Peripubertal GnRH and testosterone co-treatment leads to increased familiarity preferences in male sheep.

Chronic gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) treatment is effective for the medical suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in situations like central precocious puberty and gender dysphoria. However, its administration during the peripubertal period could influence normal brain development and function because GnRH receptors are expressed in brain regions that regulate emotions, cognition, motivation and memory. This study used an ovine model to determine whether chronic peripubertal GnRHa-treatment affected the developmental shift from preference of familiarity to novelty. Experimental groups included Controls and GnRHa-treated rams. To differentiate between effects of altered GnRH signaling and those associated with the loss of sex steroids, a group was also included that received testosterone replacement as well as GnRHa (GnRHa + T). Preference for a novel versus familiar object was assessed during 5-min social isolation at 8, 28 and 46 weeks of age. Approach behavior was measured as interactions with and time spent near the objects, whereas avoidance behavior was measured by time spent in the entrance zone and attempts to escape the arena via the entry point. Emotional reactivity was measured by the number of vocalizations, escape attempts and urinations. As Control and GnRHa-treated rams aged, their approach behaviors showed a shift from preference for familiarity (8 weeks) to novelty (46 weeks). In contrast, relative to the Controls the GnRHa + T rams exhibited more approach behaviors towards both objects, at 28 and 46 weeks of age and preferred familiarity at 46 weeks of age. Vocalisation rate was increased in GnRHa treated rams in late puberty (28 weeks) compared to both Control and GnRHa + T rams but this effect was not seen in young adulthood (46 weeks). These results suggest that the specific suppression of testosterone during a developmental window in late puberty may reduce emotional reactivity and hamper learning a flexible adjustment to environmental change. The results also suggest that disruption of either endogenous testosterone signalling or a synergistic action between GnRH and testosterone signalling, may delay maturation of cognitive processes (e.g. information processing) that affects the motivation of rams to approach and avoid objects.

Differentiation of the bovine dominant follicle from the cohort upregulates mRNA expression for new tissue development genes.

This study was designed to identify genes that regulate the transition from FSH- to LH-dependent development in the bovine dominant follicle (DF). Serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) was used to compare the transcriptome of granulosa cells isolated from the most oestrogenic growing cohort follicle (COH), the newly selected DF and its largest subordinate follicle (SF) which is destined for atresia. Follicle diameter, follicular fluid oestradiol (E) and E:progesterone ratio confirmed follicle identity. Results show that there are 93 transcript species differentially expressed in DF granulosa cells, but only 8 of these encode proteins known to be involved in DF development. Most characterised transcripts upregulated in the DF are from tissue development genes that regulate cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, signalling and tissue remodelling. Semiquantitative real-time PCR analysis confirmed seven genes with upregulated (P< or =0.05) mRNA expression in DF compared with both COH and SF granulosa cells. Thus, the new genes identified by SAGE and real-time PCR, which show enhanced mRNA expression in the DF, may regulate proliferation (cyclin D2; CCND2), prevention of apoptosis or DNA damage (growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible, beta; GADD45B), RNA synthesis (splicing factor, arginine/serine rich 9; SFRS9) and unknown processes associated with enhanced steroidogenesis (ovary-specific acidic protein; DQ004742) in granulosa cells of DF at the onset of LH-dependent development. Further studies are required to show whether the expression of identified genes is dysregulated when abnormalities occur during DF selection or subsequent development.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone directly stimulates testosterone production by the fetal and neonatal mouse testis.

