{"title":"Clarifying the mechanism of astaxanthin in the treatment of inflammation in ischemic stroke using integrated network analysis","authors":"Jinwen Yao , Xu Wang , Dexi Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.04.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.04.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background and objective</h3><div>Ischemic stroke is a disease with high incidence. Astaxanthin is a functional foods with protective effects against ischemic stroke. However, the integral mechanism of astaxanthin protect ischemic stroke is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of astaxanthin protect ischemic stroke by integrated network analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Middle cerebral artery occlusion model was used to establish ischemic stroke model, and ischemic stroke models were treated with 25, 45, 65 mg/kg astaxanthin for 7 days. The rats were killed 24 h after successful modeling. Integrated network analysis, molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and Western blot were used to explore the astaxanthin and potential proteins related to inflammation and cell death.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results of integrated network analysis indicate that astaxanthin may protect ischemic stroke through Toll like receptor signaling pathway and apoptosis pathway. The main targets involved MMP9, IL1B, IL10, Bcl2 and among others. astaxanthin has a low binding score and compact complex with PARP1, AIF, Bax, IL10, MMP9, Bcl2. In addition, astaxanthin has reduced inflammation and cell death-related proteins such as PARP1, AIF, Bax, TLR4, MMP9, IL1β and increased anti-inflammation and anti-cell death-related proteins by Bcl2 and IL10.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Astaxanthin can improve anti-inflammatory, anti-cell death ability after ischemic stroke. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the subsequent experimental and clinical application of astaxanthin in the treatment of ischemic stroke.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 3","pages":"Pages 155-165"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143864070","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hirsutine attenuated oxidative stress and autophagy in diabetic kidney disease through Keap1/Nrf2 pathway","authors":"Yao Zhang , Bing Yang , Miao Tan, Jinchuan Tan","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.04.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.04.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To investigate the therapeutic potential and renal protective mechanisms of hirsutine in diabetic kidney disease (DKD).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A DKD model was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats using a high-fat diet (HFD) and streptozotocin (STZ). High glucose (HG)-stimulated HK-2 cells served as an <em>in vitro</em> model. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in kidney tissues were measured using dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. ELISA was performed to measure MDA, SOD, and GSH in both rat tissues and HK-2 cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence analyses evaluated renal fibrosis, the Nrf2 signaling pathway, and autophagy-related proteins (Beclin 1, LC3I/II, P62).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Hirsutine treatment significantly improved metabolic and renal parameters in rats, enhancing renal function and reducing fibrosis, as shown by lower levels of Vimentin, Collagen-IV, and α-SMA. It alleviated oxidative stress, indicated by reduced ROS and MDA levels and increased SOD and GSH activity. Additionally, hirsutine enhanced autophagy, reflected by higher Beclin 1 and LC3I/II levels and decreased P62 expression. By disrupting the Keap1-Nrf2 interaction, hirsutine increased Nrf2 levels and upregulated antioxidative enzymes like NQO1, SOD-2, and HO-1.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Hirsutine exhibited renoprotective effects in DKD by modulating the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway, mitigating oxidative stress and promoting autophagy, making it a promising candidate for treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 2","pages":"Pages 143-153"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143828878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ramelteon coordinates theta and gamma oscillations in the hippocampus for novel object recognition memory in mice","authors":"Kinjiro Takeda , Kisa Watanabe , Sena Iijima , Takeshi Nagahiro , Haruka Suzuki , Kano Izumo , Yuji Ikegaya , Nobuyoshi Matsumoto","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Object recognition memory is an animal's ability to discriminate between novel and familiar items and is supported by neural activities in not only the perirhinal cortex but also the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Since we previously demonstrated that ramelteon enhanced object recognition memory in mice, we sought neural correlates of the memory