saporin

Marshall RS, D’Avila F, Di Cola A, Traini R, Spano L, Fabbrini MS, Ceriotti A (2011) Signal peptide-regulated toxicity of a plant ribosome-inactivating protein during cell stress. Plant J 65(2):218-29. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2010.04413.x PMID: 21223387

Summary: Type I ribosome inactivating proteins (RIPs) are thought to have a role in defending plants against viral or fungal infections. Most type I RIPs have signal peptides for insertion into the endoplasmic reticulum, followed by transportation to a vacuole or the cell wall. The authors examined signal peptide regulation under stress in tobacco plants transfected with saporin. One method of analysis was western blots using anti-saporin (Cat. #AB-15).

Related Products: Saporin Goat Polyclonal (Cat. #AB-15)

Carvalho AF, Reyes AR, Sterling RC, Unterwald E, Van Bockstaele EJ (2010) Contribution of limbic norepinephrine to cannabinoid-induced aversion. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 211(4):479-491. doi: 10.1007/s00213-010-1923-7

Summary: The authors used bilateral injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) into the nucleus accumbens and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis to investigate the role of neuroepinephrine in cannabinoid-induced aversion and anxiety. Lesioned animals received bilateral 52.5 ng-injections of anti-DBH-SAP into the nucleus accumbens or 63 ng into the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. Lesioned animals displayed reversed aversive behavior, but no change in anxiety-like behavior.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Emanuel AJ, Ritter S (2010) Hindbrain catecholamine neurons modulate the growth hormone but not the feeding response to ghrelin. Endocrinology 151(7):3237-3246. doi: 10.1210/en.2010-0219

Summary: In this work the authors investigated the role of hindbrain catecholamine neurons in the response to a gastrointestinal peptide, ghrelin. Rats received 42 ng injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. Lesioned animals had a prolonged growth hormone (GH) response to ghrelin administration as compared to controls, but the feeding response was unchanged. The results indicate that ghrelin or GH may be involved with a negative feedback response controlling GH levels.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Q: Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) has been shown to enzymatically inhibit the function of the ribosome, which follows that protein synthesis is then inhibited. Inhibition of protein synthesis brings about “cell death” to my knowledge. To detect “cell death” usually does not take a longer time to detect than “growth inhibition,” I suppose. So what I would like to ask you is: “at least” how many hours will it take to detect “cell death” caused by saporin. In your protocol, the recommended duration of assay is 72 hours. Does that duration contain much allowance? Of course, the duration must be dependent on the speed (or efficiency) of internalization of saporin, I understand. But once saporin is internalized, how many hours (or minutes) will it take to kill the target cell?

A: 72 hours is for the great majority of cell lines, but there are a very few that require 48 hours and a very few that require 96 hours (maybe 1 of each of the 100 or so that we’ve tried). The variation in time from 72 hours is not much on the shorter side, but is only limited by the few living cells proliferating on the longer side.

It is easy to see dead cells in the microscope, so you may want to visually check your cells at different times to verify that 72 hours is correct.

How many hours will it take after internalization to kill a cell? Quite a few, because there are several processes that need to occur: the enzyme must inactivate a sufficient number of ribosomes to inhibit protein synthesis, and then the cell has to stop living because of the turnover and loss of those proteins. That takes time.

Related: Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Lawhorn C, Smith DM, Brown LL (2009) Partial ablation of mu-opioid receptor rich striosomes produces deficits on a motor-skill learning task. Neuroscience 163(1):109-119. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2009.05.021

Summary: The functional role of basal ganglia striosomes is not well understood. In order to examine these cells in the context of motor behavior the authors injected 8.5 ng of dermorphin-SAP (Cat. #IT-12) into several areas of the striatum of mice (saporin, Cat. #PR-01, was used as a control). The animals were then evaluated in complex motor tasks involving the use of striatal circuitry. Animals receiving dermorphin-SAP showed deficits in specific motor tasks corresponding to the extent of the lesion.

Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Zhu J, Xu W, Wang J, Ali SF, Angulo JA (2009) The neurokinin-1 receptor modulates the methamphetamine-induced striatal apoptosis and nitric oxide formation in mice. J Neurochem 111(3):656-668. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06330.x

Summary: This study examined the role of neurokinin-1 receptors (NK1R) on the methamphetamine-induced apoptosis of striatal neurons. 4 ng of SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11) or the control, saporin (Cat. #PR-01), was administered to the striatum of mice. Ablation of NK1R-expressing striatal neurons resulted in a significant reduction of methamphetamine-induced apoptosis. The data suggests that the NK1R circuitry in the striatum may be a target for treatment of methamphetamine abuse.

Related Products: SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Cao F, Chen SS, Yan XF, Xiao XP, Liu XJ, Yang SB, Xu AJ, Gao F, Yang H, Chen ZJ, Tian YK (2009) Evaluation of side effects through selective ablation of the mu opioid receptor expressing descending nociceptive facilitatory neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla with dermorphin-saporin. Neurotoxicology 30(6):1096-1106. doi: 10.1016/j.neuro.2009.06.004

Summary: Selective ablation of rostral ventromedial (RVM) neurons expressing mu opioid receptors has been suggested as a treatment for pathological pain. This work investigated the side effects of a 0.5 µg injection of dermorphin-SAP (Cat. #IT-12) into the RVM. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. Lesioned animals experienced a temporary increase in heart rate and systolic blood pressure, and mild microglial responses, but even these soon returned to normal. The data suggest this system has potential as a target for pain therapeutics.

Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Ray AP, Chebolu S, Ramirez J, Darmani NA (2009) Ablation of least shrew central neurokinin NK1 receptors reduces GR73632-induced vomiting. Behav Neurosci 123:701-706. doi: 10.1037/a0015733

Summary: In this work the authors investigated the role of central and peripheral nervous systems components that mediate the emetic reflex. Least shrews received an 600-ng injection of SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11) into the lateral ventricle. Some animals also received a 4.8-µg intraperitoneal injection of SSP-SAP. Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21) and unconjugated saporin (Cat. #PR-01) were used as controls. Lesioned animals displayed reduced emesis, but the data indicate that a minor peripheral nervous system component is also present.

Related Products: SSP-SAP (Cat. #IT-11), Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Tronson NC, Schrick C, Guzman YF, Huh KH, Srivastava DP, Penzes P, Guedea AL, Gao C, Radulovic J (2009) Segregated populations of hippocampal principal CA1 neurons mediating conditioning and extinction of contextual fear. J Neurosci 29:3387-3394. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5619-08.2009

Summary: This work examines what cell groups are responsible for controlling contextual fear. 180 ng of mu p75-SAP (Cat. #IT-16) was injected into the medial septum of mice. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. In lesioned animals, fear extinction was lost along with the cholinergic input from the medial septum, while fear conditioning was left intact.

Related Products: mu p75-SAP (Cat. #IT-16), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)

Rivat C, Vera-Portocarrero LP, Ibrahim MM, Mata HP, Stagg NJ, De Felice M, Porreca F, Malan TP (2009) Spinal NK-1 receptor-expressing neurons and descending pathways support fentanyl-induced pain hypersensitivity in a rat model of postoperative pain. Eur J Neurosci 29:727-737. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.06616.x

Summary: Opioids activate hyperalgesia and allodynia. The authors test the hypothesis that NK-1 receptor-containing ascending pathways play a role in sensitivity to fentanyl. Rats received an intrathecal injection of SP-SAP (Cat. #IT-07), and controls received saporin (Cat. #PR-01). The data indicate that these ascending pathways have a role in fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia.

Related Products: SP-SAP (Cat. #IT-07), Saporin (Cat. #PR-01)