Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
Online ISSN : 1347-8648
Print ISSN : 1347-8613
ISSN-L : 1347-8613
92 巻, 4 号
選択された号の論文の17件中1~17を表示しています
Current Perspectives
  • Kwang Chul Kim, Akinori Hisatsune, Do Jin Kim, Takeshi Miyata
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 301-307
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    Airway mucus hypersecretion is one of the major clinical manifestations of patients suffering from various pulmonary diseases. However, no drugs are yet available to control airway mucus hypersecretion. For the past 15 years, a plethora of information has amassed with regard to the pharmacology of airway goblet cell mucin secretion using various primary cell culture systems. The recent discovery of various MUC genes has also greatly stimulated research in this field. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of the oligosaccharide structure of mucin molecules makes it extremely difficult to assess the significance of the information derived from the pharmacological studies. Therefore, it seems crucially important to understand the roles of individual mucins in conjunction with normal airway physiology and pathology, which should be the future research directions necessary for studying airway goblet cell mucin pharmacology.
  • Masahiko Hirafuji, Takuji Machida, Naoya Hamaue, Masaru Minami
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 308-316
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    It is widely accepted that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) rich in fish oils protect against several types of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, or hypertension. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may be the active biological components of these effects. Although the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects are still uncertain, the protective effects of n-3 PUFAs are attributable to their direct effects on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) functions. These n-3 PUFAs activate K+ATP channels and inhibit certain types of Ca2+ channels, probably via at least 2 distinct mechanisms. N-3 PUFAs favorably alter the eicosanoid profile and regulate cytokine-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 via mechanisms involving modulation of signaling transduction events. N-3 PUFAs also modulate VSMC proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. These recent data suggest that modulation of these VSMC functions contribute to the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFAs on various cardiovascular disorders. Furthermore, recent studies strongly suggest that DHA has more potent and beneficial effects than EPA. However, many questions about the cellular and molecular mechanisms still remain to be answered.
Critical Review
  • Kohji Fukunaga, Takayuki Kawano
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 317-327
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    Growth factors including insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) promote cell survival in ischemic brain injury. Stimulation of IGF-1 receptor coupled with tyrosine kinase activates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and subsequently, protein kinase B (Akt) in hippocampal neurons. Here we introduce a new approach of signal transduction therapy for brain damage occurring in ischemic insult. As has been shown for IGF-1, intracerebroventricular injection of sodium orthovanadate, a protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, prior to ischemic insult blocked delayed neuronal death in the CA1 region. The neuroprotective effects of orthovanadate and IGF-1 were associated with an increased Akt activity in the CA1 region. We discuss here potential targets for Akt relevant to such neuroprotective activity. Our findings lead to the conclusion that Akt activity is a potential target for neuroprotective drugs in brain ischemic insult and other episodes of excitotoxic neuronal apoptosis such as seizure and Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Full Papers
  • Atsushi Sasaki, Ichiro Takasaki, Tsugunobu Andoh, Hiroshi Nojima, Kimi ...
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 329-336
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    Percutaneous inoculation with herpes simplex virus type-1 brings about herpes zoster-like skin lesions, tactile allodynia, and mechanical hyperalgesia in mice. This study was conducted to determine whether the sympathetic nervous system and α-adrenoceptors would be involved in these pain-related responses and whether the α2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine would suppress these responses. The adrenergic neuron blocker guanethidine and the non-selective α-adrenoceptor antagonist phentolamine did not affect the pain-related responses, although these agents suppressed the pain-related responses induced by partial ligation of the sciatic nerve. The pain-related responses induced by herpetic inoculation was suppressed by intraperitoneal and intrathecal injections, but not by intraplantar and intracerebroventricular injections, of clonidine. The suppressive effect of an intraperitoneal injection of clonidine (0.1 mg/kg) was antagonized by intrathecal injections of phentolamine and the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine, but not the α1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin. The results suggest that sympathetic nerves and α-adrenoceptors are not involved in the pain-related responses induced by herpetic infection. Clonidine suppresses the responses probably through the action on α2-adrenoceptors in the dorsal horn.