improvement. We recorded neural activity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of mice while they performed a novel object recognition task. We found that theta oscillations in the hippocampus were enhanced when ramelteon-treated mice explored both novel and familiar objects. Moreover, we showed high coherence in phases at low gamma frequencies between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. We assume that theta enhancement is indicative of increased cholinergic activity by melatonin receptor activation. High coherence of low gamma oscillations between the hippocampal and prefrontal network in ramelteon-treated mice sampling novel objects suggests better cognitive operations for discrimination between novelty and familiarity. The current study sheds light upon physiological consequences of melatonin receptor activation, further contributing improved cognitive functions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 2","pages":"Pages 121-130"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143792004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuji Odagaki , Masakazu Kinoshita , Makoto Honda , J. Javier Meana , Luis F. Callado , Jesús A. García-Sevilla , Miklós Palkovits , Dasiel Oscar Borroto-Escuela , Kjell Fuxe
{"title":"Receptor-mediated Gi-3 activation in mammalian and human brain membranes: Reestablishment method and its application to nociceptin/orphanin FQ opioid peptide (NOP) receptor/Gi-3 interaction","authors":"Yuji Odagaki , Masakazu Kinoshita , Makoto Honda , J. Javier Meana , Luis F. Callado , Jesús A. García-Sevilla , Miklós Palkovits , Dasiel Oscar Borroto-Escuela , Kjell Fuxe","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Functional activation of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G-proteins) via G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) has been extensively explored using guanosine-5′-<em>O</em>-(3-[<sup>35</sup>S]thio)triphosphate ([<sup>35</sup>S]GTPγS) binding assay. However, the conventional method is primarily applicable to G<sub>i/o</sub> family without discrimination among G-protein subtypes. Therefore, this study aims to reestablish a novel method termed “[<sup>35</sup>S]GTPγS binding/immunoprecipitation assay” by identifying a most suitable anti-Gα<sub>i-3</sub> antibody instead of the previously utilized, now withdrawn antibody. In the initial screening of commercially available anti-Gα<sub>i-3</sub> antibodies, two were identified and one was selected for further investigations based on efficacy with adenosine—the most potent agonist in our previous research. After optimizing experimental conditions with rat and postmortem human brain membranes, the stimulatory effects of various agonists were evaluated. Some agonists, including nociceptin, exhibited sufficient stimulatory effects for further pharmacological characterization. Nociceptin increased [<sup>35</sup>S]GTPγS binding to Gα<sub>i-3</sub> in a concentration-dependent manner, response that was insensitive to naloxone but potently inhibited using (±)-J-113397. The method described in this study provides a valuable strategy for determining the intrinsic efficacy of ligands at various GPCRs. This includes nociceptin/orphanin FQ opioid peptide (NOP) receptor selectively coupled to Gα<sub>i-3</sub>, providing insights into the pharmacological concept of “functional selectivity.”</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 2","pages":"Pages 131-138"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143791936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Suppressing SPARC gene with siRNA exerts therapeutic effects and inhibits MMP-2/9 and ADAMTS1 overexpression in a murine model of ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute kidney injury","authors":"Hiroe Toba , Denan Jin , Shinji Takai","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), a collagen-binding matricellular protein, is reported to facilitate inflammation and fibrosis in various tissues including the kidneys. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is a major process of acute kidney injury. To investigate whether SPARC inhibition might attenuate renal I/R injury, we injected small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting SPARC into male BALB/c mice one day before 45 min of renal ischemia followed by 72 h of reperfusion. Serum creatinine concentration, blood urea nitrogen, histological tubular damage, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and expression of collagen I and transforming growth factor-β were increased after I/R. Expression of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, an oxidative stress marker, and the inflammatory cytokines monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α, were also upregulated in I/R kidneys. Overexpression of SPARC mRNA was observed after I/R, and immunohistochemistry revealed that SPARC was localized mainly in damaged tubuloepithelial cells. Additionally, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motif (ADAMTS1) expression colocalized with SPARC. Injection of siRNA targeting SPARC attenuated renal dysfunction, histological abnormalities, collagen deposition, oxidative stress, and renal inflammation. In addition, SPARC gene knockdown suppressed the I/R-induced increases in ADAMTS1 and matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 expression. In conclusion, I/R-induced SPARC could be a novel therapeutic target against acute kidney injury.