• KSBB Journal
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• v.21 no.6 s.101
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• pp.466-473
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• 2006

Impaired insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells in response to glucose is an important feature in the pathology of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). In the course of screening for useful insulin secretagogues, we have isolated and identified YHB-2017 (Genistein) as a insulin secretion potentiator from fermentation broths of our in-house microbial library. The insulinotropic activity of YHB-2017 in isolated rat pancreatic islets was exerted only at high concentration of glucose (8.3-16 mM) but not at low concentration of glucose (3.3-5.5 mM). Also, in perifusion study with isolated rat pancreatic islets, YHB-2017 stimulated insulin secretion in a time-dependent manner when YHB-2017 was added to KRB buffer containing 16 mM glucose. In the presence of $200\;{\mu}M$ diazoxide and 35 mM KCI, which stimulates maximum $Ca^{2+}$ influx independently of KATP channel, YHB-2017 enhanced KATP channel-independent insulin secretion at high concentration glucose (16 mM). To elucidate the mechanisms of the glucose-dependent potentiation effect of YHB-2017, pharmacologic inhibitors for protein kinase A, protein kinase C and calcium/calmodulin kinase II were pre-treated and then the potentiation effect of YHB-2017 on insulin secretion was investigated. Pre-treatment of H89 as a PKA inhibitor had a significant inhibitory effect on YHB-2017-induced potentiation effect. Furthermore, western immunoblotting analyses revealed that YHB-2017 increased phosphorylation of PKA substrates and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) under high concentration of glucose. These results demonstrated that the insulinotropic effect of YHB-2017 is mediated through PKA signal pathway and activated amplifying $K_{ATP}$ channel-independent insulin secretion pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.655-661
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• 2010

To elucidate the mechanism underlying the suppressive regulation of hST8Sia I expression in retinoic acid (RA)-induced SK-MEL-2 cells, we characterized the promoter region of the hST8Sia I gene. Functional analysis of the 5‘-flanking region of the hST8Sia I gene by the transient expression method showed that the -1146 to -646 region, which contains putative binding sites for transcription factors c-Ets-1, CREB, AP-1 and NF-kB, functions as the RA-repressive promoter in SK-MEL-2 cells. Site-directed mutagenesis and ChIP analyses indicated that the NF-kB binding site at -731 to -722 is crucial for the RA-induced repression of hST8Sia I in SK-MEL-2 cells. In addition, the transcriptional activity of hST8Sia I suppressed by RA in SK-MEL-2 cells was strongly inhibited by extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) inhibitor U0126 and protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GO6976, as determined by RT-PCR and luciferase assay of hST8Sia I promoter containing the -1146 to -646 regions. These results suggest that RA markedly modulates transcriptional regulation of hST8Sia I gene expression through the PKC/ERK signal pathway in SK-MEL-2 cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.333-339
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• 2005

B/K protein is a novel protein containing double C2-like domains. We examined the specific signaling pathway that regulates the transcription of B/K in PC12 cells. When the cells were treated with forskolin ($50{\mu}M$), B/K mRNA and protein levels were time-dependently decreased, reaching the lowest level at 3 or 4 hr, and thereafter returning to the control level. Chemicals such as dibutyryl-cAMP, cellpermeable cyclic AMP (cAMP) analogue and CGS21680, adenosine receptor $A_{2A}$ agonist, also repressed the B/K transcription. However, 1,9-dideoxyforskolin did not show inhibitory effect on B/K transcription, suggesting direct involvement of cAMP in the forskolin-induced inhibition of B/K transcription. Effect of forskolin, dibutyryl cAMP and CGS21680 was significantly reduced in PKA-deficient PC12 cell line (PC12-123.7). One cAMP-response element (CRE)-like sequence (B/K CLS) was found in the promoter region of B/K DNA, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay indicated its binding to CREM and CREB. Forskolin significantly suppressed the promoter activity in CHO-K1 cells transfected with the constructs containing B/K CLS, but not with the construct in which B/K CLS was mutated (AC：TG). Taken together, we suggest that the transcription of B/K gene in PC12 cells may be regulated by PKA-dependent mechanism.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2012

