胆必清对内毒素诱导的大鼠腹腔巨噬细胞内游离钙浓度的影响

目的：探讨中药胆必清对内毒素诱导的大鼠腹腔巨噬细胞游离钙浓度的影响。方法：制备大鼠腹腔巨噬细胞并在体外进行孵育,使用荧光探针用荧光法测定钙浓度。巨噬细胞随机分为正常对照组,内毒素LPS组,小、中和大剂量中药组。结果：LPS能诱导巨噬细胞[Ca2^ ]i的升高。加入胆必清后,[Ca2^ ]i可有不同程度的降低。结论：胆必清能抑制LPS诱导的大鼠腹腔巨噬细胞内的[Ca2^ ]i升高,提示该药具有抗炎和免疫调节作用。     

钙增敏剂MCI-154对内毒素休克大鼠左心室肌原纤维ATP酶活性的影响

目的　研究钙增敏剂MCI 15 4对内毒素休克大鼠左心室肌原纤维ATP酶活性的影响。方法　利用心室肌原纤维制备 ,测定其在不同钙浓度的激活液中的ATP酶活性。结果　内毒素休克组心肌肌原纤维在不同pCa(-log[Ca2 +] )溶液中的ATP酶活性及最大ATP酶活性均明显低于假休克组 ,ATP酶 pCa曲线向右移位约 0 .35个pCa单位 ,曲线的中位值pCa50 (产生 5 0 %最大ATP酶活性所对应的pCa)明显降低。 5×10 -5mol/L甲腈吡酮对上述异常无明显的纠正作用。内毒素休克大鼠心室肌原纤维经含 1× 10 -5mol/L的MCI 15 4的激活液处理后 ,各pCa点ATP酶活性及最大ATP酶活性均明显增加 ,显著高于内毒素休克组和甲腈吡酮组 ;ATP酶 pCa曲线向左移位约 0 .4个pCa单位 ,pCa50 值增加 ,显著高于内毒素休克组和甲腈吡酮组值 ,与假休克组值无明显差别。结论　内毒素休克后 ,心肌肌原纤维活力下降 ,ATP酶活性降低 ;钙增敏剂MCI 15 4可通过增加心肌收缩蛋白对钙的敏感性而提高心肌肌原纤维活力 ,增加ATP酶活性     

大鼠脑缺血再灌注时神经细胞游离Ca^2＋与FOS表达

目的 观察大鼠脑缺血再灌注时神经细胞内Ｃａ＾２＋与ＦＯＳ的时空变化。方法 利用大鼠脑缺血再灌注模型,结果 随大鼠脑缺血再灌注时间的延长,细胞内Ｃａ＾２＋增加明显,ＦＯＳ表达较快,再灌注６ｈ即达到高峰。ＦＯＳ蛋白在海马区表达最多,纹状体最少。结论 认为神经细胞内钙超载引起细胞死亡,是通过促进ＦＯＳ的表达完成的。     

磷酸钙作为佐剂应用在乙肝核酸疫苗中的可能性研究

目的：研究使用磷酸钙作为乙ＤＮＡ疫苗的佐剂,诱导机体免疫反应的可能性,方法：磷酸钙与疫苗ＤＮＡ制备出磷酸钙－ＤＮＡ共沉物,免疫小鼠,检测外周血抗体,观察免疫应答反应,结果：磷酸钙－ＤＮＡ共沉物能激发机体免疫应答反应。结论：佐剂在核酸疫苗的应用值得进一步研究。     

Sources of Ca2+ in relation to generation of acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization in rat mesenteric artery

