• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.333-339
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• 2007

Recently, much attention has been paid to human retinoblastoma since it provide a good model system for studying mechanisms underlying cell growth, differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis, and for developing cancer therapy. However, until now it is unclear whether purinergic receptors are involved in the calcium mobilization in the retinoblastoma cells. In this regard, we measured possible purinergic signaling in WERI-Rb-1 cells using $Ca^{2+}$ imaging technique and RT-PCR method. ATP-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ transients was maintained to about $90.7{\pm}1.0%$ of the control (n=48) even in the absence of extracellular calcium. The ATP-induced intracellular calcium response was only attained to $10.4{\pm}1.8%$ (n=55) of peak amplitude of the control after preincubation of 1 ${\mu}MU-73122$, a PLC inhibitor, but it was not affected by 1 ${\mu}MU-73343$, a inactive form of U-73122. And also ATP-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ rise was almost attenuated by 20 ${\mu}M$ 2-APB, a putative $IP_3$ receptor inhibitor. Two subtypes of $IP_3$ receptor $(IP_{3-1}R,\;IP_{3-2}R)$ were identified by a RT-PCR method. These findings suggest that purinergic stimuli can cause calcium mobilization via $PLC-IP_3$ pathway after the activation of P2Y receptors in the retinoblastoma cells, which may play important roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, growth, and cell death.

• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.499-503
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• 1995

In our previous studies (Chae et al., 1990; Chae et a1., 1993), we found that a phytochrome signal was clearly connected with the change in cytosolic free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) in oat cells. It was determined that the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ change occured both by mobilization out of the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ store and by influx from the medium. The specific aim of this work is to elucidate the processes connecting $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization and influx. The cells treated with thapsigargin (increasing $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ by inhibition of the $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase in the calcium pool) in the presence of external $Ca^{2+}$ showed the same increasing pattern (sustained increasing shape) of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ as that measured in animal cells. Red light irradiation after thapsigargin treatment did not increase $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ These results suggest that thapsigargin also acts specifically in the processes of mobilization and influx of $Ca^{2+}$ in oat cells. When the cells were treated with TEA ($K^+$ channel blocker), changes in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were drastically reduced in comparison with that measured in the absence of TEA. The results suggest that the change in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ due to red light irradiation is somehow related with $K^+$ channel opening to change membrane potential. The membrane potential change due to $K^+$ influx might be the critical factor in opening a voltage-dependent calcium channel for $Ca^{2+}$ influx.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.176-183
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• 2021

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) metastasis is characterized by distant metastasis and local recurrence. Combined chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil is routinely used to treat patients with OSCC, and the combined use of gefitinib with cytotoxic drugs has been reported to enhance the sensitivity of cancer cells in vitro. However, the development of drug resistance because of prolonged chemotherapy is inevitable, leading to a poor prognosis. Therefore, understanding alterations in signaling pathways and gene expression is crucial for overcoming the development of drug resistance. However, the altered characterization of Ca²⁺ signaling in drug-resistant OSCC cells remains unclear. In this study, we investigated alterations in intracellular Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_i) mobilization upon the development of gefitinib resistance in human tongue squamous carcinoma cell line (HSC)-3 and HSC-4 using ratiometric analysis. This study demonstrated the presence of altered epidermal growth factor- and purinergic agonist-mediated [Ca²⁺]_i mobilization in gefitinib-resistant OSCC cells. Moreover, Ca²⁺ content in the endoplasmic reticulum, store-operated calcium entry, and lysosomal Ca²⁺ release through the transient receptor potential mucolipin 1, were confirmed to be significantly reduced upon the development of apoptosis resistance. Consistent with [Ca²⁺]_i mobilization, we identified modified expression levels of Ca²⁺ signaling-related genes in gefitinib-resistant cells. Taken together, we propose that the regulation of [Ca²⁺]_i mobilization and related gene expression can be a new strategy to overcome drug resistance in patients with cancer.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 2020

Cudrania tricuspidata (C. tricuspidata) is a deciduous tree found in Japan, China and Korea. The root, stems, bark and fruit of C. tricuspidata has been used as traditional herbal remedies such as eczema, mumps, acute arthritis and tuberculosis. In this study, we investigated the potential efficacies of this natural compound by focusing on the inhibitory effect of cudraxanthone L (CXL) isolated from the roots of C. tricuspidata on human platelet aggregation. Our study focused on the action of CXL on collagen-stimulated human platelet aggregation, inhibition of platelet signaling molecules such as fibrinogen binding, intracellular calcium mobilization, fibronectin adhesion, dense granule secretion, and thromboxane A2 secretion. In addition, we investigated the inhibitory effect of CXL on thrombin-induced clot retraction. Our results showed that CXL inhibited collagen-induced human platelet aggregation, intracellular calcium mobilization, fibrinogen binding, fibronectin adhesion and clot retraction without cytotoxicity. Therefore, we confirmed that CXL has inhibitory effects on human platelet activities and has potential value as a natural substance for preventing thrombosis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 2008

We cloned and pharmacologically characterized the guinea pig cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT) 2 receptor (gpCysLT2). gpCysLT2 consists of 317 amino acids with 75.3%, 75.2%, 73.3% identity to those of humans, mice and rats, respectively. The gpCysLT2 gene is highly expressed in the lung, moderately in eosinophils, skin, spleen, stomach, colon, and modestly in the small intestine. CysLTs accelerated the proliferation of gpCysLT2-expressing HEK293. Leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and Leukotriene D4 (LTD4) enhanced the cell proliferation higher than Bay-u9773, a CysLT2 selective partial agonist and a nonselective antagonist for CysLT receptors. Bay-u9773 did not antagonize the cell proliferation by LTC4 and LTD4. Despite the equipotency of the mitogenic effect among these chemicals, calcium mobilization (CM) levels were variable (LTC4 > LTD4 >> Bay-u9773), and Bay-u9773 antagonized the CM by LTC4. Moreover, the Gi/o inhibitor pertussis toxin perfectly inhibited agonist-induced cell proliferation. These results reveal that cell proliferation via CysLT2 signaling was mediated by Gi/o signaling but independent of calcium mobilization.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.1451-1489
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• 2002

