• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.25-32
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• 2014

Nitric oxide (NO) is recognized as a mediator and regulator of inflammatory responses. NO is produced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and NOS is abundantly expressed in the human dental pulp cells (HDPCs). NO produced by NOS can be cytotoxic at higher concentrations to HDPCs. However, the mechanism by which this cytotoxic pathway is activated in cells exposed to NO is not known. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the NO-induced cytotoxic mechanism in HDPCs. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, reduced the viability of HDPCs in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We investigated the in vitro effects of nitric oxide on apoptosis of cultured HDPCs. Cells showed typical apoptotic morphology after exposure to SNP. Besides, the number of Annexin V positive cells was increased among the SNP-treated HDPCs. SNP enhanced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) ameliorated the decrement of cell viability induced by SNP. However, a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor (ODQ) did not inhibited the decrement of cell viability induced by SNP. SNP increased cytochrome c release from the mitochondria to the cytosol and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 expression levels. Moreover, SNP-treated HDPCs elevated activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9. While pretreatment with inhibitors of caspase (z-VAD-fmk, z-DEVD-fmk) reversed the NO-induced apoptosis of HDPCs. From these results, it can be suggested that NO induces apoptosis of HDPCs through the mitochondria-dependent pathway mediated by ROS and Bcl-2 family, but not by the cyclic GMP pathway.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제6권3호
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• pp.253-261
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• 2002

Although cardiac distribution of specific receptors for atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was mainly observed in the ventricular endocardium, the modulation of ANP receptors in relation to cardiac development is not defined. The present study was undertaken to investigate ANP receptor modulation in rat during development. In the developmental stages examined (fetus, after postnatal 3-days, 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 8-week-old Sprague Dawley rats) specific ANP binding sites were localized in the right and left ventricular endo-cardia by quantitative in vitro receptor autoradiography using (equation omitted)-rat ANP as labeled ligand. The specific bindings to endocardium were much higher in the right than the left ventricle. The binding affinities of ANP were much higher in the right than the left ventricular endocardium. The difference of these binding affinities among various developmental stages was not observed in the right ventricle, whereas the binding affinity in left ventricle was gradually increased with aging and reached the peak value at 8 weeks. No significant difference in maximal binding capacities of endocardial bindings was observed in the right and left ventricular endocardia during developmental stages. Also, cGMP production via activation of particulate guanylyl cyclase-coupled receptor subtypes in the ventricular membranes was gradually decreased with close relationship to aging. Therefore, the present study show that the endocardial ANP receptor is modulated with close relationship to cardiac development in the left ventricle rather than the right ventricle, and may be involved in regulating myocardial contractility in left heart.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.743-748
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• 2005

This study was performed for the investigation of vasodilatory efficacy and its underlying mechanisms of Jagumhuan(JGH), a herbal remedy. JGH produced completely endothelium-dependent relaxation and relaxed phenylephrine(PE)-precontracted aorta in a concentration dependent manner. The magnitude of relaxation was greater in PE induced contraction than that of KCl, suggesting involvement of $K^+$ channel in the relaxant effect. Both glibenclamide$(10^{-5}M)$, a $K_{ATP}$ channel inhibitor and indometacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, completely prevented this relaxation. The relaxation effects of JGH, involve in part the release of nitric oxide from the endothelium as pretreatment with L-NAME, an NOS inhibitor, and methylene blue, a cGMP inhibitor, attenuated the responses by 62% and 58%, respectively. In addition, nitrite was produced by JGH in human aortic smooth muscle cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The relaxant effect of JGH was also inhibited by 55.41% by tetraethylammonium(TEA; 5mM), a $K_{Ca}$ channel inhibitor. In the absence of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$, pre-incubation of the aortic rings with JGH significantly reduced the contraction by PE, suggesting that the relaxant action of the JGH includes inhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ release from intracellular stores. These results indicate that in rat thoracic aorta, JGH may induce vasodilation through ATP sensitive $K^+$ channel activation by prostacyclin production. However, the relaxant effect of JGH may also mediated in part by NO pathways and $Ca^{2+}$ activated $K^+$ channel.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.389-397
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• 2004

