Models to explain dose-response relationships that exhibit a downturn phase.

Over a broad dose (or concentration) range, dose-response relationships frequently display a bell-shaped form. Mechanisms leading to this phenomenon may be manifold, but so far they have not been adequately identified. In this article, Vladimir Pliska discusses two models that are based on multiple-state cell-signaling pathways and enable an estimate of generally applicable descriptors. These can be used for expression of drug potency and for similar purposes.

Synthesis of O-alkylated lysine-vasopressins, inhibitors of the antidiuretic response to lysine-vasopressin.

[Mpa1,Tyr(Et)2]-LVP (1-deamino-2-O-ethyltyrosine-8-lysine-vasopressin), [Mpa1,Tyr(n-Pr)2]-LVP, [Tyr(n-Bu)2]-LVP, [Mpa1,Tyr(n-Bu)2]-LVP, and [Mpa1,Tyr(n-hexyl)2]-LVP were synthesized in solution by the p-nitrophenyl ester method. The previously prepared [Tyr(Et)2]-LVP was resynthesized. All compounds possessed weak agonistic properties in both antidiuretic (0.5-2.0 IU/mumol) and pressor (0.5-3.0 IU/mumol) assays. In the rat none of the analogues inhibited the antidiuretic action of LVP when the two substances were given together in a single injection. However, when administered in low subthreshold doses, most of the deamino compounds suppressed the antidiuresis induced by a continuous infusion of LVP. Complete inhibition was obtained with [Mpa1,Tyr(Et)2]-LVP. The antagonistic potency seemed to decrease with increasing size of the alkyl substituent and [Mpa1,Tyr(n-hexyl)2]-LVP showed no antagonism. The molar inhibitor-LVP ratio for maximal inhibition was well below 100. Neither of the two amino analogues showed a clear-cut antagonism in the antidiuretic assay. Furthermore, none of the reported compounds was antagonistic to LVP in the rat pressor assay.

Renin inhibitors. Free-Wilson and correlation analysis of the inhibitory potency of a series of pepstatin analogues on plasma renin.

Free-Wilson and correlation analysis were combined to study a series of 34 pepstatin analogues in which mainly position 2 was varied. A statistically highly significant correlation was found between the inhibitory activity of the analogues on an enriched plasma renin preparation and structural parameters of the amino acid side chain in position 2. The crucial parameters were found to be the NMR chemical shift of the alpha-carbon, the localized electrical (inductive) effect, and the van der Waals radius related steric parameter, which demonstrated the dominating influence of electronic inductive effects compared to steric bulk. The model gives insight into the structural requirements for effective inhibition and suggests the histidine-2 derivative, a positive outlier in this series, as a lead compound for further structure-activity studies.

Antihaemophilic effect of vasopressin, deamino-(D-arginine8)-vasopressin and adrenaline in sheep: proposal for an in vivo assay system.

Female sheep were used to assay antihaemophilic (factor VIII enhancing) activity of arginine vasopressin, deamino-(D-arginine8)-vasopressin (DDAVP) and adrenaline. The time course of the response was biphasic, two surges of factor VIII being observed. DDAVP was found to be the most potent of the substances investigated. Its optimal dose was 1 microgram kg-1 body wt (i.v.). It is suggested that a similar procedure can be employed to search for new peptides with anti-haemophilic action.

The use of dynamic models to study the role of calcium in the oxytocin-induced contractions of the uterus.

The question as to whether calcium can be considered to be a mediator of oxytocin-induced myometrial contraction has been investigated. Assuming that the contraction is linearly proportional to the myoplasmic calcium concentration, several possible molecular mechanisms leading to its increase (calcium release from the cell membrane, acceleration of calcium transport from extracellular space by a 'gate' mechanism, release from intracellular organelles, blockade of calcium pumps) were modelled on an analog computer. The oxytocin intervention in the calcium distribution was mimicked by a discontinuous change of the appropriate rate constants. The computed transient simulating the myoplasmic calcium concentration was then compared with an experimental time profile of uterine tension. The result of screening the models shows that oxytocin must act predominantly via release of calcium bound to the cell membrane. A quantitative comparison, however, requires that the kinetics of oxytocin distribution in myometrium also be considered in the model. The problem treated in this paper demonstrates the possibilities and limitations of a screening procedure based upon direct comparison of time profiles of experimental processes with several computed model alternatives.

