• BMB Reports
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.600-605
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• 2013

Interplay between calcium ions ($Ca^{2+}$) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) delicately controls diverse pathophysiological functions of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, details of the $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS signaling network have been hindered by the absence of a method for dual measurement of $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS. Here, a real-time monitoring system for $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS was established using a genetically encoded hydrogen peroxide indicator, HyPer, and a ratiometric $Ca^{2+}$ indicator, fura-2. For the simultaneous detection of fura-2 and HyPer signals, 540 nm emission filter and 500 nm~ dichroic beamsplitter were combined with conventional exciters. The wide excitation spectrum of HyPer resulted in marginal cross-contamination with fura-2 signal. However, physiological $Ca^{2+}$ transient and hydrogen peroxide were practically measurable in HyPer-expressing, fura-2-loaded VSMCs. Indeed, distinct $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS signals could be successfully detected in serotonin-stimulated VSMCs. The system established in this study is applicable to studies of crosstalk between $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.43-43
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• 2003

Large-conductance $Ca^{2+}$-actived $K^{+}$ channels ($BK_{Ca}$ channels) play a key role in setting the pace of contractile activity in muscle and are involved in the regulation of neurotransmitter release in neuron. $BK_{Ca}$ channels are activated by depolarizing membrane potential and the elevated level of intracellular calcium. Using yeast-two hybrid assay, we have identified a novel protein interacting with the cytosolic carboxyl terminus of rSlo, the brain isoform of rat large-conductance $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^{+}$ channel $\alpha$-subunit. The novel gene encodes 51 kDa protein and is named as SIRK(rSlo-interacting RGS-like protein). SIRK is expressed in various tissues and localized in the cytosolic and the membrane fraction. Biochemical and immunological studies indicated that SIRK physically interacted with the cytosolic region of rSlo. To investigate whether SIRK can modulate the activity of rSlo, GFP-fused SIRK and rSlo were transiently transfected into COS-7 cells and the effects of SIRK was studied using electrophysiological means. We concluded that the overexpression of SIRK alters the surface expression of rSlo channel with only a limited effect on the biophysical characteristics of the channel.the channel.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2022

Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) released from enteroendocine L-cells in the intestine has incretin effects due to its ability to amplify glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Promotion of an endogenous release of GLP-1 is one of therapeutic targets for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although the secretion of GLP-1 in response to nutrient or neural stimuli can be triggered by cytosolic Ca²⁺ elevation, the stimulus-secretion pathway is not completely understood yet. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of reverse Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (rNCX) in Ca²⁺ entry induced by muscarinic stimulation in NCI-H716 cells, a human enteroendocrine GLP-1 secreting cell line. Intracellular Ca²⁺ was repetitively oscillated by the perfusion of carbamylcholine (CCh), a muscarinic agonist. The oscillation of cytosolic Ca²⁺ was ceased by substituting extracellular Na⁺ with Li⁺ or NMG⁺. KB-R7943, a specific rNCX blocker, completely diminished CCh-induced cytosolic Ca²⁺ oscillation. Type 1 Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger (NCX₁) proteins were expressed in NCI-H716 cells. These results suggest that rNCX might play a crucial role in Ca²⁺ entry induced by cholinergic stimulation in NCI-H716 cells, a GLP-1 secreting cell line.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.379-387
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• 2009

We have previously reported that N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) induces apoptosis through activation of $K^+$, $Cl^-$-cotransport (KCC) in HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells. In this study we investigated the possible role of phospholipase $A_2$ ($PLA_2$)-arachidonic acid (AA) signals in the mechanism of the NEM-induced apoptosis. In these experiments we used arachidonyl trifluoromethylketone ($AACOCF_3$), bromoenol lactone (BEL) and p-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB) as inhibitors of the calcium-dependent cytosolic $PLA_2$ ($cPLA_2$), the calcium-independent $PLA_2$ ($iPLA_2$) and the secretory $PLA_2$ ($sPLA_2$), respectively. BEL significantly inhibited the NEM-induced apoptosis, whereas $AACOCF_3$ and BPB did not. NEM increased AA liberation in a dose-dependent manner, which was markedly prevented only by BEL. In addition AA by itself induced $K^+$ efflux, a hallmark of KCC activation, which was comparable to that of NEM. The NEM-induced apoptosis was not significantly altered by treatment with indomethacin (Indo) and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX), respectively. Treatment with AA or 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ETYA), a non-metabolizable analogue of AA, significantly induced apoptosis. Collectively, these results suggest that AA liberated through activation of $iPLA_2$ may mediate the NEMinduced apoptosis in HepG2 cells.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.253-269
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• 1996

