In the heart, the primary role of the L-type calcium channel (LTCC) CaV1.2 is to conduct calcium into cardiomyocytes and initiate contraction. However, part of the CaV1.2 channel itself, the cleaved carboxyl-terminus (CCt) can also localize to the nucleus and regulate gene transcription. Therefore, the goal of this dissertation project was to determine the role and regulation of CCt in the embryonic and adult heart. The global hypothesis of my dissertation project is that CCt localizes to the nucleus in embryonic and adult cardiomyocytes via a calcium-mediated mechanism and regulates transcription. A model of pharmacological LTCC block-induced perturbation of murine embryonic heart development was first utilized to study the role of CCt. Pharmacological block at embryonic day 10 perturbed cardiogenesis and increased CaV1.2 expression. This result was not mimicked by removal of extracellular calcium or inhibition of calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Co-currently, pharmacological block decreased CCt nuclear localization in embryonic cardiomyocytes. At the transcriptional level, CCt suppressed the CaV1.2 promoter. This indicated that the observed upregulation of CaV1.2 induced by pharmacological block may be caused by nuclear localization of the transcriptional repressor, CCt. Therefore, the conclusion was made that pharmacological LTCC block perturbed embryonic cardiogenesis by decreasing nuclear localization of the transcription factor CCt; implying a role for CCt in embryonic heart development. Next, CCt regulation was studied in the adult heart. Similar to the embryonic heart, pharmacological LTCC block decreased nuclear localization of CCt. Inhibition of the calcium activated phosphatase calcineurin also decreased CCt nuclear localization. To determine a role for CCt in the adult heart, CCt nuclear localization was measured in response to hypertrophic stimuli. Serum-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy significantly increased nuclear localization of CCt. In conclusion, this dissertation supports the hypothesis that CCt localizes to the nucleus in embryonic and adult cardiomyocytes, and that this regulation is mediated by calcium entry into the cardiomyocyte. Furthermore, data from this dissertation suggests that CCt nuclear localization may play an important role in embryonic heart development and adult cardiac hypertrophy.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a leading cause of fatalities. Several methods have been developed to predict instability in myocytes which could lead to SCD. The focus of this study was on altering memory in myocytes, i.e. hysteresis in restitution of action potential duration (APD), by differing levels of calcium. Determination of alteration was implemented by using a diastolic interval (DI) control program that implements a sinusoidal change in DI. Plotting APD versus previous DI, i.e. restitution, produces a hysteresis loop. From these hysteresis loops, five parameters were used to determine measures of memory: area, thickness, overall tilt, max delay and min delay. Calcium levels were then altered with either verapamil or BAPTA-AM. Statistically significant effects were found for the verapamil study, but not for the BAPTA-AM study. Simulations were used to explain significant results. The verapamil findings support clinical studies that have shown verapamil to not have anti-arrhythmic effects. Theory predicts that a decrease in memory would decrease the stability of a system, and perhaps verapamil may not increase stability as hypothesized previously. The results of the BAPTA-AM study were inconclusive, and further investigation is needed before it can be determined that BAPTA-AM has no significant effect on memory.

