• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.373-382
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• 2003

Magnesium ion ($Mg^{2+}$) is a vasodilator, but little is known about its mechanism of action on vascular system. In vitro, extracellular magnesium sulfate ($MgSO_4$) produced relaxation in phenylephrine (PE) or high KCl-precontracted isolated rat thorocic aorta with (+E) or without (-E) endothelium in a concentration-dependent manner. The $MgSO_4$-induced relaxations were not affected by removal of the endothelium. Pretreatment of +E or -E aortic rings with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors ($20{\mu}M$ L-NNA, $100{\mu}M$ L-NAME, $1{\mu}M$ dexamethasone and $400{\mu}M$ aminoguanidine), cyclooxygenase inhibitor ($10{\mu}M$ indomethacin), guanylate cyclase inhibitors ($10{\mu}M$ ODQ and $30{\mu}M$ methylene blue) and $Ca^{2+}$ transport blocker ($10{\mu}M$ ryanodine) did not affect the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$. $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers ($0.3{\mu}M$ nifedipine and $0.5{\mu}M$ veropamil) completely decreased the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$ in +E and -E aortic rings. However, in $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, $MgSO_4$-induced vasorelaxation was potentiated and this response was inhibited by nifedipine. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors ($1.0{\mu}M$ staurosporine, $0.5{\mu}M$ tamoxifen and $0.1{\mu}M$ H7) or PLC inhibitor ($100{\mu}M$ NCDC) markedly decreased the relaxant effects of $MgSO_4$ in +E and -E aortic rings. In vivo, infusion of $MgSO_4$ elicited significant decreases in arterial blood pressure. After intravenous injection of nifedipine ($150{\mu}g/kg$) and NCDC (3 mg/kg), infusion of $MgSO_4$ inhibited the $MgSO_4$-lowered blood pressure markedly. However, after introvenous injection of saponin (15 mg/kg), L-NNA (3 mg/kg), L-NAME (5 mg/kg), indomethacin (2 mg/kg), methylene blue (15 mg/kg) and aminoguanidine (10 mg/kg) failed to inhibit it. These results suggest that endothelial NQ-cGMP or prostaglandin pathway is not involved in vasorelaxant or hypotensive action of $Mg^{2+}$ and that these effects are due to the inhibitory action of $Mg^{2+}$ on the $Ca^{2+}$ channel or PLC-PKC pathway, and are due to the competitive influx of $Mg^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$ through the $Ca^{2+}$ channel.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.325-330
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• 2011

Red ginseng saponin fraction-A (RGSF-A) contains a high percentage of panaxadiol saponins that were isolated from Korean red ginseng by ultrafiltration. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of RGSF-A on the porcine distal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. The relaxant responses to RGSF-A were examined during contractions induced by 100 nM U46619 (9,11-dideoxy-9a,11a-methanoepoxy-prostaglandin F2a), a stable analogue of thromboxane A2. RGSF-A dose-dependently induced biphasic (fast- and slow-) relaxation in the distal LAD coronary artery in the presence of an intact endothelium. The fast-relaxation was quickly achieved in a minute, and then the slow-relaxation was slowly developed and sustained for more than thirty minutes after the administration of RGSF-A. The slow-relaxation had a tendency to be bigger than the fast-relaxation. Fast relaxation induced by RGSF-A was almost blocked by $N_{\omega}$-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase synthase inhibitor and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), a guanylate cyclase inhibitor. However slow relaxation induced by RGSF-A was only partially inhibited by L-NAME and ODQ. In the endothelium-removed ring, RGSF-A evoked only slowrelaxation to a certain extent. These data suggest that RGSF-A induced both endothelium dependent fast- and slow-relaxation and endothelium independent slow-relaxation in the porcine distal LAD coronary artery. The endothelium dependent fast-relaxation is mediated by the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP pathway, and the endothelium dependent slow-relaxation is at least partially mediated by the NO-cGMP pathway. However, the endothelium-independent slow-relaxation remains to be elucidated.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2010

The serine/threonine kinase Akt has been shown to play a role of multiple cellular signaling pathways and act as a transducer of many functions initiated by growth factor receptors that activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). It has been reported that phosphorylated Akt activates eNDS resulting in the production of NO and that NO stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), which results in accumulation of cGMP and subsequent activation of the protein kinase G (PKG). It has been also reported that PKG activates PI3K/Akt signaling. Therefore, it is possible that PI3K, Akt, eNOS, sGC, and PKG form a loop to exert enhanced and sustained activation of Akt. However, the existence of this loop in eNOS-expressing cells, such as endothelial cells or astrocytes, has not been reported. Thus, we examined a possibility that Akt phosphorylation might be enhanced via eNOS/sGC/PKG/PI3K pathway in astrocytes in vivo and in vitro. Phosphorylation of Akt was detected in astrocytes after KA treatment and was maintained up to 72 h in mouse hippocampus. 2 weeks after KA treatment, astrocytic Akt phosphorylation was normalized to control. The inhibition of eNOS, sGC, and PKG significantly decreased Akt and eNDS phosphorylation induced by KA in astrocytes. In contrast, the decreased phosphorylation of Akt and eNDS by eNDS inhibition was significantly reversed with PKG activation. The above findings in mouse hippocampus were also observed in primary astrocytes. These data suggest that Akt/eNOS/sGC/PKG/PI3K pathway may constitute a loop, resulting in enhanced and sustained Akt activation in astrocytes.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.71-77
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• 2002

