We recently reported that activation of the highly efficient phospholipase C (PLC) stimulatory m3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) can induce a long-lasting Gi-mediated heterologous potentiation of PLC stimulation in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells, which was accompanied by an increased cellular level of the PLC substrate phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2]. He...

High NaCl in the renal medullary interstitial fluid powers the concentration of urine but can damage cells. The transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5) activates the expression of osmoprotective genes. We studied whether PKC-α contributes to the activation of NFAT5. PKC-α protein abundance was greater in the renal medulla than in the cortex. Knockout of PKC-α reduced ...

Absorption of riboflavin is mediated by transporter(s). However, a mammalian riboflavin transporter has yet to be identified. In the present study, the novel human and rat riboflavin transporters hRFT1 and rRFT1 were identified on the basis of our rat kidney mRNA expression database (Horiba N, Masuda S, Takeuchi A, Saito H, Okuda M, Inui K. Kidney Int 66: 29-45, 2004). hRFT1 and rRFT1 cDNAs hav...

Proteases that are released during inflammation and injury cleave protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) on primary afferent neurons to cause neurogenic inflammation and hyperalgesia. PAR2-induced thermal hyperalgesia depends on sensitization of transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1), which is gated by capsaicin, protons and noxious heat. However, the signalling mechanisms by w...