• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.193-199
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• 2008

The pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member Bim acts as a sensor for apoptotic stimuli and initiates apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. To identify novel regulators of Bim, we employed the yeast two-hybrid system and isolated the human gene encoding macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a ubiquitously expressed proinflammatory mediator that has also been implicated in cell proliferation, the cell cycle and carcinogenesis. The interaction between MIF and Bim was confirmed by both in vitro and in vivo protein interaction assays. Intriguingly, protein complexes between MIF and the three major Bim isoforms (BimEL/BimL/BimS) could be detected in HEK293 and K562 cells, especially in cells undergoing apoptosis. Moreover, exogenous expression of MIF partially inhibited Bim-induced apoptosis in HEK293 cells. SiRNA-mediated knockdown of MIF increased apoptosis in K562 cells exposed to the chemical oxidant diamide. Endogenous MIF may regulate the pro-apoptotic activity of Bim and inhibit the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.41-55
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• 2004

Objective : To investigate the possible molecular mechanism (s) of melittin as a candidate of anti-cancer drug, we examined the effects of the compound on the growth of human lung carcinoma cell line A549. Methods : Growth inhibitory study, flow cytometry analysis, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis, RT-PCR and in vitro caspases activity assay were performed. Results : Melittin treatment declined the cell viability of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with induction of apoptotic cell death. Melittin treatment down-regulated the levels of Bcl-XS/L mRNA and protein expression of A549 cells, an anti-apoptotic gene, however, the those of Bax, a pro-apoptotic gene, were up-regulated. Melittin induced the proteolytic cleavage and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 protease in a dose-dependent manner without alteration of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins family and Akt expression. Western blot analysis and RT-PCR data revealed that the levels of tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 were also remained unchanged. Conclusions : Taken together, these findings suggest that melittin-induced inhibition of human lung cancer cell growth is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death via regulation of several major growth regulatory gene products, and melittin may have therapeutic potential in human lung cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제82권2호
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• pp.133-142
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• 2019

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis involves irreversible alveolar destruction. Although alveolar epithelial type II cells are key functional participants within the lung parenchyma, how epithelial cells are affected upon bleomycin (BLM) exposure remains unknown. In this study, we determined whether BLM could induce cell cycle arrest via regulation of Schlafen (SLFN) family genes, a group of cell cycle regulators known to mediate growth-inhibitory responses and apoptosis in alveolar epithelial type II cells. Methods: Mouse AE II cell line MLE-12 were exposed to $1-10{\mu}g/mL$ BLM and $0.01-100{\mu}M$ baicalein (Bai), a G1/G2 cell cycle inhibitor, for 24 hours. Cell viability and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were analyzed by MTT and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Apoptosis-related gene expression was evaluated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cellular morphology was determined after DAPI and Hoechst 33258 staining. To verify cell cycle arrest, propidium iodide (PI) staining was performed for MLE-12 after exposure to BLM. Results: BLM decreased the proliferation of MLE-12 cells. However, it significantly increased expression levels of interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor ${\alpha}$, and transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$. Based on Hoechst 33258 staining, BLM induced condensation of nuclear and fragmentation. Based on DAPI and PI staining, BLM significantly increased the size of nuclei and induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. Results of qRT-PCR analysis revealed that BLM increased mRNA levels of BAX but decreased those of Bcl2. In addition, BLM/Bai increased mRNA levels of p53, p21, SLFN1, 2, 4 of Schlafen family. Conclusion: BLM exposure affects pulmonary epithelial type II cells, resulting in decreased proliferation possibly through apoptotic and cell cycle arrest associated signaling.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제20권7호
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• pp.1054-1065
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• 2010

생약복합물인 SH21B는 황금(Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi), 행인(Prunus armeniaca Maxim), 마황(Ephedra sinica Stapf), 석창포(Acorus gramineus Soland), 포황(Typha orientalis Presl), 원지(Polygala tenuifolia Willd), 하엽(Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner)의 혼합(비율 3:3:3:3:3:2:2)으로 이루어졌다. SH21B는 예로부터 한의학에서 비만의 치료에 사용되어 왔으나 자세한 분자적 메커니즘과 효능에 대한 연구는 이루어지지 않았다. 본 연구진은 선행연구를 통해 SH21B가 지방세포의 분화에서 adipogenesis (지방세포형성)와 관련된 유전자를 조절하여 중성지방의 축적을 억제함을 밝혔다. 본 연구에서는, microarray 기술을 이용하여 adipogenesis의 in vitro 모델인, 3T3-L1 세포에서 SH21B에 의한 지방세포형성 억제의 분자적 기작을 보다 상세하게 연구하고자 하였다. 전지방세포, 분화된 세포 그리고 SH21B에 의해 분화가 억제된 세포의 각각의 유전자 발현을 분석하기 위해 각 시료들에서 total RNA를 분리하여 cDNA를 합성한 후 microarray에 적용시켰다. 그 결과, 각각의 시료들의 비교에서 2배 이상의 유의한 발현 변화를 가지는 2,568개의 유전자를 확보하였다. 이 유전자들에 대해 Hierarchical clustering과 K-means clustering 분석을 진행하였고 서로 다른 양상을 가지는 9개의 군집(cluster)들을 분류하였다. 그 중, SH21B의 첨가에 의해 뚜렷하게 감소(cluster 4, cluster 6 및 cluster 9)하거나 반대로 뚜렷하게 증가(cluster 7와 cluster 8)하는 양상을 보이는 군집들을 따로 선별하여 그 군집들에 포함되어 있는 유전자들을 분석하였다. 선택 된 5개의 군집에는 지방세포형성과 세포증식에 관련된 유전자가 다수 포함되어 있었다. Cluster 4, cluster 6 그리고 cluster 9에는 peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma $\gamma$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein $\alpha$ (C/$EBP{\alpha}$), sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1 (SREBF1), adiponectin (ADIPOQ), fatty acid synthase (FASN), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) 등의 지방세포형성 유도 및 관련 인자와 B-cell leukemia/lymphoma6 (BCL6), retinoblastoma 1 (RB1), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2C (CDKN2c), ras homolog gene family, member B (RHOB) 등의 많은 세포증식 억제 유전자가 포함되었다. 이와는 반대로, cluster 7과 cluster 8에는 $\beta$-catenin, cyclin D1 (CCND1), WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 2 (WISP2) 등과 같은 지방 세포형성 억제 조절자와 MARCKS-like1 (MARCKSL1), colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF1), discoidin domain receptor family, member 2 (DDR2), leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR) 등의 세포증식을 유도하는 조절자가 다수 포함되었다. 결론적으로, 이러한 결과들은 SH21B가 지방세포형성과 관련된 조절자 및 세포증식과 관련 된 조절자들의 유전자 발현을 조절하여 지방세포형성을 억제함을 제시한다.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제5권3호
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• pp.143-148
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• 2003