Orientador: Edson Antunes / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T08:00:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ramos-Filho_AntonioCelsoSaragossa_D.pdf: 3024613 bytes, checksum: a03a80c65d863acd441249f461461216 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Os receptores TRPV4 e TRPM8 são expressos no urotélio e em fibras aferentes sensitivas da bexiga. Fisiologicamente, a ativação mecânica do receptor TRPV4 na parede da bexiga participa do controle miccional. Em doenças de origem inflamatória, esses receptores adquirem funcionalidade importante. As disfunções da bexiga no diabetes podem estar associadas a alterações ao nível de detrusor, inervação e urotélio. A disfunção urotelial parece ser a responsável por desencadear as alterações neurais e musculares da bexiga. Assim, o objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar os mecanismos fisiopatológicos da ativação dos receptores TRPV4 e TRPM8 no estado diabético em camundongos. Para tanto, dividimos o estudo em duas etapas, sendo que na primeira avaliamos a participação dos receptores TRPV4 e TRPM8 nos mecanismos contráteis e relaxantes do detrusor isolado de animais controles e knockout para esses canais. Em uma segunda etapa estudamos a ativação desses canais em camundongos diabéticos pela injeção intraperitoneal de estreptozotocina (180 mg/Kg) por 4 semanas. Em fragmentos do detrusor isolados de camundongos mostramos que o agonista do receptor TRPV4, GSK1016790A, causou resposta contrátil dependente da concentração. Por outro lado, quando os tecidos foram contraídos com solução despolarizante de KCl, o GSK1016790A causou relaxamento da preparação. No detrusor isolado de animais TRPV4-/- verificamos hipercontratilidade ao carbacol (agonista muscarínico) e à estimulação elétrica, assim como redução no relaxamento ao agonista ?-adrenérgico não-seletivo, isoprenalina. Estes efeitos não foram obtidos com os antagonistas dos receptores TRPV4, RN1734 e HC067047. A indução do diabetes causou nocicepção mecânica e aumento da proporção entre bexiga e peso corpóreo após 4 semanas da injeção. A avaliação miccional dos animais diabéticos mostrou aumento da capacidade, frequência urinária e das contrações involuntárias da bexiga. Observamos ainda hipercontratilidade do detrusor ao carbacol, à estimulação elétrica e ao KCl. A indução do diabetes em animais TRPV4-/- não modificou as disfunções "in vivo" e "in vitro" observadas nos animais wyld type diabéticos, mostrando que a ausência crônica dos receptores TRPV4 desencadeia alterações miccionais que são anteriores as causadas pelo diabetes. Também verificamos que os animais TRPM8-/- não apresentam alteração na resposta contrátil ao carbacol e à estimulação elétrica. Por outro lado, o mentol, mas não a icilina, reduziu significativamente as respostas contráteis nestes animais. O mentol inibiu o influxo de cálcio extracelular em cultura de células da musculatura lisa da bexiga por mecanismo inibitório direto nos canais Cav1.2. O tratamento agudo com mentol, intraperitoneal e intravesical, atenuou as disfunções miccionais observadas nos camundongos diabéticos. "In vitro" o pré-tratamento com mentol reduziu a hipercontratilidade ao carbacol no grupo diabético, sem alterar a resposta no grupo controle. Concluímos que o mentol impede a resposta contrátil da bexiga por mecanismo independente do receptor TRPM8 bloqueando o influxo de cálcio extracelular nos canais Cav1,2, podendo ser utilizado como tratamento na hiperatividade de bexiga de origem miogênica / Abstract: The TRPV4 and TRPM8 receptors are expressed in bladder urothelium and sensitive afferent fibers. Physiologically, the mechanical activation of TRPV4 receptor in the bladder wall is involved in micturition control. In inflammatory diseases, these receptors may have important roles. The bladder dysfunction in diabetes may be associated with changes at the level of detrusor, innervation and urothelium. The urothelial dysfunction triggers neural changes, modifying consequently the smooth muscle contractility. Thus, the goal of the present study was to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of TRPV4 and TRPM8 receptor activation in physiological and diabetic conditions in mice. For this purpose we divided the study in two phases, the first of which we evaluated the participation of TRPV4 and TRPM8 receptors in detrusor contractile and relaxing mechanisms in control and knockout animals for these channels. In the second phase we studied the activation of these channels in diabetic mice induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ; 180 mg / kg, 4 weeks). The TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A produced concentration-dependent detrusor contractions. On the other hand, in detrusor pré-contracted with KCl (80 mM), GSK1016790A caused relaxation responses. In TRPV4-/- animals, we verified hypercontractility to carbachol (muscarinic agonist) and electrical-field stimulation, as well as a decreased relaxation to isoprenaline (non-selective ?-adrenergic agonist). These effects were not obtained with the TRPV4 antagonists, RN1734 and HC067047. Induction of diabetes with STZ caused hyperglycemia, mechanical nocicepton, and increased ratio between bladder and body weight after 4 weeks. The miccturition evaluationin diabetic animals showed increased capacity, urinary frequency, and non-voiding contractions. Hypercontractility to carbachol, electrical-field stimulation and KCl in isolated detrusor were lso observed. The induction of diabetes in TRPV4-/- animals did not change the urinary dysfunctions. Our data are consistent with the proposal that TRPV4 receptor has a physiological function in micturition control by decreasing muscarinic-induced contractions and increasing ?-adrenergic-mediated relaxations. Moreover, the bladder contractions to carbachol and EFS in TRPM8-/- did not significantly change compared to TRPM8+/+. However, menthol (300 ?M), but not icilin (1 ?M), significantly inhibited these contractile responses. The menthol (300 ?M) inhibited extracellular calcium influx in bladder smooth muscle cell culture by direct mechanism though Cav1.2 channels. In addition the acute treatment with menthol, intraperitoneal and intravesical, atenuated the micturition dysfunctions observed in diabetic mice. Also, detrusor preparations pre-treated with menthol decreased carbachol hypercontractility, without changing the responses in normoglycemic group. Menthol reduces bladder contractions by mechanisms independent of TRPM8 receptor activation, inhibiting extracellular calcium influx through Cav1.2 channel, thus been considered as treatment for bladder overactivity of myogenic origin / Doutorado / Farmacologia / Doutor em Farmacologia

