2012 Targeting Trends Review

Liu XY, Liu ZC, Sun YG, Ross M, Kim S, Tsai FF, Li QF, Jeffry J, Kim JY, Loh HH, Chen ZF (2011) Unidirectional cross-activation of GRPR by MOR1D uncouples itch and analgesia induced by opioids. Cell 147(2):447-458. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2011.08.043

Summary: Recent work has begun to define the different pathways used by itch and pain. This study was designed to investigate whether opioids cause the itch sensation by gastrin releasing peptide receptor activation. Mice received intrathecal injections of bombesin-SAP (Cat. #IT-40) in order to investigate the coexpression of various signaling molecules in the spinal cord. Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21) was used as a control. The data suggest that opioid-induced itch is independent of opioid analgesia, and is controlled through a mu-opioid receptor isoform.

Related Products: Bombesin-SAP (Cat. #IT-40), Blank-SAP (Cat. #IT-21)

Fiedler J, Strauss G, Wannack M, Schwiebert S, Seidel K, Henning K, Klopocki E, Schmugge M, Gaedicke G, Schulze H (2012) Two patterns of thrombopoietin signaling suggest no coupling between platelet production and thrombopoietin reactivity in thrombocytopenia-absent radii syndrome. Haematologica 97(1):73-81. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2011.049619 PMID: 21933853

Summary: Lower than normal blood platelet counts result from a congenital disorder called thrombocytopenia (thrombocytopenia absent radii syndrome, or TAR). Recent work indicates a complex pattern of inheritance, and possibly that TAR is at least a digenic disorder. The authors performed an extended study investigating signal transduction via immunoblotting, gel electrophoretic shift assays, and flow cytometry. One of the antibodies used was anti-p70 S6K (Cat. #AB-241). The authors conclude that there are defects in both platelet production and function in TAR.

Related Products: p70 S6K Rabbit Polyclonal (Cat. #AB-241)

Bergersen LH, Morland C, Ormel L, Rinholm JE, Larsson M, Wold JFH, Roe AT, Stranna A, Santello M, Bouvier D, Ottersen OP, Volterra A, Gundersen V (2012) Immunogold detection of L-glutamate and D-serine in small synaptic-like microvesicles in adult hippocampal astrocytes. Cereb Cortex 22(7):1690-1697. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhr254 PMID: 21914633

Summary: Verifying the presence of D-serine in astrocyte vesicles would help resolve whether astrocytes produce rapid gliotransmitter exocytosis for the purpose of neuromodulation. In one of a series of experiments the authors looked at D-serine levels with anti-L-glutamate (Cat. #AB-T08). The results suggest that domains of astrocytes can acquire local Ca2+ increases that trigger glutamate and D-serine release.

Related Products: L-Glutamate Rabbit Polyclonal, Conjugated (Cat. #AB-T08)

Ritter S, Li AJ, Wang Q, Dinh TT (2011) Minireview: The value of looking backward: the essential role of the hindbrain in counterregulatory responses to glucose deficit. Endocrinology 152(11):4019-4032. doi: 10.1210/en.2010-1458

Summary: This review examines work addressing how particular glucose-sensing cells function in glucoregulation under specific physiological or pathological conditions. There are specific populations of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) neurons in the hindbrain that mediate these responses. The use of anti-DBH-SAP (Cat. #IT-03) to eliminate selective NE/E subgroups without disrupting basic functions is discussed.

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

Fuller P, Sherman D, Pedersen NP, Saper CB, Lu J (2011) Reassessment of the structural basis of the ascending arousal system. J Comp Neurol 519(5):933-956. doi: 10.1002/cne.22559

Summary: Traditional thought has been that electroencephalogram activity is mainly generated by the thalamo-cortical system. In this work the authors investigated the effects of basal forebrain lesions on various measurements of wakefulness. Rats received 4 50 ng injections of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into the basal forebrain. The effects of these lesions showed that the parabrachial nucleus/precoeruleus region projection relayed by the basal forebrain to the cerebral cortex plays a critical role in behavioral and electrocortical arousal.

Usage: Lesions of the basal forebrain were done by injecting a 0.1% solution of either 192-IgG-SAP or Orexin-SAP at four different sites.

Related Products: 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01), Orexin-B-SAP (Cat. #IT-20)

Zhang L, Hadley GA (2010) Application of anti-CD103 immunotoxin for saving islet allograft in context of transplantation. Chin Med J (Engl) 123(24):3644-51.

Summary: This work investigates whether depletion of CD103-positive cells protects transplanted islets from host-immune cell attack. Diabetes was induced in mice, followed by an islet transplant. Anti-CD103-SAP (Cat. #IT-50) was administered via i.p. injection (1.0 mg/kg or 2.0 mg/kg). Rat IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-17) was used as a control. Diabetic mice treated with anti-CD103-SAP after islet transplantation had an indefinite survival time as compared to untreated mice that survived fewer than 20 days.

Related Products: Anti-CD103-SAP (Cat. #IT-50), Rat IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-17)

Easton A, Fitchett AE, Eacott MJ, Baxter MG (2011) Medial septal cholinergic neurons are necessary for context-place memory but not episodic-like memory. Hippocampus 21(9):1021-1027. doi: 10.1002/hipo.20814

Summary: Although it is clear that neurodegenerative diseases cause memory impairment, it is uncertain to what extent cholinergic deficits cause this loss of function. The authors administered a total of 150 ng of 192-IgG-SAP (Cat. #IT-01) into the medial septum and vertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca in rats. The lesioned animals were then tested in a rodent model for human episodic memory. The rats performed well on these tests, but struggled with tests that tested the association of places with context. The results suggest that hippocampal spatial representations might not be essential for episodic memory function.

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