• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.710-722
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• 2021

Hypoxia, or low oxygen tension, is a hallmark of the tumor microenvironment. The hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) subunit plays a critical role in the adaptive cellular response of hypoxic tumor cells to low oxygen tension by activating gene-expression programs that control cancer cell metabolism, angiogenesis, and therapy resistance. Phosphorylation is involved in the stabilization and regulation of HIF-1α transcriptional activity. HIF-1α is activated by several factors, including the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) superfamily. MAPK phosphatase 3 (MKP-3) is a cytoplasmic dual-specificity phosphatase specific for extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2). Recent evidence indicates that hypoxia increases the endogenous levels of both MKP-3 mRNA and protein. However, its role in the response of cells to hypoxia is poorly understood. Herein, we demonstrated that small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of MKP-3 enhanced HIF-1α (not HIF-2α) levels. Conversely, MKP-3 overexpression suppressed HIF-1α (not HIF-2α) levels, as well as the expression levels of hypoxia-responsive genes (LDHA, CA9, GLUT-1, and VEGF), in hypoxic colon cancer cells. These findings indicated that MKP-3, induced by HIF-1α in hypoxia, negatively regulates HIF-1α protein levels and hypoxia-responsive genes. However, we also found that long-term hypoxia (>12 h) induced proteasomal degradation of MKP-3 in a lactic acid-dependent manner. Taken together, MKP-3 expression is modulated by the hypoxic conditions prevailing in colon cancer, and plays a role in cellular adaptation to tumor hypoxia and tumor progression. Thus, MKP-3 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for colon cancer treatment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.659-666
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• 2021

After Candida albicans, Candida glabrata is one of the most common fungal species associated with candidemia in nosocomial infections. Rapid acquisition of nutrients from the host is important for the survival of pathogens which possess the metabolic flexibility to assimilate different carbon and nitrogen compounds. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nitrogen assimilation is controlled through a mechanism known as Nitrogen Catabolite Repression (NCR). NCR is coordinated by the action of four GATA factors; two positive regulators, Gat1 and Gln3, and two negative regulators, Gzf3 and Dal80. A mechanism in C. glabrata similar to NCR in S. cerevisiae has not been broadly studied. We previously showed that in C. glabrata, Gln3, and not Gat1, has a major role in nitrogen assimilation as opposed to what has been observed in S. cerevisiae in which both factors regulate NCR-sensitive genes. Here, we expand the knowledge about the role of Gln3 from C. glabrata through the transcriptional analysis of BG14 and gln3Δ strains. Approximately, 53.5% of the detected genes were differentially expressed (DEG). From these DEG, amino acid metabolism and ABC transporters were two of the most enriched KEGG categories in our analysis (Up-DEG and Down-DEG, respectively). Furthermore, a positive role of Gln3 in AAA assimilation was described, as was its role in the transcriptional regulation of ARO8. Finally, an unexpected negative role of Gln3 in the gene regulation of ABC transporters CDR1 and CDR2 and its associated transcriptional regulator PDR1 was found. This observation was confirmed by a decreased susceptibility of the gln3Δ strain to fluconazole.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.1
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• pp.4-12
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• 2022