The therapeutic efficacy of xylamine in the field of psychological medicine has been recognized for years and the drug is used to treat depression and some other conditions, but little is known about its mechanism of action on vascular system. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the influence of xylamine on the contractile responses of isolated rat thoracic arteries to phenylephrine(PE) and potassium chloride(KCl). Xylamine produced a concentration-dependent relaxation in PE-precontracted endothelium intact(+E) rat aortic rings, but not in a KCl-precontracted aortic rings. Also, xylamine inhibited the PE-induced contraction in concentration-dependent manner, but not in the high KCl-induced contraction in +E rings. This concentration-dependent inhibition was suppressed by the removal of the endothelium (-E). The inhibitory effects of xylamine($0.3{\mu}M$) on the PE-induced contractions were suppressed by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine(L-NNA), N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester(L-NAME), aminoguanidine, dexamethasone, methylene blue, 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo [4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one(ODQ), indomethacin, ryanodine, tetrabutylammonium(TBA), lidocaine, procaine and 0 mM extracellular $Na^+$, but not by 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-n,n-diphenylcarbamate(NCDC), lithium, nifedipine, verapamil, 0 mM extracellular $Ca^{2+}$, glibenclamide and clotrimazole. These findings suggest that xylamine could act as a vasorelaxant and direct inhibitor of arterial contraction. This vasorelaxation involves an endothelial nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP (guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate) pathway or cyclooxygenase system, and an interference with $Ca^{2+}$ release, TBA-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels and $Na^+$$ channels.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.400-408
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• 2013

This study aimed to investigate the relaxation effects and its underlying mechanisms of Rubus coreanus(RC) extract in contracted rabbit corpus cavernous tissues by phenylephrine(PE) $1{\mu}M$. In order to define the relaxation effects of RC, rabbit corpus cavernous tissues were prepared in $2{\times}2{\times}6mm$ sized strip. The dose-dependent relaxation responses of RC at 0.01-3.0 $mg/m{\ell}$ in contracted strips induced by PE were measured and also observed after endothelial denudation. To analyze the underlying mechanisms of RC-induced relaxation, indomethacin(IM), tetraethylammonium chloride(TEA), $N{\omega}$-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), methylene blue(MB) were treated before RC extract infused into precontracted strips induced by PE. To study the effect of RC extract on influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in corpus cavernous strips, calcium chloride(Ca) 1 mM infused into precontracted strips induced by PE after pretreatment of RC extract in $Ca^{2+}$-free krebs-ringer solution. To investigate cytotoxic activity and nitric oxide(NO) concentration of RC extract on human umbilical vein endothelial cell(HUVEC), cell viability on HUVEC was measured by MTT assay, and NO concentration was measured by Griess reagent system. The cavernous strips were significantly relaxed by RC extract at 1.0 $mg/m{\ell}$, 3.0 $mg/m{\ell}$ and the relaxation responses to RC were inhibited significantly by endothelial disruption. The pretreatment of IM, TEA didn't affect RC extract-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation, but the pretreatment of L-NNA, MB reduced RC extract-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation. When $Ca^{2+}$ was supplied the cavernous strips which were precontracted by PE in a $Ca^{2+}$-free krebs-ringer solution, contraction of strips was increased, but pretreatment of RC inhibited contractile response to $Ca^{2+}$. When RC extract was applicated on HUVEC, NO concentration was increased. Our findings show that RC extract exerts a relaxing effect on corpus cavernosum in part by suppressing influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ through activating the NO-cGMP system.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.210-216
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• 1979

