The chronotropic and inotropic responses to isoprenaline and salbutamol were determined in the chloralose anaesthetized dog. The myocardium was denervated, sympathetically and parasympathetically to prevent direct neural influence on the heart rate and myocardial contractility. The heart rate was determined from the E.C.G. Myocardial contractility was indicated by the change in the maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt max) at a constant electrically paced heart rate. The structure-activity relationships for salbutamol and isoprenaline were determined from dose-response curves and by plotting the change in contractility (ΔdP/dt max) against the change in heart rate (ΔHR). The data obtained from this series of experiments indicated that the only difference between the effects of the agonists on the inotropic and chronotropic responses of the myocardium was the lower affinity of salbutamol for the adrenergic receptor as indicated by the 100 times greater concentration required to produce the same response level. Previously reported in vitro studies with the guinea pig atrium and dog papillary muscle had indicated that a smaller inotropic response to salbutamol should have been expected. To test this discrepancy between the present in vivo experimentation, and the previous in vitro work, studies were designed to test the guinea pig atrium and the dog papillary muscle in vitro. The effects of the agonists were studied on the isolated guinea pig atrium in a manner that paralleled the in vivo dog study. With the organ bath at 25°C, the chronotropic response, measured by the change in free contraction rate (ΔR), and the inotropic response, determined from the change in peak tension developed (ΔT) during electrical stimulation at 2 Hz, to a single randomly ordered dose of salbutamol or isoprenaline were determined. Salbutamol acted as a partial agonist, that is, had a lower efficacy than isoprenaline. However, the relative effect of each drug on the inotropic and chronotropic responses was almost identical. In the isolated dog papillary muscle, salbutamol displayed a much lower efficacy, producing only 20% of the maximum isoprenaline increase in peak tension developed to the cummulative addition of agonist. The affinity of salbutamol for the adrenergic receptor in this preparation was much lower than that observed in vivo when compared with isoprenaline, 5,000:1 and 100:1 respectively. The structure-activity relationships for salbutamol and isoprenaline showed that the relative effects of these agonists on the in vivo denervated dog myocardial inotropic and chronotropic responses were similar. This observation indicates that the adrenergic receptors of the dog myocardium mediating the inotropic and chronotropic responses are structurally similar at a site complementary to the phenyl ring of the agonist molecule. However,, a definite conclusion regarding the adrenergic receptors responsible for the inotropic response cannot be made because of the unexplained difference in inotropic response observed with ventricular muscle in vivo and in vitro. Examination of the structure-activity relationships for salbutamol and isoprenaline in the in vitro guinea pig atrium indicates that, in this preparation also, the adrenergic receptors involved in the two measured responses are probably structurally similar. / Medicine, Faculty of / Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Department of / Graduate

Sigma-1 receptors (σ-1Rs) are chaperone-like proteins that are broadly distributed throughout the central nervous system and in other tissues. They have been implicated in several physiological and pathological processes, primarily by their ability to modulate certain voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels. Growing evidence suggests that σ-1Rs regulate the functions of ion channels, such as voltage-gated K+ 1.2 (Kv 1.2) and the human Ether-à-go-go-Related Gene (hERG) ion channels, by modulating their expression, trafficking, and targeting. While it is well documented that σ-1Rs enhance the function of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), the mechanisms of this enhancement remain poorly understood. Using biochemical methods, we show that 90 minutes after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of σ-1R agonists such as (+)-SKF 10,047 (SKF) or (+)-Pentazocine (PTZ) (2 mg/kg), there is an increase in the expression of GluN2 subunits of NMDARs and postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) in the rat hippocampus. Following activation of σ-1Rs, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) experiments reveal an increased interaction between σ-1Rs and NMDAR subunits; sucrose gradient centrifugation demonstrates an increase in the protein levels of GluN2 subunits in vesicular compartment; and biotinylation shows an increase in the surface levels of GluN2A-containing NMDARs. Taken together, our results suggest σ-1Rs may enhance NMDARs function by increasing their expression, trafficking, and surface levels. This σ-1R-mediated increase in NMDAR expression and surface levels might be involved in several physiological processes such as learning and memory. Our findings also suggest that σ-1Rs could form a potential target for designing novel antipsychotics.

