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Biomedical subjects

S J Pan

Publications and source records attributed to S J Pan.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

ANG II-mediated inhibition of neuronal delayed rectifier K+ current: role of protein kinase C-alpha.

It was previously determined that ANG II and phorbol esters inhibit Kv current in neurons cultured from newborn rat hypothalamus and brain stem in a protein kinase C (PKC)- and Ca2+-dependent manner. Here, we have further defined this signaling pathway by investigating the roles of "physiological" activators of PKC and different PKC isozymes. The cell-permeable PKC activators, diacylglycerol (DAG) analogs 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (1 micromol/l, n = 7) and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (1 micromol/l, n = 6), mimicked the effect of ANG II and inhibited Kv current. These effects were abolished by the PKC inhibitor chelerythrine (1 micromol/l, n = 5) or by chelation of internal Ca2+ (n = 8). PKC antisense (AS) oligodeoxynucleotides (2 micromol/l) against Ca2+-dependent PKC isoforms were applied to the neurons to manipulate the endogenous levels of PKC. PKC-alpha-AS (n = 4) treatment abolished the inhibitory effects of ANG II and 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol on Kv current, whereas PKC-beta-AS (n = 4) and PKC-gamma-AS (n = 4) did not. These results suggest that the angiotensin type 1 receptor-mediated effects of ANG II on neuronal Kv current involve activation of PKC-alpha.

Alkaloids↗

Effects of clenbuterol on insulin resistance in conscious obese Zucker rats.

The present study was conducted to determine the effect of chronic administration of the long-acting beta(2)-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol on rats that are genetically prone to insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance. Obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) were given 1 mg/kg of clenbuterol by oral intubation daily for 5 wk. Controls received an equivalent volume of water according to the same schedule. At the end of the treatment, rats were catheterized for euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic (15 mU insulin. kg(-1). min(-1)) clamping. Clenbuterol did not change body weight compared with the control group but caused a redistribution of body weight: leg muscle weights increased, and abdominal fat weight decreased. The glucose infusion rate needed to maintain euglycemia and the rate of glucose disappearance were greater in the clenbuterol-treated rats. Furthermore, plasma insulin levels were decreased, and the rate of glucose uptake into hindlimb muscles and abdominal fat was increased in the clenbuterol-treated rats. This increased rate of glucose uptake was accompanied by a parallel increase in the rate of glycogen synthesis. The increase in muscle glucose uptake could not be ascribed to an increase in the glucose transport protein GLUT-4 in clenbuterol-treated rats. We conclude that chronic clenbuterol treatment reduces the insulin resistance of the obese Zucker rat by increasing insulin-stimulated muscle and adipose tissue glucose uptake. The improvements noted may be related to the repartitioning of body weight between tissues.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

Studies on the determination of diacetyl guanfubase A concentration in rabbit plasma and pharmacokinetics.

A gas chromatographic method for monitoring diacetyl guanfubase A in plasma is described. The procedure involved a single solvent extraction of drug from rabbit plasma into ethyl acetate with guanfubase A as an internal standard. The extract was analyzed subsequently on a gas chromatograph equipped with a hydrogen flame ionization detector. The recovery was 86.43% +/- 6.90% (+/- SD); the RSD of within-day and between-day was 2.81%-5.26% and 5.22%-8.24%, respectively; the regression line was linear over the concentration range of 25-200 micrograms/mL, the limit of detection was 10 micrograms/mL. No endogeneous interference was found in chromatograms of the biological samples. This method was applied to the pharmacokinetic study of diacetyl guanfubase A in rabbits.

Alkaloids↗

Increased amounts of farnesylated p21Ras in tissues of hyperinsulinaemic animals.

We have recently demonstrated that insulin activates farnesyltransferase (FTase) and thereby increases the amounts of cellular farnesylated p21Ras in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, adipocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells. We postulated that hyperinsulinaemia might considerably increase the the cellular pool of farnesylated p21Ras available for activation by other growth factors. To examine the role of in vivo hyperinsulinaemia in regulating farnesylated p21Ras, we measured the amounts of farnesylated p21Ras in tissues of hyperinsulinaemic animals. Liver, aorta, and skeletal muscle of ob/ob mice, and mice made obese and hyperinsulinaemic by injection of gold-thioglucose contained greater amounts of farnesylated p21Ras than tissues of their lean normoinsulinaemic counterparts. Similarly, farnesylated p21Ras was increased (67 vs. 35 % in control animals, p<0.01) in the livers of hyperinsulinaemic Zucker rats (fa/fa). Reduction of hyperinsulinaemia by exercise training (2 h/day for 7-8 weeks) resulted in decreases in the amounts of farnesylated p21Ras in these animals. Increased farnesylated p21Ras in hyperinsulinaemic animals reflected increasing increments in the activity of FTase in ob/ob mice (2-fold increase) and fa/fa Zucker rats (3.5-fold increase), while the total amounts of Ras proteins remained unchanged. In contrast to insulin-resistant hyperinsulinaemic animals, denervated insulin-resistant rat soleus muscle (in the presence of normoinsulinaemia) showed normal amounts of farnesylated p21Ras. In summary, these data confirm increased amounts of farnesylated p21Ras in tissues of hyperinsulinaemic animals.