  • Taewan Kim, Junho La, Janghern Lee, Ilsuk Yang
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 337-347
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    We examined the effects of nitric oxide (NO) donors, S-nitroso-L-cysteine (Cys-NO) and 3-morpholinosydnonimine hydrochloride (SIN-1), on slow waves and contractile activity in the circular muscle of guinea pig gastric antrum. In the presence of atropine and guanethidine, electrical field stimulation (EFS) reduced the amplitude of phasic contraction. The effect of EFS was significantly inhibited by both the NO synthase inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ). Cys-NO and SIN-1 mimicked the effect of EFS on phasic contraction and reduced the amplitude of slow waves in a concentration-dependent manner, with no effect on frequency and resting membrane potential. Phasic contraction was more sensitive to NO donors than slow waves. The inhibitory effects of NO donors were antagonized by ODQ and mimicked by a membrane permeable cGMP analogue 8-bromo-cGMP. Several K+ channel blockers such as apamin, iberiotoxin, and glibenclamide had no effect on the inhibitory action of SIN-1. These results suggest that NO inhibits the phasic contraction and slow waves through cGMP-dependent mechanisms in guinea pig gastric antrum. The effect of NO is unlikely to be mediated by the activation of Ca2+-activated or ATP-sensitive K+ channels.
  • Hiroshi Suenaga, Katsuo Kamata
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 348-358
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    We previously reported that in the endothelium-denuded rat aorta, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) potentiates the contractile responses induced by high-K+, UK14,304 (a selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist), and phorbol ester with an associated tyrosine-phosphorylation of proteins. To further investigate this phenomenon, we examined the effects of extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)-kinase (MEK) inhibitors on the LPC-induced potentiation of the contractile responses to high-K+ and UK14,304 in this tissue. Although PD98059 (3 × 105 M) did not affect the high-K+-induced contractile response itself, it selectively inhibited the potentiating effect of LPC on the contraction and strongly inhibited the LPC-induced augmentation of the associated increase in [Ca2+]i. PD98059 also attenuated the LPC-induced augmentations of the increases in [Ca2+]i and contractile tension induced by UK14,304. U0126 (5 × 105 M), another MEK inhibitor, also attenuated the potentiating effect of LPC on high-K+-induced contractions. Western blot analysis revealed that LPC produced an increase in ERK-phosphorylation, and that this was inhibited by PD98059. Nicardipine inhibited the contractile response to 15 mM K+ in the LPC-treated aorta, but not the increase in ERK-phosphorylation induced by LPC. These results suggest that the LPC-induced augmentation of contractile responses in the rat aorta is due to activation of ERK, which in turn regulates Ca2+ influx.
  • Akiyoshi Someya, Shunji Horie, Hisashi Yamamoto, Toshihiko Murayama
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 359-366
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    A segment of guinea pig ileum was used to confirm the hypothesis that [6]-gingerol and lafutidine interact with capsaicin-sensitive neurons. Addition of 30 and 100 μM [6]-gingerol (a pungent constituent of ginger) induced contraction of the ileum immediately. Like capsaicin, [6]-gingerol-induced contraction was inhibited by antagonists of the vanilloid receptor (capsazepine and ruthenium red), tetrodotoxin, and atropine. Treatment with [6]-gingerol up to 0.3 μM, which alone had no effect, enhanced 3 μM capsaicin-induced contraction, but greater than 3 μM [6]-gingerol significantly inhibited capsaicin-induced contraction. Treatment with lafutidine (a new type of antagonist of the histamine H2 receptor), which was suggested to interact with capsaicin-sensitive neurons in vivo, also showed both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on capsaicin-induced contraction depending on the concentrations. Lafutidine alone had no effect. The enhanced contraction induced by capsaicin in the [6]-gingerol- or lafutidine-treated ileum was also inhibited by antagonists of the vanilloid receptor, tetrodotoxin, and atropine. Capsaicin and [6]-gingerol, but not lafutidine, at 30 μM stimulated [3H]choline release from the prelabeled slices of the ileum. These findings suggest that [6]-gingerol and lafutidine act on capsaicin-sensitive cholinergic neurons and modulate the contraction in isolated guinea pig ileum.
