• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.203-217
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Centella asiatica, also known as Gotu kola, is a tropical medicinal plant native to Madagascar, Southeast Asia, and South Africa. It is well known to have biological activities, including wound healing, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, cytotoxic, and antioxidant effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of extracts of C. asiatica against age-related eye degeneration and to examine their physiological activities. MATERIALS/METHODS: To determine the effects of CA-HE50 (C. asiatica 50% EtOH extract) on retinal pigment cells, we assessed the cytotoxicity of CoCl₂ and oxidized-A2E in ARPE-19 cells and observed the protective effects of CA-HE50 against N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced retinal damage in C57BL/6 mice. In particular, we measured factors related to apoptosis and anti-oxidation and the protein levels of rhodopsin/opsin. We also measured glucose uptake to characterize glucose metabolism, a major factor in cell protection. RESULTS: Induction of cytotoxicity with CoCl₂ and oxidized-A2E inhibited decreases in the viability of ARPE-19 cells when CA-HE50 was administered, and promoted glucose uptake under normal conditions (P < 0.05). In addition, CA-HE50 inhibited degeneration/apoptosis of the retina in the context of MNU-induced toxicity (P < 0.05). In particular, CA-HE50 at 200 mg/kg inhibited the cleavage of pro-caspase-3 and pro-poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase and maintained the expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 and heme oxygenase-1 similar to normal control levels. Rhodopsin/opsin expression was maintained at a higher level than in normal controls. CONCLUSION: A series of experiments confirmed that CA-HE50 was effective for inhibiting or preventing age-related eye damage/degeneration. Based on these results, we believe it is worthwhile to develop drugs or functional foods related to age-related eye degeneration using CA-HE50.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bio-Environment Control Conference
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• 1994.11a
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• pp.86-87
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• 1994

토마토과실은 ripening 도중에 연화가 되며 수확후 운반이나 저장중에 물리적인 상처, 부패때문에 연화가 심화되어 많은 손실을 가져온다. 연화란 세포벽의 구조적 붕괴에 기인하며 이중 pectin의 분해와 밀접한 관계가 있다고 한다. Pectin에는 세포내 Ca함량의 대부분이 존재하며 Ca은 세포벽의 구조를 지지하는데 중요한 역할을 한다고 알려져 있다. 따라서 작물재배시 Ca 이온을 효과적으로 사용, 과실내의 Ca함량이 증가된다면 조직의 경도가 향상되어 과실의 저장력 뿐만 아니라 모식물체에서 보다 더 숙성된 과실을 수확, 유통 할수 있다. (중략)

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.68-69
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• 2004

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 2005

Ion fluxes across the plasma membrane activated by 1 mM $Ce^{4+}$, cell apoptosis and taxol biosynthesis in suspension cultures of Taxus cusp/data were studied. The extracellular pH sharply decreased upon the addition of 1 mM $Ce^{4+}$, then increased gradually and exceeded the initial pH value over a time period of 12 h. The extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration decreased within the first 3 h after the addition of $Ce^{4+}$, then gradually decreased to one third of initial value in control at about 72 h and remained unchanged afterwards. Experiments with an ion channel blocker and a $Ca^{2+}$-channel blocker indicated that the dynamic changes in extracellular pH and the $Ca^{2+}$ concentration resulted from the $Ce^{4+}$-induced activation of W uptake and $Ca^{2+}$ influx across the plasma membrane via ion channels. A pretreatment of the ion channel blocker initiated $Ce^{4+}$-treated cells to undergo necrosis, and the prior addition of the $Ca^{2+}$-channel blocker inhibited $Ce^{4+}$-induced taxol biosynthesis and apoptosis. It is thus inferred that W uptake is necessary for cells to survive a $Ce^{4+}$-caused acidic environment and is one of the mechanisms of $Ce^{4+}$-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the $Ca^{2+}$ influx across the plasma membrane mediated both the $Ce^{4+}$-induced apoptosis and taxol biosynthesis.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 1967

