• Title/Summary/Keyword: Ion channels

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Solution Conformation of an Antimicrobial Peptide Gaegurin 4

  • Suk, Jae-Eun;Baek, Hwa-Jin;Lee, Byeong-Jae;Han, Kyou-Hoon
    • Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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    • 1997.07a
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    • pp.13-13
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    • 1997
  • Gaegurin 4 is an antimicrobial peptide found in the skin of a Korean frog, Rana rugosa, known for its "wound-healing" effect for years. This 37-residue basic peptide binds to cell membranes and forms ion channels like other antimicrobial peptides but does not exhibit hemolytic activity.(omitted)

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Treatment strategies targeting specific genetic etiologies in epilepsy

  • Kim, Hyo Jeong;Kang, Hoon-Chul
    • Journal of Genetic Medicine
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.8-15
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    • 2021
  • Recent genetic advances allow for identification of the genetic etiologies of epilepsy within individual patients earlier and more frequently than ever. Specific targeted treatments have emerged from improvements in understanding of the underlying epileptogenic pathophysiology. These targeted treatment strategies include modifications of ion channels or other cellular receptors and their function, mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathways, and substitutive therapies in hereditary metabolic epilepsies. In this review, we explore targeted treatments based on underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms in specific genetic epilepsies.

Dual Nano-Electrospray and Mixing in the Taylor Cone

  • Radionova, Anna;Greenwood, David R.;Willmott, Geoff R.;Derrick, Peter J.
    • Mass Spectrometry Letters
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.21-25
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    • 2016
  • Dual-channel nano-electrospray has recently become an ionization technique of great promise especially in biological mass spectrometry. This unique approach takes advantage of the mixing processes that occurs during electrospray. Understanding in more detail the fundamental principles influencing spray formation further study of the origins of the mixing processes: (1) in a Taylor cone region, (2) in charged droplets or (3) in both environments. The dual-channel emitters were made from borosilicate theta-shape glass tubes (O.D. 1.2 mm) and had a tip diameters of less than 4 μm. Electrical contact was achived by deposition of a thin film of an appropriate metal onto the surface of the emitter. The experimental investigation of the Taylor cone formation in a dual-channel electrospray emitter has been carried out by injection of polystyrene beads (diameter 3 μm) at very low concentrations into one of the channels of the non-tapered theta-glass tubes. High-speed camera experiments were set up to visualize the mixing processes in Taylor cone regions for dual-channel emitters. Mass spectra from dual nano-electrospray are presented.

Molecular Genetics of Inherited Cardiac Conduction Defects in Humans and Dogs (개와 사람의 선천성 심장 전도장애에 대한 분자 유전학적 이해)

  • Hyun, Changbaig
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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    • v.21 no.2
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    • pp.219-228
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    • 2004
  • Heart diseases related to conduction system can be occurred by primary defects in conduction system and by secondary to morphological heart diseases or drug toxicities. Multiple molecular defects responsible for arrhythmogenesis, including mutations in ion channels, cytoplasmic ion-channel-interacting proteins, gap-junction proteins, transcription factors and a kinase subunit, were found to be associated with the aetiology of primary cardiac conduction defects, especially inherited form. Despite a big progress in unveiling human arrhythmogenesis, conduction defects in dog has not been well studied except sudden death syndrome in German shepherd. In this review, molecular genetics in cardiac arrhythmogenesis, inherited human diseases associated with conduction defects and similar diseases in dogs will be discussed.

Ginsentology II: Chemical Structure-Biological Activity Relationship of Ginsenoside

  • Lee, Byung-Hwan;Nah, Seung-Yeol
    • Journal of Ginseng Research
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    • v.31 no.2
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    • pp.69-73
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    • 2007
  • Since chemical structures of ginsenoside as active ingredient of Panax ginseng are known, accumulating evidence have shown that ginsenoside is one of bio-active ligands through the diverse physiological and pharmacological evaluations. Chemical structures of ginsenoside could be divided into three parts depending on diol or triol ginsenoside: Steroid- or cholesterol-like backbone structure, carbohydrate portions, which are attached at the carbon-3, -6 or -20, and aliphatic side chain coupled to the backbone structure at the carbon-20. Ginsenosides also exist as stereoisomer at the carbon-20. Bioactive ligands usually exhibit the their structure-function relationships. In ginsenosides, there is little known about the relationship of chemical structure and biological activity. Recent reports have shown that ginsenoside $Rg_3$, one of active ginsenosides, exhibits its differential physiological or pharmacological actions depending on its chemical structure. This review will show how ginsenoside $Rg_3$, as a model compound, is functionally coupled to voltage-gated ion channel or ligand-gated ion channel regulations in related with its chemical structure.

