• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.431-436
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• 2011

Vascular smooth muscle cells can obtain a proliferative function in environments such as atherosclerosis in vivo or primary culture in vitro. Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells is accompanied by changes in ryanodine receptors (RyRs). In several studies, the cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ response to caffeine is decreased during smooth muscle cell culture. Although caffeine is commonly used to investigate RyR function because it is difficult to measure $Ca^{2+}$ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) directly, caffeine has additional off-target effects, including blocking inositol trisphosphate receptors and store-operated $Ca^{2+}$ entry. Using freshly dissociated rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) and cultured RASMCs, we sought to provide direct evidence for the operation of RyRs through the $Ca^{2+}$- induced $Ca^{2+}$ -release pathway by directly measuring $Ca^{2+}$ release from SR in permeabilized cells. An additional goal was to elucidate alterations of RyRs that occurred during culture. Perfusion of permeabilized, freshly dissociated RASMCs with $Ca^{2+}$ stimulated $Ca^{2+}$ release from the SR. Caffeine and ryanodine also induced $Ca^{2+}$ release from the SR in dissociated RASMCs. In contrast, ryanodine, caffeine and $Ca^{2+}$ failed to trigger $Ca^{2+}$ release in cultured RASMCs. These results are consistent with results obtained by immunocytochemistry, which showed that RyRs were expressed in dissociated RASMCs, but not in cultured RASMCs. This study is the first to demonstrate $Ca^{2+}$ release from the SR by cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ elevation in vascular smooth muscle cells, and also supports previous studies on the alterations of RyRs in vascular smooth muscle cells associated with culture.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.352-357
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• 2004

Atrial myocytes have two functionally separate groups of ryanodine receptors (RyRs): those at the periphery colocalized with L-type $Ca^{2+}$channels (DHPRS) and those a t the cell interior not associated with DHPRs. $Ca^{2+}$ current ($I_{ca}$) directly gates peripheral RyRs on action potential and the subsequent peripheral $Ca^{2+}$ release propagates into the center of atrial myocytes. The mechanisms that regulate the $Ca^{2+}$+ propagation wave remain Poorly understood. Using 2-D confocal$Ca^{2+}$ imaging, we examined the role of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP $_3R$) and mitochondria on ($I_{ca}$)- gated local $Ca^{2+}$ signaling in rat atrial myocytes. Blockade of IP $_3R$ by xestospongin C (XeC) partially suppressed the magnitudes of I ca-gated central and peripheral $Ca^{2+}$ releases with no effect on $I_{ca}$. Mitochondrial staining revealed that mitochondria were aligned with ${\thickapprox}2-{\mu}m$ separations in the entire cytoplasm of ventricular and atrial myocytes. Membrane depolarization induced rapid mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ rise and decay in the cell periphery with slower rise in the center, suggesting that mitochondria may immediately uptake cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$, released from the peripheral SR on depolarization, and re-release the $Ca^{2+}$ into the cytosol to activate neighboring central RyRs. Our data suggest that the activation of IP $_3R$ and mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ handing on action potential may serve as a cofactor for the $Ca^{2+}$ propagation from the DHPR-coupled RyRs to the DHPR-uncoupled RyRs with large gaps between them.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.413-419
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• 2016

Ryanodine receptors (RyRs) regulate the contractions of insect muscles by altering intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration and are the targets of chlorantraniliprole. Recently, a chlorantraniliprole-resistant strain was reported in the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella by obtaining point mutations on the RyRs. In the present study, we established two resistant strains from Drosophila melanogaster, which were treated with low or high concentrations of chlorantraniliprole, and their resistance levels were determined on the basis of contact and ingestion toxicities. Compared with the control strain, the two resistant strains did not show any significant differences in contact toxicity. However, they showed significantly increased resistance ratios in ingestion toxicity than that by the control strain. The low and high concentration resistant strains exhibited 2.1- and 8.1-fold increased resistance ratios, respectively, compared with that by the control strain. Moreover, we found that the resistant strains had altered expression levels of RyRs and more enhanced Acetylcholinesterase and Glutathione-S-transferase activities than that by the non-selected strain. These results suggested that the resistance development of chlorantraniliprole in the two strains might be mediated by the activation of detoxification pathways in D. melanogaster.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.328-335
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• 2006

