• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.288-293
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• 2003

Low molecular weight phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase (LMW-PTP) has been implicated in modulating the EphB1-mediated signaling pathway. In this study, we demonstrated that the EphA8 receptor phosphorylates LMW-PTP in vitro. In addition, we discovered that mixing these two proteins leads to EphA8 dephosphorylation in the absence of phosphatase inhibitors. Finally, we demonstrated that LMW-PTP, modified by the EphA8 autokinase activity, possesses enhanced catalytic activity in vitro. These results suggest that LMW-PTP may also participate in a feedback-control mechanism of the EphA8 receptor autokinase activity in vivo.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.349-355
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• 2015

EphA7 has been implicated in the regulation of apoptotic cell death in neural epithelial cells. In this report, we provide evidence that EphA7 interacts with caspase-8 to induce apoptotic cell signaling. First, a pull-down assay using biotinylated ephrinA5-Fc showed that EphA7 co-precipitated with wild type caspase-8 or catalytically inactive caspase-8 mutant. Second, co-transfection of EphA7 with caspase-8 significantly increased the number of cleaved caspase-3 positive apoptotic cells under an experimental condition where transfection of EphA7 or caspase-8 alone did not affect cell viability or apoptosis. EphA4 also had a causative role in inducing apoptotic cell death with caspase-8, whereas EphA8 did not. Third, caspase-8 catalytic activity was essential for the apoptotic signaling cascade, whereas tyrosine kinase activity of the EphA4 receptor was not. Interestingly, we found that kinase-inactive EphA4 was well co-localized at the plasma membrane with catalytically inactive caspase-8, suggesting that an interaction between these mutant proteins was more stable. Finally, we observed that the extracellular region of the EphA7 receptor was critical for interacting with caspase-8, whereas the cytoplasmic region of EphA7 was not. Therefore, we propose that Eph receptors physically associate with a transmembrane protein to form an apoptotic signaling complex and that this unidentified receptor-like protein acts as a biochemical linker between the Eph receptor and caspase-8.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.57-63
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• 2004

This study provides evidence that expression of EphA8 receptor in NG108-15 cells results in a substantial increase in the number of neurite-bearing cells. However, the EphA8-induced neurite outgrowth does not require either ephrin-A5 stimulation or ectopic expression of $p110{\gamma}$ PI-3 kinase. In contrast, co-expression of a lipid kinase-inactive $p110{\gamma}$ mutant together with EphA8 causes neurite retraction in the presence of ephrin-A5 stimulation. This effect was not observed in the absence of ephrin-A5 stimulation. Significantly, the tyrosine kinase activity of EphA8 is not important for either of these processes. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that $p110{\gamma}$ PI-3 kinase is critically involved in the regulatory process by which ephrin-A5 exerts effects on the EphA8-induced neurite outgrowth.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2009

Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands have been implicated in a variety of cellular processes such as cellular morphogenesis and motility. Our previous studies demonstrated that Odin, one of the Anks family proteins, functions as a scaffolding protein of the EphA8 signaling pathway leading to modulation of cell migration or axonal outgrowth. Here we show that WDR7 is associated with Odin and that it is possibly implicated in the EphA8 signaling pathway. WD40 repeats present in the COOH-terminal region of WDR7 appear to be crucial for its association with Odin, whereas the binding motif of Odin is located in between ankyrin repeats and PTB domain. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that association of WDR7 with Odin is enhanced by ephrin ligand treatment, possibly through forming large protein complexes including both EphA8 and ephrin-A5. Consistently, immunofluorescence staining experiments suggested that WDR7 constitute a component of the large protein complexes containing Odin, EphA8 and ephrin-A5. Taken together, our results suggest the WDR7-Odin complexes might be involved in the signaling pathway downstream of the EphA8 receptor.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.3
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• pp.218-226
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• 2015

Background: Eph receptors and ephrin ligands have several functions including angiogenesis, cell migration, axon guidance, fluid homeostasis, oncogenesis, inflammation and injury repair. The EphA2 receptor potentially mediates the regulation of vascular permeability and inflammation in response to lung injury. Methods: Mice were divided into 3 experimental groups to study the role of EphA2 signaling in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced lung injury model i.e., IgG+phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group (IgG instillation before PBS exposure), IgG+LPS group (IgG instillation before LPS exposure) and EphA2 monoclonal antibody (mAb)+LPS group (EphA2 mAb pretreatment before LPS exposure). Results: EphA2 and ephrinA1 were upregulated in LPS-induced lung injury. The lung injury score of the EphA2 mAb+LPS group was lower than that of the IgG+LPS group ($4.30{\pm}2.93$ vs. $11.45{\pm}1.20$, respectively; p=0.004). Cell counts (EphA2 mAb+LPS: $11.33{\times}10^4{\pm}8.84{\times}10^4$ vs. IgG+LPS: $208.0{\times}10^4{\pm}122.6{\times}10^4$; p=0.018) and total protein concentrations (EphA2 mAb+LPS: $0.52{\pm}0.41mg/mL$ vs. IgG+LPS: $1.38{\pm}1.08mg/mL$; p=0.192) were decreased in EphA2 mAb+LPS group, as compared to the IgG+LPS group. In addition, EphA2 antagonism reduced the expression of phospho-p85, phosphoinositide 3-kinase $110{\gamma}$, phospho-Akt, nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$, and proinflammatory cytokines. Conclusion: This results of the study indicated a role for EphA2-ephrinA1 signaling in the pathogenesis of LPS-induced lung injury. Furthermore, EphA2 antagonism inhibits the phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt pathway and attenuates inflammation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.111-115
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• 2004

Roundabout (Robo) is the transmembrane receptor for slit, the neuronal guidance molecule. In this study, the tyrosine phosphorylation of Robo was observed in Robo-transfected human embryonic kidney cells and developing rat brains, and found to be increased by the treatment with protein kinase A activator, forskolin. In contrast, protein kinase C activation by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate decreased the phosphorylation of Robo. Intracellular calcium was required for the tyrosine phosphorylation. Furthermore, the transfection of an Eph receptor tyrosine kinase dramatically enhanced the tyrosine phosphorylation. These findings indicate that the tyrosine phosphorylation of Robo is regulated by multiple mechanisms, and that Eph receptor kinases may play a role in the regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of Robo in the rat brain.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.249-255
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• 2009

The miniature pig is considered to be a better organ donor breed for xenotransplantation than other pig breeds because the size of the organs of the miniature pig is similar to that of humans. In this study, we aimed at identifying differentially expressed genes in the miniature pig ovary during pregnancy. For this, we used the miniature pig ovary model, annealing control primer-based reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and northern blotting analysis. We identified 13 genes showing differential expression on the based of pregnancy status and validated 8 genes using qRT-PCR. We also sequenced the full-length cDNA of ephrin receptor A4 (EphA4), which had a significant difference in expression level, and validated it by northern blotting. These genes may provide a better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms during pregnancy in miniature pig ovary.