Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.23 (beta-galactosidase)
14,648 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have analyzed the cis-regulatory elements in the 5' flanking region of the Drosophila choline acetyltransferase gene (ChAT, E.C.2.3.1.6). DNA fragments were fused to the Escherichia coli lacZ reporter gene and introduced into the Drosophila germ line by P-element-mediated transformation. A 7.4 kb 5' flanking sequence directed beta-galactosidase expression in the adult optic lobes and other well-defined CNS structures with a pattern very similar to the distribution of endogenous ChAT protein. In contrast, the proximal 3.3 kb and 1.2 kb of 5' flanking DNA directed lacZ expression in only selected subsets of the structures seen with the 7.4 kb lacZ construct. Our results indicate that both qualitative and quantitative regulatory elements are present in the 5' flanking DNA and that these elements distinguish various subsets of cholinergic neurons. We have also fused the same 5' flanking DNA sequences to wild-type ChAT cDNA and used these constructs to transform Chatsl mutant flies. Not only the 7.4 kb cDNA construct, but also the 3.3 and 1.2 kb constructs, rescued Chatsl from temperature-dependent paralysis and adult lethality, indicating that the regulatory information in any of these genomic fragments can drive sufficient wild-type ChAT expression to overcome these mutant phenotypes.
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PMID:Analysis of cis-regulatory elements in the 5' flanking region of the Drosophila melanogaster choline acetyltransferase gene. 137 60

The ultrastructure of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)-immunoreactive neurons in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (TLD) of the rat was investigated by immunohistochemical techniques. The immunoreactive neurons were medium to large in size, with a few elongated dendrites, contained well-developed cytoplasm, and a nucleus with deep infoldings. They received many nonimmunoreactive, mostly asymmetric synaptic inputs on their soma and dendrites. ChAT-immunoreactive, usually myelinated, axons were occasionally seen in TLD. Only one immunoreactive axon terminal was observed within TLD, and it made synaptic contact with a nonimmunoreactive neuronal perikaryon. The synaptic interactions between ChAT-immunoreactive neurons and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive fibers in the TLD were investigated with a double immunohistochemical staining method. ChAT-immunoreactivity detected with a beta-galactosidase method was light blue-green in the light microscope and formed dot-like electron dense particles at the electron microscopic level. TH-immunoreactivity, visualized with a nickel-enhanced immunoperoxidase method, was dark blue-black in the light microscope and diffusely opaque in the electron microscope. Therefore, the difference between these two kinds of immunoreactivity could be quite easily distinguished at both light and electron microscopic levels. In the light microscope, TH-positive fibers were often closely apposed to ChAT-immunoreactive cell bodies and dendrites in TLD. In the electron microscope, the cell soma and proximal dendrites of ChAT-immunoreactive neurons received synaptic contacts from TH-immunoreactive axon terminals. These results provide a morphological basis for catecholaminergic regulation of the cholinergic reticular system.
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PMID:Ultrastructure of cholinergic neurons in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus of the rat: interaction with catecholamine fibers. 139 18

The relationships both between cholinergic neurons and substance P (SP) and between cholinergic neurons and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) terminals were examined in the rat sacral intermediolateral nucleus at the light and electron microscopic levels by means of double-immunostaining methods. Cholinergic neurons were labeled by a monoclonal antibody to choline acetyltransferase (CAT) with the avidin-biotin technique and stained bluish-green by indolyl-beta-galactoside reaction products with beta-galactosidase as a marker. On the same sections, SP or CGRP fibers were labeled by polyclonal antisera to SP or CGRP after application of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method and stained brown by the p-dimethylaminoazobenzene (DAB) reaction. After embedding in Epon, light and electron microscopic sections were examined. At the light microscopic level, CGRP-like immunoreactive (CGRP-I) fibers and SP-like immunoreactive (SP-I) fibers were found to pass through the lateral edge of the dorsal horn and then into the dorsal region of the sacral intermediolateral nucleus. In addition, SP-I fibers also extend from the dorsolateral funiculus into the entire sacral intermediolateral region. At the electron microscopic level, many axosomatic and axodendritic synapses were found between CAT-I structures and SP-I terminals in the intermediolateral nucleus, whereas most of the CGRP-I terminals in this area made axodendritic synapses with CAT-I dendrites. These results indicate that cholinergic neurons in the sacral intermediolateral nucleus receive direct synaptic input from SP-I and CGRP-I terminals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Interaction between cholinergic neurons and substance P or calcitonin gene-related peptide terminals of the rat sacral intermediolateral nucleus: double immunostaining at the light and electron microscopic levels. 247 8

