Isoflurane impairs odour discrimination learning in rats: differential effects on short- and long-term memory.

BACKGROUND: Anaesthetics suppress the formation of lasting memories at concentrations that do not suppress perception, but it is unclear which elements of the complex cascade leading from a conscious experience to a lasting memory trace are disrupted. Experiments in conscious humans suggest that subhypnotic concentrations of anaesthetics impair consolidation or maintenance rather than acquisition of a representation (long-term more than short-term memory). We sought to test whether these agents similarly impair learning in rats. METHODS: We used operant conditioning in rats to examine the effect of isoflurane on acquisition compared with long-term (24 h) memory of non-aversive olfactory memories using two different odour discrimination tasks. Rats learned the 'valences' of odour pairs presented either separately (task A) or simultaneously (task B), under control conditions and under isoflurane inhalation. In a separate set of experiments, we tested the ability of the animals to recall a learning set that had been acquired 24 h previously. RESULTS: Under 0.4% isoflurane inhalation, the average number of trials required to reach criterion performance (18 correct responses in 20 successive trials) increased from 21.9 to 43.5 (P<0.05) and 24.2 to 54.4 (P<0.05) for tasks A and B, respectively. Under 0.3% isoflurane inhalation, only task B was impaired (from 24.2 to 31.5 trials, P<0.05). Recall at 24 h was dose-dependently impaired or prevented by isoflurane for both tasks. CONCLUSIONS: Isoflurane interfered with long-term memory of odour valence without preventing its acquisition. This paradigm may serve as a non-aversive animal model of conscious amnesia.

Quinacrine: mechanisms of antimalarial action.

Two new interesting modes of action of quinacrine have been discovered. The first concerns a dose-related inhibition of uptake of [8-(3)H] adenosine into host cells of parasitized blood. Second, the drug inhibits the incorporation of tritiated adenosine triphosphate primarily into RNA but also into DNA of the erythrocyte-free malarial parasite Plasmodium berghei.

Measurement of phagocytosis and cell-mediated cytotoxicity by chemiluminescence.

The generation of CL by phagocytes has been shown to be a valuable tool for monitoring the activity of phagocytic cells. It has been used to investigate mechanisms by which stimulants or inhibitors act to affect the function of phagocytic cells. CL has also been used as an assay system to detect various disease states. Last, it has been shown to be a very sensitive assay system for determining the toxicity of environmental or occupational agents on phagocytic cells.

Introduction of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence as a method to study silica inflammation in the tissue and phagocytic cells of rat lung.

The inhalation of silica has been shown to produce a dramatic inflammatory and toxic response within the lungs of humans and laboratory animals. A variety of cellular and biochemical parameters are used to assess the silica-induced lung injury. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the use of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence as a new method to study inflammation in both phagocytic cells and lung tissue recovered from silica-exposed animals. Chemiluminescence, or the emission of light, accompanies the release of reactive forms of oxygen when phagocytic cells are challenged. In this study, male Fischer 344 rats were intratracheally instilled with either silica (10 mg/100 g bw) or saline vehicle. One day after the instillations, a marked increase in the chemiluminescence was observed in the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage cells recovered from the silica-treated animals when compared with the saline controls. The light reaction was markedly decreased by either superoxide dismutase of N-nitro-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride. Superoxide dismutase is involved in the enzymatic breakdown of superoxide anion, while N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrocholoride, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, prevents the formation of nitric oxide. When superoxide anion and nitric oxide react, they form the highly oxidizing substance peroxynitrite. This study then implicates peroxynitrite as an agent that may be responsible for some of the oxidant lung injury that is associated with silica exposure. The use of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence may prove valuable as a method to measure the earliest events in the inflammatory process, and may be an adjunct in studying the mechanisms that produce inflammation.

X-ray microanalysis of Plasmodium falciparum and infected red blood cells: effects of qinghaosu and chloroquine on potassium, sodium, and phosphorus composition.

