Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:4.6.1.2 (guanylate cyclase)
 8,497 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Nicorandil is an antianginal vasodilator having a hybrid property between nitrates and potassium channel openers, and cromakalim is a relatively specific potassium channel opener. We investigated whether or not the vasorelaxant actions of the two drugs would be selective for certain vasoconstrictor agonists (simply agonists hereafter), and the underlying mechanisms in isolated porcine large coronary arteries. Both nicorandil and cromakalim produced a complete relaxation in the arteries precontracted with seven agonists, i.e., Bay-K-8644, endothelin, histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), phenylephrine, PGF2 alpha, and U 46619. The EC50 values (-log M) of nicorandil and cromakalim were 5.20-5.44 and 6.43-6.87, respectively, toward the seven agonists, indicating that the vasorelaxant actions of the two drugs were agonist nonselective. In the arteries precontracted with Bay-K-8644, endothelin, 5-HT, and U 46619, the vasorelaxant action of cromakalim was antagonized by glibenclamide, an antagonist of potassium channel openers, and Schild analysis of these antagonisms yielded pA2 values of 7.10-7.41 for glibenclamide. The vasorelaxant actions of nicorandil in the arteries precontracted with the four agonists each were not antagonized by glibenclamide. Instead, the vasorelaxant action of nicorandil was antagonized by methylene blue (10 microM), an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase, and slightly potentiated by M&B 22,948 (10 microM), an inhibitor of cyclic-GMP phosphodiesterase, in the arteries precontracted with U 46619. These results indicate that the vasorelaxant actions of nicorandil and cromakalim in the porcine large coronary artery are agonist nonselective and that nicorandil exerts such an action entirely as a nitrate, whereas cromakalim does so entirely as a potassium channel opener.
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PMID:Nicorandil as a nitrate, and cromakalim as a potassium channel opener, dilate isolated porcine large coronary arteries in an agonist-nonselective manner. 824 Oct 13

The aim of this research is to investigate the vasorelaxing effects and mechanisms involved in the phytoestrogen alpha-zearalanol (alpha-ZAL) in rat thoracic aortas rings. Intact or endothelium denuded rat thoracic aortas rings were put in individual organ chamber to observe the endothelium-dependent or independent vasorelaxing effects of alpha-ZAL (10(-10)-10(-5) M). The thoracic aortas rings were pre-contracted with phenylephrine. The relaxing effects of alpha-ZAL were observed and the influence of N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME, NOS inhibitor), methylene blue (MB, guanylate cyclase inhibitor), charybdotoxin (ChTX, Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel blocker), glibenclamide (ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker), (-) BayK8644 (L-type Ca2+ channel agonist) and ICI182,780 (estrogen receptor antagonist) were pre-incubated with alpha-ZAL, respectively, to explore the possible mechanisms involved in this vasorelaxation. Furthermore, the Phospho-eNOS expression and cGMP level in the aortas tissue were detected by Western blot and radioimmunity, respectively; the NO level in perfusate was assaied by chromatometry. Our result showed that alpha-ZAL (10(-10)-10(-5) M) induced both endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation of rat thoracic aortas rings. The vasorelaxing effects of alpha-ZAL were dose-dependent whether the endothelium was intact or not. In endothelium-intact aortas rings, alpha-ZAL-induced vasorelaxation might be inhibited by L-NAME, MB, charybdotoxin, glibenclamide and (-) BayK8644, but not ICI182,780. (-) BayK8644 could also inhibit alpha-ZAL-induced vasorelaxation in endothelium-denuded aortas rings.10(-7)-10(-5) M alpha-ZAL might induce the Phospho-eNOS expression in thoracic aorta tissue, increase the NO level in perfusate and cGMP content in thoracic aorta tissue. Meanwhile, L-NAME might decrease both NO and its downstream cGMP level. Methylene blue might decrease the level of cGMP. These results suggest that alpha-ZAL induces a partly endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat thoracic aortas rings; the possible mechanisms involved in this rapid vasorelaxation include activation of eNOS/NO/cGMP pathway, opening of VSMCs ATP-sensitive and Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels through secretion of EDHF from endothelium. Furthermore, this relaxation also appears to be mediated by both direct and indirect inhibition of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel of VSMCs, while it is not concerned with activation of estrogen receptor.
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PMID:Relaxing effects of phytoestrogen alpha-zearalanol on rat thoracic aorta rings in vitro. 1976 45

As a naturally occurring flavone, luteolin has received much attention due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer functions. In the present study, we investigated the effect of luteolin on colonic motility and its mechanism using isometric muscle recording and the whole-cell patch-clamp technique in mice. Luteolin dose-dependently inhibited colonic smooth muscles motility and CMMC significantly. BayK8644, an L-type Ca2+ channel agonist, significantly attenuated the luteolin-induced inhibition. Moreover, the calcium currents recorded in colonic smooth muscle cells were dramatically inhibited by luteolin. However, no significant changes were found in the luteolin-induced inhibitory effect in the presence of TEA, a nonselective K+ channel blocker, glibenclamide, an ATP-dependent K+ channel blocker, and apamin, a small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel blocker. Additionally, luteolin did not affect potassium currents. Furthermore, TTX, a Na+ channel blocker, L-NAME, an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, ODQ, an inhibitor of NO-sensitive guanylyl cyclase, and Ani9, a specific ANO1 channels blocker, had no effect on the luteolin-induced suppression. These results suggest that luteolin inhibited colonic smooth muscle motility by inhibiting L-type calcium channels in mice but not through potassium channels, the enteric nervous system (ENS), NO signaling pathways or ANO1 channels of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs).
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PMID:Luteolin suppresses colonic smooth muscle motility via inhibiting L-type calcium channel currents in mice. 3203 24