• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.151-159
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• 1997

In an attempt to investigate whether hemorrhage affects the gene expression of the renin-angioteusin system (RAS) components in the brain and peripheral angiotensin-generating tissues, changes in mRNA levels of the RAS components in response to hemorrhage were measured in conscious unrestrained rats. Wistar rats were bled at a rate of 3 ml/kg/min for 5 min, and then decapitated 7 h after hemorrhage. Levels of mRNA for renin, angiotensinogen and angiotensin $II-AT_1$ receptor subtypes ($AT_{1A}$ and $AT_{1B}$) were determined with the methods of northern blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Hemorrhage produced a profound hypotension with tachycardia, but blood pressure and heart rate recovered close to the basal level at 7 h. Plasma and renal renin levels were significantly increased at 7 h. Hemorrhage induced rapid upregulation of gene expression of both $AT_{1A}$ and $AT_{1B}$ receptor subtypes in the brainstem and hypothalamus, downregulation of them in the adrenal gland and liver. However, renin mRNA level increased in the brainstem, decreased in the liver, but was not changed in the hypothalamus, kidney and adrenals after hemorrhage. Angiotensinogen mRNA level was not significantly changed in any of the tissue except a slight increase in the liver. The kidney and liver did not show any significant change in gene expression of the RAS components. These results suggest that gene expression of the RAS in central and peripheral tissues are, at least in part, under independent control and the local RAS in each organ plays specific physiologic role.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.1187-1192
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• 2014

Background: To correlate breast cancer subtypes with prognostic factors, microvessel density (MVD), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and clinical features. Materials and Methods: One hundred cases of primary breast carcinoma were classified using biomarkers on tissue microarray as: luminal A [estrogen receptor (ER)+, HER2-, $Ki-67{\leq}14%$], luminal B [ER+, HER2+ or ER+, HER2-, Ki-67>14%], HER2, triple negative basal-like (TNB) [any basal cytokeratins (CKs, 5, 14, 17) and/or endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression], and TN without such markers [TNN, null], and assessed for p53, vimentin, VEGF and CD31 immunoperoxidase. Results: Of the 100 cases (mean age, 51 years; mean tumor size, 3.2cm; 56% with nodal metastasis; 89 invasive ductal carcinomas, not otherwise specified, 4 invasive lobular carcinomas, 3 metaplastic carcinomas, and 4 other types) there were 39 luminal A, 18 luminal B, 18 HER2, 15 TNB and 10 TNN. The positivities of basal-like markers in the basal-like subtype were 78.3% for CK5, 40% for CK14, 20% for CK17, 46.7% for EGFR. There was no significant difference in age distribution, tumor size, degree of tubular formation, pleomorphism, lymphovascular invasion, nodal metastasis, MVD, VEGF expression and survival among subgroups. TNs demonstrated significantly higher tumor grade, mitotic count, Ki-67 index, p53 and vimentin and decreased overall survival compared with nonTN. Conclusions: The distribution of breast cancer subtypes in this study was similar to other Asian countries with a high prevalence of TN. The high grade character of TN was confirmed and CK5 expression was found to be common in our basal-like subtype. No significant elevation of MVD or VEGF expression was apparent.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2012

The nasal cavity encounters various irritants during inhalation such as dust and pathogens. To detect and remove these irritants, it has been postulated that the nasal mucosa epithelium has a specialized sensing system. The oral cavity, on the other hand, is known to have bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) that can detect harmful substances to prevent ingestion. Recently, solitary chemosensory cells expressing T2R subtypes have been found in the respiratory epithelium of rodents. In addition, T2Rs have been identified in the human airway epithelia. However, it is not clear which T2Rs are expressed in the human nasal mucosa epithelium and whether they mediate the removal of foreign materials through increased cilia movement. In our current study, we show that human T2R receptors indeed function also in the nasal mucosa epithelium. Our RT-PCR data indicate that the T2R subtypes (T2R3, T2R4, T2R5, T2R10, T2R13, T2R14, T2R39, T2R43, T2R44, T2R 45, T2R46, T2R47, T2R48, T2R49, and T2R50) are expressed in human nasal mucosa. Furthermore, we have found that T2R receptor activators such as bitter chemicals augments the ciliary beating frequency. Our results thus demonstrate that T2Rs are likely to function in the cleanup of inhaled dust and pathogens by increasing ciliary movement. This would suggest that T2Rs are feasible molecular targets for the development of novel treatment strategies for nasal infection and inflammation.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.21-27
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• 2009

