On the Possible Involvement of Sulphomucopolysaccharides in the Storage of Catecholamines within the Central Nervous System

Abstract

Rats treated at birth with 6-OH DA were sacrificed in adult age 24 h after an injection of 3H-NA. Synaptosomes were isolated from the cerebral cortex, the hypothalamus, the pons-medulla region and the cerebellum. The similar distribution pattern of 3H-NA and 35S on gradient centrifugation of the synaptosome preparations, the similar effect of 6-OHDA on the uptake of 3H-NA into slices of brain tissue in vitro and on their 35S content as well as the identification of chondroitin and heparan sulphate in the synaptosome fractions are observations which indicate a possible function of SMPSs in the storage of NA in adrenergic terminals.

Histochemical demonstration of cytoplasmic glycosaminoglycans in the macroneurons of the human central nervous system

“…The first evidence of the physiological function of GAG in the brain was reported by Young [ 19631, who demonstrated that testicular hyaluronidase injected in vivo in cats led to a reduction in HA content of neurons, and some neurological impairments such as rigidity, unresponsive behavior and occasional grand ma1 seizures. Several papers have been published relating GAG with nerve function, especially with brain maturation, migration and nerve cell differentiation [Brante, 1957[Brante, , 1959Guha et al, 1960;Bachhawat, 1965, 1968;Polansky et al, 1974;Hay and Meir, 1974;Margolis et al, 1975a;Pratt et al, 1975;Toole, 19761, axonal conduction of nerve impulse Abul Haj, 1956: Szabo andRoboz-Einstein, 1962;Young, 1963;Custod and Young, 1968;Wang and Adey, 1969;Langley, 1971 ;Landon and Langley, 1971 I, and storage of neurotransmitter amines and synaptic transmission [Kuriyama and Okada, I97 1 ;Kuczensky and Mandell, 1972;Pycock et al, 1975;Elam and Peterson, 1976;Branford White and Jones, 19781. From the histochemical viewpoint, few papers have been published dealing with the localization of GAG in the CNS. Young and Abood [ 19601, applying the colloidal iron technique to dog and rabbit CNS, demonstrated HA at the nerve cell bodies and processes.…”

The influence of pre- and perinatal malnutrition on sulphated glycosaminoglycans in rat brain

“…The occurrence of these macromolecules in brain has been well established [1]. There is also evidence that these sulphated polysaccharides may also be involved in the storage and release of catecholamines in synaptosomes [15]. Variation in the levels of glycosaminoglycans compounds during development of human brain have suggested that they may be associated with the process of myelination and brain maturation [17].…”