• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.139-144
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• 2007

Recent studies suggest that alterations in glutamate receptor subunit levels in mesocorticolimbic dopamine areas could account for neural adaptations in response to psychostimulant drugs. Although many drugs of abuse induce changes in ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits in mesocorticolimbic dopamine areas, the changes of ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits by repeated nicotine treatment in these areas are not known. To answer this question, we injected male Sprague-Dawley rats twice daily with nicotine (0.4 mg/kg) or saline (1 ml/kg) for 10 days. The immunoreactivity of NR1, GluR1, and GluR2 glutamate receptor subunits was examined $16{\sim}18 h$ after the last injection of saline or nicotine. Repeated nicotine treatment significantly increased NR1 levels in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In addition, repeated nicotine treatment showed a tendency towards an increase in GluR1 levels in the VTA as well as in striatum. However, there was no significant change in glutamate receptor subunits in other areas including nucleus accumbens (NAc). These results demonstrate that repeated nicotine treatment increases NR1 levels in VTA similarly to other drugs of abuse, suggesting that elevated glutamate receptor subunits in the VTA, but not NAc may be involved in the excitation of mesocorticolimbic dopamine neurons by nicotine.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2007

Previously, we found progesterone receptor membrane component 2 (pgrmc2) was highly expressed in germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes. The present study was conducted to characterize the expression of pgrmc2, as well as pgrmc1, in the mouse gonads and embryos according to their developmental stages. We found that these membrane components were expressed in ovaries, testes, and embryos at various developmental stages in addition to oocytes. Progesterone-3-O-carboxymethyl oxime-BSA-fluorescein isothiocyanate (P4-BSA-FITC) was applied to visualize the presence of the progesterone receptor on mouse oocyte membrane, and we confirmed that immobilized progesterone is localized at surface of the oocyte. This is, at our knowledge, the first report regarding the expression of membrane component of progesterone receptor in the mouse oocytes, embryos, and gonads. The function and signal transduction pathway of progesterone receptor membrane components in oocytes requires further studies.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.15-36
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• 2007

Objective : This study was to investigate the effects of several herbs on the levels of MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors Methods: It was investigated the effects of several herbs such as WEDL, WEZV, WEFO, WEOC on the levels of MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors using C6 glial cell model. ${\beta}-estradiol$ treatment, as a positive control group, under non-cytotoxic condition. Results : 1. The water extracts of Dimocarpus long (WEDL) induced the levels of MT2 melatonin receptor expression in a concentration-dependent manner without altering the levels of MT1 melatonin receptor expression. 2. The treatment with the water extract of Zizyphus vulgaris (WEZV) induced the levels of MT1 melatonin receptor expression and the levels of MT2 melatonin receptor expression was not affected. 3. The levels of MT1 as well as MT2 melatonin receptor expression were markedly up-regulated in the water extract of Fossilia ossis (WEFO) and the water extract of Ostreae caro (WEOC)-treated C6 cells. 4. The combination treatment with WEDL and WEZV induced not only the levels of MT1 melatonin receptor expression but also MT2 melatonin receptor expression, but the synergic effects of the combination treatment with WEFO and WEOC were not detected in C6 cells. Conclusion : The study provides important new insights into the possible mechanisms on the regulation of melatonin receptor synthesis by WEDL, WEZV, WEFO and WEOC.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.318-325
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• 1996

Background: Sympathectomy relieves pain in sympathectically maintained pain, and subcutaneous injection of norepinephrine(NE) can rekindle mechanical allodynia. However, the mechanism of rekindling is not clear. The purpose of this study is to investigate which subtype of $\alpha$-adrenoceptor is involved in NE-induced rekindling of mechanical allodynia in sympathectomized neuropathic rats. Methods: Neuropathic injury was produced by tightly ligating the left L5 and L6 spinal nerves of 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats and bilateral lumbar sympathectomy was done at two weeks postoperatively. Starting at 7 days after sympathectomy, rekindling of mechanical allodynia was induced by NE and clonidine injected into the left paw, which was reversed by pretreatment of phentolamine and idazoxan. Mechanical allocynia was quantified by measuring the frequency of foot lifts to two von Frey filaments applied to the paw. Results: All tested rats displayed well-developed signs of mechanical allodynia at the left paw that were abolished by a bilateral lumbar sympathectomy. Subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of NE (0.05 ${\mu}g$) into the affected paw of sympathectomized neuropathic rats rekindled previous mechanical allodynia. These effects could be mimicked by an ${\alpha}_2$-receptor agonist clonidine, but not by an ${\alpha}_1$-receptor agonist phenylephrine. The NE-induced rekindling of mechanical allodynia was significantly reduced by prior s.c. injection of a mixed $\alpha$-receptor antagonist phentolamine (20${\mu}g$) and ${\alpha}_2$-receptor antagonist idazoxan(20${\mu}g$), but not by a ${\alpha}_1$-receptor antagonist terazosin (20${\mu}g$). The pretreatment of idazoxan produced dose-related inhibition of NE-induced rekindling of mechanical allodynia. The rekindling induced by ${\alpha}_2$-receptor agonist clonidine (5${\mu}g$) was also reversed by prior s.c. injection of ${\alpha}_2$-receptor antagonist idazoxan (20${\mu}g$). Conclusion: Subcutaneous injection of NE into the paw of sympathectomized neuropathic rats rekindles mechanical allodynia, which is reversed by an ${\alpha}_2$-, but not by an ${\alpha}_1$-receptor antagonist. Therefore, rekindling of mechanical allodynia in sympathectomized neuropathic rats is mediated by ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 2000

