Neurotensin (NT) increases neurotransmission within the mesolimbic dopamine system by enhancing the firing rate of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons and by acting at the nerve terminal level. The signal transduction pathways involved in these effects have not been characterized, but NT receptors are coupled to the phospholipase C pathway and Ca(2+) mobilization. However, an enhancement of intracel...

Transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 2 (TRPV2) is a principal candidate for abnormal Ca2+-entry pathways, which is a potential target for therapy of muscular dystrophy and cardiomyopathy. Here, an in silico drug screening and the following cell-based screening to measure the TRPV2 activation were carried out in HEK293 cells expressing TRPV2 using lead compounds (tran...

BACKGROUND TRPC6 has been proposed to be responsible for the abnormal OAG-dependent Ca(2+) influx in cystic fibrosis (CF) cells and we hypothesized that it interacts with CFTR. Here, we investigated how this functional complex operates in CF and non-CF epithelial cells. METHODS Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected with pNut vector containing wild type CFTR (CHO-WT), F508del-CF...

Hyperglycemia diminishes positive inotropic responses to agonists that activate phospholipase C (PLC) and generate inositol trisphosphate (1,4,5). The mechanisms underlying both the inotropic responses and hyperglycemia's effects on them remain undetermined, but data from isolated cardiomyocytes suggest the involvement of capacitative Ca(2+) entry (CCE), the influx of Ca(2+) through plasma memb...

Evidence supports an important role of Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel protein 1 (Orai1)-mediated Ca2+ entry in the development of renal fibrosis, a common pathologic feature of CKDs that lead to ESRD, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We determined the role of Orai1 calcium channel in renal fibrosis induced by high-fat diet and by unilateral ureteral obstruction. Mouse kidneys w...

Protriptyline has been used as an antidepressant. Clinically it has been prescribed in the auxiliary treatment of cancer patients. However, its effect on Ca²⁺ signaling and related physiology is unknown in renal cells. This study examined the effect of protriptyline on cytosolic free Ca²⁺ concentrations ([Ca²⁺]i) and viability in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) tubular cells. Protriptyline ind...

UNLABELLED Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) have the potential to differentiate into several different cell types including osteoblasts. Photobiomodulation (PBM) or low level laser therapy (LLLT) using red or near-infrared wavelengths has been reported to have effects on both proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. We examined the effects of delivering four different...

1. Vasospasm of arterial conduits used for coronary artery surgery is an important cause of graft failure and is likely to result partly from raised levels of vasoconstrictor substances such as thromboxane A(2) and endothelin-1. Our aim was to find pharmacological agents that could prevent agonist-induced vasospasm. 2. Isometric tension was recorded from discarded segments of human left interna...

Chronic hypoxia (CH) causes pulmonary vasoconstriction because of increased pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) contraction and proliferation. We previously demonstrated that intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) was elevated in PASMCs from chronically hypoxic rats because of Ca(2+) influx through pathways other than L-type Ca(2+) channels and that development of hypoxic pu...

Kim EY, Anderson M, Dryer SE. Insulin increases surface expression of TRPC6 channels in podocytes: role of NADPH oxidases and reactive oxygen species. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 302: F298–F307, 2012. First published October 26, 2011; doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00423.2011.—Insulin receptors in podocytes are essential for normal kidney function. Here, we show that insulin evokes a rapid increase in the...