• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.25-33
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• 2002

Substantial evidence suggests that behavioral and reinforcing effects of cocaine can be mediated by the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. Injections of cocaine can produce one of the immediate-early gene, c-fos expression in the brain and behavioral activation. Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is widely used for the treatment of many mental disorders such as drugs of abuse. In order to investigate whether acupuncture has an influence on cocaine-induced reinforcing and behavioral effects, we examined the effect of acupuncture on cocaine-induced locomotor activity and c-Fos expression in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum using Fos-like-immunoreactivity(FLI). Male SD rats received acupuncture for 1 min after injection of cocaine hydrochloride(1 mg/kg, i.v.). The employed acupuncture point, Shenmen$(HT_7)$, has been clinically used to treat mental and psychosomatic disorders. Injections of cocaine produced a marked increase in locomotor activity and FLI in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum. Acupuncture at $HT_7$, but not at control points($PC_6,\;TE_4$ or tail), significantly attenuated cocaine-induced increase in locomotor activity and Fos-like immunoreactivity. These results demonstrated that reduction in locomotor activity by acupuncture may be reflected by reduction of postsynaptic neuronal activity in the nucleus accumbens and the striatum. Our results suggest that acupuncture may have a therapeutic effect on cocaine addiction.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.379-383
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• 2009

Nitric oxide (NO), a diffusible gas, is produced in the central nervous system, including the spinal cord dorsal horn and the trigeminal nucleus, the first central areas processing nociceptive information from periphery. In the spinal cord, it has been demonstrated that NO acts as pronociceptive or antinociceptive mediators, apparently in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the central role of NO in the trigeminal nucleus remains uncertain in support of processing the orofacial nociception. Thus, we here investigated the central role of NO in formalin (3%)-induced orofacial pain in rats by administering membrane-permeable or -impermeable inhibitors, relating to the NO signaling pathways, into intracisternal space. The intracisternal pretreatments with the NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME, the NO-sensitive guanylate cyclase inhibitor ODQ, and the protein kinase C inhibitor GF109203X, all of which are permeable to the cell membrane, significantly reduced the formalin-induced pain, whereas the membrane-impermeable NO scavenger PTIO significantly enhanced it, compared to vehicle controls. These data suggest that an overall effect of NO production in the trigeminal nucleus is pronociceptive, but NO extracellularly diffused out of its producing neurons would have an antinociceptive action.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.353-358
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• 2014

Control of blood pressure is maintained by the interaction between the arterial baroreflex and vestibulosympathetic reflex during postural changes. In this study, the contributions of vestibular receptors and baroreceptors to the maintenance of blood pressure following acute hypotension were compared in terms of phosphorylated extracellular regulated protein kinase (pERK) expression in the nucleus tractus solitaries (NTS). Expression of pERK in the NTS was measured in conscious rats that had undergone bilateral labyrinthectomy (BL) and/or sinoaortic denervation (SAD) 5, 10, 20, and 40 min following acute hypotension induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) infusion. Expression of pERK increased significantly in the NTS in the control group following SNP infusion, and the expression peaked at 10 min after SNP infusion. The number of pERK positive neurons increased following SNP infusion in BL, SAD, and BL+SAD groups, although the increase was smaller than in control group. The BL group showed a relatively higher reduction in pERK expression than the SAD group, and the pERK expression in the NTS was localized to the caudal portion of the nuclei in the BL and SAD groups. These results suggest that the vestibular receptors may play a key role in maintaining blood pressure following acute hypotension; thus, the vestibular system may contribute to compensate for orthostatic hypotension.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.91-98
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• 2005

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is known as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the neurons of the central nervous system. However, its detailed action mechanisms in the rostral gustatory zone of the nucleus tractus solitarius (rNTS) have not been established. The present study was aimed to investigate the distribution, role and action mechanisms of GABA in rNTS. Membrane potentials were recorded by whole cell recordings in isolated brain slices of the rat medulla. Superfusion of GABA resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction in input resistance in the neurons in rNTS. The change in input resistance ws accompanied by response to a depolarizing pulse were diminished by GABA. Superfusion of the slices with either $GABA_A$ agonist, muscimol, $GABA_B$ agonist, baclofen or $GABA_C$ agonist, TACA, decreased input resistance and reduced the nerve activity in association with membrane hyperpolarization. It is suggested that inhibitory signals playa role in sensory processing by the rNTS, in that GABA actions occur through activation of $GABA_A,\;GABA_B\;and\;GABA_C$ receptor. These results suggest that GABA has an inhibitory effect on the rNTS through an activation of $GABA_A,\;GABA_B\;and\;GABA_C$ receptors and that the GABAergic inhibition probably plays an important role in sensory processing by the rNTS.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.403-411
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• 1990