핵산계조미료(核酸系調味料)로 사용되는 정미성(呈味性) nucleotide류(類)의 국내생산(國內生産)을 목적(目的)으로 토양에서 효모핵산분해력(酵母核酸分解力)이 강한 균주(菌株) JSC-114를 분리(分離)하고 이를 동정(同定)한 결과 streptomyces속(屬)의 신균주(新菌株)로 확인(確認)되었으며 5'-phosphodiesterase 생산능력(生産能力)이 우수하여 핵산분해율(核酸分解率) 및 5'-nucleotide 생성율(生成率)은 $95{\sim}98%$이었다. 또한 streptomyces sp. strain No. JSC-114의 분해효소 생산용배지를 검토하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. 탄소원(炭素源)으로는 포도당과 가용성전분이 양호하였으며 최적농도(最適濃度)는 $4{\sim}4.5%$이었다. 2. 질소원(窒素源)은 유기질소원(有機窒素源)의 경우 대체적으로 강한 활성(活性)을 나타냈으나 무기질소원(無機窒素源)은 요소(尿素)를 제외하고 일반적으로 낮은 활성을 보였다. 3. 무기염(無機鹽)은 $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ 0.1%, $KNO_3$ 0.25% 이상에서 양호하였으나, $KH_2PO_4$는 0.6% 이상에서 강한 저해를 받았다.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.63-69
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of present study was to investigate the vasorelaxant activities and mechanisms of action of the ethanol extract of P. yedoensis leaf (PYL) on isolated rat aortic rings. Methods : Dried P. yedoensis leaves were extracted 3 times with 100% ethanol for 3 h in a reflux apparatus. Isolated rat aortic rings were suspended in organ chambers containing 10 ml Krebs-Henseleit (K-H) solution. The rings were maintained at $37^{\circ}C$ and aerated with a mixture of 95% $O_2$ and 5% $CO_2$. Changes in their tension were recorded via isometric transducers connected to a data acquisition system. Results : PYL relaxed the contraction of aortic rings induced by phenylephrine (PE, 1 ${\mu}M$) or KCl (60 mM) in a concentration dependent manner. However, the vasorelaxant effects of PYL on endothelium-denuded aortic rings were lower than endothelium-intact aortic rings. And the vasorelaxant effects of PYL on endothelium-intact aortic rings were reduced by pre-treatment with $N{\omega}$-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (10 ${\mu}M$), methylene blue (10 ${\mu}M$), 1-H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazolo-[4,3-${\alpha}$]-quinoxalin-1-one (10 ${\mu}M$), tetraethylammonium (5 mM). In addition, PYL inhibited the contraction induced by extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in endothelium-denuded aortic rings pre-contracted by PE or KCl in $Ca^{2+}$-free K-H solution. Conclusions : These results suggest that PYL exerts its vasorelaxant effects via the activation of Nitric Oxide (NO) formation by means of L-arginine and NO-cGMP pathways and via the blockage of receptor operated calcium channels, voltage dependent calcium channels and calcium-activated potassium channels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.37-43
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• 2010

The serine/threonine kinase Akt has been shown to play a role of multiple cellular signaling pathways and act as a transducer of many functions initiated by growth factor receptors that activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). It has been reported that phosphorylated Akt activates eNDS resulting in the production of NO and that NO stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), which results in accumulation of cGMP and subsequent activation of the protein kinase G (PKG). It has been also reported that PKG activates PI3K/Akt signaling. Therefore, it is possible that PI3K, Akt, eNOS, sGC, and PKG form a loop to exert enhanced and sustained activation of Akt. However, the existence of this loop in eNOS-expressing cells, such as endothelial cells or astrocytes, has not been reported. Thus, we examined a possibility that Akt phosphorylation might be enhanced via eNOS/sGC/PKG/PI3K pathway in astrocytes in vivo and in vitro. Phosphorylation of Akt was detected in astrocytes after KA treatment and was maintained up to 72 h in mouse hippocampus. 2 weeks after KA treatment, astrocytic Akt phosphorylation was normalized to control. The inhibition of eNOS, sGC, and PKG significantly decreased Akt and eNDS phosphorylation induced by KA in astrocytes. In contrast, the decreased phosphorylation of Akt and eNDS by eNDS inhibition was significantly reversed with PKG activation. The above findings in mouse hippocampus were also observed in primary astrocytes. These data suggest that Akt/eNOS/sGC/PKG/PI3K pathway may constitute a loop, resulting in enhanced and sustained Akt activation in astrocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.33-40
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• 2000

