Effect of alpha-fluoromethylhistidine on the histamine content of the brain of W/Wv mice devoid of mast cells: turnover of brain histamine.

In the brains of W/Wv mutant mice that have no mast cells, the histidine decarboxylase (HDC) level is as high as in the brain of congenic normal mice (+/+), but the histamine content is 53% of that of +/+ mice. The effects of alpha-fluoromethylhistidine (alpha-FMH) on the HDC activity and histamine content of the brain of W/Wv and +/+ mice were examined. In both strains, 30 min after i.

Studies of the mechanisms of gastric bleeding under obstructive jaundice. Role of biogenic amines.

Mechanisms of gastric bleeding under obstructive jaundice were studied in adult male Wistar rats. Following ligation of the common bile duct, mucosal noradrenaline significantly decreased in both the pyloric and fundic gland areas of the gastric mucosa by 20 days after the operation. Serotonin increased only in the pyloric gland area, and histamine increased in the fundic gland area.

Increase in histidine decarboxylase activity in mouse skin after application of tumor promoters.

The activity of histidine decarboxylase (HDC) increased by a factor of 10 after a single application of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The HDC-inducing activity of other phorbol esters paralleled their tumor-promoting activity. Application of some indole alkaloids, which have been shown to be a new class tumor promoter, also induced the increase in HDC activity.

Decreased response of plasma catecholamine to stress in diabetic rats.

Previously we reported that the heart norepinephrine concentration was markedly increased in diabetic rats. To further study the relationship between a disturbance in the autonomic nervous system and catecholamine metabolism in diabetes mellitus, the plasma catecholamine response to stress and catecholamine concentration of heart and adrenals were measured. Wistar male rats were made diabetic by streptozotocin and kept for 13 weeks.

[Plasma norepinephrine variation with dietary sodium intake in normotensive subjects and patients with essential hypertension].

Sympathetic nervous system may play an important role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the interaction between sodium intake and sympathetic nervous activity in the patients with essential hypertension. Plasma and urinary catecholamines (CA) were measured in 38 hypertensive patients (WHO 1-2 stage) and 24 age-matched normal subjects on regular (urinary sodium excretion (UNaV): 133 +/- 8 mEq/day; mean +/- SEM), high (UNaV 317 +/- 90 mEq/day), and low (UNaV 67 +/- 28 mEq/day) sodium diets for each 5 days at random.

Simultaneous analyses of phenethylamine, phenylethanolamine, tyramine and octopamine in rat brain using fluorescamine.

A fluorometric method for the simultaneous analyses of phenethylamine, phenylethanolamine, tyramine and octopamine has been developed. The method involves ion-exchange chromatography, derivatization with fluorescamine, solvent extraction and then separation by thin-layer chromatography. The fluorescent spots are then quantitated by scanning.

Tissue distribution of histamine in a mutant mouse deficient in mast cells: clear evidence for the presence of non-mast-cell histamine.

The contents of histamine in various tissues of mutant mice deficient in mast cells (W/Wv) and in congenic normal mice (+/+) were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and were compared. In spite of the absence of mast cells in W/Wv mice, the histamine content of their whole bodies was about 5-10% of that of +/+ mice. The skin, heart and lungs of W/Wv mice contained negligible amounts of histamine (about 2% of that in +/+ mice), but the liver, kidneys and spleen contained appreciable histamine (8-15% of that in +/+ mice), and the brain and stomach contained much histamine (45 and 34%, respectively, of that in +/+ mice).

Antiepileptic effects of clobazam in children.

Many benzodiazepines used as anticonvulsants have nitrogen radicals in positions 1 and 4. Clobazam has nitrogen radicals in positions 1 and 5. We studied the antiepileptic effect of clobazam in 36 patients with intractable epilepsies in childhood.

Endometrial argyrophil cell adenocarcinoma with indole- or catecholamine precursor uptake and decarboxylation.

The capacity for indole- or catecholamine precursor uptake and decarboxylation of the argyrophil cell adenocarcinoma of the endometrium was examined by fluorescence microscopy, microspectrofluorometry, and biochemical analyses. Both argyrophil and nonargyrophil cell adenocarcinomas of the human endometrium have been grown serially in nude mice. With the use of the formaldehyde-induced wet-histofluorescence method, yellowish green fluorescence was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of some cells of the argyrophil cell adenocarcinomas after exposure in vitro and in vivo to L-dopa.

Automated analysis for plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine by liquid chromatography, including a sample cleanup procedure.

We describe a fully automated method of analysis for plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine by use of a two-column system of "high-performance" liquid chromatography. Catecholamines in deproteinized plasma are purified on the first (preparation) column, then transferred automatically to the second (analytical) column in which epinephrine and norepinephrine are resolved. These compounds are then determined fluorometrically with a continuous-flow reaction system by the trihydroxyindole method.

Absence of increase of histidine decarboxylase activity in mast cell-deficient W/W mouse embryos before parturition.

The histidine decarboxylase (L-histidine carboxylase, EC 4.1.1.

Spontaneous stomach ulcer in genetically mast-cell depleted W/Wv mice.

Histamine has been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastroduodenal ulcers. Since mast cells contain a considerable amount of histamine as well as heparin and other biologically active substances, it seems reasonable to speculate that they are involved in this process. In fact, development of gastroduodenal ulcers was reported in dogs with mastocytoma, and an increase in mast-cell number was described in the vicinity of human gastroduodenal ulcers.

Simple method for the simultaneous determination of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin by stepwise elution from a short column of weak cation-exchange resin.

A simple method for the simultaneous determination of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin using a short column of Amberlite CG-50 is described. Noradrenaline and dopamine were eluted from the column with phosphate buffers containing 1.5 and 4.