Activation of PKR (double-stranded-RNA-dependent protein kinase) by DNA plasmids decreases translation, and limits the amount of recombinant protein produced by transiently transfected HEK (human embryonic kidney)-293 cells. Co-expression with Ebola virus VP35 (virus protein 35), which blocked plasmid activation of PKR, substantially increased production of recombinant TPL-2 (tumour progression...

Myricetin (Myr) is a f lavonoid that exerts anti-arrhythmic effects. However, its potential effects on ion channels have remained elusive. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Myr on Kv1.5 channels in HEK293 cells. The current of Kv1.5 channels (Ikur) in HEK293 cells was recorded using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique and the expression of the Kv1.5 protein was mea...

Overexpression of efflux transporters, in human cells, is a mechanism of resistance to drug and also to chemotherapy. We found that multidrug resistance protein-4 (MRP4) overexpression has a role in reducing aspirin action in patients after bypass surgery and, very recently, we found that aspirin enhances platelet MRP4 levels through peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-α (PPARα). In the ...

An important question in the pathophysiology of dominantly inherited diseases, such as channelopathies, is the level of expression of the mutant protein. In our study, we address this issue by comparing the gating defects of two human muscle NaF channel mutants (R1448C and R1448P) causing paramyotonia congenita in native muscle specimens from two patients with those of the same mutant recombina...

BACKGROUND Ginsenosides are the main pharmacological components of Panax ginseng root, which are thought to be primarily responsible for the suppressing effect on oxidative stress. METHODS 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorption capacity were applied to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the ginsenosides. Human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293)...

ERK8 (extracellular-signal-regulated protein kinase 8) expressed in Escherichia coli or insect cells was catalytically active and phosphorylated at both residues of the Thr-Glu-Tyr motif. Dephosphorylation of the threonine residue by PP2A (protein serine/threonine phosphatase 2A) decreased ERK8 activity by over 95% in vitro, whereas complete dephosphorylation of the tyrosine residue by PTP1B (p...

Kcv (K(+) Chlorella virus) is a miniature virus-encoded K(+) channel. Its predicted membrane-pore-membrane structure lacks a cytoplasmic C-terminus and it has a short 12 amino acid (aa) cytoplasmic N-terminus. Kcv forms a functional channel when expressed in human HEK 293 cells. Deletion of the 14 N-terminal aa results in no apparent differences in the subcellular location and expression level ...

Glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL; also referred to as gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, GCS) catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glutathione synthesis. The GCL holoenzyme is composed of a catalytic (GCLC; also called GCS(h)) and a modifier (GCLM; also called GCS(l)) subunit, each encoded by a unique gene. Wild-type and mutant promoter/luciferase reporter transgenes containing the promoter region...

Human AE1 (anion exchanger 1) is a membrane glycoprotein found in erythrocytes and as a truncated form (kAE1) in the BLM (basolateral membrane) of a-intercalated cells of the distal nephron, where they carry out electroneutral chloride/bicarbonate exchange. SAO (Southeast Asian ovalocytosis) is a dominant inherited haematological condition arising from deletion of Ala400-Ala408 in AE1, resultin...