Fluoride-Free Diet Stimulates Pineal Growth in Aged Male Rats.

The pineal gland is a naturally calcifying endocrine organ which secretes the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. Age-related changes of the pineal have been observed, including decreased pinealocyte numbers, increased calcification, and a reduction in melatonin production. Since fluoride is attracted to calcium within the pineal gland, this study sought to examine the effects of a fluoride-free diet on the morphology of the pineal gland of aged male rats (26 months old). All animals had previously been raised on standard fluoridated food and drinking water. These control animals were compared to other animals that were placed on a fluoride-free diet ("fluoride flush") for 4 or 8 weeks. At 4 weeks, pineal glands from fluoride-free animals showed a 96% increase in supporting cell numbers and at 8 weeks a 73% increase in the number of pinealocytes compared to control animals. In contrast, the number of pinealocytes and supporting cells in animals given an initial 4-week fluoride flush followed by a return to fluoridated drinking water (1.2 ppm NaF) for 4 weeks were not different from control animals. Our findings therefore demonstrate that a fluoride-free diet encouraged pinealocyte proliferation and pineal gland growth in aged animals and fluoride treatment inhibited gland growth. These findings suggest that dietary fluoride may be detrimental to the pineal gland.

Sex and regional differences in rabbit right ventricular L-type calcium current levels and mathematical modelling of arrhythmia vulnerability.

NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? Regional variations of ventricular L-type calcium current (ICa-L ) amplitude may underlie the increased arrhythmia risk in adult females. Current amplitude variations have been described for the left ventricle but not for the right ventricle. What is the main finding and its importance? Adult female rabbit right ventricular base myocytes exhibit elevated ICa-L compared with female apex or male myocytes. Oestrogen upregulated ICa-L in cultured female myocytes. Mathematical simulations modelling long QT syndrome type 2 demonstrated that elevated ICa-L prolonged action potentials and induced early after-depolarizations. Thus, ventricular arrhythmias in adult females may be associated with an oestrogen-induced upregulation of ICa-L . Previous studies have shown that adult rabbit left ventricular myocytes exhibit sex and regional differences in L-type calcium current (ICa-L ) levels that contribute to increased female susceptibility to arrhythmogenic early after-depolarizations (EADs). We used patch-clamp recordings from isolated adult male and female rabbit right ventricular myocytes to determine apex-base differences in ICa-L density and used mathematical modelling to examine the contribution of ICa-L to EAD formation. Current density measured at 0 mV in female base myocytes was 67% higher than in male base myocytes and 55% higher than in female apex myocytes. No differences were observed between male and female apex myocytes, between male apex and base myocytes, or in the voltage dependences of ICa-L activation or inactivation. The role of oestrogen was investigated using cultured adult female right ventricular base myocytes. After 2 days, 17ß-estradiol (1 nm) produced a 65% increase in ICa-L density compared with untreated control myocytes, suggesting an oestrogen-induced upregulation of ICa-L . Action potential simulations using a modified Luo-Rudy cardiomyocyte model showed that increased ICa-L density, at the level observed in female base myocytes, resulted in longer duration action potentials, and when combined with a 50% reduction of the rapidly inactivating delayed rectifier potassium current conductance to model long QT syndrome type 2, the action potential was accompanied by one or more EADs. Thus, we found higher levels of ICa-L in adult female right ventricle base myocytes and the upregulation of this current by oestrogen. Simulations of long QT syndrome type 2 showed that elevated ICa-L contributed to genesis of EADs.

17beta-Estradiol reduces excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) amplitude in rat basolateral amygdala neurons.

We examined the actions of estrogen on excitatory synaptic transmission in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain region involved in learning, emotions, and the effects of stress. Intracellular recordings of monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were obtained from BLA neurons in a slice preparation. Bath application of 17beta-estradiol (2 micro M) reduced EPSP amplitude by an average of 77%. This reduction was readily reversed by washing with control saline and was not mimicked by the inactive isomer 17 alpha-estradiol. Other passive and active properties of BLA neurons were unaffected by 17beta-estradiol. The observed EPSP reduction is in sharp contrast to the potentiation of EPSPs by estrogen observed in other brain regions.