• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.389-398
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• 1997

Non-adenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) innervation on the circular muscle of the rabbit gastric body was investigated by observing the magnitudy of relaxations induced by the elec trical field stimulation (EFS). Strips were cut from the greater curvature of the gastric body and stimulated with 5s trains of 0.5 ms pulses at 1-20 Hz, 40 V. The EFS induced transient frequency-dependent contractons, followed by a slowly recovering relaxation ewpecially at higher frequency of the EFS. In the presence of atropine and guanethidine, the contractions were virtually abolished, while the frequency-dependent relaxations by the EFS remained unaffected. The magnitude of relaxations progressively decreased as the location of the strips gets closer to the bottom of the gastric body. The relaxations were ablished by tetrodotoxin, indicating that their orgin is the NANC nerve stimulation. NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA, 10-$100{\mu}M$), the inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO)-synthase, caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of the NANC relaxations. The inhibitory effects of L-NNA were not affected gy the location of the strips and were reversed by L-arginine, the precursor of NO-biosynthesis. Hemoglobin (20-$60{\mu}M$), a NO scavenger, inhibited the NANC relaxation s in a concentration-dependent manner. This inhibition was more prominent in the NANC relaxations observed in the lower portion of the gastric body and the relaxations induced ly lower frequencies of the EFS. Methyelne blue (10-$100{\mu}M$), an inhibitor of cytosolic guanylate cyclase, markedly inhibited the NANC relaxations, almost abolishing the response at a higher dose ($100{\mu}M$). These results suggest that NANX innervation of the rabbit gastric body progeressively decrease as he location of the strips gets closer to the bottom of the gastric body, and that the NANC relaxation is primarily mediated by NO-guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophophate (cyclic GMP).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2010

We have shown that myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) was required for the off-contraction in response to the electrical field stimulation (EFS) of feline esophageal smooth muscle. In this study, we investigated whether protein kinase C (PKC) may require the on-contraction in response to EFS using feline esophageal smooth muscle. The contractions were recorded using an isometric force transducer. On-contraction occurred in the presence of $N^G$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), suggesting that nitric oxide acts as an inhibitory mediator in smooth muscle. The excitatory composition of both contractions was cholinergic dependent which was blocked by tetrodotoxin or atropine. The on-contraction was abolished in $Ca^{2+}$-free buffer but reappeared in normal $Ca^{2+}$-containing buffer indicating that the contraction was $Ca^{2+}$ dependent. 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), voltage-dependent $K^+$ channel blocker, significantly enhanced on-contraction. Aluminum fluoride (a G-protein activator) increased on-contraction. Pertussis toxin (a $G_i$ inactivator) and C3 exoenzyme (a rhoA inactivator) significantly decreased on-contraction suggesting that Gi or rhoA protein may be related with $Ca^{2+}$ and $K^+$ channel. ML-9, a MLCK inhibitor, significantly inhibited on-contraction, and chelerythrine (PKC inhibitor) affected on the contraction. These results suggest that endogenous cholinergic contractions activated directly by low-frequency EFS may be mediated by $Ca^{2+}$, and G proteins, such as Gi and rhoA, which resulted in the activation of MLCK, and PKC to produce the contraction in feline distal esophageal smooth muscle.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.399-406
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• 1997

The effects of different $K^+$ channel blockers were investigated on the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxations in the circular muscle of the rabbit proximal stomach. Non-selective blockers of $K^+$ channels, 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 3~30${\mu}M$) and tetraethylammonium (TEA, 100~1000${\mu}M$) significantly enhanced the NANC relaxations in a concentration-dependent manner. The enhancement was more prominent for the NANC relaxations induced by the electric field stimulation (EFS) with lower frequencies. Blockers of large conductance $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels, charybdotoxin and iberiotoxin, a blocker of small conduntance $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels, apamin and a blocker of ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels, glibenclamide had no effect on the NANC relaxations, respectively. Exogeneous administration of nitric oxide (NO, 1~30${\mu}M$) caused concentration-dependent relaxations which showed a similarity to those obtained with EFS. None of the $K^+$ channel blockers had an effect on the concentration-dependent relaxation in response to NO. These results suggest that prejunctional $K^+$ channels regulate the release of NO from the NANC nerve in the rabbit proximal stomach as the inhibition of prejunctional $K^+$ channels increases the NANC relaxation induced by the EFS.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.307-312
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• 2011

