Effect Of MMS Research Articles

Methanolic extract of Mitragyna speciosa Korth leaf inhibits ethanol seeking behaviour in mice: involvement of antidopaminergic mechanism.

In the current study, the effect of methanolic extract of Mitragyna speciosa leaf (MMS) against the rewarding and reinforcing properties of ethanol using a mouse model of conditioned place preference (CPP) and runway model of drug self-administration was studied. Subsequently, the effect of MMS on dopamine level in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the mouse brain was further investigated. From the data obtained, MMS (50 and 75mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reversed the ethanol-place preference in mice, which is similar to the effect observed in the reference drugs acamprosate (300mg/kg, p.o.) and clozapine (1mg/kg, p.o.) treatment groups in CPP test. Likewise, the escalating doses of ethanol-conditioned mice reduced the runtime to reach goal box, infers the positive reinforcing effects of alcohol. Interestingly, MMS (50, 75 and 100mg/kg, p.o.) significantly prolonged the runtime in ethanol-conditioned mice. Besides, MMS (50 and 75mg/kg, p.o.) and reference drugs; acamprosate (300mg/kg, p.o.) and clozapine (1mg/kg, p.o.) treated mice significantly decreased the alcohol-induced elevated dopamine level in the NAc region of the brain. Overall, this study provides first evidence that MMS inhibits ethanol seeking behaviour in mice. Based on these findings, we suggest that Mitragyna speciosa may well be utilized for novel drug development to combat alcohol dependence.

S-Methylmethionine-Salicylate Pretreatment Reduces Low Temperature Stress in Maize

Low temperature is one of the major environmental stressors affecting cultivated plants, damaging metabolic processes and cell structures. Due to its tropical origin maize (Zea mays L.) is particularly sensitive to chilling stress. The present study aimed to ascertain whether the amino acid derivative S-methylmethionine-salicylate (MMS) is effective in reducing cold stress injury in maize. In order to obtain more detailed information on the effect of MMS, changes were examined at the physiological, gene expression and metabolic levels. MMS pretreatment helped to preserve the photosynthetic activity, enhanced the expression of certain genes in the phenylpropanoid pathway and was measured higher anthocyanin content in the stalk. The results show that MMS pretreatment could reduce the damage caused by low temperature in maize.

The influence of walking speed on the Gait Deviation Index in individuals with Rheumatoid Arthritis

groups: Orthopaedic uni-/bilateral (OUni/OBi); neurological flaccid uni-bilateral (NflaUni/NflaBi); neurological spastic uni-/bilateral with/without adequate trunk control (NspUni/NspBi/NspBiNTC). The gait profile score (GPS) [1] was calculated. The mean MMS, derived by clinical testing [2], was the mean over all leg muscle groups. General least square models (software R 2.12.0) were used to assess whether the effects of MMS on GPS differ among patient groups. The GPS offsets at a MMS of 5 were compared between OUni and the other patient groups (Fig. 1). Results:MMS had a strong, negative effect on GPS score (MMS: −3.0±0.2, p< .001). There were no significant differences in this effect among patient groups (p= .848). However, they strongly differed in GPS offset at a MMS of 5 (p< .001) (Table 1). Discussion and conclusions: The amount of gait deviation increased with the loss of muscle strength, and this behaviour seemed to be independent of the pathology. The severity of the pathologywas reflected in the higher GPS (i.e. kinematic deviation) at normal MMS. Note that NflaUni is an exception, possibly biased by the small patient number (n=12). We conclude that gait deviationsmainly result frommuscleweakness. This knowledge canfind clinical implication in treatment planning and in the interpretation of gait compensations in patientswith various constraints. The role of the basic disease should not be overemphasised.

Genotoxic Agents Increase Expression of Growth Arrest and DNA Damage–Inducible Genes gadd 153 and gadd 45 in Rat Pancreatic Islets

Pancreatic beta-cells are able to repair themselves after some sublethal injuries in vitro. However, little is known of the nature of the repair mechanisms active in these cells. This study examined the expression of growth arrest and DNA damage--inducible genes gadd 153 and gadd 45 in pancreatic rat islets and in the clonal insulin secretory HIT-T15 cells. Rat pancreatic islets were exposed in vitro to the alkylating agents streptozocin or methyl methanesulfonate, or to the cytokine recombinant interleukin-1 beta. Islet exposure to STZ or MMS reduced insulin release by 40-50% over the next 4 h, whereas exposure to rIL-1 beta induced a 60% increase in insulin release over the same period. Both gadd 153 and gadd 45 mRNA were detectable in rat islets, and their levels were increased twofold after STZ exposure, whereas MMS induced a fivefold increase in gadd 153 and a twofold increase in gadd 45 mRNA. Islet exposure to rIL-1 beta did not affect the expression of gadd 153 or gadd 45. HIT cells exposed to STZ or MMS also exhibited an increased expression of both gadd 153 and gadd 45. Again, this increase in gadd mRNA was more marked after MMS exposure. Moreover, expression of both gadd 153 and gadd 45 after MMS exposure lasted for a longer period of time than after STZ treatment. The effects of MMS on the expression of both gadd genes were inhibited by actinomycin D, suggesting that transcription is necessary for acute gadd induction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chromosomal analysis in mouse eggs fertilized in vitro with sperma exposed to ultraviolet light (UV) and methyl and ethyl methanesulfonate (MMS and EMS)

Chromosome aberrations were analyzed at the first-cleavage metaphase of mouse eggs fertilized in vitro with sperm exposed to ultraviolet light (UV) as well as to methyl and ethyl methanesulfonate (MMS and EMS). The frequencies of chromosome aberrations markedly increased with dose of UV as well as with concentration of MMS and EMS. In the UV-irradiation group, the frequency of chromosome-type aberrations was much higher than that of chromatid-tupe aberrations. About 90% of chromosome aberrations observed in the eggs following MMS and EMS treatment to sperm were chromosome type in which the frequency of chromosome fragments was the highest. The effects of UV on the induction of chromosome aberrations were clearly potentiated by post-treatment incubation of fertilized eggs in the presence of Ara-C or caffeine, but the effects of MMS and EMS were not pronounced by post-treatment of Ara-C or caffeine. The results indicate a possibility that UV damage induced in mouse sperm DNA is reparable in the eggs during the period between the entry of sperm into the egg cytoplasm and the first-cleavage metaphase.

Efficiency of the synergistic infection of L cells by groups of damaged vaccinia virus particles, MR.

Abstract Suspensions of high passage vaccinia virus have been partially inactivated by methyl methanesulfonate, ultraviolet rays, and heat at 56°. Groups of virus particles, whether present before treatment or formed subsequently, are shown to be 10 to several thousand times more likely to make plaques than single particles. This synergistic effect of MMS and UV is stronger than after heating. It closely resembles the multiplicity reactivation previously shown with X-rays, 137 Cs γ-rays, nitrogen mustard, and formaldehyde. It is demonstrated also in terms of more rapid growth of virus in cultures inoculated with aggregated preparations of virus treated with several of these agents. The probability of plaque formation has been computed for single particles and groups of 2, 3, 4 … from aggregation analyses by electron microscopy. The values, at equivalent dosages, are remarkably similar for all agents except heat.