1. The aim of the present study was to identify the sources of Ca²⁺ contributing to acetylcholine (ACh)-induced release of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) from endothelial cells of rat mesenteric artery and to assess the pathway involved. The changes in membrane potentials of smooth muscles by ACh measured with the microelectrode technique were evaluated as a marker for EDHF release.
2. ACh elicited membrane hyperpolarization of smooth muscle cells in an endothelium-dependent manner. The hyperpolarizing response was not affected by treatment with 10 μM indomethacin, 300 μM N^G-nitro-L-arginine or 10 μM oxyhaemoglobin, thereby indicating that the hyperpolarization is not mediated by prostanoids or nitric oxide but is presumably by EDHF.
3. In the presence of extracellular Ca²⁺, 1 μM ACh generated a hyperpolarization composed of the transient and sustained components. By contrast, in Ca²⁺-free medium, ACh produced only transient hyperpolarization.
4. Pretreatment with 100 nM thapsigargin and 3 μM cyclopiazonic acid, endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase inhibitors, completely abolished ACh-induced hyperpolarization. Pretreatment with 20 mM caffeine also markedly attenuated ACh-induced hyperpolarization. However, the overall pattern and peak amplitude of hyperpolarization were unaffected by pretreatment with 1 μM ryanodine.
5. In the presence of 5 mM Ni²⁺ or 3 mM Mn²⁺, the hyperpolarizing response to ACh was transient, and the sustained component of hyperpolarization was not observed. On the other hand, 1 μM nifedipine had no effect on ACh-induced hyperpolarization.
6. ACh-induced hyperpolarization was nearly completely eliminated by 500 nM U-73122 or 200 μM 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl-N,N-diphenylcarbamate, inhibitors of phospholipase C, but was unchanged by 500 nM U-73343, an inactive form of U-73122. Pretreatment with 20 nM staurosporine, an inhibitor of protein kinase C, did not modify ACh-induced hyperpolarization.
7. These results indicate that the ACh-induced release of EDHF from endothelial cells of rat mesenteric artery is possibly initiated by Ca²⁺ release from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃)-sensitive Ca²⁺ pool as a consequence of stimulation of phospholipid hydrolysis due to phospholipase C activation, and maintained by Ca²⁺ influx via a Ni²⁺- and Mn²⁺-sensitive pathway distinct from L-type Ca²⁺ channels. The Ca²⁺-influx mechanism seems to be activated following IP₃-induced depletion of the pool.

     

Characterization of the P2 receptors in rabbit pulmonary artery

1. We have identified the P₂ receptors mediating vasomotor responses in the rabbit pulmonary artery.
2. Neither ATP nor UTP contracted intact or endothelium-denuded rings. However, both relaxed intact rings of rabbit pulmonary artery that had been preconstricted with phenylephrine (pD₂ 5.2 and 5.6, respectively).
3. The vasodilator effect of UTP was endothelium-dependent and abolished by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N^G-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG).
4. The vasodilator effect of ATP was only partially inhibited by removal of endothelium or addition of L-NOARG, suggesting an additional direct effect on vascular smooth muscle.
5. The endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses to UTP and ATP were competitively antagonized by suramin.
6. Preconstricted, endothelium-denuded rings were also relaxed by 2-methylthio ATP (pD₂ 6.6), a P_2Y receptor agonist.
7. Ca²⁺-mobilizing P_2U receptors were identified on smooth muscle cells on the basis of single cell responses to ATP (pD₂ 7.8) and UTP (pD₂ 7.9; 6.7 in the presence of 100 μM suramin).
8. There was no evidence of a Ca²⁺-mobilizing P_2Y receptor in these cultured cells.
9. The data suggest the presence of (i) a suramin-sensitive P_2U receptor on endothelial cells that induces vasorelaxation through NO release, (ii) a suramin-sensitive P_2U receptor on cultured smooth muscle cells that mobilizes Ca²⁺ but is not coupled to vasomotor responses and (iii) a putative P_2Y receptor on vascular smooth muscle cells that induces relaxation via a Ca²⁺-independent signal transduction pathway.

     

On the role of agonist-evoked Ca2+ mobilization in sustaining the ongoing phosphoinositide hydrolysis

Stimulation of SK-N-BE(2) cells with 1 mM carbachol (Cch) elicited phosphoinositide (PPI) hydrolysis and a rapid elevation of cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) from 115 nM to about 500 nM, followed by a plateau around 200 nM. In myo [³H]inositol-labelled cells, Cch-evoked accumulation of [³H]inositol phosphates (IPs) was not affected when [Ca²⁺]_i was clamped at resting by cell loading with 10 M BAPTA/AM; under these conditions, maximal 1,4,5-inositol trisphosphate accumulation was not reduced either. When [Ca²⁺]_i was clamped around 700 nM by cell treatment with 600 nM ionomycin, Cch-evoked [³H]IPs accumulation was enhanced by less than 20%, but it was impaired by a 30% and a 55% after [Ca²⁺]_i reduction to about 70 nM and 35—50 nM, by cell loading with 20 M or 40 M BAPTA/AM, respectively. These results show that, in SK-N-BE(2) cells, Cch-activated PPI-specific phospholipase C is sensitive to [Ca²⁺]_i but it already operates under suboptimal conditions at resting [Ca²⁺]_i.     