Objective : We reported the differentially methylated genes in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) using bioinformatics analyses to explore the biological characteristics of the development of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Methods : DNA methylation profiles obtained from 40 SAH patients from an epigenome-wide association study were analyzed. Functional enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, and module analyses were carried out. Results : A total of 13 patients (32.5%) experienced DCI during the follow-up. In total, we categorized the genes into the two groups of hypermethylation (n=910) and hypomethylation (n=870). The hypermethylated genes referred to biological processes of organic cyclic compound biosynthesis, nucleobase-containing compound biosynthesis, heterocycle biosynthesis, aromatic compound biosynthesis and cellular nitrogen compound biosynthesis. The hypomethylated genes referred to biological processes of carbohydrate metabolism, the regulation of cell size, and the detection of a stimulus, and molecular functions of amylase activity, and hydrolase activity. Based on PPI network and module analysis, three hypermethylation modules were mainly associated with antigen-processing, Golgi-to-ER retrograde transport, and G alpha (i) signaling events, and two hypomethylation modules were associated with post-translational protein phosphorylation and the regulation of natural killer cell chemotaxis. VHL, KIF3A, KIFAP3, RACGAP1, and OPRM1 were identified as hub genes for hypermethylation, and ALB and IL5 as hub genes for hypomethylation. Conclusion : This study provided novel insights into DCI pathogenesis following SAH. Differently methylated hub genes can be useful biomarkers for the accurate DCI diagnosis.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.46-59
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• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Aster yomena (Kitam.) Honda (AY) has remarkable bioactivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer activities. On the other hand, the effects of AY against obesity-induced insulin resistance have not been reported. Therefore, this study examined the potential of AY against obesity-associated insulin resistance in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: An obesity model was established by feeding C57BL/6J mice a 60% HFD for 16 weeks. The C57BL6/When ethyl acetate fraction from AY (EFAY) at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg/day was administered orally to mice fed a HFD for the last 4 weeks. Normal and control groups were administered water orally. The body weight and fasting blood glucose were measured every week. Dietary intake was measured every other day. After dissection, blood and tissues were collected from the mice. RESULTS: The administration of EFAY reduced body and organ weights significantly compared to HFD-fed control mice. The EFAY-administered groups also improved the serum lipid profile by decreasing the triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein compared to the control group. In addition, EFAY ameliorated the insulin resistance-related metabolic dysfunctions, including the fasting blood glucose and serum insulin level, compared to the HFD-fed control mice. The EFAY inhibited lipid synthesis and insulin resistance by down-regulation of hepatic fatty acid synthase and up-regulation of the AMP-activated protein kinase pathway. EFAY also reduced lipid peroxidation in the liver, indicating that EFAY protected hepatic injury induced by obesity. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that EFAY improved obesity-associated insulin resistance by regulating the lipid and glucose metabolism, suggesting that AY could be used as a functional food to prevent obesity and insulin resistance.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.99-107
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• 2019

Objective : The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Chaenomelis Fructus (CF) on the regulation of biogenesis in C2C12 mouse skeletal muscle cells. Methods : C2C12 myoblasts were differentiated into myotubes in 2% horse serum-containing medium for 5 days, and then treated with CF extract at different concentrations for 48 hr. The expression of muscle differentiation markers, myogenin and myosin heavy chain (MHC) and mitochondrial biogenesis-regulating factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC1α), sirtuin1 (Sirt1), nuclear respiratory factor1 (NRF1) and transcription factor A, mitochondrial (TFAM), and the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were determined in C2C12 myotubes by reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot, respectively. The cellular glucose levels and total ATP contents were measured by cellular glucose uptake and ATP assays, respectively. Results : Treatment with CF extract (0.01, 0.02, and 0.05 mg/㎖) significantly increased the expression of MHC protein in C2C12 myotubes compared with non-treated cells. CF extract significantly increased the expression of PGC1α and TFAM in the myotubes. Also, CF extract significantly increased glucose uptake levels and ATP contents in the myotubes. Conclusion : CF extract can stimulate C2C12 myoblasts differentiation into myotubes and increase energy production through upregulation of the expression of mitochondrial biogenetic factors in C2C12 mouse skeletal muscle cell. This suggests that CF can help to improve skeletal muscle function with stimulation of the energy metabolism.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.496-504
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• 2022

Background: Cigarette smoke (CS) is considered a principal cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is associated with mucus hypersecretion and airway inflammation. Ginsenoside compound K (CK), a product of ginsenoside metabolism, has various biological activities. Studies on the effects of CK for the treatment of COPD and mucus hypersecretion, including the underlying signaling mechanism, have not yet been conducted. Methods: To study the protective effects and molecular mechanism of CK, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced human airway epithelial (NCI-H292) cells were used as a cellular model of airway inflammation. An experimental mouse COPD model was also established via CS inhalation and intranasal administration of lipopolysaccharide. Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 secretion, as well as elastase activity and reactive oxygen species production, were determined through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Inflammatory cell influx and mucus secretion in mouse lung tissues were estimated using hematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid-schiff staining, respectively. PKCδ and its downstream signaling molecules were analyzed via western blotting. Results: CK prevented the secretion of MUC5AC and TNF-α in PMA-stimulated NCI-H292 cells and exhibited a protective effect in COPD mice via the suppression of inflammatory mediators and mucus secretion. These effects were accompanied by an inactivation of PKCδ and related signaling in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: CK suppressed pulmonary inflammation and mucus secretion in COPD mouse model through PKC regulation, highlighting the compound's potential as a useful adjuvant in the prevention and treatment of COPD.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.54-64
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• 2023

