• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권6호
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• pp.769-774
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• 1997

Non-neuronal high affinity binding sites for benzodiazepines have been found in many peripheral tissues including cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle, and have been designated as 'peripheral benzodiazepine receptor'. Benzodiazepines have been shown to induce relaxation of the ileal, vesical, and uterine smooth muscles. However, it is still unclear about possible involvement of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor on the contractility of trachealis muscle. This study was performed to investigate the role of the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor on the contractility of canine trachealis muscle. Canine trachealis muscle strips of 15 mm long were suspended in an isolated organ bath containing 1 ml of physiological salt solution maintained at $37^{\circ}C$, and aerated with $95%\;O_2/5%\;CO_2$. Isometric myography was performed, and the results of the experiments were as follows: Ro5-4684, FGIN-1-27 and clonazepam reduced a basal tone of isolated canine trachealis muscle strip concentration dependently, relaxant actions of RoS-4684 and FGIN-1-27 were antagonized by PK11195, a peripheral benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. Flumazenil, a central type antagonist, did not antagonize the relaxant action of Peripheral type agonists. Saturation binding assay of [3H]Ro5-4864 showed a high affinity$(Kd=5.33{\pm}1.27nM,\;Bmax=\;867.3{\pm}147.2\;fmol/mg\;protein)$ binding site on the canine trachealis muscle. Ro 5-4684 suppressed the bethanechol-, 5-hydroxyoyptamine- and histamine- induced contractions. Platelet activating factor (PAF) exerted strong and prolonged contraction in trachealis muscle strip. Strong tonic contraction by PAE was attenuated by Ro 5-4684, but not by WEB 2086, a PAF antagonist. Based on these results, it is concluded that the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor mediates the inhibitory regulation of contractilty of canine trachealis muscle.

• 대한기관식도과학회지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.64-72
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• 1998

This study aimed at observing the effect of diazepam on the contractility of trachealis muscle isolated from canine trachea, possible involvement of central or peripheral type benzodiazepine receptor, and the calcium related mechanism of action of diazepam. Trachealis muscle strips of 15 mm long were suspended in an isolated organ bath containing 1 ml of physiologic salt solution maintained at $37^{\circ}C$, and aerated with 95% $O_2$ /5% $CO_2$. Isometric myography was performed. Diazepam reduced the basal tone concentration dependently, and this inhibitory action was not affected by neither flumazenil, a central benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, nor PK11195, a peripheral benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. Pretreatment with diazepam showed the inhibitory effect on the concentration-response curves to agonists such as bethanechol, 5-hydroxytryptamine and histamine. Diazepam also caused concentration-related inhibition of contraction with potassium chloride 30 mM. The effect of diazepam on the basal tone and potassium chloride-induced contraction with calcium channel blockers were compared. Similar results were obtained in canine trachealis with verapamil, nifedipine and diltiazem. These results suggest that diazepam relax an airway muscle not via specific receptors but by a similar action as calcium channel blockers in canine trachealis muscle.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.4-10
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• 2015

Etifoxine (etafenoxine, $Stresam^{(R)}$) is a non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic with an anticonvulsant effect. It was developed in the 1960s for anxiety disorders and is currently being studied for its ability to promote peripheral nerve healing and to treat chemotherapy-induced pain. In addition to being mediated by $GABA_A{\alpha}2$ receptors like benzodiazepines, etifoxine appears to produce anxiolytic effects directly by binding to ${\beta}2$ or ${\beta}3$ subunits of the $GABA_A$ receptor complex. It also modulates $GABA_A$ receptors indirectly via stimulation of neurosteroid production after etifoxine binds to the 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) of the outer mitochondrial membrane in the central and peripheral nervous systems, previously known as the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR). Therefore, the effects of etifoxine are not completely reversed by the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil. Etifoxine is used for various emotional and bodily reactions followed by anxiety. It is contraindicated in situations such as shock, severely impaired liver or kidney function, and severe respiratory failure. The average dosage is 150 mg per day for no more than 12 weeks. The most common adverse effect is drowsiness at the initial stage. It does not usually cause any withdrawal syndromes. In conclusion, etifoxine shows less adverse effects of anterograde amnesia, sedation, impaired psychomotor performance, and withdrawal syndromes than those of benzodiazepines. It potentiates $GABA_A$ receptor-function by a direct allosteric effect and by an indirect mechanism involving the activation of TSPO. It seems promising that non-benzodiazepine anxiolytics including etifoxine will replenish shortcomings of benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors according to animated studies related to TSPO.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.20-26
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• 1999

