• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권10호
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• pp.859-865
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• 2015

Most imprinted genes are concerned with embryonic development, especially placental development. Here, we identified a placenta-specific imprinted gene Qpct. Our results show that Qpct is widely expressed during early embryonic development and can be detected in the telecephalon, midbrain, and rhombencephalon at E9.5-E11.5. Moreover, Qpct is strikingly expressed in the brain, lung and liver in E15.5. Expression signals for Qpct achieved a peak at E15.5 during placental development and were only detected in the labyrinth layer in E15.5 placenta. ChIP assay results suggest that the modification of histone H3K4me3 can result in maternal activating of Qpct.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.211-221
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• 2017

Transforming growth factor ${\beta}1$ $(TGF{\beta}1)/Smad4$ signaling plays a pivotal role in maintenance of the dynamic balance between bone formation and resorption. The microRNA miR-155 has been reported to exert a significant role in the differentiation of macrophage and dendritic cells. The goal of this study was to determine whether miR-155 regulates osteoclast differentiation through $TGF{\beta}1/Smad4$ signaling. Here, we present that $TGF{\beta}1$ elevated miR-155 levels during osteoclast differentiation through the stimulation of M-CSF and RANKL. Additionally, we found that silencing Smad4 attenuated the upregulation of miR-155 induced by $TGF{\beta}1$. The results of luciferase reporter experiments and ChIP assays demonstrated that $TGF{\beta}1$ promoted the binding of Smad4 to the miR-155 promoter at a site located in 454 bp from the transcription start site in vivo, further verifying that miR-155 is a transcriptional target of the $TGF{\beta}1/Smad4$ pathway. Subsequently, TRAP staining and qRT-PCR analysis revealed that silencing Smad4 impaired the $TGF{\beta}1$-mediated inhibition on osteoclast differentiation. Finally, we found that miR-155 may target SOCS1 and MITF to suppress osteoclast differentiation. Taken together, we provide the first evidence that $TGF{\beta}1/Smad4$ signaling affects osteoclast differentiation by regulation of miR-155 expression and the use of miR-155 as a potential therapeutic target for osteoclast-related diseases shows great promise.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.409-414
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• 2008

The cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), a key player in cholesterol metabolism, has been shown to promote the transfer of triglycerides from very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) to high density lipoprotein (HDL) in exchange for cholesterol ester. Here we demonstrate that farnesoid X receptor ${\alpha}$ ($FXR{\alpha}$; NR1H4) down-regulates CETP expression in HepG2 cells. A $FXR{\alpha}$ ligand, chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), suppressed basal mRNA levels of the CETP gene in HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Using gel shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, we found that $FXR{\alpha}$ could bind to the liver X receptor ${\alpha}$ ( $LXR{\alpha}$; NR1H3) binding site (LXRE; DR4RE) located within the CETP 5' promoter region. $FXR{\alpha}$ suppressed $LXR{\alpha}$-induced DR4RE-luciferase activity and this effect was mediated by a binding competition between $FXR{\alpha}$ and $LXR{\alpha}$ for DR4RE. Furthermore, the addition of CDCA together with a $LXR{\alpha}$ ligand, GW3965, to HepG2 cells was shown to substantially decrease mRNA levels of hepatic CETP gene, which is typically induced by GW3965. Together, our data demonstrate that $FXR{\alpha}$ down-regulates CETP gene expression via binding to the DR4RE sequence within the CETP 5' promoter and this $FXR{\alpha}$ binding is essential for $FXR{\alpha}$ inhibition of $LXR{\alpha}$-induced CETP expression.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권8호
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• pp.705-714
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• 2015

We investigated the role of HDAC3 in anti-cancer drug-resistance. The expression of HDAC3 was decreased in cancer cell lines resistant to anti-cancer drugs such as celastrol and taxol. HDAC3 conferred sensitivity to these anti-cancer drugs. HDAC3 activity was necessary for conferring sensitivity to these anti-cancer drugs. The down-regulation of HDAC3 increased the expression of MDR1 and conferred resistance to anti-cancer drugs. The expression of tubulin ${\beta}3$ was increased in drug-resistant cancer cell lines. ChIP assays showed the binding of HDAC3 to the promoter sequences of tubulin ${\beta}3$ and HDAC6. HDAC6 showed an interaction with tubulin ${\beta}3$. HDAC3 had a negative regulatory role in the expression of tubulin ${\beta}3$ and HDAC6. The down-regulation of HDAC6 decreased the expression of MDR1 and tubulin ${\beta}3$, but did not affect HDAC3 expression. The down-regulation of HDAC6 conferred sensitivity to taxol. The down-regulation of tubulin ${\beta}3$ did not affect the expression of HDAC6 or MDR1. The down-regulation of tubulin ${\beta}3$ conferred sensitivity to anti-cancer drugs. Our results showed that tubulin ${\beta}3$ serves as a downstream target of HDAC3 and mediates resistance to microtubule-targeting drugs. Thus, the HDAC3-HDAC6-Tubulin ${\beta}$ axis can be employed for the development of anti-cancer drugs.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권10호
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• pp.723-735
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• 2021