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 2","pages":"Pages 103-112"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143705001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging predicts early nab-paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy during pancreatic cancer treatment: A pilot study","authors":"Yusuke Takasaki , Hironao Okubo , Yuka Fukuo , Muneo Ikemura , Hitoshi Ando , Hiroyuki Isayama","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nab-paclitaxel (nab-PTX) is transported by organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP)1B1 and OATP1B3. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a representative adverse event associated with gemcitabine plus nab-PTX (GnP) in patients with pancreatic cancer. Gadoxetic acid is also transported by OATP1B1 and OATP1B3. We aimed to assess whether the enhancement effect of gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging could predict the development of CIPN for GnP. This study evaluated 27 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging prior to GnP treatment. The contrast enhancement index (CEI), a measure of liver enhancement on hepato-biliary images, was measured. Plasma concentrations of paclitaxel at 0.5, 6, and 24 h after first administration were also determined in 13 patients. Sixteen of the twenty-seven patients (59.3 %) developed ≥ grade 1 CIPN during the first 8 weeks. We found a negative relationship between the CEI and area under the plasma concentration curve of PTX (r = −0.729, <em>p</em> = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, a CEI <1.84 and concomitant diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of CIPN development (hazard ratio, 5.37, <em>p</em> = 0.027; hazard ratio, 3.68, <em>p</em> = 0.012, respectively). Gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging could be useful in predicting the development of CIPN during GnP therapy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 2","pages":"Pages 113-120"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yoichi Sunagawa , Sonoka Iwashimizu , Masaya Ono , Saho Mochizuki , Kenshiro Iwashita , Rina Sato , Satoshi Shimizu , Masafumi Funamoto , Kana Shimizu , Toshihide Hamabe-Horiike , Yasufumi Katanasaka , Akira Murakami , Tomohiro Asakawa , Makoto Inai , Toshiyuki Kan , Maki Komiyama , Philip Hawke , Kiyoshi Mori , Yoshiki Arakawa , Koji Hasegawa , Tatsuya Morimoto
{"title":"The citrus flavonoid nobiletin prevents the development of doxorubicin-induced heart failure by inhibiting apoptosis","authors":"Yoichi Sunagawa , Sonoka Iwashimizu , Masaya Ono , Saho Mochizuki , Kenshiro Iwashita , Rina Sato , Satoshi Shimizu , Masafumi Funamoto , Kana Shimizu , Toshihide Hamabe-Horiike , Yasufumi Katanasaka , Akira Murakami , Tomohiro Asakawa , Makoto Inai , Toshiyuki Kan , Maki Komiyama , Philip Hawke , Kiyoshi Mori , Yoshiki Arakawa , Koji Hasegawa , Tatsuya Morimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.011","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.011","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The anthracycline anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) induces myocardial cell death and heart failure. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether nobiletin (NOB), a natural flavonoid isolated from citrus peel, has a protective effect against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.</div></div><div><h3>Methods and results</h3><div>H9C2 cells were pretreated with 100 μM NOB and then treated with 1 μM DOX. An MTT assay revealed that NOB improved the decreased cell viability induced by DOX. A TUNEL assay showed that NOB treatment improved DOX-induced apoptosis in H9C2 cells. Western blotting indicated that DOX-induced increases in cleaved caspase-3 and -9 expression were significantly suppressed by NOB treatment. Motion field imaging of human iPS cell-derived cardiomyocyte sheets showed that NOB significantly suppressed a DOX-induced reduction of their contractile function. Next, to investigate the effect of NOB in vivo, DOX was intraperitoneally administered to mice. Echocardiography showed that oral administration of NOB reduced DOX-induced left ventricular systolic dysfunction, and a TUNEL assay showed that oral administration also inhibited apoptosis in the mouse heart.