Gabapentin (neurontin) and S-(+)-3-isobutylgaba represent a novel class of selective antihyperalgesic agents

1. Gabapentin (neurontin) is a novel antiepileptic agent that binds to the α₂δ subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels. The only other compound known to possess affinity for this recognition site is the (S)-(+)-enantiomer of 3-isobutylgaba. However, the corresponding (R)-(−)-enantiomer is 10 fold weaker. The present study evaluates the activity of gabapentin and the two enantiomers of 3-isobutylgaba in formalin and carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain models.
2. In the rat formalin test, S-(+)-3-isobutylgaba (1–100 mg kg⁻¹) and gabapentin (10–300 mg kg⁻¹) dose-dependently inhibited the late phase of the nociceptive response with respective minimum effective doses (MED) of 10 and 30 mg kg⁻¹, s.c. This antihyperalgesic action of gabapentin was insensitive to naloxone (0.1–10.0 mg kg⁻¹, s.c.). In contrast, the R-(−)-enantiomer of 3-isobutylgaba (1–100 mg kg⁻¹) produced a modest inhibition of the late phase at the highest dose of 100 mg kg⁻¹. However, none of the compounds showed any effect during the early phase of the response.
3. The s.c. administration of either S-(+)-3-isobutylgaba (1–30 mg kg⁻¹) or gabapentin (10–100 mg kg⁻¹), after the development of peak carrageenan-induced thermal hyperalgesia, dose-dependently antagonized the maintenance of this response with MED of 3 and 30 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Similar administration of the two compounds also blocked maintenance of carrageenan-induced mechanical hyperalgesia with MED of 3 and 10 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. In contrast, R-(−)-3-isobutylgaba failed to show any effect in the two hyperalgesia models.
4. The intrathecal administration of gabapentin dose-dependently (1–100 μg/animal) blocked carrageenan-induced mechanical hyperalgesia. In contrast, administration of similar doses of gabapentin into the inflamed paw was ineffective at blocking this response.
5. Unlike morphine, the repeated administration of gabapentin (100 mg kg⁻¹ at start and culminating to 400 mg kg⁻¹) over 6 days did not lead to the induction of tolerance to its antihyperalgesic action in the formalin test. Furthermore, the morphine tolerance did not cross generalize to gabapentin. The s.c. administration of gabapentin (10–300 mg kg⁻¹), R-(−) (3–100 mg kg⁻¹) or S-(+)-3-isobutylgaba (3–100 mg kg⁻¹) failed to inhibit gastrointestinal motility, as measured by the charcoal meal test in the rat. Moreover, the three compounds (1–100 mg kg⁻¹, s.c.) did not generalize to the morphine discriminative stimulus. Gabapentin (30–300 mg kg⁻¹) and S-(+)-isobutylgaba (1–100 mg kg⁻¹) showed sedative/ataxic properties only at the highest dose tested in the rota-rod apparatus.
6. Gabapentin (30–300 mg kg⁻¹, s.c.) failed to show an antinociceptive action in transient pain models. It is concluded that gabapentin represents a novel class of antihyperalgesic agents.

     

Negative chronotropic actions of endothelin-1 on rabbit sinoatrial node pacemaker cells