3T3 Cells↗

[Studies of meiotic origin of the extra chromosome 21 in Down syndromes detected by using (GT)n polymorphic DNA markers].

The polymorphics of two pericentric (GT)n sequences on the long arm of human chromosome 21 have been analyzed after PCR amplification, PAGE and Ag-staining for the first time in 50 Chinese Han people, and were used to detect meiotic origin of the extra chromosome 21 in Down syndromes. Six and 5 alleles were found in Chinese Han people for D21S215 and D21S120, respectively, with observed heterozygosities of 0.68 and polymorphic information content PIC, 0.67 and 0.65. For 17 Down syndromes whose parental origin of the extra chromosome 21 were known, meiotic origin of the extra chromosome 21 were determined in 16 cases, with 7 and 4 maternal meiosis I and II nondisjunction, 2 and 3 paternal meiosis I and II, respectively. The possible biological significance of the study on origin of the extra chromosome 21 has been discussed.

Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21↗

[Effect of acute hypoxia on ATP-sensitive potassium current in ventricular myocytes of guinea-pig].

The role of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel in arrhythmogenesis is not clearly understood. Cellular K+ loss and accumulation of [K+]o may contribute to genesis of malignant ventricular arrhythmia during myocardial ischemia. In the present study, acute hypoxia simply caused a partial decrease in K+ efflux at normal [K+]o, which was not sensitive to glibenclamide (5 x 10(-3) mmol/L). However, at a higher concentration of [K+]o (10.8 mmol/L), the outward K+ current increased dramatically after 10 min hypoxia, which was accompanied with an irreversible hypercontracture and eventual death of the cell. The I-V relation was linear with increasing repolarization, which was blocked by glibenclamide, an antagonist of ATP-sensitive potassium channel. The results suggest that the increased K+ current is ATP-sensitive and is facilitated by accumulation of the [K+]o.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Three-dimensional laser scanning two-photon fluorescence confocal microscopy of polymer materials using a new, efficient upconverting fluorophore.

Three-dimensional confocal imaging of polymer samples was achieved by the use of two-photon excited fluorescence in both positive and negative contrast modes. The fluorophore was a new and highly efficient two-photon induced upconverter, resulting in improved signal strength at low pumping power. Because of the relatively long wavelength of the excitation source (798 nm from a mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser), this technique shows a larger penetration depth into the samples than provided by conventional single-photon fluorescence confocal microscopy. Single-photon and two-photon images of the same area of each sample show significant differences. The results suggest the possibility of using two-photon confocal microscopy, in conjunction with highly efficient fluorophores, as a tool to study the surface, interface, and fracture in material science applications.

Fluorescent Dyes↗

Effects of pharmacological interventions on emetine cardiotoxicity in isolated perfused rat hearts.

The cardiotoxicity of emetine continues to be a significant clinical problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of several mechanistic interventions, including ICRF-187, an iron-chelating agent which protects against doxorubicin toxicity, atropine, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) on the toxicity of emetine in our isolated, perfused rat heart model. The model includes functional, electrocardiographic, and biochemical determinations in the same preparation. Atropine and ICRF-187 had no effect on the time needed for emetine to induce ventricular asystole, while FBP significantly increased this time. Administration of 47 microM atropine, 300 microM FBP, or 1 mM FBP decreased the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into the coronary effluent, while ICRF-187 had no effect. These pharmacological interventions variably changed the amplitude of the biphasic response of the coronary flow to emetine. Finally, FBP was very effective in slowing the rate of QRS-waveform degeneration in the perfused hearts. Emetine caused PR- and QRS-prolongation which was not altered by FBP.

Animals↗

[Effect of acute hypoxia on L-type calcium current of the ventricular myocytes of guinea-pig].

When the conventional whole cell recording technique is used to study the inward calcium current in cardiac cells, the "Run down" phenomenon of calcium channel would prevent sufficient time of recording desirable for adequate experimental analysis. The "Run down" phenomenon could be minimized by using nystatin-whole cell recording technique in isolated guinea-pig ventricular cells. The inward L-type calcium current could be maintained at a steady level for up to more than 100 min, showing the presence of an endogenous steady calcium ion buffering mechanism. With nystatin-whole cell recording, the L-type calcium current after 10 min acute hypoxia (Po2 4 +/- 0.7 kPa) was inhibited (peak amplitude decreased) and the I-V relation was shifted upward. The inward calcium current showed no recovery after 10 min reoxygenation. The peak amplitude was lower than that of the control. The results suggested that the decrease of action potential duration (APD) under acute hypoxia was not only due to increase of outward potassium current, but also a decrease of inward calcium current. All these phenomena may be related to some inhibition of phosphorylation of the L-type calcium channel in the cardiac cells under hypoxia.

Action Potentials↗