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>These results indicate that NOB treatment suppressed DOX-induced cardiotoxicity by reducing apoptosis. Further study of the mechanism of this effect may lead to the development of a novel therapy for DOX-induced heart failure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 2","pages":"Pages 84-94"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143683457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Acute curcumin administration enhances delta oscillations in the hippocampus underlying object memory improvement","authors":"Sena Iijima , Kinjiro Takeda , Takeshi Nagahiro , Kisa Watanabe , Yuji Ikegaya , Nobuyoshi Matsumoto","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Curcumin mitigates memory deficits or improves memory when it is chronically administered to animals. Due to limited bioavailability of curcumin, it remains almost unknown whether acutely treated curcumin influences cognitive function and underlying neural activity. To address this question, we monitored behavior and neural activity in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex of mice treated with vehicle or curcumin while they were engaged in a novel object recognition task. Object recognition memory performance in the novel object recognition task was increased in curcumin-treated mice. Moreover, delta oscillations in the hippocampus were enhanced in the curcumin-administered mice in the test trial. Altogether, acute curcumin treatment boosts delta oscillations for memory recognition possibly by neuromodulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 2","pages":"Pages 95-102"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143696938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shuyue Pang , Zhongtian Wang , Yanyan Fu , Xu Huang
{"title":"Efficacy and safety of daprodustat versus darbepoetin alfa in the treatment of anemia in chronic renal failure: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","authors":"Shuyue Pang , Zhongtian Wang , Yanyan Fu , Xu Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To compare the efficacy and safety of daprodustat (DPD) versus darbepoetin alfa (DBPA) in patients with anemia in chronic renal failure.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of DPD and DBPA in anemia were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, and Web of Science from inception to August 1, 2023. The collected data were analyzed using Stata 15.0.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Four RCTs involving 7419 patients (3717 in the DPD group and 3702 in the DBPA group) were included in the study. Meta-analysis revealed that there were no significant differences in the change in hemoglobin level [Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) = 3.23, 95 % CI (−0.25, 6.70)], transferrin saturation [SMD = −0.07, 95 % CI (−0.31, 0.17)], total iron [SMD = 0.24, 95 % CI (−0.05, 0.53))], and incidence of adverse events [ RR = 1.02, 95 % CI (0.98, 1.06)] between the two groups. However, DPD was superior in lowering ferritin level [SMD = −0.05, 95 % CI (−0.10, −0.01)] and improving total iron-binding capacity [SMD = 0.57, 95 % CI (0.46, 0.68)] than DBPA.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>DPD is not inferior to DBPA in the treatment of anemia in chronic renal failure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 1","pages":"Pages 68-75"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ca2+ microdomains in vascular smooth muscle cells: Roles in vascular tone regulation and hypertension","authors":"Yoshiaki Suzuki","doi":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jphs.2025.03.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) modulate blood pressure by adjusting vascular contractility. Specific families of ion channels that are expressed in VSMCs regulate membrane potential and intracellular Ca<sup>2+</sup> concentration ([Ca<sup>2+</sup>]<sub>cyt</sub>). Subsets of them are known to form molecular complexes with Ca<sup>2+</sup>-sensitive molecules via scaffolding proteins such as caveolin and junctophilin. This enables localized and molecular complex-specific signal transduction to regulate vascular contractility. This intracellular region is referred to as a Ca<sup>2+</sup> microdomain. When hypertensive stimuli are applied to blood vessels, gene expression of ion channels and scaffold proteins in vascular cells changes dramatically, often leading to membrane depolarization and increased [Ca<sup>2+</sup>]<sub>cyt</sub>. As a result, blood vessels undergo functional remodeling characterized by enhanced contractility. In addition, the transcription of inflammatory genes in vascular cells is also upregulated. This induces leukocyte infiltration into the vascular wall and structural remodeling mediated by VSMC proliferation and extracellular matrix remodeling. This functional and structural remodeling perpetuates the hypertensive state, leading to progressive damage to systemic organs. This review summarizes recent findings on the mechanisms by which Ca<sup>2+</sup> microdomains in VSMCs regulate contractility. In addition, the changes in Ca<sup>2+</sup> microdomains due to hypertensive stimuli and their contributions to both functional and structural remodeling are summarized.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":16786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of pharmacological sciences","volume":"158 1","pages":"Pages 59-67"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}