This study was designed to investigate the underlying mechanisms for the temporal changes of the striatal dopamine D2 receptors in the rat model of parkinsonism. After injection of the 6-hydroxydopamine into the substantia nigra of adult rats, we measured the receptor binding capacity(Bmax), mRNA and protein of the D2 receptor at 2, 4 and 8 weeks. Following the lesion, mRNA and protein were elevated simultaneously on both sides of the striata. They showed more increase on the normal side at 2 and 4 weeks, and then they were almost equally abundant on both sides at 8 weeks. We also observed their increased production in the diffuse cortical and subcortical regions. The Bmax value also increased bilaterally in both striata, and was higher on the normal side at 2 weeks and then on the lesioned side at 4 and 8 weeks. These findings suggest that production of the striatal D2 receptor is regulated at the transcriptional level in this animal model. They also imply that this control may be mediated through a pathway which can have influence on the whole brain, rather than the local control of the dopamine content alone. The measured functional activity(Bmax) of the D2 receptor was not proportional to the amount of the receptor mRNA and proteins produced. This difference may be explained by the post-translational modification of the receptor proteins, which may be controlled by such factor as the local concentration of dopamine.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1997

The ability of Hep-G2 cells to process $[^{125}I]LDL$ under basal conditions was investigated. The receptor-binding and internalization of $[^{125}I]LDL$ increased with the time of incubation in a saturable manner. After 4 h of incubation, 31.4 ng of $[^{125}I]LDL$ was cell bound. The cells rapidly internalized $[^{125}I]LDL$ via specific, receptor-mediated endocytosis. The amount of internalized $[^{125}I]LDL$ reached a maximun of 96.7 ng at 2 h of incubation and remained constant for the next 2 h. The rate of degradation of internalized $[^{125}I]LDL$ proceeded in a linear manner over the entire 4 h of incubation after an initial lag period. The effects of individial fatty acids (C18:0. C18:1, C18:2. and C18:3), differing in their degree of unsaturation. on the receptor-binding, internalization and degradation of $[^{125}I]LDL$ were also investigated. Inclusion of 1.0 mM of each fatty acid into the culture medium significantly increased $[^{125}I]LDL$ metabolism in Hep-G2 cells. Among the fatty acids tested, stearic acid had the least effect on the receptor-binding activity. There were no significant differences among the unsaturated fatty acids in LDL-receptor binding. The effect of individual fatty acids on the $[^{125}I]LDL$ uptake was similar to that of the receptor-binding. showing a significantly lower effect with stearic acid. The amount of degraded material of internalized $[^{125}I]LDL$ was the lowest with stearic acid when it was compared with unsaturated fatty acids.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2009

