• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.159-172
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• 1996

대기오염물질이면서 동시에 생체내 화학반응의 산물이기도 한 nitric oxide(NO)는 그 생체내 분포가 광범위하고 생리적 역할이 다양하여, 최근의 생명과학 분야에서 가장 크게 주목받는 몇가지 연구대상 중 하나이다. 세포에서의 NO 산생은 nitric oxide synthase (NOS)에 의해 촉매되는데, 이들은 brain form (bNOS, neuronal; nNOS, NOS I), inducible form (iNOS), 및 endothelial form(eNOS)로 구분되는데, 이중 bNOS(nNOS)와 eNOS는 inducible form에 대비되는 constitutive form(cNOS)에 해당하므로 각각 ncNOS 와 ecNOS로도 불리운다. NOS는 아미노산인 L-arginine을 산소와 결합시켜 L-citrulline으로 변환시키면서 NO를 유리하고, 이 NO는 세포내의 guanylate cyclase를 활성화하여 cyclic GMP를 생산하거나, superoxide(O2-) 및 수소이온과 차례로 결합하여 반응성이 매우 높은 수산화기(-OH)를 발생시켜 세포독작용을 유발하기도 한다. 정상상태에서 뇌혈관내피세포의 ecNOS로 부터 유리된 NO는 혈관을 확장시켜 신경세포에 대한 산소공급을 원활히 유지해 주지만, 순환장애를 일으켰을 때는 뇌조직내의 iNOS로부터 대량의 NO가 유출되어 신경세포의 손상을 가져온다. 호흡기에서는 NO가 기도평활근을 이완시키고 폐혈류를 개선하므로, 미숙아나 성인의 호흡장애시에 소량의 NO를 흡입시키면 oxygenation을 호전시킬 수 있다. 그러나 대기오염이나 흡연 등으로 대량의 NO를 흡입할 경우 치명적인 폐부종이나 methemoglobin혈종을 일으킬 수 있다. 순환계에서는 cNOS가 혈관을 확장시켜 조직의 혈류를 유지하는데 일익을 담당한다. 세균내 독소(lipopolysaccharide; LPS)나 각종 명역조절물질들이 혈관내피세포와 혈관평활근세포로 부터 과다한 NO를 유리시키면 혈압이 급격히 떨어져 순환허탈상태에 빠지게 된다. 심장에서는 관상혈관 내피세포의 eNOS가 심근의 혈류를 유지해 주지만 허혈이나 세균내독소 또는 면역조절물질 등에 의하여 심근세포나 침윤된 대식세포의 iNOS로 부터 과량의 NO가 유리되면 심근세포의 손상이 초래된다. 신장에서는 내피세포의 cNOS에 의하여 사구체여과가 조절되고 있는데, 세균내독소나 면역 조절물질 등에 의하여 사구체관막세포(mesangial cell)등의 iNOS로 부터 과량의 NO가 유리되면 신조직과 사구체의 손상을 초래한다. 위와 같이 대부분의 장기에서 ecNOS는 조직의 혈류를 유지하는 역할을 하며, iNOS는 애초 세균 등 침입자에 대한 세포독작용이 그 존재 목적이라고 풀이할 수 있겠으나 일종의 부작용으로 자체조직의 손상을 초래하게 되는 것으로 본다. 따라서 NO와 관련된 각종 병변의 치료를 위해서는 NOS의 비선택성 억제제인 arginine 유도체 보다는 iNOS에 대한 선택적 억제제인 S-methylisothiourea(SMT), aminoethylisothiourea(AETU), aminoguanidine (AMG), agmatine, L-canavanine, transforming growth factor b1(TGF-b1) 등의 사용을 검토해 보는 것이 타당할 것으로 사료된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.153-159
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• 2004

The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are the pacemaker cells in gastrointestinal tract and generate electrical rhythmicity in gastrointestinal muscles. Therefore, ICC may be modulated by endogenous agents such as neurotransmitter, hormones, and prostaglandins (PGs). In the present study, we investigated the effects of prostaglandins, especially $PGE_2$, on pacemaker currents in cultured ICCs from murine small intestine by using whole-cell patch clamp techniques. ICCs generated spontaneous slow waves under voltage-clamp conditions and showed a mean amplitude of $-452{\pm}39\;pA$ and frequency of $18{\pm}2$ cycles/min (n=6). Treatments of the cells with $PGE_2$ $(1\;{\mu}M)$ decreased both the frequency and amplitude of the pacemaker currents and increased the resting currents in the outward direction. $PGE_2$ had only inhibitory effects on pacemaker currents and this inhibitory effect was dose-dependent. For characterization of specific membrane EP receptor subtypes, involved in the effects of $PGE_2$ on pacemaker currents in ICCs, EP receptor agonists were used: Butaprost $(1\;{\mu}M)$, $EP_2$ receptor agonist, reduced the spontaneous inward current frequency and amplitude in cultured ICCs (n=5). However sulprostone $(1\;{\mu}M)$, a mixed $EP_1$ and $EP_3$ agonist, had no effects on the frequency, amplitude and resting currents of pacemaker currents (n=5). SQ-22536 (an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase; $100\;{\mu}M$) and ODQ (an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase; $100\;{\mu}M$) had no effects on $PGE_2$ actions of pacemaker currents. These observations indicate that $PGE_2$ alter directly the pacemaker currents in ICCs, and that the $PGE_2$ receptor subtypes involved are the $EP_2$ receptor, independent of cyclic AMP- and GMP-dependent pathway.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 2016