The present investigation was performed to see a possible influence of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) on pancreatic exocrine secretion in anesthetized rats since the DRN had been known to exert a regulatory mechanism on sympathetic activity which was known to be very important for pancreatic exocrine secretion, particularly in rats. Twenty-nine Sprague-Dawley rats fasted for 24 hours were anesthetized by i.p. injection of 1 g/kg of urethane. The pancreatic duct was cannulated to collect pancreatic juice while bile juice was diverted into the jejunum. The duodenopyloric junction was tightly ligated. After surgery for collection of pancreatic exocrine secretion and recording of carotid blood pressure, a coaxial electrode was stereotaxically inserted in the DRN with a guide of a brain atlas. And then, electrical stimulus of biphasic square wave with 2 v, 2 msec, 40 Hz was applied on the electrode for 10 minutes. Pancreatic volume flow and protein output secreted in 10 min were measured. Either bilateral cervical vagotomy or spinal cord transection at the level of $C4{\sim}C5$ was performed 20 min prior to stimulation of the DRN. 1) Electrical stimulation of the DRN resulted in significant (p<0.05) increase in pancreatic volume flow and protein output. These stimulatory effects were not affected by cervical vagotomy but completely abolished by cervical cord transection. 2) Electrical stimulation of the DRN also resulted in significant (p<0.05) rise of blood pressure of the carotid artery. The hypertensive effect was not affected by cervical vagotomy but completely abolished by cervical cord transection. The results strongly suggest that the DRN, a part of the central serotonergic system, could exert a stimulatory influence on pancreatic exocrine secretion by increasing the sympathetic activity in anesthetized rats.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국응용약물학회 1994년도 춘계학술대회 and 제3회 신약개발 연구발표회
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• pp.231-231
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• 1994

이 연구는 인삼 성분 약물이 도파민 수용체에 미치는 영향을 연구하기 위한 첫 단계로써 그 기본적인 assay system을 정착 시키기 위함이 목적이었다. 우리는 이 연구를 수행하기 위하여 생후 2-4 일의 쥐를 사용하여 흑질, 선조체, 해마구, nucleus accumbens등의 뇌 부위에서 신경세포 배양을 시도하였다. 흑질로 부터 배양한 신경세포들의 경우엔 면역 세포학적방법을 써서 살펴본 결과 대부분의 신경이 도파민성 신경이나 GABA성 신경들 이었다. 또한 이들 세포들의 전기 생리학적 상태를 알아보기 위하여 흑질에서 신호 전달체계가 잘 확립된 GABA 수용체의 작용을 살펴 본 결과 이 신경세포들은 GABA-A 및 GABA-B 수용체의 발현은 물론 이온 채널에 미치는 신호 전달체계를 완전히 갖추고 있었다. 도파민 수용체의 작용을 전기 생리학적으로 연구하기 위하여 배양한 신경세포에 도파민agonist를 가해서 이온 채널에 미치는 효과를 살펴 보았다. 선조체에서 배양한 신경세포들은 Dl 과 D2 agonist에 대해서 상반되는 반응을 나타냈다. 즉 Dl agonist는 선조체 신경세포를 활성화 시켰으나 D2 agonist는 선조체 신경세포들을 억제 하였다. 한편 해마구의 CAI 과 CA3 부위로 부터 배양한 신경세포에 대한 도파민 agonists의 작용은 선조체의 신경세포에 대한도파민 agonists의 작용과는 상반되는 반응 이었다. Dl agonist는 해마구로 부터 배양한 신경세포의 활성을 억제 하였으나 D2 agonist는 이들 신경세포들의 활성을 증가 시켰다. Nucleus accumbens 에서 배양한 신경세포들은 도파민에 의해서 그 활성이 억제 되었다. 이러한 결과로 미루어 봐서 같은 도파민 수용체라도 분포되어 있는 조직에 따라서 신호전달 에 관여 하고 있는 C-단백이나 이차 전령물질이 달라서 신경세포에 대한 작용이 다르든지. 약리학적으로는 구분되지 않으나 뇌의 조직에 따라서 분포가 다른 도파민 수용체의 아그룹이 존재 한다고 생각된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.610-615
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• 2017

