Analysis of human pituitary growth hormone and its charge variants by fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

There is evidence that even highly purified preparations of human growth hormone are not homogenous, but contain charge as well as size variants. The charge heterogeneity was suggested to be due to deamidation of the native hormone. To verify this we have applied peptide mapping followed by fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS), in order to identify fragments containing the altered amino acids.

Discrete regional distribution of biochemical markers for the dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin, GABA and acetylcholine systems in the monkey brain (Cebus Apella). Effects of stress.

Brains from Cebus Apella monkeys have been mapped biochemically using a cryo-section technique which enables exact micro-dissectioning of tissue. Two neurotransmitters; noradrenaline (NA) and gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) were measured by gas chromatography-masspectrometry technique. In addition biochemical markers reflecting metabolic activity in the dopamine (homovanillic acid, HVA, 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, DOPAC), serotonin (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, 5-HIAA), noradrenaline (4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-phenylglycol, HMPG), acetylcholine (choline acetyltransferase, CAT) and GABA (glutamic acid decarboxylase, GAD) transmitter systems were assayed.

Development of acute dystonia and tardive dyskinesia in cebus monkeys.

In 4 out of 11 cebus apella monkeys given haloperidol (0.05 - 1.0 mg/kg/d) orally for up to 35 months signs of tardive dyskinesia (TD) hav developed: 1) One monkey developed barely noticeable TD after 4 months, but showed marked and increasing symtpoms of both generalized choreic and buccolingual TD after 8 months.