• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.27-34
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• 1987

To verify the direct effects of the thyroid hormone ($T_3$) on the rabbit heart, $T_3$-Tyrode solution in vitro was perfused on the normal atrial muscles and enzymatically isolated ventricular myocytes of the rabbit. All the experimental procedures were conducted at $35^{\circ}C$ and the same procedures were repeated after Ca. 120 minutes from the beginning of $T_3$-Tyrode perfusion. Compared to the state between the normal Tyrode solution and $T_3$-Tyrode solution, results were observed on the same cells by electrophysiological methods (conventional intracellular recording and whole cell patch clamping) as soon as possible. The results obtained were as follows : 1. Action potential duration (APD) on the left atrial muscle was reduced under the perfusion of $T_3$-Tyrode. 2. Absolute refractory Period was shortened by $T_3$-Tryrode perfusion. (117 msec./114 msec., 90 msec./78 msec.) 3. Maximal Ca currents ($i_{Ca}$) were decreased in single: ventricular myocytes under the $T_3$-Tyrode (2.98 nA) than under the normal Tyrode (6.65 nA) 4. On I-V relation, reversal potential was shifted to lower membrane potential and membrane potential showing maximal $i_{Ca}$was lowered from +10mV to -20mV by $T_3$ effect. 5. Above results were likely to explain that tachycardia in the hyperthyroid state was caused in part by the reduced repolarization phase and the reduced refractory period due to the decrease of the Ca current.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.6
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• pp.741-748
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• 1997

In the present study, we have investigated the effect of metabolic inhibition on the inward rectifier K current ($I_{K1}$). Using whole cell patch clamp technique we applied voltage ramp from +80 mV to -140 mV at a holding potential of -30 mV and recorded the whole cell current in single ventricular myocytes isolated from the rabbit heart. The current-voltage relationship showed N-shape (a large inward current and little outward current with a negative slope) which is a characteristic of $I_{K1}$. Application of 0.2 mM dinitrophenol (DNP, an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation as a tool for chemical hypoxia) to the bathing solution with the pipette solution containing 5 mM ATP, produced a gradual increase of outward current followed by a gradual decrease of inward current with little change in the reversal potential (-80 mV). The increase of outward current was reversed by glibenclamide ($10\;{\mu}M$), suggesting that it is caused by the activation of $K_{ATP}$. When DNP and glibenclamide were applied at the same time or glibenclamide was pretreated, DNP produced same degree of reduction in the magnitude of the inward current. These results show that metabolic inhibition induces not only the increase of $K_{ATP}$ channel but also the decrease of $I_{K1}$. Perfusing the cell with ATP-free pipette solution induced the changes very similar to those observed using DNP. Long exposure of DNP (30 min) or ATP-free pipette solution produced a marked decrease of both inward and outward current with a significant change in the reversal potential. Above results suggest that the decrease of $I_{K1}$ may contribute to the depolarisation of membrane potential during metabolic inhibition.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.112-112
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• 2003

Voltage-gated $K^{+}$ (Kv) channels represent a structurally and functionally diverse group of membrane proteins. These channels play an important role in determining the length of the cardiac action potential and are the targets for antiarrhythmic drugs. Many $K^{+}$ channel genes have been cloned from human myocardium and functionally contribute to its electrical activity. One of these channels, Kv1.5, is one of the more cardiovascular-specific $K^{+}$ channel isoforms identified to date and forms the molecular basis for an ultra-rapid delayed rectifier $K^{＋}$ current found in human atrium. Thus, the blocker of hKv1.5 is expected to be an ideal antiarrhythmic drug for atrial fibrillation. Chelidonine was isolated from Chelidonium majus L. We examined the effect of chelidonine on the hKv1.5 current expressed in Ltk-cells using whole cell mode of patch clamp techniques. Chelidonine selectively inhibited the hKv1.5 current expressed in Ltk-cells in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas did not affect the HERG current expressed in HEK-293 cells. Additionally, chelidonine reduced the tail current amplitude recorded at -50 mV after 250 ms depolarizing pulses to +60 mV, and slowed the deactivation time course resulting in a 'crossover' phenomenon when the tail currents recorded under control conditions and in the presence of chelidonine were superimposed. We found that chelidonine also inhibited the $K^{+}$ current in isolated human atrial myocytes where hKv1.5 channels were predominantly expressed. Furthermore, we examined the effects of chelidonine on the action potentials in rabbit hearts using conventional microelectrode technique. Chelidonine prolonged the action potential durations (APD) of atrial, ventricular myocytes and Purkinje fibers in a dose-dependent manner. However, the effect of chelidonine on atrial APD was frequency-dependent whereas the effect of chelidonine on the APDs of ventricular myocytes and Purkinje fibers was not frequency- dependent. Also, the selective action of chelidonine on heart was more potent than dofetilide, $K^{+}$ channel blocker.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 1992

