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Cathepsin Level in Various Organs of the Chicken1
1514
RESEARCH
that, like some mammals (Olney, 1969; Olney and Sharpe, 1969), the Gallus domesticus' central nervous system is also susceptible to damage following treatment with MSG. It should be emphasized, in contrast with the above mentioned studies, that in this one, not all MSG affected neurons were phagocytized and evacuated following treatment. Further studies with birds of varying ages and various MSG dosages are in progress.
Monosodium glutamate was subcutaneously injected to 5 days old male chicks. The birds were killed at 45 days of age and their brains were histologically observed.
The compound induced brain damage in the hypothalamus region surrounding the ventromedial area leaving the latter unaffected. Neither hyperphagia nor increased body-weight over the controls were noted. REFERENCES Adamo, N. J., and A. Ratner, 1970. Monosodium glutamate: Lack of effects on brain and reproductive function in rats. Science, 169: 673-674. Olney, J. W., 1969. Brain lesions, obesity and other disturbances in mice treated with MSG. Science, 164: 719-721. Olney, J. W., and L. G. Sharpe, 1969. Brain lesions in infant Rhesus monkey treated with MSG. Science, 166: 386-388. Van Tienhoven, A., and L. P. Juhasz, 1962. The chicken telencephalon, diencephalon and mesencephalon in stereotaxic coordinates. J. Comp. Neurol. 118: 185-198.
CATHEPSIN LEVEL IN VARIOUS ORGANS OF THE CHICKEN 1 F. H.
Department
of Poultry Science, University
WILCOX2
of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
20740
(Received for publication May 3, 1971)
The purpose of this experiment was to obtain basic data on the relative levels of cathepsin in several of the major organs of an avian species. MATERIALS AND
METHODS
Organs and blood sera were obtained from four week old White Plymouth Rock males, by procedures previously used (Wilcox, 1963). All assays were on fresh tissue; only one bird was used on a given day. Each organ was homogenized for one minute (two minutes for leg muscle, duode1 Scientific Article No. A1686 Contribution No. 4437 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. This study was conducted as part of a Northeastern Regional project (NE-S1), a cooperative study involving agricultural experiment stations in the Northeast Region and supported in part by regional funds of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 2 Present address: Life Sciences Dept., Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana 47809.
num, and proventriculus), sonicated in an ice bath at half power with a Biosonik II Ultrasonic Probe (Bronwill Scientific) for one minute, centrifuged for 30 minutes at 20,000 X G at 0°C, and the supernatant used. Feather pulp was squeezed from several wing feathers and combined. Acid phosphatase assays were at 41 °C. but otherwise as described by Wilcox (1963). Cathepsin was assayed as per Anson (1938) except for the substitution of an incubation time and temperature of 30 min. and 41 ° C , and reading the optical density of filtrates at 280 mu. instead of using Folin-Ciocalteau reagent; half the volumes called for were used. RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
Cathepsin levels of different organs are listed in Table 1. Greatest activity was observed in the proventriculus. Some of this may represent action of pepsin, since the
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of New Orleans on June 13, 2015
SUMMARY
NOTES
RESEARCH TABLE 1.—Level of caihepsin of various organs of fourr •week old White Plymouth Rock males Organ
Cathepsin level* Units per g. 76,630 + 4,326 1,186+186 1,125 + 57 927 + 278 879 + 210 702 + 105 664 + 219 646+114 600 + 61 572 + 84 413 + 42 99 + 12 Units per ml.
Blood serum
15.6+1.7**
* Mean + standard error. Four birds per figure... One unit equals absorbancy of 0.001 per min. ** Mean of 1.99 when expressed as meq. X10 - 4 tyrosine.
