and 25 were downregulated in the outer medulla, while 11 were upregulated and 13 were downregulated in the inner medulla. These differentially expressed genes, most of which were not known previously to be affected by ANG II in the renal medulla, were found to group into eight physiological pathways known to influence renal injury and kidney function. Particularly, expression of several genes would be expected to increase oxidative stress and interstitial fibrosis in the outer medulla. Western blot analyses confirmed increased expression of transforming growth factor-β1 and collagen type IV proteins in the outer medulla. Results demonstrate that nonhypertensive elevations of plasma ANG II can significantly alter the expression of a variety of genes in the renal outer medulla and suggested the vulnerability of the renal outer medulla to the injurious effect of ANG II.
Capsaicin-sensitive adrenal sensory fibers participate in compensatory adrenal growth in rats
Authors: Ulrich-Lai Yvonne M. , Marek Daniel J. , Engeland William C.
Published: March 2015

Compensatory adrenal growth, in which one gland undergoes hyperplasia after removal of the other, is mediated by a neural reflex. In the present studies, a method employing capsaicin to selectively remove adrenal sensory fibers was developed and applied to determine whether adrenal capsaicin-sensitive fibers participate in compensatory adrenal growth. The splanchnic nerves of anesthetized male rats were treated with capsaicin or vehicle. Capsaicin treatment selectively removed adrenal calcitonin gene-related peptide-positive fibers. One week after drug treatment, rats underwent left adrenalectomy or sham surgery and recovered for 5 days. Capsaicin treatment bilaterally or to the left splanchnic nerve alone (i.e., the afferent nerve in the reflex) impaired compensatory adrenal growth at 5 days compared with vehicle controls, whereas capsaicin treatment to the right splanchnic nerve alone did not affect growth. Moreover, left adrenalectomy induced c-Fos immunolabeling in ipsilateral dorsal spinal cord that was prevented by capsaicin treatment. These data suggest that adrenal capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves participate in compensatory adrenal growth and that this effect is primarily on the afferent limb of the reflex.
Exercise training differentially modifies age-associated alteration in expression of Na+-K+-ATPase subunit isoforms in rat skeletal muscles
Authors: Ng Yuk-Chow , Nagarajan Murali , Jew Korinne N. , Mace Lisa C. , Moore Russell L.
Published: March 2015

The present study tests the hypothesis that endurance exercise training (ETr) reverses age-associated alterations in expression of Na+-K+-ATPase subunit isoforms in rat skeletal muscles. Expression of the isoforms was examined in 16-mo-old sedentary middle-aged, 29-mo-old sedentary senescent, and 29-mo-old treadmill exercise-trained senescent Fischer 344 × Brown Norway rats. Levels of the α1-isoform increased with age in red gastrocnemius (GR), white gastrocnemius (GW), and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles, and ETr further increased its levels. Levels of the α2-isoform were unchanged in GR, had a strong trend for a decrease in GW, and decreased significantly in EDL. ETr increased expression of the α2-isoform in all three muscle groups. There was no increase in expression of the β1-isoform in GR, GW, or EDL with age, whereas ETr markedly increased its levels in the muscles. There was a marked decrease with age in expression of the β2-isoform in the muscle groups that was not reversed by ETr. By contrast, β3-isoform levels increased with age in GR and GW, and ETr was able to reverse this increase. Na+-K+-ATPase enzyme activity was unchanged with age in GR and GW but increased in EDL. ETr increased enzyme activity in GR and GW and did not change in EDL. Myosin heavy chain isoforms in the muscle groups did not change significantly with age; ETr caused a general shift toward more oxidative fibers. Thus ETr differentially modifies age-associated alterations in expression of Na+-K+-ATPase subunit isoforms, and a mechanism(s) other than physical inactivity appears to play significant role in some of the age-associated changes.
Mechanism of acid adaptation of a fish living in a pH 3.5 lake
Authors: Hirata Taku , Kaneko Toyoji , Ono Toshihiro , Nakazato Takeru , Furukawa Norihisa , Hasegawa Sanae , Wakabayashi Shigeo , Shigekawa Munekazu , Chang Min-Hwang , Romero Michael F. , Hirose Shigehisa
Published: March 2015