Human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) have various voltage-dependent $K^+$ channels (VDKCs) that can induce apoptosis. Hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) modulates VDKCs and induces oxidative stress, which is the main contributor to cardiac injury and cardiac remodeling. We investigated whether $H_2O_2$ could modulate VDKCs in HCFs and induce cell injury through this process. In whole-cell mode patch-clamp recordings, application of $H_2O_2$ stimulated $Ca^{2+}-activated$ $K^+$ ($K_{Ca}$) currents but not delayed rectifier $K^+$ or transient outward $K^+$ currents, all of which are VDKCs. $H_2O_2-stimulated$ $K_{Ca}$ currents were blocked by iberiotoxin (IbTX, a large conductance $K_{Ca}$ blocker). The $H_2O_2-stimulating$ effect on large-conductance $K_{Ca}$ ($BK_{Ca}$) currents was also blocked by KT5823 (a protein kinase G inhibitor) and 1 H-[1, 2, 4] oxadiazolo-[4, 3-a] quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor). In addition, 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine 3', 5'-monophosphate (8-Br-cGMP) stimulated $BK_{Ca}$ currents. In contrast, KT5720 and H-89 (protein kinase A inhibitors) did not block the $H_2O_2-stimulating$ effect on $BK_{Ca}$ currents. Using RT-PCR and western blot analysis, three subtypes of $K_{Ca}$ channels were detected in HCFs: $BK_{Ca}$ channels, small-conductance $K_{Ca}$ ($SK_{Ca}$) channels, and intermediate-conductance $K_{Ca}$ ($IK_{Ca}$) channels. In the annexin V/propidium iodide assay, apoptotic changes in HCFs increased in response to $H_2O_2$, but IbTX decreased $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis. These data suggest that among the VDKCs of HCFs, $H_2O_2$ only enhances $BK_{Ca}$ currents through the protein kinase G pathway but not the protein kinase A pathway, and is involved in cell injury through $BK_{Ca}$ channels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.1
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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.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 1993

Ultraviolet light radiation (UVR) did not affect resting tension of isolated thoracic aortae of rats. In aortic rings contracted with phenylephrine, however, UVR produced contractile and relaxant responses in preparations with and without endothelium, respectively. The contractile response was dependent upon the duration $(10{\sim}320\;sec)$ of irradiation, while the relaxation was not. UVR-induced contractions in endothelium-intact rings were significantly potentiated by increasing the concentrations of phenylephrine from $10^{-7}M$ to $10^{-5}M$, and also by addition of $10^{-6}M$ acetylcholine, $10^{-7}M$ isoproterenol and $3.5{\times}10^{-8}M$ nitroglycerine. However, addition of $10^{-6}M$ phentolamine, or $10^{-7}M$ to $10^{-6}M$ LY83583 inhibited the contraction or reversed the contraction to a relaxation. In endothelium-removed preparations the UVR-induced relaxation was attenuated by increasing concentractions of phenylephrine, and by addition of isoproterenol, nitroglycerin, phentolamine or LY83583. These results suggest that UVR produces contractile and relaxant responses in rat thoracic aortae with and without endothelium, respectively, and that the contractile effect results from the inhibition of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) release by UVR the inhibition of and/or is in part re-lated to some endothelium-derived contractile factors (EDCFs).