Adult Leydig cell steroidogenesis is dependent on LH but fetal Leydig cells can function independently of gonadotropin stimulation. To identify factors that may be involved in regulation of fetal Leydig cells expressed sequence tag libraries from fetal and adult testes were compared, and fetal-specific genes identified. The ACTH receptor [melanocortin type 2 receptor (Mc2r)] was identified within this fetal-specific group. Subsequent real-time PCR studies confirmed that Mc2r was expressed in the fetal testis at 100-fold higher levels than in the adult testis. Incubation of fetal or neonatal testes with ACTH in vitro stimulated testosterone production more than 10-fold, although ACTH had no effect on testes from animals aged 20 d or older. The steroidogenic response of fetal and neonatal testes to a maximally stimulating dose of human chorionic gonadotropin was similar to the response shown to ACTH. The ED(50) for ACTH, measured in isolated fetal and neonatal testicular cells, was 5 x 10(-10) M and the lowest dose of ACTH eliciting a response was 2 x 10(-11) M. Circulating ACTH levels in fetal mice were around 8 x 10(-11) M. Neither alpha-MSH nor gamma-MSH had any effect on androgen production in vitro at any age. Fetal testosterone levels were normal in mice that lack circulating ACTH (proopiomelanocortin-null) indicating that ACTH is not essential for fetal Leydig cell function. Results show that both LH and ACTH can regulate testicular steroidogenesis during fetal development in the mouse and suggest that fetal Leydig cells, but not adult Leydig cells, are sensitive to ACTH stimulation.

Differential binding of apolipoprotein E isoforms to tau and other cytoskeletal proteins.

The apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) gene dose is a major risk factor for late-onset and sporadic Alzheimer's disease with 50% of homozygous patients developing the disease by age 70. Previous studies have shown localization of apoE to the cytoplasm of certain neurons within the brain. In addition, apoE3, but not apoE4, forms SDS-stable complexes with the microtubule-associated proteins tau and MAP-2. To extend these studies and quantitate the association of apoE with other proteins, the association of apoE3 and apoE4 with several cytoskeletal proteins was examined using both gel shift and overlay assays. In the gel shift assay, apoE3 formed SDS-stable complexes with the longest isoform of human recombinant tau (T4L), the shortest isoform of human recombinant tau (T3), and the 160-kDa neurofilament protein (NFM). ApoE4 did not bind T3, T4L, or NFM in this assay. The association of apoE3 and apoE4 with T4L, actin, or tubulin was further examined in an overlay assay with known amounts of the cytoskeletal proteins slot-blotted onto nitrocellulose and incubated in 0.15 microM (5 microg/ml) apoE3 or apoE4. In this assay, apoE3 and apoE4 bound T4L and tubulin equally well. In contrast, apoE3 bound actin with a significantly greater affinity than did apoE4. These results indicate that apoE isoforms interact with cytoskeletal proteins with at least two different binding affinities. The more avid interaction results in the formation of complexes which are SDS stable and occurs almost exclusively with apoE3, while the other interactions between apoE and cytoskeletal proteins are specific for apoE3.

Modulation of the phosphorylation state of tau in situ: the roles of calcium and cyclic AMP.

Alterations in situ in the phosphorylation state of the microtubule-associated protein tau were examined in response to increasing intracellular levels of Ca2+ through N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor activation, or activating cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PK), in rat cerebral-cortical slices. Increasing intracellular concentrations of Ca2+ by treatment of the brain slices with the glutamate analogue NMDA in depolarizing conditions (55 mM KCl) resulted in dephosphorylation of tau. Addition of KCl+NMDA to the slices resulted in a 40% decrease in 32P incorporation into tau, whereas addition of KCl or NMDA alone had no effect on tau phosphorylation. The KCl+NMDA-induced dephosphorylation of tau was blocked by the non-competitive NMDA-receptor antagonist MK801. Determine the involvement of the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase, calcineurin, in the KCl+NMDA-induced dephosphorylation of tau, slices were pretreated with the calcineurin inhibitor Cyclosporin A. Pretreatment of the rat brain slices with Cyclosporin A completely abolished the dephosphorylation of tau induced by the addition of KCl+NMDA. The dephosphorylation of tau in situ was site-selective, as indicated by the loss of 32P label from only a few select peptides. Activation of cAMP-PK by stimulating adenylate cyclase in rat cerebral-cortical slices with forskolin resulted in a 73% increase over control levels in 32P incorporation into immunoprecipitated tau. Two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping revealed that most of the sites on tau phosphorylated in brain slices in response to increased cAMP levels were the same as those phosphorylated on isolated tau by purified cAMP-PK. Although the state of tau phosphorylation is certainly regulated by many protein phosphatases and kinases in vivo, to our knowledge this study provides the first direct evidence of a specific protein phosphatase and kinase that modulate the phosphorylation state of tau in situ.