It has been rereported that axons which display 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) immunoreactivity are abundant in the pancreas and the majority of serotonergic axons terminate within intrapancreatic ganglia, islet and acini. This histological result strongly suggests that intrapancreatic serotonergic nerves could affect to the pancreatic endocrine and exocrine secretion. Thus, this study was aimed to investigate whether intrapancreatic serotonergic nerves could affect pancreatic exocrine secretion and an action mechanism of the intrapancreatic serotonergic nerves. The rats were anesthetized with a single injection of urethane. The median line and the abdominal aorta was carefully dissected and cannulated with PE-50 tubing just above the celiac artery, and then tightly ligated just below the superior mesenteric artery. The pancreatic duct was also cannulated with Tygon microbore tubing. With the addition of serotonin, pancreatic volume flow and amylase output were significantly inhibited electrical field stimulation (EFS). On the other hand, pancreatic volume flow and amylase output were significantly elevated in EFS with the addition of spiperone. EFS application, however, pancreatic volume flow and amylase output had no significant change in cholecystokinin (CCK) alone when serotonin was applied under a 5.6 mM glucose background. Pancreatic volume flow and amylase output under 18 mM glucose background were significantly elevated in CCK plus serotonin than in CCK alone. These data suggest that intrapancreatic serotonergic nerves play an inhibitory role in pancreatic exocrine secretion and an important role in the insulin action or release.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.119-128
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• 1997

The relaxation of gastric fundus smooth muscles is the primary physiological event which induces the receptive relaxation of monogastric animals. L-arginine/Nitric oxide(L-arg/NO) system is known to mediate the inhibitory non-adrenergic non-cholinergic(NANC) neurotransmission in various tissues including gastrointestinal smooth muscles. The longitudinal smooth muscles of porcine gastric fundus showed fast relaxation during electrical field stimulation(EFS) and rebound contraction after EFS in NANC condition. So, the purpose of present study was elucidation of the neurotrasmitters related to the NANC relaxation and explanation of the relation between NANC relaxation and L-arg/NO system. The longitdinal smooth muscles of porcine gastric fundus were hung in the organ bath and under the presence of guanethidine($5{\times}10^{-5}M$), precontraction was induced by carbachol($1{\times}10^{-6}M$). The muscle responses to EFS and drugs were isomerically recorded. The rusults were summarized as follows. 1. The longtudinal muscles of porcine gastric fundus showed frequency-dependent relaxation and rebound contraction to electrical field stimulaton(1ms, 8V, 1~16Hz, 20sec, EFS). These responses were blocked by tetrodotoxin($1{\times}10^{-6}M$). 2. The relaxation and rebound contraction of the longitudinal muscles of porcine gastric fundus to EFS were inhibited by L-NAME($2{\times}10^{-5}M$). The inhibitory effect of L-NAME was antagonized by L-arginine($1{\times}10^{-3}M$), but not by D-arginine($1{\times}10^{-3}M$). 3. Exogenous NO($NaNO_2$, $1{\times}10^{-5}{\sim}1{\times}10^{-4}M$, pH=2.0) caused concentration-dependent relaxation as EFS did. 4. Methylene Blue($2{\times}10^{-5}M$), a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, inhibited the relaxation and rebound contraction of the longitudinal muscles of porcine gastric fundus induced by EFS, but N-ethlmaleimide, a adenylate cyclase inhibitor, did not. 5. 8-Br-cGMP($1{\times}10^{-6}{\sim}3{\times}10^{-6}M$), permeable cGMP analogue, induced dose-dependent relaxation. but 8-Br-cAMP($1{\times}10^{-6}{\sim}3{\times}10^{-6}M$), permeable cAMP analogue, did not. Both did not evoked rebound contraction. 6. ${\alpha}$-chymotrypsin did not affect the relaxation of the longitudinal muscles of porcine gastric fundus. 7. Reactive blue 2($1{\times}10^{-4}M$, 40min) siginificantly inhibited the rebound contraction induced by EFS and inhibited contraction caused by exogenous ATP($1{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}1{\times}10^{-3}M$). These results suggests that NANC relaxation of the longitudinal muscles of porcine gastric fundus mainly mediated by NO and the rebound contraction is related to NO and other neurotransmitters.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.489-495
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• 2014

Protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 is expressed in endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. It plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure via the modulation of peripheral vascular tone. Although some reports have suggested involvement of a neurogenic mechanism in PAR-2-induced hypotension, the accurate mechanism remains to be elucidated. To examine this possibility, we investigated the effect of PAR-2 activation on smooth muscle contraction evoked by electrical field stimulation (EFS) in the superior mesenteric artery. In the present study, PAR-2 agonists suppressed neurogenic contractions evoked by EFS in endothelium-denuded superior mesenteric arterial strips but did not affect contraction elicited by the external application of noradrenaline (NA). However, thrombin, a potent PAR-1 agonist, had no effect on EFS-evoked contraction. Additionally, ${\omega}$-conotoxin GVIA (CgTx), a selective N-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel ($I_{Ca-N}$) blocker, significantly inhibited EFS-evoked contraction, and this blockade almost completely occluded the suppression of EFS-evoked contraction by PAR-2 agonists. Finally, PAR-2 agonists suppressed the EFS-evoked overflow of NA in endothelium-denuded rat superior mesenteric arterial strips and this suppression was nearly completely occluded by ${\omega}$-CgTx. These results suggest that activation of PAR-2 may suppress peripheral sympathetic outflow by modulating activity of $I_{Ca-N}$ which are located in peripheral sympathetic nerve terminals, which results in PAR-2-induced hypotension.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.459-469
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• 1995

As S-nitrosothiols were proposed as nitrergic carriers in vascular and nonvascular smooth muscle, we have investigated the relaxant properties of several S-nitrosothiols in the porcine retractor penis(PRP) muscle and compared them with the effects of exogenously added NO, electrical field stimulation(EFS) of NANC nerves and sodium nitroprusside(SNP). Also the influences of oxyhemoglobin and hydroquinone on the relaxant responses were investigated. In addition, effects of NO on membrane potentials and its involvement in the generation of inhibitory junction potential(IJP) were investigated with conventional intracellular microelectrode technique. The results were summerized as follows. 1. Frequency-dependent relaxations of PRP muscle were induced by EFS to NANC nerve. Tetrodotoxin($1{\times}10^{-6}M$) abolished the relaxations of PRP muscle induced by EFS, and L-NAME(($2{\times}10^{-5}M$) and methylene blue($4{\times}10^{-5}M$) inhibited the relaxations. L-NAME-induced inhibition of the relaxations was reversed by L-arginine($1{\times}10^{-3}M$), but not by D-arginine. 2. Exogenous NO($1{\times}10^{-5}-1{\times}10^{-4}M$), sodium nitroprusside(($1{\times}10^{-7}-1{\times}10^{-4}M$) induced dose-dependent relaxations of PRP muscle. All S-nitrosothiols($1{\times}10^{-7}-1{\times}10^{-4}M$) tested relaxed the PRP muscle in dose-dependent manner and the potency order was SNAP>GSNO>CysNO>SNAC. 3. Oxyhemoglobin($5{\times}10^{-5}M$) blocked the relaxation induced by exogenous NO and inhibited EFS-, S-nitrosothiols-, and SNP-induced relaxation. 4. Hydroquinone($1{\times}10^{-4}M$) also abolished the relaxations induced by exogenous NO, and reduced the relaxations induced by S-nitrosothiols, but did not affect EFS- and SNP-induced relaxations. 5. SNP($2{\times}10^{-6}-5{\times}10^{-6}M$) relaxed muscle strips but the membrane potentials were not affected. 6. EFS with several pulses(1ms, 2Hz, 80V) produced an inhibitory junction potential(IJP) with muscle relaxation. They were abolished by TTX($2{\times}10^{-6}M$). $N^G$-nitro-$_{\small{L}}$-arginine(L-NNA, $2{\times}10^{-5}M$) abolished the muscle relaxation, but had no effect on IJP.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2003