When Shigella infect host cells, various effecter molecules are delivered into the cytoplasm of the host cell through the type III secretion system (TTSS) to facilitate their invasion process and control the host immune responses. Among these effectors, the S. flexneri effector OspF dephosphorylates mitogen-activated protein kinases and translocates itself to the nucleus, thus preventing histone H3 modification to regulate expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Despite the critical role of OspF, the mechanism by which it localizes in the nucleus has remained to be elucidated. In the present study, we identified a potential small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) modification site within OspF and we demonstrated that Shigella TTSS effector OspF is conjugated with SUMO in the host cell and this modification mediates the nuclear translocation of OspF. Our results show a bacterial virulence factor can exploit host post-translational machinery to execute its intracellular trafficking.

• 약학회지
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• 제35권6호
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• pp.486-496
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• 1991

Spinal parasympathetic outflows originate in the sacral parasympathetic nuclei. The sacral parasympathetic nuclei receive inputs from the brainstem. Many areas in the medulla appear to influence sympathetic outflow of the spinal cord. Whether neurons in these areas of the medulla may project to the lumbosacral cord to affect the parasympathetic outflow has not been studied clearly. Thus, this study was intended to investigate origins of cells projecting from the medulla to the sacral parasympathetic nuclei of the spinal cord. In 3 cats, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into the lower lumbar spinal cord. HRP labeled neurons were found mainly in the following areas: nucleus retroambiguus, nucleus tractus solitarius, raphe complex and ventrolateral area of the rostral medulla. Most of these areas are known to be involved in regulation of sympathetic activity, and, thus, these results indicate that these areas are likely to affect the sacral parasympathetic outflow as they do for the sympathetic nerves.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제20권6호
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• pp.525-528
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• 1997

Steroid $9{\alpha}$.-hydroxylase is a key enzyme system in steroid nucleus degradation in company with ${\Delta}$-dehydrogenase. To examine $9{\alpha}$-hydroxylase activity during microbial transformation of steroids, 9(11)-dehydro-$17{\alpha}$-methyl-testosterone was adopted as a stable substrate for preventing the rupture of steroid nucleus. Using Nocardia restrictus ATCC 14887 capable of introducing a $9{\alpha}$-hydroxyl group into steroids, $9{\alpha}$,$11{\alpha}$-oxido-$17{\beta}$-hydroxy-$17{\alpha}$-methyl-4-androstene-3-one and $9{\alpha}$-hydroxyl group into steroids,$9{\alpha}$,$11{\alpha}$-oxido-$17{\beta}$-hydroxy-$17{\alpha}$-methyl-1,4-androstadiene-3- one were obtained. These microbiologically transformed products could be used as reference compounds in the enzyme assay.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권6호
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• pp.603-611
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• 1997

The motor evoked potentials (MEPs) have been advocated as a method of monitoring the integrity of spinal efferent pathways in various injury models of the central nervous system. However, there were many disputes about origin sites of MEPs generated by transcranial electrical stimulation. The purpose of present study was to investigate the effect of major extrapyramidal motor nuclei such as lateral vestibular nucleus (VN) and medullary reticular nucleus (mRTN) on any components of the MEPs in adult Sprague-Dalwey rats. MEPs were evoked by electrical stimulation of the right sensorimotor cortex through a stainless steel screw with 0.5mm in diameter, and recorded epidurally at T9 - T10 spinal cord levels by using a pair of teflon-coated stainless steel wire electrodes with 1mm exposed tip. In order to inject lidocaine and make a lesion, insulated long dental needle with noninsulated tips were placed stareotoxically in VN and mRTN. Lidocaine of $2{\sim}3\;{\mu}l$ was injected into either VN or mRTN. The normal MEPs were composed of typical four reproducible waves; P1, P2, P3, P4. The first wave (P1) was shown at a mean latency of 1.2 ms, corresponding to a conduction velocity of 67.5 m/sec. The latencies of MEPs were shortened and the amplitudes were increased as stimulus intensity was increased. The amplitudes of P1 and P2 were more decreased among 4 waves of MEPs after lidocaine microinjection into mRTN. Especially, the amplitude of P1 was decreased by 50% after lidocaine microinjection into bilateral mRTN. On the other hand, lidocaine microinjection into VN reduced the amplitudes of P3 and P4 than other MEP waves. However, the latencies of MEPs were not changed by lidocaine microinjection into either VN or mRTN. These results suggest that the vestibular and reticular nuclei contribute to partially different role in generation of MEPs elicited by transcranial electrical stimulation.