Despite unfavorable conditions, a single species of fish, Osorezan dace, lives in an extremely acidic lake (pH 3.5) in Osorezan, Aomori, Japan. Physiological studies have established that this fish is able to prevent acidification of its plasma and loss of Na+. Here we show that these abilities are mainly attributable to the chloride cells of the gill, which are arranged in a follicular structure and contain high concentrations of Na+-K+-ATPase, carbonic anhydrase II, type 3 Na+/H+exchanger (NHE3), type 1 Na+-HCO[Formula: see text] cotransporter, and aquaporin-3, all of which are upregulated on acidification. Immunohistochemistry established their chloride cell localization, with NHE3 at the apical surface and the others localized to the basolateral membrane. These results suggest a mechanism by which Osorezan dace adapts to its acidic environment. Most likely, NHE3 on the apical side excretes H+in exchange for Na+, whereas the electrogenic type 1 Na+-HCO[Formula: see text]cotransporter in the basolateral membrane provides HCO[Formula: see text] for neutralization of plasma using the driving force generated by Na+-K+-ATPase and carbonic anhydrase II. Increased expression of glutamate dehydrogenase was also observed in various tissues of acid-adapted dace, suggesting a significant role of ammonia and bicarbonate generated by glutamine catabolism.
Histological assessment of intermediate- and long-term creatine monohydrate supplementation in mice and rats
Authors: Tarnopolsky M. A. , Bourgeois J. M. , Snow R. , Keys S. , Roy B. D. , Kwiecien J. M. , Turnbull J.
Published: March 2015

Creatine monohydrate (CrM) supplementation appears to be relatively safe based on data from short-term and intermediate-term human studies and results from several therapeutic trials. The purpose of the current study was to characterize pathological changes after intermediate-term and long-term CrM supplementation in mice [healthy control and SOD1 (G93A) transgenic] and rats (prednisolone and nonprednisolone treated). Histological assessment (18-20 organs/tissues) was performed on G93A mice after 159 days, and in Sprague-Dawley rats after 365 days, of CrM supplementation (2% wt/wt) compared with control feed. Liver histology was also evaluated in CD-1 mice after 300 days of low-dose CrM supplementation (0.025 and 0.05 g · kg-1· day-1) and in Sprague-Dawley rats after 52 days of CrM supplementation (2% wt/wt) with and without prednisolone. Areas of hepatitis were observed in the livers of the CrM-supplemented G93A mice ( P < 0.05), with no significant inflammatory lesions in any of the other 18-20 tissues/organs that were evaluated. The CD-1 mice also showed significant hepatic inflammatory lesions ( P < 0.05), yet there was no negative effect of CrM on liver histology in the Sprague-Dawley rats after intermediate-term or long-term supplementation nor was inflammation seen in any other tissues/organs ( P = not significant). Dietary CrM supplementation can induce inflammatory changes in the liver of mice, but not rats. The observed inflammatory changes in the murine liver must be considered in the evaluation of hepatic metabolism in CrM-supplemented mice. Species differences must be considered in the evaluation of toxicological and physiological studies.
Accumulated endogenous NOS inhibitors, decreased NOS activity, and impaired cavernosal relaxation with ischemia
Authors: Masuda Hitoshi , Tsujii Toshihiko , Okuno Tetsuo , Kihara Kazunori , Goto Moritaka , Azuma Hiroshi
Published: March 2015

We examined whether endogenous inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis are involved in the impaired cavernosal relaxation with ischemia in rabbits. Two weeks after cavernosal ischemia caused by partial vessel occlusion, endothelium-dependent and electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced neurogenic NO-mediated relaxations, but not sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced relaxation, were significantly impaired in the isolated corpus cavernosum. The Ca2+-dependent NO synthase (NOS) activity and the basal and stimulated cGMP productions with carbachol or EFS were significantly decreased after ischemia. Supplementation of excessl-arginine partially recovered both of the impaired relaxations. The contents of NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA) and asymmetric NG, NG-dimethyl-l-arginine (ADMA) but not l-arginine and symmetric NG, N′G-dimethyl-l-arginine (SDMA) were increased in the cavernosal tissues after ischemia. Authentic l-NMMA and ADMA but not SDMA concentration dependently inhibited both relaxations without affecting the relaxation produced by SNP in the control. Excess l-arginine abolished the inhibition with l-NMMA and ADMA. These results suggest that the impaired NO-mediated cavernosal relaxations after ischemia are closely related to the decreased NOS activity and the increased accumulation of l-NMMA and ADMA.
ERK1/2-mediated phosphorylation of myometrial caldesmon during pregnancy and labor
Authors: Li Yunping , Je Hyun-Dong , Malek Sabah , Morgan Kathleen G.
Published: March 2015

