Prenatal THC Does Not Affect Female Mesolimbic Dopaminergic System in Preadolescent Rats

Cannabis use among pregnant women is increasing worldwide along with permissive sociocultural attitudes toward it. Prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE), however, is associated with adverse outcome among offspring, ranging from reduced birth weight to child psychopathology. We have previously shown that male rat offspring prenatally exposed to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a rat model of PCE, exhibit extensive molecular, cellular, and synaptic changes in dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), resulting in a susceptible mesolimbic dopamine system associated with a psychotic-like endophenotype. This phenotype only reveals itself upon a single exposure to THC in males but not females. Here, we characterized the impact of PCE on female behaviors and mesolimbic dopamine system function by combining in vivo single-unit extracellular recordings in anesthetized animals and ex vivo patch clamp recordings, along with neurochemical and behavioral analyses. We find that PCE female offspring do not show any spontaneous or THC-induced behavioral disease-relevant phenotypes. The THC-induced increase in dopamine levels in nucleus accumbens was reduced in PCE female offspring, even when VTA dopamine activity in vivo and ex vivo did not differ compared to control. These findings indicate that PCE impacts mesolimbic dopamine function and its related behavioral domains in a sex-dependent manner and warrant further investigations to decipher the mechanisms determining this sex-related protective effect from intrauterine THC exposure.     

Characterization of an Invertebrate-Type Dopamine Receptor of the American Cockroach,Periplaneta americana

We have isolated a cDNA coding for a putative invertebrate-type dopamine receptor (Peadop2) from P. americana brain by using a PCR-based strategy. The mRNA is present in samples from brain and salivary glands. We analyzed the distribution of the PeaDOP2 receptor protein with specific affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies. On Western blots, PeaDOP2 was detected in protein samples from brain, subesophageal ganglion, thoracic ganglia, and salivary glands. In immunocytochemical experiments, we detected PeaDOP2 in neurons with their somata being located at the anterior edge of the medulla bilaterally innervating the optic lobes and projecting to the ventro-lateral protocerebrum. In order to determine the functional and pharmacological properties of the cloned receptor, we generated a cell line constitutively expressing PeaDOP2. Activation of PeaDOP2-expressing cells with dopamine induced an increase in intracellular cAMP. In contrast, a C-terminally truncated splice variant of this receptor did not exhibit any functional property by itself. The molecular and pharmacological characterization of the first dopamine receptor from P. americana provides the basis for forthcoming studies focusing on the significance of the dopaminergic system in cockroach behavior and physiology.     

阿立哌唑联合草酸艾司西酞普兰对重度抑郁患者多巴胺、5-羟色胺和皮质醇的影响研究

目的:探讨阿立哌唑联合草酸艾司西酞普兰对重度抑郁患者多巴胺（DA）、5-羟色胺（5-HT）和皮质醇的影响。方法:将94例重度抑郁症患者分为观察组和对照组。对照组采用草酸艾司西酞普兰治疗。观察组采用阿立哌唑联合草酸艾司西酞普兰治疗。采用汉密尔顿焦虑量表（HAMD-17）评估患者的抑郁状态。检测两组患者治疗前后DA、5-HT、皮质醇的水平。采用健康状况问卷（SF-36）评估患者的生存质量，包括生理功能、躯体疼痛、生理职能、精神健康、情感职能、生命活力、社会功能、总体健康。观察两组患者治疗过程中不良反应的发生情况。结果:观察组的有效率比对照组高，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；两组治疗后的皮质醇、HAMD-17评分显著降低，DA、5-HT显著升高，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；观察组治疗后的皮质醇、HAMD-17评分低于对照组，DA、5-HT高于对照组，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；两组治疗后的生理功能、躯体疼痛、生理职能、精神健康、情感职能、生命活力、社会功能、总体健康显著升高，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；观察组治疗后的生理功能、躯体疼痛、生理职能、精神健康、情感职能、生命活力、社会功能、总体健康高于对照组，差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。两组的不良反应发生率差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论:阿立哌唑可进一步调节重度抑郁患者DA、5-HT和皮质醇的水平，提高临床疗效，改善生存质量。     

The Role of CaMKII and ERK Signaling in Addiction

Nicotine is the predominant addictive compound of tobacco and causes the acquisition of dependence through its interactions with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and various neurotransmitter releases in the central nervous system. The Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) play a pivotal role in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. CaMKII is involved in long-term potentiation induction, which underlies the consolidation of learning and memory; however, the roles of CaMKII in nicotine and other psychostimulant-induced addiction still require further investigation. This article reviews the molecular mechanisms and crucial roles of CaMKII and ERK in nicotine and other stimulant drug-induced addiction. We also discuss dopamine (DA) receptor signaling involved in nicotine-induced addiction in the brain reward circuitry. In the last section, we introduce the association of polyunsaturated fatty acids and cellular chaperones of fatty acid-binding protein 3 in the context of nicotine-induced addiction in the mouse nucleus accumbens and provide a novel target for the treatment of drug abuse affecting dopaminergic systems.     