Cryosections of human red blood cells infected by Plasmodium falciparum were analyzed by energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis to determine the elemental composition of the parasites and their red cell hosts separately. The effects of two antimalarial drugs, qinghaosu and chloroquine, on potassium, sodium, and phosphorus concentrations were studied. Malarial infection causes a decrease in potassium concentration and an increase in sodium concentration in the host red cells. The drastic change in the cation composition, however, occurs only in red cells infected by late stage parasites (late trophozoite and schizont). Red cells infected by early stage parasites (ring stage) show only small changes in sodium concentration. Furthermore, the noninfected red cells in parasitized cultures show no difference in composition from those of normal red cells. Treatment of the parasitized cultures with qinghaosu (10(-6) M) or chloroquine (10(-6) M) for 8 hr causes phosphorus concentration of both early and late parasites to decrease. An 8 hr treatment with qinghaosu also produces a reduction in potassium and an increase in sodium concentrations in early and late parasites. In contrast, 8 hr treatment with chloroquine only causes a change in the sodium and potassium concentrations of the late stage parasites and does not affect the early stage parasites.

Effects of eugenol on polymorphonuclear cell migration and chemiluminescence.

In this study, the effects of eugenol on human polymorphonuclear (PMN) cell migration and chemiluminescence were examined in vitro. Utilizing zymosan-activated serum or crude Bacteroides sonicate fractions as chemotractants, we found that eugenol inhibits PMN migration at 6.6 X 10(-2) to 6.6 X 10(-5) mol/L (P less than 0.05). Also, similar effects were observed in PMNs pre-incubated in eugenol. Regardless of concentration, eugenol was not found to induce chemotaxis of PMNs. An examination of PMN membrane activation through chemiluminescence gave results consistent with the chemotaxis data, demonstrating a decrease in light emission at concentrations as low as 6.6 X 10(-6) mol/L (P less than 0.05). In view of these data, the potential effect of eugenol on in vivo (sulcular or periapical) PMN function deserves further study.

Handedness and the mental rotation of perceived patterns.

The present experiment investigated the effect of hemispheric dominance, as indicated by handedness, and perceptual processing. Displays containing two visual patterns were presented to right- and left-handed subjects who classified the two patterns as being the same or different. Also the two patterns in a display were in either an identical orientation or nonidentical orientations. Overall, left handers were faster than right handers at the "same-different" judgement. Additionally, latency increased with the angular discrepancy in orientation between patterns for both handedness groups but this increase was smaller for left handers than for right handers. Apparently, left handers evaluate overall perceptual similarity faster than right handers and they also mentally rotate perceived patterns of discrepant orientations faster than right handers. These findings contradict previous generalizations that left handers are deficient perceptually. Moreover, the present results support the position that left handers should be faster at global perceptual tasks because left handers have less neural distance than right handers mediating the transmission of information between the locus of perception and the locus of dominance.

Comparison of the interaction of tricyclic antidepressants with human polymorphonuclear leukocytes as monitored by the generation of chemiluminescence.

The interation of imipramine with human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) results in a chemiluminescence (CL) response which has been attributed to the electronic excitation of the imipramine molecule resulting from a reaction of the drug with reactive oxygen species. In order to determine what portion of the tricyclic molecule is involved in this reaction, the interaction of other tricyclics with PMNs was monitored by chemiluminescence. It was observed that tricyclic antidepressants having a carbon atom at position 5 of the ring moiety (amitriptyline, for example) did not yield CL with either resting or zymosan-activated PMNs. In fact this group of compounds inhibited the zymosan-induced CL response. However, CL was observed, with both resting and metabolically-activated PMNs, from several tricyclics having a heterocyclic nitrogen at position 5. These included imipramine, desipramine, opipramol and iprindole. Chlorimipramine, which has a chlorine atom at position 3 of the ring system, failed to yield CL with resting or stimulated cells. Similarly, imipramine N-oxide failed to yield CL with resting cells, but enhanced CL was observed with zymosan-activated PMNs. On the basis of these observations it appears that some aspect of the ring moiety, other than just a heterocyclic nitrogen, facilitates a reaction between these molecules and reactive oxygen which culminates in the generation of CL.

Attenuation of acute inflammatory effects of silica in rat lung by 21-aminosteroid, U74389G.