토끼의 골격근 homogenate에서 23,000$\times$G, 60 분간의 원심분리와 얻은 근 microsome의 ATPase 활성, 근수축에 대한 이완작용, 및 Ca 의 흡수작용을 여러 가지 조건에서 측정하였다. ATPase 활성은 Ca++ Mg++ 양 이온의 존재에 의하여 활성화되며 , 5 mM Mg++ 의 존재하에서는 Ca++ 의 최적농도는 0.1mM이다. Oxalate의 존재하에서는 1 mM 의 Ca++ 이 최적농도이므로 oxalate의 작용은 불용성 Ca-oxalate의 작용은 불용성 Ca-oxalate를 microsome vesicle so 및 medium 내에 침전시켜 유리 Ca++ 농도를 저하시키는 것이라고 생각된다. Microsome의 이완작용은 조제후 120 시간까지 시간에 따라 감소되어 가나, 그이 ATPase 활성은 거의 변화가 없는 것으로 보아 Ca++ + Mg++ -의존성 ATPase 는 이완작용에는 직접 관련이 없는 것으로 해석된다. Oxalatedmlwhswo는 microsome의 Ca++ 흡수량을 현저히 증대시키며 동시에 흡수포화에 도달하는 시간을 지연시킨다. Oxalate의 이러한 효과도 Ca-oxalate의 형성에 기인하는 것으로 해석된다. Microsome 내에 축적되는 Ca 의 량은 ATP 농도가 커질수록 많아진다. 그러나 축적된 Ca 의 량과 ATP 농도사이에 화학정량론적 관계는 없는 것같다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2008

Taurine is the most abundant amino acid in many tissues and is found to be enhancing the bone tissue formation or inhibits the bone loss. Although it is reported that taurine reduces the alveolar bone loss through inhibiting the bone resorption, its functions of taurine and expression of taurine transporter (TauT) in bone have not been identified yet. The purpose of this study is to clarify the uptake mechanism of taurine in osteoblast using mouse osteoblast cell lines. In this study, mouse stromal ST2 cells and mouse osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells as osteoblast cell lines were used. The activity of taurine uptake was assessed by measuring the uptake of [$^3H$]taurine in the presence or absence of inhibitors. TauT mRNA was detected in ST2 and MC3T3-E1 cells. [$^3H$]Taurine uptake by these cells was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium ion. The [$^3H$]taurine uptake in ST2 cells treated with 4 mM calcium was increased by 1.7-fold of the control which was a significant change. In contrast, in $Ca^{++}$-free condition and L-type calcium channel blockers (CCBs), taurine transport to osteocyte was significantly inhibited. In oxidative stress conditions, [$^3H$]taurine uptake was decreased by TNF-$\alpha$ and $H_2O_2$. Under the hyperosmotic conditions, taurine uptake was increased, but inhibited by CCBs in hyperosmotic condition. These results suggest that, in mouse osteoblast cell lines, taurine uptake by TauT was increased by the presence of extracellular calcium, whereas decreased by CCBs and oxidative stresses, such as TNF-$\alpha$ and $H_2O_2$.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 1988