1. The effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on sinoatrial (SA) node preparations of the rabbit heart were studied by means of whole-cell clamp techniques.
2. ET-1 at 1 nM slowed the spontaneous beating activity and rendered half of the cells quiescent. At a higher concentration of 10 nM, the slowing and cessation of spontaneous activity were accompanied by hyperpolarization.
3. In voltage-clamp experiments, ET-1 decreased the basal L-type Ca²⁺ current (I_Ca(L)) dose-dependently with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (EC₅₀) of 0.42 nM and maximal inhibitory response (E_max) of 49.5%. The delayed rectifying K⁺ current (I_K) was also reduced by 33.2±11.1% at 1 nM. In addition, an inwardly rectifying K⁺ current was activated by ET-1 at higher concentrations (EC₅₀=4.8 nM). These ET-1-induced changes in membrane currents were abolished by BQ485 (0.3 μM), a highly selective ET_A receptor antagonist.
4. When I_Ca(L) was inhibited by ET-1 (1 nM), subsequent application of 10 μM ACh showed no additional decrease in I_Ca(L), suggesting the involvement of cyclic AMP in the effects of ET-1 on I_Ca(L). In contrast, 1 nM ET-1 further decreased I_Ca(L) in the presence of 10 μM ACh, suggesting that ET-1 activates some additional mechanism(s) which inhibit I_Ca(L). The ET-1-induced I_Ca(L) inhibition was abolished by protein kinase A inhibitory peptide (PKI, 20 μM) or H-89 (5 μM). However, the I_Ca(L) inhibition was not affected by methylene blue (10 μM), suggesting a minor role for cyclic GMP in the effect of ET-1 under basal conditions.
5. ET-1 failed to inhibit I_Ca(L) when the pipette contained GDPβS (200 μM). However, incubation of the cells with pertussis toxin (PTX, 5 μg ml⁻¹, >6 h) only reduced the ET-1-induced inhibition to 21.5±9.5%, whereas it abolished the inhibitory effect of ACh on I_Ca(L).
6. Intracellular perfusion of 8-bromo cyclicAMP (8-Br cyclicAMP, 500 μM) attenuated, but did not abolish the inhibitory effect of ET-1 on I_Ca(L). This 8-Br cyclicAMP-resistant component (17.5±14.4%, n=20) was not affected by combined application of 8-Br cyclicAMP with 8-bromo cyclicGMP (500 μM), ryanodine (1 μM) or phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (TPA; 50 nM).
7. In summary, ET-1 exerts negative chronotropic effects on the SA node via ET_A-receptors. ET-1 inhibits both I_Ca(L) and I_K, and increases background K⁺ current. The inhibition of I_Ca(L) by ET-1 is mainly due to reduction of the cyclicAMP levels via PTX-sensitive G protein, but some other mechanism(s) also seems to be operative.

     

Presynaptic inhibition of synaptic transmission in the rat hippocampus by activation of muscarinic receptors: involvement of presynaptic calcium influx

1. Modulation of presynaptic voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) by muscarinic receptors at the CA3–CA1 synapse of rat hippocampal slices was investigated by using the calcium indicator fura-2. Stimulation-evoked presynaptic calcium transients ([Ca_pre]_t) and field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fe.p.s.ps) were simultaneously recorded. The relationship between presynaptic calcium influx and synaptic transmission was studied.
2. Activation of muscarinic receptors inhibited [Ca_pre]_t, thereby reducing synaptic transmission. Carbachol (CCh, 10 μM) inhibited [Ca_pre]_t by 35% and reduced fe.p.s.p. by 85%. The inhibition was completely antagonized by 1 μM atropine. An approximate 4^th power relationship was found between presynaptic calcium influx and postsynaptic responses.
3. Application of the N-type VDCC-blocking peptide toxin ω-conotoxin GVIA (ω-CTx GVIA, 1 μM) inhibited [Ca_pre]_t and fe.p.s.ps by 21% and 49%, respectively, while the P/Q-type VDCC blocker ω-agatoxin IVA (ω-Aga IVA, 1 μM) reduced [Ca_pre]_t and fe.p.s.ps by 35% and 85%, respectively.
4. Muscarinic receptor activation differentially inhibited distinct presynaptic VDCCs. ω-CTx GVIA-sensitive calcium channels were inhibited by muscarinic receptors, while ω-Aga IVA-sensitive channels were not. The percentage inhibition of ω-CTx GVIA-sensitive [Ca_pre]_t was about 63%.
5. Muscarinic receptors inhibited presynaptic VDCCs in a way similar to adenosine (Ad) receptors. The percentage inhibition of ω-CTx GVIA-sensitive [Ca_pre]_t by Ad (100 μM) was about 59%. There was no significant inhibition of ω-Aga IVA-sensitive channels by Ad. The inhibitions of [Ca_pre]_t by CCh and Ad were mutually occlusive.
6. These results indicate that inhibition of synaptic transmission by muscarinic receptors is mainly the consequence of a reduction of the [Ca_pre]_t due to inhibition of presynaptic VDCCs.