The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger plays an important role in regulation of airway smooth muscle contraction by regulating intracellular calcium, and is a potential target for treatment of asthma. To test modulation of exchanger ...The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger plays an important role in regulation of airway smooth muscle contraction by regulating intracellular calcium, and is a potential target for treatment of asthma. To test modulation of exchanger activity, we used Xenopus oocytes as model system. Na+/Ca2+ exchanger was expressed in the cells by microinjection of cRNA of the exchanger isoform NCX1. The activity of NCX1 was determined as Ni2+-sensitive current under voltage clamp in low Cl– medium and in the presence of the Cl–-channel inhibitor niflumic acid. Only this composition of solution allowed determining NCX1-mediated current with sufficient accuracy. Among a few tested Chinese herbal drugs, glycyrrhizic acid turned out to be a potent inhibitor of NCX1 with an apparent IC50 value of 40 μM. Previous work had revealed elevated cyclophylin A concentration in serum of asthmatic rats after receiving acupuncture treatment. Extracellular incubation of the oocytes in cyclophylin A for one day led to significant inhibition with an apparent IC50 value of about 1 μM. We suggest that effects of acupuncture and application of glycyrrhizic acid as an active constituent of Chinese medicine for treatment of asthma symptoms may partially be attributed to inhibition of the reversed mode of NCX1 and that these compounds may stimulate the search for new anti-asthmatic drugs.展开更多
The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal(HPA) axis is a critical component of the neuroendocrine system,playing a central role in regulating the body's stress response and modulating various physiological processes. D...The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal(HPA) axis is a critical component of the neuroendocrine system,playing a central role in regulating the body's stress response and modulating various physiological processes. Dysregulation of HPA axis function disrupts the neuroendocrine equilibrium, resulting in impaired physiological functions. Acupuncture is recognized as a non-pharmacological type of therapy which has been confirmed to play an important role in modulating the HPA axis and thus favorably targets diseases with abnormal activation of the HPA axis. With numerous studies reporting the promising efficacy of acupuncture for neuroendocrine disorders, a comprehensive review in terms of the underlying molecular mechanism for acupuncture, especially in regulating the HPA axis, is currently in need. This review fills the need and summarizes recent breakthroughs, from the basic principles and the pathological changes of HPA axis dysfunction, to the molecular mechanisms by which acupuncture regulates the HPA axis. These mechanisms include the modulation of multiple neurotransmitters and their receptors, neuropeptides and their receptors, and microRNAs in the paraventricular nucleus,hippocampus, amygdala and pituitary gland, which alleviate the hyperfunctioning of the HPA axis.This review comprehensively summarizes the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating HPA axis dysfunction for the first time, providing new targets and prospects for further exploration of acupuncture.展开更多
Neurotransmitter switching,as a novel form of neural plasticity,is characterized by the gradual loss of one neurotransmitter and its transformation into another novel neurotransmitter within neurons.Correspondingly,po...Neurotransmitter switching,as a novel form of neural plasticity,is characterized by the gradual loss of one neurotransmitter and its transformation into another novel neurotransmitter within neurons.Correspondingly,postsynaptic membrane receptors often undergo concomitant alterations[1].Such switching occurs not only during the development of the central nervous system but also in response to external stimuli in adulthood.In most cases,the switch causes the synaptic transition from excitatory to inhibitory,which directly impacts behaviors[2].展开更多
文摘The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger plays an important role in regulation of airway smooth muscle contraction by regulating intracellular calcium, and is a potential target for treatment of asthma. To test modulation of exchanger activity, we used Xenopus oocytes as model system. Na+/Ca2+ exchanger was expressed in the cells by microinjection of cRNA of the exchanger isoform NCX1. The activity of NCX1 was determined as Ni2+-sensitive current under voltage clamp in low Cl– medium and in the presence of the Cl–-channel inhibitor niflumic acid. Only this composition of solution allowed determining NCX1-mediated current with sufficient accuracy. Among a few tested Chinese herbal drugs, glycyrrhizic acid turned out to be a potent inhibitor of NCX1 with an apparent IC50 value of 40 μM. Previous work had revealed elevated cyclophylin A concentration in serum of asthmatic rats after receiving acupuncture treatment. Extracellular incubation of the oocytes in cyclophylin A for one day led to significant inhibition with an apparent IC50 value of about 1 μM. We suggest that effects of acupuncture and application of glycyrrhizic acid as an active constituent of Chinese medicine for treatment of asthma symptoms may partially be attributed to inhibition of the reversed mode of NCX1 and that these compounds may stimulate the search for new anti-asthmatic drugs.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81973639 and 81573712)the Innovative Research Team of High-level Local Universities in ShanghaiShanghai Key Laboratory for Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function (No. 21DZ2271800)。
文摘The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal(HPA) axis is a critical component of the neuroendocrine system,playing a central role in regulating the body's stress response and modulating various physiological processes. Dysregulation of HPA axis function disrupts the neuroendocrine equilibrium, resulting in impaired physiological functions. Acupuncture is recognized as a non-pharmacological type of therapy which has been confirmed to play an important role in modulating the HPA axis and thus favorably targets diseases with abnormal activation of the HPA axis. With numerous studies reporting the promising efficacy of acupuncture for neuroendocrine disorders, a comprehensive review in terms of the underlying molecular mechanism for acupuncture, especially in regulating the HPA axis, is currently in need. This review fills the need and summarizes recent breakthroughs, from the basic principles and the pathological changes of HPA axis dysfunction, to the molecular mechanisms by which acupuncture regulates the HPA axis. These mechanisms include the modulation of multiple neurotransmitters and their receptors, neuropeptides and their receptors, and microRNAs in the paraventricular nucleus,hippocampus, amygdala and pituitary gland, which alleviate the hyperfunctioning of the HPA axis.This review comprehensively summarizes the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating HPA axis dysfunction for the first time, providing new targets and prospects for further exploration of acupuncture.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81973639 and 81573712)the Innovative Research Team of High-level Local Universities in Shanghai.We appreciate the technical support provided by the Shanghai Key Laboratory for Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function(21DZ2271800).
文摘Neurotransmitter switching,as a novel form of neural plasticity,is characterized by the gradual loss of one neurotransmitter and its transformation into another novel neurotransmitter within neurons.Correspondingly,postsynaptic membrane receptors often undergo concomitant alterations[1].Such switching occurs not only during the development of the central nervous system but also in response to external stimuli in adulthood.In most cases,the switch causes the synaptic transition from excitatory to inhibitory,which directly impacts behaviors[2].
