Differential Effects of Anesthetics on Mitochondrial KATP Channel Activity and Cardiomyocyte Protection

Background: Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (mitoKATP) channels play a pivotal role in mediating cardiac preconditioning. The effects of intravenous anesthetics on this protective channel have not been investigated so far, but would be of importance with respect to experimental as well as clinical medicine.

Methods: Live cell microscopy was used to visualize and measure autofluorescence of flavoproteins, a direct reporter of mitoKATP channel activity, in response to the direct and highly selective mitoKATP channel opener diazoxide, or to diazoxide following exposure to various anesthetics commonly used in experimental and clinical medicine. A cellular model of ischemia with subsequent hypoosmolar trypan blue staining served to substantiate the effects of the anesthetics on mitoKATP channels with respect to myocyte viability.

Results: Diazoxide-induced mitoKATP channel opening was significantly inhibited by the anesthetics R-ketamine, and the barbiturates thiopental and pentobarbital. Conversely, urethane, 2,2,2-trichloroethanol (main metabolite of [alpha]-chloralose and chloral hydrate), and the opioid fentanyl potentiated the channel-opening effect of diazoxide, which was abrogated by coadministration of chelerythrine, a specific protein kinase C inhibitor. S-ketamine, propofol, xylazine, midazolam, and etomidate did not affect mitoKATP channel activity. The significance of these modulatory effects of the anesthetics on mitoKATP channel activity was substantiated in a cellular model of simulated ischemia, where diazoxide-induced cell protection was mitigated by R-ketamine and the barbiturates, while urethane, 2,2,2-trichloroethanol, and fentanyl potentiated myocyte protection.     

Pancreatic cancer–Palliative therapy: surgery (bypass/resection)

Objective: We compare the outcome of palliative pancreaticoduodenectomy and palliative surgical bypass in patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma in our hospital. Recent published related articles are also reviewed. Methods: A respective analysis was performed comparing the perioperative parameters and outcome of 20 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with a gross suspected cancer residue and 30 patients who underwent a surgical bypass, all of the patients were diagnosed as in advanced stages intra-operatively. Results: The two groups were comparable with patient characteristics, including age, gender, initial symptoms and concomitant major organ diseases. Tumors are similar in size and intra-operatively diagnosed as in advanced stages in both groups. All of the patients in the resection group were microscopically proved having cancer residue. One postoperative mortality occurred in the resection group (5%), zero in the bypass group (P > 0.05). Overall complications were significantly higher in the resection group (30% vs. 0, P < 0.01), including 2 patients developed Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), zero in the bypass group (P < 0.01); hemorrhage and transfusions in the resection group were much more than that in the bypass group (P < 0.05). Hospital stay after resection was significantly longer than bypass (20 vs. 12 days, P < 0.01). Hospital fee after resection was 4 times more than after bypass (median 61.500 vs. 15. 300 yuan, P < 0.01). Survival was significantly longer after resection (median 12.2 vs. 7.1 months, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Our results show that palliative resection in advanced pancreatic carcinoma lengthens the survival time of the patients, but this is paid for significantly higher complications than bypass.     

Heterologous expression of rat testis GABA_A receptor P3t variant in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Aim: To study the characteristics and possible retention function of specific sequence in the 5'-end of rat testis GABAA receptor β 3t variant. Methods: Rat testis GABAA receptor β 3t variant cDNA was cloned and inserted into two eukaryotic expression vectors of pEGFP-Nl and pEGFP-Cl respectively, which have EGFP reporter gene. The recombinant plasmids were transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with the calcium phosphate co-precipitation method. Fluorescence microscope and laser confocal microscope were used to analyze the transfected cells. ConA-Texas-Red was used to label cell endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and study the located area of rat testis β 3t variant in the CHO cells. Results: When the rat testis β 3t variant express in CHO cells, there were two expression pattern, the even and the concentrated expression pattern. Although rat brain β 3 can reach cell membrane, the rat testis β 3t variant can't target to the cell membrane. It may be retained in the ER of CHO cells. Conclusion:     

Action of Isoflurane on the Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons of the Adult Rat Spinal Cord

Background: Although isoflurane, a volatile anesthetic, can block the motor response to noxious stimulation (immobility and analgesia) and suppress autonomic responsiveness, how it exerts these effects at the neuronal level in the spinal cord is not fully understood.

