• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.61-70
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• 2009

We have examined the effects of certain mutations of the selectivity filter and of the membrane helix M2 on $Ba^{2+}$ blockage of the inward rectifier potassium channel, Kir 2.1. We expressed mutant and wild type murine Kir 2.1 in Chinese hamster ovary(CHO) cells and used the whole cell patch-clamp technique to record $K^+$ currents in the absence and presence of externally applied $Ba^{2+}$. Wild type Kir2.1 was blocked by externally applied $Ba^{2+}$ in a voltage and concentration dependent manner. Mutants of Y145 in the selectivity filter showed little change in the kinetics of $Ba^{2+}$ blockage. The estimated $K_d(0)$ was 108 ${\mu}M$ for Kir2.1 wild type, 124 ${\mu}M$ for a concatameric WT-Y145V dimer, 109 ${\mu}M$ for a WT-Y145L dimer, and 267 ${\mu}M$ for Y145F. Mutant channels T141A and S165L exhibit a reduced affinity together with a large reduction in the rate of blockage. In S165L, blockage proceeds with a double exponential time course, suggestive of more than one blocking site. The double mutation T141A/S165L dramatically reduced affinity for $Ba^{2+}$, also showing two components with very different time courses. Mutants D172K and D172R(lining the central, aqueous cavity of the channel) showed both a decreased affinity to $Ba^{2+}$ and a decrease in the on transition rate constant(${\kappa}_{on}$). These results imply that residues stabilising the cytoplasmic end of the selectivity filter(T141, S165) and in the central cavity(D172) are major determinants of high affinity $Ba^{2+}$ blockage in Kir 2.1.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.111-119
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• 2020

In vascular smooth muscle, K⁺ channels, such as voltage-gated K⁺ channels (Kv), inward-rectifier K⁺ channels (Kir), and big-conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels (BK_Ca), establish a hyperpolarized membrane potential and counterbalance the depolarizing vasoactive stimuli. Additionally, Kir mediates endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization and the active hyperemia response in various vessels, including the coronary artery. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) induces right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH), thereby elevating the risk of ischemia and right heart failure. Here, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique, we compared Kv and Kir current densities (I_Kv and I_Kir) in the left (LCSMCs), right (RCSMCs), and septal branches of coronary smooth muscle cells (SCSMCs) from control and monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rats exhibiting RVH. In control rats, (1) I_Kv was larger in RCSMCs than that in SCSMCs and LCSMCs, (2) I_Kv inactivation occurred at more negative voltages in SCSMCs than those in RCSMCs and LCSMCs, (3) I_Kir was smaller in SCSMCs than that in RCSMCs and LCSMCs, and (4) I_BKCa did not differ between branches. Moreover, in PAH rats, I_Kir and I_Kv decreased in SCSMCs, but not in RCSMCs or LCSMCs, and I_BKCa did not change in any of the branches. These results demonstrated that SCSMC-specific decreases in I_Kv and I_Kir occur in an MCT-induced PAH model, thereby offering insights into the potential pathophysiological implications of coronary blood flow regulation in right heart disease. Furthermore, the relatively smaller I_Kir in SCSMCs suggested a less effective vasodilatory response in the septal region to the moderate increase in extracellular K⁺ concentration under increased activity of the myocardium.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.83-89
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• 2010

In this study, we studied whether hydrogen sulfide ($H_2S$) has an effect on the pacemaker activity of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), in the small intestine of mice. The actions of $H_2S$ on pacemaker activity were investigated using whole-cell patch-clamp technique, intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ analysis at $30^{\circ}C$ and RT-PCR in cultured mouse intestinal ICC. Exogenously applied sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS), a donor of hydrogen sulfide, caused a slight tonic inward current on pacemaker activity in ICC at low concentrations (50 and $100{\mu}m$), but at high concentration ($500{\mu}m$ and 1 mM) it seemed to cause light tonic inward currents and then inhibited pacemaker amplitude and pacemaker frequency, and also an increase in the resting currents in the outward direction. Glibenclamide or other potassium channel blockers (TEA, $BaCl_2$, apamin or 4-aminopydirine) did not have an effect on NaHS-induced action in ICC. The exogenous application of carbonilcyanide p-triflouromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP) and thapsigargin also inhibited the pacemaker activity of ICC as NaHS. Also, we found NaHS inhibited the spontaneous intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) oscillations in cultured ICC. In doing an RT-PCR experiment, we found that ICC enriched population lacked mRNA for both CSE and CBS, but was prominently detected in unsorted muscle. In conclusion, $H_2S$ inhibited the pacemaker activity of ICC by modulating intracellular $Ca^{2+}$. These results can serve as evidence of the physiological action of $H_2S$ as acting on the ICC in gastrointestinal (GI) motility.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.103-108
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• 2005

