• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제13권6호
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• pp.469-473
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• 2009

Induced activation of the gamma-aminobutyric $acid_A$ ($GABA_A$) receptor in the retina of goldfish caused the fish to rotate in the opposite direction to that of the spinning pattern during an optomotor response (OMR) measurement. Muscimol, a $GABA_A$ receptor agonist, modified OMR in a concentration-dependent manner. The $GABA_B$ receptor agonist baclofen and $GABA_C$ receptor agonist CACA did not affect OMR. The observed modifications in OMR included decreased anterograde rotation $(0.01\sim0.03\;{\mu}M)$, coexistence of retrograde rotation and decreased anterograde rotation $(0.1\sim30\;{\mu}M)$ and only retrograde rotation $(100\;{\mu}M\sim1\;mM)$. In contrast, the $GABA_A$ receptor antagonist bicuculline blocked muscimol-induced retrograde rotation. Based on these results, we inferred that the coding inducing retrograde movement of the goldfish retina is essentially associated with the GABAA receptor-related visual pathway. Furthermore, from our novel approach using observations of goldfish behavior the induced discrete snapshot duration was approximately 573 ms when the fish were under the influence of muscimol.

• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.79-85
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• 2006

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are related to many neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine, serotonine, dopamine, glutamate, and Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the CNS, is known to counterbalance the action of the excitatory neurotransmitters and control anxiety. GABA acts on 3 GABA receptor subtypes, $GABA_A$, $GABA_B$, and $GABA_C$. $GABA_A$ and $GABA_c$ receptors are oligomeric transmembrane glycoproteins composed of 5 subunits that are arranged around a central chloride channel. $GABA_B$ receptor comprises two 7-transmembraneis-spanning proteins that are coupled to either calcium or potassium channel via G proteins. This article highlights neurobiological interactions between anxiety and GABA system.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제19권6호
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• pp.523-531
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• 2015

Serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] regulates synaptic plasticity in the visual cortex. Although the effects of 5-HT on plasticity showed huge diversity depending on the ages of animals and species, it has been unclear how 5-HT can show such diverse effects. In the rat visual cortex, 5-HT suppressed long-term potentiation (LTP) at 5 weeks but enhanced LTP at 8 weeks. We speculated that this difference may originate from differential regulation of neurotransmission by 5-HT between the age groups. Thus, we investigated the effects of 5-HT on apha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR)-, ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid receptor type A (GABAAR)-, and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR)-mediated neurotransmissions and their involvement in the differential regulation of plasticity between 5 and 8 weeks. AMPAR-mediated currents were not affected by 5-HT at both 5 and 8 weeks. GABAAR-mediated currents were enhanced by 5-HT at both age groups. However, 5-HT enhanced NMDAR-mediated currents only at 8 weeks. The enhancement of NMDAR-mediated currents appeared to be mediated by the enhanced function of GluN2B subunit-containing NMDAR. The enhanced GABAAR- and NMDAR-mediated neurotransmissions were responsible for the suppression of LTP at 5 weeks and the facilitation of LTP at 8 weeks, respectively. These results indicate that the effects of 5-HT on neurotransmission change with development, and the changes may underlie the differential regulation of synaptic plasticity between different age groups. Thus, the developmental changes in 5-HT function should be carefully considered while investigating the 5-HT-mediated metaplastic control of the cortical network.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.325-331
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• 2000

The present study was designed to assess the role of spinal adenosine $A_2$ receptor in the regulation of cardiovascular functions such as mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats (250~300 g) were anesthetized with urethane and paralyzed with d-tubocurarine and artificially ventilated. blood pressure and HR were continuously monitored via a femoral catheter connected to a pressure transducer and a polygraph. Drugs were administered intrathecally using injection cannula through guide cannula which was inserted inthrathecally at lower thoracic level through a puncture of an atlantooccipital mombrane. Intrathecal injection of an adenosine $A_2$ receptor agonist, 5'-(N-cyclopropyl)-carboxamaidoadenosine (CPCA; 1, 2 and 3 nmol, respectively), produced a dose-dependent decrease in MAP and HR. Pretreatment with $N^{G}$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor or 10 nmol of MDL-12,330, an adenylate cyclase inhibitor blocked significantly the depressor and bradycardic effect of 2 nmol of CPCA. But, Pretreatment with 3 nmol of bicuculline, gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GAB $A_{A}$) receptor antagonist, or 50 nmol of 5-aminovaleric acid, GAB $A_{B}$ receptor antagonist did not inhibit the depressor and bradycardic effect of 2 nmol of CPCA. These results indicate that adenosine $A_2$ receptor in the spinal cord plays an inhibitory role in the regulation of cardiovascular function and that the depressor and bradycardic action of adonosine $A_2$ receptor are mediated via the synthesis of nitric oxide and the activation of adenylate cyclase in the spinal cord of rats.s.s.s.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.69-76
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• 2008