We used a timed-pregnant rat model to track changes in myometrial contractility during pregnancy and labor and to correlate these changes with upstream signaling events. Myometrium was harvested from CO2-euthanized rats. Although contraction amplitudes increased at 16 and 20 days of pregnancy, contraction incidence and area under the force curve were inhibited, consistent with the myometrial quiescence of pregnancy. The Ca2+sensitivity of contraction was decreased at 20 days of pregnancy and this was partially reversed in labor. The protein content of h-caldesmon ( h-CaD) was increased in pregnancy. A 40-fold increase in the signal from a phospho-CaD antibody specific for phosphorylation at an ERK1/2 site occurred during labor. ERK1/2 activation increased significantly at the onset of labor. Myosin light chain phosphorylation (LC20-P) increased significantly in labor compared with the nonpregnant state. Thus we conclude that the increase in CaD protein content during pregnancy may contribute to a suppression of the contractility of pregnant myometrium. Conversely, CaD phosphorylation, through an ERK1/2-mediated signaling pathway, as well as an increase in basal LC20-P, is suggested to contribute to the reversal of inhibition and promote contraction of the uterus during labor.
Enhanced gene expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in brown adipose tissue during cold exposure
Authors: Kikuchi-Utsumi Kazue , Gao Bihu , Ohinata Hiroshi , Hashimoto Masaaki , Yamamoto Noriyuki , Kuroshima Akihiro
Published: March 2015

It has been shown that norepinephrine (NE) can mediate vasodilatation by stimulating the production of nitric oxide (NO) in brown adipose tissue (BAT), resulting in an increase in BAT blood flow. We speculated that constitutive NO synthase (NOS) is involved in this NO production. However, it is not known whether constitutive NOS is expressed in BAT. To answer this question, we assessed the expression of two types of constitutive NOS, endothelial (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS), in BAT of rats. eNOS was abundantly expressed in both BAT and isolated brown adipocytes, whereas nNOS was not. Cold exposure, which is known to stimulate NE release from sympathetic nerve terminals in BAT, led to a significant increase in eNOS mRNA in this tissue. In contrast, very low levels of inducible NOS (iNOS) mRNA were expressed, and cold stimulation failed to increase iNOS mRNA levels in BAT. These results suggest that eNOS is the primary isoform that is responsible for NO production in BAT and that its expression may be under sympathetic control.
Heart failure and the brain: new perspectives
Authors: Felder Robert B. , Francis Joseph , Zhang Zhi-Hua , Wei Shun-Guang , Weiss Robert M. , Johnson Alan Kim
Published: March 2015

Despite recent therapeutic advances, the prognosis for patients with heart failure remains dismal. Unchecked neurohumoral excitation is a critical element in the progressive clinical deterioration associated with the heart failure syndrome, and its peripheral manifestations have become the principal targets for intervention. The link between peripheral systems activated in heart failure and the central nervous system as a source of neurohumoral drive has therefore come under close scrutiny. In this context, the forebrain and particularly the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus have emerged as sites that sense humoral signals generated peripherally in response to the stresses of heart failure and contribute to the altered volume regulation and augmented sympathetic drive that characterize the heart failure syndrome. This brief review summarizes recent studies from our laboratory supporting the concept that the forebrain plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of ischemia-induced heart failure and suggesting that the forebrain contribution must be considered in designing therapeutic strategies. Forebrain signaling by neuroactive products of the renin-angiotensin system and the immune system are emphasized.
Increased myogenic repressor Id mRNA and protein levels in hindlimb muscles of aged rats
Authors: Alway Stephen E. , Degens Hans , Lowe Dawn A. , Krishnamurthy Gururaj
Published: March 2015