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2009

Nitric oxide (NO) acts as an intracellular messenger at the physiological level but can be cytotoxic at high concentrations. The cells within periodontal tissues, such as gingival and periodontal fibroblasts, contain nitric oxide syntheses and produce high concentrations of NO when exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharides and cytokines. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying NO-induced cytotoxicity in periodontal tissues are unclear at present. In our current study, we examined the NO-induced cytotoxic mechanisms in human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). Cell viability and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined using a MTT assay and a fluorescent spectrometer, respectively. The morphological changes in the cells were examined by Diff-Quick staining. Expression of the Bcl-2 family and Fas was determined by RT-PCR or western blotting. The activity of caspase-3, -8 and -9 was assessed using a spectrophotometer. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, decreased the cell viability of the HGF cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. SNP enhanced the production of ROS, which was ameliorated by NAC, a free radical scavenger. ODQ, a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, did not block the SNP-induced decrease in cell viability. SNP also caused apoptotic morphological changes, including cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation. The expression of Bax, a member of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family, was upregulated in the SNP-treated HGF cells, whereas the expression of Bcl-2, a member of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family, was downregulated. SNP augmented the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytosol and enhanced the activity of caspase-8, -9, and -3. SNP also upregulated Fas, a component of the death receptor assembly. These results suggest that NO induces apoptosis in human gingival fibroblast via ROS and the Bcl-2 family through both mitochondrial- and death receptor-mediated pathways. Our data also indicate that the cyclic GMP pathway is not involved in NO-induced apoptosis.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 1998

Digital hearing aids offer many advantages over conventional analog hearing aids. With the advent of high speed digital signal processing chips, new digital techniques have been introduced to digital hearing aids. In addition, the evaluation of new ideas in hearing aids is necessarily accompanied by intensive subject-based clinical tests which requires much time and cost. In this paper, we present an objective method to evaluate and predict the performance of hearing aid systems without the help of such subject-based tests. In the hearing impairment simulation(HIS) algorithm, a sensorineural hearing impairment medel is established from auditory test data of the impaired subject being simulated. Also, the nonlinear behavior of the loudness recruitment is defined using hearing loss functions generated from the measurements. To transform the natural input sound into the impaired one, a frequency sampling filter is designed. The filter is continuously refreshed with the level-dependent frequency response function provided by the impairment model. To assess the performance, the HIS algorithm was implemented in real-time using a floating-point DSP. Signals processed with the real-time system were presented to normal subjects and their auditory data modified by the system was measured. The sensorineural hearing impairment was simulated and tested. The threshold of hearing and the speech discrimination tests exhibited the efficiency of the system in its use for the hearing impairment simulation. Using the HIS system we evaluated three typical hearing aid algorithms.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.92-111
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• 2002

Objective : Carthami Flos has been used as a herb to promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis in oriental medicine for many centuries, and Amun(GV15) has been used as a meridian point to treat apoplexy etc. To investigate treatment of cerevral vascular disease(CVA) by promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis(活血化瘀法), we observed the experimental effects and mechanism of auqa-acupunture of Carthami Flos(ACF) injected into GV15 on cerevral hemodynamics and cardiovascular system of rats. Method : Aqua-acupuncture of Carthami Flos(ACF) was injected into GV15, and then we investigated experimental effects and mechanism of ACF on the cerebral hemodynamics[regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF), pial arterial diameter(PAD), meal arterial blood pressure(MABP)] and cardiovascular system[cardiac muscle contractile force(CMF), heart rate(HR)I by pretreatment with methylene blue(MTB) and indomethacin(IDN). The changes in rCBF, MABP, CMF and HR were tested by Laser Doppler Flowmetry(LDF), and the changes in PAD was determinated by video microscopy methods and video analyzer. Results :The results were as follows in normal rats ; The changes of rCBF and PAD were significantly increased by ACF($120{\mu}{\ell}/kg$) in a injected time-dependent manner, but MABP was not changed by ACF. The changes of cardiovascular system were increased by ACF in a injected time-dependent manner. And pretreatment with MTB was significantly inhibited ACE induced increase of rCBF and PAD, and was decreased ACF induced increase of HR. And pretreatment with IDN was increased ACF induced MABP and CMF. And the results were as follows in cerebral ischemic rats ; The changes of rCBF was increased stabilizly by treatment with ACF($120{\mu}{\ell}/kg$) in during the period of cerebral reperfusion, but pretreatment with MTB was increased ACF induced increase of rCBF during the period of cerebral reperfusion. The results were as follows in normal rats ; The changes of rCBF and PAD were significantly increased by ACF($120{\mu}{\ell}/kg$) in a injected time-dependent manner, but MABP was not changed by ACF. The changes of cardiovascular system were increased by ACF in a injected time-dependent manner. And pretreatment with MTB was significantly inhibited ACF induced increase of rCBF and PAD, and was decreased ACF induced increase of HR. And pretreatment with IDN was increased ACF induced MABP and CMF. And the results were as follows in cerebral ischemic rats ; The changes of rCBF was increased stabilizly by treatment with ACF($120{\mu}{\ell}/kg$) in during the period of cerebral reperfusion, but pretreatment with MTB was increased ACF induced increase of rCBF during the period of cerebral reperfusion Conclusions : In conclusion, ACF causes a diverse response of rCBF, PAD an HR, and action of ACF is mediated by cyclic GMP. I suggested that ACF has an anti-ischemic effect through the improvement of crebral hemodynamics in a transient cerebral ischemia.