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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Kv7 K+ Channels In Airway Smooth Muscle Cells As Target For Asthma Therapy, Priyanka Prakash Kakad
Kv7 K+ Channels In Airway Smooth Muscle Cells As Target For Asthma Therapy, Priyanka Prakash Kakad
Master's Theses
Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is an important etiological feature of asthma, the molecular mechanisms of which are poorly understood, thus preventing development of specific and effective therapies. We investigate the role played by Kv7 voltage-activated potassium channels in the pathophysiology of AHR and evaluate the significance of their regulation in treatment of asthma. Our studies provide the first evidence for expression of multiple Kv7 channels in guinea pig and human airways and demonstrate that the expression of Kv7 channels is reduced in allergen-sensitized guinea pig airways. Our ex vivo functional studies reveal that clinically available Kv7 channel activators attenuate the bronchoconstrictor …
An Investigation Of The Phospholamban-Serca Regulatory Interaction With Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, Philip Adam Bidwell
An Investigation Of The Phospholamban-Serca Regulatory Interaction With Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, Philip Adam Bidwell
Dissertations
With Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), we are able to detect changes in the structure and affinity of the PLB-SERCA regulatory complex in live cells. Using this approach, we have detected a high level of PLB-SERCA interaction even at Ca2+ concentrations known to fully relieve PLB inhibition of SERCA, suggesting that dissociation is not required for relief of inhibition. We also detect no real-time change in PLB-SERCA binding over the course of a single Ca2+ transient in paced myocytes. The effect of Ca2+ on the PLB-SERCA interaction is best described as a reduced affinity with no change in the structure …