Infection of fish cells with IHNV resulted in gradual increase in cytosolic free Ca$\^$2+/ concentration ([Ca$\^$2+/)] in CHSE, gradual decrease in [Ca$\^$2+/] in FHM, and no significant change in RTG cells. The degree of [Ca$\^$2+/] increase or decrease was dependent on the amount of infectious virus, and these [Ca$\^$2+/] variations were maximal at 16 hours after virus infection (p. i.) in both cell lines. When the fish cells were infected with inactivated IHNV, evident variation in [Ca$\^$2+/] was not observed. Thus, infectivity of IHNV appears to correlate with changes in [Ca$\^$2+/] in virus-infected cells. These IHNV-induced [Ca$\^$2+/] changes were partially blocked by cycloheximide, but not affected by cordycepin. It seems to be that virus-induced Ca$\^$2+/ variations were more related with protein synthesis than RNA synthesis. Various Ca$\^$2+/ related drugs were used in search for the mechanisms of the [Ca$\^$2+/], changes following IHNV infection of CHSE cells. Decreasing extracellular Ca$\^$2+/ concentration or blocking Ca$\^$2+/ influx from extracellular media inhibited the IHNV-induced increase in [Ca$\^$2+/], in CHSE cells. Similar results were obtained with intracellular Ca$\^$2+/ sources are important in IHNV-induced [Ca$\^$2+/] increase in CHSE cells.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.315-321
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• 2018

Molecular and functional characterization of proteins and their levels is of great interest in understanding the mechanism of diverse cellular processes. In this study, we report on the convenient Escherichia coli-based protein expression system that allows recombinant of soluble proteins expression and cytosolic domain of membrane-localised kinases, followed by the detection of autophosphorylation activity in protein kinases. This approach is applied to regulatory proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana, including 14-3-3, calmodulin, calcium-dependent protein kinase, TERMINAL FLOWER 1(TFL1), FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase and cytoplasmic domain of leucine-rich repeat-receptor like kinase proteins. Our Western blot analysis which uses phospho-specific antibodies showed that five putative LRR-RLKs and two putative RLCKs have autophosphorylation activity in vitro on threonine and/or tyrosine residue(s), suggesting their potential role in signal transduction pathways. Our findings were also discussed in the broader context of recombinant expression and biochemical analysis of soluble and membrane-localised receptor kinases in microbial systems.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.213-220
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• 2016

Mast cells are primary mediators of allergic inflammation. Beta-1,3-glucan (BG) protects against infection and shock by activating immune cells. Activation of the BG receptor induces an increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$, which may induce exocytosis. However, little is known about the precise mechanisms underlying BG activation of immune cells and the possible role of mitochondria in this process. The present study examined whether BG induced mast cell degranulation, and evaluated the role of calcium transients during mast cell activation. Our investigation focused on the role of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) in BG-induced degranulation. Black mouse (C57) bone marrow-derived mast cells were stimulated with $0.5{\mu}g/ml$ BG, $100{\mu}g/ml$ peptidoglycan (PGN), or $10{\mu}M$ A23187 (calcium ionophore), and dynamic changes in cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium and membrane potential were monitored. BG-induced mast cell degranulation occurred in a time-dependent manner, and was significantly reduced under calcium-free conditions. Ruthenium red, a mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ uniporter blocker, significantly reduced mast cell degranulation induced by BG, PGN, and A23187. These results suggest that the mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ uniporter has an important regulatory role in BG-induced mast cell degranulation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.597-598
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• 2017

Mitochondria have evolutionarily, functionally and structurally distinct outer- (OMM) and inner-membranes (IMM). Thus, mitochondrial morphology is controlled by independent but coordinated activity of fission and fusion of the OMM and IMM. Constriction and division of the OMM are mediated by endocytosis-like machineries, which include dynamin-related protein 1 with additional cytosolic vesicle scissoring machineries such as actin filament and Dynamin 2. However, structural alteration of the IMM during mitochondrial division has been poorly understood. Recently, we found that the IMM and the inner compartments undergo transient and reversible constriction prior to the OMM division, which we termed CoMIC, ${\underline{C}}onstriction$ ${\underline{o}}f$ ${\underline{M}}itochondrial$ ${\underline{I}}nner$ ${\underline{C}}ompartment$. In this short review, we further discuss the evolutionary perspective and the regulatory mechanism of CoMIC during mitochondrial division.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.56-56
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• 2003

Isolated single pancreatic acinar cells have long been used as a good model for studying many kinds of signaling processes due to their good structural and functional polarities without a significant validation. In this study, we have examined morphological and functional changes of the dissociated single pancreatic acinar cells by imaging cytosolic Ca$\^$2+/ concentration, exocytosis of granules, and by observing their shapes with confocal microscopy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 2020

Transient receptor potential canonical 4 (TRPC4) channel is a nonselective calcium-permeable cation channels. In intestinal smooth muscle cells, TRPC4 currents contribute more than 80% to muscarinic cationic current (mIcat). With its inward-rectifying current-voltage relationship and high calcium permeability, TRPC4 channels permit calcium influx once the channel is opened by muscarinic receptor stimulation. Polyamines are known to inhibit nonselective cation channels that mediate the generation of mIcat. Moreover, it is reported that TRPC4 channels are blocked by the intracellular spermine through electrostatic interaction with glutamate residues (E728, E729). Here, we investigated the correlation between the magnitude of channel inactivation by spermine and the magnitude of channel conductance. We also found additional spermine binding sites in TRPC4. We evaluated channel activity with electrophysiological recordings and revalidated structural significance based on Cryo-EM structure, which was resolved recently. We found that there is no correlation between magnitude of inhibitory action of spermine and magnitude of maximum current of the channel. In intracellular region, TRPC4 attracts spermine at channel periphery by reducing access resistance, and acidic residues contribute to blocking action of intracellular spermine; channel periphery, E649; cytosolic space, D629, D649, and E687.