Preparation and properties of selective polyurethane films and their use for the development of biomedical dopamine sensor

Polyurethane films were synthesized by 3,4-divanillyltetrahydrofuran and different diisocyanates. These prepared polyurethanes were characterized by FT-IR, DSC, DTA, and TGA techniques. For the amperometric applications, synthesized polyurethanes exhibited suitable T_g (°C), good thermal stability and good adhesive properties. In addition, because of their interesting film properties, attempts were made to prepare dopamine-sensing electrode. For this reason, selectivity of film-coated electrodes obtained from the chemically prepared polyurethanes toward electroactive and nonelectroactive species were examined by means of DPV technique. From the electrochemical results obtained, it has been demonstrated that the PU-1-coated electrode can be used for the development of biomedical sensor.     

Preparation of high-performance reverse osmosis membrane by zwitterionic polymer coating in a facile one-step way

Aiming at preparing high-performance polyamide (PA) reverse osmosis (RO) membrane in a facile and high effective way, the codeposition strategy of dopamine and zwitterionic polymer was first applied to modify PA RO membrane. The noncovalent bonds between dopamine and Poly [2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (PSPE) act to fix PSPE onto the membrane surface and simultaneously destroy the interaction force between dopamine aggregations so that the modified layer could equably form on the PA layer. PSPE significantly improved the hydrophilicity [the water contact angle (WCA) of S-D-3 is 25.3°] of the modified membrane. And, the smoother surface was noticed on the modified membrane. All of these endow the PSPE/dopamine modified membrane superb water flux (the maximum water flux is 51.86 L m⁻¹ h⁻¹ at 1.6 MPa and 25 °C) and impressive antifouling and anti-adhesion properties to bovine serum albumin (BSA) (protein), sodium dodecyl sulfate (anionic surfactant), and dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (cationic surfactant) with salt retention was well maintained. Notably, in the BSA fouling test, nearly 100% of the flux recovery ratio was achieved. This method is promising to be employed in industrial scale-up production. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48355.     

Maltose-Containing Polyurethane Films: Synthesis,Characterization, and Their Use for Determination of Dopamine in the Presence of the Electroactive and Nonelectroactive Interferents

A series of polyurethanes were prepared from the maltose-ethylene glycol-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and used to construct a novel polyurethane electrode for the detection of dopamine. The polyurethanes were characterized by FT-IR, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The intrinsic viscosity and adhesive properties were also evaluated. Selectivity behaviour of films prepared from polyurethane solutions containing 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10% maltose to electroactive and nonelectroactive substances was examined by DPV. The results demonstrated that polymer electrode by 2 µL polyurethane solutions containing 3% maltose was allowed penetration of dopamine while blocking the permeation of ascorbic acid and uric acid through film.     

聚ABSA修饰电极对多巴胺、抗坏血酸、尿酸的同时测定

采用电聚合的方法制备了聚对氨基苯磺酸修饰电极（pABSA/GCE）,并采用循环伏安法和线性扫描方法分别对多巴胺（DA）,抗坏血酸（AA）,尿酸（UA）以及三者的混合液进行了测定,研究了该修饰电极的电化学行为。结果表明,pABSA/GCE对AA,DA,UA有良好的电催化作用。在混合液的测定中,三者可以很好的分离,AA-DA、DA-UA、AA-UA的峰电位差分别为265 mV,146 mV和411 mV。该pABSA/GCE修饰电极既用于混合液中AA、DA和UA的分别测定也可以用于三者的同时测定,电极重现性和稳定性良好。     

Plant Neurobiology,a Fascinating Perspective in the Field of Research on Plant Secondary Metabolites

In this Editorial, I comment on the exciting and original topic of plant neurobiology, focusing on natural products whose biosynthesis is shared by animal and plant organisms, i.e., indoleamines (melatonin and serotonin) and catecholamines (dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine).