T-type voltage-dependent calcium channels may play an important role in synaptic plasticity, but lack of specific antagonists has hampered investigation into this possible function. We investigated the role of the T-type channel in a canonical model of in-vivo cortical plasticity triggered by monocular deprivation. We identified a compound (TTA-I1) with subnanomolar potency in standard voltage ...

Background and aims: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the most common cause of end-stage renal failure which could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and morbidity and mortality in patients. The aim of this study was to investigate new modalities for treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Methods:This study was a mini-review research to investigate drugs that are used for DN treatment. Resul...

A new class of agents has been made available for the treatment of hypertension. These calcium antagonists have rapid bioavailability and dramatic antihypertensive effects through reduction of total peripheral resistance and the vascular resistance of the major target organs of the body. These changes are usually associated with unchanged cardiac output, preserved organ blood flows, maintained ...

In several tissues, transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channels are involved in the response to hyposmotic challenge. Here we report TRPV4 protein in porcine lens epithelium and show that TRPV4 activation is an important step in the response of the lens to hyposmotic stress. Hyposmotic solution (200 mosM) elicited ATP release from intact lenses and TRPV4 antagonists HC 067047 and ...

A new series of polypeptide presynaptic antagonists (((w-agatoxins”) was purified from venom of the funnel web spider Agelenopsis aperta. Physiological data indicate that all of these peptides are antagonists of voltage-sensitive calcium channels. Although all three w-agatoxins (Aga) described here (w-Aga-IA, w-AgaIB, and w-Aga-IIA) block insect neuromuscular transmission presynaptically, bioch...

El Manira, A. and N. Bussières. Calcium channel subtypes in different modulators require further study. Characterization lamprey sensory and motor neurons. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 1334– of the types and properties of calcium channels in identified 1340, 1997. Pharmacologically distinct calcium channels have spinal cord neurons is necessary to provide insight into their been characterized in dissoc...

Blockade of lysosomal calcium release due to lysosomal lipid accumulation has been shown to inhibit mTORC1 signaling. However, the mechanism by which lysosomal calcium regulates mTORC1 has remained undefined. Herein we report that proper lysosomal calcium release through the calcium channel TRPML1 is required for mTORC1 activation. TRPML1 depletion inhibits mTORC1 activity, while overexpression...

Calcium channel antagonists are widely prescribed for treatment of hypertension. In this study, we examined whether treatment with the calcium channel antagonists, nicardipine, nifedipine or diltiazem, alters cytochrome P-450 2B or 3A (CYP2B or CYP3A, respectively) expression in rat liver. Western blot analyses were undertaken using antibodies specific for one or several members of these cytoch...