Search results for "Potassium Channels"

Co-expression of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.4 with transient receptor potential channels (TRPV1 and TRPV2) and the cannabinoid receptor …

2006

Potassium channels contribute to basic neuronal excitability and modulation. Here, we examined expression patterns of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.4, the nociceptive transduction channels TRPV1 and TRPV2 as well as the putative anti-nociceptive cannabinoid receptor CB1 by immunofluorescence double-labelings in sections of rat dorsal root ganglia (DRGs). Kv1.4, TRPV1 and CB1 were each detected in about one third of neurons (35.7+/-0.5%, 29.4+/-1.1% and 36.4+/-0.5%, respectively, mean diameter 19.1+/-0.3 microm). TRPV2 was present in 4.4+/-0.4% of all neurons that were significantly larger in diameter (27.4+/-0.7 microm; P < 0.001). Antibody double-labeling revealed that the majori…

The electrophysiology of adenosine in the mammalian central nervous system

1991

Immunoproteomic studies on paediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus associated with neuroblastoma

2016

We aimed to identify new cell-membrane antigens implicated in opsoclonus-myoclonus with neuroblastoma. The sera of 3 out of 14 patients showed IgG electron-microscopy immunogold reactivity on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Immunoprecipitation experiments using rat brain synaptosomes and SH-SY5Y cells led to the identification of: (1) thirty-one nuclear/cytoplasmic proteins (including antigens HuB, HuC); (2) seven neuronal membrane proteins, including the Shaw-potassium channel Kv3.3 (KCNC3), whose genetic disruption in mice causes ataxia and generalized muscle twitching. Although cell-based assays did not demonstrate direct antigenicity, our findings point to Shaw-related subfamily of the pot…

Ceramide Mediates Acute Oxygen Sensing in Vascular Tissues

2014

AbstractAims: A variety of vessels, such as resistance pulmonary arteries (PA) and fetoplacental arteries and the ductus arteriosus (DA) are specialized in sensing and responding to changes in oxygen tension. Despite opposite stimuli, normoxic DA contraction and hypoxic fetoplacental and PA vasoconstriction share some mechanistic features. Activation of neutral sphingomyelinase (nSMase) and subsequent ceramide production has been involved in hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). Herein we aimed to study the possible role of nSMase-derived ceramide as a common factor in the acute oxygen-sensing function of specialized vascular tissues. Results: The nSMase inhibitor GW4869 and an anticera…

Mechanical and electrophysiological effects of cromakalim on the human urinary bladder.

1994

The effects of cromakalim on spontaneous and induced mechanical activity of human detrusor muscle were investigated in vitro. Cromakalim produces a concentration-related decrease of spontaneous as well as carbachol- and K(+)-evoked contractions. This is the first study to utilize the patch clamp technique to elucidate the mechanism of action of cromakalim on human detrusor cells. Cromakalim hyperpolarizes the detrusor cells by increasing the net outward current which is most likely carried by potassium ions. In the human urinary bladder, this effect is mediated by a glibenclamide-sensitive potassium channel, as glibenclamide is able to diminish the relaxant effect of cromakalim and to preve…

Positive selection at codon 38 of the human KCNE1 (= minK) gene and sporadic absence of 38Ser-coding mRNAs in Gly38Ser heterozygotes

2009

Abstract Background KCNE1 represents the regulatory beta-subunit of the slowly activating delayed rectifier potassium channel (IKs). Variants of KCNE1 have repeatedly been linked to the long-QT syndrome (LQTS), a disorder which predisposes to deafness, ventricular tachyarrhythmia, syncope, and sudden cardiac death. Results We here analyze the evolution of the common Gly38Ser variant (rs1805127), using genomic DNAs, complementary DNAs, and HEK293-expressed variants of altogether 19 mammalian species. The between species comparison reveals that the human-specific Gly38Ser polymorphism evolved under strong positive Darwinian selection, probably in adaptation to specific challenges in the fine-…

Synthesis and evaluation of (S)-2-(2-[18F]fluoroethoxy)-4-([3-methyl-1-(2-piperidin-1-yl-phenyl)-butyl-carbamoyl]-methyl)-benzoic acid ([18F]repaglin…

2004

18F-labeled non-sulfonylurea hypoglycemic agent (S)-2-(2-[(18)F]fluoroethoxy)-4-((3-methyl-1-(2-piperidin-1-yl-phenyl)-butylcarbamoyl)-methyl)-benzoic acid ([(18)F]repaglinide), a derivative of the sulfonylurea-receptor (SUR) ligand repaglinide, was synthesized as a potential tracer for the non-invasive investigation of the sulfonylurea 1 receptor status of pancreatic beta-cells by positron emission tomography (PET) in the context of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. [(18)F]Repaglinide could be obtained in an overall radiochemical yield (RCY) of 20% after 135 min with a radiochemical purity higher than 98% applying the secondary labeling precursor 2-[(18)F]fluoroethyltosylate. Specific activity w…

The Xenopus Oocyte as an Ectopic Expression System for the Selection of Protein Isoform-Specific Antibodies

1993

A panel of Xenopus oocytes, each injected with cRNA coding for one specific isoform of the rat brain RCK family of voltage gated potassium channel proteins, was employed to screen for isoform-specific monoclonal antibodies. Several days after injection, cryosections of embedded oocytes were produced and were employed in immunohistochemical analysis of antibody binding. Of the advantageous properties of the assay, it employs the native antigen, it can be applied to homooligomeric and heterooligomeric proteins, and cryosections of the same batch can be stored frozen for later tests. The method may be advantageous also for the selection of isoform-specific antibodies of other protein families.

Application of an ectopic expression system for the selection of protein-isoform-specific antibodies. The monoclonal antibody K1 C3 is specific for t…

1993

Monoclonal antibodies were raised against a fusion protein consisting of a fragment of 141 amino acids of the C-terminal region of the rat brain voltage-gated K(+)-channel protein (RCK1) and the lambda N protein (fusion protein I). Selection of K(+)-channel-specific hybridoma cell lines was performed by means of an ELISA employing a fusion protein consisting of the K(+)-channel-specific peptide sequence and glutathione S-transferase (fusion protein II). For final selection of RCK1 isoform-specific antibodies, a panel of Xenopus oocytes was employed, each injected with cRNA coding for a specific RCK isoform (RCK 1, 2, 4 or 5). Several days after injection, cryosections of embedded oocytes we…

Synthesis and evaluation of a glibenclamide glucose-conjugate: a potential new lead compound for substituted glibenclamide derivatives as islet imagi…

2007

The search for novel SUR1-ligands originates from the idea to influence the in vivo behaviour by adding new structural moieties to the glibenclamide structure while preserving its binding affinity. Important application of novel conjugates might be their use as radioactively labelled tracer probes in the non-invasive investigation of the islet mass. It is known that the imaging quality of a tracer could be improved by increasing its hydrophilicity, which leads to a reduced plasma protein binding and diminished the unspecific uptake by various organs. In this study the glucose molecule was chosen as a substitute of glibenclamide to enhance hydrophilicity. As expected glucose conjugation lead…