• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제10권5호
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• pp.255-261
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• 2006

Melittin-induced nociceptive responses are mediated by selective activation of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent fibers and are modulated by excitatory amino acid receptor, cyclooxygenase, protein kinase C and serotonin receptor. The present study was undertaken to investigate the peripheral and spinal actions of voltage-gated calcium channel antagonists on melittin-induced nociceptive responses. Changes in mechanical threshold and number of flinchings were measured after intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of melittin $(30\;{\mu}g/paw)$ into mid-plantar area of hindpaw. L-type calcium channel antagonists, verapamil [intrathecal (i.t.), 6 or $12\;{\mu}g$; i.pl.,100 & $200\;{\mu}g$; i.p., 10 or 30 mg], N-type calcium channel blocker, ${\omega}-conotoxin$ GVIA (i.t., 0.1 or $0.5\;{\mu}g$; i.pl., $5\;{\mu}g$) and P-type calcium channel antagonist, ${\omega}-agatoxin$ IVA (i.t., $0.5\;{\mu}g$; i.pl., $5\;{\mu}g$) were administered 20 min before or 60 min after i.pl. injection of melittin. Intraplantar pre-treatment and i.t. pre- or post-treatment of verapamil and ${\omega}-conotoxin$ GVIA dose-dependently attenuated the reduction of mechanical threshold, and melittin-induced flinchings were inhibited by i.pl. or i.t. pre-treatment of both antagonists. P-type calcium channel blocker, ${\omega}-agatoxin$ IVA, had significant inhibitory action on flinching behaviors, but had a limited effect on melittin-induced decrease in mechanical threshold. These experimental findings suggest that verapamil and ${\omega}-conotoxin$ GVIA can inhibit the development and maintenance of melittin-induced nociceptive responses.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제26권5호
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• pp.439-445
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• 2018

T-type calcium channels are low voltage-activated calcium channels that evoke small and transient calcium currents. Recently, T-type calcium channels have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and neural tube defects. However, their function during embryonic development is largely unknown. Here, we investigated the function and expression of T-type calcium channels in embryonic neural progenitor cells (NPCs). First, we compared the expression of T-type calcium channel subtypes (CaV3.1, 3.2, and 3.3) in NPCs and differentiated neural cells (neurons and astrocytes). We detected all subtypes in neurons but not in astrocytes. In NPCs, CaV3.1 was the dominant subtype, whereas CaV3.2 was weakly expressed, and CaV3.3 was not detected. Next, we determined CaV3.1 expression levels in the cortex during early brain development. Expression levels of CaV3.1 in the embryonic period were transiently decreased during the perinatal period and increased at postnatal day 11. We then pharmacologically blocked T-type calcium channels to determine the effects in neuronal cells. The blockade of T-type calcium channels reduced cell viability, and induced apoptotic cell death in NPCs but not in differentiated astrocytes. Furthermore, blocking T-type calcium channels rapidly reduced AKT-phosphorylation (Ser473) and $GSK3{\beta}$-phosphorylation (Ser9). Our results suggest that T-type calcium channels play essential roles in maintaining NPC viability, and T-type calcium channel blockers are toxic to embryonic neural cells, and may potentially be responsible for neurodevelopmental disorders.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제4권6호
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• pp.427-437
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• 2000

The early studies of cardiac and smooth muscle cells provided evidence for two different calcium channels, the L-type (also called high-voltage activated [HVA]) and T-type (low-voltage activated [LVA]). These calcium channels provided calcium for muscle contractions and pace-making activities. As might be expected, the number of different calcium channels increased when researchers studied neurons and the identification of the neuronal calcium channels has proven to be much more difficult than with the muscle calcium channels. There are two reasons for this difficulty; (1) a larger number of different calcium channels in neurons and (2) many of the different calcium channels have similar kinetic properties. This review uses the N-type calcium channel to illustrate the difficulties in identifying and characterizing calcium channels in neurons. It shows that the discovery of toxins that can specifically block single calcium channel types has made it possible to easily and rapidly discern the physiological roles of the different calcium channels in the neuron, Without these toxins it is unlikely that progress would have been as rapid.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권spc8호
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• pp.3063-3073
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• 2011

The synthesis and biological evaluation of 1-heteroarylmethyl 1,4-diazepane derivatives as potential T-type calcium channel blockers is described. In this study, we have identified the compound 21i exhibiting the most potent T-type calcium channel blocking activity with $IC_{50}$ value of 0.20 ${\mu}M$, which is superior to that of mibefradil.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.51-57
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• 2006