It is well established that chronic treatment with neuroleptic agents which selectively block dopamine (DA) receptors in the brain leads to the development of DA receptor supersensitivity. However comparing the degree and duration of the changes in receptor sensitivity obtained by different investigators has been extremely difficult, because of the numerous differences that exist in individual methods of producing and examining DA receptor supersensitivity. By examining the DA receptor supersensitivity that ensues following chronic treatment with different doses and durations of pimozide, at various intervals after withdrawal from treatment, the overall parametric changes can be more directly compared. To measure the changes in DA receptor sensitivity following chronic pimozide treatment, both behavioral (d.-amphetamine-induced locomotor activity; apomorphine-induced stereotypy) and biochemical (DA receptor binding assay) techniques were utilized. With increasing doses of chronic pimozide treatment, the degree and duration of the resulting DA receptor supersensitivity increased as measured both behaviorally and biochemically. Similarily, the longer durations of chronic pimozide treatment had a greater effect on the degree and duration of the increased DA receptor sensitivity than did the shorter durations of treatment. Correlations were found between the biochemical and behavioral results both between groups of animals treated chronically with different doses and durations of pimozide and within individual groups of animals. In addition, the changes in receptor sensitivity following chronic pimozide treatment was due to an increase in the number of DA receptors with no change in the affinity of these receptors to DA. These results following chronic treatment with neuroleptics demonstrate that the behavioral supersensitivity observed in animals in response to either the direct DA agonist apomorphine or the indirect DA agonist d-amphetamine, may be a result of an increased number of DA receptors. Finally, the supersensitive DA receptors that develop as a result of chronic treatment with neuroleptics are discussed with regard to their possible relevance as an animal model of the iatrogenic disease, tardive dyskinesia, observed clinically in schizophrenic patients withdrawn from neuroleptic therapy. / Medicine, Faculty of / Graduate

The expression of two phenotypically-contrasting LDL receptor mutations was characterized in cultured fibroblasts from the genetically-homozygous Afrikaner subjects, FH1a and lb, and FH3a and 3b, respectively. Surface receptor expression and functional activity were studied by ligand (¹²⁵I-LDL) and monoclonal antibody (¹²⁵I-IgG-C7) binding, and c35s]-methionine pulse-chase experiments were used to analyze biosynthesis, processing and degradation of IgG-C7- immunoprecipitable mutant receptors. Cells from the "receptor-negative" subjects, FH3a and 3b exhibited reduced, but significant (40-60% of normal) LDL receptor synthesis rates. Newly-synthesized precursors were processed slowly (t½ 1.5 hours versus normal t½ of approximately 15 minutes) to mature receptors which reached the cell-surface, but were rapidly degraded thereafter with a half-life of approximately 1.7 hours (normal value 12.6 hours) thus representing a new type of LDL receptor defect. Lysosomotropic weak bases such as ammonium chloride partially inhibited rapid degradation of the mutant receptors, suggesting the involvement of proteolysis in acidic compartments such as lysosomes or endosomes. Fibroblasts from FH1a and lb exhibited normal synthesis rates of LDL receptor precursors that were processed at a severely reduced rate (t½ approximately 5 hours) to functionally heterogeneous mature surface receptors. Onethird of the receptors (20% of normal levels) bound ¹²⁵I-LDL with normal affinity at 4°C and 37°C, whereas the majority were able to recognize only ¹²⁵I-IgG-C7, and apparently showed defective internalisation and subsequent degradation of the bound IgG-C7 at 37°C. The existence of the two receptor populations was further supported by selective intracellular trapping and degradation of only the active, LDL-binding population, in the presence of ammonium chloride and LOL. The abnormal form predominated even in newly-synthesized receptors and reached a maximum of 50-70% of normal levels after 48 hours of upregulation. Upregulation kinetics and degradation rates (t½ = 10-11 hours) of both functionally-active and abnormal receptor populations were similar to normal. A progressive increase in apparent molecular weight of the slowly-processed precursor receptors suggested a possible role for abnormal glycosylation in the formation of both "normal" and abnormal conformations of the same receptor molecule.

No description available.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Physiology / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Botany / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Medicine / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Master / Master of Philosophy