The striatum receives glutamatergic afferents from the cortex and thalamus, and these synaptic transmissions are mediated by ${\alpha}$-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) and N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. The purpose of this study was to characterize glutamate receptors by analyzing NMDA/AMPA ratio and rectification of AMPA and NMDA excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) using a whole-cell voltage-clamp method in the dorsal striatum. Receptor antagonists were used to isolate receptor or subunit specific EPSC, such as (DL)-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV), an NMDA receptor antagonist, ifenprodil, an NR2B antagonist, CNQX, an AMPA receptor antagonist and IEM-1460, a GluR2-lacking AMPA receptor blocker. AMPA and NMDA EPSCs were recorded at - 70 and + 40 mV, respectively. Rectification index was calculated by current ratio of EPSCs between + 50 and - 50 mV. NMDA/AMPA ratio was 0.20${\pm}$0.05, AMPA receptor ratio of GluR2-lacking/GluR2-containing subunit was 0.26${\pm}$0.05 and NMDA receptor ratio of NR2B/NR2A subunit was 0.32${\pm}$0.03. The rectification index (control 2.39${\pm}$0.27) was decreased in the presence of both APV and combination of APV and IEM-1460 (1.02${\pm}$0.11 and 0.93${\pm}$0.09, respectively). These results suggest that the major components of the striatal glutamate receptors are GluR2-containing AMPA receptors and NR2A-containing NMDA receptors. Our results may provide useful information for corticostriatal synaptic transmission and plasticity studies.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2012

Ginsenosides are low molecular weight glycosides found in ginseng that exhibit neuroprotective effects through inhibition of $N$-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor channel activity. Ginsenosides, like other natural compounds, are metabolized by gastric juices and intestinal microorganisms to produce ginsenoside metabolites. However, little is known about how ginsenoside metabolites regulate NMDA receptor channel activity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ginsenoside metabolites, such as compound K (CK), protopanaxadiol (PPD), and protopanaxatriol (PPT), on oocytes that heterologously express the rat NMDA receptor. NMDA receptor-mediated ion current ($I_{NMDA}$) was measured using the 2-electrode voltage clamp technique. In oocytes injected with cRNAs encoding NMDA receptor subunits, PPT, but not CK or PPD, reversibly inhibited $I_{NMDA}$ in a concentration-dependent manner. The $IC_{50}$ for PPT on $I_{NMDA}$ was $48.1{\pm}4.6\;{\mu}M$, was non-competitive with NMDA, and was independent of the membrane holding potential. These results demonstrate the possibility that PPT interacts with the NMDA receptor, although not at the NMDA binding site, and that the inhibitory effects of PPT on $I_{NMDA}$ could be related to ginseng-mediated neuroprotection.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.97-97
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• 2001

This Study was attempted to investigate tile effect of dopamine, SKF 81297, a dopamine D$_1$-receptor agonist, and TNPA, a dopamine D$_2$-receptor agonist, on the blood pressure in rat. Dopamine exhibited the hypertensive action in proportion to the doses of 1.0, 3.0 arid 10.0 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg i.v., these hypertensive action of dopamine was blocked significantly by SCH 23390, a dopamine D$_1$-receptor antagonist, on the other hand, more potentiated by raclopride, a dopamine D$_1$-receptor antagonist. SKF 81297 produced hypertensive action in a dose of 1.0 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg i.v., wherease hypotensive action in proportion to administered doses 3.0 and 10.0 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg i.v., these hypertensive action of SKF 81297 in a dose of 1.0 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg i.v. was not influenced by SCH 23390 or raclopride, but hypotensive action of SKF 81297 in tile doses of 3.0 and 10.0 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg i.v. was weakened significantly by SCH 23390, but more strenthened by raclopride. TNPA showed the hypotensive action in inverse proportion to administered doses of 1.0, 3.0 and 10.0 $\mu\textrm{g}$/kg i.v., these hypotensive action was reversed to hypertensive action in inverse proportion to the administered doses of TNPA by SCH 23390 and raclopride.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1716-1721
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• 2003

Steroid hormones and their receptors play an important role in reproductive process. Estrogen is intimately involved with pregnancy and its function is mediated through the estrogen receptor which has been chosen as a candidate gene to study litter size in pigs. In this study, we report that two estrogen receptor variants, designated pER-1 and pER-2 were co-expressed in the uteri of normal cycling Lan-Yu pig (Sus vittatus; a small-ear miniature in Taiwan) with the pER-1 expression level appeared to be several times higher than that of pER-2. These receptor variants were isolated using reverse transcription-PCR from the pig uteri and their sequences were determined. The pER-1 and pER-2 sequences, which are homologous to those found in other mammalian estrogen receptors, encode putative proteins consisting of 574 and 486 amino acids, respectively. A deletion in exon I was identified in both sequences, with deletion lengths of 63 bp in pER-1 and 327 bp in pER-2. The deletion in pER-1 is internal to that in pER-2 and both deletions resulted in a truncation of the B domain, which confers the transactivating activity of estrogen receptor protein. This result describes the existence of estrogen receptor variants with a deletion in exon I and implies the possibility that physiological functioning of an estrogen receptor may not require the presence of an intact B domain.