• Molecules and Cells
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.169-176
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• 2022

A primary cilium, a hair-like protrusion of the plasma membrane, is a pivotal organelle for sensing external environmental signals and transducing intracellular signaling. An interesting linkage between cilia and obesity has been revealed by studies of the human genetic ciliopathies Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Alström syndrome, in which obesity is a principal manifestation. Mouse models of cell type-specific cilia dysgenesis have subsequently demonstrated that ciliary defects restricted to specific hypothalamic neurons are sufficient to induce obesity and hyperphagia. A potential mechanism underlying hypothalamic neuron cilia-related obesity is impaired ciliary localization of G protein-coupled receptors involved in the regulation of appetite and energy metabolism. A well-studied example of this is melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R), mutations in which are the most common cause of human monogenic obesity. In the paraventricular hypothalamus neurons, a blockade of ciliary trafficking of MC4R as well as its downstream ciliary signaling leads to hyperphagia and weight gain. Another potential mechanism is reduced leptin signaling in hypothalamic neurons with defective cilia. Leptin receptors traffic to the periciliary area upon leptin stimulation. Moreover, defects in cilia formation hamper leptin signaling and actions in both developing and differentiated hypothalamic neurons. The list of obesity-linked ciliary proteins is expending and this supports a tight association between cilia and obesity. This article provides a brief review on the mechanism of how ciliary defects in hypothalamic neurons facilitate obesity.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제40권3호
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• pp.187-193
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• 2015

Deleterious effects of high dose radiation exposure with high-dose-rate are unarguable, but they are still controversial in low-dose-rate. The regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) is a negative regulator of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling. In addition, it is reported that irradiation stress led to GPCR-mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-k) signaling. The RGS mRNA expression profiles by whole body radiation with low-dose-rate has not yet been explored. In the present study, we, therefore, examined which RGS was modulated by the whole body radiation with low-dose-rate ($3.49mGy{\cdot}h^{-1}$). Among 16 RGS expression tested, RGS6, RGS13 and RGS16 mRNA were down-regulated by low-dose-rate irradiation. This is the first report that whole body radiation with low-dose-rate can modulate the different RGS expression levels. These results are expected to reveal the potential target and/or the biomarker proteins associated with male testis toxicity induced by low-dose-rate irradiation, which might contribute to understanding the mechanism beyond the testis toxicity.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권5호
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• pp.645-653
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• 2023

Background: Changes to work-life balance has increased the incidence of cervical cancer among younger people. A minor ginseng saponin known as ginsenoside Rk1 can inhibit the growth and survival of human cancer cells; however, whether ginsenoside Rk1 inhibits HeLa cell proliferation is unknown. Methods and results: Ginsenoside Rk1 blocked HeLa cells in the G0/G1 phase in a dose-dependent manner and inhibited cell division and proliferation. Ginsenoside Rk1 markedly also activated the apoptotic signaling pathway via caspase 3, PARP, and caspase 6. In addition, ginsenoside Rk1 increased LC3B protein expression, indicating the promotion of the autophagy signaling pathway. Protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum signaling pathway was downregulated in Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses, consistent with teal-time quantitative PCR and western blotting that showed YOD1, HSPA4L, DNAJC3, and HSP90AA1 expression levels were dramatically decreased in HeLa cells treated with ginsenoside Rk1, with YOD1 was the most significantly inhibited by ginsenoside Rk1 treatment. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the toxicity of ginsenoside Rk1 in HeLa cells can be explained by the inhibition of protein synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum and enhanced apoptosis, with YOD1 acting as a potential target for cervical cancer treatment.

• BMB Reports
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• 제49권8호
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• pp.443-448
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• 2016

The arginylation branch of the N-end rule pathway is a ubiquitin-mediated proteolytic system in which post-translational conjugation of Arg by ATE1-encoded Arg-tRNA-protein transferase to N-terminal Asp, Glu, or oxidized Cys residues generates essential degradation signals. Here, we characterized the ATE1^−/− mice and identified the essential role of N-terminal arginylation in neural tube development. ATE1-null mice showed severe intracerebral hemorrhages and cystic space near the neural tubes. Expression of ATE1 was prominent in the developing brain and spinal cord, and this pattern overlapped with the migration path of neural stem cells. The ATE1^−/− brain showed defective G-protein signaling. Finally, we observed reduced mitosis in ATE1^−/− neuroepithelium and a significantly higher nitric oxide concentration in the ATE1^−/− brain. Our results strongly suggest that the crucial role of ATE1 in neural tube development is directly related to proper turn-over of the RGS4 protein, which participate in the oxygen-sensing mechanism in the cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권8호
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• pp.4775-4778
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• 2013

The key signaling networks regulating cancer cell proliferation remain to be defined. The leucine-rich repeat containing G-protein coupled receptor 48 (GPR48) plays an important role in multiple organ development. In the present study, we investigated whether GPR48 functions in cancer cells using MCF-7, HepG2, NCI-N87 and PC-3 cells. We found that GPR48 overexpression promotes while its knockdown using small interfering RNA oligos inhibits cell proliferation. In addition, Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling was activated in cells overexpressing GPR48. Therefore, our results indicated that GPR48 activates Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling to regulate cancer cell proliferation.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.435-443
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• 2017