Glutamate and aspartate may evoke an increase in membrane permeability to monovalent cations and $Ca^{++}$. However, it is uncertain whether $Ca^{++}$ influx is mediated by voltage dependent $Ca^{++}$ channels or by excitatory amino acid activated channels. In addition, the influences of excitatory amino acids on $Ca^{++}$ uptake by neuronal tissues as well as the responses of their actions to extracellular $Mg^{++}$ concentration are different. $K^{+}$ induced $Ca^{++}$ uptake by synaptosomes was dependent on extracellular $Mg^{++}$ up to 5 mM and at concentration of 10 mM, $Ca^{++}$ influx was rather reduced. In $Na^{+}$ rich media, glutamate-and aspartate-induced $Ca^{++}$ uptake was increased by $Mg^{++}$ in a dose independent manner. However, the response for NMDA was inhibited by $Mg^{++}$ at concentrations above 2 mM. $K^+$-and glutamate-induced $Ca^{++}$ influx s were inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol, chlorprom-azine and verapamil but not by tetraethylammonium chloride. Tetrodotoxin effectively inhibited the action of glutamate but did not affect that of $K^+$. The response for MNDA was inhibited by 2, 4-dinitrophenol and tetrodotoxin, slightly inhibited by verapamil, and not affected by tetraethylammonium chloride. In $Na^{++}$ rich medium, depolarizing action of glutamate, aspartate and MNDA on synaptosomes was not demonstrated, whereas these agents stimulated $Ca^{++}$ uptake and caused $Ca^{++}$ influx induced depolarization at mitochondria. On the other hand, the activities of synaptosomal ATPases were not affected by excitatory amino acids at 5 mM. The results suggest that glutamate or NMDA induced $Ca^{++}$ influx at synaptosomes exhibits different responses for extracellular $Mg^{++}$ Ex citatory amino acids induced $Ca^{++}$ influx at synaptosomes may be associated with increased permeability of membrane for $Na^{++}$ and $Ca^{++}$ except $K^{++}$ and membrane depolarization due to increased ionic permeability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2002.06b
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• pp.56-56
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• 2002

Muscle contraction and relaxation are regulated by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-mediated $Ca^{2＋}$ release and $Ca^{2＋}$ uptake. The SR functions are closely related with the proteins residing in the SR such as ryanodine receptor, $Ca^{2＋}$-ATpase, calsequestrin, triadin and junctin. In an effort to further identify important functional SR proteins, experiments of sucrose-density gradient of SR fractionation, concanavalin A treatment, 2D gel electrophoresis, $^{45}$ Ca$^{2+}$ overlay, Strains-all staining, and peptide finger printing (PFP) were carried out.(omitted)d)

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.73-77
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• 2007

N,N-Dimethyl-D-ribo-phytosphingosine (DMPH) is an N-methyl derivative of sphingosine. In the present paper, we studied effects of DMPH on intracellular Ca$^{2+}$ concentration, pH, glutamate uptake, and cell viability in human 1321N1 astrocytes. DMPH increased intracellular Ca$^{2+}$ concentration and cytosolic pH significantly in a dose-dependent manner. DMPH also inhibited glutamate uptake by 1321N1 astrocytes. Finally, treatment of cells with DMPH for 24 h reduced viability of cells largely and concentration-dependently. In summary, DMPH increased intracellular Ca$^{2+}$ concentration and pH, inhibited glutamate uptake and evoked cytotoxicity in 1321N1 astrocytes. Our observations with DMPH in the 1321N1 astrocytes would enhance understanding of DMPH actions in the brain.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 1990

Dibutyryl-cyclic AMP (db-cAMP) and forskolin were used to investigate vasodilating mechanism of cAMP in rabbit aorta. Db-cAMP and forskolin inhibited the development of contractile tension induced by norepinephrine (NE) concentration-dependently. However, high $K{^+}-induced$ contractile tension was inhibited less effectively by db-cAMP and forskolin. Db-cAMP and forskolin inhibited $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake increased by NE. Forskolin seemed to inhibit $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake increased by high $K{^+}$, but this inhibition was not significant statistically. Db-cAMP inhibited $Ca^{2+}-transient$ contraction by NE in $Ca^{2+}-free$ solution. In conclusion, it seems that cAMP blocks $Ca^{2+}$ influx through receptor operated $Ca^{2+}$ channels (ROCs), but that the effect of cAMP on $Ca^{2+}$ influx through voltage gated $Ca^{2+}$ channels (VGCs) is not clear in this experiment. Furthermore, cAMP is likely to inhibit calcium release from the intracellular stores.