title: Involvement of MAPKs and PLC pathways in modulation of pacemaking activity by So-Cheong-Ryong-Tang in interstitial cells of Cajal from murine small intestine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are the pacemaker cells that generate slow waves in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We have aimed to investigate the effects of Socheongryong-Tang (SCRT) in ICCs from mouse's small intestine.
  
  
  METHODS
  The whole-cell patch-clamp configuration was used to record membrane potentials from cultured ICCs. Intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i) increase was studied in cultured ICCs using fura-2 AM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ICCs generated pacemaker potentials in mouse's small intestine. SCRT produced membrane depolarization in current clamp mode. Y25130 (5-HT3 receptor antagonist) and RS39604 (5-HT4 receptor antagonist) blocked SCRT-induced membrane depolarizations, whereas SB269970 (5-HT7 receptor antagonist) did not. When GDP- β -S (1 mM) was in the pipette solution, SCRT did not induce the membrane depolarizations. [Ca(2+)]i analysis showed that SCRT increased [Ca(2+)]i. In the presence of PD98059 (p42/44 MAPK inhibitor), SCRT did not produce membrane depolarizations. In addition, SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) and JNK inhibitors blocked the depolarizations by SCRT in pacemaker potentials. Furthermore, the membrane depolarizations by SCRT were not inhibited by U-73122, an active phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, but by U-73343, an inactive PLC inhibitor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that SCRT might affect GI motility by the modulation of pacemaker activity through MAPKs and PLC pathways in the ICCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sasang Constitutional Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Woo
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Hee Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ho Joon
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Byung Joo
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056885:Interstitial Cells of Cajal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000166:cytology*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D002118:Calcium