Chemical alteration of the glucocorticoid, methylprednisolone, has led to the introduction of a new class of compounds called the 21-aminosteroids (21-ASs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the 21-AS, U74389G, on silica-induced acute lung injury. Male Fischer 344 rats were treated intraperitoneally with saline or U74389G in a total dose of 15 mg/kg divided into three injections of 5 mg/kg separated by 4 h. Following the first treatment, animals from the two groups were intratracheally instilled with silica (10 mg/100 g body wt in 0.5 ml of saline) or saline vehicle (0.5 ml). Twenty-four hours after the instillations, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed. In the animals not receiving U74389G, marked increases in total protein, beta-glucuronidase, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities and number of neutrophils (PMNs) were demonstrated in the BAL fluid of the silica-treated animals compared to their controls. Silica also caused dramatic increases in the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) of lung tissue and BAL cells. The CL reaction was decreased by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor. In animals treated with U74389G, there was attenuation of the silica-induced increases in biochemical, cellular, and chemiluminescent indices of damage. This study demonstrates that U74389G significantly reduces acute lung injury caused by the intratracheal instillation of silica, and this drug may be of potential value for treatment of lung diseases in which damage caused by reactive oxygen species has been implicated.

Inhibition by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs of luminol-dependent human-granulocyte chemiluminescence and [3H]FMLP binding. Effect of sulindac sulfide, indomethacin metabolite, and optical enantiomers (+) and (-) MK830.

A system is described to evaluate for nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs by means of luminol-dependent human-granulocyte chemiluminescence (CL) is described. The CL is produced using either opsonized zymosan (yeast cells) or the soluble chemotactic peptide f-Met-Leu-Phe as the perturbant of the granulocyte membrane. Using either system, the following drug effects 2 x 10(-5) M were noted: only sulindac sulfide, and not sulindac sulfone or sulindac, displayed marked inhibition of chemiluminescence, following the in vivo data regarding inflammatory effects. The 5-OH indomethacin metabolite was likewise inactive as an inhibitor of CL mirroring in vivo effects. MK(+)410, MK(-)830 and MK835 all showed approximately 50% inhibition of CL, displaying deviation from in vivo data. MK(+)830 markedly stimulated CL, 4-6 times the control (without drug), which is clearly different from its enantiomer, MK(-)830. The reasons for this behavior are unclear. However, receptor binding studies with [3H]FMLP were accomplished in the presence and absence of the various drugs at 2 x 10(-5) M that were effective inhibitors of chemiluminescence (CL). Indomethacin, MK(-)830 and MK(+)410 had equivalent percent control binding and percent control CL. Sulindac sulfide and MK(+)835 both had higher percent control binding than percent control CL, with MK(+)835 displaying apparent increased numbers of available receptors relative to control. MK(+)830, which produces large increases in CL, produced a minor effect on percent control binding. A direct relationship between binding and CL does not exist with each drug. Chemiluminescence is dependent on ion movement and oxidative metabolism and is a secondary event to agonist-receptor occupation.

Granulocyte response to oxidized FMLP. Evidence for partial inactivation of FMLP.

We prepared FMoxLP by oxidation of FMLP and evaluated its ability to trigger a variety of granulocyte responses. FMoxLP was found to depolarize granulocyte membranes; increase granulocyte oxygen consumption, superoxide production, and hydrogen peroxide production; compete with FMLP for binding to granulocytes; and stimulate granulocyte chemotaxis. Against all of these granulocyte functions, FMoxLP was considerably less potent than the parent FMLP. When luminol-dependent-granulocyte chemiluminescence (CL) was studied, FMoxLP was observed to be a more potent stimulus of this response than FMLP. This increased CL activity of FMoxLP may be related to nonoxidative burst mechanisms. Our results indicate that FMoxLP retains a significant amount of the biological activity of FMLP (albeit in general less potent). The biological importance of the observed activities of FMoxLP must await further investigation.

The possible role of peroxynitrite in Alzheimer's disease: a simple hypothesis that could be tested more thoroughly.

