Shengmaisan Regulates Pacemaker Potentials in Interstitial Cells of Cajal in Mice
Journal: Journal of Pharmacopuncture (Vol.16, No. 4)Publication Date: 2013-12-31
Authors : Byung Joo Kim;
Page : 36-42
Keywords : interstitial cells of Cajal; Shengmaisan; traditional Chinese medicine; gastrointestinal motility;
Abstract
Objectives: Shengmaisan (SMS) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription widely used for the treatment of diverse organs in Korea. The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are pacemaker cells that play an important role in the generation of coordinated gastrointestinal (GI) motility. We have aimed to investigate the effects of SMS in the ICCs in the mouse small intestine. Methods: To dissociate the ICCs, we used enzymatic digestions from the small intestine in a mouse. After that, the ICCs were identified immunologically by using the anti-c-kit antibody. In the ICCs, the electrophysiological whole-cell patch-clamp configuration was used to record pacemaker potentials in the cultured ICCs. Results: The ICCs generated pacemaker potentials in the mouse small intestine. SMS produced membrane depolarization with concentration-dependent manners in the current clamp mode. Pretreatment with a Ca2+ free solution and thapsigargin, a Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor in the endoplasmic reticulum, stopped the generation of the pacemaker potentials. In the case of Ca2+-free solutions, SMS induced membrane depolarizations. However, when thapsigargin in a bath solution was applied, the membrane depolarization was not produced by SMS. The membrane depolarizations produced by SMS were inhibited by U-73122, an active phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors. Furthermore, chelerythrine and calphostin C, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors had no effects on SMS-induced membrane depolarizations. Conclusions: These results suggest that SMS might affect GI motility by modulating the pacemaker activity through an internal Ca2+- and PLC-dependent and PKC-independent pathway in the ICCs.
Other Latest Articles
- Calculus Bovis-Fel Uris-Moschus Pharmacopuncture’s Effect on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow and Mean Arterial Blood Pressure in Rats
- Acupuncture and Spontaneous Regression of a Radiculopathic Cervical Herniated Disc
- Single Intramuscular-dose Toxicity of Anti-inflammatory Pharmacopuncture in Rats
- A Case Series of Survival Outcomes in Patients with Advanced-stage IIIb/IV Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Treated with HangAm-Plus
- Compositional Differences of Ojeok-san (Wuji-san) Decoctions Using Pressurized or Non-pressurized Methods for Variable Extraction Times
Last modified: 2015-07-15 11:48:06