Some properties of neurophysins isolated from bovine neurosecretory granules.

Our experiments with the neurophysin-related proteins from bovine NSG have demonstrated that these species differ in several important respects from the materials conventionally prepared. (1) In structural terms, the NSG proteins are essentially identical with the conventional neurophysins in amino acid composition and closely similar in immunoreactivity; however, the presence of carbodydrate and lipid moieties in the NSG material, no matter how they are attached, constitutes a structural difference apparently sufficient to cause considerable changes in properties. (2) The affinities for the neurohypophyseal hormones of the NSG proteins are very much higher than those of the "conventional" neurophysins and, moreover, the binding properties of the NSG material are much more stable with time under the conditions of the binding experiments. (3) The low binding capacities of the NSG materials, even when they are purified to apparent molecular homogeneity, indicate a functional heterogeneity perhaps related to supramolecular structure. (4) The conversion of the NSG proteins by acid or alkali treatment to materials resembling the "conventional" neurophysins in their binding properties suggests that the latter may be isolation artifacts. Although we cannot as yet consistently explain the properties of our neurophysins from NSG, we offer the hypothesis that the low binding capacity, as also the Hill coefficient greater than 1 (cf. Reference 25) are indicative of molecular aggregation, perhaps mediated or facilitated by the nonprotein components. It is conceivable that such aggregation, proceeding in the more "natural" environment of the NSG in a more precisely organized manner, might constitute the truly "native," fully functional state of the neurophysins. In this context it is of interest to record our preliminary observations, which suggest the presence of a protein of 10,000 mol. wt. in the NSG membrane fraction (SDS gel) as well as electron-microscopic indications30 of a highly organized ("crystalline") structure within these membranes. Although, therefore, the materials we have described may not merit the description of "native" neurophysins, we believe that they are certainly closer to the native state than the proteins conventionally isolated; and we would suggest that any discussion of the biological role of the neurophysins based on the properties of the conventional preparations may be at best speculative, and at worst misleading.

Behavioural and hormonal differences between two Lewis rat lines.

Lewis (LEW) is an inbred strain of rats frequently used as an animal model of autoimmune diseases. However, there is evidence that some lines of LEW rats develop autoimmune diseases more readily than do other LEW rat lines. Because the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system is involved in the pathophysiology of these diseases, we compared two LEW lines (SsNHsd and HANRijHsd) in their behavioural and neuroendocrine response to stress. In addition, we studied the psychostimulant effects of acute and repeated amphetamine in these two LEW rat lines. HAN rats were less active in the open field test and showed faster habituation of novelty-induced locomotion. The acoustic startle response was lower in HAN than in SSN rats, whereas prepulse inhibition of the startle response was greater in the HAN than in the SSN LEW subline. Moreover, HAN rats showed impaired acquisition of the two-way active avoidance response relative to SSN rats. The psychostimulant effects of acute amphetamine were smaller in HAN rats. Following repeated injections of amphetamine, behavioural sensitization to the psychostimulant effects of amphetamine was more pronounced in HAN than in SSN rats. Basal concentrations of serum corticosterone did not differ between the two rat lines. Following stress, however, HAN rats showed slightly higher corticosterone secretion than SSN rats. Our results show that two sublines of the LEW inbred strain of rats show profound behavioural differences which are only marginally paralleled by differences at the level of the HPA system.

Identification of the pituicytes as astroglial cells by indirect immunofluorescence-staining for the glial fibrillary acidic protein.