Imperatoxin A ($IpTx_a$), a 3.7 kDa peptide from the African scorpion Pandinus imperator, is an agonist of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1). In order to study the structure of the toxin and its effect on RyR1, $IpTx_a$ cDNA was PCR-amplified using 3 pairs of primers, and the toxin was expressed in E. coli. The toxin was further purified by chromatography, and various point mutants in which basic amino acids were substituted by alanine were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis. Studies of single channel properties by the planar lipid bilayer method showed that the recombinant $IpTx_a$ was identical to the synthetic $IpTx_a$ with respect to high-performance liquid chromatography mobility, amino acid composition and specific effects on RyR1. Mutations of certain basic amino acids ($Lys^{19}$, $Arg^{23}$, and $Arg^{33}$) dramatically reduced the capacity of the peptide to activate RyRs. A subconductance state predominated when $Lys^8$ was substituted with alanine. These results suggest that some basic amino acid residues in $IpTx_a$ are important for activation of RyR1, and that $Lys^8$ plays an important role in regulating the gating mode of RyR1.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2011

The secretion of insulin from pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells is triggered by the influx of $Ca^{2+}$ through voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channels. The resulting elevation of intracellular calcium ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) triggers additional $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores. Less well understood are the mechanisms involved in $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization from internal stores after activation of $Ca^{2+}$ influx. The mobilization process is known as calcium-induced calcium release (CICR). In this study, our goal was to investigate the existence of and the role of caffeine-sensitive ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in a rat pancreatic ${\beta}$-cell line, INS-1 cells. To measure cytosolic and stored $Ca^{2+}$, respectively, cultured INS-1 cells were loaded with fura-2/AM or furaptra/AM. $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ was repetitively increased by caffeine stimulation in normal $Ca^{2+}$ buffer. However, peak $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ was only observed after the first caffeine stimulation in $Ca^{2+}$ free buffer and this increase was markedly blocked by ruthenium red, a RyR blocker. KCl-induced elevations in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ were reduced by pretreatment with ruthenium red, as well as by depletion of internal $Ca^{2+}$ stores using cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) or caffeine. Caffeine-induced $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization ceased after the internal stores were depleted by carbamylcholine (CCh) or CPA. In permeabilized INS-1 cells,$Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores was activated by caffeine, $Ca^{2+}$, or ryanodine. Furthermore, ruthenium red completely blocked the CICR response in perrneabilized cells. RyRs were widely distributed throughout the intracellular compartment of INS-1 cells. These results suggest that caffeine-sensitive RyRs exist and modulate the CICR response from internal stores in INS-1 pancreatic ${\beta}$-cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.158-163
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• 2015

Cardiac myocytes are subjected to fluid shear stress during each contraction and relaxation. Under pathological conditions, such as valve disease, heart failure or hypertension, shear stress in cardiac chamber increases due to high blood volume and pressure. The shear stress induces proarrhythmic longitudinal global $Ca^{2+}$ waves in atrial myocytes. In the present study, we further explored underlying cellular mechanism for the shear stress-induced longitudinal global $Ca^{2+}$ wave in isolated rat atrial myocytes. A shear stress of ${\sim}16dyn/cm^2$ was applied onto entire single myocyte using pressurized fluid puffing. Confocal $Ca^{2+}$ imaging was performed to measure local and global $Ca^{2+}$ signals. Shear stress elicited longitudinally propagating global $Ca^{2+}$ wave (${\sim}80{\mu}m/s$). The occurrence of shear stress-induced atrial $Ca^{2+}$ wave was eliminated by the inhibition of ryanodine receptors (RyRs) or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors ($IP_3Rs$). In addition, pretreatment of phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U73122, but not its inactive analogue U73343, abolished the generation of longitudinal $Ca^{2+}$ wave under shear stress. Our data suggest that shear-induced longitudinal $Ca^{2+}$ wave may be induced by $Ca^{2+}$-induced $Ca^{2+}$ release through the RyRs which is triggered by $PLC-IP_3R$ signaling in atrial myocytes.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.74-82
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• 2015