Oroxylin A is a flavone isolated from a medicinal herb reported to be effective in reducing the inflammatory and oxidative stresses. It also modulates the production of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in cortical neurons by the transactivation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). As a neurotrophin, BDNF plays roles in neuronal development, differentiation, synaptogenesis, and neural protection from the harmful stimuli. Adenosine $A2_A$ receptor colocalized with BDNF in brain and the functional interaction between $A2_A$ receptor stimulation and BDNF action has been suggested. In this study, we investigated the possibility that oroxylin A modulates BDNF production in cortical neuron through the regulation of $A2_A$ receptor system. As expected, CGS21680 ($A2_A$ receptor agonist) induced BDNF expression and release, however, an antagonist, ZM241385, prevented oroxylin A-induced increase in BDNF production. Oroxylin A activated the PI3K-Akt-GSK-$3{\beta}$ signaling pathway, which is inhibited by ZM241385 and the blockade of the signaling pathway abolished the increase in BDNF production. The physiological roles of oroxylin A-induced BDNF production were demonstrated by the increased neurite extension as well as synapse formation from neurons. Overall, oroxylin A might regulate BDNF production in cortical neuron through $A2_A$ receptor stimulation, which promotes cellular survival, synapse formation and neurite extension.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1200-1207
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• 2019

Ultraviolet radiation exposure is a major cause of extrinsic skin aging, which leads to skin hyperpigmentation. Loganin, a major iridoid glycoside obtained from Corni fructus, has anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and neuroprotective effects. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the anti-melanogenic effects of loganin in B16F10 melanocytes treated with ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone (${\alpha}-MSH$) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Anti-melanogenic activity was measured by treating cells with loganin at concentrations between 1 and $20{\mu}m$. Cell viability assays confirmed that doses of loganin up to $20{\mu}m$ were not cytotoxic. Loganin significantly and dose-dependently decreased intracellular melanin production. We also investigated potential molecular signaling pathways for the anti-melanogenesis effects of loganin. Western blotting showed that treatment with ${\alpha}-MSH$ and IBMX increased the phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) and the gene expressions of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase. Addition of loganin suppressed these increases, while promoting the phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) and the anti-melanogenesis response. Our data therefore indicated that loganin could attenuate the increased melanin synthesis induced by ${\alpha}-MSH$ and IBMX treatment of B16F10 melanocytes. This attenuation appears to occur by downregulation of CREB phosphorylation and MITF and tyrosinase gene expression and upregulation of ERK phosphorylation. These finding suggests that loganin could be a valuable candidate for treatment of skin diseases related to hyperpigmentation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.388-393
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• 2018

The activating transcription factor (ATF) 4 belongs to the ATF/CREB (cAMP Response Element Binding bZIP [Basic Leucine Zipper]) transcription factor family, and plays a central role in the UPR (Unfolded Protein Response) process in cells. The induction of ATF4 expression has previously been shown to increase the replication of HIV-1. However, the detailed mechanism underlying this effect and the factors involved in the regulation of ATF4 function are still unknown. Here, we demonstrate first that knocking out ATF4 using siRNA shows a strong negative effect on HIV-1 production, indicating that ATF4 is a functional positive cellular factor in HIV-1 production. To determine the mechanism by which ATF4 regulates the HIV-1 life cycle, we assessed the effect of the overexpression of wild type ATF4 and its various derivatives on HIV-1 LTR-mediated transcriptional activation and the production of HIV-1 particles. This effect was studied through co-transfection experiments with either reporter vectors or proviral DNA. We found that the N-terminal domains of ATF4 are involved in HIV-1 LTR-mediated transcriptional activation, and thus in HIV-1 production.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2018

Cilostazol is a selective inhibitor of type 3 phosphodiesterase (PDE3) and has been widely used as an antiplatelet agent. Cilostazol mediates this activity through effects on the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling cascade. Recently, it has attracted attention as a neuroprotective agent. However, little is known about cilostazol's effect on excitotoxicity induced neuronal cell death. Therefore, this study evaluated the neuroprotective effect of cilostazol treatment against hippocampal neuronal damage in a mouse model of kainic acid (KA)-induced neuronal loss. Cilostazol pretreatment reduced KA-induced seizure scores and hippocampal neuron death. In addition, cilostazol pretreatment increased cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation and decreased neuroinflammation. These observations suggest that cilostazol may have beneficial therapeutic effects on seizure activity and other neurological diseases associated with excitotoxicity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2016