${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been reported to enhance exocrine secretion evoked not only by secretagogues but also by intrinsic neuronal excitation in the pancreas. The pancreas contains cholinergic neurons abundantly that exert a stimulatory role in exocrine secretion. This study was undertaken to examine effects of GABA on an action of cholinergic neurons in exocrine secretion of the pancreas. Intrinsic neurons were excited by electrical field stimulation (EFS; 15 V, 2 msec, 8 Hz, 45 min) in the isolated, perfused rat pancreas. Tetrodotoxin or atropine was used to block neuronal or cholinergic action. Acetylcholine was infused to mimic cholinergic excitation. GABA $(30{\mu}M)$ and muscimol $(10{\mu}M)$, given intra-arterially, did not change spontaneous secretion but enhanced cholecystokinin (CCK; 10 pM)-induced secretions of fluid and amylase. GABA (3, 10, $30{\mu}M$) further elevated EFS-evoked secretions of fluid and amylase dose-dependently. GABA (10, 30, $100{\mu}M$) also further increased acetylcholine $(5{\mu}M)$-induced secretions of fluid and amylase in a dose-dependent manner. Bicuculline $(10{\mu}M)$ effectively blocked the enhancing effects of GABA $(30{\mu}M)$ on the pancreatic secretions evoked by either EFS or CCK. Both atropine $(2{\mu}M)$ and tetrodotoxin $(1{\mu}M)$ markedly reduced the GABA $(10{\mu}M)$-enhanced EFS- or CCK-induced pancreatic secretions. The results indicate that GABA enhances intrinsic cholinergic neuronal action on exocrine secretion via the $GABA_A$ receptors in the rat pancreas.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.447-458
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• 1995

This study was carried out to characterize nonadrenergic, noncholinergic(NANC) relaxation of porcine retractor penis(PRP) muscle induced by electrical field stimulation(EFS) and to investigate the actions of niric oxide(NO) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide(VIP) as candidates for NANC neurotransmitters. Biphasic relaxations of PRP muscle were induced by EFS to NANC nerve. Rapid-phase relaxation was observed at low frequency(0.5-16Hz) and slow-phase relaxation followed during high frequency(8-60Hz). Both relaxations were frequency-dependent and TTX($1{\times}10^{-6}M$)-sensitive. L-NAME($2{\times}10^{-5}M$) inhibited the rapid-phase relaxation, but not the slow-phase relaxation. The inhibition of the rapid-phase relaxation with L-NAME was reversed by L-arginine ($1{\times}10^{-3}M$) but not by D-arginine($1{\times}10^{-3}M$). Methylene blue($4{\times}10^{-5}M$) reduced the rapid-phase relaxation. Exogenous No(ExoNO, $1{\times}10^{-5}-1{\times}10^{-4}M$) induced dose-dependent relaxations of PRP muscle. Oxyhemoglobin($5{\times}1^{-5}M$) blocked the relaxation induced by ExoNO and inhibited EFS-induced relaxation. Hydroquinone($1{\times}10^{-4}M$) also abolished the relaxation induced by ExoNO, but did not affect EFS-induced relaxation. L-NAME resistant slow-phase relaxation to EFS was inhibited by ${\alpha}$-chymotrypsin(2.5 U/ml). Both methylene blue($4{\times}10^{-5}M$) and Nethylmaleimide($1{\times}10^{-4}M$) reduced the slow-phase relaxation by EFS. [4-Cl-D-$Phe^6$, $Leu^{17}$]-VIP($3{\times}10^{-6}M$) inhibited the slow-phase relaxation by EFS. External applications of VIP ($1{\times}10^{-7}M$) caused relaxations that were simillar to the L-NAME resistant slow-phase relaxations induced by EFS, and relaxant effects of exogenous VIP were blocked by ${\alpha}$-chymotrypsin(2.5 U/ml).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.217-223
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• 1998

Oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in many important functions in the biological system. Electrical field stimulation (EFS) causes arterial relaxation in animal models. We found that EFS applied to neither muscle nor nerve but to Krebs solution caused a relaxation of rat aorta that had been contracted with phenylephrine. In the present study, therefore, we investigated the characteristics of this EIRF (electrolysis-induced relaxing factor) using rat isolated aorta. Results indicated that EIRF acts irrespective of the presence of endothelium. EIRF shows positive Griess reaction and is diffusible and quite stable. EIRF-induced relaxation was stronger on PE-contracted aorta than on KCl-contracted one, and inhibited by the pretreatment with methylene blue. Zaprinast, a cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, potentiated the EIRF-induced relaxation. $N^G-nitro-L-arginine$, NO synthase inhibitor, did not inhibit the EIRF-induced relaxation. Deferroxamine, but not ascorbic acid, DMSO potentiated the EIRF-induced relaxation. These results indicate that electrolysis of Krebs solution produces a factor that relaxes vascular smooth muscle via cGMP-mediated mechanism.