Ryanodine receptor (RyR) is one of the two major $Ca^{2+}$ channels in membranes of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ stores and is found in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), endoplasmic reticulum (ER). RyR1 is also the major calmodulin-binding protein of sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes. Residues 4064-4210 in the RyR1 polypeptide chain has similar primary sequence with calmodulin (CaM) and was designated as CaM-like domain (CaMLD). When expressed as a recombinant peptide, CaMLD showed several CaM-like properties in previous studies. Still, previous studies of CaMLD were focused on protein-protein interactions rather than its own properties. Here, we studied the expression of CaMLD and its sub-domains corresponding to each lobe of CaM in Escherichia coli. CaMLD could be obtained only as inclusion body, and it was refolded using urea solubilization followed by dialysis. Using spectroscopic approaches, such as NMR, circular dichroism, and gel filtration experiment, we found that the refolded CaMLD exists as nonspecific aggregate, even though it has alpha helical secondary structure. In comparison, the first half of CaMLD (R4061-4141) could be obtained as natively soluble protein with thioredoxin fusion. After the removal of the fusion tag, it exhibited folded and helical properties as shown by NMR and circular dichroism experiments. Its oligomeric status was different from CaMLD, existing as dimeric form in solution. However, the second half of the protein could not be obtained as soluble protein regardless of fusion tag. Based on these results, we believe that CaMLD, although similar to CaM in sequence, has quite different physicochemical properties and that the second half of the protein renders it the aggregative properties.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.23-23
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• 2003

천체의 거리는 다양한안 방법을 사용하여 직접 혹 간접적으로 측정되어왔다. 특히 우주배경복사를 측정하는 인공위성 관측의 정밀도가 혁명적으로 향상됨에 따라 우주의 나이는 수 % 이내의 정밀도로 결정할 수 있는 수준으로 발전하였다. 우주의 규모가 구체적으로 정의되는 가운데 우주의 절대적인 크기를 제시하기 위하여 천체의 거리를 측정하는데 사용되는 표준등불로 세페이드 변광성 이외에 식쌍성이 새롭게 대두되었다. 이 논문에서는 식쌍성이 거리척도의 표준등불이 될 수 잇는지 검증하기 위하여 광도곡선과 시선속도곡선이 잘 알려진 알골형 쌍성 식쌍성 RY Aqr, RX Gem, RS Vul을 선정하여 거리를 산출하였다. 별을 선정한 기준은 2색 이상의 광도곡선이 발표되고, 이중 분광쌍성으로 시선속도곡선이 각 성분별로 잘 관측되어 발표되고, IUE 관측 자료가 있는 알골형 쌍성이다. 거리 산출과정에서 간접적으로 유추하여 얻는 인자를 줄이기 위하여, 광도곡선으로부터 별의 상대적인 크기를 구하고, 시선속도곡선으로부터 공전궤도의 장반경을 구하고, 별의 에너지 분포 곡선으로부터 별의 온도를 측정하였다. 위 3종류의 관측 결과를 종합하여 식쌍성의 물리적 인자와 거리를 구하였다. 이와 같은 방법으로 구한 거리는 히파크러스를 이용하여 관측한 시차와 비교하였다.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.94-95
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• 2003

Local cytosolic rises of $Ca^{2+}$ appears to be critical in the regulation of many cellular activities, including muscle contraction, neurotransmitter secretion, and cell death. Cardiac $Ca^{2+}$ signaling similarly begins with discrete and localized rises of $Ca^{2+}$($Ca^{2+}$ sparks) triggered by $Ca^{2+}$ current ($I_{Ca}$). The large local releases of $Ca^{2+}$ in turn modulate L-type $Ca_{v}$1.2( ${\alpha}_{1C}$ $Ca^{2+}$ channels, suggesting that discrete $Ca^{2+}$ cross-signaling may occur in the micro-domains of ${\alpha}_{1C}$/ryanodine receptors (RyRs). (omitted)

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2014

DA-6034, a eupatilin derivative of flavonoid, has shown potent effects on the protection of gastric mucosa and induced the increases in fluid and glycoprotein secretion in human and rat corneal and conjunctival cells, suggesting that it might be considered as a drug for the treatment of dry eye. However, whether DA-6034 induces $Ca^{2+}$ signaling and its underlying mechanism in epithelial cells are not known. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism for actions of DA-6034 in $Ca^{2+}$ signaling pathways of the epithelial cells (conjunctival and corneal cells) from human donor eyes and mouse salivary gland epithelial cells. DA-6034 activated $Ca^{2+}$-activated $Cl^-$ channels (CaCCs) and increased intracellular calcium concentrations ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) in primary cultured human conjunctival cells. DA-6034 also increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in mouse salivary gland cells and human corneal epithelial cells. $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase of DA-6034 was dependent on the $Ca^{2+}$ entry from extracellular and $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal $Ca^{2+}$ stores. Interestingly, these effects of DA-6034 were related to ryanodine receptors (RyRs) but not phospholipase C/inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate ($IP_3$) pathway and lysosomal $Ca^{2+}$ stores. These results suggest that DA-6034 induces $Ca^{2+}$ signaling via extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ entry and RyRs-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal $Ca^{2+}$ stores in epithelial cells.