A worldwide awareness of the environment is accelerating fuel cell vehicle development. With respect to power electronics, special requirement is on the development of high efficiency, high voltage ratio bi-directional DC/DC converter for fuel cell energy system management. In this paper, two bi-directional DC/DC converters, which are developed for Ford Motor Company’s fuel cell vehicle, are compared from different aspects. Comparison is concentrated on the circuit topology and EMI performance. Emphasis is placed on soft-switch, hard-switch, synchronized rectification, auxiliary start-up winding and their effect on EMI performance in this kind of isolated bi-directional converter. Comparison includes circuits analysis and test result. The EMI test setup is described. EMI measurements are given and explained. EMI solutions for bi-directional DC/DC converter are discussed. An EMI filter is designed and final test result is given. / Master of Science

System L (SL), a basolateral amino acid transporter, transports large neutral amino acids (LNAAs) in a Na+-independent manner. Previously, we identified two isoforms of transporters: L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) and 2 (LAT2) and revealed their distinct substrate selectivity and transport properties. In this study, to establish more stable human LAT1 (hLAT1) and LAT2 (hLAT2) in vitro assay systems, we established mouse cell lines stably expressing hLAT1 (S2-LAT1) and hLAT2 (S2-LAT2). Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that S2-LAT1 and S2-LAT2 cells express hLAT1 and hLAT2 mRNAs at 20 - 1000-fold higher levels than those of endogenous mouse Lat1 and Lat2. S2-LAT1 and S2-LAT2 mediated [14C]L-leucine transport properties were measured and corresponded to results observed via Xenopus oocytes. Using these cells, the data demonstrate that hLAT1 and hLAT2 exhibit different characters in the acceptance of α-methyl amino acids and amino acid-related compounds with bulky side chains such as thyroid hormones and melphalan. S2-LAT1 and S2-LAT2 cells are expected to facilitate hLAT1 and hLAT2 substrate recognition research and contribute to drug development by providing an efficient assay system to screen for chemical compounds that interact with hLAT1 and hLAT2.

No description available.

No description available.