To study the direct effect of somatostatin (SS) on calcium channel current ($I_{Ba}$) in guinea-pig gastric myocytes, $I_{Ba}$ was recorded by using whole-cell patch clamp technique in single smooth muscle cells. Nicardipine ($1{\mu}M$), a L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, inhibited $I_{Ba}$ by $98{\pm}1.9$% (n=5), however $I_{Ba}$ was decreased in a reversible manner by application of SS. The peak $I_{Ba}$ at 0 mV were decreased to $95{\pm}1.5$, $92{\pm}1.9$, $82{\pm}4.0$, $66{\pm}5.8$, $10{\pm}2.9$% at $10^{-10}$, $10^{-9}$, $10^{-8}$, $10^{-7}$, $10^{-5}$ M of SS, respectively (n=3∼6; $mean{\pm}SEM$). The steady-state activation and inactivation curves of $I_{Ba}$ as a function of membrane potentials were well fitted by a Boltzmann equation. Voltage of half-activation ($V_{0.5}$) was $-12{\pm}0.5$ mV in control and $-11{\pm}1.9$ mV in SS treated groups (respectively, n=5). The same values of half-inactivation were $-35{\pm}1.4$ mV and $-35{\pm}1.9$ mV (respectively, n=5). There was no significant difference in activation and inactivation kinetics of $I_{Ba}$ by SS. Inhibitory effect of SS on $I_{Ba}$ was significantly reduced by either dialysis of intracellular solution with $GDP_{\beta}S$, a non-hydrolysable G protein inhibitor, or pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX). SS also decreased contraction of guinea-pig gastric antral smooth muscle. In conclusion, SS decreases voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel current ($VDCC_L$) via PTXsensitive signaling pathways in guinea-pig antral circular myocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.219-225
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• 2004

The pelvic ganglia provide autonomic innervations to the various urogenital organs, such as the urinary bladder, prostate, and penis. It is well established that both sympathetic and parasympathetic synaptic transmissions in autonomic ganglia are mediated mainly by acetylcholine (ACh). Until now, however, the properties of ACh-induced currents and its receptors in pelvic ganglia have not clearly been elucidated. In the present study, biophysical characteristics and molecular nature of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) were studied in sympathetic and parasympathetic major pelvic ganglion (MPG) neurons. MPG neurons isolated from male rat were enzymatically dissociated, and ionic currents were recorded by using the whole cell variant patch clamp technique. Total RNA from MPG neuron was prepared, and RT-PCR analysis was performed with specific primers for subunits of nAChRs. ACh dose-dependently elicited fast inward currents in both sympathetic and parasympathetic MPG neurons $(EC_{50};\;41.4\;{\mu}M\;and\;64.0\;{\mu}M,\;respectively)$. ACh-induced currents showed a strong inward rectification with a reversal potential near 0 mV in current-voltage relationship. Pharmacologically, mecamylamine as a selective antagonist for ${\alpha}3{\beta}4$ nAChR potently inhibited the ACh-induced currents in sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons $(IC_{50};\;0.53\;{\mu}M\;and\;0.22\;{\mu}M,\;respectively)$. Conversely, ${\alpha}-bungarotoxin$, ${\alpha}-methyllycaconitine$, and $dihydro-{\beta}-erythroidine$, which are known as potent and sensitive blockers for ${\alpha}7$ or ${\alpha}4{\beta}2$ nAChRs, below micromolar concentrations showed negligible effect. RT-PCR analysis revealed that ${\alpha}3$ and ${\beta}4$ subunits were predominantly expressed in MPG neurons. We suggest that MPG neurons have nAChRs containing ${\alpha}3$ and ${\beta}4$ subunits, and that their activation induces fast inward currents, possibly mediating the excitatory synaptic transmission in pelvic autonomic ganglia.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제8권6호
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• pp.335-338
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• 2004

There are numerous studies on transepithelial transports in duct cells including $Cl^-$ and/or $HCO_3^-$. However, studies on transepithelial $K^+$ transport of normal duct cells in exocrine glands are scarce. In the present study, we examined the characteristics of $K^+$ currents in single duct cells isolated from guinea pig pancreas, using a whole-cell patch clamp technique. Both $Cl^-$ and $K^+$ conductance were found with KCI rich pipette solutions. When the bath solution was changed to low $Cl^-$, reversal potentials shifted to the negative side, $-75{\pm}4\;mV$, suggesting that this current is dominantly selective to $K^+$. We then characterized this outward rectifying $K^+$ current and examined its $Ca^{2+}$ dependency. The $K^+$ currents were activated by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$. 100 nM or 500 nM $Ca^{2+}$ in pipette significantly (P<0.05) increased outward currents (currents were normalized, $76.8{\pm}7.9\;pA$, n=4 or $107.9{\pm}35.5\;pA$, n=6) at +100 mV membrane potential, compared to those with 0 nM $Ca^{2+}$ in pipette $(27.8{\pm}3.7\;pA,\;n=6)$. We next examined whether this $K^+$ current, recorded with 100 nM $Ca^{2+}$ in pipette, was inhibited by various inhibitors, including $Ba^{2+}$, TEA and iberiotoxin. The currents were inhibited by $40.4{\pm}%$ (n=3), $87.0{\pm}%$ (n=5) and $82.5{\pm}%$ (n=9) by 1 mM $Ba^{2+}$, 5 mM TEA and 100 nM iberiotoxin, respectively. Particularly, an almost complete inhibition of the current by 100 nM iberiotoxin further confirmed that this current was activated by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$. The $K^+$ current may play a role in secretory process, slnce recycling of $K^+$ is critical for the initiation and sustaining of $CI^-$ or $HCO_3^-$ secretion in these cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권4호
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• pp.435-443
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• 1997