Relationships between leucine-enkephalin fibers and cholinergic neurons in the rat sacral intermediolateral nucleus were examined by light and electron microscopy using double-immunostaining method. Cholinergic neurons in the sacral intermediolateral nucleus were labeled by a rat-mouse monoclonal antibody to choline acetyltransferase and stained bluish green with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D- galactoside reaction products using beta-galactosidase as a marker. On the same sections, leucine-enkephalin fibers were labeled by a rabbit polyclonal antiserum to leucine-enkephalin and stained brown by diaminobenzidine reaction products using peroxidase as a marker. After embedding in Epon, the sections were examined in light and electron microscopes. In the light microscope, choline acetyltransferase-like immunoreactive cells were seen in the sacral intermediolateral nucleus. In the same region, leucine-enkephalin-like immunoreactive cells. In the electron microscope, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactoside reaction products were in the form of coarse electron dense deposits in the choline acetyltransferase-like immunoreactive structures and could be distinguished from the much finer grained diaminobenzidine reaction products. Choline acetyltransferase-like immunoreactive neurons received synaptic inputs from leucine-enkephalin fibers-like immunoreactive terminals. These findings suggest that leucine-enkephalin fibers may affect the activity of cholinergic parasympathetic preganglionic neurons.
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PMID:Enkephalin fibers synapse on cholinergic neurons in the rat sacral intermediolateral nucleus: a double-immunostaining at the light and electron microscopic levels. 264 54

This study was designed to establish an in vitro model with biochemical and morphological similarities to the human neurodegenerative disease GM1 gangliosidosis. Utilizing a specific inactivator of the lysosomal enzyme GM1-ganglioside beta-galactosidase (beta-D-galactopyranosylmethyl-p-nitrophenyltriazene [beta-GalMNT]) and neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid cells (NG108-15), we suppressed beta-galactosidase activity for up to 72 hours. Coincidental with suppression of this enzyme to levels less than 1% of control, we found up to a nine-fold accumulation of its substrate, the GM1-ganglioside, and the ultrastructural appearance of membranous cytoplasmic bodies. beta-GalMNT treatment suppressed growth but had little effect on the specific activity of choline acetyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, or other lysosomal enzymes including galactosylceramidase. This model should permit studies of the neurophysiological effects of increased ganglioside accumulation and their reversibility.
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PMID:Inactivation of GM1-ganglioside beta-galactosidase by a specific inhibitor: a model for ganglioside storage disease. 303 98

The effects of anticonvulsants on markers of growth, intracellular enzymes, and synaptic functions were evaluated using a rapidly dividing cholinergic neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cell-line (NG108-15). Cell cultures were exposed for 4 days to phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine, or valproic acid. Anticonvulsant concentrations added to the media were selected to produce free levels in the cell media that were equivalent to free levels in humans ranging from therapeutic to very toxic. Free levels of anticonvulsants in the toxic range affected cell number, protein content, and neurochemical markers. However, only valproic acid and phenytoin reduced cell growth at therapeutic free drug concentrations. Valproic acid was the only medication to act as a differentiating agent, significantly increasing the activity of choline acetyltransferase, beta-galactosidase, and muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding. These results emphasize the importance of performing drug studies at appropriate free drug concentrations and suggest that valproic acid differs from other commonly prescribed anticonvulsants by having both a growth-suppressing and a differentiating effect.
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PMID:Effects of anticonvulsants on cell growth and enzymatic and receptor binding activity in a neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cell culture. 310 72

Relationships between cholinergic neurons and adrenergic fibers in the intermediate region of the rat thoracic spinal cord were examined using a new immunohistochemical double-staining method for light and electron microscopic observations. Cholinergic neurons were labeled by a monoclonal antibody to choline acetyltransferase and stained bluish green by 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactoside reaction products using beta-galactosidase as a marker. On the same sections, adrenergic fibers were labeled by a polyclonal antiserum to phenyl-ethanolamine-N-methyltransferase and stained brown by diaminobenzidine reaction products using peroxidase as a marker. After embedding in Epon, the sections were examined in the light and electron microscopes. In the light microscope, choline acetyltransferase-like immunoreactive cells were seen in the four discrete areas of the intermediate region: the principal intermediolateral nucleus, the central autonomic nucleus, the intercalated nucleus and the funicular intermediolateral nucleus. These cell groups seemed to be connected to each other by their processes, and they showed a "ladder-like appearance" as a whole. Phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase-like immunoreactive fibers were present only along this "ladder-like structure" and were the most rich in the principal intermediolateral nucleus. In the electron microscope, some of the choline acetyltransferase-like immunoreactive neurons, which were identified by light micrographs, were found to receive synaptic inputs from phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase-like immunoreactive boutons in the principal intermediolateral nucleus. These findings suggest that the adrenergic axons in the principal intermediolateral nucleus directly affect the activity of the cholinergic preganglionic sympathetic neurons.
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PMID:Interaction between adrenergic fibers and intermediate cholinergic neurons in the rat spinal cord: a new double-immunostaining method for correlated light and electron microscopic observations. 339 73

