• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.121-123
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• 2016

A 7-year-old castrated male domestic short-hair cat presented with anorexia, constipation, depression, and voice alteration. Physical and neurological examinations revealed hyperthermia ($40.5^{\circ}C$), ventroflexion of the neck, reduced responses to external stimuli, generalized muscle weakness, and exercise intolerance. Thoracic radiographs revealed the presence of a cranial mediastinal mass. The history, clinical signs, and other examination results were compatible with acquired myasthenia gravis (MG). Acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody titers were determined to confirm MG and the serum AChR antibody concentration was 1.24 nmol/L (reference interval, < 0.3 nmol/L). This is the first diagnosis of acquired MG in a cat in Korea.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.202-205
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• 2000

A convenient pathway for synthesis of trans-metanicotine analogues was developed. trans-Metanicotine, a subtype(${\alpha}4{\beta}2$)-selective ligand for neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, is under clinical phase for Alzheimer's disease. Zn-mediated allylation of allyl bromide and acetaldehyde followed by Heck reaction with 3-bromopyridine gave 5-pyridin-3-yl-pent-4-en-3-ol (2). Tosylation of 5-pyridin-3-yl-pent-4-en-3-ol followed by substitution reaction with methylamine in sealed tube gave methyl-(1-methyl-4-pyridin-3-yl-but-3-enyl)-amine (4) in good yields. Thus, trans-metanicotine analogues modified at the $\alpha$-position of the methylamino group with various functional groups can be obtained in 4 steps.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1274-1276
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• 1998

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2010

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) play important roles in a variety of biological processes including cell growth and differentiation. We have previously reported that GAR-3 activates ERK1/2 via phospholipase C and protein kinase C, presumably through pertussis toxin (PTX)-insensitive Gq proteins, in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Here we provide evidence that GAR-3 also activates ERK1/2 through PTX-sensitive G proteins, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), and Src family kinases in CHO cells. We further show that in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells, epidermal growth factor receptor and Ras are required for efficient ERK1/2 activation by GAR-3. Taken together, our data indicate that GAR-3 evokes ERK1/2 activation through multiple signaling pathways in cultured mammalian cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.407-414
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• 2016

This study was performed to investigate whether the spinal cholinergic and serotonergic analgesic systems mediate the relieving effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on oxaliplatin-induced neuropathic cold allodynia in rats. The cold allodynia induced by an oxaliplatin injection (6 mg/kg, i.p.) was evaluated by immersing the rat's tail into cold water ($4^{\circ}C$) and measuring the withdrawal latency. EA stimulation (2 Hz, 0.3-ms pulse duration, 0.2~0.3 mA) at the acupoint ST36, GV3, or LI11 all showed a significant anti-allodynic effect, which was stronger at ST36. The analgesic effect of EA at ST36 was blocked by intraperitoneal injection of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist (atropine, 1 mg/kg), but not by nicotinic (mecamylamine, 2 mg/kg) receptor antagonist. Furthermore, intrathecal administration of $M_2$ (methoctramine, $10{\mu}g$) and $M_3$ (4-DAMP, $10{\mu}g$) receptor antagonist, but not $M_1$ (pirenzepine, $10{\mu}g$) receptor antagonist, blocked the effect. Also, spinal administration of $5-HT_3$ (MDL-72222, $12{\mu}g$) receptor antagonist, but not $5-HT_{1A}$ (NAN-190, $15{\mu}g$) or $5-HT_{2A}$ (ketanserin, $30{\mu}g$) receptor antagonist, prevented the anti-allodynic effect of EA. These results suggest that EA may have a significant analgesic action against oxaliplatin-induced neuropathic pain, which is mediated by spinal cholinergic ($M_2$, $M_3$) and serotonergic ($5-HT_3$) receptors.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.930-935
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• 2005

