Publications (2)1.28 Total impact
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Article: Effect of the uncharged imidazolium moiety in adenine on endothelium-independent relaxation in the contracted thoracic aorta of Sprague-Dawley rats.
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ABSTRACT: Adenine had a concentration-dependent relaxation action on the phenylephrine-contracted aorta ring, with an EC(50) value of 0.40±0.12 mM. This effect was also observed in the endothelium-denuded aorta. Among the adenine analogues, N-methyladenine and benzimidazole still evoked an apparent relaxation effect, while 1-, 3- or 7-methyladenine and imidazole were no longer vasodilators. These findings demonstrate that the imino group from the uncharged imidazolium moiety in adenine played a key role in the relaxation of the contracted aorta.Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry 04/2012; 76(4):828-30. · 1.28 Impact Factor -
Article: The anti-atherosclerotic di-peptide, Trp-His, inhibits the phosphorylation of voltage-dependent L-type Ca(2+) channels in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.
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ABSTRACT: Trp-His is the only vasoactive di-peptide known to regulate intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i) and prevent the onset of atherosclerosis in mice. In this study, we showed that Trp-His reduced the [Ca(2+)]i elevation in phospholipase C-activated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), while a mixture of the corresponding constituent amino acids did not show significant reduction. Furthermore, Trp-His suppressed calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMK II) activity in angiotensin II-stimulated VSMCs, resulting in the inhibition of phosphorylation of voltage-dependent L-type Ca(2+) channels (VDCC). Therefore, Trp-His potentially regulates the VDCC phosphorylation cascade through Ca(2+)-CaM/CaMK II.FEBS open bio. 01/2012; 2:83-8.