The L-type calcium channel (LTCC) provides trigger Ca2+ for sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-release and LTCC function is influenced by interacting proteins including the LTCC Distal Carboxyl-terminus (DCT) and calmodulin. DCT is proteolytically cleaved, and re-associates with the LTCC complex to regulate calcium channel function. DCT reduces LTCC barium current (IBa,L) in reconstituted channel complexes, yet the contribution of DCT to ICa,L in cardiomyocyte systems is unexplored. This study tests the hypothesis that DCT attenuates cardiomyocyte ICa,L. We measured LTCC current and Ca2+ transients with DCT co-expressed in murine cardiomyocytes. We also heterologously co-expressed DCT and CaV1.2 constructs with truncations corresponding to the predicted proteolytic cleavage site, CaV1.2Δ1801, and a shorter deletion corresponding to well-studied construct, CaV1.2Δ1733. DCT inhibited IBa,L in cardiomyocytes, and in HEK 293 cells expressing CaV1.2Δ1801 and CaV1.2Δ1733. Ca2+-CaM relieved DCT block in cardiomyocytes and HEK cells. The selective block of IBa,L combined with Ca2+-CaM effects suggested that DCT-mediated blockade may be relieved under conditions of elevated Ca2+. We therefore tested the hypothesis that DCT block is dynamic, increasing under relatively low Ca2+, and show that DCT reduced diastolic Ca2+ at low stimulation frequencies but spared high frequency Ca2+-entry. DCT reduction of diastolic Ca2+ and relief of block at high pacing frequencies, and under conditions of supraphysiological bath Ca2+ suggests that a physiological function of DCT is to increase the dynamic range of Ca2+ transients in response to elevated pacing frequencies. Our data motivates the new hypothesis that DCT is a native reverse use-dependent inhibitor of LTCC current.

In this work is described design of measuring and evaluation system for temperature rise tests in cooperation with ABB company. As temperature sensors are used thermocouples type L and measuring hardware consists of chassis cRIO 9073 and measuring card NI 9213. In LabVIEW 2011 is created software for cRIO and as well for control PC and structure of both programs is described in detail. Thesis includes also practical estimation of metrological parameters of created system.

Mūsų tyrymų tikslas – ištirti baltymų kinazės A, baltymų kinazės C, Src šeimos nereceptorinės baltymų tirozino kinazės ir jų signaliniuose keliuose dalyvaujančių molekulių įtaką L tipo kalcio srovei (ICa,L) fermentiniu būdu izoliuotuose iširdies miocituose. Šis tikslas buvo įgyvendintas sprendžiant keturias užduotis: 1) ištiriant varlės ir žiurkės skilvelių bei žmogaus prieširdžių miocitų β-adrenerginių receptorių signalinės grandinės elementų: β-adrenerginių receptorių, adenilatciklazės, fosfodiesterazių, baltymų kinazės A, baltymų fosfatazių (baltymų fosfatazės 1 ir baltymų fosfatazės 2A) bei įtampos valdomų L tipo kalcio kanalų bazinį aktyvumą; 2) ištiriant β3-adrenerginių receptorių įtaką žmogaus prieširdžių ICa,L ir susitraukimo jėgai; 3) nustatant Src šeimos nereceptorinės baltymų tirozino kinazės įtaką žmogaus prieširdžių ICa,L, taip pat jos aktyvinimo būdą ir veikimo vietą β-adrenerginių receptorių signalinėje grandinėje; 4) ištiriant baltymų kinazės C įtaka žmogaus prieširdžių ICa,L. / The objective of study was to investigate the role of protein kinase A, protein kinase C, Src family nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases and other signaling molecules involved in pathways regulating the L-type calcium current (ICa,L) in enzymatically isolated cardiac myocytes. This objective was realized by resolving four tasks: 1) Examination of the basal activity of β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) signaling cascade involving β-ARs, adenylyl cyclases, phosphodiesterases, protein kinase A, protein phosphatases (protein phosphatase 1 and protein phosphatase 2A) and L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels in frog and rat ventricular myocytes and human atrial myocytes; 2) Investigation of the role of β3-ARs in regulation of ICa,L and force of contraction in human atrium; 3) Exploration of the role of Src family nonreceptor tyrosine kinases in regulation of ICa,L, determining the route of their activation and site of action in β-AR signaling cascade of human atriual myocytes; 4) Probing of the impact of protein kinase C on basal and β-AR stimulated ICa,L in human atrial myocytes. The experiments were performed using whole-cell configuration of the pach-clamp technique.