  • Lichun Wang, Meiyu Geng, Jing Li, Huashi Guan, Jian Ding
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 367-373
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    Anti-proliferation action and enhancement of endothelial cell immunity and related mechanisms by marine sulfated polymannuroguluronate (SPMG) were investigated in the present studies. Endothelial cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression was analyzed by flow cytometry. The interaction of SPMG with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was evaluated by surface plasmon resonance. Results showed that SPMG exhibited a significant inhibitory effect against proliferation in both normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and bFGF-treated HUVEC, the action of which was completely abrogated by bFGF antibody. SPMG exerted high affinity to bFGF in a multivalent pattern, characterized by one molecule SPMG binding to 3 – 4 molecules of bFGF. Moreover, SPMG enhanced ICAM-1 expression in HUVEC and prevented and restored bFGF-treated downregulation of ICAM-1 expression in HUVEC, the expression of which was not counteracted by bFGF antibody. In conclusion, this is the first report demonstrating that SPMG exerted an anti-proliferation effect dependent on the bFGF-regulated pathway and afforded upregulatory activity on ICAM-1 expression regardless of the involvement of bFGF.
  • Tadayoshi Takeuchi, Muneyoshi Kitayama, Masahiko Kushida, Akikazu Fuji ...
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 374-380
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    The role of ATP newly synthesized from ADP and phosphocreatine (PC) by creatine kinase (CK) in the contraction of tonic type smooth muscle, rat femoral artery was studied, since its necessity for phasic type smooth muscle was previously shown. In α-toxin-permeabilized preparations obtained from rat femoral artery, Ca2+ induced a tonic type contraction in the presence of ATP and PC. Omission of PC inhibited significantly the contraction. Treatment of the preparations with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene, an inhibitor of CK, also inhibited the contraction. In the presence of ADP and PC, Ca2+ also induced the contraction to a level comparable to that in the presence of ATP and PC. The extent of phosphorylated myosin light chain was fairly consistent with that of Ca2+-induced contraction under all experimental conditions planned above. These results suggest that ATP newly synthesized by CK essentially participates in the whole of the contraction in tonic type smooth muscle, although it participates only in a rapid phasic contraction in phasic type muscle as previously shown.
  • Shigetoshi Chiba, Xiao-Ping Yang
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 381-386
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    Effects of olmesartan (RNH-6270: (5-methyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxolen-4-yl)methoxy-4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-2-propyl{4-[2-(tetrazol-5-yl)-phenyl]phenyl}methylimidazol-5-carboxylase, an active form of olmesartan medoxomil (CS-866)) was investigated in isolated, perfused canine splenic arterial preparations. Neither exogenous noradrenaline- nor ATP-induced vasoconstrictor responses were modified by treatment with the used concentrations of olmesartan (1 – 100 nM). A high concentration of 10 nM angiotensin II caused a potentiation of either noradrenaline- and ATP-induced constrictions, although 1 nM angiotensin II did not induce any potentiating effects for these responses. These potentiations were inhibited by olmesartan in a concentration-related manner. Periarterial nerve electrical stimulation (PNS) readily induced a biphasic constriction consisting of an initial P2X purinoceptor-mediated vasoconstriction followed by a prolonged mainly α1-adrenoceptor-mediated response. PNS-induced 1st and 2nd peaked responses were significantly inhibited by olmesartan in a concentration-related manner. With a low concentration of 1 nM angiotensin II, which did not induce any vascular effects by itself, PNS-induced responses were markedly enhanced. The enhanced responses were inhibited by olmesartan. It is concluded that endogenous angiotensin II exerts its stimulating action on the releases of ATP and noradrenaline from the periarterial sympathetic nerve terminal, and olmesartan has an inhibitory property on angiotensin II-induced potentiation of endogenous ATP- and noradrenaline-induced responses.
  • Keiji Yamamoto, Takahito Kitayoshi, Satoshi Nishimura, Fumio Chatani, ...