Spemann organizer is a center of dorsal mesoderm and itself retains the mesoderm character, but it has a stimulatory role for neighboring ectoderm cells in becoming neuroectoderm in gastrula embryos. Goosecoid (Gsc) overexpression in ventral region promotes secondary axis formation including neural tissues, but the role of gsc in neural specification could be indirect. We examined the neural inhibitory and stimulatory roles of gsc in the same cell and neighboring cells contexts. In the animal cap explant system, Gsc overexpression inhibited expression of neural specific genes including foxd4l1.1, zic3, ncam, and neurod. Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and promoter analysis of early neural genes of foxd4l1.1 and zic3 were performed to show that the neural inhibitory mode of gsc was direct. Site-directed mutagenesis and serially deleted construct studies of foxd4l1.1 promoter revealed that Gsc directly binds within the foxd4l1.1 promoter to repress its expression. Conjugation assay of animal cap explants was also performed to demonstrate an indirect neural stimulatory role for gsc. The genes for secretory molecules, Chordin and Noggin, were up-regulated in gsc injected cells with the neural fate only achieved in gsc uninjected neighboring cells. These experiments suggested that gsc regulates neuroectoderm formation negatively when expressed in the same cell and positively in neighboring cells via soluble factors. One is a direct suppressive circuit of neural genes in gsc expressing mesoderm cells and the other is an indirect stimulatory circuit for neurogenesis in neighboring ectoderm cells via secreted BMP antagonizers.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.347-355
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• 1999

배경: Phospholipase C(PLC)는 세포의 성장, 분화, 변형(transformation)과 관련된 세포내 신호 전달과정에 중추적인 역할을 하는 효소이다. 이들 중 PLC-$\gamma$는 tyrosine kinase의 인산화에 의해 주로 활성화되는 데, 최근에 phosphatidic acid(PA), phosphatidy-linositol 3, 4, 5-trisphosphate($PIP_3$), tau 단백에 의한 활성화 기전이 밝혀진 바 있다. 특히 tau 단백은 bovine brain에서 arachidonic acid와 함께 PLC-$\gamma$를 활성화시키는 것으로 알려져 PLC-$\gamma$와 $PLA_2$ 사이의 cross-talk이 이루어질 가능성이 제시되고 있다. 최근 보고에 의하면 tau 단백과 같은 기전으로 PLC-${\gamma}1$ 활성화시키는 단백이 bovine lung에서 발견되었고, 이 활성화 단백을 정제 및 클론하여 AHNAK 단백임이 확인된 바 있다. 또한 PLC-${\gamma}1$이 유방암, 대장암, 위암 등에서 증가되어 있어 발암 과정과 연관되어 있음이 보고되어 왔으나 PLC-${\gamma}1$의 활성화 단백인 AHNAK 단백에 대해서는 질병과 관련되어 연구된 것이 아직 없는 실정이며 저자 등은 폐암 조직과 정상 폐조직에서 AHNAK 단백의 발현 양상을 연구하여 폐암의 발암과정에 AHNAK 단백이 관여함을 밝히고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 아주대학교 병원에 내원하여 폐암으로 수술을 받은 환자의 폐암 조직과 동일 환자의 정상 폐조직에서 AHNAK 단백의 발현양상을 western blot 분석과 면역조직화학적 염색방법을 통하여 조사하였다. 결과: 14예의 편평상피암 세포조직 중 8예 (57.1 %)와 14예의 선암 세포조직 모두에서 정상 대조군에 비해 AHNAK 단백의 발현이 증가하였고, 70 kDa~200kDa의 여러가지 분자량을 가지는 띠모양으로 나타났다. 면역조직화학적 염색에서도 정상 폐조직보다 폐암 조직내에서 강한 발색반응을 보였다. 결론: PLC-${\gamma}1$의 활성화 단백인 AHNAK 단백이 폐암 조직에서 정상 조직보다 과발현된 것은, AHNAK 단백이 PLC-${\gamma}1$을 활성화시켜 폐암의 발생 기전에 관여할 수 있음을 뒷받침한다고 하겠다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.612-617
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• 2006