phatase in feather pulp, since this enzyme is also found in lysosomes. Feather pulp from primaries of nine newly hatched chicks of a different stock (Athens Control Hess, 1962) had an acid phosphatase level of 127 ± 3 mmoles nitrophenol/kg./hr., a hundredfold increase over the level normally observed in blood serum. Cathepsin level in comparable chicks of the Athens Control was 516 ± 29, somewhat higher than the value reported in Table 1. SUMMARY Cathepsin level was particularly high in the proventriculus and low in leg muscle and blood serum. All other organs studied had a relatively high level, including the bursa of Fabricius and feather pulp. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
same conditions but a lower pH are used* for assaying this enzyme. The relatively7 high activity in spleen, liver, lung, and kidney, and relatively low activity of skeletal1 muscle is in agreement with the mammalian1 literature (Fruton, 1960). However, activity in brain was unusually high. Two organs or parts of organs not found in mammals, the bursa of Fabricius and featherr pulp, exhibited substantial catheptic activity. The high activity in feather pulp mayj represent the presence of lysosomes in that organ. This is supported by the existenceof a relatively high level of acid phos-
The able technical assistance of Mr. W. S. Cloud is hereby acknowledged. REFERENCES Anson, M. L., 1938. The estimation of pepsin, trypsin, papain, and cathepsin with hemoglobin. J. Gen. Physiol. 22 : 79-89. Fruton, J. S., 1960. Cathepsins. In The Enzymes, 2nd ed., Vol. 4, Boyer, P. D., H. Lardy & K. Myrback, (eds.) Academic Press, New York, pp. 233-241. Hess, C. W., 1962. Random-bred populations of the Southern Regional Breeding Project. World's Poultry Sci. J. 18: 147-152. Wilcox, F. H., 1963. Genetic control of serum alkaline phosphatase in the chicken. J. Exp. Zool. 152: 195-204.
EFFECT OF AGE OF HEN ON ALBUMEN HEIGHT AND pH S. S.
Basic Research Section, Hy-Line
MUNRO*
Poultry Farms, Johnston,
Iowa 50131
(Received for publication May 3, 1971)
As the egg ages, albumen height (A.H.) decreases and the pH increases. The pH in* Deceased.
crease is due to loss of C0 2 (acidity) which increases the pH readings. It is also known that, as the laying year progresses, A.H. in fresh laid eggs become progressively lower.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of New Orleans on June 13, 2015
Proventriculus Spleen Liver Lung Bursa of Fabricius Kidney Brain (cerebellum) Heart Thymus Duodenum Feather pulp Leg muscle
-
1515
NOTES
RESEARCH
that, like some mammals (Olney, 1969; Olney and Sharpe, 1969), the Gallus domesticus' central nervous system is also susceptible to damage following treatment with MSG. It should be emphasized, in contrast with the above mentioned studies, that in this one, not all MSG affected neurons were phagocytized and evacuated following treatment. Further studies with birds of varying ages and various MSG dosages are in progress.
Monosodium glutamate was subcutaneously injected to 5 days old male chicks. The birds were killed at 45 days of age and their brains were histologically observed.
The compound induced brain damage in the hypothalamus region surrounding the ventromedial area leaving the latter unaffected. Neither hyperphagia nor increased body-weight over the controls were noted. REFERENCES Adamo, N. J., and A. Ratner, 1970. Monosodium glutamate: Lack of effects on brain and reproductive function in rats. Science, 169: 673-674. Olney, J. W., 1969. Brain lesions, obesity and other disturbances in mice treated with MSG. Science, 164: 719-721. Olney, J. W., and L. G. Sharpe, 1969. Brain lesions in infant Rhesus monkey treated with MSG. Science, 166: 386-388. Van Tienhoven, A., and L. P. Juhasz, 1962. The chicken telencephalon, diencephalon and mesencephalon in stereotaxic coordinates. J. Comp. Neurol. 118: 185-198.
CATHEPSIN LEVEL IN VARIOUS ORGANS OF THE CHICKEN 1 F. H.