Haloperidol is a classical neuroleptic drug that is still in clinical use and can lead to abnormal motor activity following repeated administration. However, there is little knowledge of how it triggers neuronal impairment. In this study, we report that it induced calcium ion influx via L-type calcium channels and that the elevation of calcium ions induced by haloperidol appeared to render hippocampal cells more susceptible to oxidative stress. Indeed, the level of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax increased in response to oxidative stress in haloperidol-treated cells, and these effects were inhibited by verapamil, a specific L-type calcium channel blocker, but not by the T-type calcium channel blocker, mibefradil. These findings indicate that haloperidol induces calcium ion influx via L-type calcium channels and that this calcium influx influences neuronal fate.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.92-99
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• 2007

Background: A correlation between a T-type voltage activated calcium channel (VACC) and pain mechanism has not yet been established. The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of ethosuximide and mibefradil, representative selective T-type VACC blockers on postoperative pain using an incisional pain model of rats. Methods: After performing a plantar incision, rats were stabilized on plastic mesh for 2 hours. Then, the rats were injected with ethosuximide or mibefradil, intraperitoneally and intrathecally. The level of withdrawal threshold to the von Frey filament near the incision site was determined and the dose response curves were obtained. Results: After an intraperitoneal ethosuximide or mibefradil injection, the dose-response curve showed a dose-dependent increase of the threshold in a withdrawal reaction. After an intrathecal injection of ethosuximide, the threshold of a withdrawal reaction to mechanical stimulation increased and the increase was dose-dependent. After an intrathecal injection of mibefradil, no change occurred in either the threshold of a withdrawal reaction to mechanical stimulation or a dose-response curve. Conclusions: The T-type VACC blockers in a rat model of postoperative pain showed the antihyperalgesic effect. This effect might be due to blockade of T-type VACC, which was distributed in the peripheral nociceptors or at the supraspinal level. Further studies of the effect of T-type VACC on a pain transmission mechanism at the spinal cord level would be needed.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.251-262
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• 2011

Human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) potassium channel blockade, an undesirable side effect which might cause sudden cardiac death, is one of the major concerns facing the pharmaceutical industry. The purpose of this study is to develop an in silico QSAR model which uncovers the structural parameters of T-type calcium channel blockers to reduce hERG blockade. Comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) was conducted on a series of piperazine and benzimidazole derivatives bearing methyl 5-(ethyl(methyl)amino)-2-isopropyl-2-phenylpentanoate moieties, which was synthesized by our group. Three different alignment methods were applied to obtain a reliable model: ligand based alignment, pharmacophore based alignment, and receptor guided alignment. The CoMSIA model with receptor guided alignment yielded the best results : $r^2$ = 0.955, $q^2$ = 0.781, $r^2_{pred}$ = 0.758. The generated CoMSIA contour maps using electrostatic, hydrophobic, H-bond donor, and acceptor fields explain well the structural requirements for hERG nonblockers and also correlate with the lipophilic potential map of the hERG channel pore.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.219-225
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• 2008

Taurine is the most abundant amino acid in many tissues and is found to be enhancing the bone tissue formation or inhibits the bone loss. Although it is reported that taurine reduces the alveolar bone loss through inhibiting the bone resorption, its functions of taurine and expression of taurine transporter (TauT) in bone have not been identified yet. The purpose of this study is to clarify the uptake mechanism of taurine in osteoblast using mouse osteoblast cell lines. In this study, mouse stromal ST2 cells and mouse osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells as osteoblast cell lines were used. The activity of taurine uptake was assessed by measuring the uptake of [$^3H$]taurine in the presence or absence of inhibitors. TauT mRNA was detected in ST2 and MC3T3-E1 cells. [$^3H$]Taurine uptake by these cells was dependent on the presence of extracellular calcium ion. The [$^3H$]taurine uptake in ST2 cells treated with 4 mM calcium was increased by 1.7-fold of the control which was a significant change. In contrast, in $Ca^{++}$-free condition and L-type calcium channel blockers (CCBs), taurine transport to osteocyte was significantly inhibited. In oxidative stress conditions, [$^3H$]taurine uptake was decreased by TNF-$\alpha$ and $H_2O_2$. Under the hyperosmotic conditions, taurine uptake was increased, but inhibited by CCBs in hyperosmotic condition. These results suggest that, in mouse osteoblast cell lines, taurine uptake by TauT was increased by the presence of extracellular calcium, whereas decreased by CCBs and oxidative stresses, such as TNF-$\alpha$ and $H_2O_2$.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.297-306
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• 2020