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer (P. ginseng) is a traditional natural/herbal medicine. The amelioration on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity rely mainly on its main active ingredients that are referred to as ginsenosides. However, the current literature on gut microbiota, gut microbiota-host co-metabolites, and systems pharmacology has no studies investigating the effects of ginsenoside on IBD. Methods: The present study was aimed to investigate the role of ginsenosides and the possible underlying mechanisms in the treatment of IBD in an acetic acid-induced rat model by integrating metagenomics, metabolomics, and complex biological networks analysis. In the study ten ginsenosides in the ginsenoside fraction (GS) were identified using Q-Orbitrap LC-MS. Results: The results demonstrated the improvement effect of GS on IBD and the regulation effect of ginsenosides on gut microbiota and its co-metabolites. It was revealed that 7 endogenous metabolites, including acetic acid, butyric acid, citric acid, tryptophan, histidine, alanine, and glutathione, could be utilized as significant biomarkers of GS in the treatment of IBD. Furthermore, the biological network studies revealed EGFR, STAT3, and AKT1, which belong mainly to the glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways, as the potential targets for GS for intervening in IBD. Conclusion: These findings indicated that the combination of genomics, metabolomics, and biological network analysis could assist in elucidating the possible mechanism underlying the role of ginsenosides in alleviating inflammatory bowel disease and thereby reveal the pathological process of ginsenosides in IBD treatment through the regulation of the disordered host-flora co-metabolism pathway.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.640-654
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• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of sodium salicylate (SS) on semen preservation and metabolic regulation in goats. Methods: Under the condition of low temperature, SS was added to goat semen diluent to detect goat sperm motility, plasma membrane, acrosome, antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and metabonomics. Results: The results show that at the 8th day of low-temperature storage, the sperm motility of the 20 μM SS group was 66.64%, and the integrity rates of the plasma membrane and acrosome were both above 60%, significantly higher than those of the other groups. The activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase in the sperm of the 20 μM SS group were significantly higher than those of the control group, the contents of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde were significantly lower than those in the control group, the MMP was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the contents of Ca²⁺ and total cholesterol were significantly higher than those in the control group. Through metabonomics analysis, there were significant metabolic differences between the control group and the 20 μM SS group. Twenty of the most significant metabolic markers were screened, mainly involving five metabolic pathways, of which nicotinic acid and nicotinamide metabolic pathways were the most significant. Conclusion: The results indicate that SS can effectively improve the low-temperature preservation quality of goat sperm.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2024

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder among reproductive-age women. As a leading cause of anovulatory infertility, it complicates fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization. The widely accepted 2003 Rotterdam diagnostic criteria for PCOS include sub-phenotypes based on variations in androgen excess, ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphology. In this systematic review, we examined the impacts of inositol and vitamin D on fertility in PCOS. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, we used relevant keywords to comprehensively search databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, and MDPI. From an initial pool of 345 articles, 10 met the inclusion criteria. The articles suggest that vitamin D and inositol, particularly myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol, may represent therapeutic options for PCOS. Vitamin D influences ovarian follicular development, glucose regulation, and insulin sensitivity. When combined with metformin therapy, it is associated with improved menstrual regularity and ovulation. Inositol is crucial for cellular signaling, energy metabolism, glucose regulation, and fertility. This systematic review underscores the importance of investigating inositol and vitamin D within a PCOS management strategy, given the disorder's prevalence and impacts on fertility and metabolic health. Although these agents show promise, additional research could clarify their mechanisms of action and therapeutic benefits. This review emphasizes the need for exploration of effective treatments to improve the quality of life among individuals with PCOS. Inositol and vitamin D represent potential options, but more studies are required to elucidate their roles in the management of this condition.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 1995

In Escherichia coli, CRP forms a complex with cAMP and acts as a transcriptional regulator of many genes, including sugar metabolism operons. The E. coli MK2001, which is introduced the altered crp, is functional in the expression of lac, ara and man, in the absence of cAMP. However, the expression of mal gene is fully activated by the addition of cAMP or cGMP. The object of the study is cloning of the sfs (sugar fermentation stimulation) genes, which was involved in regulation of mal gene expression with the altered crp gene, and structural analysis and characterization of the genes at the molecular level. We have cloned 5 different E. coli genes which stimulate the maltose metabolism in a crp, cya::km (MK2001) background. Newly identified genes were designated as sfs. One of the sfs genes (pPC1), located at the 53.2 min map position on the E. coli chromosome, was further analyzed. Expression of the genes, which is involved in maltose metabolism, malQ (amylomaltase), was increased to 5.8-fold in the presence of a plasmid, pAP5, containing the subcloned sfs4 gene. The nucleotide seguence of a common 2,126 bp segment of the pPCM1 was determined and two open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2) were detected. The ORF1 encodes the sfs4 gene and ORF2 encodes a truncated protein. Potential CRP binding site is located in the upstream of the putative promoter in the regulatory region. Expression of the cloned sfs4 gene was positively regulated by the cAMP-CRP complex.