This study used reporter gene constructs containing regulatory regions of the c-fos, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and choline acetyltransferase genes to determine the role of p21ras and protein kinase C in the action of ciliary neurotrophic factor and leukemia inhibitory factor. Down-regulation of protein kinase C with phorbol ester did not affect the induction of either c-fos-beta-galactosidase or vasoactive intestinal peptide-luciferase by ciliary neurotrophic factor or leukemia inhibitory factor. In contrast, while leukemia inhibitory factor induction of choline acetyltransferase-luciferase expression was protein kinase C-independent, there appears to be both protein kinase C-dependent and -independent pathways for induction of choline acetyltransferase-luciferase by ciliary neurotrophic factor. Cotransfection of a dominant-negative mutant p21rasN17 blocked nerve growth factor-mediated induction of c-fos-beta-galactosidase, but did not affect induction of c-fos-beta-galactosidase, vasoactive intestinal peptide-luciferase, or choline acetyltransferase-luciferase by either ciliary neurotrophic factor or leukemia inhibitory factor. Thus, in contrast to the action of nerve growth factor, gene induction by ciliary neurotrophic factor, and leukemia inhibitory factor is ras-independent in IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells.
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PMID:Differential requirements for p21ras and protein kinase C in the regulation of neuronal gene expression by nerve growth factor and neurokines. 803 40

Rats received bilateral lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis by infusion of biotenic acid. Two weeks after the lesion, a suspension of genetically modified primary rat fibroblasts was grafted dorsal to the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (2 x 10(5) cells per side). The fibroblasts were either infected with the gene for human beta-nerve growth factor or Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase. The nerve growth factor-producing fibroblasts released 67 ng nerve growth factor/10(5) cells per day in vitro. Two weeks after implantation of the fibroblasts, spatial learning was tested in the Morris water-maze. Nerve growth factor-producing fibroblasts, but not beta-galactosidase-producing fibroblasts ameliorated the deficit in acquisition of the water-maze task. In addition, spatial acuity was improved to near-normal levels by the nerve growth factor-producing grafts. Choline acetyltransferase activity in cortical areas and hippocampus was not affected by the nerve growth factor-producing grafts. Both grafted groups showed a similar reduction in the level of dopamine, but not homovanillic acid or 3-methoxytyramine, in the frontal cortex. Levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine and serotonin and their metabolites in the neocortex and hippocampus were not affected by the lesion or the grafts. Nerve growth factor-producing grafts increased the size of remaining nerve growth factor-receptor (p75) immunoreactive neurons in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis by 25%. Nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesions reduced the integrated optic density of choline acetyltransferase-positive fiber staining in the ventral neocortex by 46%, but nerve growth factor-producing grafts restored this area to 86% of control. These data suggest that nerve growth factor-producing grafts can cause a marked behavioral improvement, probably through the partial restoration of the lesioned projection from nucleus basalis magnocellularis to neocortex.
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PMID:Grafting of nerve growth factor-producing fibroblasts reduces behavioral deficits in rats with lesions of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis. 807 85

In earlier studies we found that treatment with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) produced an 8- to 11-fold increase in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in cultured cells taken from Embryonic Day 16 (E16) septal nuclei with adjacent basal forebrain (SN/BF). Since younger cultures responded even more profoundly to IFN treatment, we have tested the possibility that the action of IFN (or its intermediate; see below) is to prompt the cholinergic differentiation of neuronal precursors. SN/BF cultures of various ages were labeled with a retrovirus engineered to express beta-galactosidase (Lac-Z), and ChAT-positive descendants of the retrovirally labeled precursors were counted. IFN-gamma treatment of cultures caused as much as an 8.8-fold increase in the proportion of ChAT-positive cells present in Lac-Z-positive clones, suggesting that IFN promoted cholinergic differentiation in precursor populations. By contrast, bFGF increased clone size but did not change the proportion of ChAT-positive cells. NGF affected neither. Only ameboid microglia present in the cultures responded to IFN with characteristic nuclear translocation of the signal transducing molecule p91, suggesting that a microglial-derived molecule may mediate the action of IFN. Consistent with this hypothesis, conditioned media from cultures of enriched, activated microglia also increased ChAT activity in a dose-dependent fashion. Conditioned media from an unstimulated macrophage/monocyte cell line (RAW 264.7) also proved extremely efficacious in raising ChAT activity. In addition, conditioned media from both activated microglia and RAW 264.7 cells increased the proportion of ChAT-positive cells in retrovirally labeled clones to the same extent as IFN itself, suggesting the possibility that they contain the molecule(s) that mediates the action of IFN. Preliminary characterization of this molecule suggests that it is a very stable and large protein. Together these data suggest that a molecule promoting cholinergic differentiation is produced by activated microglia and other macrophage-like cells. The identity of this molecule and its precise role in normal development await its further purification.
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PMID:Conditioned medium from activated microglia promotes cholinergic differentiation in the basal forebrain in vitro. 866 Aug 79


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