Methods: The effects of a clinically relevant concentration (1 rat minimum alveolar concentration [MAC]) of isoflurane on electrically evoked and spontaneous excitatory/inhibitory transmission and on the response to exogenous administration of the [gamma]-aminobutyric acid type A receptor agonist muscimol were examined in lamina II neurons of adult rat spinal cord slices using the whole cell patch clamp technique. The effect of isoflurane on the action potential-generating membrane property was also examined.

Results: Bath-applied isoflurane (1.5%, 1 rat MAC) diminished dorsal root-evoked polysynaptic but not monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic currents. Glutamatergic miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents were also unaffected by isoflurane. In contrast, isoflurane prolonged the decay phase of evoked and miniature [gamma]-aminobutyric acid type A receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents and increased the amplitude of the muscimol-induced current. Isoflurane had little effect on action potential discharge activity.     

Lidocaine Increases Intracellular Sodium Concentration through Voltage-dependent Sodium Channels in an Identified Lymnaea Neuron

Background: The local anesthetic lidocaine affects neuronal excitability in the central nervous system; however, the mechanisms of such action remain unclear. The intracellular sodium concentration ([Na+]i) and sodium currents (INa) are related to membrane potential and excitability. Using an identifiable respiratory pacemaker neuron from Lymnaea stagnalis, the authors sought to determine whether lidocaine changes [Na+]i and membrane potential and whether INa is related to these changes.

Methods: Intracellular recording and sodium imaging were used simultaneously to measure membrane potentials and [Na+]i, respectively. Measurements for [Na+]i were made in normal, high-Na+, and Na+-free salines, with membrane hyperpolarization, and with tetrodotoxin pretreatment trials. Furthermore, changes of INa were measured by whole cell patch clamp configuration.

Results: Lidocaine increased [Na+]i in a dose-dependent manner concurrent with a depolarization of the membrane potential. In the presence of high-Na+ saline, [Na+]i increased and the membrane potential was depolarized; the addition of lidocaine further increased [Na+]i, and the membrane potential was further depolarized. In Na+-free saline or in the presence of tetrodotoxin, lidocaine did not change [Na+]i. Similarly, hyperpolarization of the membrane by current injections also prevented the lidocaine-induced increase of [Na+]i. In the patch clamp configuration, membrane depolarization by lidocaine led to an inward sodium influx. A persistent reduction in membrane potential, resulting from lidocaine, brings the cell within the window current of INa where sodium channel activation occurs.     

Mild Hypercapnia Induces Vasodilation via Adenosine Triphosphate-sensitive K+ Channels in Parenchymal Microvessels of the Rat Cerebral Cortex

Background: Carbon dioxide is an important vasodilator of cerebral blood vessels. Cerebral vasodilation mediated by adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive K+ channels has not been demonstrated in precapillary microvessel levels. Therefore, the current study was designed to examine whether ATP-sensitive K+ channels play a role in vasodilation induced by mild hypercapnia in precapillary arterioles of the rat cerebral cortex.

Methods: Brain slices from rat cerebral cortex were prepared and superfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid, including normal (Pco2 = 40 mmHg; pH = 7.4), hypercapnic (Pco2 = 50 mmHg; pH = 7.3), and hypercapnic normal pH (Pco2 = 50 mmHg; pH = 7.4) solutions. The ID of a cerebral parenchymal arteriole (5-9.5 [mu]m) was monitored using computerized videomicroscopy.

Results: During contraction to prostaglandin F2[alpha] (5 x 10-7 m), hypercapnia, but not hypercapnia under normal pH, induced marked vasodilation, which was completely abolished by the selective ATP-sensitive K+ channel antagonist glibenclamide (5 x 10-6 m). However, the selective Ca2+-dependent K+ channel antagonist iberiotoxin (10-7 m) as well as the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (10-4 m) did not alter vasodilation. A selective ATP-sensitive K+ channel opener, levcromakalim (3 x 10-8 to 3 x 10-7 m), induced vasodilation, whereas this vasodilation was abolished by glibenclamide.     

Sevoflurane Inhibits Guanosine 5′-[γ-thio]triphosphate-stimulated, Rho/Rho-kinase-mediated Contraction of Isolated Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle

Background: The Rho/Rho-kinase signaling pathway plays an important role in mediating Ca2+ sensitization of vascular smooth muscle. The effect of anesthetics on Rho/Rho-kinase-mediated vasoconstriction has not been determined to date. This study is designed to examine the possible inhibitory effects of sevoflurane on the Rho/Rho-kinase pathway by measuring guanosine 5'-[[gamma]-thio]triphosphate (GTP[gamma]S)-stimulated contraction and translocation of RhoA (one of the three Rho subtypes) and Rock-2 (one of the two Rho-kinase subtypes) from the cytosol to the membrane in rat aortic smooth muscle.