We have investigated the effects of relatively high concentration of carbachol (CCh), an agonist of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR), on cardiac automaticity in mouse heart. Action potentials from automatically beating right atria of mice were measured with conventional microelectrodes. When atria were treated with $100{\mu}M$ CCh, atrial beating was immediately arrested and diastolic membrane potential (DMP) was depolarized. After exposure of the atria to CCh for $\~4 min$, action potentials were regenerated. The regenerated action potentials had lower frequency and shorter duration when compared with the control. When atria were pre-exposed to pirenzepine $(1{\mu}M)$, an $M_1$ mAChR antagonist, there was complete inhibition of CCh-induced depolarization of DMP and regeneration of action potentials. Pre-exposure to AFDX-116 (11 ({2-[(diethylamino)-methyl]-1-piperidyl}acetyl)-5, 11-dihydro-6H-pyridol[2,3-b][1,4] benzodiazepine-6-one base, $1{\mu}M$), an $M_2$ mAChR antagonist, failed to block CCh-induced arrest of the beating. However, prolonged exposure to CCh elicited gradual depolarization of DMP and slight acceleration in beating rate. Our data indicate that high concentration of CCh depolarizes membrane potential and recovers right atrial automaticity via $M_1$ mAChR, providing functional evidence for the role of $M_1$ mAChR in the atrial myocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.33-39
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• 1977

It has been reported that administration of Ginseng powder to the Guinea pig reduces anaphylactic shook induced by horse serum (Lee, 1939). However, Lee et al. (1960) and Paik et al. (1976) have demonstrated that Ginseng increases capillary permeabilites and histamine release from the mast cell. These facts suggest that Ginseng acts directly on the bronchial muscle causing it to dilate. Recently, a number of investigators(Kidakawa & Iwasiro 1963; Takagi et al. 1973) have reported that Ginseng reverses acetylcholine- or histamine- induced contraction in the isolated Guinea pig ileum. We, therefore, undertook the present study to examine if Ginseng relaxes the spasm of bronchial muscle induced by acetylcholine or histamine. We have also attempted to identify the mechanism of the Ginseng effect. Male Guinea Pig was sacrificed by a blow on the head, The trachea was removed and sectioned with scissors into about 12 rings. After the 'C' shaped ring of cartilage was sectioned the one end of ring was tied to the bottom of the incubation bath and the other end was connected to a force transducer (FTO 3C) to record tension on a Polygraph. When the antispasmodic action of Ginseng effect was first examined in the normal trachea which was not treated by the drug. And then the Ginseng effect was tested in the muscle treated by histamine hydrochloride, acetylcholine hydrochloride or barium chloride. The results indicate that Ginseng alcohol extract relaxes the contraction of isolated tracheal muscle induced by histamine $(1{\mu}g/ml{\sim}10{\mu}g/ml)$, acetylcholine $(1{\mu}g/ml{\sim}5{\mu}g/ml)$ and barium chloride (1.5 mg/ml). The mechanism of this action is in Pa.1 due to nonspecific antimuscarinic and antihistaminic effect and in part by predominant action in the adrenergic ${\beta}-receptor$ although the ${\alpha}-receptor$ is also involved. We, therefore, conclude that Ginseng can be act as a bronchodilator.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.796-805
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• 2015

Gintonin is a novel ginseng-derived lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor ligand. Oral administration of gintonin ameliorates learning and memory dysfunctions in Alzheimer's disease (AD) animal models. The brain cholinergic system plays a key role in cognitive functions. The brains of AD patients show a reduction in acetylcholine concentration caused by cholinergic system impairments. However, little is known about the role of LPA in the cholinergic system. In this study, we used gintonin to investigate the effect of LPA receptor activation on the cholinergic system in vitro and in vivo using wild-type and AD animal models. Gintonin induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i $ transient in cultured mouse hippocampal neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Gintonin-mediated $[Ca^{2+}]_i $ transients were linked to stimulation of acetylcholine release through LPA receptor activation. Oral administration of gintonin-enriched fraction (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg, 3 weeks) significantly attenuated scopolamine-induced memory impairment. Oral administration of gintonin (25 or 50 mg/kg, 1 2 weeks) also significantly attenuated amyloid-${\beta}$ protein ($A{\beta}$)-induced cholinergic dysfunctions, such as decreased acetylcholine concentration, decreased choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and immunoreactivity, and increased acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity. In a transgenic AD mouse model, long-term oral administration of gintonin (25 or 50 mg/kg, 3 months) also attenuated AD-related cholinergic impairments. In this study, we showed that activation of G protein-coupled LPA receptors by gintonin is coupled to the regulation of cholinergic functions. Furthermore, this study showed that gintonin could be a novel agent for the restoration of cholinergic system damages due to $A{\beta}$ and could be utilized for AD prevention or therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.127-138
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• 1996

