• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제3권6호
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• pp.623-630
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• 1999

Decreased cardiac contractility occurs in endotoxicosis, but little is known about the ionic mechanism responsible for myocardial dysfunction. In this study, we examined the changes in $Ca{2+}$ and $K^+$ currents in cardiac myocytes from endotoxin-treated rat. Ventricular myocytes were isolated from normal and endotoxemic rats (ex vivo), that were treated for 10 hours with Salmonella enteritidis lipopolysaccharides (LPS; 1.5 mg/kg) intravenously. Normal cardiac myocytes were also incubated for 6 hours with 200 ng/ml LPS (in vitro). L-type $Ca{2+}$ current $(I_{Ca,L})$ and transient outward $K^+$ current $(I_{to})$ were measured using whole cell patch clamp techniques. Peak $I_{Ca,L}$ was reduced in endotoxemic myocytes (ex vivo; 6.00.4 pA/pF, P＜0.01) compared to normal myocytes (control; 10.90.6 pA/pF). Exposure to endotoxin in vitro also attenuated $I_{Ca,L}$ (8.40.4 pA/pF, P＜0.01). The amplitude of $(I_{to})$ on depolarization to 60 mV was reduced in endotoxin treated myocytes (16.51.5 pA/pF, P＜0.01, ex vivo; 20.00.9 pA/pF, P＜0.01 , in vitro) compared to normal myocytes (control; 24.71.0 pA/pF). There was no voltage shift in steady-state inactivation of $I_{Ca,L}$ and $(I_{to})$ between groups. These results suggest that endotoxin reduces $Ca{2+}$ and $K^+$ currents of rat cardiac myocytes, which may lead to cardiac dysfunction.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.139-146
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• 2001

L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels play an important role in regulating cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ and thereby regulating hormone secretions in neuroendocrine cells. Since hormone secretions are also regulated by various kinds of protein kinases, we investigated the role of some kinase activators and inhibitors in the regulation of the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel currents in rat pituitary $GH_3$ cells using the patch-clamp technique. Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, and vanadate, a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) inhibitor, increased the $Ba^{2+}$ current through the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels. In contrast, bisindolylmaleimide I (BIM I), a PKC inhibitor, and genistein, a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor, suppressed the $Ba^{2+}$ currents. Forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, and isobutyl methylxanthine (IBMX), a non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, reduced $Ba^{2+}$ currents. The above results show that the L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels are activated by PKC and PTK, and inhibited by elevation of cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP. From these results, it is suggested that the regulation of hormone secretion by various kinase activity in $GH_3$ cells may be attributable, at least in part, to their effect on L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.277-286
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• 2020

Polycystic kidney disease 2-like-1 (PKD2L1), also known as polycystin-L or TRPP3, is a non-selective cation channel that regulates intracellular calcium concentration. Calmodulin (CaM) is a calcium binding protein, consisting of N-lobe and C-lobe with two calcium binding EF-hands in each lobe. In previous study, we confirmed that CaM is associated with desensitization of PKD2L1 and that CaM N-lobe and PKD2L1 EF-hand specifically are involved. However, the CaM-binding domain (CaMBD) and its inhibitory mechanism of PKD2L1 have not been identified. In order to identify CaM-binding anchor residue of PKD2L1, single mutants of putative CaMBD and EF-hand deletion mutants were generated. The current changes of the mutants were recorded with whole-cell patch clamp. The calmidazolium (CMZ), a calmodulin inhibitor, was used under different concentrations of intracellular. Among the mutants that showed similar or higher basal currents with that of the PKD2L1 wild type, L593A showed little change in current induced by CMZ. Co-expression of L593A with CaM attenuated the inhibitory effect of PKD2L1 by CaM. In the previous study it was inferred that CaM C-lobe inhibits channels by binding to PKD2L1 at 16 nM calcium concentration and CaM N-lobe at 100 nM. Based on the results at 16 nM calcium concentration condition, this study suggests that CaM C-lobe binds to Leu-593, which can be a CaM C-lobe anchor residue, to regulate channel activity. Taken together, our results provide a model for the regulation of PKD2L1 channel activity by CaM.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.169-183
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• 1997

We have investigated the two types of voltage-dependent outward potassium (K) currents, i.e. delayed rectifier K current ($I_{K(V)}$) and 'A-like' transient outward K current ($I_{to}$) with patch-clamp technique in single smooth muscle cells (SMCs) isolated from rabbit basilar artery, and investigated the characteristics of them. The time-courses of activation were well fitted by exponential function raised to second power ($n^2$) in $I_{K(V)}$ and fourth power ($n^4$) in $I_{to}$. The activation, inactivation and recovery time courses of $I_{to}$ were much faster than that of $I_{K(V)}$. The steady-state activation and inactivation of $I_{K(V)}$ was at the more hyperpolarized range than that of $I_{to}$ contrary to the reports in other vascular SMCs. Tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA; 10 mM) markedly inhibited $I_{K(V)}$ but little affected $I_{to}$. 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP) had similar inhibitory potency on both currents. While a low concentration of $Cd^{2+}$ (0.5 mM) shifted the current- voltage relationship of $I_{to}$ to the positive direction without change of maximum conductance, $Cd^{2+}$ did not cause any appreciable change for $I_{K(V)}$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.95-101
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• 2005