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 387-399
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    trans-1,2-Cyclohexanediol, the major metabolite of the cilexetil moiety of candesartan cilexetil (CC), has been reported to have potent pro-arrhythmic effects in dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF), especially when co-administered with digoxin. To verify this and to clarify the clinical relevance and the underlying mechanisms, a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments was conducted. When CC up to 300 mg/kg was administered orally to intact dogs, no changes in the electrocardiograms (ECG) or the required cumulative doses of ouabain to induce ventricular arrhythmias were observed. In dogs with CHF, intravenous bolus administration of trans-1,2-cyclohexanediol at 4 mg/kg followed by continuous infusion at 0.1 mg·kg1·min1 had no effects on the ECG parameters, the type, incidence, and onset time of digoxin-induced arrhythmias or the metabolism of digoxin. In an in vitro experiment using isolated guinea pig papillary muscle, trans-1,2-cyclohexanediol (1 – 100 μmol/L) showed no effects on any parameter of the action potentials. Because no effects were observed in these experiments where the exposure levels of trans-1,2-cyclohexanediol were extremely high compared to those in humans given the maximum therapeutic dose of CC, it is unlikely that CC would induce arrhythmias in clinical use even in patients treated with cardiac glycosides.
  • Masaru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Chikuma, Takeshi Kato
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 400-410
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    The regulation mechanism of the interrelation between neuropeptides and their metabolizing enzymes in in vivo tissues is still not clear. In the present report, we attempted to measure the levels of neuropeptides and their enzymes in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum of the rat that had been bilaterally lesioned by the infusion of ibotenic acid or amyloid β-peptide 25 – 35 (Aβ25 – 35) into the nucleus basalis magnocellularis. In the drug-treated rats, at two weeks after the infusion, the decrease of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity (SS-LI) and the increase of cholecystokinin-8S-LI were found in some brain regions relative to vehicle-treated rats. The immunoreactivities of endopeptidase 24.15 and puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase and the leucine aminopeptidase- and aminopeptidase B-like enzyme activities did not change in the three brain regions, suggesting that the levels of those peptide-degrading enzymes do not correlate with the changes of the neuropeptide levels. The decrease of subtilisin-like proprotein convertase (SPC)-like enzyme activity was found in the hippocampus of the Aβ25 – 35-treated rats. The SS mRNA level decreased in the hippocampus in parallel with decreases in the SS-LI level and SPC-like enzyme activity. The present data indicate that some of the neuropeptide-processing enzymes may contribute to the control of neuropeptide levels.
  • Yoshitaka Tomiyama, Makoto Murakami, Kohichi Hayakawa, Katsuyoshi Akiy ...
    専門分野: Infomation Science
    2003 年 92 巻 4 号 p. 411-419
    発行日: 2003年
    公開日: 2003/08/26
    ジャーナル フリー
    Since, in the human ureter, both β2- and β3-adrenoceptors mediate adrenergic-stimulation-induced relaxation, selective β2-/β3-adrenoceptor agonists might prove clinically useful for relieving ureteral colic and promoting stone passage. We evaluated the β-adrenoceptor subtype selectivity and ureteral-relaxing efficacy of (−)-2-[4-(2-{[(1S,2R)-2-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methylethyl]amino}ethyl)phenyloxy]acetic acid (KUL-7211), a new β-adrenoceptor agonist, in vitro. In rat isolated organs, its selectivities, for inhibition of spontaneous uterine contraction (mediated via β2-adrenergic stimulation) and inhibition of colonic contraction (via β3-adrenergic stimulation) versus increase in atrial rate (via β1-adrenergic stimulation), were 56.3 and 242.2, respectively. KUL-7211 relaxed 80-mM-KCl-induced tonic contractions in both rabbit (pD2 value: 5.86 ± 0.13, whose ureteral relaxation is mediated via β2-adrenergic stimulation) and canine (pD2 value: 6.52 ± 0.16, via β3-adrenergic stimulation) isolated ureters in a concentration-dependent manner. These KUL-7211-induced relaxing effects were antagonized by ICI-118,551 (selective β2-adrenoceptor antagonist, pKB value: 8.91 ± 0.24) in the rabbit ureter and by bupranolol (non-selective β-adernoceptor antagonist, pKB value: 6.85 ± 0.12) in the canine ureter. KUL-7211 also reduced the spontaneous rhythmic contraction in a canine ureteral spiral preparation in a concentration-dependent manner, the pD2 value being 6.83 ± 0.20. These data clearly demonstrate that KUL-7211 selectively stimulates both ureteral β2- and β3-adrenoceptors and potently relaxes ureteral smooth muscle. KUL-7211 may be a novel and useful medication for relieving ureteral colic and promoting stone passage in urolithiasis patients.
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