Glia cells of rat neural lobes (pituicytes) were stained in thin sections (6 micrometers) by the indirect immunofluorescence technique for the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFA), the S-100 protein and fibronectin. The positive strong GFA-staining of the pituicytes demonstrates their astroglial character. Fibronectin was located along the blood capillaries. After six days of implantation of the neural lobes under the kidney capsule of an acceptor rat, the stained fibronectin was augmented and present in a fibrillar network scattered over the tissue; the GFA-staining remained positive, however. The astroglial character of pituicytes was apparently retained in the implantation conditions, whereas neurosecretory axons had already disappeared. No S-100 protein could be unambiguously detected in the glia cells with the antibody employed.

Some biological properties of an "irreversible" antagonist of neurohypophyseal hormones, deamino-[Phe(4-BrCH2CONH)2]-oxytocin, and its isosteric analogue, deamino-[Phe(4-CH3CH2CONH)2]-oxytocin.

The 2-p-bromoacetylaminophenylalanine analogue of deamino-oxytoxin displayed some features of an irreversible inhibitor of oxytocin on rat uterus (long persistence of inhibitory effect, slow wash-out from the tissue). An isosteric analogue with a propionylamino group at the same position was, under similar experimental conditions, also an antagonist of oxytocin, but the features of an irreversible inhibitor were lacking. pA2 values of the two substances are between 6.5 and 6.9. The "irreversibility" of the former compound is concentration dependent and it is concluded that it cannot be entirely caused by a covalent binding of the inhibitor to the uterus receptor for oxytoxin. Like many other similar inhibitors, the substances display only an inefficient in vivo inhibition of the vasopressor effect of lysine vasopressin in rats.

Effects of neurohypophyseal hormone analogues on blood clotting factor VIII and fibrinolytic activity in sheep.

The increase in blood clotting factor VIII (antihaemophilic factor, F-VIII) and fibrinolytic activity induced by the administration of neurohypophyseal hormone analogues, was assayed in sheep. Peptides with high selectivity for vasopressin V1, V2 or myometrial oxytocin receptors in the dose range of 0.1-10 micrograms/kg body weight were investigated. The main conclusions are as follows. The time-course of the F-VIII plasma levels following the administration of the peptides was biphasic, with one surge at about 20 min, a rebound phase, and another increase with the maximum at 60-90 min. The time-course of the fibrinolytic response, expressed as biological activity of plasminogen activator in the plasma euglobulin fraction, displayed a single maximum within 60 min. The baseline responses were reached within 90-120 min. Responses were expressed as integrals of the time-concentration curves in a predetermined time range (90-120 min). F-VIII and plasminogen activator enhancing effects seemed to be tightly linked to the specific vasopressin V2 receptor activities. [Val4,D-Arg8]Vasopressin displayed higher plasminogen activator activities than the standard substance, deamino[D-Arg8]vasopressin. The vasotocin analogue [Phe2,Orn8]oxytocin, a specific vasopressin V1 receptor agonist, also displayed high antihaemophilic and fibrinolytic potencies, expressed in terms of ED50 values, but did not reach the same maximal response as vasopressin V2 receptor agonists. Oxytocin and its highly selective uterotonic analogue, [Thr4,Gly7]oxytocin, displayed low antihaemophilic, and virtually no plasminogen activating potencies. Surprisingly, vasopressin V2 and V1V2 receptor antagonists studied in our experiments showed both enhanced F-VIII and fibrinolytic responses. Dose-response curves frequently displayed a decrease of the F-VIII, and sometimes also decreased fibrinolytic responses, at higher peptide doses. Strong decreases of the packed cell volume (haematocrit) and somewhat lower decreases of the total plasma protein concentration were observed shortly after administration of the peptides.

Antidiuretic agonism and antagonism of some O-alkylated analogues of vasopressin containing 2-O-alkylated tyrosine.