The effects of adenosine analogues on the electrically-evoked acetylcholine(ACh) release and the influence of ischemia on the effects were studied in the rat hippocampus. Slices from the rat hippocampus were equilibrated with $0.1{\mu}M$ $[^3H]-choline$ and the release of the labelled product, $[^3H]-ACh$, was evoked by electrical stimulation(3 Hz, 2 ms, 5 $VCm^{-1}$ and rectangular pulses for 2 min), and the influence of various agents on the evoked tritiumoutflow was investigated. Ischemia(10 min with 95% $N_2$ + 5% $CO_2$) increased both the basal and evoked ACh release. These increases were abolished by glucose addition into the superfused medium, and they significantly inhibited either by 0.1 & $0.3{\mu}M$ TTX pretreatment or by removing $Ca^{++}$ in the medium. MK-801($1{\sim}10{\mu}M$), a specific NMDA receptor antagonist, and glibenclamide $(1{\mu}M)$, a $K^+-channel$ inhibitor, did not alter the evoked ACh release and nor did they affect the ischemia-induced increases In ACh release. However, polymyxin B(0.03 mg), a specific protein kinase C inhibitor, significantly inhibited the effects of ischemia on the evoked ACh release. Adenosine and $N^6-cyclopentyladenosine$ decreased the ACh release in a dose dependent manner in ischemic condition, though the magnitude of inhibition was far less than those in normal(normoxic) condition. However, the treatment with $5{\mu}M$ DPCPX, a potent $A_1-adenosine$ receptor antagonist, potentiated the ischemia-effect. These results indicate that the evoked-ACh release is potentiated by ischemia, and this process being most probably mediated by protein kinase C, and that the decreased effect of ACh release mediated by $A_1-adenosine$ receptor is significantly inhibited in ischemic state.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.246-259
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• 1995

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of baclofen on the detrusor muscle isolated from rat. Rats (Sprague-Dawley) were sacrificed by decapitation and exsanguination. Horizontal muscle strips of $2mm{\times}15mm$ were prepared for isometric myography in isolated muscle chamber bubbled with 95% / 5%-$O_2$ / $CO_2$ at $37^{\circ}C$, and the pH was maintained at 7.4. Detrusor strips contracted responding to the electrical field stimulation (EFS) by 2 Hz, 20 msec, monophasic square wave of 60 VDC. The initial peak of EFS-Induced contraction was tended to be suppresed by ${\alpha},{\beta}$-methylene-adenosine 5'-triphosphate (mATP), a partial agonist of purinergic receptor, and baclofen, a $GABA_B$ receptor agonist (statistically nonsignificant). The late sustained contraction by EFS was suppressed significantly (p < 0.05) by additions of atropione, a cholinergic muscarinic receptor antagonist and baclofen. The adenosine 5'-triphosphate-induced contraction was completely abolished by mA TP but not by baclofen. In the presence of atropine, the subsequent addition of acetylcholine could not contract the muscle strips: but the addition of acetylcholine in the presence of baclofen evoked a contraction to a remarkable extent. These results suggest that in the condition of present study, the cholinergic innervation may play a more important role than the purinergic one, and baclofen suppresses the contractility of rat detrusor by the stimulation of the $GABA_B$ receptors to inhibit the release of neurotransmitter from the cholinergic nerve ending.