Although questionnaire assessments of depression provide a satisfactory screening method, specificity values are too low to provide a basis for the diagnosis of depression. Measures need to be developed with higher specificity to facilitate screening for depression after stroke.

The binding of [3H]spiperone has been examined in membranes derived from different regions of bovine brain. In caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle and putamen binding is to D2 dopamine and 5HT2 serotonin receptors, whereas in cingulate cortex only serotonin 5HT2 receptor binding can be detected. D2 dopamine receptors were examined in detail in caudate nucleus, olfactory tubercle and putamen using [3H]spiperone binding in the presence of 0.3 microM-mianserin (to block 5HT2 serotonin receptors). No evidence for heterogeneity among D2 dopamine receptors either between brain regions or within a brain region was found from the displacements of [3H]spiperone binding by a range of antagonists, including dibenzazepines and substituted benzamides. Regulation of agonist binding by guanine nucleotides did, however, differ between regions. In caudate nucleus a population of agonist binding sites appeared resistant to guanine nucleotide regulation, whereas this was not the case in olfactory tubercle and putamen.

D2 dopamine receptors from bovine brain (caudate nucleus and olfactory tubercle) have been solubilized using sodium cholate/NaCl and their glycoprotein properties studied in terms of their interaction with wheat-germ agglutinin-agarose (WGA-agarose). Under optimal conditions about 65% of the applied D2 dopamine receptors bound to WGA-agarose and could be eluted with N-acetylglucosamine. The ability of receptors to adsorb to the affinity column was shown to be dependent on the cholate and salt concentrations used. Digestion of the membrane bound D2 dopamine receptors with neuraminidase prior to solubilisation reduced the ability of the receptors to bind to WGA-agarose (50% of applied receptors bound) whereas digestion with N-acetylglucosaminidase did not significantly affect binding to WGA-agarose. Digestion with the two enzymes together resulted in a larger decrease in binding to WGA-agarose than was seen with the two enzymes alone (40% of applied receptors bound). Stepwise elution of bound receptors from the WGA-agarose columns using 2.5 mM- and 100-mM-N-acetylglucosamine showed that about 40% of the bound receptors interacted with WGA-agarose in a low-affinity manner, the remainder showing a high-affinity interaction. Neuraminidase treatment reduced the low-affinity population suggesting that the interaction of oligosaccharides bearing sialic acid with WGA-agarose is of lower affinity and that higher-affinity binding is via N-acetylglucosamine. These data are discussed in terms of the heterogeneity of carbohydrate moieties on the D2 dopamine receptors within a brain region. In all the tests applied here, however, receptors from caudate nucleus and olfactory tubercle behaved identically so their glycosylation patterns must be very similar.

This study investigates the mechanisms involved in the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) in ZR-75-1 epithelial-derived human breast cancer cells. Cell volume changes were measured during osmotic shock using video imaging. In HEPES-buffered hypotonic solutions no RVD was observed; however, RVD was observed in HCO(3)(-)-buffered hypotonic solutions. Inhibition of RVD by 10 microM tamoxifen and 100 microM DIDS (inhibitors of volume-regulated anion channels; VRAC) and 2 mM TEA(+) (inhibitor of K(+) channels) indicates a role for these channels. In HCO(3)(-)-buffered Cl(-)-free solutions RVD was partially abolished indicating that HCO(3)(-) efflux can support RVD but also may have another role. Further experiments investigated whether HCO(3)(-) assists in the accumulation of Cl(-) via Cl(-)-HCO(3)(-) exchange. Regulatory volume increase (RVI) was also HCO(3)(-)-dependent and was inhibited by 500 microM DIDS and 10 microM 5-( N, N-dimethyl)-amiloride (DMA) indicating a role for coupled Cl(-)-HCO(3)(-) and Na(+)-H(+) exchange. Finally, in the presence of 10 microM DMA, RVD was partially inhibited providing further evidence for a role of Cl(-)-HCO(3)(-) exchange. Thus RVD in ZR-75-1 cells involves the activation of VRAC and K(+) channels. RVD is HCO(3)(-)-dependent and HCO(3)(-) efflux through VRAC appears to contribute directly to RVD. HCO(3)(-), however, also has another role in facilitating Cl(-) accumulation via Cl(-)-HCO(3)(-) exchange.

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