The intricate link between glucocorticoids and endocannabinoids at stress-relevant synapses in the hypothalamus.

The relationship between glucocorticoids and endocannabinoids at hypothalamic synapses in the presence of stress is particularly complex. Under conditions of acute stress, glucocorticoids trigger the synthesis of endocannabinoids, which through activation of type I cannabinoid receptors (CB1Rs), inhibit stress-relevant neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). Through this signaling mechanism, endocannabinoids constrain the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. However, following chronic or repeated stress, the ability of endocannabinoids to modulate synaptic activity is compromised because of a functional down-regulation in CB1Rs. Here we examine recent findings that highlight important aspects of endocannabinoid signaling in response to stress in the PVN and the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), two hypothalamic nuclei that play integral roles in regulating the neuroendocrine and autonomic responses to stress.

Renal tumour suppressor function of the Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome gene product folliculin.

BACKGROUND: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) comprises five major molecular and histological subtypes. The Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) syndrome is a hereditary human cancer syndrome that predisposes affected individuals to develop renal carcinoma of nearly all subtypes, in addition to benign fibrofolliculomas, and pulmonary and renal cysts. BHD is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the folliculin (FLCN) protein. The molecular function of FLCN is still largely unknown; opposite and conflicting evidence of the role of FLCN in mammalian target of rapamycin signalling/phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (p-S6) activation had recently been reported. RESULTS AND METHODS: Here, the expression pattern of murine Flcn was described, and it was observed that homozygous disruption of Flcn results in embryonic lethality early during development. Importantly, heterozygous animals manifest early preneoplastic kidney lesions, devoid of Flcn expression, that progress towards malignancy, including cystopapillary adenomas. A bona fide tumour suppressor activity of FLCN was confirmed by nude mouse xenograft assays of two human RCC cell lines with either diminished or re-expressed FLCN. It was observed that loss of FLCN expression leads to context-dependent effects on S6 activation. Indeed, solid tumours and normal kidneys show decreased p-S6 upon diminished FLCN expression. Conversely, p-S6 is found to be elevated or absent in FLCN-negative renal cysts. CONCLUSION: In accordance with clinical data showing distinct renal malignancies arising in BHD patients, in this study FLCN is shown as a general tumour suppressor in the kidney.

Estrogen limits ischemic cell death by modulating caspase-12-mediated apoptotic pathways following middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Estrogen has received considerable attention as a potential therapeutic agent against various forms of neurodegenerative diseases including stroke. Experimental data in animal models of stroke have provided exhaustive evidence of the neuroprotective properties of this steroid hormone. Our laboratory in particular has demonstrated that acute estrogen treatment in male rats significantly reduced (approximately 50%) ischemic cell death within 4 h following permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms implicated in the protective actions of estrogen in this experimental model have yet to be elucidated. Accumulating evidence suggests that in various in vivo and in vitro models, estrogen can be pro-apoptotic and that this effect may be mediated by an estrogen-induced up-regulation of the Fas/FasL system and the subsequent activation of caspase-12. We therefore hypothesized that under ischemic conditions following MCAO, estrogen would up-regulate protective endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways leading to caspase-12 activation, thus limiting infarct volume. Our results showed that estrogen significantly increased activated caspase-12 at 2, 3 and 4 h post-MCAO. Immunostaining of brain sections showed a significantly higher number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end-labeling positive cells in estrogen-treated animals at 4 h, but not at 2 h, post-MCAO. These findings correlate with previous observations that differences in infarct volume between saline and estrogen-treated animals are not seen until 3 and 4 h post-MCAO. A decrease in m-calpain expression was observed in the infarct region only at 4 h post-MCAO following estrogen pre-treatment, suggesting m-calpain may not be involved in regulating estrogen-induced caspase-12 activation. Based on these cellular changes correlated to estrogen pretreatment, we conclude that estrogen may up-regulate ER-specific apoptotic pathways, thus limiting the extent of necrotic cell death which is responsible for the spreading depression and growth of the infarct volume following MCAO.

Estrogen-mediated neuroprotection in the cortex may require NMDA receptor activation.

