Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P47989 (xanthine oxidase)
 8,633 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The Ca(2+)-independent protein kinase C (PKC) Apl II, but not the Ca(2+)-activated PKC Apl I, becomes autonomously active during intermediate periods of facilitation in Aplysia neurons. We examined the ability of superoxide formed by the enzymatic reaction of xanthine with xanthine oxidase (X/XO) to induce autonomous activity of PKCs in Aplysia. X/XO stimulated autonomous PKC activity in Aplysia nervous system homogenates, but this activity resulted solely from activation of PKC Apl I. PKC Apl I is also more sensitive to activation by X/XO when expressed in insect cells. Our results suggest that oxidation can autonomously activate PKC Apl I in the Aplysia nervous system, but that the activation of PKC Apl II during synaptic facilitation is not due to oxidation of the enzyme.
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PMID:Oxidation induces autonomous activation of protein kinase C Apl I, but not protein kinase C Apl II in homogenates of Aplysia neurons. 1218 25

Ion channels may be gated by Ca(2+) entering from the extracellular space or released from intracellular stores--typically the endoplasmic reticulum. The present study examines how Ca(2+) impacts ion channels in the bag cell neurons of Aplysia californica. These neuroendocrine cells trigger ovulation through an afterdischarge involving Ca(2+) influx from Ca(2+) channels and Ca(2+) release from both the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Liberating mitochondrial Ca(2+) with the protonophore, carbonyl cyanide-4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl-hydrazone (FCCP), depolarized bag cell neurons, whereas depleting endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) with the Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor, cyclopiazonic acid, did not. In a concentration-dependent manner, FCCP elicited an inward current associated with an increase in conductance and a linear current/voltage relationship that reversed near -40 mV. The reversal potential was unaffected by changing intracellular Cl(-), but left-shifted when extracellular Ca(2+) was removed and right-shifted when intracellular K(+) was decreased. Strong buffering of intracellular Ca(2+) decreased the current, although the response was not altered by blocking Ca(2+)-dependent proteases. Furthermore, fura imaging demonstrated that FCCP elevated intracellular Ca(2+) with a time course similar to the current itself. Inhibiting either the V-type H(+)-ATPase or the ATP synthetase failed to produce a current, ruling out acidic Ca(2+) stores or disruption of ATP production as mechanisms for the FCCP response. Similarly, any involvement of reactive oxygen species potentially produced by mitochondrial depolarization was mitigated by the fact that dialysis with xanthine/xanthine oxidase did not evoke an inward current. However, both the FCCP-induced current and Ca(2+) elevation were diminished by disabling the mitochondrial permeability transition pore with the alkylating agent, N-ethylmaleimide. The data suggest that mitochondrial Ca(2+) gates a voltage-independent, nonselective cation current with the potential to drive the afterdischarge and contribute to reproduction. Employing Ca(2+) from mitochondria, rather than the more common endoplasmic reticulum, represents a diversification of the mechanisms that influence neuronal activity.
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PMID:Mitochondrial Ca2+ activates a cation current in Aplysia bag cell neurons. 2007 22