${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, and its actions are mediated by subtypes of GABA receptors named as $GABA_A$, $GABA_B,\;and\;GABA_C,\;GABA_A$, receptor consisting of ${\alpha},\;{\beta},\;{\gamma}\;and\;{\delta}$ subunits is a heterooligomeric ligand-gated chloride channel. This study was performed to investigate regulation of $GABA_A$ receptor by protein kinase C(PKC). Ion currents were recorded using gramicidine-perforated patch and whole cell patch clamp. mRNA encoding the subunits of PKC expressed in major pelvic ganglion (MPG) neurons was detected by using RT-PCR. The GABA-induced inward current was increased by PKC activators and decreased by PKC inhibitors, respectively. These effects were not associated with intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and GAG (1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol), a membrane permeable diacylglycerol (DAG) analogue. These results mean that the subfamily of PKC participating in activation of $GABA_A$ receptor would be an atypical PKC (aPKC). Among theses, ${\xi}$ isoform of aPKC was detected by RT-PCR. Taking together, we suggest that excitable $GABA_A$ receptor in sympathetic MPG neuron seemed to be regulated by aPKC, particular in ${\xi}$ isoform. The regulatory roles of PKC on excitatory $GABA_A$ receptors in sympathetic neurons of MPG may be an important factor to control the functional activity of various pelvic organs such as bowel movement, micturition and erection.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.328-335
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• 2008

This study was undertaken to investigate whether honokiol could enhance the pentobarbitalinduced sleeping behaviors through $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor $Cl^-$ channel activation. Thirty minutes after the oral administration of honokiol, mice were received sodium pentobarbital (42 mg/kg, i.p.). The time elapsed from pentobarbital injection to the loss of the righting reflex was taken as sleeping latency. The time elapsed between the loss and voluntary recovery of the righting reflex was considered as the total sleeping time. Western blot technique and $Cl^-$ sensitive fluorescence probe were used to detect the expression of $GABA_A$ receptor subunits and $Cl^-$ influx in the primary cultured cerebellar granule cells. Honokiol (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg) prolonged the sleeping time induced by pentobarbital (42 mg/kg) in a dosage-dependent manner. Honokiol (20 and 50 ${\mu}M$) increased $Cl^-$ influx in primary cultured cerebellar granule cells, and selectively increased the $GABA_A$ receptor $\alpha$-subunit expression, but had no effect on the abundance of $\beta$ or $\gamma$-subunits. Chronic treatment with 20 ${\mu}M$ honokiol in primary cultured cerebellar neurons did not affect the abundance of GAD65/67. The results suggested that honokiol could potentiate pentobarbital-induced sleeping through $GABA_A$ receptor $Cl^-$ channel activation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.137-144
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• 2020

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that affects millions of people worldwide and is usually managed using currently available antiepileptic drugs, which result in adverse effects and are ineffective in approximately 20-25% of patients. Thus, there is growing interest in the development of new antiepileptic drugs with fewer side effects. In a previous study, we showed that a Rehmannia glutinosa (RG) water extract has protective effects against electroshock- and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures, with fewer side effects. In this study, the objective was to identify the RG components that are responsible for its anticonvulsant effects. Initially, a number of RG components (aucubin, acteoside, catalpol, and mannitol) were screened, and the anticonvulsant effects of different doses of catalpol, mannitol, and their combination on electroshock- and chemically (PTZ or strychnine)-induced seizures in mice, were further assessed. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor binding assay and electroencephalography (EEG) analysis were conducted to identify the potential underlying drug mechanism. Additionally, treated mice were tested using open-field and rotarod tests. Catalpol, mannitol, and their combination increased threshold against electroshock-induced seizures, and decreased the percentage of seizure responses induced by PTZ, a GABA antagonist. GABA receptor binding assay results revealed that catalpol and mannitol are associated with GABA receptor activity, and EEG analysis provided evidence that catalpol and mannitol have anticonvulsant effects against PTZ-induced seizures. In summary, our results indicate that catalpol and mannitol have anticonvulsant properties, and may mediate the protective effects of RG against seizures.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.19-30
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• 2012

