Article
Physiology
Tomohiro Nakanishi, Kotaro Oyama, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Fuyu Kobirumaki-Shimozawa, Shuya Ishii, Takako Terui, Shin'ichi Ishiwata, Norio Fukuda
Summary: The novel inotropic agent Omecamtiv mecarbil increases the sensitivity of cardiac muscle to calcium, leading to enhanced contractile properties. However, this effect is attenuated under the influence of fast skeletal troponin and strongly bound cross-bridges, suggesting a complex regulatory mechanism for its positive inotropic effects.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natthaphat Siri-Angkul, Behzad Dadfar, Riya Jaleel, Jazna Naushad, Jaseela Parambathazhath, Angelia Doye, Lai-Hua Xie, Judith Gwathmey
Summary: Heart failure remains a major issue globally, with efforts by clinicians and scientists to find effective treatments and cures not yet yielding major breakthroughs. The heart is not simply a pump, and treating heart failure requires consideration of its pathophysiological complexity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Nicole Mazara, Derek P. Zwambag, Alex M. Noonan, Erin Weersink, Stephen H. M. Brown, Geoffrey A. Power
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between impaired Ca2+ sensitivity and rapid force production in single muscle fibers of young and older adults. The findings showed impaired Ca2+ sensitivity in older adults, but no difference in rapid force production between young and old muscle fibers.
EXPERIMENTAL GERONTOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Panpan Liu, Jian Chen, Jiaying Qi, Miaomiao Liu, Muqing Zhang, Yucong Xue, Li Li, Yanshuang Liu, Jing Shi, Yixin Zhang, Li Chu
Summary: Research has found that hesperetin has a protective effect against ischemia/hypoxia-induced myocardial injury by restoring oxidative balance, inhibiting apoptosis, improving mitochondrial function, and reducing calcium influx. This provides a new direction for the application of hesperetin as an L-type calcium channel inhibitor in the prevention and treatment of myocardial injury.
PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Alyssa Huntington, Steven D. Abramowitch, Pamela A. Moalli, Raffaella De Vita
Summary: This study investigated the mechanical properties of the healthy vagina in virgin rats, and found that the vagina undergoes significantly higher compressive strains, tensile strains, and contractile forces along the longitudinal direction than along the circumferential direction during contractions. Knowledge of the contractile mechanics of the healthy vagina is crucial in understanding the detrimental effects of pelvic organ prolapse and surgical mesh usage on the functionality of smooth muscle in the vagina.
ACTA BIOMATERIALIA
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Sijie Chu, Weijie Wang, Ning Zhang, Tong Liu, Jing Li, Xi Chu, Saijie Zuo, Zhihong Ma, Donglai Ma, Li Chu
Summary: This study found that 18 beta-Glycyrrhetinic acid has cardioprotective effects on acute myocardial infarction by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis pathways, and reducing cell contractility and Ca2+ concentration.
FOOD SCIENCE & NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xiuying Zhang, Qilei Chen, Jia Zhao, Wei Zhao, Ni Fan, Yu Wang, Hubiao Chen, Jianhui Rong
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the cardioprotective activity of the herbal medicine formula Baoyuan Decoction (BYD), identify the active compounds and molecular targets. The results showed that BYD effectively reduced infarct size and preserved cardiac functions. Network pharmacology analysis revealed that BYD might control cardiac inflammation through targeting the TNF-alpha/NF-kappa B pathway and other related pathways.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Mark C. Turner, Rowan P. Rimington, Neil R. W. Martin, Jacob W. Fleming, Andrew J. Capel, Leanne Hodson, Mark P. Lewis
Summary: The study demonstrated that exposure to exogenous fatty acids can lead to increased lipid accumulation in tissue engineered skeletal muscle, upregulation of genes related to lipid storage and metabolism, and a decrease in muscle force production. These findings reveal the impact of exogenous fatty acids on the function and metabolism of skeletal muscle tissue.
JOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Emma A. Patton, Patrice Cunningham, Matthew Noneman, Henry P. Helms, Gustavo Martinez-Muniz, Aman S. Sumal, Milan K. Dhameja, Christian A. Unger, Ahmed K. Alahdami, Reilly T. Enos, Ioulia Chatzistamou, Kandy T. Velazquez
Summary: This study investigated the potential of the herbal medicine OJS to alleviate pain in inflammatory bowel disease. The results showed that OJS can reduce mechanical nociception and aversion to colorectal distension without producing rewarding effects. The analgesic effects of OJS are independent of macrophage tumor necrosis factor alpha levels and disease progression.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Grace K. Muller, Joy Song, Vivek Jani, Yuejin Wu, Ting Liu, William P. D. Jeffreys, Brian O'Rourke, Mark E. Anderson, David A. Kass
Summary: PDE1i enhances contractility by increasing Ca(v)1.2 conductance in a PKA-dependent manner, with lesser total [Ca2+](i) increase, and without significant changes in the phosphorylation of critical EC-coupling proteins.
CIRCULATION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Paul Robinson, Alexander J. Sparrow, Yiangos Psaras, Violetta Steeples, Jillian N. Simon, Connor N. Broyles, Yu-Fen Chang, Frances A. Brook, Ying-Jie Wang, Andrew Blease, Xiaoyu Zhang, Yama A. Abassi, Michael A. Geeves, Christopher N. Toepfer, Hugh Watkins, Charles Redwood, Matthew J. Daniels
Summary: We compared the performance of commonly used BAPTA-derived chemical Ca2+ dyes and a newer genetically encoded indicator in single cell models of the heart. The chemical dyes showed dose-dependent contractile impairment and a negative correlation between contraction and fluorescence signal-to-noise ratio. The genetically encoded indicator had no effect on sarcomere shortening and did not inhibit ATPase activity.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Toshio Kaneda, Farida Ifadotunnikmah, Alfarius Eko Nugroho, Sae Koshikawa, Sasaki Tadahiro, Yusuke Hirasawa, Hiroshi Morita
Summary: This study demonstrated that CA-A induces vasorelaxation through an indirectly activated PKA-MYPT1 pathway caused by inhibition of PI3K activity.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yusuf Cem Eskiocak, Zeynep Ozge Ayyildiz, Sinem Gunalp, Asli Korkmaz, Derya Goksu Helvaci, Yavuz Dogan, Duygu Sag, Gerhard Wingender
Summary: Various aspects of in vitro culture conditions, including elevated Ca2+ concentrations, can impact the functional response of immune cells. The presence of elevated Ca2+ concentrations during in vitro stimulation can increase cytokine production in both conventional and unconventional T cells, as well as B cells. However, primary human monocyte-derived macrophages showed increased cell death in the presence of elevated Ca2+ concentrations. Furthermore, elevated Ca2+ levels promoted M1 differentiation in macrophages. This study highlights the importance of considering the Ca2+ concentration in in vitro cultures for functional experiments and the potential of elevated Ca2+ levels to boost cytokine production in lymphoid cells.
Article
Cell Biology
Sang Kwon Lee, Yeong Cheon Kweon, Ah Reum Lee, Yoon Young Lee, Chan Young Park
Summary: This article investigates the role of PGRMC1 in regulating Ca2+ signaling in breast cancer cells, and finds that PGRMC1 can promote the generation of SOCE, affecting various cellular processes.
Article
Immunology
Xianqin Song, Yu Song, Quanping Ma, Kehua Fang, Xiaotian Chang
Summary: This study found that M1 macrophages can increase the expression of CA1 and CA2 to promote atherosclerotic calcification in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) by secreting TNF-a.
JOURNAL OF INFLAMMATION RESEARCH
(2023)