• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.279-284
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• 1995

The aim of the present study was to know whether exogenously administered nitric oxide (NO) may differently modulate muscle mechanics between heart and aorta. We used PIANO method to generate NO. In isolated rat atrial tissues, neither heart rate nor contractility was affected by PIANO $(STZ,\;30{\sim}100\;{\mu}M)$. Only high concentration $(100\;{\mu}M)$ of 8-bromo cyclic GMP slightly depressed cardiac contractility. However, the same concentrations of 8-Br cGMP and PIANO significantly relaxed the rat thoracic aorta contracted with phenylephrine $(0.1\;{\mu}M)$. In isolated rabbit cardiac atrial myocytes, the amplitude of calcium currents were decreased in the whole voltage range by the presence of streptozotocin, which was further potentiated by UV light. Calcium currents were also decreased in those preparations treated with bradykinin, nitroprusside and 8-Br cGMP. These findings suggest that exogenous NO may modulate calcium current in cardiac myocyte. However, it remains why this does not affect myocardial contractility and heart rate. We concluded that NO may differently regulate calcium signal between aorta and heart muscle.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1230-1234
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• 2015

GATA binding protein 6 (GATA6) is a transcription factor that is expressed in the early blastocyst stage and controls the expression of important genes in the differentiation and development of the heart, pancreas, and intestine. This study confirmed the role of GATA6 in cell differentiation and organ development using mouse embryonic stem cells and zebrafish, respectively. First, the mouse embryonic stem cells were differentiated into pacemaker cardiomyocytes. An RT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression of the GATA6 gene was greatly increased from day 4 of differentiation. The expression of GATA6 was upregulated prior to increased expression of NK2 homeobox 5 (Nkx2.5) and myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C), which are critical transcription factors involved in regulating heart formation. To examine the role of GATA6 in development, GATA6 morpholino was microinjected into zebrafish embryos. Knockdown of GATA6 expression significantly decreased the heart size and heart rate in the zebrafish compared to a control. In addition, the brains were degenerated in the GATA6 morpholino-injected zebrafish. Acridine orange staining showed that knockdown of GATA6 expression increased apoptotic cells in the brain. Interestingly, knockdown of GATA6 expression decreased apoptotic cells in the early bud stage. This study points to the importance of the GATA6 gene in heart and brain development.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.184-194
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• 2023

In this study, we investigated whether p-anisaldehyde (PAA), the main component of essential oils derived from anise seeds, influences the differentiation of mouse C2C12 myoblasts. Cells were induced to differentiate over 5 days using a differentiation medium with or without PAA (50 or 200 mg/mL). Myotube length and diameter were measured, and the expressions of myogenic markers (myoblast determination protein 1, myogenin, myocyte enhancer factor 2, muscle creatine kinase, and myosin heavy chain) and atrophy-related genes (atrogin-1 and muscle ring finger-1 [MuRF-1]) were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation was monitored by western blotting. PAA significantly induced the formation of smaller and thinner myotubes and reduced myogenic marker expression. Furthermore, PAA increased the expressions of atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 and simultaneously reduced Akt phosphorylation. Our findings indicate that PAA inhibits the myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells by reducing the phosphorylation and activation of Akt.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.547-553
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• 2007

Many motifs along the 1.2 kb myostatin promoter (MSTNpro) in sheep have been found by the MatInspecter program in our recent study. To further verify the role of the motifs and better understand the transcriptional regulation mechanism of the myostatin gene in sheep, the reporter gene EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) was selected and the wild-type (W) vector MSTNPro$^W$-EGFP or motif-mutational (M) vector MSTNPro$^M$-EGFP were constructed. The transcriptional regulation activities were analyzed by detecting the fluorescence strength of EGFP in C2C12 myoblasts transfected with the vectors. The results showed that E-box (E) 3, E4, E5 and E7, particularly E3, E5 and E7, had important effects on the activity of the 1.2 kb sheep myostatin promoter. In addition, we also detected several other important motifs such as MTBF (muscle-specific Mt binding factor), MEF2 (myocyte enhancer factor 2), GRE (glucocorticoid response elements) and PRE (progesterone response elements) along the sheep myostatin promoter by the mutational analysis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 1994

The whole-cell mode of the patch clamp technique was used to study $Ca^{2+}-activated\;Cl^-\;current$ $(I_{Cl_{Ca}})$ in gastric antral myocytes. Extracellular application of caffeine evoked $Ca^{2+}-activated\;current$. In order to isolate the chloride current from background current, all known systems were blocked with specific blockers. The current-voltage relationship of caffeine-induced current showed outward rectification and it reversed at around $E_{Cl^-}$. The shift of reversal potential upon the alteration of external and internal chloride concentrations was well fitted with results which were calculated by the Nernst equation. Extracellular addition of N-phenylanthranilic acid and niflumic acid which are known anion channel blockers abolished the caffeine induced current. Intracellular application of a high concentration of EGTA also abolished this current. Application of c-AMP, c-GMP, heparin, or $AIF^-_4$ made no remarkable changes to this current. Sodium replacement with the impermeable cation N-methylglucamine or with $Cd^{2+}$ rarely affected this current. From the above results it is suggested that the caffeine induced current was a $Cl^-$ current and it was activated by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 1992