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is the inducible from of the rate-limiting enzyme of heme degradation; it regulates the cellular contents of heme. HO-1 is up-regulated by various stimuli including oxidative stress so that it is thought to participate in general cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress in mammalian cells. To investigate the role of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway on nitrogen oxidative stress-induced HO-1 gene expression, RAW 264.7 cell cultures were treated with sodium nitroprusside (SNP). SNP increased the expression of HO-1 mRNA and protein, time- and concentration-dependently. Treatment with H89, PKA inhibitor, but not LY83583, guanylate cyclase inhibitor, significantly diminished the HO-1 expression by SNP, indicating that cAMP plays a crucial role in the induction of HO-1. Incubation with cAMP-elevating agents, such as forskolin or isoproterenol resulted in up-regulation of the expression of HO-1. Forskolin-induced expression of HO-1 was inhibited by H89. Furthermore, propranolol, $\beta$-adrenoceptor blocker, inhibited the isoproterenol-induced HO-1 expression, supporting the importance of cAMP in the induction of HO-1 expression. Higenamine-S, but not higenamineR, enhanced the HO-1 expression induced by SNP. Furthermore, cellular toxicity induced by hydrogen peroxide was attenuated by the presence of SNP, which was further increased by the presence of ZnPPIX, HO-1 inhibitor. Collectively, these results strongly suggest that up-regulation of HO-1 expression in RAW 264.7 cells involves PKA signal pathway.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1994

Cyclic adenosine 3'5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) has been frequently accepted as an intracellular messenger for receptor-mediated action of opioids. In this experiment, it was designed to determine the interaction of dopaminergic and opioidergic system in the mouse striatum in normal and chronic haloperidol treated groups. Haloperidol 750ug/kg I.P. for 10 days was performed for dopamine denervation. The morphine, DAGO, DPDPE, and U5O,488H inhibited the increase of haloperidol-induced cyclic AMP content in chronic haloperidol treated mouse striatum. The inhibition of DAGO and DPDPE showed significant increase compared to normal mouse striatum. Naloxone showed antagonistic effect on the morphine and U5O,488H in chronic haloperidol treated group, and showed antagonistic effect on morphine, DAGO, DPDPE, and U5O, 488H in normal mouse striatum. These findings support that there is a functional interrelationship of dopaminergic and opioidergic pathway in the striatum. This result provides an evidence that following destruction of striatal dopaminergic neuron, there are some changes of cAMP content on the ${\mu},\;{\gamma},\;and\;{\kappa}$ opioid receptor, but the ${\kappa}$ opioid receptor still has its function.

• 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.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.10 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2006

Selective inhibition of phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 opened a new therapeutic approach for cardiovascular disorders. Therefore, the effect of PDE5 inhibition on the cardiac function should thoroughly be defined. The purpose of the present study was to define the effects of sildenafil, a selective inhibitor of PDE5, on the atrial cGMP efflux, atrial dynamics, and the release of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). By perfusing rabbit left atria to allow atrial pacing, changes in atrial stroke volume and pulse pressure, transmural extracellular fluid translocation, cGMP efflux, and ANP secretion were measured. SIN-I, an NO donor and soluble (s) guanylyl cyclase (GC) activator, and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), an activator of particulate (p) GC activator, were used. Sildenafil increased basal levels of cGMP efflux slightly but not significantly. Sildenafil in a therapeutic dose increased atrial dynamics (for atrial stroke volume, $2.84{\pm}1.71%$, n=12, vs $-0.71{\pm}0.86%$, n=21; p<0.05) and decreased ANP release ($-9.02{\pm}3.36%$, n=14, vs $1.35{\pm}3.25%$, n=23; p < 0.05), however, it had no effect on the SIN-1- or CNP-induced increase of cGMP levels. Furthermore, sildenafil in a therapeutic dose accentuated SIN-1-induced, but not CNP-induced, decrease of atrial pulse pressure and ANP release. These data indicate that PDE5 inhibition with sildenafil has a minor effect on cGMP levels, but has a distinct effect on pGC-cGMP- and sGC-cGMP-induced contractile and secretory function.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.5
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• pp.369-378
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• 2000

This study was undertaken to investigate an involvement of nitroxergic innervation in gastric smooth muscle of rat. Isometric tension study, the measurement of single cell length, NADPH diaphorase stain of smooth muscle layers and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) western blotting were performed. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide donor, relaxed the muscle strips precontracted by acetylcholine (ACh) in a concentration-dependent manner. Pretreatment of L-arginine decreased the contraction induced by electric field stimulation (EFS). Pretreatment of $N^G-nitro-L-arginine$ methyl ester (L-NAME), a NOS inhibitor, increased the EFS-induced contractions. LY 83583, a guanylate cyclase (GC) inhibitor, reversed the inhibitory actions of L-arginine on the muscle contractions. The effects of L-Arginine, L-NAME and LY 83583 on ACh-induced contractions were not significant. L-arginine reduced the EFS-induced contraction in circular muscle, whereas L-NAME enhanced the EFS-induced contraction in longitudinal strips. By EFS, the phasic contractions appeared approximately $20{\sim}25$ seconds later. L-NAME significantly shortened the delay time to about $2{\sim}3$ seconds. In single cell study, ACh contracted gastric smooth muscle cells, SNP relaxed the cells, and the latter also inhibited the ACh-induced contraction. LY 83583 enhanced the ACh-induced contraction and antagonized SNP-induced relaxation. NADPH diaphorase activity was assessed by a histochemistry, nitroblue tetrazolium (NTB) staining. Positive staining was observed in both circular and longitudinal muscle layers. L-arginine increased the staining, while L-NAME decreased the staining. Western blotting for nNOS proved the presence of nNOS in rat gastric smooth muscle. EFS and additional $Ca^{2+}$ increased nNOS protein expression. These results suggest that in rat stomach, both circular and longitudinal muscle layers are innervated with nitroxergic nerves which relax the gastric smooth muscle via NO-cGMP pathway.

• 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.