This study was designed to clarify the mechanism of the inhibitory action of a nitric oxide (NO) donor, 3-morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1), on contraction, cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ level $([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ and ionic currents in guinea-pig ileum. SIN-1 $(0.01{\sim}100\;{\mu}M)$ inhibited 25 mM KCl- or histamine $(10\;{\mu}M)-induced$ contraction in a concentration-dependent manner. SIN-1 reduced both the 25 mM KCl- and the histamine-stimulated increases in muscle tension in parallel with decreased $[Ca^{2+}]_i.$ Using the patch clamp technique with a holding potential of -60 mV, SIN-1 $(10\;{\mu}M)$ decreased peak Ba currents $(I_{Ba})$ by $30.9{\pm}5.4%$ (n=6) when voltage was stepped from -60 mV to +10 mV and this effect was blocked by ODQ $(1\;{\mu}M),$ a soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor. Cu/Zn SOD (100 U/ml), the free radical scavenger, had little effect on basal $I_{Ba},$ and SIN-1 $(10\;{\mu}M)$ inhibited peak $I_{Ba}$ by $32.4{\pm}5.8%$ (n=5) in the presence of Cu/Zn SOD. In a cell clamped at a holding-potential of -40 mV, application of $10\;{\mu}M$ histamine induced an inward current. The histamine-induced inward current was markedly and reversibly inhibited by $10\;{\mu}M$ SIN-1, and this effect was abolished by ODQ $(1\;{\mu}M).$ In addition, SIN-1 markedly increased the depolarization-activated outward $K^+$ currents in the all potential ranges. We concluded that SIN-1 inhibits smooth muscle contraction mainly by decreasing $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ resulted from the inhibition of L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels and the inhibition of nonselective cation currents and/or by the activation of $K^+$ currents via a cGMP-dependent pathway.

• 식품기술
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.178-187
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• 2013

분자단계에서 천연소재 유래 다당체는 면역 세포 표면(예, 대식세포)에 있는 한가지 또는 여러가지 수용체(${\beta}$-glucan 수용체, mannose 수용체, complement 수용체 3, Toll-like 수용체, scavenger 수용체)와 면역 반응을 시작하기 위하여 결합할 수 있고, 그 후에 신호전달을 위하여 cytokine과 second messenger($Ca^{2+}$, cAMP, cGMP, NO 등등)들을 생성한다. 그 결과로 선천면역과 적응면역을 유도하여 다양한 질환에 영향을 미친다. 추가적으로 다당체들의 면역조절은 신경내분비 체계의 조절과도 연관되어 있다. 최근 수많은 천연소재유래 다당체의 생리활성에 관한 연구가 진행되고 있다. 다양한 연구를 통해 정확한 약효, 낮은 독성과 부작용을 가진 일단의 다당체가 발견되어 현재 임상에서 암 치료에도 사용되고 있다. 이러한 사실들은 면역증진 다당체들이 항 종양치료를 위한 새로운 치료제로서 큰 시장을 개척할 수 있다는 가능성을 보여주고 있다. 이러한 사실에도 불구하고 현재 다당체에 대한 연구는 다음과 같은 취약점을 내포하고 있다. 첫째 다당체의 생리활성에 대한 정해진 비교기준이 없다. 특별히 임상 환경에서는 이러한 연구들이 중국, 일본, 한국과 일부 다른 동양국가들에 국한되어 있어 유럽이나 미국에서의 연구 자료가 결여되어있다. 둘째 현재 연구에 사용되고 있는 대다수의 천연소재 유래 다당체는 순수한 다당체가 아닌 천연 그대로의 것을 사용하고 있어 소재로부터 유래하는 다른 활성성분에 의해 쉽게 영향을 받을 수 있어 순수 다당체가 면역체계에 어떠한 역할을 수행하는지 진단하는데 어려움이 있다. 셋째 면역조절 경로에서 다당체의 정확한 신호전달 경로가 아직 정확하게 밝혀지지 않았고, 또한 동물과 임상실험에서 다당체가 작용하는 수용체 및 신호전달 경로에 대한 상반되는 결과가 발표되고 있기도 하다. 따라서 다당체의 면역조절활성에 대한 연구에 있어 다음과 같은 점들에 주목해야 할 필요가 있다. 첫째 다당체의 구조와 활성간의 상관관계를 밝혀야 할 것이다. 특히 다당체의 세부 구조 및 활성 부위를 밝혀낸다면 분자수준의 면역조절 기작을 명확히 하는데 도움을 줄 수 있을 것이다. 이러한 정보를 확보할 수 있다면 다당체의 구조를 변형시켜 활성을 증진시킬 수 있을 것이며, 또한 활성이 증가된 다당체를 합성하는 일도 가능해 질 것으로 예상된다. 마지막으로 ${\beta}$-glucan과 lentinan과 같은 정제된 다당체의 연구를 지속적으로 수행하여 효과적인 동물실험 및 임상실험 protocol을 확보하고 연구결과들에 대한 database를 구축해야 할 필요가 있다. 이러한 노력들이 성공적으로 수행된다면 천연소재유래 다당체들이 가까운 장래에 암 치료를 포함한 다양한 질병에 적용 가능한 새로운 면역조절제로 사용될 수 있을 것이다.