As a novel gasotransmitter, hydrogen sulfide (HS) elicits various physiological actions including smooth muscle relaxation and promotion of transepithelial ion transport. However, the pro-secretory function of HS in the male reproductive system remains largely unclear. The aim of this study is to elucidate the possible roles of HS in modulating rat epididymal intraluminal ionic microenvironment essential for sperm storage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral studies have implicated estrogen and the estrogen receptor (ER) in the pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); however, the mechanism underlying this effect remains elusive. In the present study, we demonstrated that estrogen (17β-estradiol, or E2)-induced activation of the G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) triggered Ca release from the endoplasmic reticulum, increased the mitochondrial Ca concentration, and thus induced prostate epithelial cell (PEC) apoptosis. Both E2 and the GPR30-specific agonist G1 induced a transient intracellular Ca release in PECs via the phospholipase C (PLC)-inositol 1, 4, 5-triphosphate (IP) pathway, and this was abolished by treatment with the GPR30 antagonist G15.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci
December 2016
Gefitinib is used as a first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Unfortunately, most NSCLC patients inevitably develop gefitinib resistance during treatment. In addition to EGFR mutation status, the mechanisms involved are largely unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Vaginal lubrication, an indicator of sexual arousal and tissue health, increases significantly during genital sexual arousal. Adrenergic alpha-receptors (AR) are an important regulator of genital physiological responses involved in mediating vascular and nonvascular smooth muscle contractility; the role of β-AR in sexual arousal, however, has not yet been investigated.
Aim: The goal of this study was to reveal the functional role of β-AR in modulating vaginal lubrication during sexual arousal and the mechanisms underlying the process.
J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci
February 2014
5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) is drug of choice for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). In this study, the efficacy of topical versus oral 5-ASA for the treatment of UC was examined as well as the action mechanism of this medication. A flexible tube was inserted into the rat cecum to establish a topical administration model of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced UC.
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