Methods: GTP[gamma]S-induced contraction of rat aortic endothelium-denuded rings was measured using an isometric force transducer, and GTP[gamma]S-stimulated membrane translocation of RhoA and Rock-2 in smooth muscle cells was detected with Western blotting in the presence and absence of sevoflurane.

Results: GTP[gamma]S (10-4 m) induced a sustained contraction, which was significantly inhibited by the Rho-kinase inhibitor, Y27632 (3 x 10-6 m). Before treatment with GTP[gamma]S, RhoA and Rock-2 were detected primarily in the cytosolic fraction. GTP[gamma]S (10-4 m) stimulated the translocation of RhoA and Rock-2 from the cytosol to the membrane, which was sustained for more than 60 min. Sevoflurane (1.7, 3.4, and 5.1%) concentration dependently inhibited the GTP[gamma]S-induced constriction of rat aortic smooth muscle with a reduction of constriction of 52-75% (P < 0.01, n = 8), and attenuated the translocation of RhoA and Rock-2 by 31-66% and 34-78%, respectively (P < 0.05-0.01, respectively; n = 4).     

Induction of APOBEC3G in human hepatoma cells by interferon-α stimulation

To clarify the role of APOBEC3G (A3G) in cellular defense against hepatitis B virus ( HBV), the expression of A3G in normal human liver and the regulation of the A3G expression in hep-atoma cell line (HuH-7) were investigated. Expression level of APOBEC3s mRNA in human liver was determined by RT-PCR. HuH-7 and HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of IFN-α(0 U/ml, 100 U/ml, 500 U/ml, 1000 U/ml)for 12 h. The mRNA levels were measured by a quantitative RT-PCR, the results were normalized relative to the specimens without IFN-αstimulation. Total protein of HuH-7 cells treated with various concentrations of IFN-αfor 48 h was subjected to Western blot analysis. For reporter gene assay, HuH-7 cells were transfected with the reporter plasmids containing IRF-E sites and its mutants with different lengths. Then the cells were treated with or without 1200 U/ml IFN-a for additional 12 h (1000 U/ml) after 24 h of transfection, and the cell lysate was prepared and assayed for luciferase activity. It was found that normal human liver expressed the mRNA of A3G. A3G mRNA expression in HuH-7 and HepG2 cells were up-regulated by IFN-αstimulation in a dose-depen-dent manner. Western blot analysis indicated that A3G protein expression was also enhanced by IFN-αstimulation. Sequence analysis showed the existence of putative sites of IFN regulatory factor element (IRF-E) in 5' region of A3G gene upstream the initiation codon. IFN-αstimulation results in 6- to 8-fold increase in luciferase activity in cells transfected with the plasmid containing IRF-E sites of the 5' upstream sequences, whereas luciferase activity did not change in cells transfected with the plasmid containing mutant IRF-E sites or without IRF-E sites. As a conclusion, A3G are expressed in normal human liver. A3G expression was up-regulated by IFN-αstimulation in hepatoma cells and could be involved in host defense mechanisms against HBV. ERF-E site in 5' region of AP0BEC3G gene upstream the initiation codon plays an important role in this process.     

The Distribution of Synaptotagmin II in RBL-2H3 and Its Regulation on Exocytosis of Lysosomes in RBL-2H3

Synaptotagmin(Syt)constitutes a family of membrane-trafficking proteins,so far nearly 20 Syts have beendiscovered.Extensive work showed that synatotagmins were a potential Ca~(2+) sensor for regulated exocytosis.Thisstudy was to investigate the expression and location of synaptotagmin Ⅱ(Syt2)in RBL-2H3(RBL)and its role inregulating exocytosis of RBL.The expression of Syt2 in RBL was confirmed by Western blot.The recombinantexpression vector pEGFP-N1-Syt2 was constructed and transfected into RBL by electroporation,the stabletransfectant RBL-Syt2-S expressing fusion protein Syt2-EGFP were obtained and Syt2 was highly concentrated atplasma membrane with little detected in cytoplasm.To analyze the role of Syt2 during exocytosis of RBL,therelease of cathepsin D was assayed by immunoblotting.Compared with control,the release of cathepsin D byRBL-Syt2-S was markedly decreased.The results indicated that Syt2 played a negative regulation in exocytosis oflysosomes in RBL.Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2005;2(3):205-209.