• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제4권6호
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• pp.463-469
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• 2000

It has been well known that 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) has an excitatory effect on vascular smooth muscle due to causing membrane depolarization by blocking $K^+-channel$. However, we observed that 4-AP had an inhibitory effect on the mesenteric artery of rat. Therefore, we investigated the mechanism of 4-AP-induced vasorelaxation. The mesenteric arcuate artery and its branches were isolated and cut into ring. The ring segment was immersed in HEPES-buffered solution and its isometric tension was measured. 4-AP $(0.1{\sim}10\;mM)$ induced a concentration-dependent relaxation, which was unaffected by NO synthase inhibitor, $N^G-nitro-L-arginine$ methylester $(100\;{\mu}M)$ or soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, methylene blue $(100\;{\mu}M).$ Glibenclamide $(100\;{\mu}M)$, ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channel blocker, did not exert any effect on the 4-AP-induced vasorelaxation. 4-AP relaxed the sustained contraction induced by 100 mM $K^+$ or $Ca^{2+}$ ionophore, A23187 $(100\;{\mu}M)$ in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, 4-AP significantly decreased the phasic contractile response to norepinephrine in the absence of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$. However, 4-AP did not block the $^{45}Ca$ influx of rat aorta. From the above results, we suggest that 4-AP may not block the $Ca^{2+}$ influx through $Ca^{2+}-channel,$ but act as a nonspecific vasorelaxant in arterial smooth muscle.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.397-402
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• 2006

Lipid mediator such as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) plays an important role in inflammation and wound heating, has been recently reported to induce influx of extracellular calcium into erythrocytes. This elevation in intracellular calcium level may cause destruction of membrane asymmetry and procoagulant microvesicle formation. Thus, we investigated if the lipid mediator could induce microvesicle formation as a result of extracellular calcium influx in human erythrocytes. Treatment with lipid mediator to erythrocytes resulted in microvesicle generation In a concentration-, time-dependent manner. Microvesicles formed expressed procoagulant phosphatidylserine (PS) on their surface membrane significantly as well. LPA did not affect the band 3 phosphorylation which is involved in morphological change in erythrocytes. Pretreatment with suramin did not inhibit LPA-induced microvesicle generation, suggesting microvesicle generation was not receptor-dependent pathway. Depletion of intracellular ATP levels in erythrocytes was suggested to be one of the mechanism for these events.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.67-75
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• 2012

Zizyphi Spinosi Semen (ZSS) have been widely used for the treatment of insomnia in Asia. This experiment was performed to investigate whether methanol extract of ZSS (MEZSS) has hypnotic effects through the ${\gamma}$-amino butyric acid (GABA)ergic systems. MEZSS inhibited the locomotor activity. MEZSS enhanced pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors. However, MEZSS itself did not induce sleep at higher dose, similar to muscimol. On the other hand, both pentobarbital and MEZSS increased the non rapid eye move (NREM) sleep, especially reducing the -wave electroencephalogram (EEG) activity in REM sleep. MEZSS showed similar effects with muscimol on potentiating chloride influx induced by pentobarbital. MEZSS significantly increased GABAA receptors ${\gamma}$-subunit expression and slightly decreased ${\beta}$-subunit expression in hypothalamus and thalamus, showing that subunit-expression was similar to diazepam. In addition, MEZSS enhanced the expression of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). In conclusion, it is suggested that MEZSS might augment pentobarbital-induced sleep behaviors through the modification of GABAergic systems.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.217-220
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• 2006

The effects of $(1R,9S)-\beta-hydrastine$ hydrochloride (BHSH) on $Ca^{2+}$ transport in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells were investigated. In the presence of external $Ca^{2+}$, BHSH at $100{\mu}M$ inhibited $K^+$ (56mM)-induced dopamine release, and $K^+-induced$ $Ca^{2+}$ influx and a sustained rise of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. In addition, BHSH at 100 f.!M reduced the sustained rise of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ elicited by 20 mM caffeine, but not by $1{\mu}M$ thapsigargin, in presence of external $Ca^{2+}$. These results suggest that BHSH inhibited $K^+-induced$ dopamine release and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ influx, and store-operated $Ca^{2+}$ channels activated by caffeine, but not by thapsigargin, in PC12 cells.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.485-491
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• 2015