In the heart, $Na^{+}-Ca^{2+}$ exchange (NCX) is the major $Ca^{2+}$ extrusion mechanism. NCX has been considered as a relaxation mechanism, as it reduces global $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ raised during activation. However, if NCX locates in the close proximity to the ryanodine receptor, then NCX would curtail $Ca^{2+}$ before its diffusion to global $Ca^{2+}_i$ This will result in a global $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ decrease especially during its ascending phase rather than descending phase. Therefore, NCX would decrease the myocardial contractility rather than inducing relaxation in the heart. This possibility was examined in this study by comparing NCX-induced extrusion of $Ca^{2+}$ after its release from SR in the presence and absence of global $Ca^{2+}_i$ transient in the isolated single rat ventricular myocytes by using patch-clamp technique in a whole-cell configuration. Global $Ca^{2+}_i$ transient was controlled by an internal dialysis with different concentrations of BAPTA added in the pipette. During stimulation with a ramp pulse from +100 mV to -100 mV for 200 ms, global $Ca^{2+}_i$ transient was suppressed only mildly, and completely at 1 mmol/L, and 10 mmol/L BAPTA, respectively. In these situations, ryanodine-sensitive inward NCX current was compared using $100{\mu}mol/L$ ryanodine, $Na^+$ depletion, 5 mmol/L $NaCl_2$ and $1{\mu}mol/L$ nifedipine. Surprisingly, the result showed that the ryanodine-sensitive inward NCX current was well preserved after 10 mmol/L BAPTA to 91 % of that obtained after 1 mmol/L BAPTA. From this result, it is concluded that most of the NCX-induced $Ca^{2+}$ extrusion occurs before the $Ca^{2+}$ diffuses to global $Ca^{2+})i$ in the rat ventricular myocyte.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.161-165
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• 2004

Exogenous carbon monoxide (0.2%) increases L-type calcium $(Ca^{2+})$ current in human jejunal circular smooth muscle cells. The stimulatory effect of carbon monoxide (CO) on L-type $Ca^{2+}$ current is inhibited by pre-application of L-NNA, a classical competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) with no significant isoform selectivity (Lim, 2003). In the present study, we investigated which isoform of NOS affected CO induced stimulation of L-type $Ca^{2+}$ current in human jejunal circular smooth muscle cells. Cells were voltage clamped by whole-cell mode patch clamp technique, and membrane currents were recorded with 10 mM barium as the charge carrier. Before the addition of CO, cells were pretreated with each inhibitor of three NOS isoforms for 15 minutes. CO-stimulating effect on L-type $Ca^{2+}$ current was partially blocked by N-(3-(Amino-methyl) benzyl) acetamidine 2HCl (1400W, an iNOS inhibitor). On the other hand, 3-bromo-7-nitroindazole (BNI, a nNOS inhibitor) or $N^5-(1-Iminoethyl)-L-ornithine$ dihydrochloride (L-NIO, an eNOS inhibitor) completely blocked the CO effect. These data suggest that low dose of exogenous CO may stimulate all NOS isoforms to increase L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel through nitric oxide (NO) pathway in human jejunal circular smooth muscle cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.145-150
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• 2010

Adenosine (Ado) is an important mediator of the endogenous defense against ischemia-induced injury in the heart. The action of Ado is mediated by activation of G protein-gated inwardly rectifying $K^+$ (GIRK) channels. In turn, GIRK channels are inhibited by reducing phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate ($PIP_2$) through Gq protein-coupled receptors (GqPCRs). We previously found that GIRK channels activated by acetylcholine, a muscarinic M2 acetylcholine receptor agonist, are inhibited by GqPCRs in a receptor-specific manner. However, it is not known whether GIRK channels activated by Ado signaling are also regulated by GqPCRs. Presently, this was investigated in mouse atrial myocytes using the patch clamp technique. GIRK channels were activated by $100\;{\mu}M$ Ado. When Ado was repetitively applied at intervals of 5~6 min, the amplitude of second Ado-activated GIRK currents ($I_{K(Ado)}$) was $88.3{\pm}3.7%$ of the first $I_{K(Ado)}$ in the control. Pretreatment of atrial myocytes with phenylephrine, endothelin-1, or bradykinin prior to a second application of Ado reduced the amplitude of the second $I_{K(Ado)}$ to $25.5{\pm}11.6%$, $30.5{\pm}5.6%$, and $96.0{\pm}2.7%$, respectively. The potency of $I_{K(Ado)}$ inhibition by GqPCRs was different with that observed in acetylcholine-activated GIRK currents ($I_{K(ACh)}$) (endothelin-1>phenylephrine>bradykinin). $I_{K(Ado)}$ was almost completely inhibited by $500\;{\mu}M$ of the $PIP_2$ scavenger neomycin, suggesting low $PIP_2$ affinity of $I_{K(Ado)}$. Taken together, these results suggest that the crosstalk between GqPCRs and the Ado-induced signaling pathway is receptor-specific. The differential change in $PIP_2$ affinity of GIRK channels activated by Ado and ACh may underlie, at least in part, their differential responses to GqPCR agonists.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.463-468
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• 2013