The objective of this study was to determine if levels of repressors to myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) differ between muscles from young adult and aged animals. Total RNA from plantaris, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles of Fischer 344 × Brown Norway rats aged 9 mo (young adult, n = 10) and 37 mo (aged, n = 10) was reverse transcribed and then amplified by PCR. To obtain a semiquantitative measure of the mRNA levels, PCR signals were normalized to cyclophilin or 18S signals from the corresponding reverse transcription product. Normalization to cyclophilin and 18S gave similar results. The mRNA levels of MyoD and myogenin were ∼275–650% ( P < 0.001) and ∼500–1,100% ( P < 0.001) greater, respectively, in muscles from aged compared with young adults. In contrast, the protein levels were lower in plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles and similar in the soleus muscle of aged vs. young adult rats. Id repressor mRNA levels were ∼300–900% greater in fast and slow muscles of aged animals ( P ≤ 0.02), and Mist 1 mRNA was ∼50% greater in the plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles ( P< 0.01). The mRNA level of Twist mRNA was not significantly affected by aging. Id-1, Id-2, and Id-3 protein levels were ∼17–740% greater ( P < 0.05) in hindlimb muscles of aged rats compared with young adult rats. The elevated levels of Id mRNA and protein suggest that MRF repressors may play a role in gene regulation of fast and slow muscles in aged rats.
Adenosine A1 receptor activation reduces myocardial reperfusion effects on intrinsic cardiac nervous system
Authors: Arora R. C. , Armour J. A.
Published: March 2015

The intrinsic cardiac nervous system is the final common integrator of regional cardiac function. The ischemic myocardium modifies this nervous system. We sought to determine the role that intrinsic cardiac neuronal P1purinergic receptors play in transducing myocardial ischemia and the subsequent reperfusion. The activity generated by ventricular neurons was recorded concomitant with cardiac hemodynamic variables in 44 anesthetized pigs. Regional ventricular ischemia was induced by briefly occluding (30 s) the ventral interventricular coronary artery distal to the arterial blood supply of identified ventricular neurons. Adenosine (100 μM) was administered to these neurons via their local arterial blood supply during or immediately after transient coronary artery occlusion. Occlusion was also performed following local administration of adenosine A1[8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX)] or A2[3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (DMPX)] receptor blocking agents. The activity generated by ventricular neurons was modified by transient coronary artery occlusion and the subsequent reperfusion (‖Δ‖ 112 ± 14 and 168 ± 34 impulses/min, respectively; P < 0.01 vs. preischemic states). Locally administered adenosine attenuated neuronal responses to reperfusion (−75%; P < 0.01 compared with normal reperfusion) but not ischemia. The neuronal stabilizing effects that adenosine elicited during reperfusion persisted in the presence of DMPX but not DPCPX. It is concluded that activation of neuronal adenosine A1 receptors stabilizes the intrinsic cardiac nervous system during reperfusion.
The influence of aging on the human sympathetic nervous system and brain norepinephrine turnover
Authors: Esler Murray , Hastings Jacqueline , Lambert Gavin , Kaye David , Jennings Garry , Seals Douglas R.
Published: March 2015

Investigating aging effects on the sympathetic nervous system and ascertaining underlying central nervous system (CNS) mechanisms mediating sympathetic stimulation is clinically pertinent because of the possible interconnection of cardiovascular disease development with age-dependent sympathetic nervous changes. Because of previous evidence linking human CNS neuronal noradrenergic function and sympathetic activity, we investigated the influence of aging on brain norepinephrine turnover in 22 healthy men aged 20–30 yr and 16 healthy men aged 60–75 yr by measuring the internal jugular venous overflow of norepinephrine and its lipophilic metabolites. Sympathoneural and adrenal medullary function was also studied, using plasma catecholamine isotope dilution methodology and regional central venous sampling. In the older men there was increased norepinephrine turnover in suprabulbar subcortical brain regions, 317 ± 50 ng/min compared with 107 ± 18 ng/min in younger men. A differentiated sympathetic nervous activation was also present in older men. Overall, levels of both cardiac and hepatomesenteric norepinephrine spillover were directly correlated with subcortical norepinephrine turnover. These findings suggest that in sympathetic nervous activation accompanying aging, as has previously been demonstrated with the sympathetic nervous stimulation in human hypertension and heart failure, there is an underlying sympathoexcitatory influence of noradrenergic projections to suprabulbar subcortical regions.