rho-kinase is an effector molecule of rhoa, a monomeric gtp-binding protein, and causes ca2+ sensitization through inactivation of myosin phosphatase. the major physiological functions of rho/rho-kinase cascade include contraction, proliferation and migration in cells.there are some excellent reviews about rho/rho-kinase signal pathway, most of which focus on the specific proteins of the pathwa...

To clarify the relationship between cellular Ca2+ handling and salt sensitivity, we evaluated cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in fura-2 loaded platelets isolated from 20 inpatients with essential hypertension. They were placed on a low sodium diet (50 mmol/day) for one week, followed by one week on a high sodium diet (340 mmol/day). They were classified into salt-sensitive (SS, n = 8) or salt-res...

BACKGROUND The authors investigated the extent and cellular mechanisms by which the intravenous anesthetic ketamine alters acetylcholine-induced contraction in pulmonary veins (PVs). They tested the hypothesis that ketamine inhibits acetylcholine contraction in PVs. METHODS Canine PV rings with endothelium (E+) and without endothelium (E-) were isolated for measurement of isometric tension. T...

To investigate the effects of intermittent heavy exercise (HE) on sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) maximal Ca2+-ATPase activity (Vmax) and Ca2+ uptake, a continuous two-stage standardized cycling test was performed before and after HE by untrained men [peak aerobic power (Vo -->Vo2 peak) = 42.9 +/- 2.7 ml. kg-1 x min-1]. The HE consisted of 16 bouts of cycling performed for 6 min each hour at 90% Vo...

Altered cytosolic Ca2+ is implicated in the aetiology of many diseases including diabetes but there are few studies on the mechanism(s) of the altered Ca2+ regulation. Using human lymphocytes, we studied cytosolic calcium (Cai) and various Ca2+ transport mechanisms in subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and control subjects. Ca2+-specific fluorescent probes (Fura-2 and Fluo-3) were used to m...

In an attempt to understand the role of Ca2+ on the bioactive conformation of peptide hormones, we have examined the interaction between Ca2+ and the neuropeptide substance P. Using CD spectroscopy to monitor conformational changes caused by Ca2+ binding, we found no significant binding of the cation by substance P in water. However, a substantial conformational change occurred in the hormone o...

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a facultative human pathogen, and a major cause of nosocomial infections and severe chronic infections in endocarditis and in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Calcium (Ca2+) accumulates in pulmonary fluids of CF patients, and plays a role in the hyperinflammatory response to bacterial infection. Earlier we showed that P. aeruginosa responds to increased Ca2+ levels, prim...

GABA release from axonal boutons formed by cortical interneurons shows target cell-dependent sensitivity to group III metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonists, as well as variable dependence on presynaptic Ca2+ influx via N- and P-type channels. How Ca2+ channels interact with heterogeneous mGluR modulation to determine information flow in the synaptic circuitry is not known. Here we co...

Activation of phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated signaling pathways in non-excitable cells causes the release of calcium (Ca2+) from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ stores and activation of Ca2+ influx via plasma membrane Ca2+ channels. The properties and molecular identity of plasma membrane Ca2+ influx channels in non-excitable cells is a focus of intense investi...

Song, Jianliang, Xue-Qian Zhang, Lois L. Carl, Anwer Qureshi, Lawrence I. Rothblum, and Joseph Y. Cheung. Overexpression of phospholemman alters contractility and [Ca2 ]i transients in adult rat myocytes. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 283: H576–H583, 2002. First published May 2, 2002; 10.1152/ajpheart.00197.2002.—Previous studies showed increased phospholemman (PLM) mRNA after myocardial infa...