목 적 : 스트레스 유발 고혈압을 일으키는데 말초성 benzodiazepine수용체가 중요한 역할을 하리라 추정되어 왔다. 반복적 부동화 스트레스에 의한 신장의 말초성 benzodiazepine수용체의 변화 양상을 Sprague-Dawley rats와 boderline hypertensive rats의 두 실험동물군에서 비교, 관찰하여 고혈압을 유발하는데 신장의 말초성 benzodiazepine 수용체의 병태생리학적 기능을 규명하고자 하였다. Benzodiazepine수용체의 변화 양상은 방사성 동위원소를 사용한 수용체 결합 반응으로 검색하였으며 elevated plus maze검사로 각 실험동물의 불안도를 측정하여 각 군간의 결과를 비교, 관찰하였다. 방 법 : 불안도를 보기 위하여 측정한 plus-maze performance에서 percent open crosses는 Sprague-Dawley rats ($34.7{\pm}2.2$)에 비해 boderline hypertensive rats ($16.2{\pm}1.7$)가 유의하게 낮았고(P<0.05), percent time in open도 Sprague-Dawley rats ($22.5{\pm}1.0$)에 비해 boderline hypertensive rats ($12.1{\pm}1.2$)가 유의하게 낮아 불안도가 높은 상태임을 나타내었다(P<0.05). 스트레스를 주지 않은 Sprague-Dawley rats의 신장 말초성 benzodiazepine수용체의 수(Bmax: $5.5{\pm}0.6$pmol/mg protein)에 비하여 boderline hypertensive rats의 수용체의 수($3.1{\pm}0.7$pmol/mg protein)는 유의하게 낮았다(P<0.05). 하루 2시간씩 14일간 부동화 스트레스를 부하하였을 때, Sprague-Dawley rats와 boderline hypertensive rats에서 신장의 말초성 benzodiazepine 수용체의 수($7.4{\pm}0.7$ 및 $5.9{\pm}1.2$ pmol/mg protein)는 스트레스를 주지 않았을 때보다 증가하였으며(P<0.05), 스트레스에 노출된 boderline hypertensive rats는 스트레스에 노출된 Sprague-Dawley rats에 비하여 신장 말초성 benzodiazepine수용체의 수가 여전히 낮은 수준임을 관찰할 수 있었다(P<0.05). 결 론 : 이상의 결과로부터 신장의 말초성 benzodiazepine수용체는 스트레스 조절작용을 매개하며, 본 수용체의 수적 감소는 스트레스에 의한 고혈압 발생에 중요한 역할을 할 것으로 생각되었다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권5호
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• pp.523-528
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• 1997

Peripheral benzodiazepine receptor(PBR) has been indentified in various peripheral tissues including kidney. The physiological and pharmacological functions of PBR are still uncertain, althought it has been suggested that these are associated with the regulation of stress/anxiety response. Diazepam progeny, which were exposed to diazepam perinatally, was reported to be an animal model of chronic anxiety. However, PBR in the diazepam progenies are not known yet. In the present study, therefore, we examined the changes of PBR in the stress/anxiety response. Dams of rats were given injection of diazepam or vehicle during puerperium. Diazepam progenies showed increased level of anxiety on the performance of elevated plus maze, and increased Bmax of PBR. Saturation experiments followed by scatchard analysis of the results showed that the increase in the density of PBR and the affinity of the PBR remained unchanged. Forced swim stress increased anxiety on the plus maze in both groups of rats. In contrast to control, diazepam progenies did not show further upregulation of renal PBR immediately after swimming stress, but still higher than control. From the above results, it may be concluded that upregulation of renal PBR is associated with chronic anxiety as well as stress-induced response.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.211-218
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• 2011

Fragmentation in human pre-implantation embryos has been suggested as the process of apoptosis. We have previously demonstrated a direct relationship between the increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis in human pre-implantation embryos. ROS is known to suppress the function of mitochondria in which steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) are presented. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the expression of StAR and PBR in human pre-implantation embryos and to evaluate whether reduction of these proteins is associated with apoptosis. Apoptosis was detected by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and mitochondrial membrane potential was measured by 5,5',6,6'-tetrachloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-benzimidazolyl-carbocyanine iodide (JC-1). Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were applied to examine the expression of StAR and PBR in the embryos. Lipid droplets in the embryos were stained with Oil Red O. The fragmented pre-implantation embryos were stained with annexin V-FITC, but not the normal ones. The mitochondria with active membrane potential were present less in the fragmented embryos compared with the non-fragmented embryos. We also confirmed that both StAR and PBR were expressed in the embryos and their expression levels were lower in the fragmented ones. In addition, the number and size of lipid droplets were increased in the fragmented embryos. The present study provides evidence that reduction of StAR and PBR in human pre-implantation embryos is associated with an increase in the lipid droplets leading to apoptosis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.83-94
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• 2004