We employed the whole-cell patch clamp technique to investigate the effects of arachidonic acid (AA) on barium inward current through the L-type calcium channels ($I_{Ba}$) and on osmotic stretch-induced increase of $I_{Ba}$ in guinea-pig antral gastric myocytes. Under isosmotic condition, AA inhibited $I_{Ba}$ in a dose-dependent manner to $91.1{\pm}1.4,\;72.0{\pm}3.2,\;46.0{\pm}1.8,\;and\;20.3{\pm}2.3%$ at 1, 5, 10, 30 mM, respectively. The inhibitory effect of AA was not affected by 10 ${\mu}M$ indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. Other unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA) and oleic acid (OA) were also found to suppress $I_{Ba}$ but stearic acid (SA), a saturated fatty acid, had no inhibitory effect on $I_{Ba}$. The potency sequence of these inhibitory effects was AA ($79.7{\pm}2.3%$) ＞ LA ($43.1{\pm}2.7%$) ＞ OA ($14.2{\pm}1.1%$) at 30 ${\mu}M$. On superfusing the myocyte with hyposmotic solution (214 mOsm) the amplitude of $I_{Ba}$ at 0 mV increased ($38.0{\pm}5.5%$); this increase was completely blocked by pretreatment with 30 mM AA, but not significantly inhibited by lower concentrations of AA (1, 5 and 10 ${\mu}M$) (P＞0.05). Unsaturated fatty acids shifted the steady-state inactivation curves of $I_{Ba}$ to the left; the extent of shift caused by AA was greater than that caused by LA. The activation curve was not affected by AA or LA. The results suggest that AA and other unsaturated fatty acids directly modulate L-type calcium channels and AA might modulate the hyposmotic stretch- induced increase of L-type calcium channel current in guinea-pig gastric smooth muscle.

• 한국의학물리학회지:의학물리
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.220-227
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• 2004

N형 칼슘통로의 비활성화기전에 관하여는 아직까지도 막전압의존성 기전과 칼슘의존성 기전간에 논란이 계속되고 있다. 2003년에 의학물리에 발표한 논문1)에서 본 연구자는 N형 칼슘통로의 비활성화 기전은 2가지 성분 -빠른 성분과 느린 성분을 가지고 있고 빠른 성분은 칼슘의존적이 아니며 오직 느린 성분만이 칼슘의존적일 가능성을 제시하였다. 본 논문에서는 막전압의존성 기전이 옳건 칼슘의존성 기전이 옳건 간에 세포 신호전달 체계로서 비활성화와 연계된 기전이 필요하므로 이러한 맥락에서 인산화 기전을 연구하였다. 흰쥐 경동맥 결절뉴론을 단일 세포로 얻은 후 whole cell patch clamp technique를 사용하여 N형 칼슘전류를 기록하고 대조 세포내액을 사용하였을 때와 phosphatase inhibitor인 okadaic acid를 포함한 세포내액을 사용하였을 때의 차이를 비교하였다. Okadaic acid에 의하여 비활성화정도가 증가되었고 이러한 okadaic acid 효과는 주로 N형 통로를 통하여 영향을 미침을 N형 칼슘통로 억제제인 $\omega$-conotoxin GVIA를 사용함으로써 확인하였다. Okadaic acid에 의한 비활성화 증가 효과는 protein kinase를 비특이적으로 억제하는 staurosporine에 의하여 억제되었고 또한 calmodulin dependent protein kinase의 특이적 억제제인 lavendustin C에 의하여 억제되었으므로 인산화과정이 N형 칼슘통로 비활성화와 관련되어 있고 특히 calmodulin을 통한 인산화과정이 주로 관여함을 확인하였다. 본 연구자가 발표한 선행논문1)에 의해 외부의 2가 양이온에 의해 빠른 비활성화가 진행되며, 본 논문에 의하여 인산화과정에 의해 빠른 비활성화가 촉진된다는 사실이 확인되었다. 그러나 본 연구결과만으로는 인산화과정이 비활성화 자체라고는 볼 수 없으며 단지 인산화과정에 의해 비활성화가 가속되었다고 해석할 수 밖에 없다. 인산화과정이 비활성화자 체인지 여부는 2가 양이온이 칼슘통로에 작용하는 결합부위에 관한 연구 및 인산화 부위가 칼슘통로인지 아니면 다른 조절 부위인지 여부를 확인할 수 있는 연구가 진행되어야 확실히 알 수 있을 것이다.