Properties of the Soluble and Membrane-Bound Forms of Acetylcholinesterase Present in Pig Brain

Approximately 150/o of the total acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of pig brain cortex can be extracted in dilute buffer solution and the properties of this »soluble« form of the enzyme have been compared with the membrane bound enzyme which was brought into solution by extraction with 1-0/o Triton X-100 or 1 mM EDTA. The activity of the »soluble« enzyme against a range of ·substrates is identical to the membrane enzyme. The variation of activity with pH and substrate concentration are similar for the two phyisical forms of the AChE. Gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated the similarities of the »soluble« and detergent solubilized enzyme preparations. Three molecular weight species were common to both preparations: 353 000, 262 000, and 68 000 and in addition the »soluble« enzyme had a band of mol. wt. 135 000 while the Triton X - 100 extract contained species of mol. wt. 181 000 and 83 000. The membrane AChE showed a break in the Arrhenius plot with a transition temperature of 27 °c and this was abolished with detergent. In contrast the »soluble« enzyime showed no break in the Arrhenius plot suggesting the absence of associated membrane material. There are however more similarities than differences between the two physical forms of the enzyme which appear to be closely related

Properties of the Soluble and Membrane-Bound Forms of Acetylcholinesterase Present in Pig Brain

Approximately 150/o of the total acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of pig brain cortex can be extracted in dilute buffer solution and the properties of this »soluble« form of the enzyme have been compared with the membrane bound enzyme which was brought into solution by extraction with 1-0/o Triton X-100 or 1 mM EDTA. The activity of the »soluble« enzyme against a range of ·substrates is identical to the membrane enzyme. The variation of activity with pH and substrate concentration are similar for the two phyisical forms of the AChE. Gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated the similarities of the »soluble« and detergent solubilized enzyme preparations. Three molecular weight species were common to both preparations: 353 000, 262 000, and 68 000 and in addition the »soluble« enzyme had a band of mol. wt. 135 000 while the Triton X - 100 extract contained species of mol. wt. 181 000 and 83 000. The membrane AChE showed a break in the Arrhenius plot with a transition temperature of 27 °c and this was abolished with detergent. In contrast the »soluble« enzyime showed no break in the Arrhenius plot suggesting the absence of associated membrane material. There are however more similarities than differences between the two physical forms of the enzyme which appear to be closely related

Effect of cytisine on some brain and hepatic biochemical parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Tobacco smoking is a risk factor for variety of cardio-vascular diseases, such as hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke and many others. It is of great importance for hypertensive patients to stop smoking. One of the medicines widely used for smoking cessation in Bulgaria is the original Bulgarian product Tabex®, which is developed on the basis of natural plant alkaloid cytisine. The aim of the following study was to ivestigate the effects of cytisine on some brain and hepatic biochemical parameters in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), an widely used rodent model for human essential hypertension, and to compare the obtained results with their age-matched normotensive controls Wistar Kyoto (WKY). Multiple cytisine administration did not affect the activity of ethylmorphine-N-demethylase (EMND) and anylinehydroxylase (AH), as well as the quantity of cytochrome P 450, nor in WKY neither in SHR In the liver cytisine increased the MDA quantity both in SHR and in WKY, by 25% (p<0.05) and by 29% (p<0.05) respectively, while the GSH level was not significantly changed by the compound in both strains. In contrast, on the brain level, cytisine administration to SHR caused more prominent toxicity, resulted in GSH depletion and increased MDA quantity, while in WKY strain did not exert any toxicity. Cytisine did not significantly affect ALAT and ASAT activity in both strains. In conclusion, the results of our study suggest higher brain toxicity of cytisine in spontaneously hypertensive rats, that might be due to their pathophysiological characteristics

The next linear collider damping ring complex

We report progress on the design of the Next Linear Collider (NLC) Damping Rings complexes. The purpose of the damping rings is to provide low emittance electron and positron bunch trains to the NLC linacs, at a rate of 120 Hz. As an option to operate at the higher rate of 180 Hz, two 1.98 GeV main damping rings per beam are proposed, and one positron pre-damping ring. The main damping rings store up to 0.8 amp in 3 trains of 190 bunches each and have normalized extracted beam emittances {gamma}{var_epsilon}x = 3 mm-mrad and {gamma}{var_epsilon}y = 0.02 mm-mrad. The optical designs, based on a theoretical minimum emittance lattice (TME), are described, with an analysis of dynamic aperture and non-linear effects. Key subsystems and components are described, including the wiggler, the vacuum systems and photon stop design, and the higher-order-mode damped RF cavities. Impedance and instabilities are discussed

Structure–activity study of N-((trans)-4-(2-(7-cyano-3,4-dihydroisoquinolin-2(1H)-yl)ethyl)cyclohexyl)-1H-indole-2-carboxamide (SB269652), a bitopic ligand that acts as a negative allosteric modulator of the dopamine D2 receptor