This study was aimed to investigate the relaxation effects of Eucomiae Cortex (EC) extract in isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and its mechanism. To evaluate the relaxation of EC extract in rabbit corpus cavernosum, EC extract was treated in corporal strips which were precontracted with phenylephrine(PE). To study its mechanism, Nω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) was pretreated after infuse of EC extract and compared with non-treated. In calcium chloride (Ca²⁺) -free krebs solution, EC extract and Ca²⁺ 1 mM were infused by turns after Ca²⁺ 1 mM was treated into corporal strips contracted by PE. Cell ability, nitric oxide (NO) and epithelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) were measured by MTT assay, Griess reagent system and histochemical, immunohistochemical methods. EC extract showed a significant relaxation effects on the corporal strips, this effects were inhibited by pretreatment of L-NNA. EC extract inhibited the increase of contraction by Ca²⁺ influx in Ca²⁺-free krebs solution, and eNOS positive reaction in corpus cavernosum, NO production in HUVEC increased by treatment of EC extract. These result suggest that the relaxation effects of EC extract in isolated corpus cavernosum smooth muscle are involved in increase of eNOS and NO production, blocking of extracellular Ca²⁺ influx.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.25-29
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• 2006

We tested effects of bioactive lysophospholipids including lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC), and sphingosine I-phosphate (S1P) on membrane potential in C6 glioma cells to understand action mechanism of the lysophospholipids. Membrane potential was estimated by measuring fluorescence change of DiBAC-loaded glioma cells. LPA largely increased membrane potential and the increase was gradually diminished. LPC also increased the membrane potential, however, the increase sustained. SPC induced smaller increase of membrane potential than LPC. SIP was not able to change the membrane potential. We tested effects of suramin and pertussis toxin on lysophospholipid-induced membrane potential increase. However, there wasn't any effect. The membrane potential increase was partially diminished in $Na^+$-free media, suggesting $Na^+$ influx as a component of membrane potential changes. Thus, involvement of $Na^+$ influx in the increase of membrane potential by lysophospholipids and independence of suramin-sensitive GPCRs and pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins are found in this study.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.78-82
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• 2003

We identified two proteins in Haemophilus influenzae Rd that exhibited high similarity to two major serine transporters of Escherichia coli (SstT and SdaC). Then, we investigated serine transport in H. influenzae Rd and detected $Na^{+}$-stimulated L-serine transport activity. The optimum NaCl concentration for this stimulation was about 20 mM. The uptake of $Na^{+}$ by H. influenzae Rd was found to be elicited by L-serine influx, which supports the idea that L-serine is transported by a mechanism of $Na^{+}$/serine symport. No uptake of $H^{+}$ elicited by L-serine influx was detected. $Na^{+}$/serine symport activity was not inhibited by other amino acids such as L-threonine or D-serine. Two distinct Km values were obtained from the kinetic analysis of serine transport. Thus, two serine transport pathways may exist in H. influenzae Rd, and it appears that both systems are stimulated by $Na^{+}$.

• 한국해양공학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.8-15
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• 2007

This study is intended to examine the relationship between the magnitude of sand spit in the estuary of the stream and improvement of the quality of water that flaws into the sea, by means of hydraulic experimentation. In order to determine the effect of improvements of water quality when river flow is stagnant, the estuary flows into the sea through the small sand spit, and a two-dimensional physical model experiment was carried out. Distribution of concentration was decreased in response to an increase in length of sand spit and time. The experimental results are compared with theoretical results, based on the solution of the equation. Also, there are functions of influx prevention of salt wedge and purification of pollution water due to sand spit in small estuary.

• 약학회지
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.282-286
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• 2001

To investigate the different mechanism between ATP and compound 48/80 (C$_{48}$80/)-induced histamine release, we observed effects of calcium antagonists in histamine release of rat peritoneal mast cells. Verapamil and diltiazem (voltage-dependent calcium channel blocker) and TMB-8 (a blocker of intracellular calcium release) significantly inhibited ATP-induced histamine release, but did not inhibit $C_{48}$80/-induced histamine release. Econazole (a blocker of receptor-operated calcium channel) dose-dependently inhibited both ATP and $C_{48}$80/-induced histamine release, but inhibitory effect of econazole in ATP-induced histamine release was more potent than that in $C_{48}$80/-induced histamine. EGTA dose-dependently inhibited ATP and $C_{48}$80/-induced histamine release, but $C_{48}$80/-induced histamine release was slightly inhibited by high concentrations (>2 mM) of EGTA. These results suggest that ATP-induced histamine release is related to broth intracellular calcium release and extracellular calcium influx via voltage-dependent calcium channel and receptor-operated calcium channel. $C_{48}$80/-induced histamine release is related to extracellular calcium influx, especially by receptor-operated calcium channel rather than voltage-dependent calcium channel.

• 약학회지
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.213-218
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• 2011

The aim of this study is to evaluate the sedative effects of ethanol extract and the three major constituents of Cimicifugae Rhizoma. They decreased locomotor activity significantly, and enhanced sleeping duration induced by thiopental sodium. The ethanol extract of Cimicifugae rhizoma and 24-epi-7,8-didehydrocimigenol-3-xyloside (24-epi.) increased the $Cl^-$ influx into the intracellular area of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells significantly. The present results demonstrate that the sedative effects of Cimicifugae rhizoma are mediated via the GABA-gated $Cl^-$ channel, partly by 24-epi.