Background: The neuropathic pain arising from nerve injury is difficult to treat and the therapeutic effects of opioid drugs remain debatable. Agonists acting at the ${\alpha}_2$ adrenergic and opioid receptors have analgesic properties and they act synergistically when co-administered in the spinal cord. The lack of subtype-selective pharmacological agents has previously impeded the synergistic effects that are mediated by the adrenergic receptor subtypes. Methods: We created neuropathic pain model by ligating the L5 spinal nerve in Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 18). We divided the rats into three groups (n = 6 for each group), and we administered intraperitoneal morphine (1 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg) and then we measured the mechanical allodynia with using von-Frey filaments for 8 hours. We then injected morphine (5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally, twice a day for 2 weeks. We measured the tactile and cold allodynia in the morphine group (n = 9) and the saline group (n = 9). After 2 weeks, we decapitated the rats and harvested the spinal cords at the level of lumbar enlargement. We compared the ${\alpha}_2$ subtype mRNA expression with that of control group (n = 6) by performing real time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). Results: Intraperitoneal morphine reduced the neuropathic pain behavior in the dose-dependent manner. Chronic morphine administration showed an antiallodynic effect on the neuropathic pain rat model. The rats did not display tolerance or hyperalgesia. The expression of the mRNAs of the ${\alpha}_{2A}$, ${\alpha}_{2B}$, ${\alpha}_{2C}$ subtypes decreased, and morphine attenuated this effect. But we could not get statistically proven results. Conclusions: Systemic administration of morphine can attenuate allodynia during both the short-term and long-term time course. Morphine has an influence on the expression of ${\alpha}_2$ receptor subtype mRNA. Yet we need more research to determine the precise effect of morphine on the ${\alpha}_2$ subtype gene expression.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.141-148
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• 2006

The effects of adenosine triphosphate(ATP) on salivary glands have been recognized since 1982. The presence of purinergic recepetors(P2Rs) that mediate the effects of ATP in various tissues, including parotid and submandibular salivary gland, has been supported by the cloning of receptor cDNAs and the expression of the receptor proteins. P2Rs have many subtypes, and the activation of these receptor subtypes increase intracellular $Ca^{2+}$, a key ion in the regulation of the secretion in the salivary gland. The apical pores of taste buds in circumvallate and foliate papillae are surrounded by the saliva from von Ebner salivary gland(vEG). Thus, it is important how the secretion of vEG is controlled. This study was designed to elucidate the roles of P2Rs on salivary secretion of vEG. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (about 200 g) were used for this experiment. vEG-rich tissues were obtained from dissecting $500-1,000\;{\mu}m$ thick posterior tongue slices under stereomicroscope view. P2Rs mRNA in vEG acinar cells were identified with RT-PCR. To observe the change in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ activity, we employed $Ca^{2+}-ion$ specific fluorescence analysis with fura-2. Single acinar cells and cell clusters were isolated by a sequential trypsin/collagenase treatment and were loaded with $10\;{\mu}M$ fura -2 AM for 60 minutes at room temperature. Several agonists and antagonists were used to test a receptor specificity. RT-PCR revealed that the mRNAs of $P2X_4$, $P2Y_1$, $P2Y_2$ and $P2Y_3$ are expressed in vEG acinar cells. The intracellular calcium activity was increased in response to $10\;{\mu}M$ ATP, a P2Rs agonist, and 2-MeSATP, a $P2Y_1$ and $P2Y_2R$ agonist. However, $300\;{\mu}M\;{\alpha}{\beta}-MeATP$, a $P2X_1$ and $P2X_3R$ agonist, did not elicit the response. The responses elicited by $10\;{\mu}M$ ATP and UTP, a $P2Y_2R$ agonists, were maintained when extracellular calcium was removed. $10\;{\mu}M$ suramin, a P2XR antagonist, and reactive blue 2, a P2YR antagonist, partially blocked ATP-induced response. However, when extracellular calciums were removed, suramin did not abolish the responses elicited by ATP. These results suggest that P2Rs play an important role in salivary secretion of vEG acinar cells and the effects of ATP on vEG salivary secretion may be mediated by $P2X_4$, $P2Y_1$, $P2Y_2$, and/or $P2Y_3$.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.21-27
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• 1995