We recently demonstrated that SB269652 (1) engages one protomer of a dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) dimer in a bitopic mode to allosterically inhibit the binding of dopamine at the other protomer. Herein, we investigate structural deter- minants for allostery, focusing on modifications to three moieties within 1. We find that orthosteric “head” groups with small 7-substituents were important to maintain the limited negative cooperativity of analogues of 1, and replacement of the tetrahydroisoquinoline head group with other D2R “privileged structures” generated orthosteric antagonists. Additionally, replacement of the cyclohexylene linker with polymethylene chains conferred linker length dependency in allosteric pharma- cology. We validated the importance of the indolic NH as a hydrogen bond donor moiety for maintaining allostery. Replacement of the indole ring with azaindole conferred a 30-fold increase in affinity while maintaining negative cooperativity. Combined, these results provide novel SAR insight for bitopic ligands that act as negative allosteric modulators of the D2R

Ketamine enhances structural plasticity in mouse mesencephalic and human iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons via AMPAR-driven BDNF and mTOR signaling

Among neurobiological mechanisms underlying antidepressant properties of ketamine, structural remodeling of prefrontal and hippocampal neurons has been proposed as critical. The suggested mechanism involves downstream activation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, which trigger mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)-dependent structural plasticity via brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and protein neo-synthesis. We evaluated whether ketamine elicits similar molecular events in dopaminergic (DA) neurons, known to be affected in mood disorders, using a novel, translational strategy that involved mouse mesencephalic and human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived DA neurons. Sixty minutes exposure to ketamine elicited concentration-dependent increases of dendritic arborization and soma size in both mouse and human cultures as measured 72 hours after application. These structural effects were blocked by mTOR complex/signaling inhibitors like rapamycin. Direct evidence of mTOR activation by ketamine was revealed by its induction of p70S6 kinase. All effects of ketamine were abolished by AMPA receptor antagonists and mimicked by the AMPA-positive allosteric modulator CX614. Inhibition of BDNF signaling prevented induction of structural plasticity by ketamine or CX614. Furthermore, the actions of ketamine required functionally intact dopamine D3 receptors (D3R), as its effects were abolished by selective D3R antagonists and absent in D3R knockout preparations. Finally, the ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine mimicked ketamine effects at sub-micromolar concentrations. These data indicate that ketamine elicits structural plasticity by recruitment of AMPAR, mTOR and BDNF signaling in both mouse mesencephalic and human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived DA neurons. These observations are of likely relevance to the influence of ketamine upon mood and its other functional actions in vivo.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 21 November 2017; doi:10.1038/mp.2017.241

Novel Strains of Mice Deficient for the Vesicular Acetylcholine Transporter: Insights on Transcriptional Regulation and Control of Locomotor Behavior

Defining the contribution of acetylcholine to specific behaviors has been challenging, mainly because of the difficulty in generating suitable animal models of cholinergic dysfunction. We have recently shown that, by targeting the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) gene, it is possible to generate genetically modified mice with cholinergic deficiency. Here we describe novel VAChT mutant lines. VAChT gene is embedded within the first intron of the choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) gene, which provides a unique arrangement and regulation for these two genes. We generated a VAChT allele that is flanked by loxP sequences and carries the resistance cassette placed in a ChAT intronic region (FloxNeo allele). We show that mice with the FloxNeo allele exhibit differential VAChT expression in distinct neuronal populations. These mice show relatively intact VAChT expression in somatomotor cholinergic neurons, but pronounced decrease in other cholinergic neurons in the brain. VAChT mutant mice present preserved neuromuscular function, but altered brain cholinergic function and are hyperactive. Genetic removal of the resistance cassette rescues VAChT expression and the hyperactivity phenotype. These results suggest that release of ACh in the brain is normally required to “turn down” neuronal circuits controlling locomotion

New Pharmacological Agents to Aid Smoking Cessation and Tobacco Harm Reduction: What has been Investigated and What is in the Pipeline?

A wide range of support is available to help smokers to quit and aid attempts at harm reduction, including three first-line smoking cessation medications: nicotine replacement therapy, varenicline and bupropion. Despite the efficacy of these, there is a continual need to diversify the range of medications so that the needs of tobacco users are met. This paper compares the first-line smoking cessation medications to: 1) two variants of these existing products: new galenic formulations of varenicline and novel nicotine delivery devices; and 2) twenty-four alternative products: cytisine (novel outside of central and eastern Europe), nortriptyline, other tricyclic antidepressants, electronic cigarettes, clonidine (an anxiolytic), other anxiolytics (e.g. buspirone), selective 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors, supplements (e.g. St John’s wort), silver acetate, nicobrevin, modafinil, venlafaxine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), opioid antagonist, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) antagonists, glucose tablets, selective cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonists, nicotine vaccines, drugs that affect gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transmission, drugs that affect N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDA), dopamine agonists (e.g. levodopa), pioglitazone (Actos; OMS405), noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, and the weight management drug lorcaserin. Six criteria are used: relative efficacy, relative safety, relative cost, relative use (overall impact of effective medication use), relative scope (ability to serve new groups of patients), and relative ease of use (ESCUSE). Many of these products are in the early stages of clinical trials, however, cytisine looks most promising in having established efficacy and safety and being of low cost. Electronic cigarettes have become very popular, appear to be efficacious and are safer than smoking, but issues of continued dependence and possible harms need to be considered