Sphingosine is known to regulate a wide range of cell physiology including growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. In this study, we examined the effect of sphingosine on the phospholipase D (PLD) activity in rat thymocytes. Sphingosine potently stimulated PLD in the absence of extracellular calcium, while depletion of intracellular calcium by BAPTA/AM treatment completely blocked activation of PLD by sphingosine. Sphingosine-induced increase of the intracellular calcium concentration was confirmed using a fluorescent calcium indicator Fluo-3/AM. A phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 partially inhibited the stimulation of PLD by sphingosine. When mouse PLD2 gene was transfected into mouse thymoma EL4 cells, which lack intrinsic PLD activity, sphingosine could stimulate PLD2 significantly while overexpression of human PLD1 had no effect. Taken together, the sphingosine-stimulated PLD activity in rat thymocytes is dependent on the mobilization of intracellular calcium and appears to be due to the PLD2 isoform.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.303-308
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• 1992

Three female sheep were daily administered a pyrophosphate analogue, disodium 1-hydroxyethylidene-1, 1-bisphosphonate (HEBP) at the level of 4 mg/kg body weight. HEBP largely suppressed bone resorption, which was indicated by the reduction in plasma free hydroxyproline concentration and in calcium mobilization rate during the intravenous infusion of disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA). Contrary to the suppression of bone resorption, plasma total-calcium, magnesium and phosphorus concentrations were not changed by HEBP administration. These results suggest that bone mineral crystals play a meaningless role on calcium, magnesium and phosphorus homeostasis in ruminants if they are fed adequate amounts of these minerals. Plasma magnesium and phosphorus concentrations were not significantly changed after feeding. However, plasma total-calcium was decreased after feeding in both periods and the reduction seemed to be remarkable in the HEBP-treated period. Infusion of EDTA more remarkably reduced plasma ionized calcium concentration in the HEBP-treated that in the untreated period and the recovery of ionized calcium was retarded by HEBP administration. These results suggest that calcium release from bone is necessary for maintenance of plasma calcium when animals rapidly lose calcium.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.677-682
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• 2001

investigate action of ethanol on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells, we compared the inhibitory effect of ethanol with those of calcium antagonists in mechanism of between ATP and compound 48/80-induced histamine release. Ethanol dose-dependently inhibited 100 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ ATP-induced histamine release, whereas did not inhibit 1 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml compound 48/80-induced histamine release. Verapamil, TMB-8 and EGTA dose-dependently inhibited ATP-induced histamine release, but did not inhibit compound 48/80-induced histamine release. Such an inhibitory effect of calcium antagonist was similar to that of ethanol. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of ethanol on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells is mediated via disturbance of calcium mobilization..

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.8
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• pp.482-487
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• 2012

To identify the novel inhibitors of endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell death, we performed a high throughput assay with a chemical library containing a total of 3,280 bioactive small molecules. Cyclosporine A and bromocriptine were identified as potent inhibitors of thapsigargiin-induced cell death (cut-off at $4{\sigma}$ standard score). However, U74389G, the potent inhibitor of lipid peroxidation had lower activity in inhibiting cell death. The inhibition effect of cyclosporine A and bromocriptine was specific for only thapsigargin-induced cell death. The mechanism of inhibition by these compounds was identified as modification of the expression of glucose regulated protein-78 (GRP-78/Bip) and inhibition of phosphorylation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). However, these compounds did not inhibit the same events triggered by tunicamycin, which was in agreement with the cell survival data. We suggest that the induction of protective unfolded protein response by these compounds confers resistance to cell death. In summary, we identified compounds that may provide insights on cell death mechanisms stimulated by ER stress.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2011

The secretion of insulin from pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells is triggered by the influx of $Ca^{2+}$ through voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels. The resulting elevation of intracellular calcium ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) triggers additional $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores. Less well understood are the mechanisms involved in $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization from internal stores after activation of $Ca^{2+}$ influx. The mobilization process is known as calcium-induced calcium release (CICR). In this study, our goal was to investigate the existence of and the role of caffeine-sensitive ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in a rat pancreatic ${\beta}$-cell line, INS-1 cells. To measure cytosolic and stored $Ca^{2+}$, respectively, cultured INS-1 cells were loaded with fura-2/AM or furaptra/AM. $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ was repetitively increased by caffeine stimulation in normal $Ca^{2+}$ buffer. However, peak $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ was only observed after the first caffeine stimulation in $Ca^{2+}$ free buffer and this increase was markedly blocked by ruthenium red, a RyR blocker. KCl-induced elevations in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were reduced by pretreatment with ruthenium red, as well as by depletion of internal $Ca^{2+}$ stores using cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) or caffeine. Caffeine-induced $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization ceased after the internal stores were depleted by carbamylcholine (CCh) or CPA. In permeabilized INS-1 cells,$Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores was activated by caffeine, $Ca^{2+}$, or ryanodine. Furthermore, ruthenium red completely blocked the CICR response in perrneabilized cells. RyRs were widely distributed throughout the intracellular compartment of INS-1 cells. These results suggest that caffeine-sensitive RyRs exist and modulate the CICR response from internal stores in INS-1 pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells.