• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.8
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• pp.513-523
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• 2010

Cytokines that bind to and signal through the gp130 co-receptor subunit include interleukin (IL)-6, IL-11, oncostatin M (OSM), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), and ciliary neutrophic factor (CNTF). Apart from contributing to inflammation, gp130 signalling cytokines also function in the maintenance of bone homeostasis. Expression of each of these cytokines and their ligand-specific receptors is observed in bone and joint cells, and bone-active hormones and inflammatory cytokines regulate their expression. gp130 signalling cytokines have been shown to regulate the differentiation and activity of osteoblasts, osteoclasts and chondrocytes. Furthermore, cytokine and receptor specific gene-knockout mouse models have identified distinct roles for each of these cytokines in regulating bone resorption, bone formation and bone growth. This review will discuss the current models of paracrine and endocrine actions of gp130-signalling cytokines in bone remodelling and growth, as well as their impact in pathologic bone remodelling evident in periodontal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, spondylarthropathies and osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.287-296
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• 2011

Mammalian fertilization is a complex cascade process consisting of sperm migration through the female reproductive tract, physiological changes to sperm such as sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, and sperm-egg interaction in the oviduct in vivo. On the other hand, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process by which egg cells are fertilized by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF has been used for a variety of purposes in reproductive biotechnology for human and animals. The discovery of sperm capacitation in 1951 promoted the development of IVF technology. In the initial stage of IVF, sperm capacitation in preincubation medium was shown to be essential to fuse with eggs. Besides, sperms should detour some of the in vivo regulations for IVF. This review introduces a general mammalian fertilization process, including sperm capacitation, removal of cumulus matrix, acrosome reaction, and sperm-egg fusion and focuses on the roles of key biochemical molecules, signal mechanisms, and genes involved during IVF and novel results of sperm-oocyte interaction elucidated in various gene-knockout mice models.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.442-447
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• 2020

The non-viral delivery of genes into macrophages, known as hard-to-transfect cells, is a challenge. In this study, the microporation of a CpG-free and small plasmid (pCGfd-GFP) showed high transfection efficiency, sustainable transgene expression, and good cell viability in the transfections of Raw 264.7 and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages. The non-viral method using the pCGfd vector encoding anti-EGFR single-chain Fv fused with Fc (scFv-Fc) generated the macrophages secreting anti-EGFR scFv-Fc. These macrophages effectively phagocytized tumor cells expressing EGFR through the antibody-dependent mechanism, as was proved by experiments using EGFR-knockout tumor cells. Finally, peri-tumoral injections of anti-EGFR scFv-Fc-secreting macrophages were shown to inhibit tumor growth in the xenograft mouse model.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.371-372
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• 2015

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate the expression of genes that are involved in multiple cellular pathways. However, their targets and mechanism of action associated with the autophagy pathway are not fully investigated yet. EWSR1 (EWS RNA-Binding Protein 1/Ewing Sarcoma Break Point Region 1) gene encodes a RNA/DNA binding protein that is ubiquitously expressed and plays roles in numerous cellular processes. Recently, our group has shown that EWSR1 deficiency leads to developmental failure and accelerated senescence via processing of miRNAs, but its role in the regulation of autophagy remains elusive. In this context, we further investigated and found that EWSR1 deficiency triggers the activation of the DROSHA-mediated microprocessor complex and increases the levels of miR125a and miR351, which directly target Uvrag. Interestingly, the miR125a- and miR351-targeted reduction of Uvrag led to the inhibition of autophagy in both ewsr1 knockout (KO) MEFs and ewsr1 KO mice. In summary, our study demonstrates that EWSR1 is associated with the posttranscriptional regulation of Uvrag via miRNA processing. The regulation of autophagy pathway in miRNAs-Uvrag-dependent manner provides a novel mechanism of EWSR1 deficiency-related cellular dysfunction. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(7): 371-372]

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.389-394
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• 2006

Human seven-in-absentia (SIAH)-interacting protein (SIP) is a component of the E3 ligase complex targeting beta-catenin for destruction. Arabidopsis has one SIP protein (AtSIP) with 32% amino acid sequence identity to SIP. To investigate the functions of AtSIP, we isolated an atsip knockout mutant, and generated transgenic plants overexpressing AtSIP. The growth rates and morphologies of the atsip and transgenic plants were indistinguishable from those of wild type. However, atsip plants were more susceptible to Pseudomonas syringae infection, and the transgenic plants overexpressing AtSIP were more resistant. Consistent with this, RNA blot analysis showed that the AtSIP gene is strongly induced by wounding and hydrogen peroxide treatment. In addition, when plants were infected with P. syringae, AtSIP was transiently induced prior to PR-1 induction. These observations show that Arabidopsis AtSIP plays a role in resistance to pathogenic infection.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.153-155
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• 2006

