Search results for "Receptor expression"

Age-related differences of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic transmission in human colonic smooth muscle.

2021

Background: Enteric neurons undergo to functional changes during aging. We investigated the possible age-associated differences in enteric γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic transmission evaluating function and distribution of GABAergic receptors in human colon. Methods: Mechanical responses to GABA and GABA receptor agonists on slow phasic contractions were examined in vitro as changes in isometric tension in colonic muscle strips from young (<65 years old) and aged patients (>65 years old). GABAergic receptor expression was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR. Key Results: In both preparations GABA induced an excitatory effect, consisting in an increase in the basal tone, antagonized by th…

Role of Endogenous GLP-2 in the Intestinal Adaptation to a Chronic High Fat Diet

2013

Glucagon-like Peptide-2 and mucosal changes induced by high fat diet in mouse small intestine.

2012

Effects of leflunomide on immune responses and models of inflammation.

1993

Leflunomide is an antiphlogistic and immunomodulating agent that has been shown to be effective in preventing and healing autoimmune disorders and reactions leading to organ graft rejection. From our preliminary clinical data [4], we now have hopes that these effects, observed in experimental animals, can truly be transferred to humans. Although we are far from understanding the mode of action of leflunomide, we are slowly gathering some insight. A good many of the immunosuppressive effects of leflunomide can be attributed to the antagonistic effects it has on responses to many cytokines, most likely through receptor expression and signal transduction (tyrosine kinase inhibition). The inhib…

Immunological Probes for the Bradykinin B2 Receptor. A Toolbox

1997

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the immunological tools for bradykinin (BK) B 2 receptor. Receptors for kinins are classified as two major subtypes, B 1 and B 2 , although other subtypes may exist. B 1 receptors are activated by carboxyterminally truncated kinins, whereas BK and kallidin (Lys-BK) are B 2 receptor agonists. Molecular cloning has revealed the primary structures of B 1 and B 2 receptors and identified them as members of the G protein-coupled receptor family, characterized by seven membrane-spanning α-helices. In some tissues, B 1 receptor expression is induced by cytokines, such as interleukin-1, whereas the B 2 receptor is thought to be expressed consti…

Interleukin-10 expression is autoregulated at the transcriptional level in human and murine kupffer cells

1998

Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is known to downregulate immune responses. The regulation of IL-10 gene expression therefore determines the outcome of local immune reactions. We investigated time course and downregulation of IL-10 production in primary Kupffer's cells (KC), which are known to secrete IL-10 in response to endotoxin challenge. Human and murine KC were isolated by centrifugal elutriation and investigated for IL-10 gene expression by a two-step amplification procedure (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction [PCR] followed by T7-polymerase chain reaction). We show that IL-10 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) showed a >450 fold increase in KC 2 hours after endotoxin challenge. IL…

FGF-2/FGFR1 neurotrophic system expression level and its basal activation do not account for the age-dependent decline of precursor cell proliferatio…

2010

It is largely accepted that neurogenesis in the adult brain decreases with age and reduced levels of local neurotrophic support is speculated to be a contributing factor. Among neurotrophic factors involved on neurogenesis, we focused our attention on the neurotrophic system fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and its receptor FGFR1, a potent modulator of precursor cell proliferation. In the present work, we aimed to analyse if potential age-dependent changes of the FGF-2/FGFR1 neurotrophic system may give account for the age-dependent decline of precursor cell proliferation in the neurogenic region of the subventricular zone (SVZ) in the rat brain. Using in situ hybridization and western bl…

Stimulation of the AT2 receptor reduced atherogenesis in ApoE−/−/AT1A−/− double knock out mice

2012

AT1 receptor blockers (ARB) and in part ACE inhibitors (ACI) potentially exert beneficial effects on atherogenesis independent of AT1 receptor inhibition. These pleiotropic effects might be related to angiotensin II mediated activation of the AT2 receptor. To analyze this hypothesis we investigated the development of atherosclerosis and the role of ACIs and ARBs in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice and in ApoE/AT1A receptor double knockout mice (ApoE(-/-)/AT1A(-/-)). ApoE(-/-) mice and ApoE(-/-)/AT1A(-/-) mice were fed cholesterol-rich diet for 7 weeks. Vascular oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerotic lesion formation were evident in ApoE(-/-) mice, but were…

Time-course of GDNF and its receptor expression after brain injury in the rat

2008

Abstract The aim of the present work was to perform, by in situ hybridization, a time-course analysis of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and its receptor mRNA expression in two models of brain injury in the rat: (a) excitotoxic lesion by ibotenic acid injection in the hippocampal formation; (b) mechanical lesion by needle insertion through the cerebral cortex including the white matter of the corpus callosum. The time-course analysis, ranging from 6 h to 8 days, showed that the GDNF and its receptor (RET, GFRα-1 and GFRα-2) mRNA expressions were differentially up-regulated in both models of lesion. This in vivo regulation of the GDNF and its receptor mRNA expression i…

N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor expression during adult neurogenesis in the rat dentate gyrus.

2006

Abstract N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors play a crucial role in the regulation of neuronal development during embryogenesis and they also regulate the rate of neurogenesis and proliferation in the adult dentate gyrus. However, the mechanism by which they influence these processes is not fully understood. NMDA receptors seem to be functional in hippocampal precursor cells and recently generated granule neurons, although there is no anatomical correlate of these physiological observations. We have analyzed the expression of the NMDA receptor subunits NR1 and NR2B in precursor cells and recently generated granule neurons of the adult rat dentate gyrus, using 5′bromodeoxyuridine, green…