targeted-toxins

Göz D, Studholme K, Lappi DA, Rollag MD, Provencio I, Morin LP (2008) Targeted destruction of photosensitive retinal ganglion cells with a saporin conjugate alters the effects of light on mouse circadian rhythms. PLoS ONE 3(9):e3153. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003153 PMID: 18773079

Summary: Retinal ganglion cells expressing melanopsin photopigment are thought to be involved in non-image forming visual responses to light. The authors had a custom conjugate made between saporin and an anti-melanopsin antibody. A 400-ng injection of the melanopsin-SAP conjugate into the eye of a mouse resulted in a 57% loss of the targeted cells. Rabbit IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-35) was used as a control. The data indicates that melanopsin-containing cells are involved in the response to certain non-image forming visual input.

Related Products: Melanopsin-SAP (Cat. #IT-44), Melanopsin Rabbit Polyclonal (Cat. #AB-N38), Melanopsin Rabbit Polyclonal, affinity-purified (Cat. #AB-N39), Rabbit IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-35)

Mandolesi L, De Bartolo P, Foti F, Gelfo F, Federico F, Leggio MG, Petrosini L (2008) Environmental enrichment provides a cognitive reserve to be spent in the case of brain lesion. J Alzheimers Dis 15:11-28. doi: 10.3233/jad-2008-15102 PMID: 18780964

Summary: The cognitive reserve model suggests individuals can develop resources that reduce the risk of later cognitive impairment. This theory was tested by raising rats in standard vs. enriched environments then lesioning the animals with 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01). A total of 0.8 µg of 192-IgG-SAP was administered in bilateral injections, followed by various behavioral tests. It was found that animals raised in an enriched environment had reduced cognitive impairment following forebrain lesions.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Colombari DS, Pedrino GR, Freiria-Oliveira AH, Korim WS, Maurino IC, Cravo SL (2008) Lesions of medullary catecholaminergic neurons increase salt intake in rats. Brain Res Bull 76:572-578. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2008.04.001

Summary: Catecholaminergic neurons in the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM) are thought to contribute to cardiovascular regulation and body fluid homeostasis. Bilateral 6.3-ng injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) were administered to the CVLM of rats. Saporin (Cat. #PR-01) was used as a control. After lesioning and challenge with either furosemide/captopril or water deprivation, intake of 0.3 M NaCl and water were observed. The data indicate medullary catecholaminergic neurons play an inhibitory role in sodium appetite.

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

Liao D, Lin PH, Yao Q, Chen C (2008) Vascular smooth cell proliferation in perfusion culture of porcine carotid arteries. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 372(4):668-673. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.05.117

Summary: Basic fibroblast growth factor is highly effective in stimulating smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. The authors used FGF-SAP (Cat. #IT-38) to help characterize a model of vascular SMC proliferation with porcine carotid arteries. Arteries isolated from pigs were cultured under several different conditions, one of which included FGF-SAP at a concentration of 0.4 nM. In all cases the arteries maintained viability for up to 96 hours. SMC proliferation was drastically reduced in the arteries treated with FGF-SAP. [Note, FGF-SAP is not ATS.]

Related Products: FGF-SAP (Cat. #IT-38)

Harle P, Pongratz G, Albrecht J, Tarner IH, Straub RH (2008) An early sympathetic nervous system influence exacerbates collagen-induced arthritis via CD4+CD25+ cells. Arthritis Rheum 58:2347-2355. doi: 10.1002/art.23628

Summary: The sympathetic nervous system can play conflicting roles in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). CD4+CD25+ T cells can play an immunoregulatory effect in this system depending on the expression of the FoxP3 transcription factor. Mice received 5 µg intraperitoneal injections of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) to induce an early sympathectomy. The results indicate that the sympathetic nervous system increases disease severity in CIA by stimulating some of the proinflammatory aspects of CD4+CD25+ T cells.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03)

Wisman L, Sahin G, Maingay M, Leanza G, Kirik D (2008) Functional convergence of dopaminergic and cholinergic input is critical for hippocampus-dependent working memory. J Neurosci 28:7797-7807. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1885-08.2008

Summary: Analysis of cholinergic alterations in PD patients may help to understand and treat the nonmotor symptoms of the disease.

Usage: Cholinergic neurons in theNBMand the MS/vDBB were lesioned by bilateral injection of the immunotoxin 192 IgG-SAP (0.85 µl of dissolved at a concentration of 0.142 µg/µl in PBS).

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Craig LA, Hong NS, Kopp J, McDonald RJ (2008) Reduced cholinergic status in hippocampus produces spatial memory deficits when combined with kainic acid induced seizures. Hippocampus 18(11):1112-1121. doi: 10.1002/hipo.20471

Summary: The loss of cholinergic neurons in the medial septum and seizures are both associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The authors investigated links between these factors using 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) and kainic acid. Rats received 0.15 µg of 192-IgG-SAP delivered to the medial septum and vertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca in four injections. Animals receiving both 192-IgG-SAP and kainic acid performed significantly worse in water maze tests than control animals, indicating that loss of cholinergic neurons and seizures interact in Alzheimer’s disease.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Radley JJ, Williams B, Sawchenko PE (2008) Noradrenergic innervation of the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex modulates hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal responses to acute emotional stress. J Neurosci 28:5806-5816. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0552-08.2008

Summary: Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) responses to emotional stress are in part controlled by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The locus ceruleus (LC) is also thought to be involved in this system, leading to the question of what interaction might exist between the mPFC and LC. Rats were injected with 90-120 nl of 0.475-µg/µl anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) into the cortical field containing noradrenergic neurons that project to the dorsal mPFC. The results indicate that the LC functions as an upstream component in mPFC modulation of HPA activation due to emotional stress.

Related Products: Anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03)

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Dotigny F, Ben Amor AY, Burke M, Vaucher E (2008) Neuromodulatory role of acetylcholine in visually-induced cortical activation: Behavioral and neuroanatomical correlates. Neuroscience 154(4):1607-1618. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2008.04.030

Summary: Acetylcholine is thought to have a neuromodulatory role in visual processing. After rats were treated with 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01, 2 µl of 2.4 µg/µl into the lateral ventricle) visual acuity and performance in a visual water maze task were analyzed. Lesioned animals displayed no loss in acuity, but were less able to learn a new orientation discrimination task. These data suggest that the cholinergic system in the basal forebrain plays an important role in post-synaptic visual processing.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01)

Likhtik E, Popa D, Apergis-Schoute J, Fidacaro GA, Pare D (2008) Amygdala intercalated neurons are required for expression of fear extinction. Nature 454(7204):642-645. doi: 10.1038/nature07167

Summary: Scientists have been using fear learning in animals to study human anxiety disorders. In order to investigate the contribution of amygdala plasticity to fear learning, rats received 0.25-µl bilateral infusions of 3-µM dermorphin-SAP (Cat. #IT-12) into the amygdala. Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21) was used as a control. Lesioned rats displayed extinction expression deficits, indicating that the eliminated intercalated amygdala neurons play a large role in the extinction process.

Related Products: Dermorphin-SAP / MOR-SAP (Cat. #IT-12), Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21)

Read the featured article in Targeting Trends.