Changes in cardiac performance and sympathetic stimulation during and after fractionated radiotherapy in a rat model.

The consequences of fractionated irradiation on the number of cardiac alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors, myocardial norepinephrine concentration and in vitro assessed heart function were studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were locally irradiated on the thorax with a total dose of 50 Gy, in 5 weeks, using two different fractionation schemes (5 x 2.0 Gy/week and 3 x 3.3 Gy/week). Functional and biochemical assays were performed during treatment and at 6 months after initiation of treatment. During fractionated irradiation, the numbers of alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors tended to rise. During this period, myocardial norepinephrine concentration remained fairly constant and no decrease in cardiac output was observed. At 6 months, a significant increase of the numbers of alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors was observed in the 3.3 Gy/fraction group compared to age-matched controls, p = 0.012 and p = 0.02, respectively. At this time point, the myocardial norepinephrine concentration had decreased below control levels (p = 0.008 for the 3.3. Gy/fraction schedule, and p = 0.03 for the 2.0 Gy/fraction schedule). At 6 months, the cardiac output declined to 61% (p = 0.009) and 69% (p = 0.04) of control values for the 3.3 and 2.0 Gy/fraction schedules, respectively. The present data clearly show development of late cardiac sequelae caused by fractionated thorax irradiation with a total dose of 50 Gy. Moreover, this study lends support to the importance of fraction size with regard to the severity of the radiation-induced cardiac damage.

[Mechanism of the radiation-protective effect of indralin]. / K mekhanizmu protivoluchevogo deistviia indralina.

Pharmacological test demonstrated that radioprotective activity of indralin occurs by interaction with alpha-adrenoreceptor. Radioprotective effect of indralin decreased by alpha-adrenoblocker, aminazine and theophylline. Normobaric hyperoxia during irradiation reduced radioprotective effect of indralin in doses about ED50. In experiment with mice and rats it was shown that indralin induced acute hypoxia, impaired oxygen consumption and heat production by 30-46%, spleen bloodflow to 26.3% of control level, rectal temperature by 1.5-2 degrees C (mouse). After 30-min indralin raised resistance of mice to hypoxic hypoxia that is believed due to rapid development of biochemical adaptive process in hypoxic cells.

Iron-56 irradiation diminishes muscarinic but not alpha 1-adrenergic-stimulated low-Km GTPase in rat brain.

Initial findings from our laboratory have indicated that muscarinic enhancement of K(+)-evoked release of dopamine from perifused striatal slices is reduced after exposure to 56Fe-particle irradiation. This finding suggested that there is a radiation-induced deficit in muscarinic receptor sensitivity. Subsequent findings have indicated that at least part of the loss in sensitivity may occur as a result of alterations in the initial steps of the signal transduction process and involve muscarinic receptor-G protein coupling/uncoupling. The present study was carried out to localize this deficit further by determining carbachol-stimulated low-Km guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) activity in striatal and hippocampal tissue obtained from rats exposed to 0, 0.1 or 1.0 Gy of 56Fe-particle irradiation. In addition, to examine the specificity of the effect of 56Fe-particle irradiation, alpha 1-adrenergic-stimulated low-Km GTPase activity was also examined in these tissues. The results showed that there was a high degree of specificity in the effects of 56Fe particles. Decrements were observed in muscarinic-stimulated low-Km GTPase in striatum but not in hippocampus, and 56Fe-particle irradiation did not affect alpha 1-adrenergic low-Km GTPase activity in either brain tissue.

[Modifying effect of incorporated 137Cs on the mechanism of adrenergic control of myocardial contraction]. / Modifitsiruiushchee vliianie inkorporirovannogo 137Cs na mekhanizmy adrenergicheskogo kontrolia sokratitel'noi funktsii miokarda.

Incorporated 137Cs (absorbed dose of 0.26 Gy) causes decrease of myocardial's contractile function and inotropic response to beta-adrenagonists effect, isoproterenol-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity and beta-adrenoreceptors affinity. Adrenergic effects, mediated by alpha-adrenergic structures on heart contractile function, on the contrary, become stronger, that is due to the increase of the receptors' density on sarcolemma surface.