The only compounds with antagonistic activity via AT$_1$receptor, one of two subtypes of angiotensin II (AII) receptor, have been demonstrated to block the vasoconstriction effects of AII and thereby provide therapeutic potential. This initiated the search for compounds with high specific affinity to AT$_1$receptor and their effective screening methods. The radioligand binding assay for the AII receptor is regarded as the primary method for the evaluation of AT$_1$receptor antagonists for their activity. In this paper, we characterized the liver AT$_1$receptor and describe the efficient method of the radioligand binding assay using rat liver as a source of AT$_1$receptor. Equilibrium binding studies with rat adrenal cortex, adrenal medulla, liver and bovine adrenal showed that the specific bindings of [$^3$H] AII were saturable in all tissues and the Scatchard plots of those data were linear, suggesting a single population of binding sites. Hill slopes were very near to the unity in all tissues. Kinetic studies of [$^3$H) AII binding in rat liver homogenates yielded two association rate constants, 4.10$\times$10$^{7}$ M$^{-1}$ min$^{-1}$ and 4.02$\times$10$^{9}$ M$^{-1}$ min$^{-1}$ , with a single dissociation rate constant, 7.07$\times$10$^{-3}$ min-$^{-1}$ , possibly due to the partial dissociation phenomenon. The rank order of inhibition potencies of [$^3$H] AII binding in rat liver was AII>Sarile>Losartan>PD 123177. Rat liver homogenates revealed to have very high density of homogeneous population of the AT$_1$receptor subtype, as the specifically bound [$^3$H] AII was not inhibited by PD 123177, the nonpeptide antagonist of AT$_2$. The results of this study demonstrated that the liver homogenates from rats could be the best receptor preparation for the AT$_1$receptor binding assay and provide an efficient system for the screening of newly synthesized candidate compounds of AT$_1$receptor antagonist.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) is an important extracellular signaling molecule which is involved in a variety of physiological responses in many different tissues and cell types, by acting at P2 receptors, either ionotropic (P2X) or G protein-coupled metabotropic receptors (P2Y). P2X receptors have seven isoforms designated as $P2X_{1^-}P2X_7$. In this study, we investigated the electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of rat $P2X_{1^-}P2X_4$ currents by using whole-cell patch clamp technique in a heterologous expression system. When ATP-induced currents were analyzed in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells following transient transfection of rat $P2X_{1^-}P2X_4$, the currents showed different pharmacological and electrophysiological properties. ATP evoked inward currents with fast activation and fast desensitization in $P2X_{^1-}$ or $P2X_{3^-}$ expressing HEK293 cells, but in $P2X_{2^-}$ or $P2X_{4^-}$ expressing HEK293 cells, ATP evoked inward currents with slow activation and slow desensitization. While PPADS and suramin inhibited $P2X_2$ or $P2X_3$ receptor-mediated currents, they had little effects on $P2X_4$ receptor-mediated currents. Ivermectin potentiated and prolonged $P2X_4$ receptor-mediated currents, but did not affect $P2X_2$ or $P2X_3$ receptor-mediated currents. We suggest that distinct pharmacological and electrophysiological properties among P2X receptor subtypes would be a useful tool to determine expression patterns of P2X receptors in the nervous system including trigeminal sensory neurons and microglia.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 1994년도 춘계학술대회 and 제3회 신약개발 연구발표회
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• pp.305-305
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• 1994

