• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 1993

Both polar and gravity-induced lateral transport of auxin was markedly reduced in corn coleoptile segments by octanol treatment. Octanol enhance net auxin uptake without affecting that of benzoic acid, suggesting that the effect did not result from a nonspecific action on general membrane permeability. Since naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) action on both transport and net uptake of auxin was substantially decreased in the presence of octanol, a specific interaction of octanol with the NPA site (efflux carrier) can be postulated. Studies on in vitro binding of NPA to membrane vesicles indicated that octanol did not interfere with NPA binding. When basipetal transport of auxin was impared by plasmolysis, octanol still inhibited auxin transport in the plasmolyzed tissues. The results ruled out the possibility of octanol acting at the plasmodesmata. Kinetic analysis of growth indicated that IAA-sustained growth was rapidly blocked by octanol implicating a common system by which auxin transport is linked to auxin action. Possible mechanisms for octanol action will be discussed.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.388-395
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• 2018

Radionuclides were deposited at forest areas in eastern parts of Japan following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant incident in March 2011. Ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi have important effects on radiocaesium dynamics in forest ecosystems. We examined the effect of colonization by the EM fungus Astraeus hygrometricus on the uptake of cesium (Cs) and potassium (K) by Pinus densiflora seedlings. Pine seedlings exhibited enhanced growth after the EM formation due to the colonization by A. hygrometricus. Additionally, the shoot Cs concentration increased after the EM formation when Cs was not added to the medium. This suggests that A. hygrometricus might be able to solubilize Cs fixed to soil particles. Moreover, the shoot K concentration increased significantly after the EM formation when Cs was added. However, there were no significant differences in the root K concentration between EM and non-EM seedlings. These results suggest that different mechanisms control the transfer of Cs and K from the root to the shoot of pine seedlings.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.257-267
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• 1996

Diabetes mellitus is associated with a wide range of pathophysiologic changes in the kidney. This study was designed to examine the mechanisms by which glucose modulates the expression of polarized membrane transport functions in primary cultured rabbit renal proximal tubule cells. Results are as follows: The rate of 30 minute $Rb^{+}$ uptake was significantly higher($137.76{\pm}5.40%$) in primary renal tubular cell cultures treated with 20 mM glucose than that of 5 mM glucose. Not the level of mRNA for the ${\alpha}$ subunit of Na, K-ATPase but that of ${\beta}$ subunit was elevated in primary cultures treated with high glucose. The initial rate of methyl-${\alpha}$-D-glucopyranoside(${\alpha}$-MG) uptake was significantly lower($71.91{\pm}3.02%$) in monolayers treated with 20 mM glucose than that of 5 mM glucose. There was a tendency of an increase in phlorizin binding site in cells treated with 5 mM glucose. However, 3-O-methyl-D-glucose(3-O-MG) uptake was not affected by glucose concentration in culture media. TPA inhibited $Rb^{+}$ uptake by $63.61{\pm}1.94\;and\;45.80{\pm}1.36%$ and ${\alpha}$-MG uptake by $48.54{\pm}3.69\;and\;41.87{\pm}6.70%$ in the cells treated with 5 and 20 mM glucose, respectively. Also TPA inhibited mRNA expression of Na/glucose cotransporter in cells grown in 5mM glucose medium. cAMP significantly stimulated ${\alpha}$-MG uptake by $114.65{\pm}5.70%$ in cells treated with 5mM glucose, while it did not affect ${\alpha}$-MG uptake in cell treated with 20 mM glucose. However, cAMP inhibited $Rb^{+}$ uptake by $76.69{\pm}4.16\;and\;66.87{\pm}2.41%$ in cells treated with 5 and 20 mM glucose, respectively. In conclusion, the activity of the renal proximal tubular Na,K-ATPase is elevated in high glucose concentration. In contrast, the activity of the Na/glucose cotransport system is inhibited. High glucose may in part affect the activity of the Na,K-ATPase and the Na/glucose cotransport system by controlling the protein kinase C and/or A signal transduction pathway in primary cultured renal proximal tubule cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.729-735
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• 2021