[The effect of the lateral hypothalamic area on the pulmonary surfactant system]. / Vliianie lateral'nogo gipotalamicheskogo polia na surfaktantnuiu sistemu legkikh.

The level of lipids, lipase activity and lungs' blood capacity were studied on 62 rats. Dispersal cobalt was infused into the hypothalamic lateral area of rats with adrenalectomy or injected with droperidol, obsidan, reserpine. Their effect upon the hypothalamus involved a decrease in surfactant phospholipids and lung's blood capacity. Possible adrenergic mechanisms of affecting the lung surfactant system are discussed.

Time dependent changes in myocardial norepinephrine concentration and adrenergic receptor density following X-irradiation of the rat heart.

The hearts of 9 to 12-weeks-old Sprague-Dawley rats were locally irradiated with a single dose of 20 Gy. The effects on myocardial norepinephrine concentrations and on alpha-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic receptor densities was examined up to 16 months post-treatment. Myocardial norepinephrine concentrations were reduced (to 50% of control values between 8 and 16 months) after irradiation. Receptor binding studies using radioactive ligands demonstrated that alpha-adrenergic receptor density was increased to maximally 210% of control values and that beta-adrenergic receptor density was increased to maximally 150% of control values, both measured at 8 months posttreatment. The affinities of both receptor types were not changed after irradiation. An inverse correlation was found between the myocardial norepinephrine concentration and the alpha-adrenergic receptor density. Myocardial norepinephrine concentration was not correlated to the beta-adrenergic receptor density. The changes in myocardial norepinephrine concentration and receptor density observed after irradiation suggest that even 16 months after irradiation overt cardiac failure was not occurring as the radiation-induced alterations differ considerably from those reported for failing hearts.

[Adrenergic control of myocardial contractile function in rats with incorporated 137Cs]. / Adrenergicheskii kontrol' sokratitel'noi funktsii miokarda krys s inkorporirovannym 137Cs.

It was shown on isolated myocardium preparations that internal gamma irradiation of rats with 137Cs (1.6 MBq/kg) decreased the contractile function of ventricles and had no essential effect on the auricle contractility. The inotropic response of myocardium to activation of alpha-adrenergic receptors decreased, and of beta-adrenergic receptors decreased.

Increased number of cardiac adrenergic receptors following local heart irradiation.

The effect of local X irradiation on cardiac alpha and beta receptors was studied in Wistar rats. Animals were given local heart irradiation with single doses of 15 or 20 Gy and were examined after a range of latency times of 7 to 400 days. Using the radioactive ligands [3H]CGP-12177 and [3H]prazosin, the maximal binding capacity was determined from saturation experiments. At 7 days after 20 Gy the maximal binding capacity of both alpha and beta receptors was reduced to below the level of untreated control animals. Subsequently it rose continually to a maximum of 160% of the control level for beta receptors and 130% for alpha receptors at 400 days postirradiation. The antagonist affinity as judged from the dissociation constant for [3H]CGP 12177 and [3H]prazosin did not change significantly. A similar effect was observed after 15 Gy. An increase in adrenergic receptors may represent an important pathogenetic link between early morphological and late functional changes in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced heart disease.

Bright artificial light produces subsensitivity to clonidine.

The authors used a thermoregulation paradigm to test the hypothesis that chronic treatment with bright artificial light produces subsensitivity to the hypothermic effects of clonidine, an alpha 2-agonist. One week of treatment produced blunting of the hypothermic response to clonidine (p less than 0.00001). These findings are consistent with previous reports that somatic treatments for depression produce subsensitivity of the alpha 2-receptor.

Photoaffinity labeling of human platelet and rabbit kidney alpha 2-adrenoceptors with [3H]SKF 102229.

A newly developed alpha 2-adrenergic photoaffinity ligand, 3-methyl-6-chloro-9-azido-1H-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-benzazepine (SKF 102229), has been radiolabeled with tritium to a specific activity of approximately 80 Ci/mmol. Using membranes prepared from human platelets and from rabbit kidney, alpha 2-adrenoceptors have been covalently labeled following photolysis in the presence of [3H]SKF 102229. As determined by SDS-PAGE, the apparent molecular weight of alpha 2-adrenoceptors from both of these tissues was 64,000. The yield of covalent insertion of [3H]SKF 102229 into the alpha 2-adrenoceptor was very good. Thus, following photolysis up to 90% of the alpha 2-adrenoceptors could be irreversibly labeled with [3H]SKF 102229.