Objective: To investigate whether GnRH-agonist (GnRH-Ag) using in IVF-ET affects apoptosis of human granulosa-luteal cells and expression of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) protein involved in the apoptosis of the cells. Methods: Granulosa-luteal cells obtained during oocyte retrieval were cultured and treated with $10^{-5}M$ GnRH-Ag. Apoptosis of the cells by the treatment was confirmed using DNA fragmentation analysis 24 h after culture. The presence of PBR protein within the cells was examined by immunofluorescence staining and the expression of the protein was analyzed by Western blotting. In addition, it was measured for progesterone and nitric oxide (NO) produced by granulosa-luteal cells after GnRH-Ag treatment. To evaluate the relationship between NO production and PBR expression, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a NO donor was added in media and investigated the expression of PBR protein by Western blotting. Results: Apoptosis increased in the granulosa-luteal cells 24 h after GnRH-Ag treatment, whereas the expression of PBR protein significantly decreased. Furthermore, the production of progesterone and nitric oxide (NO) by the cells significantly fell from 12 h after the treatment. In the results of Western blotting after SNP treatment, the expression of PBR protein increased in the treatment with SNP alone to the granulosa-luteal cells, but was suppressed in the treatment with GnRH-Ag and SNP. Additionally, the staining result of PBR protein in the cells showed the even distribution of it through the cell. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that GnRH-Ag treatment induces apoptosis, decreasing expression of PBR protein and NO production in human granulosa-luteal cells. The present study suggests that one of the apoptosis mechanism of human granulosa-luteal cells by GnRH-Ag might be a signal transduction pathway via NO and PBR.

• 대한방사성의약품학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.56-65
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• 2021

TSPO, an 18-kDa translocator protein, is a peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor that has been associated to a variety of biological activities such as apoptosis, steroidogenesis, and cell proliferation. Because TSPO overexpression has been found in various forms of cancer, it has recently become one of the most appealing biological targets for cancer therapies and detection. In order to create new optical imaging agents for improved diagnostics, we synthesized a novel dimeric fluorescent TSPO ligand based on PRB28 structure and SCy5.5. Following the preparation of the novel TSPO ligand, in vivo and ex vivo imaging tests were performed to examine the tumor uptake characteristics of the fluorescent TSPO ligand in a glioma animal model, and it was found that novel TSPO ligand was accumulated in glioma. These results suggested that novel dimeric fluorescent TSPO ligand will be applied to detect glioma.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권8호
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• pp.1009-1015
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• 2009

Flavonoid류와 진정제의 시험관 내 암세포증식억제효과를 관찰하기 위하여, 암세포의 말초형 benzodiazepine 수용체(이하 PBR로 약함) 활성도와 포도당 활용도에 대한 효과를 유방암 세포를 대상으로 검색하였다. 동시에 이미 항암활성이 잘 알려진 flavonoid류와의 상호작용도 관찰하였다. Fisetin (3,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone)과 diazepam의 암세포 증식 억제 효과는 악성도가 높은 MDA-MB-231 유방암 세포에서 MCF-7 유방암세포보다 저명하게 관찰되었다. MDA-MB-231 유방암세포에서, Apigenin (4',5,7-Trihydroxyflavone)과 fisetin 같은 flavonoid류처럼, $10^{-6}$ M 농도의 dazepam을 3일간 처치하였을 때 암세포 증식 억제효과를 나타내었으며, 이는 PBR 배위자들의 암세포 증식 증진효과와는 차이를 나타낸 것이다. Flavonoid 류처럼, MDA-MB-231 유방암세포에서, $10^{-6}$ M dazepam의 3일간 처치는 암세포의 PBR mRNA 발현에 큰 영향을 미치지 않았다. $10^{-6}$ M diazepam의 6 일간 처치는 암세포의 증식억제 효과가 증가되어 나타났으며, 암세포의 PBR mRNA 발현도 억제되었다. MDA-MB-231 유방암 세포에서, apigenin, fisetin과 diazepam은 포도당 유용도를 억제하였으며, 인슐린에 의한 포도당 유용도 증강효과도 억압하였다. Apigenin은 diazepam의 암세포 증식 억제 효과를 부가적으로 증강시켰다. 요약하면, 본 연구결과는 flavonoid류와 진정제의 시험관내 암세포 증식 억제효과와 부가적인 상호작용을 보여주고 있다. 결론적으로, 본 연구는 향후 좀더 진척된 시험을 위한 실험적인 기반 정보이다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제53권1호
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• pp.20-27
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• 2020

Translocator protein (TSPO), also known as peripheral benzodiazepine receptor, is a transmembrane protein located on the outer mitochondria membrane (OMM) and mainly expressed in glial cells in the brain. Because of the close correlation of its expression level with neuropathology and therapeutic efficacies of several TSPO binding ligands under many neurological conditions, TSPO has been regarded as both biomarker and therapeutic target, and the biological functions of TSPO have been a major research focus. However, recent genetic studies with animal and cellular models revealed unexpected results contrary to the anticipated biological importance of TSPO and cast doubt on the action modes of the TSPO-binding drugs. In this review, we summarize recent controversial findings on the discrepancy between pharmacological and genetic studies of TSPO and suggest some future direction to understand this old and mysterious protein.