SUMMARY1. Single smooth muscle cells obtained by enzymic dispersion of the longitudinal muscle layer of guinea-pig ileum were used for recording membrane currents under whole-cell voltage clamp in response to carbachol (100 /bM, unless otherwise stated) or histamine (100 jam) applied extracellularly.2. At a holding potential of 0 mV, a transient outward current was evoked by carbachol and histamine. Responses to the two agonists were very similar in size and time course to the current response to caffeine (10 mM). The response to carbachol was virtually absent in the presence of histamine, and vice versa. Caffeine was without effect in the presence of either of these agonists. Inclusion of EGTA (10 or 20 mM) in the pipette abolished the responses to carbachol, histamine and caffeine. Thus, the outward current responses were considered to represent opening of Ca2+_ activated K+ channels in response to a massive release of Ca2+ from the same stores by these three agents.3. An inward current was evoked by carbachol and histamine, but not by caffeine at a holding potential of -40 mV, which was considered to represent opening of cationic channels. The carbachol-induced inward current was much longer in duration and larger in size than the histamine-induced inward current.4. Inclusion of GDPpJS (2 mm) in the pipette abolished the inward and outward current responses to histamine, but inhibited only part of those to carbachol.5. When the holding potential was held at 0 mV with inclusion of GTPyS (0'1-1 mM) in the pipette, spontaneous transient outward currents appeared immediately after break-through but disappeared a few minutes later. Under these conditions, caffeine (10 mM) was almost without effect, suggesting that GTPyS had released Ca2+ stores. When the holding potential was held at -40 mV and GTPyS (0-1 or 0-2 mm) was present in the pipette, an inward current developed a few minutes after break-through. During the GTPyS-induced inward current, application of carbachol or histamine produced no further inward current. However, when 0-01 mmGTPyS was included in the pipette solution, carbachol-and histamine-induced inward currents were potentiated.6. Pretreated with 2-5 gug/ml pertussis toxin (PTX) did not change noticeably the MS 9646 106 S. KOMORI, M. KA WAI, T. TAKEWAKI AND H. OHASHI outward current responses to carbachol and histamine, but abolished or markedly reduced the inward current responses.7. The results suggest that stimulation of muscarinic receptor or histamine receptor caused release of Ca2+ from storage sites and activation of cationic channels, and that regardless of the receptor type, calcium store release may be mediated via a PTX-insensitive G-protein, while the cation channels are activated via another G-protein which is sensitive to PTX.

In single cells isolated from guinea-pig ileal smooth muscle, held under voltage clamp at -40 mV or -50 mV by patch pipette in the whole-cell recording mode, carbachol (CCh) evoked an oscillatory inward cationic current. The frequency of current oscillations increased with increasing CCh concentration. CCh-evoked current oscillations were followed very closely by oscillations in intracellular free Ca2+ estimated from the Indo-1 signal, and were abolished by inclusion of EGTA in the pipette solution. Ryanodine and heparin, but not nifedipine, blocked the generation of current oscillations. CCh-evoked current oscillations were abolished upon withdrawal of extracellular calcium and restored upon its reintroduction. Inclusion of GTP[gamma S] in the pipette solution caused the generation of an oscillatory inward current, which was blocked by ryanodine. The present results are consistent with the hypothesis that CCh-evoked cationic current is gated by activation of a G protein and is steeply dependent on [Ca2+]i, fluctuations in the release of Ca2+ from stores during carbachol's action produce oscillations in [Ca2+]i which cause similar oscillations in the cationic current.

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To clarify whether enzymatically modified isoquercitrin (EMIQ) or melatonin (MLT) supplementation reduces oxidative stress-mediated hepatocellular tumor-promoting effect of oxfendazole (OX), a benzimidazole anthelmintic, male rats were administered a single intraperitoneal injection of N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and were fed a diet containing OX (500 ppm) for 10 weeks with or without EMIQ (2,000 ppm) or MLT (100 ppm) in the drinking water after DEN initiation. One week after the commencement of the administration of OX, rats were subjected to two-thirds of partial hepatectomy. The number of GST-P-positive foci promoted by OX was significantly inhibited by the combined antioxidant EMIQ or MLT administration, and the area of GST-P-positive foci was inhibited by the administration of MLT. Real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed decreases in mRNA expression levels of cytochrome P450, family 2, subfamily b, polypeptide 2 (Cyp2b2) and malic enzyme 1 (Me1) in the DEN-OX-EMIQ and DEN-OX-MLT groups and decreases in mRNA expression levels of Cyp1a1 and aldo-keto reductase family 7, member A3 (Akr7a3) in the DEN-OX-MLT group compared to those in the DEN-OX group. In in vitro ROS production assay, inhibited production of NADPH-dependent ROS was observed by the treatment with EMIQ or MLT. These results suggest that coadministration of EMIQ or MLT suppresses the hepatocellular tumor-promoting activity of OX in rats through the decrease in ROS production by the activation of CYPs.