• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.175-179
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• 1996

Viral surface proteins are known to play an essential role in attachment of the virus particle to the host cell membrane. In case of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) several reports have described potential receptors on the target cell side, but no definite receptor protein has been isolated yet. As for the viral side, it has been suggested that the preS region of the envelope protein, especially the preS1 region, is involved in binding of HBV to the host cell. In this study, preS1 region was recombinantly expressed in the form of a maltose binding protein (MBP) fusion protein and used to identify and visualize the expression of putative HBV receptor(s) on the host cell. Using laser scanned confocal microscopy and by FACS analysis, MBP-preS1 proteins were shown to bind to the human hepatoma cell line HepG2 in a receptor-ligand specific manner. The binding kinetic of MBP-preS1 to its cellular receptor was shown to be temperature and time dependent. In cells permeabilized with Triton X-100 and treated with the fusion protein, a specific staining of the nuclear membrane could be observed. To determine the precise location of the receptor binding site within the preS1 region, several short overlapping peptides from this region were synthesized and used in a competition assay. In this way the receptor binding epitope in preS1 was revealed to be amino acid residues 27 to 51, which is in agreement with previous reports. These results confirm the significance of the preS1 region in virus attachment in general, and suggest an internalization pathway mediated by direct attachment of the viral particle to the target cell membrane.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2016

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are essential plant steroid hormones required for cell elongation, plant growth, development and abiotic and biotic stress tolerance. BRs are recognized by BRI1 receptor kinase that is localized in the plasma membrane, and the BRI1 protein will eventually autophosphorylate in the intracellular domain and transphosphorylate BAK1, which is a co-receptor in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, little is known of the role OsBRI1 receptor kinase plays in Oryza sativa, monocotyledonous plants, compared to that in Arabidopsis thaliana, dicotyledonous plants. As such, we have studied OsBRI1 receptor kinase in vitro and in vivo with recombinant protein and transgenic plants, whose phenotypes were also investigated. A OsBRI1 cytoplasmic domain (CD) recombinant protein was induced in BL21 (DE3) E.coli cells with IPTG, and purified to obtain OsBRI1 recombinant protein. Based on Western blot analysis with phospho-specific pTyr and pThr antibodies, OsBRI1 recombinant protein and OsBRI1-Flag protein were phosphorylated on Threonine residue(s), however, not on Tyrosine residue(s), both in vitro and in vivo. This is particularly intriguing as AtBRI1 protein was phosphorylated on both Ser/Thr and Tyr residues. Also, the OsBRI1 full-length gene was expressed in, and rescued, bri1-5 mutants, such as is seen in normal wild-type plants where AtBRI1-Flag rescues bri1-5 mutant plants. Root growth in seedlings decreased in Ws2, AtBRI1, and 3 independent OsBRI1 transgenic seedlings and had an almost complete lack of response to brassinolide in the bri1-5 mutant. In conclusion, OsBRI1, an orthologous gene of AtBRI1, can mediate normal BR signaling for plant growth and development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.166-173
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• 2000

Angiopoietin-1(Ang-1) is a vasculogenic factor that signals through the endothelial cell-specific Tie2 receptor tyrosine kinase. We examined the effect of angiopoietin-1(Ang-1) on radiation-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECS) and receptor/second messenger signal transduction pathway for Ang-1's effect on HUVECs. The percent of apoptotic cells under control condition(0Gy) was $8.2\%$. Irradiation induced apoptosis was increased in a dose(1, 5, 10, and 15Gy)- and time 12, 24, 48 and 72hr)-dependent manner. The percent of apoptotic cells was approximately $34.9\%$ after 15 Gy of irradiation. Under these conditions, pretreatment with Ang-1's (50, 100, 200, and 400 ng/ml) inhibited irradiation-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Two hundred ng/ml of Ang-1 inhibited approximately $55-60\%$ of the apoptotic events that occurred in the 10 Gy-irradiated cells. Pre-treatment with soluble Tie2 receptor, but not Tie1 receptor, blocked the Ang-1's antiapoptotic effects. Phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (P13-kinase) specific inhibitor, wortmanin and LY294002, blocked the Ang-1-induced antiapoptotic effect. Ang-1 promotes the survival of endothelial cells in irradiation-induced apoptosis through Tie2 receptor binding and P13-kinase activation. Pretreatment of Ang-1 could be beneficial in maintaining normal endothelial cell integrity during irradiation therapy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.739-743
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• 2006