Type 2 diabetes occurs when there is an abnormality in the tissue's ability to absorb glucose. Glucose uptake and metabolism by insulin are the basic mechanisms that maintain blood sugar. Glucose uptake goes through various signaling steps initiated by the binding of insulin to receptors on the cell surface. In line with the foregoing, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 2,7-phloroglucinol-6,6-bieckol (PHB), an active compound isolated from Ecklonia cava, on glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Notably, PHB increased glucose uptake in a dose-dependent manner owing to the enhanced glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) expression in the plasma membrane of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These effects of PHB were attributed to the phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 and protein kinase B (PKB or AKT), as well as to the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activation in the insulin signaling pathway. PHB also stimulated 5' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and activation. The phosphorylation and activation of the PI3K/AKT and AMPK pathways by PHB were identified using wortmannin (a PI3K inhibitor) and compound C (an AMPK inhibitor). In this study, we showed that PHB can increase glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by promoting GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane via the PI3K and AMPK pathways. The results indicate that PHB may help improve insulin sensitivity.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.457-462
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• 2019

[18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT imaging has been widely used in the diagnosis of malignant tumors. ATPase family AAA domain-containing protein 2 (ATAD2) plays important roles in tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. However, the relationship between [18F]FDG accumulation and ATAD2 expression remains largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between ATAD2 expression and [18F]FDG uptake in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. The results showed that ATAD2 expression was positively correlated with maximum standardized uptake value ($SUV_{max}$), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) expression and hexokinase2 (HK2) expression in LUAD tissues. In addition, ATAD2 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation, tumorigenicity, migration, [18F]FDG uptake and lactate production of LUAD cells, while, ATAD2 overexpression exhibited the opposite effects. Furthermore, ATAD2 modulated the glycometabolism of LUAD via AKT-GLUT1/HK2 pathway, as assessed using LY294002 (an inhibitor of PI3K/AKT pathway). In summary, to explore the correlation between ATAD2 expression and glycometabolism is expected to bring good news for anti-energy metabolism therapy of cancers.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.463-481
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• 2022

Phosphorous (P) is considered to be one of the key essential elements demanded by crop plants. Approximately 70 - 90% of phosphatic fertilizers applied to crops are fixed in soil as Ca, Fe, and Al metal cations, which are insoluble and thus not readily available for plant uptake. Therefore, most soils are deficient in plant available P. This is usually rectified by applying phosphate fertilizers continuously, although this is not economically viable or environmentally acceptable. The present paper reviews the mechanisms involved with phosphate solubilization and mineralization by phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSMs) with the associated factors that determine the success. PSMs are effectively involved in mediating the bioavailability of soil P. Their contribution includes mineralization of organic P solubilization of inorganic P minerals, and storing sizable amounts of P in biomass through different mechanisms such as the production of organic and inorganic acids, H₂S, siderophores, exopolysaccharides, and production of enzymes such as phosphatases, phytase, and phosphonatases/C-P lyases, which are capable of chelating the metal ions, forming complexes, and making plant available P. PSMs manifest a wide range of metabolic functions in different environments, resulting in significantly higher plant growth, enhanced soil properties, and increased biological activities. Therefore, development of bio-inoculants with efficient novel PSM strains and further investigations on exploring such strains from diverse ecological niches with multifunctional plant-growth-promoting traits are needed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 1999