A series of 2-O-alkylated tyrosine analogues of lysine-vasopressin and desamino-lysine and arginine-vasopressin were synthesized and tested for antidiuretic activity in the water-loaded anaesthetized rat. The analogues displayed only weak antidiuretic activities. When they were infused in the rats together with lysine vasopressin it was found that 1-deamino-[2-O-ethyltyrosine]-lysine-vasopressin inhibited the vasopressin-induced antidiuretic response. The antagonistic properties were further evaluated in long-term experiments on conscious non-hydrated rats with implanted minipumps. The analogues inhibited the vasopressin-induced antidiuresis at antagonist:agonist ratios of 0.5 and 1.0.

Prenatal stress in rats: effects on plasma corticosterone, hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors, and maze performance.

The present experiments were designed to investigate the effects of maternal stress on cognitive and endocrine parameters in the adult offspring. Pregnant rats were stressed daily during the last week of pregnancy (days 15-19) by restraint, and the performance of their offspring in the Morris water maze was recorded. Plasma corticosterone levels after swimming and the status of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) were determined. During acquisition of the task, prenatally stressed (PS) males - but not females - showed longer escape latencies than non-stressed controls when swimming in cold (10 degrees C) but not in warm (20 degrees C) water. This sex- and prenatal stress-specific difference was even more pronounced during reversal learning of the task. In contrast, PS females - but not males - had higher basal corticosterone levels and a lower density of hippocampal corticosteroid receptors than non-stressed controls. In all animals irrespective of treatment, swimming in the water maze causes an increase of corticosterone that was smaller on day 8 of swimming than on day 1. After swimming in cold water, the rise in corticosterone levels in females was steeper and returned faster to baseline values than after swimming in warm water. A similar pattern could be seen in PS females when compared to their non-stressed controls. The data suggest that prenatal stress impairs spatial learning in males but not in females. Basal and stress-induced increases in corticosterone levels, however, were altered in PS females and not in PS males; i.e., prenatal stress-induced changes in corticosterone secretion were not paralleled by prenatal stress-induced deficits in spatial learning.

Lewis/Fischer rat strain differences in endocrine and behavioural responses to environmental challenge.

The Lewis (LEW) and Fischer (F344) rat strains provide a comparative model of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function in which LEW is relatively hypoactive at homeostasis and hyporeactive to environmental challenge. The present study describes a comparison of LEW and F344 rats, males and females, in terms of their corticosterone (CORT) or behavioural responses to a range of behavioural tasks, where each of the tasks used contains a stressor component and has been demonstrated to be sensitive to corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and/or CORT manipulation: acoustic startle response (ASR), elevated plus maze, schedule-induced polydipsia, and fear-conditioned suppression of drinking. Our aim was to determine to what extent the LEW trait of HPA axis hyporesponsiveness is associated with strain differences in behavioural responsiveness to environmental challenge. As expected, young (2-3 months)-mature (5-10 months) LEW males and females exhibited a lesser CORT response to restraint and novel confinement than did F344 males and females, although in old adulthood (18 months) the CORT stress response was equable in LEW/F344 males and actually higher in LEW than in F344 females. In young-mature adults, the ASR was greater in LEW males than in the other groups; all groups spent a low proportion of time on the open arms of the elevated plus maze; polydipsia was greater in F344 females than in the other groups; and fear-conditioned suppression of drinking was greater in F344 males and females than in LEW males and females. Therefore, relative hyporeactivity of the HPA axis in LEW rats is clearly not associated with uniform behavioural hyporeactivity, including CRF-dependent behaviours. Rather, this study suggests further evidence that environmental reactivity reflects a number of distinct emotional states and underlying neural circuits.

Differential effects of prenatal stress in two inbred strains of rats.