Para-azidoclonidine: a novel photoaffinity ligand for the alpha 2-receptor.

Reversible and irreversible interactions of the photoreactive clonidine analogue p-azidoclonidine (PAZC) with brain alpha 2-adrenergic receptors were examined. In the absence of light, PAZC displayed selective, high affinity, competitive interactions with sites labeled by the alpha 2-agonist 3H-p-aminoclonidine (3H-PAC). Reversible binding characteristics resembled those of other alpha 2-agonists. Preincubation of bovine frontal cortex membranes with 100 nM PAZC followed by ultraviolet irradiation and thorough washing decreased alpha 2-receptor density 42% relative to controls receiving irradiation alone. The loss of receptors could be prevented by inclusion of 500 nM phentolamine in the preincubation medium. Alpha 1- and beta-adrenergic receptors were relatively unaffected. PAZC is a potential photoaffinity ligand for the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor.

Molecular size of alpha 1- and beta-adrenoceptors in rat brain cortex as determined by a radiation inactivation method.

Frozen whole rat cerebral cortex was exposed to 10 MeV electrons from a linear accelerator. Based on the theory of target size analysis, the in situ molecular weight of alpha 1-adrenoceptors (labelled by [3H]prazosin) and beta-adrenoceptors (labelled by [3H]dihydroalprenolol) was 57 800 daltons and 42 600 daltons, respectively.

Determination of molecular size of alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptors in rat mesenteric artery by radiation inactivation.

Radiation inactivation of alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptors in the purified plasma membranes of rat mesenteric artery has been performed with high energy electrons at -45 to -55 degrees C. Alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptor inactivation was monitored with [3H] prazosin and [3H]yohimbine binding, respectively. Internal endogenous and external standards of known molecular weight were used in these studies to determine the molecular size. The average value of D37 for the [3H]prazosin binding site was 6.75 +/- 0.62 Mrad (n = 4) with an estimated molecular size of 122,921 +/- 11,329 Daltons. However, the average value of D37 for the [3H] yohimbine binding site was higher (D37 = 10.05 +/- 0.91 Mrad) and accordingly the molecular size of this binding site was less than the [3H]prazosin binding sites (molecular weight = 82,540 +/- 7478 Daltons; n = 4). Irradiation did not change the dissociation constant of either radioligand, suggesting that the loss of the radioligand binding sites after radiation is due to receptor protein inactivation. These results confirm our earlier finding that [3H]prazosin and [3H]yohimbine bind to two distinct sites in the plasma membranes of rat mesenteric artery. Whether both of these sites are the subunits of a common macromolecule of alpha adrenoceptor on vascular smooth muscle in rat mesenteric artery cannot be concluded from these results. This report is the first one in the literature on the molecular size of alpha-1 and alpha-2 binding sites in vascular smooth muscle.

Arylazide photoaffinity probe for alpha 2-adrenoceptors.

An arylazide photoaffinity probe for alpha 2-adrenoceptors has been developed and characterized. The compound, 3-methyl-6-chloro-9-azido-1H-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-benzazepine (SKF 102229), had a Ki for the human platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptor of approximately 40 nM. Upon exposure to ultraviolet light, SKF 102229 irreversibly blocked the binding of [3H]yohimbine to both membrane bound and solubilized, partially purified, receptors. The extent of alpha 2-adrenoceptor blockade was dependent upon both the length of exposure to ultraviolet light and the concentration of SKF 102229. Typically, a 60% decrease in alpha 2-adrenoceptor number is obtained following 8 min of photolysis in the presence of 100 nM SKF 102229. The pharmacologic characteristics of the irreversible blockade produced by SKF 102229 were those of an alpha 2-adrenoceptor. Thus, photodependent, irreversible blockade of alpha 2-adrenoceptors by SKF 102229 was prevented by the concomitant presence of phentolamine or p-aminoclonidine but not by prazosin. Given its specificity and efficient blockade of the ligand binding site, SKF 102229 should prove useful for studies of the structure and function of alpha 2-adrenoceptors.