Ginsentology I: Differential Ca2+ Signaling Regulations by Ginsenosides in Neuronal and Non-neuronal cells

  • Lee, Jun-Ho;Nah, Seung-Yeol
    • Journal of Ginseng Research
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.57-63
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    • 2006
  • One of the various signaling agents in the animal cells is the simple ion called calcium, $Ca^{2+}$.$Ca^{2+}$ controls almost everything that animals do, including fertilization, secretion, metabolism, muscle contractions, heartbeat, learning, memory stores, and more. To do all of this, $Ca^{2+}$ acts as an intracellular messenger, relaying information within cells to regulate their activity. In contrast, the maintenance of intracellular high $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations caused by various excitatory agents or toxins can lead to the disintegration of cells (necrosis) through the activity of $Ca^{2+}$-sensitive protein-digesting enzymes. High concentrations of calcium have also been implicated in the more orderly programs of cell death known as apoptosis. Because this simple ion, acts as an agent for cell birth, life and death, to coordinate all of these functions, $Ca^{2+}$ signalings should be regulated precisely and tightly. Recent reports have shown that ginsenosides regulate directly and indirectly intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ level with differential manners between neuronal and non-neuronal cells. This brief review will attempt to survey how ginsenosides differentially regulate intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ signaling mediated by various ion channels and receptor activations in neuronal and non-neuronal cells.

Intrinsic Permeation Properties of Graphene Oxide Membranes for Gas and Ion Separations (그래핀옥사이드 멤브레인의 기체 및 이온 투과 특성)

  • Kim, Hyo Won
    • Membrane Journal
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.1-12
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    • 2022
  • Graphene oxide (GO) has been considered as a promising membrane material, because of its easy processability and distinct properties, including controllable pore size distribution and diffusion channels. Particularly, the feasibility has been proposed a number of simulation results and proof-of-concept experimental approaches towards GO membranes. That is, GO already shows many outstanding intrinsic properties suitable for promising membrane platforms, such as the minimum membrane thickness and the ability to generate nanopores in the two-dimensional lattices or to create slit-like nanochannels between adjacent sheets. This review will be addressed the important experimental development in GO-based membranes for gas and ion separations, emphasizing on intrinsic transport phenomena, and critical issues for practical applications.

Blockade of Kv1.5 channels by the antidepressant drug sertraline

  • Lee, Hyang Mi;Hahn, Sang June;Choi, Bok Hee
    • The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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    • v.20 no.2
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    • pp.193-200
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    • 2016
  • Sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), has been reported to lead to cardiac toxicity even at therapeutic doses including sudden cardiac death and ventricular arrhythmia. And in a SSRI-independent manner, sertraline has been known to inhibit various voltage-dependent channels, which play an important role in regulation of cardiovascular system. In the present study, we investigated the action of sertraline on Kv1.5, which is one of cardiac ion channels. The effect of sertraline on the cloned neuronal rat Kv1.5 channels stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells was investigated using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Sertraline reduced Kv1.5 whole-cell currents in a reversible concentration-dependent manner, with an $IC_{50}$ value and a Hill coefficient of $0.71{\mu}M$ and 1.29, respectively. Sertraline accelerated the decay rate of inactivation of Kv1.5 currents without modifying the kinetics of current activation. The inhibition increased steeply between -20 and 0 mV, which corresponded with the voltage range for channel opening. In the voltage range positive to +10 mV, inhibition displayed a weak voltage dependence, consistent with an electrical distance ${\delta}$ of 0.16. Sertraline slowed the deactivation time course, resulting in a tail crossover phenomenon when the tail currents, recorded in the presence and absence of sertraline, were superimposed. Inhibition of Kv1.5 by sertraline was use-dependent. The present results suggest that sertraline acts on Kv1.5 currents as an open-channel blocker.

DTNB oxidation effects on T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel isoforms

  • Lee, Sang-Soo;Kang, Ho-Won;Park, Jin-Yong;Lee, Jung-Ha
    • Animal cells and systems
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    • v.15 no.2
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    • pp.131-138
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    • 2011
  • Redox regulation is one of the ubiquitous mechanisms to modulate ion channels. We here investigated how 5,5'-dithio-bis (2-nitrobenzoic acid), a cysteine specific oxidizing reagent, modulates $Ca_v3.1$ and $Ca_v3.2$ T-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Application of the reagent inhibited $Ca_v3.1$ and $Ca_v3.2$ currents in a dose-dependent manner. The oxidizing reagent (1 mM) reduced the peak amplitude of $Ca_v3.1$ and $Ca_v3.2$ currents by ~50% over 2-3 minutes and the decreased currents were fully recovered upon washout of it. The reagent slowed the activation and inactivation kinetics of $Ca_v3.1$, $Ca_v3.2$, and $Ca_v3.3$ channel currents. Notably, the reagent positively shifted both activation and steady-state inactivation curves of $Ca_v3.1$, while it did not those of $Ca_v3.2$. Utilizing chimeric channels from $Ca_v3.1$ and $Ca_v3.2$, we localized the domains III and IV of $Ca_v3.1$ responsible for the positive shifts of channel activation and steady-state inactivation. These findings provide hints relevant to the electrophysiological and molecular mechanisms accounting for the oxidative regulation of T-type channels.