Objectives: Many efforts have shown multi-oncologic roles of galectin-3 for cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. However, the mechanisms by which galectin-3 is involved in cell proliferation are not yet fully understood, especially in human colon cancer cells. Methods: To cluster genes showing positively or negatively correlated expression with galectin-3, we employed human colon cancer cell lines, SNU-61, SNU-81, SNU-769B, SNU-C4 and SNU-C5 in high-throughput gene expression profiling. Gene and protein expression levels were determined by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot analysis, respectively. The proliferation rate of human colon cancer cells was measured by using a 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results: Expression of ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid B receptor 1 (GABABR1) showed a positive correlation with galectin-3 at both the transcriptional and the translational levels. Down-regulation of galectin-3 decreased not only GABABR1 expression but also the proliferation rate of human colon cancer cells. However, Korean herbal extract, HangAmDan-B (HAD-B), decreased expression of GABABR1 without any expressional change of galectin-3, and offset ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enhanced human colon cancer cell proliferation. Conclusions: Our present study confirmed that GABABR1 expression was regulated by galectin-3. HAD-B induced galectin-3-independent down-regulation of GABABR1, which resulted in a decreased proliferation of human colon cancer cells. The therapeutic effect of HAD-B for the treatment of human colon cancer needs to be further validated.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.169-174
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• 2003

${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been reported to enhance exocrine secretion evoked not only by secretagogues but also by intrinsic neuronal excitation in the pancreas. The pancreas contains cholinergic neurons abundantly that exert a stimulatory role in exocrine secretion. This study was undertaken to examine effects of GABA on an action of cholinergic neurons in exocrine secretion of the pancreas. Intrinsic neurons were excited by electrical field stimulation (EFS; 15 V, 2 msec, 8 Hz, 45 min) in the isolated, perfused rat pancreas. Tetrodotoxin or atropine was used to block neuronal or cholinergic action. Acetylcholine was infused to mimic cholinergic excitation. GABA $(30{\mu}M)$ and muscimol $(10{\mu}M)$, given intra-arterially, did not change spontaneous secretion but enhanced cholecystokinin (CCK; 10 pM)-induced secretions of fluid and amylase. GABA (3, 10, $30{\mu}M$) further elevated EFS-evoked secretions of fluid and amylase dose-dependently. GABA (10, 30, $100{\mu}M$) also further increased acetylcholine $(5{\mu}M)$-induced secretions of fluid and amylase in a dose-dependent manner. Bicuculline $(10{\mu}M)$ effectively blocked the enhancing effects of GABA $(30{\mu}M)$ on the pancreatic secretions evoked by either EFS or CCK. Both atropine $(2{\mu}M)$ and tetrodotoxin $(1{\mu}M)$ markedly reduced the GABA $(10{\mu}M)$-enhanced EFS- or CCK-induced pancreatic secretions. The results indicate that GABA enhances intrinsic cholinergic neuronal action on exocrine secretion via the $GABA_A$ receptors in the rat pancreas.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.91-98
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• 2005

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the neurons of the central nervous system. However, its detailed action mechanisms in the rostral gustatory zone of the nucleus tractus solitarius (rNTS) have not been established. The present study was aimed to investigate the distribution, role and action mechanisms of GABA in rNTS. Membrane potentials were recorded by whole cell recordings in isolated brain slices of the rat medulla. Superfusion of GABA resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction in input resistance in the neurons in rNTS. The change in input resistance ws accompanied by response to a depolarizing pulse were diminished by GABA. Superfusion of the slices with either $GABA_A$ agonist, muscimol, $GABA_B$ agonist, baclofen or $GABA_C$ agonist, TACA, decreased input resistance and reduced the nerve activity in association with membrane hyperpolarization. It is suggested that inhibitory signals playa role in sensory processing by the rNTS, in that GABA actions occur through activation of $GABA_A,\;GABA_B\;and\;GABA_C$ receptor. These results suggest that GABA has an inhibitory effect on the rNTS through an activation of $GABA_A,\;GABA_B\;and\;GABA_C$ receptors and that the GABAergic inhibition probably plays an important role in sensory processing by the rNTS.