It has been shown that there are several subtypes of $\kappa$ opioid receptor, We have evaluated the properties of non-${\mu}$, non-$\delta$ binding of 〔$^3$H〕DIP, a nonselective opioid antagonist, in rat cortex membranes. Binding to ${\mu}$ and $\delta$ sites was inhibited by the use of an excess of competing selective agonists (DAMGO, DPDPE) for these sites. (-)Ethylketocyclazocine(EKC) inhibited 〔$^3$H〕DIP binding with Ki. of 70 nM. However, arylacetamides (U69593 and U50488H) gave little inhibition. Also, we have examined the opioid modulation of K$\^$+/(30 mM)-induced histamine release in rat frontal cortex slices labeled with 1-〔$^3$H〕histidine. The 〔$^3$H〕histamine release from cortex slices was inhibited by EKC, a $\kappa$$_1$-and $\kappa$$_2$-agonist, in a concentration-dependent manner(10 to 10,000 nM). The IC$\sub$50/ of EKC was 107 ${\pm}$ 6 nM. However, the $\delta$ receptor selective agonists, DPDPE and deltorphine II, ${\mu}$ receptor agonists, DAMGO and TAPS, $\kappa$$_1$-agonists, U69593 and U50488H, and $\varepsilon$-agonist, ${\beta}$-endorphin, did not inhibit histamine release even in micromoiar dose, indicating that ${\mu}$, $\delta$ or $\kappa$$_1$ receptors are not involved. The concentration-response curve of EKC was shifted to right in the presence of naloxone (300 nM), a ${\mu}$ preferential antagonist, norbinaltorphimine(300 nM), a $\kappa$$_1$ preferential antagonist and bremazocine(1 nM), a $\kappa$$_1$-agonist and $\kappa$$_2$-antagonist. These results suggest that $\kappa$$_2$ opioid receptor regulates histamine release in the frontal cortex of the rat.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권23호
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• pp.10339-10343
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• 2015

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females worldwide and a most prevalent malignancy in Iranian women. Chronic stress may make an important contribution to cancer, especially in the breast. Numerous studies showed roles of neurotransmitters in the occurrence and progression of cancers which are mediated by their various types of receptors. This study was conducted to evaluate alterations in the expression profile of dopamine receptor genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as stress factors in breast cancer patients and the human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 30 patients and 30 healthy individuals. Total mRNA was extracted from PBMC and MCF-7 cells and RT-PCR was performed to confirm the presence of five dopamine receptors (DRD1-DRD5). Expression changes of dopamine receptor genes were evaluated by real time PCR. We observed that DRD2-DRD4 in PBMCs of breast cancer patients were increased compared to healthy individuals. In addition, all dopamine receptor subtypes but DRD1 were expressed in MCF-7 cells. Therefore, alterations of these receptors as stress factors should be assessed for selecting appropriate drugs such as D2-like agonists for treatment of breast cancer after performing complimentary tests. Determining the expression profile of dopamine receptor genes thus seems promising.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.236-241
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• 2010

Background: Selective inhibitors of cycloosygenase (COX)-2 are commonly used analgesics in various pain conditions. Although their actions are largely thought to be mediated by the blockade of prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis, evidences suggesting endogenous opioid peptide link in spinal antinociception of COX inhibitor have been reported. We investigated the roles of opioid receptor subtypes in the spinal antionociception of selective COX-2 inhibitor. Methods: To examine the antionociception of a selective COX-2 inhibitor, DUP-697 was delivered through an intrathecal catheter, 10 minutes before the formalin test in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Then, the effect of intrathecal pretreatment with CTOP, naltrindole and GNTI, which are ${\mu}$, $\delta$, and k opioid receptor antagonist, respectively, on the analgesia induced by DUP-697 was assessed. Results: Intrathecal DUP-697 reduced the flinching response evoked by formalin injection during phase 1 and 2 Naltrindole and GNTI attenuated the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal DUP-697 during both phases of the formalin test, CTOP reversed the antinociception of DUP-697 during phase 2, but not during phase 1, Conclusions: Intrathecal DUP-697, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, effectively relieved inflammatory pain in rats. The $\delta$ and $\kappa$ opioid receptors are involved in the activity of COX-2 inhibitor on the facilitated state as well as acute pain at the spinal level, whereas the ${\mu}$ opioid receptor is related only to facilitated pain.