Several studies have suggested that a potential mechanism for estrogen-mediated neuroprotection following experimental stroke is a result of modulating glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. Our laboratory has shown that in male rats, estrogen injection (systemic or direct intracortical injection) resulted in an immediate depolarization of cortical neurons. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate whether the estrogen-induced depolarization of cortical neurons was required in mediating the early events associated with this neuroprotection. We tested this hypothesis by co-injecting selective antagonists of the NMDA (MK-801) or AMPA (DNQX) glutamatergic receptors with estrogen. Systemic injection of estrogen significantly attenuated the MK-801-induced decrease in infarct volume following middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Similarly, when estrogen and MK-801 were co-injected directly into the cortex, no neuroprotection was observed. However, when estrogen or MK-801 was injected centrally 10 min prior to the injection of the other drug, significant neuroprotection was observed. This led us to hypothesize that estrogen-mediated neuroprotection required an initial activation of NMDA receptors. Furthermore, our results suggest that this estrogen-mediated neuroprotection was also associated with a significant increase in m-calpain and activation of an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) specific caspase-12. Finally, the results of current clamp experiments showed that estrogen significantly depolarized cortical neurons as well as enhanced NMDA-induced depolarization. Taken together, these results suggest that estrogen pretreatment may activate NMDA receptors resulting in modification of ER-associated molecular mechanisms involved in neuroprotection following MCAO.

The efficacy of Herceptin therapies is influenced by the expression of other erbB receptors, their ligands and the activation of downstream signalling proteins.

ErbB2 and EGFR are attractive oncology therapeutic targets as their overexpression in tumors predicts a poorer clinical outcome in a variety of epithelial malignancies. However, clinical results with therapeutic compounds targeting these receptors have been mixed. Therefore, there is a need for improved predictive biomarkers for these targeted therapeutics. In this study we analysed tissue microarrays of patients treated with combination chemotherapy and Herceptin for expression or phosphorylation of signalling proteins associated with erbB receptors to identify protein biomarkers that are predictive of breast cancer patient response. A comparison of expression or phosphorylation of these markers with patient outcome revealed that response to Herceptin depended not only on expression levels of erbB2 but also on expression of EGFR, expression of erbB ligands, expression of other receptors and phosphorylation of downstream proteins. Elucidating the biological effects of EGFR/erbB2 targeted therapeutics will enable patient tumor profiling to identify likely responders and the determination of biologically effective doses that allows chronic administration of these agents in order to maximise efficacy.

Effects of hydroxyapatite particulate debris on the production of cytokines and proteases in human fibroblasts.

Cytokines and proteases are secreted by fibroblasts in response to particulate wear debris, and these proteins are felt to play an important role in the development of osteolysis and implant loosening. Although metallic and polyethlyene debris have been studied extensively, little is known about the cellular responses to hydroxyapatite, despite the wide clinical use of these materials. Therefore, the effects of hydroxyapatite (HA) and hydroxyapatite/beta-tricalciumphosphate (HA/TCP) on cellular proliferation, cytokine gene expression and protein secretion, protease synthesis, and gelatinolytic activity were investigated in human fibroblasts. HA and HA/TCP particles were synthesized, and their effects were compared to the responses elicited by titanium and cobalt chromium. Sample characterization by scanning electron microscopy and Coulter Counter demonstrated that the materials had a mean particle size of less than 10 microm, and all of the particles were compared using the same concentration ranges. Aliquots of particle suspensions were added to human fibroblasts maintained in tissue culture, and dose-response and time-course experiments were performed. Effects of the particles on fibroblast proliferation were assessed, and alterations in cytokine levels were determined by specific enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Cytokines that were evaluated included interleukin-1 (IL-1beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), all of which have been demonstrated to enhance bone resorption and are associated with osteolysis and implant loosening. Gene expression was determined using Northern blot analysis with cytokine-specific probes, while secretion of the proteases collagenase and stromelysin was determined by Western blot analysis. Functional gelatinolytic assay was assessed using zymogram gels. The particles were evaluated in a concentration range from 0.000021 to 0.021 vol%. All of the particles produced increases in cellular proliferation up to 0.0021 vol%, with the largest increases being seen at 0.021 vol% with HA/TCP and titanium. At the highest concentration, both cobalt chromium and HA samples decreased cellular proliferation relative to lower doses, possibly representing cytotoxicity. Hydroxyapatite particles yielded a 30-fold increase in interleukin-6 secretion compared to unstimulated controls, which was also greater than three times the levels produced by cobalt chromium, titanium, or HA/TCP. HA particles also tripled the secretion of IL-1beta at 0.00021 vol%, and doubled TNF-alpha secretion at 0.021 vol%. Addition of conditioned media prepared by incubation of the particles in culture medium in the absence of cells did not alter the secretion of any of the cytokines. Northern blot analysis using IL-6 probes also demonstrated strong increases with HA compared to the other materials, suggesting that the action of the HA particles was at the level of transcription. Secretion of the protease collagenase was increased by all of the samples including HA when compared to unstimulated controls. Stromelysin secretion into the culture medium was decreased by cobalt chromium, but increased by titanium, HA, and HA/TCP. All of the particles including HA increased the gelatinolytic activity of the fibroblasts. These findings demonstrate that HA and HA/TCP particles are capable of stimulating the expression and secretion of cytokines and proteases that enhance bone resorption, and suggest that particulate debris from implants using these coatings may also increase osteolysis and loosening.

Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN): introduction to WV's mental health community.

The Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) is a semi-structured clinical interview used by trained clinicians to assess and diagnose psychiatric disorders among adults. The SCAN core is the Present State Examination (PSE) which has been developed and tested globally during the past four decades with good validity and reliability. The SCAN was developed within the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Joint Project on Diagnosis and Classification of Mental Disorders, Alcohol and Related Problems (1). The use of the SCAN gives the flexibility to diagnose mental disorders based on the current International Classification of Disease (ICD), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) systems or other diagnostic systems that may develop in the future. A major purpose of the SCAN is to allow comparisons of psychiatric diagnoses to be made across the world.

Not everyone shuns P2000 students.

I was saddened to read of Neil Starkie's experience of negative attitudes towards Project 2000 students (Viewpoint June 28), but would like to reassure him that not all 'traditionally trained' nurses view them its incompetent.

The effect of stable xenon on ICP.

Recent studies have suggested that under certain conditions, inhalation of stable xenon can cause an increase in CBF or intracranial pressure (ICP). We reviewed the ICP changes that occurred during 48 stable xenon/CT CBF studies in 23 comatose head-injured patients to determine if the concentration (32%) and duration of inhalation (4.5 min) of stable xenon we used caused an increase in ICP. In the group as a whole, there was no significant difference between the mean ICP at the start of xenon inhalation and the mean ICP immediately after completion of the studies. An increase in ICP also was not found in subgroups with low, normal, or high global CBF, or groups with or without intracranial hypertension. Changes in ICP that occurred during individual studies usually were related to corresponding changes in the arterial pCO2 (p less than 0.0001, Pearson's correlation test). Our data suggest that 32% stable xenon administered for 4.5 min does not cause a significant increase in ICP during xenon/CT CBF studies.

Influence of 6-Benzylaminopurine on Fruit-Set and Seed Development in Two Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr. Genotypes.

The influence of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) on the premature abscission of developing soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr. fruits of 2 genotypes was studied. BA was applied during the critical period of fruit-setting. The tested concentration range of BA was from 1 micromolar to 5 millimolar; 2 millimolar was optimal. Spray application of 2 millimolar BA to terminal inflorescences at the R(3) developmental stage of field-grown soybeans significantly increased fruit-set and seed yield of the Shore genotype during three growing seasons. In contrast, the Essex genotype gave significant responses two out of three seasons. The response of Shore was generally more pronounced than that of Essex. The apical fruits on the inflorescences gave the greatest response to BA. Seed weight increase was apparent 3-4 weeks after BA treatment.

Suicide by fire: a contemporary method of political protest.

Suicide by fire (self-incineration)for the purpose of political protest has appeared in several countries during the previous decade. In this paper, the history of this form of suicide has been explored. The authors examined all cases of suicide by fire reported in the London Times and New York Times between 1790 and 1972. Seventy-one per cent of these reported suicides occurred during the most recent decade, 1963 to 1972, with all cases of political self-incineration occurring during this period. The socio-cultural context in which this form of protest may occur, and the psychological factors in individuals who choose this method of suicide are both discussed. It is suggested that the occurrence of self-incineration as a means of political protest may be yielding to more aggressive acts of terrorism as popular methods of forcing political change.