In order to elucidate the properties of the background current whole cell patch clamp studies were performed in rabbit ventricular cells. Ramp pulses of ${\pm}80\;mV$ from holding potential of 40 mV(or 20 mV) at the speed of 0.8 V/sec were given every 30 sec(or 10 sec) and current-voltage diagrams(I-V curve) were obtained. For the activation of the background current isoprenaline, adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate(dBcAMP), guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate(cGMP), and $N^6$-2'-o-dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate(dBcAMP) were applied after all known current systems were blocked with 2mM Ba, 1 mM Cd ,5 mM Ni, 10 ${\mu}M$ diltiazem, 10 ${\mu}m$ ouabain, and 20 mM tetraethylammonium(TEA). The conductance of background current in control was $0.65{\pm}0.69$ nS at 0 mV, its I-V curves was almost linear and reversed near 50 mV. When there was no taurine in pipette solution, isoprenaline hardly activated the background current but when taurine existed in pipette solution, isoprenaline activated the larger background current. Cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP alone had little effect on the activation of the background current, while cGMP potentiated cGMP effect. When the background current was activated with cGMP and cAMP, isoprenaline could not further increased the background current. The background current activated by isoprenaline depended on extracellular $Cl^-$ concentration and its reversal potential was shifted according to chloride equilibrium potential. The change of extracellular $Na+$ concentration had little effect on reversal potential of the background current activated by isoprenaline.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.119-125
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• 2010

We investigated the effects of a hot-water extract of Artemisia iwayomogi, a plant belonging to family Compositae, on cardiac ventricular delayed rectifier $K^+$ current ($I_K$) using the patch clamp technique. The carbohydrate fraction AIP1 dose-dependently increased the heart rate with an apparent $EC_{50}$ value of $56.1{\pm}5.5\;{\mu}g/ml$. Application of AIP1 reduced the action potential duration (APD) in concentration-dependent fashion by activating $I_K$ without significantly altering the resting membrane potential ($IC_{50}$ value of $APD_{50}$: $54.80{\pm}2.24$, $IC_{50}$ value of $APD_{90}$: $57.45{\pm}3.47\;{\mu}g/ml$). Based on the results, all experiments were performed with $50\;{\mu}g/ml$ of AIP1. Pre-treatment with the rapidly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ current ($I_{Kr}$) inhibitor, E-4031 prolonged APD. However, additional application of AIP1 did not reduce APD. The inhibition of slowly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ current ($I_{Ks}$) by chromanol 293B did not change the effect of AIP1. AIP1 did not significantly affect coronary arterial tone or ion channels, even at the highest concentration of AIP1. In summary, AIP1 reduces APD by activating $I_{Kr}$ but not $I_{Ks}$. These results suggest that the natural product AIP1 may provide an adjunctive therapy of long QT syndrome.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 1997

It has been demonstrated that majority of cells in the mammalian body such as myocytes and epithelial cells of skin and intestine respond to mechanical force or environmental factors and exhibit partial disruption of cell membrane, i. e., cell wounding, even in a physiological condition. Myocardial cells are rather apt to be wounded than other cells since they are definitely exposed to mechanical stress by contraction-relaxation and blood flow. However, the mechanism how myocardial cells protect themselves against cell wounding is not yet clarified. On this background, the present study was performed to elucidate whether albumin leakage is related to cell wounding and to assess whether diltiazem, a potent calcium channel blocker, is beneficial in isoproterenol-induced cell wounding in the heart. Hearts isolated from New Zealand White rabbits ($1.5\sim2.0kg$ body weight, n=20) were perfused with Tyrode solution by Langendorff technique. After stabilization of baseline hemodynamics, the hearts were subjected to bolus administration of isoproterenol and diltiazem as following order: $1.6{\mu}M$ isoproterenol at zero min (the beginning point): $16{\mu}M$ diltiazem at 20min; $1.6{\mu}M$ isoproterenol at 25min; $16{\mu}M$ isoproterenol at 45 min; $160{\mu}M$ diltiazem at 65 min; $16{\mu}M$ isoproterenol at 70 min. During all experiments, the left ventricular function was recorded, albumin leakage in the coronary effluents was analyzed by electrophoresis and Western blot, and myocardial cell membranes were examined by conventional transmission electron microscopy. Data were analyzed by t-test and linear regression test. Isoproterenol significantly increased the inotropic and chronotropic contractions, coronary flow, and frequency of arrhythmia, however, diltiazem did not influence on hemodynamics except decrease in the frequency of arrhythmia and a slight decrease in contractility. Isoproterenol also resulted partial disruption of myocardial cell membrane and inclose in albumin leakage, while diltiazem pretreatment showed number of electron-dense plaques in the cell membrane and a tendency of decrease in albumin leakage. These results indicate that albumin leakage may be an indirect index of cell wounding in the heart and diltiazem nay be beneficial to protect myocardial cells against isoproterenol-induced cell wounding. It is likely that diltiazem promotes resealing process of the cell membrane.