• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1532-1536
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• 2015

To verified the target genes of miR-34c, bioinformatics software was used to predict the targets of miR-34c. Three possible target genes of miR-34c related to spermatogenesis and male reproductive development: zinc finger protein 148 (ZNF148), kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), and platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) were predicted. Then, the expression of miR-34c and its target genes were detected in swine testicular tissue at different developmental stages by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results suggested that the expression of PDGFRA has the highest negative correlation with miR-34c. Then immunohistochemical staining was done to observe the morphology of swine testicular tissue at 2-days and 3, 4, 5-months of age, which indicated that PDGFRA was mainly expressed in the support cells near the basement membrane during the early development stages of testicular tissue, but that the expression of PDGFRA was gradually reduced in later stages. Therefore, western blot analyzed that the highest expression of PDGFRA was generated in 2-days old testicular tissues and the expression levels reduced at 3 and 4-months old, which correlated with the results of immunohistochemical staining. In conclusion, PDGFRA is a target gene of miR-34c.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.729-735
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• 2010

In our previous study, it was reported that an herbal mixture, SH21B, inhibits fat accumulation and adipogenesis both in vitro and in vivo models of obesity. SH21B is a mixture composed of seven herbs: Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, Prunus armeniaca Maxim, Ephedra sinica Stapf, Acorus gramineus Soland, Typha orientalis Presl, Polygala tenuifolia Willd, and Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner (Ratio 3:3:3:3:3:2:2). The aim of this study was to investigate the detailed molecular mechanisms of the effects of SH21B on various regulators of the adipogenesis pathway. During the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells, SH21B significantly decreased the expression levels of central transcription factors of adipogenesis, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)$\gamma$ and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)$\alpha$. To elucidate the detailed molecular mechanism of the anti-adipogenic effects of SH21B, we examined the expression levels of the various pro-adipogenic or anti-adipogenic regulators of adipogenesis upstream of $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/$EBP{\alpha}$. The mRNA levels of Krox20 and Kruppel-like factor (KLF) 15, which are pro-adipogenic regulators, were significantly down-regulated by SH21B treatment, whereas the mRNA levels of C/$EBP{\gamma}$ and KLF5 were not changed. KLF2 and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), which are anti-adipogenic regulators, were significantly up-regulated by SH21B treatment. These results suggest that the molecular mechanism of the anti-adipogenic effect of SH21B involves both the down-regulations of pro-adipogenic regulators, such as Krox20 and KLF15, and the up-regulations of anti-adipogenic regulators, such as KLF2 and CHOP, which results in the suppression of central transcription factors of adipogenesis including $PPAR{\gamma}$ and C/$EBP{\alpha}$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1802-1807
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• 2009

Platycodin D, a major component of Platycodi radix, is known to have various activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-tumor activities and others. Recently, it was reported that platycodin D inhibits fat accumulation and adipogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether various adipogenic regulators are modulated by platycodin D treatment during the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells. mRNA levels of terminal markers of adipogenesis such as ADIPOQ (adiponectin) and GLUT (glucose transporter) 4, which were quantified by real time PCR, were decreased by platycodin D treatment. mRNA expression of PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) $\gamma$ and C/EBP (CCAAT/enhaner binding protein) $\alpha$, which are central transcription factors of adipogenesis, were also decreased by platycodin D treatment. To elucidate the detailed molecular mechanism of platycodin D-induced inhibition of adipogenesis, we analyzed mRNA expression of upstream regulators of PPAR$\gamma$ and C/EPB$\alpha$. mRNA levels of the pro-adipogenic regulators, KROX20 and KLF (Kruppel-like factor) 15 were markedly down-regulated by platycodin D treatment. On the other hand, mRNA expression of CHOP (C/EBP homologous protein), an anti-adipogenic regulator, was significantly up-regulated by platycodin D treatment. mRNA levels of other pro-adipogenic regulators, C/EBP$\beta$ and C/EPB$\delta$, were not affected by platycodin D treatment, and another anti-adipogenic regulator, C/EBP$\gamma$ was also not affected by platycodin D treatment. Taken together, these results suggest that platycodin D-induced inhibition of adipogenesis is mediated by gene interactions including the down-regulation of pro-adipogenic regulators, KROX20 and KLF15, and the up-regulation of an anti-adipogenic regulator, CHOP.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.886-894
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• 2015

Macrophages are divided into two subpopulations: classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2). BCG (Bacilli Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$) activates disabled $na{\ddot{i}}ve$ macrophages to M1 macrophages, which act as inflammatory, microbicidal and tumoricidal cells through cell-cell contact and/or the release of soluble factors. Various transcription factors and signaling pathways are involved in the regulation of macrophage activation and polarization. We discovered that BCG-activated macrophages (BAM) expressed a new molecule, and we named it Novel Macrophage Activated Associated Protein 1 (NMAAP1). 1 The current study found that the overexpression of NMAAP1 in macrophages results in M1 polarization with increased expression levels of M1 genes, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 12 (IL-12), Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and Interleukin-1 beta (IL-$1{\beta}$), and decreased expression of some M2 genes, such as Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), but not other M2 genes, including arginase-1 (Arg-1), Interleukin (IL-10), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-${\beta}$) and found in inflammatory zone 1 (Fizz1). Moreover, NMAAP1 overexpression in the RAW264.7 cell line increased cytotoxicity against MCA207 tumor cells, which depends on increased inflammatory cytokines rather than cell-cell contact. NMAAP1 also substantially enhanced the phagocytic ability of macrophages, which implies that NMAAP1 promoted macrophage adhesive and clearance activities. Our results indicate that NMAAP1 is an essential molecule that modulates macrophages phenotype and plays an important role in macrophage tumoricidal functions.