Sample collection and amino acids analysis of extracellular fluid of mouse brain slices with low flow push-pull perfusion.

Brain tissue slices are a common neuroscience model that allows relatively sophisticated analysis of neuronal networks in a simplified preparation. Most experimental methodology utilizes electrophysiological tools to probe these model systems. The work here demonstrates the adaptation of low-flow push-pull perfusion sampling (LFPS) to a brain slice system. LFPS is used to sample from the hippocampus of mouse brain slices. Perfusate amino acid levels are quantified following sampling with capillary electrophoresis. Glutamate was measured from the CA1 region of the hippocampus in slices taken from a cystine-glutamate transporter deletion mutant, xCT(-/-), and the background strain C57BL/6J. Sampling is performed over up to 6.5 h with standard tissue slice preparation and experimentation methods. Four amino acids were quantified to demonstrate the ability to perform LFPS and show good agreement with published literature. Perfusate glutamate levels are found to be significantly lower with xCT(-/-) slices (1.9(±0.5) µM) relative to controls (4.90(±1.1) µM). But, experiments with control slices show a significant decrease in glutamate over the 6 h sampling period that are not seen with xCT(-/-) slices. Increasing the LFPS sample collection rate during the first 90 min of sampling did not show a sampling artifact in perfusate glutamate content. Sampling immediately following slicing did not show an early increasing glutamate level that would be indicative of a significant contribution from blood or tissue damage. The data presented here show a complementarity to electrophysiological studies of tissue slices. The ability to characterize extracellular fluid chemical content with LFPS in these slices provides an alternative data stream for probing neurochemical signaling networks in brain tissue slices.

Amino-acid levels in subretinal and vitreous fluid of patients with retinal detachment.

PURPOSE: To compare the concentration of amino acids in subretinal and vitreous fluid of patients with primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment to that of control vitreous. METHODS: This prospective, observational study measured amino-acid levels in subretinal fluid of patients undergoing scleral buckle placement (n=20) and vitreous fluid in patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy (n=5) for primary retinal detachment. Vitreous fluid from patients undergoing vitrectomy for macular hole (n=7) or epiretinal membrane (n=3) served as a control. Subretinal fluid and control vitreous were analysed using high-pressure liquid chromatography. Retinal detachment vitreous was analysed using capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence. RESULTS: Mean levels of glutamate (27.0+/-1.7 microM), aspartate (4.1+/-4.0 microM), and glycine (44.1+/-31.0 microM) in subretinal fluid and glutamate (13.4+/-11.9 microM) in the vitreous were significantly elevated in retinal detachment compared to control vitreous. A significant, positive association was observed between levels of aspartate and glutamate in subretinal fluid (Spearman's correlation coefficient: 0.74, P<0.01). Mean arginine levels did not differ significantly between subretinal fluid and control vitreous. Levels of alanine, tyrosine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, and phenylalanine were significantly lower in subretinal fluid compared to control vitreous (all P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Glutamate levels in subretinal fluid and vitreous of patients with primary retinal detachment is significantly elevated in comparison to control vitreous. This finding lends further support to the hypothesis that elevated glutamate levels may result from ischaemia of the outer retina secondary to retinal detachment.

Does amygdaloid corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mediate anxiety-like behaviors? Dissociation of anxiogenic effects and CRH release.

The brain corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) circuits are activated by stressful stimuli, contributing to behavioral and emotional responses. The present study assessed anxiety-like responses and in vivo neurochemical alterations at the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) evoked by exposure to an unfamiliar (anxiogenic) environment. Also, the impact of anxiolytic treatments and those that affect CRH were assessed in this paradigm. Novel environment (new cage) markedly suppressed ingestion of a palatable snack. This effect was dose-dependently antagonized by diazepam and was utilized as an index of anxiety in the rodent. Although exposure to a novel environment also stimulated the in vivo release of CRH and glutamate at the CeA, various CRH antagonists (e.g. alphah-CRH, Calpha-MeCRH, CP-154,526, antisauvagine-30, preproTRH178-199) did not attenuate the stressor-elicited behavioral suppression, although Calpha-MeCRH was found to attenuate the freezing response elicited by contextual stimuli that were associated with previously administered footshock. Moreover, central infusion of CRH failed to suppress snack consumption in the home cage. Although diazepam had potent anxiolytic effects in this paradigm, this treatment did not prevent the stressor-associated release of CRH and glutamate at the CeA. Thus, while neural circuits involving CRH and/or glutamatergic receptors at the CeA may be activated by an unfamiliar environment, the data challenge the view that activation of these receptors is necessary for the expression of anxiety-like behavioral responses. Rather than provoking anxiety, these systems might serve to draw attention to events or cues of biological significance, including those posing a threat to survival.

Proteolytic processing of the Aplysia egg-laying hormone prohormone.

By using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS, individual peptidergic neurons from Aplysia are assayed. A semiquantitative method is developed for comparing single-cell profiles by using spectral normalization, and peptides are localized to specific cells by mass spectrometric cell mapping. In addition to all previously identified products of the egg-laying hormone (ELH) gene, other peptides are formed from proteolytic hydrolysis of Leu-Leu residues within ELH and acidic peptide (AP). AP exhibits further processing to yield AP1-20 and AP9-27. These peptides appear to be colocalized in vesicles with ELH, transported to specific neuronal targets, and released in a Ca2+-dependent manner. A differential peptide distribution is observed at a specific target cell, and a low-frequency variation of AP, [Thr21]AP, is detected in a single animal.

Excess salt removal with matrix rinsing: direct peptide profiling of neurons from marine invertebrates using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI/TOF-MS) is a viable technique for the examination of biological environments. Clearly, sample preparation plays a pivotal role in the ability to obtain mass spectra from samples as complex as biological cells. The physiological salt concentrations associated with neurons from marine specimens interfere with MALDI analysis. A unique and simple rinsing procedure allows cellular clusters, individual neurons and connective tissues to be directly assayed for peptides with minimal sample handling. Isolated cells and tissues, including egg-laying hormone-releasing cells, from the central nervous systems of the model marine molluscs Aplysia californica and Pleurobranchaea californica are used to demonstrate the salt removal method. In addition to facilitating sample ionization, the MALDI matrix 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid serves to (i) aid in microdissections by stabilizing cell membranes, (ii) deactivate endogenous proteolytic enzymes and (iii) reduce high salt concentrations in order to improve spectral quality. Representative MALDI mass spectra are presented which indicate the presence of several neuroactive peptides previously characterized by conventional biochemical methods. More than ten individual peptides can be detected in a single cell. In spite of the chemically complex sample, the mass spectra are surprisingly free of extraneous peaks. Furthermore, both mass resolution and mass accuracy are similar to those encountered with more common MALDI samples and protocols.