Acute hypoxia induces contraction of pulmonary artery (PA) to protect ventilation/perfusion mismatch in lungs. As for the cellular mechanism of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV), hypoxic inhibition of voltage-gated $K^+$ channel (Kv) in PA smooth muscle cell (PASMC) has been suggested. In addition, our recent study showed that thromboxane $A_2$ ($TXA_2$) and hypoxia-activated nonselective cation channel ($I_{NSC}$) is also essential for HPV. However, it is not well understood whether HPV is maintained in the animals exposed to ambient hypoxia for two days (2d-H). Specifically, the associated electrophysiological changes in PASMCs have not been studied. Here we investigate the effects of 2d-H on HPV in isolated ventilated/perfused lungs (V/P lungs) from rats. HPV was almost abolished without structural remodeling of PA in 2d-H rats, and the lost HPV was not recovered by Kv inhibitor, 4-aminopyridine. Patch clamp study showed that the hypoxic inhibition of Kv current in PASMC was similar between 2d-H and control. In contrast, hypoxia and $TXA_2$-activated $I_{NSC}$ was not observed in PASMCs of 2d-H. From above results, it is suggested that the decreased $I_{NSC}$ might be the primary functional cause of HPV disappearance in the relatively early period (2 d) of hypoxia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.721-729
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• 2018

GABAergic control over dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra is crucial for determining firing rates and patterns. Although GABA activates both $GABA_A$ and $GABA_B$ receptors distributed throughout the somatodendritic tree, it is currently unclear how regional GABA receptors in the soma and dendritic compartments regulate spontaneous firing. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine actions of regional GABA receptors on spontaneous firing in acutely dissociated DA neurons from the rat using patch-clamp and local GABA-uncaging techniques. Agonists and antagonists experiments showed that activation of either $GABA_A$ receptors or $GABA_B$ receptors in DA neurons is enough to completely abolish spontaneous firing. Local GABA-uncaging along the somatodendritic tree revealed that activation of regional GABA receptors limited within the soma, proximal, or distal dendritic region, can completely suppress spontaneous firing. However, activation of either $GABA_A$ or $GABA_B$ receptor equally suppressed spontaneous firing in the soma, whereas $GABA_B$ receptor inhibited spontaneous firing more strongly than $GABA_A$ receptor in the proximal and distal dendrites. These regional differences of GABA signals between the soma and dendritic compartments could contribute to our understanding of many diverse and complex actions of GABA in midbrain DA neurons.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.353-361
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• 2005

The interaction of cyclosporine A (CsA), an immunosuppressant, with rat brain Kv1.5 (Kv1.5) channels, which were stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, was investigated using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. CsA reversibly blocked Kv1.5 currents at +50 mV in a reversible concentrationdependent manner with an apparent $IC_{50}$ of 1.0μM. Other calcineurin inhibitors (cypermethrin, autoinhibitory peptide) had no effect on Kv1.5 and did not prevent the inhibitory effect of CsA. Fast application of CsA led to a rapid and reversible block of Kv1.5, and the onset time constants of the CsA-induced block were decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The CsA-induced block of Kv1.5 channels was voltage-dependent, with a steep increase over the voltage range of channel opening. However, the block exhibited voltage independence over the voltage range in which channels were fully activated. The rate constants for association and dissociation of CsA were $7.0{\mu}M{-1}s^{-1}$ and $8.1s^{-1}$, respectively. CsA slowed the deactivation time course, resulting in a tail crossover phenomenon. Block of Kv1.5 by CsA was use-dependent. CsA also blocked Kv1.3 currents at +50 mV in a reversible concentration-dependent manner with an apparent $IC_{50}$ of $1.1{\mu}M$. The same effects of CsA on Kv1.3 were also observed in excised inside-out patches when applied to the internal surface of the membrane. The present results suggest that CsA acts directly on Kv1.5 currents as an open-channel blocker, independently of the effects of CsA on calcineurin activity.