Bax, a mammalian pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family induces cell death when expressed in yeast. To investigate whether Bax expression can induce cell death in plant, we produced transgenic Arabidopsis plants that contained murine Bax cDNA under control of a glucocorticoid-inducible promoter. Transgenic plants treated with dexamethasone, a strong synthetic glucocorticoid, induced Bax accumulation and cell death, suggesting that some elements of cell death mechanism by Bax may be conserved among various organisms. Therefore, we developed novel yeast genetic system, and cloned several Plant Bax Inhibitors (PBIs). Here, we report the function of two PBIs in detail. PBI1 is ascorbate peroxidase (sAPX). Fluorescence method of dihydrorhodamine123 oxidation revealed that expression of Bax in yeast cells generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and which was greatly reduced by co-expression with sAPX. These results suggest that sAPX inhibits the generation of ROS by Bax, which in turn suppresses Baxinduced cell death in yeast. PBI2 encodes nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK). ROS stress strongly induces the expression of the NDPK2 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (AtNDPK2). Transgenic plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 have lower levels of ROS than wildtype plants. Mutants lacking AtNDPK2 had higher levels of ROS than wildtype. $H_2O_2$ treatment induced the phosphorylation of two endogenous proteins whose molecular weights suggested they are AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. In the absence of $H_2O_2$ treatment, phosphorylation of these proteins was slightly elevated in plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 but markedly decreased in the AtNDPK2 deletion mutant. Yeast two-hybrid and in vitro protein pull-down assays revealed that AtNDPK2 specifically interacts with AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. Furthermore, AtNDPK2 also enhances the MSP phosphorylation activity of AtMPK3 in vitro. Finally, constitutive overexpression of AtNDPK2 in Arabidopsis plants conferred an enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses that elicit ROS accumulation in situ. Thus, AtNDPK2 appears to playa novel regulatory role in $H_2O_2$-mediated MAPK signaling in plants.

• 한국식물생명공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국식물생명공학회 2003년도 식물바이오벤처 페스티발
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• pp.65-71
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• 2003

Bax, a mammalian pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, induces cell death when expressed in yeast. To investigate whether Bax expression can induce cell death in plant, we produced transgenic Arabidopsis plants that contained murine Bax cDNA under control of a glucocorticoid-inducible promoter. Transgenic plants treated with dexamethasone, a strong synthetic glucocorticoid, induced Bax accumulation and cell death, suggesting that some elements of cell death mechanism by Bax may be conserved among various organisms. Therefore, we developed novel yeast genetic system, and cloned several Plant Bax Inhibitors (PBIs). Here, we report the function of two PBIs in detail. PBI1 is ascorbate peroxidase (sAPX). Fluorescence method of dihydrorho-damine 123 oxidation revealed that expression of Bax in yeast cells generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and which was greatly reduced by co-expression with sAPX. These results suggest that sAPX inhibits the generation of ROS by Bax, which in turn suppresses Baxinduced cell death in yeast. PBI2 encodes nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK). ROS stress strongly induces the expression of the NDPK2 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (AtNDPK2). Transgenic plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 have lower levels of ROS than wildtype plants. Mutants lacking AtNDPK2 had higher levels of ROS than wildtype. $H_2O_2$ treatment induced the phosphorylation of two endogenous proteins whose molecular weights suggested they are AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. In the absence of $H_2O_2$ treatment, phosphorylation of these proteins was slightly elevated in plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 but markedly decreased in the AtNDPK2 deletion mutant. Yeast two-hybrid and in vitro protein pull-down assays revealed that AtNDPK2 specifically interacts with AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. Furthermore, AtNDPK2 also enhances the MBP phosphorylation activity of AtMPK3 in vitro. Finally, constitutive overexpression of AtNDPK2 in Arabidopsis plants conferred an enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses that elicit ROS accumulation in situ. Thus, AtNDPK2 appears to play a novel regulatory role in $H_2O_2$-mediated MAPK signaling in plants.