포스포리파제 C-감마1$(phospholipase\;C-{\gamma}\;1;\;PLC-{\gamma}\;1)$은 활성화될 경우 세포 내의 이차전령인 inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate$(IP_3)$와 diacylglycerol(DG)을 생성하는 중요한 세포 신호전달 분자이다. 튜불린은 미세소관과 방추사의 주요 구성 단백질로서 알파형과 베타형의 두 가지 동위형이 있는데 이들은 모든 진핵세포에 존재하면서 이형 이합체를 형성한다. 이 중 베타형 튜불린은 사람의 경우 6종의 또 다른 동위형이 존재하는 것으로 밝혀졌는데 이들은 각 조직에서 그 발현양상이 서로 다르게 나타난다. 이전의 연구에서 우리들은 $PLC-{\gamma}\;1$과 4종의 베타튜불린 동위형 즉, ${\beta}1$, ${\beta}2$, ${\beta}3$ 및 ${\beta}6$이 세포 내에서 서로 결합할 수 있으며 또한 외부의 자극이 전달될 경우 이들 4종의 동위형이 $PLC-{\gamma}\;1$을 활성화시켜 준다는 사실을 보고한 바 있다. 이번 실험에서는 이전의 연구에서 조사하지 못하였던 베타 튜불린의 나머지 두 가지 동위형 즉, ${\beta}4$및 ${\beta}5$가 $PLC-{\gamma}\;1$에 결합하여 $PLC-{\gamma}\;1$의 활성을 증가시켜줌으로서 세포 내에서의 신호전달계를 조절하고 있음을 확인하였다. 이 결과는 이전의 연구결과와 연관 지워볼 때, 6종의 모든 베타형 튜불린은 세포 외부의 자극이 있을 경우 $PLC-{\gamma}\;1$을 활성화시켜줌을 시사한다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제49권3호
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• pp.310-322
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• 2000

배경 : Phospholipase C는 세포내 신호 전달과정의 초기 단계에 있어서， 매우 중요한 역할을 하는 효소로 알려져 있으며, 세포막에 존재하는 인지질 가운데 중요한 부분을 차지하는 $PIP_2$를 분해하여 제2전령물질인 DAG와 IP3를 생성한다. 이들 제2전령물질은 각각 PKC를 활성화시키고, 세포내의 $Ca^{2+}$농도를 증가 시켜서 세포내 여러 단백질 효소들을 활성화시키는 동시에, PLC 효소는 자체적으로 갖고 있는 고유의 SH2, SH3 및 PH domains 등의 기능 영역을 통해, 다른 신호 전달 인자들과 상호 작용하고, 세포막의 재구성이나, 세포분열, 발안과정에 관여 하게 된다. 이에 저자 등은 이전의 연구에서, 인체 정상 폐조직에서 PLC-${\beta}1$, -${\beta}3$, -${\gamma}1$ 및 -${\delta}1$ 동위효소가 존재함을 보고하였으며, bovine lung 내에서 PLC-${\gamma}1$ 동위 효소를 활성화 시키는 AHNAK 단백을 분리, 정제 및 클로닝 하였고, 이 AHNAK 단백이 인체 폐암조직내에서 정상조직에 비해 증가 되어 있음을 보고하여, 폐암의 발암과정에 있어서 칼슘-inositol 신호전달체계의 이상이 연관 되어있음을 제시하였다. 하지만 아직 인체 폐암조직이나 다른 종류의 폐질환에 대해서는， PLC 동위효소의 발현양상에 대한 보고가 없었으므로, 이에 저자 등은 수술로 적출한 인체 폐암 조직 내에서 PLC 동위 효소의 발현을 연구하여, 폐암의 발암과정에서 이들 효과가 갖는 역할을 규명하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 아주 대학교 병원에 내원하여 원발성 폐암으로 수술적 절제술을 받은 환자중에서, 신선냉동상태의 암조직과 동일환자의 정상폐조직이 확보가, 가능했던 37예의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 이들조직을 대상으로 PLC-${\beta}1$, -${\beta}3$, -${\gamma}1$ 및 -${\delta}1$ 동위효소에 대해 Western blot 분석을 시행하였고, 대표적인 표본에 대해서는 PLC-${\gamma}1$에 대한 면역조직화학검사를 시행하였다. 결과 : 연구의 대상이었던 15예의 선암조직 모두에서, PLC-${\gamma}1$ 동위효소의 과발현을 관찰할 수 있었으며, 편평상피세포암 19예 중 16예에서 PLC-${\gamma}1$의 발현이 정상조직에 비해 증가하였음이 확인되었다. PLC-${\delta}1$ 동위효소의 경우, 대부분의 폐암조직에 감소되어 있었다. 하지만 이와는 반대로, 일부 선암 및 편평상피 암 조식(각3예)에서는, 현저한 증가를 보이기도 했다. 또한, 비록 그 증례수가 적기는 하였지만, 소세포 폐암 4예에서는, 모두에서 정상 폐조직보다, PLC-${\delta}1$ 효소의 발현이 현저히 감소되어 있음을 관찰하였다. 결론 : 이상의 결과로 미루어 폐암 조직 내에서 PLC-${\gamma}1$ 동위효소의 발현이 증가되어 있었는데, 이는 저자등이, 이미 보고한바 있는, PLC-${\gamma}1$의 활성화 AHNAK의 과발현과 함께, 폐암의 발암과정에, 칼슘-inositol 신호전달 채계의 이상이 관여할것이라는 실험적인 증거가 될수 있다고 하겠다. 하지만, PLC-${\delta}1$ 동위효소의 감소에 대해서는, 좀더 구체적인 기전의 규명 및 PLC-${\delta}1$ 효소의 역할에 대한 보다 많은 연구가 필요할것으로 사료된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제1권6호
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• pp.717-730
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• 1997