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the development of a degenerative condition in the elderly, associated with dementia. Upon pathological examination, cerebral amyloid plaques are found which contain denatured protein or peptide material. The process of denaturation of protein requires the presence of excessive heat, organic solvents, or oxidizing acids (OA). It seems that only OA could produce these effects since the other two are not present in the disease. Macrophages can produce the anion of an oxidizing acid known as peroxynitrite (OONO). This material is formed from two free radical gases, namely superoxide anion [.O2]- and nitric oxide (.N = O). Although (OONO)- is very reactive (1000 times more oxidizing than hydrogen peroxide), its half life in solution is only 1 to 2 seconds. Therefore, when it oxidizes a substance (such as protein) peroxynitrite disappears. The brain contains cells called microglia which are produced from monocytes in the same way as other types of macrophages from the lung and liver etc. The macrophages from the lung (alveolar) and liver (Kupfer cells) produce large amounts of peroxynitrite when activated by particles (silica) or infectious agents (lipopolysaccharide or interferon). Microglia produce highly oxidizing substances as well, but no one has ever measured production of peroxynitrite from these cells. Assuming that microglia produce peroxynitrite, or other similar oxidants, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory drugs should be helpful in treatment of early forms of the disease. In addition, large doses of anti-oxidant vitamin C and vitamin E might be helpful to people with Alzheimer's disease.

Interaction of artemisinin and tetracycline or erythromycin against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro.

Antimalarial activities of tetracycline (TC) and erythromycin (EM), alone or in combination with artemisinin (Qinghaosu, QHS), were studied using chloroquine (CQ)-sensitive (D6) and -resistant (W2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. The antimalarial potency of TC (IC50 = 9862 nM for the CQ-sensitive parasite, 32414 nM for the CQ-resistant one) or EM (IC50 = 45787 nM for the CQ-sensitive parasite, 33397 nM for the CQ-resistant one) was much less than that of QHS (IC50 ranging from 25 to 40 nM). The CQ-resistant falciparum parasite displayed a cross-resistance to TC, while both the drug-sensitive and -resistant parasites exhibited similar responses to EM. However, antimalarial potency of EM appeared to be less than that of TC against the drug-sensitive parasite. When TC was combined with QHS, an additive interaction was observed against the CQ-sensitive falciparum parasite, while synergism was found with the CQ-resistant parasite. When EM was tested in combination with QHS, a potentiating interaction occurred with both the CQ-sensitive and resistant falciparum parasite. The above results indicated that the QHS combination with either TC or EM may be a promising antimalarial preparation with low recrudescence compared to artemisinin used alone in clinical practice.

Effects of a Phytogenic Feed Additive Versus an Antibiotic Feed Additive on Oxidative Stress in Broiler Chicks and a Possible Mechanism Determined by Electron Spin Resonance.

Phytogenic feed additives are plant-derived products used in poultry feeding to improve overall performance of broilers. In this study, 588 one day-old Cobb 500 chicks were fed one of four diets and housed on either dirty or clean litter for 3wks. Treatments included: Group I: commercial diet with no additive and housed on clean litter; Group II: commercial diet with no additive and housed on dirty litter; Group III: commercial diet with a 0.05% inclusion of the anitobiotic, BMD (bacitracin methylene disalicylate); Group IV: commercial diet with a 0.05% inclusion of a phytogenic feed additive (PFA). The study was designed around a random block assignment of treatments allocated to groups of twenty-one birds per pen. Blood samples were obtained from chicks at 18 days of age for measurement of leukocyte oxidative activity by a bioluminescence technique. Results of the study showed that chicks in the treatment groups fed the PFA had significantly lower oxidative stress (p<0.02) when compared to the BMD treatment group. Once this was determined, electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping was used to detect and measure hydroxyl or superoxide radicals in. Fenton chemistry was utilized for production of hydroxyl radicals and a xanthine/xanthine oxidase reaction for the production of superoxide radicals in the diet and in RAW 264.7 mouse peritoneal monocytes exposed to the diet. Results from the reactions showed that the antibiotic scavenges hydroxyl and superoxide radicals more efficiently than the phytogenic. The results were comparable to those measured in the RAW 264.7 cells.