Empowering staff through audit.

Describes the use of multidisciplinary project teams in audit planning, process and outcome. Discusses the motivation and need for reward in personal/professional settings and patient satisfaction surveys in the contractual arena into which they have been drawn.

BW373U86: a nonpeptidic delta-opioid agonist with novel receptor-G protein-mediated actions in rat brain membranes and neuroblastoma cells.

BW373U86 is a potent and highly selective nonpeptidic agonist for delta-opioid receptors. To determine its ability to couple with G protein-linked second messenger systems, this study examined the effects of BW373U86 on the inhibition of adenylyl cyclase and the stimulation of low-Km GTPase activity. In rat striatal membranes, BW373U86 inhibited basal adenylyl cyclase activity in a GTP-dependent manner, with maximal inhibition levels similar to those of the prototypic delta agonist [D-Ser2,Thr6]Leu-enkephalin (DSLET). However, BW373U86 was approximately 100 times more potent than DSLET in inhibiting adenylyl cyclase. Analysis of the inhibitory activity across 10 brain regions revealed that both low and high concentrations of BW373U86 inhibited adenylyl cyclase activity in a manner similar to that of DSLET. Inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by BW373U86 was delta receptor selective, because the delta receptor-selective antagonist naltrindole was significantly more potent than naloxone and the mu receptor-selective antagonist D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Orn-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 was ineffective in blocking BW373U86 inhibition. BW373U86 also inhibited adenylyl cyclase activity in membranes prepared from NG108-15 cells, with an IC50 value 5 times lower than that of DSLET. This increased potency was not observed in concentration-effect curves for agonist-stimulated low-Km GTPase in NG108-15 membranes. BW373U86 is a competitive inhibitor of [3H]diprenorphine at delta receptors of NG108-15 cell membranes. However, unlike DSLET, BW373U86 displacement of [3H]diprenorphine binding to NG108-15 cell membranes was not affected by sodium and guanine nucleotides. This lack of GTP effect on binding apparently produced slow dissociation rates for this agonist, because naltrindole was less potent in blocking BW373U86 inhibition of adenylyl cyclase when membranes were preincubated with this agonist. These results demonstrate the novel finding that the binding of a full agonist to a G protein-coupled receptor is not regulated by GTP, and they also show how the lack of regulation in receptor binding affects agonist potency.

Inhibition of protein phosphorylation by opioid-inhibited adenylyl cyclase in rat brain membranes.

Opioid inhibition of adenylyl cyclase is a major second messenger system associated with opioid receptors in brain. To identify membrane phosphoproteins whose phosphorylation state is modulated by opioid inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, rat striatal membranes were preincubated with opioid agonists in the presence of 500 microM 5'-adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (which acted as a substrate for adenylyl cyclase, but not for protein kinase) before addition of [gamma-32P]ATP. Under these conditions, adenylyl cyclase in the membranes formed cyclic AMP, which stimulated cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. This process was confirmed by observing forskolin-stimulated phosphorylation of two bands of MW 85 and 63 kDa, which were also stimulated directly by cyclic AMP. Forskolin-stimulated phosphorylation of these two bands was inhibited by 15 to 30% by opioid agonists such as D-Ala2-Met5-enkephalinamide. This inhibition of phosphorylation was mediated by opioid receptors, because it required both sodium and GTP, and was blocked by naloxone. These results suggest that these two proteins may be primary targets of opioid-inhibited adenylyl cyclase in striatal membranes.