Repetitive changes in the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca²⁺]i) triggers egg activation, including cortical granule exocytosis, resumption of second meiosis, block to polyspermy, and initiating embryonic development. [Ca²⁺]i oscillations that continue for several hours, are required for the early events of egg activation and possibly connected to further development to the blastocyst stage. The sources of Ca²⁺ ion elevation during [Ca²⁺]i oscillations are Ca²⁺ release from endoplasmic reticulum through inositol 1,4,5 tri-phosphate receptor and Ca²⁺ ion influx through Ca²⁺ channel on the plasma membrane. Ca²⁺ channels have been characterized into voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels (VDCCs), ligand-gated Ca²⁺ channel, and leak-channel. VDCCs expressed on muscle cell or neuron is specified into L, T, N, P, Q, and R type VDCs by their activation threshold or their sensitivity to peptide toxins isolated from cone snails and spiders. The present study was aimed to investigate the localization pattern of N and P/Q type voltage-dependent calcium channels in mouse eggs and the role in fertilization. [Ca²⁺]i oscillation was observed in a Ca²⁺ contained medium with sperm factor or adenophostin A injection but disappeared in Ca²⁺ free medium. Ca²⁺ influx was decreased by Lat A. N-VDCC specific inhibitor, ω-Conotoxin CVIIA induced abnormal [Ca²⁺]i oscillation profiles in SrCl₂ treatment. N or P/Q type VDC were distributed on the plasma membrane in cortical cluster form, not in the cytoplasm. Ca²⁺ influx is essential for [Ca²⁺]i oscillation during mammalian fertilization. This Ca²⁺ influx might be controlled through the N or P/Q type VDCCs. Abnormal VDCCs expression of eggs could be tested in fertilization failure or low fertilization eggs in subfertility women.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.108-118
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• 2022

뇌실하 영역은 뇌에서 신경줄기세포가 분포하는 곳으로 평생에 걸쳐 새로운 신경세포를 생성하는 곳이다. 많은 세포 안팎의 인자들이 신경줄기세포의 세포 증식과 신경세포로의 분화에 영향을 미친다. 최근 들어, L-type 칼슘 채널이 신경계의 발달을 조절하고 뇌실하 영역에 있는 신경줄기세포, 신경세포로 분화 중인 세포, 그리고 성숙한 신경세포에 분포한다고 밝혀졌다. L-type 칼슘 채널의 저해제인 nifedipine은 고혈압의 치료제로 오랜 기간 사용되어 왔다. 신경줄기세포에 nifedipine을 사용하여 L-type 칼슘 채널을 저해하는 연구는 많이 없는 상황이다. 이번 연구에서, 우리는 5일령 쥐의 뇌실하 영역에서 배양한 신경줄기세포에 nifedipine을 처리하여 신경세포로의 분화에 미치는 영향을 관찰하였다. Nifedipine은 Tuj1을 발현하는 신경세포의 수를 증가시킨 반면, Olig2를 발현하는 희소 돌기 아교 세포(oligodendrocytes)의 수에는 큰 영향을 미치지 않았다. Nifedipine은 S기를 표지하는 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU)가 들어간 세포의 수를 증가시켰고, 세포 분열시 나타나는 인산화된 히스톤 H3(PH3)를 발현하는 세포의 수를 증가시켰다. Nifedipine은 신경세포로의 분화를 촉진하는 Dlx2 유전자의 전사를 증가시켰고, 초기 신경세포에서 보이는 Mash1의 양도 증가시켰다. Nifedipine 외 또다른 L-type 칼슘 채널의 저해제인 verapamil을 처리하자, 신경세포로의 분화가 소폭 증가하였으나, 통계적 유의미성은 매우 낮았다. T-type 칼슘 채널의 저해제 유전자인 Cav3.1, Cav3.2, Cav3.3가 발현함을 관찰하여, T-type 칼슘 채널의 저해제인 pimozide를 신경줄기세포에 처리하였으나, 신경세포로의 분화에는 변화가 없었다. 이러한 결과를 통해 nifedipine이 신경줄기세포의 초기 분화를 증진함을 알 수 있으며, L-type 칼슘 채널이 신경세포로의 분화에 관여함을 알 수 있다.