Background: A number of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases share impaired cognition as a common symptom. Therefore, the development of clinically applicable therapies to enhance cognition has yielded significant interest. Previously, we have shown that activation of lysophosphatidic acid receptors (LPARs) via gintonin application potentiates synaptic transmission by the blockade of $K^+$ channels in the mature hippocampus. However, whether gintonin may exert any beneficial impact directly on cognition at the neural circuitry level and the behavioral level has not been investigated. Methods: In the current study, we took advantage of gintonin, a novel LPAR agonist, to investigate the effect of gintonin-mediated LPAR activation on cognitive performances. Hippocampus-dependent fear memory test, synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal brain slices, and quantitative analysis on synaptic plasticity-related proteins were used. Results: Daily oral administration of gintonin for 1 wk significantly improved fear memory retention in the contextual fear-conditioning test in mice.We also found that oral administration of gintonin for 1 wk increased the expression of learning and memory-related proteins such as phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate-response element binding (CREB) protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In addition, prolonged gintonin administration enhanced long-term potentiation in the hippocampus. Conclusion: Our observations suggest that the systemic gintonin administration could successfully improve contextual memory formation at the molecular and synaptic levels as well as the behavioral level. Therefore, oral administration of gintonin may serve as an effective noninvasive, nonsurgical method of enhancing cognitive functions.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.267-274
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• 1998

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has the ability to activate the expression of many viral and cellular genes. Among various viral proteins, the immediate early proteins (IE1-72kDa, IE2-86kDa) have been known to be potent transactivators. The product of c-jun proto-oncogene is important in cell activation and differentiation. Here, we tried to find out if the IE could activate the c-jun promoter and also tried to identify the responsible sequence elements in the c-jun activation by IE1-72kDa. We found HCMV IE expression transactivated the c-jun promoter in human embryonal lung fibroblasts (HEL). The activation fold by IE1-72kDa, IE2-86kDa and IE2-55kDa was 23, 35, and 5, respectively. When the expression of each IE was combined, it showed synergism. Expression of (IE1-72kDa + IE2-86kDa) and (IE1-72kDa + IE2-86kDa + IE2-55kDa) resulted in 131 and 162 fold increase, respectively. The c-jun promoter region between -117 and -59 contains binding sites for the transcription factors Spl, CAAT, AP-l like (ATF/CREB), and MEF2. Transient expression assays were performed using various reporter plasmids containing the c-jun promoter-regulatory region linked to the luciferase gene and a plasmid expressing HCMV IE1 gene. Deletional and point mutational analysis showed that the sequence between -225 to -160 and the CTF binding site were involved in the up-regulation of c-jun promoter.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2006

Transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) regulates the induction of Phase II detoxifying enzymes and antioxidant enzymes in response to many cancer chemopreventive compounds. In this study, we investigated the role of receptor associated coactivator (RAC3) or steroid receptor coactivator-3 (SRC3) and other nuclear co-regulators including CBP/p300 (CREB-binding protein), CARM1 (Coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase), PRMT1 (Protein arginine methyl-transferase 1), and p/CAF (p300/CBP-associated factor) in the transcriptional activation of a chimeric Gal4-Nrf2-Luciferase system containing the transactivation domain (TAD) of Nrf2 in HepG2 cells. The results indicated that RAC3 up-regulated the transactivation activity of Gal4-Nrf2-(1-370) in a dose-dependent manner. The enhancement of transactivation domain activity of Gal4-Nrf2-(1-370) by RAC3 was dampened in the presence of dominant negative mutants of RAC3. Next we studied the effects of other nuclear co-regulators including CBP/p300, CARM1, PRMT1 and p/CAF, and the results showed that they had different level of positive effects on this transactivation domain activity of Gal4-Nrf2-(1-370). But importantly, synergistic effects of these co-regulators in the presence of RAC3/SRC3 on the transactivation activity of Gal4-Nrf2-(1-370) were observed. In summary, our present study showed for the first time that the 160 RAC3/SRC3 is involved in the functional transactivation of TAD of Nrf2 and that the other nuclear co-regulators such as CBP/p300, CARM1, PRMT1 and p/CAF can also transcriptionally activate this TAD of Nrf2 and that they could further enhance the transactivation activity mediated by RAC3/SRC3.