The long-term effects of prenatal stress (three times daily restraint stress during the last week of gestation) on the behavioral response to stress, as assessed by novelty-induced locomotion, performance in the forced swim test, and the acquisition of a two-way active avoidance, were investigated in two inbred strains of rats, Fischer 344 (F344/NHsd/Zur) and Lewis (LEW/SsNHsd/Zur). Additional measures included birth weights, pain threshold on the hot plate, and basal and stress-induced corticosterone secretion. In all of the behavioral paradigms strain differences were found: LEW rats showed poorer acquisition of avoidance conditioning, displayed higher levels of activity on the open plate, less immobility time in the forced swim test, and lower pain thresholds in the hot-plate test compared with F344 rats. LEW rats had higher birth weights after prenatal stress, whereas F344 rats were lighter. Following prenatal stress the pattern of behavioral effects obtained in LEW rats in stress-related tests could be interpreted as improved coping abilities with stress, i.e., improved acquisition of active avoidance, less immobility in the forced swim test, and reduced novelty-induced locomotion. Prenatal stress was much less effective in inducing long-term behavioral changes in F344 rats, yielding only one effect, namely, enhanced novelty-induced locomotion in female F344 rats. Pain thresholds were increased as a consequence of prenatal stress, irrespective of strain and gender. Basal and stress-induced corticosterone release differed in the two strains, with LEW rats showing less stress-induced corticosterone release. Prenatal stress did not, however, affect basal or stress-induced corticosterone release. The results suggest that prenatal stress exerts long-term effects on behavior, which depend on the genetic background.

[Genomic methods for identification of traits and inherited disorders in farm animals]. / Genomik zur Identifikation von Merkmalen und Erbfehlern beim Nutztier.

In this review we demonstrate the interaction of the blueprint of an individual (the genome, genomic DNA), its phenotype and the environment. The phenotype consists of quantitative (e.g. growth, milk yield) or functional characteristics e.g. fitness, longevity, fertility and disease resistance. The latter characteristics influence the welfare of an animal substantially. As only the genetically determined part of a particular characteristic is transferred from one generation to the next, it is important to know what the genetic variants (alleles) of the parents at one or more gene loci are. New methods in molecular biology have made it possible to localize and characterize important genes which help to breed more efficient and healthy animals. The exact characterization of the phenotype is vital in identifying genes with major effects and therefore the cooperation with experts from veterinary medicine, biochemistry, and biology is indispensable. As well as an overview of available genetic tests in farm animals, we show various examples how to identify the molecular basis of a particular phenotype and how to use the results in practical breeding programs. Genetic diagnosis enables the breeder to identify undesired alleles early and hinders therefore its uncontrolled distribution in the population. In the long term this leads to a smaller number of affected animals and depending on the disease it may help to prevent animals from suffering.

Clinical and molecular characterization of a re-established line of sheep exhibiting hemophilia A.

BACKGROUND: Large animal models that accurately mimic human hemophilia A (HA) are in great demand for developing and testing novel therapies to treat HA. OBJECTIVES: To re-establish a line of sheep exhibiting a spontaneous bleeding disorder closely mimicking severe human HA, fully characterize their clinical presentation, and define the molecular basis for disease. PATIENTS/METHODS: Sequential reproductive manipulations were performed with cryopreserved semen from a deceased affected ram. The resultant animals were examined for hematologic parameters, clinical symptoms, and responsiveness to human FVIII (hFVIII). The full coding region of sheep FVIII mRNA was sequenced to identify the genetic lesion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The combined reproductive technologies yielded 36 carriers and 8 affected animals. The latter had almost non-existent levels of FVIII:C and extremely prolonged aPTT, with otherwise normal hematologic parameters. These animals exhibited bleeding from the umbilical cord, prolonged tail and nail cuticle bleeding time, and multiple episodes of severe spontaneous bleeding, including hemarthroses, muscle hematomas and hematuria, all of which responded to hFVIII. Inhibitors of hFVIII were detected in four treated animals, further establishing the preclinical value of this model. Sequencing identified a premature stop codon and frame-shift in exon 14, providing a molecular explanation for HA. Given the decades of experience using sheep to study both normal physiology and a wide array of diseases and the high homology between human and sheep FVIII, this new model will enable a better understanding of HA and facilitate the development and testing of novel treatments that can directly translate to HA patients.