Department
of Poultry Science, University
WILCOX2
of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
20740
(Received for publication May 3, 1971)
The purpose of this experiment was to obtain basic data on the relative levels of cathepsin in several of the major organs of an avian species. MATERIALS AND
METHODS
Organs and blood sera were obtained from four week old White Plymouth Rock males, by procedures previously used (Wilcox, 1963). All assays were on fresh tissue; only one bird was used on a given day. Each organ was homogenized for one minute (two minutes for leg muscle, duode1 Scientific Article No. A1686 Contribution No. 4437 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. This study was conducted as part of a Northeastern Regional project (NE-S1), a cooperative study involving agricultural experiment stations in the Northeast Region and supported in part by regional funds of the U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 2 Present address: Life Sciences Dept., Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana 47809.
num, and proventriculus), sonicated in an ice bath at half power with a Biosonik II Ultrasonic Probe (Bronwill Scientific) for one minute, centrifuged for 30 minutes at 20,000 X G at 0°C, and the supernatant used. Feather pulp was squeezed from several wing feathers and combined. Acid phosphatase assays were at 41 °C. but otherwise as described by Wilcox (1963). Cathepsin was assayed as per Anson (1938) except for the substitution of an incubation time and temperature of 30 min. and 41 ° C , and reading the optical density of filtrates at 280 mu. instead of using Folin-Ciocalteau reagent; half the volumes called for were used. RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
Cathepsin levels of different organs are listed in Table 1. Greatest activity was observed in the proventriculus. Some of this may represent action of pepsin, since the
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of New Orleans on June 13, 2015
SUMMARY
NOTES
RESEARCH TABLE 1.—Level of caihepsin of various organs of fourr •week old White Plymouth Rock males Organ
Cathepsin level* Units per g. 76,630 + 4,326 1,186+186 1,125 + 57 927 + 278 879 + 210 702 + 105 664 + 219 646+114 600 + 61 572 + 84 413 + 42 99 + 12 Units per ml.
Blood serum
15.6+1.7**
* Mean + standard error. Four birds per figure... One unit equals absorbancy of 0.001 per min. ** Mean of 1.99 when expressed as meq. X10 - 4 tyrosine.
phatase in feather pulp, since this enzyme is also found in lysosomes. Feather pulp from primaries of nine newly hatched chicks of a different stock (Athens Control Hess, 1962) had an acid phosphatase level of 127 ± 3 mmoles nitrophenol/kg./hr., a hundredfold increase over the level normally observed in blood serum. Cathepsin level in comparable chicks of the Athens Control was 516 ± 29, somewhat higher than the value reported in Table 1. SUMMARY Cathepsin level was particularly high in the proventriculus and low in leg muscle and blood serum. All other organs studied had a relatively high level, including the bursa of Fabricius and feather pulp. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
same conditions but a lower pH are used* for assaying this enzyme. The relatively7 high activity in spleen, liver, lung, and kidney, and relatively low activity of skeletal1 muscle is in agreement with the mammalian1 literature (Fruton, 1960). However, activity in brain was unusually high. Two organs or parts of organs not found in mammals, the bursa of Fabricius and featherr pulp, exhibited substantial catheptic activity. The high activity in feather pulp mayj represent the presence of lysosomes in that organ. This is supported by the existenceof a relatively high level of acid phos-
The able technical assistance of Mr. W. S. Cloud is hereby acknowledged. REFERENCES Anson, M. L., 1938. The estimation of pepsin, trypsin, papain, and cathepsin with hemoglobin. J. Gen. Physiol. 22 : 79-89. Fruton, J. S., 1960. Cathepsins. In The Enzymes, 2nd ed., Vol. 4, Boyer, P. D., H. Lardy & K. Myrback, (eds.) Academic Press, New York, pp. 233-241. Hess, C. W., 1962. Random-bred populations of the Southern Regional Breeding Project. World's Poultry Sci. J. 18: 147-152. Wilcox, F. H., 1963. Genetic control of serum alkaline phosphatase in the chicken. J. Exp. Zool. 152: 195-204.
EFFECT OF AGE OF HEN ON ALBUMEN HEIGHT AND pH S. S.
Basic Research Section, Hy-Line
MUNRO*
Poultry Farms, Johnston,
Iowa 50131
(Received for publication May 3, 1971)
As the egg ages, albumen height (A.H.) decreases and the pH increases. The pH in* Deceased.
crease is due to loss of C0 2 (acidity) which increases the pH readings. It is also known that, as the laying year progresses, A.H. in fresh laid eggs become progressively lower.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of New Orleans on June 13, 2015
Proventriculus Spleen Liver Lung Bursa of Fabricius Kidney Brain (cerebellum) Heart Thymus Duodenum Feather pulp Leg muscle
-
1515
NOTES