We constructed the null mutants of fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe spSac3 gene that is homologous to budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae SAC3 involved in mRNA export out of nucleus. Tetrad analysis showed that the spSac3 is essential for vegetative growth. The spSac3 mutants harboring pREP81X-spSac3 plasmid showed poly(A)+ RNA export defect in the presence of thiamine. These results suggest that spSac3 is also involved in mRNA export from the nucleus.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.259-271
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• 2007

Investigation of molecular and cellular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity is the major focus of many neuroscientists. There are two major reasons for searching new genes and molecules contributing to central plasticity: first, it provides basic neural mechanism for learning and memory, a key function of the brain; second, it provides new targets for treating brain-related disease. Long-term potentiation (LTP), mostly intensely studies in the hippocampus and amygdala, is proposed to be a cellular model for learning and memory. Although it remains difficult to understand the roles of LTP in hippocampus-related memory, a role of LTP in fear, a simplified form of memory, has been established. Here, I will review recent cellular studies of LTP in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and then compare studies in vivo and in vitro LTP by genetic/pharmacological approaches. I propose that ACC LTP may serve as a cellular model for studying central sensitization that related to chronic pain, as well as pain-related cognitive emotional disorders. Understanding signaling pathways related to ACC LTP may help us to identify novel drug target for various mental disorders.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Since its first identification in 1995, klotho (KL) has become the most promising gene to consider for suppressing aging and aging-related diseases. KL knockout mice exhibited similar phenotypes found in human with premature aging such as short lifespan, osteoporosis, arteriosclerosis and hearing loss. Genetically modified mice overexpressing KL prolonged lifespan more than 20%. Also, clinical reports have indicated decreased concentration of the circulating KL protein in blood, which is called soluble klotho (sKL), is closely related to development of senile diseases. The best way to discover significance of sKL on the development of the diseases might be comparison of sKL concentration between controls and patients. Here we analyzed published clinical reports identified sKL concentration in the cohorts. The sKL concentrations were displayed using heatmap for better comparison. In most of the senile diseases, disease progression was inversely related with sKL concentration. Hypertension was the only disease had no relationship, while schizophrenia was the only disease had direct proportion to the disease progression. Overall, sKL concentration in blood could be a marker to determine current severity of the senile diseases and even to estimate disease progression for the patients at the onset of their senile diseases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 2023

Genome editing using CRISPR-associated technology is widely used to modify the genomes rapidly and efficiently on specific DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by Cas9 endonuclease. However, despite swift advance in Cas9 engineering, structural basis of Cas9-recognition and cleavage complex remains unclear. Proper assembly of this complex correlates to effective Cas9 activity, leading to high efficacy of genome editing events. Here, we develop a CRISPR/Cas9-RAD51 plasmid constitutively expressing RAD51, which can bind to single-stranded DNA for DSB repair. We show that the efficiency of CRISPR-mediated genome editing can be significantly improved by expressing RAD51, responsible for DSB repair via homologous recombination (HR), in both gene knock-out and knock-in processes. In cells with CRISPR/Cas9-RAD51 plasmid, expression of the target genes (cohesin SMC3 and GAPDH) was reduced by more than 1.9-fold compared to the CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid for knock-out of genes. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-RAD51 enhanced the knock-in efficiency of DsRed donor DNA. Thus, the CRISPR/Cas9-RAD51 system is useful for applications requiring precise and efficient genome edits not accessible to HR-deficient cell genome editing and for developing CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout technology.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.153-159
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• 2009

We investigated whether deficiency of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) could prevent isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy in iNOS knockout (KO) mice. Isoproterenol was continuously infused subcutaneously (15 mg/kg/day) using an osmotic minipump. Isoproterenol reduced body weight and fat mass in both iNOS KO and wild-type mice compared with saline-infused wild-type mice. Isoproterenol increased the heart weight in both iNOS KO and wild-type mice but there was no difference between iNOS KO and wild-type mice. Posterior wall thickness of left ventricle showed the same tendency with heart weight. Protein level of iNOS in the left ventricle was increased in isoproterenol-infused wild-type mice. The gene expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor-${\beta}$ (TGF-${\beta}$) in isoproterenol-infused wild-type was measured at 2, 4, 24, and 48-hour and isoproterenol increased both IL-6 (2, 4, 24, and 48-hour) and TGF-${\beta}$ (4 and 24-hour). Isoproterenol infusion for 7 days increased the mRNA level of IL-6 and TGF-${\beta}$ in iNOS KO mice, whereas the gene expression in wild-type mice was not increased. Phosphorylated form of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (pERK) was also increased by isoproterenol at 2 and 4-hour but was not increased at 7 days after infusion in wild-type mice. However, the increased pERK level in iNOS KO mice was maintained even at 7 days after isoproterenol infusion. These results suggest that deficiency of iNOS does not prevent isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy and may have potentially harmful effects on cardiac hypertrophy.