Angiotensin II (ANG II) has a biphasic effect on $Na^+$ transport in proximal tubule: low doses of ANG II increase the $Na^+$ transport, whereas high doses of ANG II inhibit it. However, the mechanisms of high dose ANG II-induced inhibition on $Na^+$ uptake are poorly understood. Thus the aim of the present study was to investigate signal transduction pathways involved in the ANG II-induced inhibition of $Na^+$ uptake in the primary cultured rabbit renal proximal tubule cells (PTCs) in hormonally defined serum-free medium. ANG II $(10^{-9}\;M)-induced$ inhibition of $Na^+$ uptake was blocked by losartan $(10^{-8}\;M,\;AT_1\;antagonist),$ but not by PD123319 $(10^{-8}\;M,\;AT_2\;antagonist)$ (P<0.05). ANG II-induced inhibition of $Na^+$ uptake was also completely abolished by neomycin $(10^{-4}\;M,$ PLC inhibitor), W-7 $(10^{-4}\;M,$ calmodulin antagonist), and $AACOCF_3\;(10^{-6}\;M,\;PLA_2\;inhibitor)$ (P<0.05). ANG II significantly increased $[^3H]arachidonic$ acid (AA) release compared to control. The ANG II-induced $[^3H]AA$ release was blocked by losartan, $AACOCF_3,$ neomycin, and W-7, but not by PD123319. ANG II-induced $[^3H]AA$ release in the presence of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ was greater than in $Ca^{2+}-free$ medium, and it was partially blocked by TMB-8 $(10^{-4}\;M,$ intracelluar $Ca^{2+}$ mobilization blocker). However, in the absence of extracellular $Ca^{2+},$ it was completely blocked by TMB-8. In addition, econazole $(10^{-6}\;M,$ cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase inhibitor) and indomethacin $(10^{-6}\;M,$ cyclooxygenase inhibitor) blocked ANG II-induced inhibition of $Na^+$ uptake, but NGDA $(10^{-6}\;M,$ lipoxygenase inhibitor) did not affect it. In conclusion, $PLA_2-mediated$ AA release is involved in ANG II-induced inhibition of $Na^+$ uptake and is modulated by $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in the PTCs.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.167-175
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• 2014

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that treatment with Smilax china L. leaf extract (SCLE) produces antidiabetic effects due to ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibition. In this study, we examined the mechanism underlying these antidiabetic effects by examining glucose uptake in HepG2 cells cultured with SCLE. Methods: Glucose uptake and glucokinase activity were examined using an assay kit. Expression of glucose transporter (GLUT)-2, GLUT-4, and HNF-$1{\alpha}$ was measured by RT-PCR or western blot. Results: Treatment with SCLE resulted in enhanced glucose uptake in HepG2 cells, and this effect was especially pronounced when cells were cultured in an insulin-free medium. SCLE induced an increase in expression of GLUT-2 but not GLUT-4. The increase in the levels of HNF-$1{\alpha}$, a GLUT-2 transcription factor, in total protein extract and nuclear fraction suggest that the effects of SCLE may occur at the level of GLUT-2 transcription. In addition, by measuring the change in glucokinase activity following SCLE treatment, we confirmed that SCLE stimulates glucose utilization by direct activation of this enzyme. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the potential antidiabetic activity of SCLE is due at least in part to stimulation of glucose uptake and an increase in glucokinase activity, and that SCLE-stimulated glucose uptake is mediated through enhancement of GLUT-2 expression by inducing expression of its transcription factor, HNF-$1{\alpha}$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 1999

In the present study, the underlying mechanisms for diabetic functional derangement and insulin effect on diabetic cardiomyopathy were investigated with respect to sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ and phospholamban at the transcriptional and translational levels. The maximal $Ca^{2+}$ uptake and the affinity of $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ for $Ca^{2+}$ were decreased in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat cardiac SR, however, even minimal amount of insulin could reverse both parameters. Levels of both mRNA and protein of phospholamban were significantly increased in diabetic rat hearts, whereas the mRNA and protein levels of SR $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ were significantly decreased. In case of phospholamban, insulin treatment reverses these parameters to normal levels. Minimal amount of insulin could reverse the protein levels; however, it could not reverse the mRNA level of SR $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ at all. Thus, the decreased SR $Ca^{2+}$ uptake appear to be largely attributed to the decreased SR $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ level, which is further impaired due to the inhibition by the increased level of phospholamban. These results indicate that insulin is involved in the control of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in the cardiomyocyte through multiple target proteins via multiple mechanisms for the decrease in the mRNA for both SR $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ and phospholamban which are unknown and needs further study.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.33 no.1 s.128
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• pp.13-17
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• 2002

Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with type B gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. The vacuolation of cells induced by H. pylori is thought to be essential for the initiation and maintenance of gastric infection. The roles of H. pylori cytotoxin, urease, and ammonia in the vacuolation of HeLa cells were determined. Ammonium chloride augmented the neutral red uptake induced by H. pylori toxin. Acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) failed to block the neutral red uptake induced by H. pylori toxin. Leweifang significantly prevented the vacuolation of HeLa cells induced by H. pylori toxin or H. pylori toxin and ammonium chloride. Further investigation is required to determine the mechanisms of Leweifang for the inhibition of vacuole formation of eukaryotic cells in response to the H. pylori toxin.