Alpha 1-adrenergic receptor structure.

The structure of the alpha 1-adrenergic receptor was investigated by comparing polypeptides identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO4)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with the size of the intact receptor in cell membranes as determined by target size analysis. The alpha 1-adrenergic receptor from rat liver membranes affinity-labeled with [3H]phenoxybenzamine, a covalent affinity reagent, appeared as a single polypeptide with a molecular mass of 85,000 daltons (Da) on NaDodSO4-polyacrylamide gels. In the absence of protease inhibitors, smaller peptides of 58-62 kDa and 40-45 kDa, specifically labeled with [3H]phenoxybenzamine, were also apparent on NaDodSO4 gels. In order to determine whether the 85-kDa protein represented all or only a portion of the alpha 1-receptor, radiation inactivation (target size analysis) was undertaken. Radiation-induced receptor inactivation was measured by the loss of specific [3H]phenoxybenzamine and [3H]prazosin binding and by the loss of affinity-labeled alpha 1-adrenergic receptors on NaDodSO4 gels. Target size analysis of rat liver alpha 1-receptors indicated that the intact membrane-bound receptor has an average molecular mass of 160,000 Da. These data suggest that the intact alpha-receptor may exist in the membrane as a dimer of two 85,000-Da subunits. The structure of the alpha 1-receptor was further studied by limited proteolysis of the 85-kDa protein isolated from NaDodSO4 gels. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, and papain produce smaller peptides similar to those produced during membrane isolation in the absence of protease inhibition. Limited proteolysis of the membrane-bound receptor produces water-soluble peptides, the largest of which is 45,000 Da. This peptide contains the ligand-binding domain and protrudes from the membrane into the extracellular space.

Adrenoreceptor development in rat cerebrum and the effects of ionizing radiation.

Previous studies in the rat have shown that neonatal radiation alters certain aspects of CNS monoaminergic systems including altering cerebral norepinephrine levels [17]. To determine if cerebral adrenoreceptor development is also altered by neonatal ionizing radiation, a single dose of whole body gamma-radiation was administered to rats on postnatal day two. This treatment did not alter (3H)-dihydroalprenolol (beta adrenoreceptor) or (3H)-WB4101 (alpha1 adrenoreceptor) binding when cerebra from irradiated animals were compared to age-matched sham-irradiated controls on postnatal days 9, 15 and 35. In contrast, (3H)-yohimbine (alpha2-adrenoreceptor) binding was altered in gamma-irradiation, a change manifested on postnatal days 9, 15 and 35 by lower than normal receptor densities (pmoles/g wet weight of tissue) although no radiation-induced changes in KD were apparent.

Radiation inactivation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors.

Radiation inactivation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors in rat cerebral cortex membranes has been performed with 10 MeV electrons from a linear accelerator at temperatures less than or equal to -100 degrees C. Alpha 1-adrenoceptor inactivation was monitored with [ 3H ]-prazosin and [( 125I ]-2-(beta-4-hydroxylphenyl)ethylaminomethyl)tetralone [( 125I ]-HEAT). Saturation analysis of irradiated membranes with both ligands indicated that a decrease in alpha-adrenoceptor density occurred with increasing radiation dose. The dissociation constants of [ 3H ]-prazosin and [ 125I ]-HEAT were not markedly changed by the irradiation. Application of the target volume theory gave molecular weights of 91,500 +/- 1,700 (S.D.) (D37: 19,6 +/- 0.36 Mrad) with [ 125I ]-HEAT as ligand, and 77,000 +/- 18,000 (S.D.) (D37: 23.3 +/- 4.6 Mrad) with [ 3H ]-prazosin, respectively, when an empirical temperature correction factor of 2.8 was used. [ 3H ]-flunitrazepam-labelled benzodiazepine receptor target size was used as an internal control. The molecular weight of the alpha 1-adrenoceptors, corrected for this internal control, was 85,000 +/- 1.600 [( 125I ]-HEAT) and 71,500 +/- 17,000 [( 3H ]-prazosin).