$Mg^{2+}$ is the fourth most abundant cation in cellular organisms. Although the biological chemistry and the physiological roles of the magnesium ion were well known, the regulation of intracellular $Mg^{2+}$ in mammalian cells is not fully understood. More recently, however, the mechanism of $Mg^{2+}$ mobilization by hormonal stimulation has been investigated in hearts and in myocytes. In this work we have investigated the regulation mechanism responsible for the $Mg^{2+}$ mobilization induced by ${\alpha}1-adrenoceptor$ stimulation in perfused guinea pig hearts or isolated myocytes. The $Mg^{2+}$ content of the perfusate or the supernatant was measured by atomic absorbance spectrophotometry. The elimination of $Mg^{2+}$ in the medium increased the force of contraction of right ventricular papillary muscles. Phenylephrine also enhanced the force of contraction in the presence of $Mg^{2+}$-free medium. ${\alpha}1-Agonists$ such as phenylephrine were found to induce $Mg^{2+}$ efflux in both perfused hearts or myocytes. This was blocked by prazosin, a ${\alpha}1-adrenoceptor$ antagonist. $Mg^{2+}$ efflux by phenylephrine was amplified by $Na^+$ channel blockers, an increase in extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ or a decrease in extracellular $Na^+$. By contrast, the $Mg^{2+}$ influx was induced by verapamil, nifedipine, ryanodine, lidocaine or tetrodotoxin in perfused hearts, but not in myocytes. $W_7$, a $Ca^{2+}/calmodulin$ antagonist, completely blocked the pheylephrine-, A23187-, veratridine-, $Ca^{2+}-induced$ $Mg^{2+}$ efflux in perfused hearts or isolated myocytes. In addition, $Mg^{2+}$ efflux was induced by $W_7$ in myocytes but not in perfused heart. In conclusion, An increase in $Mg^{2+}$ efflux by ${\alpha}1-adrenoceptor$ stimulation in hearts can be through $IP_3$ and $Ca^{2+}-calmodulin$ dependent mechanism.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.51-58
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• 2008

The present study was designed to explore the immunotoxic effects of orally administered aluminum (AI) on pregnant rats (n = 60) and their growing fetuses and consequently on the animal wealth. The animals were randomly allocated into three equal groups of 20 rats each. The first group has no treatment and kept as a control (G1). The second and third groups of pregnant rats were treated orally with aluminum chloride at 345 mg/Kg b.wt. The second group (G2) received the tested compound from the $6^{th}$ day of gestation to the end of weaning, whereas the third group (G3) received the tested compound from the $15^{th}$h day of gestation to the end of weaning. Control and treated animals (dams and offspring) were immunized ip with (0.5 ml) 20% sheep red blood cell (SRBC) suspension seven days before the end of experiments. At the end of exposure, ten dams and ten offspring from each group were used for assessment of cell-mediated immunity and a similar number of animals were sacrificed for evaluating the humoral immune response and serum protein profile. Aluminum chloride exposure of dams ($G_2&G_3$) caused significant suppression of both cell mediated and humoral immune responses in the obtained offsprings compared to the control group ($G_1$) without any significant effect on the immune responses of these dams. Moreover, the serum total globulins, albumin/ globulin (A/G) ratio and gamma globulin fraction were significantly decreased in the treated dam's offsprings compared to the corresponding controls while the serum total protein and all serum protein fractions showed non significant difference between the control and treated dams and between the two treated dam groups themselves. There were no histopathological changes observed in thymus, spleen and liver of the control and treated dams. Thymus of treated dam's offsprings (G2) showed lymphoid depletion in both cortex and medulla. Their spleens showed lymphoid depletion in the white pulps and congestion with hemosiderosis in the red pulps. Liver of treated dam's offsprings showed dilation and congestion of its central vein with degenerative changes in the hepatocytes. These histopathological changes were more severe in G2 than in G3 offsprings. It can be concluded that gestational and/ or lactation exposure of pregnant dams to AI chloride caused suppression of both cellular and humoral immune responses of their offsprings.