BUTANOL EXTRACTS FROM MYELIN FRAGMENTS: TRYPTAMINE BINDING TO “QUAKING” MICE-MYELIN BUTANOL EXTRACTS

In previous studies the authors demonstrated that the myelin butanol extracts from rat brain stems (i.e., myelin proteolipids) had a specific binding capacity for tryptamine. The apparent K sub(d) for super(14)C-tryptamine binding to these extracts was found to be 1.14 x 10 super(-7) M, and only tryptamine and 5-methoxytryptamine inhibited the tryptamine binding, but indole analogues and other neurotransmitters had no effect. However, the physiological relevancy of these binding components was obscure. The quaking mouse is an autosomal recessive neurological mutant with a characteristic body tremor and a deficit in the formation of central nervous system myelin. As a first step in the investigation of the physiological importance of myelin proteolipids, several kinds of myelin butanol extracts were prepared from quaking mice, and super(14)C-tryptamine binding properties of these extracts were examined.