Synthesis of cholic acid-based tripodal receptor (1) and its high chloride ion affinity in comparison with that of chenodeoxycholic acid (2) and lithocholic acid-based receptor (3) was achieved. Anion binding affinities of the receptors were evaluated $by\;^1H$ NMR and ITC titrations. Tripodal receptor 1 showed a selective affinity for $CI ^-$ over $Br ^-$, $I^-$, $H_2 PO _4\;^-$, and $CH _3 CO_2\;^-$. The selectivity of 1 for $CI ^-$ is about 3 times that of $Br ^-$, and 17 times that for $H_2 PO_4\;^-$.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.180-183
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• 2003

Crystal structure of TRAF6 in complex with TRAF6-binding sites from CD40 was previously determined. The structure revealed a distinct TRAF6-binding groove of CD40, the key structural determinant of interaction. The structural information leads to a proposed TRAF6-binding motif. This allows the identification of TRAF6-binding sequences in the hIRAK protein, whose functional requirement in IL-1/Toll-like receptor superfamilies-mediated signal transduction is further demonstrated using site-directed mutagenesis. The mutational effects of hIRAK on the down-stream NF-kB signaling shows the importance of the TRAF6 interface for signaling by IL-1/Toll-like receptor superfamilies.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.371-379
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• 2009

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a key role in the regulation of appetite, body weight and metabolism. We undertook the present study to further clarify the regulation of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor (CB1, CNR1) in human adipose tissue in obesity. CB1 receptor mRNA expression was ~1.6-fold (p<0.004) and 1.9-fold higher (P<0.05) in subcutaneous adipocytes from obese compared to non-obese subjects in microarray and quantitative real-time PCR studies, respectively. Higher CB1 receptor mRNA expression levels in both adipose tissue (~1.2 fold, P<0.05) and adipocytes (~2 fold, P<0.01) were observed in samples from visceral compared to subcutaneous depots collected from 22 obese individuals. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy demonstrated the presence of CB1 receptor on adipocytes and also adipose tissue macrophages. These data indicate that adipocyte CB1 receptor is up-regulated in human obesity and visceral adipose tissue and also suggest a potential role for the ECS in modulating immune/inflammation as well as fat metabolism in adipose tissue.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.448-453
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• 2000

In yeast the key gluconeogenic enzyme, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), is selectively targeted from the cytosol to the lysosome (vacuole) for degradation when glucose starved cells are replenished with glucose. The pathway for glucose induced FBPase degradation is unknown. To identify the receptor-mediated degradation pathway of FBPase, we investigated the presence of the FBPase receptor on the vacuolar membrane by cell fractionation experiments and binding assay using vid mutant (vacuolar import and degradation), which is defective in the glucose-induced degradation of FBPase. FBPase sedimented in the pellets from vid24-1 mutant after centrifugation at $15,000{\times}g$ for 15 min, suggesting that FBPase is associated with subcellular structures. Cell fractionation experiments revealed that FBPase is preferentially associated with the vacuole, but not with other organelles in vid24-1. FBPase enriched fractions that cofractionated with the vacuole were sensitive to proteinase K digestion, indicating that FBPase is peripherally associated with the vacuole. We developed an assay for the binding of FBPase to the vacuole. The assay revealed that FBPase bound to the vacuole with a Kd of $2.3{\times}10^6M$. The binding was saturable and specific. These results suggest that a receptor for FBPase degradation exists on the vacuolar membrane. It implies the existence of the receptor-mediated degradation pathway of FBPase by the lysosome.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.288-298
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• 2024