Panax ginseng is one of the most universally used herbal medicines in Asian and Western countries. Most of the biological activities of ginseng are derived from its main constituents, ginsenosides. Interestingly, a number of studies have reported that ginsenosides and their metabolites/derivatives-including ginsenoside (G)-Rb1, compound K, G-Rb2, G-Rd, G-Re, G-Rg1, G-Rg3, G-Rg5, G-Rh1, G-Rh2, and G-Rp1-exert anti-inflammatory activities in inflammatory responses by suppressing the production of proinflammatory cytokines and regulating the activities of inflammatory signaling pathways, such as nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ and activator protein-1. This review discusses recent studies regarding molecular mechanisms by which ginsenosides play critical roles in inflammatory responses and diseases, and provides evidence showing their potential to prevent and treat inflammatory diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.101-108
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• 2018

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest superfamily of transmembrane receptors and have vital signaling functions in various organs. Because of their critical roles in physiology and pathology, GPCRs are the most commonly used therapeutic target. It has been suggested that GPCRs undergo massive genetic variations such as genetic polymorphisms and DNA insertions or deletions. Among these genetic variations, non-synonymous natural variations change the amino acid sequence and could thus alter GPCR functions such as expression, localization, signaling, and ligand binding, which may be involved in disease development and altered responses to GPCR-targeting drugs. Despite the clinical importance of GPCRs, studies on the genotype-phenotype relationship of GPCR natural variants have been limited to a few GPCRs such as b-adrenergic receptors and opioid receptors. Comprehensive understanding of non-synonymous natural variations within GPCRs would help to predict the unknown genotype-phenotype relationship and yet-to-be-discovered natural variants. Here, we analyzed the non-synonymous natural variants of all non-olfactory GPCRs available from a public database, UniProt. The results suggest that non-synonymous natural variations occur extensively within the GPCR superfamily especially in the N-terminus and transmembrane domains. Within the transmembrane domains, natural variations observed more frequently in the conserved residues, which leads to disruption of the receptor function. Our analysis also suggests that only few non-synonymous natural variations have been studied in efforts to link the variations with functional consequences.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.139-148
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• 2009

Cell death has been traditionally classified in apoptosis and necrosis. Apoptosis, known as programmed cell death, is an active form of cell death mechanism that is tightly regulated by multiple cellular signaling pathways and requires ATP for its appropriate process. Apoptotic death plays essential roles for successful development and maintenance of normal cellular homeostasis in mammalian. In contrast to apoptosis, necrosis is classically considered as a passive cell death process that occurs rather by accident in disastrous conditions, is not required for energy and eventually induces inflammation. Regardless of different characteristics between apoptosis and necrosis, it has been well defined that both are responsible for a wide range of human diseases. Glycogen storage disease type I (GSD-I) is a kind of human genetic disorders and is caused by the deficiency of a microsomal protein, glucose-6-phosphatase-${\alpha}$ ($G6Pase-{\alpha}$) or glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT) responsible for glucose homeostasis, leading to GSD-Ia or GSD-Ib, respectively. This review summarizes cell deaths in GSD-I and mostly focuses on current knowledge of the neutrophil apoptosis in GSD-Ib based upon ER stress and redox signaling.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.343-348
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• 2018

Recent human genetic studies have shown that $G{\beta}5$ is related to various clinical symptoms, such as sinus bradycardia, cognitive disability, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Although the calcium signaling cascade is closely associated with a heterotrimeric G-protein, the function of $G{\beta}5$ in calcium signaling and its relevance to clinical symptoms remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the in vitro changes of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) with exogenous expression of $G{\beta}5$. The cells expressing $G{\beta}5$ had enhanced SOCE after depletion of calcium ion inside the endoplasmic reticulum. $G{\beta}5$ also augmented Stim1- and Orai1-dependent SOCE. An ORAI1 loss-of-function mutant did not show inhibition of $G{\beta}5$-induced SOCE, and a STIM1-ERM truncation mutant showed no enhancement of SOCE. These results suggested a novel role of GNB5 and Stim1, and provided insight into the regulatory mechanism of SOCE.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제24권9호
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• pp.1006-1011
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• 2014

인삼은 건강에 효과적인 약초라고 알려져 왔다. 인삼의 열매인 진생베리는 인삼의 주성분과 비슷한 ginsenoside, saponin, polyphenol, polyacetylene, alkaloid 등의 성분을 포함한다. 본 연구의 목적은 인삼과 같이 진생베리 열수 추출물(Ginseng berry water extract, GBE)이 당뇨와 연관된 세포 외 효소와 인슐린 신호전달 경로에 있는 분자의 발현에 어떤 효과를 가지고 있는지를 조사하였다. ${\alpha}$-Amylase와 ${\alpha}$-glucosidase는 섭취한 다당분자를 분해하여 포도당을 생성함으로 항당뇨 약물개발의 표적 효소이다. GBE에 의한 두 효소의 활성 억제능을 in vitro에서 측정하였으나 최고 $1,000{\mu}g/ml$ 농도에서도 효소활성 억제능이 나타나지 않았다. 인슐린 신호전달 경로의 영향을 확인하기 위해서 HepG2 세포에서 GBE에 의한 인슐린 신호전달 경로의 주요 단백질인 protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B)와 Akt1의 발현수준 변화를 Western blot 방법으로 조사하였다. 이때 인슐린에 의한 이들 분자의 변화에 GBE가 영향을 주는 것으로 나타났다. PTP1B는 인슐린에 의해 증가된 발현량이 저농도의 GBE이 의해 더욱 증가하였으나, $200{\mu}g/ml$ 농도의 GBE에 의해서는 다소 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한, Akt1도 인슐린에 의해 증가된 발현량이 GBE 농도에 따라 감소하는 것으로 나타났다.