Search results for "ionophore"

Protective effect of paraoxonase-2 against endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis is lost upon disturbance of calcium homoeostasis

2008

PON2 (paraoxonase-2) is a ubiquitously expressed antioxidative protein which is largely found in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum). Addressing the cytoprotective functions of PON2, we observed that PON2 overexpression provided significant resistance to ER-stress-induced caspase 3 activation when the ER stress was induced by interference with protein modification (by tunicamycin or dithiothreitol), but not when ER stress was induced by disturbance of Ca2+ homoeostasis (by thapsigargin or A23187). When analysing the underlying molecular events, we found an activation of the PON2 promoter in response to all tested ER-stress-inducing stimuli. However, only tunicamycin and dithiothreitol resulted i…

Efficient, non-toxic anion transport by synthetic carriers in cells and epithelia.

2016

Transmembrane anion transporters (anionophores) have potential for new modes of biological activity, including therapeutic applications. In particular they might replace the activity of defective anion channels in conditions such as cystic fibrosis. However, data on the biological effects of anionophores are scarce, and it remains uncertain whether such molecules are fundamentally toxic. Here, we report a biological study of an extensive series of powerful anion carriers. Fifteen anionophores were assayed in single cells by monitoring anion transport in real time through fluorescence emission from halide-sensitive yellow fluorescent protein. A bis-(p-nitrophenyl)ureidodecalin shows especial…

Crown-ether mediated transport of amino acids through an immobilized liquid membrane

1988

Influence of negative allosteric cooperativity in cation transport.

1992

Abstract The bis-macrocyclic ether5 seems to have a negative allosteric cooperativity and is able to transport double the amount of Na+ and K+ cations as monocyclic systems. This compound could be used as a simple model of the plasma membrane Na+−K+ ATPase which actively pumps Na+ out and K+ into the cell, respectively.

Transport of amino acids and their phosphonic acid analogues through supported liquid membranes containing macrocyclic carriers. Experimental paramet…

1991

Abstract Amino acid hydrochlorides are well transported through 1-decanol membranes containing Kryptofix 5 or 222 and supported in a porous polyacrylonitrile hollow fiber matrix. Factors which influence the transport of phenylalanine hydrochloride were studied in some detail using this sheet- as well as hollow fibre-supported liquid membranes. These studies show that the choice of the membrane phase, the kind of polymeric support and the mode of membrane preparation are of great importance for the efficiency of the process. The most vital step in the membrane preparation appears to be its activation by soaking in a solution of phenylalanine hydrochloride in a water-ethanol or water-propanol…

Receptor for advanced glycation end products is subjected to protein ectodomain shedding by metalloproteinases.

2008

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a 55-kDa type I membrane glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily. Ligand-induced up-regulation of RAGE is involved in various pathophysiological processes, including late diabetic complications and Alzheimer disease. Application of recombinant soluble RAGE has been shown to block RAGE-mediated pathophysiological conditions. After expression of full-length RAGE in HEK cells we identified a 48-kDa soluble RAGE form (sRAGE) in the culture medium. This variant of RAGE is smaller than a 51-kDa soluble version derived from alternative splicing. The release of sRAGE can be induced by the phorbol ester PMA and the calcium ionophore c…

Calcium inhibits ovarian steroidogenesis in the blowfly Phormia regina.

2002

1479-6805 0022-0795; Calcium is frequently involved in the stimulation of steroidogenesis in gonads and endocrine glands, generally in association with cAMP. However, our present observations show that it has the opposite effect in the ovary of the blowfly Phormia regina. Our in vitro experiments first showed that extracellular calcium does not play a role during the stimulation of steroidogenesis in fly ovaries; indeed steroidogenesis was activated in vitro as efficiently in a medium with or without calcium, either by pharmacological compounds mimicking cAMP signaling or by active brain extracts. When calcium was experimentally introduced into biosynthetic cells by ionophores or liberated …

Regulation of motility of cells from marine sponges by calcium ions

1996

Sponges are known not to contain muscle and nerve cells. Since sponge cells are characterized by high motility we determined the effect of intracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) on their motility. Addition of the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin to dissociated cells from the marine sponge Suberites domuncula caused in Ca(2+)-containing artificial seawater (ASW) an increase in motility from 0.2 micron/min (absence of the ionophore) to 3.7 microns/min (presence of ionomycin). When the experiments were performed in Ca(2+)-free medium, no effect of ionomycin could be observed. In parallel experiments the changes of [Ca2+]i using the dye Fura-2 were measured. The experiments revealed that ion…