The precise mechanism of the Excitation-Contraction Coupling is still uncertain. But the concept that Ca2+ induced Ca2+ release [CICR] from the Ryanodine receptor in the sarcoplasmic reticulum [foot structure] may play a major role in E-C coupling has been widely accepted since 1970`s. It is believed that increased cytosolic Ca2+ followed by CICR is main contributor for E-C coupling of striated muscle. Resulting phenomena of ischemic /post-reperfusion myocyte is increased cytosolic Ca2+, even to the absence of Ca2+ in reperfusate. So intracellular inhibitor to CICR might prevent the ischemic and reperfusion damage of myocardial cells. The relatively purified foot protein, especially heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum rich, of the skeletal muscle was incorporated into the black lipid bilayer [Phosphatidyl ethanolamine: Phosphatidyl serine=l: 1]. Under the steady state of membrane potential [+20 mV], ionic current through Ryanodine receptor was measured with Cs+ as charge carrier. In the cis chamber [Cytoplasmic side], Mg2+ strongly inhibited CICR of Ryanodine receptor[Kd=6.2 nM]. In conclusion, naturally existing intracellular free Mg2+ can inhibit CICR from intracellular Ca2+ reservior [heavy SR]. So post-ischemic or post-reperfusing myocardium could be preserved using additional free Mg2+ in cardioplegic solution or reperfusate, otherwise the optimal concentration is undetermined.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2000

Background: TNF-$\alpha$ plays a major role in producing left ventricular dysfunction cardio-myopathy pulmonary edema and inhibits the compensatory mechanism of congestive heart failure. IL-6 is an acute reactant of immune reaction and also known to control immune reaction but its function in the myocyte was not clearly investigated. Author's performed this experiment to investigate the contents of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 on the assumption that TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 may reside in nonfailing heart that has gone cardiac surgery and play some role in cardiac function. Material and Method : Right auricular tissues were sampled from 12 patients who had undergone total corrective surgery for both congenital and acquired heart diseases from January 1998 to June 1998 in Kosin Universcfy Gospel hospital. The quantitive analysis of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-6 were assessed by ELISA method in right auricular tissue. Hemodynamic values about the pressure of ventricle atrium aorta pulmonary artery and cardiac index pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance and cardiac output were measured by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization and biochemical analyses of LDH & AST were done before operation. statistical analysis was by Paired Student t-test. Patients were divided into children(under 15 years olds) and adults groups and the data was compared beween two groups. Conclusion: Mild pulmonary hypertension and increased pulmonary vascular resistance were existed in both group. The contents of tissue TNF-$\alpha$ IL-6 in each group were independent of each data.

• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2005

We developed a three dimensional cardiac tissue model based on human cardiac cell and mono-domain approximation for action potential propagation. The human myocyte model proposed by ten Tusscher et al. (TNNP model) (2004) for cell electrophysiology and a mono-domain method for electric wave propagation are used to simulate the cardiac tissue propagation mechanism using a finite element method. To delineate non-homogeneity across cardiac tissue layer, we used three types of cardiac cell models. Ansiotropic effect of action potential propagation is also considered in this study. In this 3D anisotropic cardiac tissue with three cell layers, we generated a reentrant wave using S1-S2 protocol. Computational results showed that the reentrant wave was affected by the anisotropic properties of the cells. To test the reentrant wave under pathological state, we simulated a hypertopic model with non-excitable fibroblasts in stochastic manner. Compared with normal tissue, the hypertropic tissue result showed another center of reentrant wave, indicating that the wave pattern can be more easily changed from regular with a concentric focus to irregular multi-focused reentrant waves in case of patients with hypertrophy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.212-217
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• 2007

In atrial myocytes, lacking t-tubules, $Ca^{2+}$ current ($I_{Ca}$)-initiated $Ca^{2+}$ release at the peripheral junctional sites propagates into the interior of the cell by diffusion of $Ca^{2+}$. We have previously reported that time of activation of the central sites is independent of $I_{Ca}$. In the present study we have probed the effects of Bay K 8644 on $Ca^{2+}$ propagation wave to the center of the myocyte using rapid 2-D confocal $Ca^{2+}$ imaging in the rat atrial myocytes. Enhancement of $I_{Ca}$ by Bay K 8644 accelerated the rate of peripheral $Ca^{2+}$ release, but did not affect the speed of propagation of central release. In contrast, enhancement of $I_{Ca}$ by intracellular cAMP reduced the magnitude of peripheral and central $Ca^{2+}$ transients, but significantly accelerated the speed of central $Ca^{2+}$ release. Our data suggest that the speed of central $Ca^{2+}$ propagation triggered by $I_{Ca}$ is not regulated by the magnitude of either $I_{Ca}$ or local cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ releases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.39 no.6 s.263
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• pp.486-489
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• 2006

A 16 year-old boy was admitted to our department because of mild chest discomfort and mild dyspnea. A mass involving posterior wall of the left ventricle near posterior mitral annulus was found on echocardiography and cardiac MRI. Total excision of the mass was performed via posterior ventriculotomy under the cardiopulmonary bypass. The pathologic diagnosis revealed mature cardiac myocyte hamartoma. There was no evidence of arrhythmia and tumor recurrence during the 1 year of follow up after the surgery.