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a neurotrophic protein that has crucial roles in survival, growth and differentiation. It is expressed in neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. NGF exerts its effects via two types of receptors including the high affinity receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase A and the low affinity receptor p75 neurotrophin receptor highlighting the complex signaling pathways that underlie the roles of NGF. In pain perception and transmission, multiple studies shed light on the effects of NGF on different types of pain including inflammatory, neuropathic, cancer and visceral pain. Also, the binding of NGF to its receptors increases the availability of many nociceptive receptors such as transient receptor potential vanilloid 1, transient receptor potential ankyrin 1, N-methyl-D-aspartic acid, and P2X purinoceptor 3 as well as nociceptive transmitters such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide. The role of NGF in pain has been documented in pre-clinical and clinical studies. This review aims to shed light on the role of NGF and its signaling in different types of pain.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.419-426
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• 1998

The nuclear hormone receptor superfamily currently includes approximately equal numbers of conventional receptors and orphan receptors, which do not have known ligands. Here, we review recent progress from this laboratory on three orphans, two of which are moving from orphan to conventional receptor status. Perhaps the most unusual is CAR, which is a constitutive transactivator in the absence of ligands but becomes transcriptionally inactive in the presence of its ligands, which are androgen metabolites. The response of CAR to its ligands is thus opposite to that of the conventional receptor paradigm. RIP14 (also known as FXR) is activated by both all-trans retinoic acid and a synthetic retinoid previously thought to specifically target the retinoic acid receptors (RARs), and thus appears to be a novel retinoid receptor. Finally, SHP is a novel orphan that lacks a DNA binding domain and interacts with a number of other receptor superfamily members. While it generally inhibits its targets, including CAR, the retinoid X receptor (RXR), and the estrogen receptor (ER), it stimulates transactivation by the orphan SF-1.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.771-778
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• 1998

To investigate interaction of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor with local tissue renin- angiotensin system (RAS), changes in gene expression of the RAS components in various tissues in response to chronic administration of an ACE inhibitor, enalapril, were examined in Sprague-Dawley male rats. Enalapril was administered in their drinking water $(3{\sim}4\;mg/day)$ over 8 wk. Plasma and renal ACE activity increased significantly after 4 and 8 wk of enalapril treatment. Renin levels of the plasma and kidney of the enalapril-treated rats markedly increased after 4 wk and decreased thereafter, but still remained significantly higher than those of control rats. Kidney mRNA levels of renin markedly increased after 4 and 8 wk of enalapril treatment, but those of angiotensinogen and ANG II-receptor subtypes, $AT_{1A}$ and $AT_{1B}$, did not change significantly. The liver expressed genes for renin, angiotensinogen and $AT_{1A}$ receptor subtype, but $AT_{1B}$ receptor subtype mRNA was not detectable by RT-PCR. None of mRNA for these RAS components in the liver changed significantly by enalapril treatment. The hypothalamus showed mRNA expressions of renin, angiotensinogen, $AT_{1A}$ and $AT_{1B}$ receptor subtypes. $AT_{1A}$ receptor subtype mRNA was more abundant than $AT_{1B}$ receptor subtype in the hypothalamus as shown in the kidney. However, gene expression of the RAS components remained unchanged during 8-wk treatment of enalapril. In the present study, chronic ACE inhibition increased plasma and renal levels of ACE and renin, but did not affect mRNA levels of other RAS components such as angiotensinogen, ANG II receptor subtypes in the kidney. Gene levels of the RAS components in the liver and hypothalamus were not altered by chronic treatment of enalapril. These results suggest the differential expression of the RAS components in response to enalapril, and localized action and some degree of tissue specificity of enalapril.