• BMB Reports
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• 제55권12호
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• pp.609-614
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• 2022

Mutation of the gene for adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), as seen in Apc^Min/+ mice, leads to intestinal adenomas and carcinomas via stabilization of β-catenin. Transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) is involved in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, fibrosis, and cancer. However, the functional linkage between TM4SF5 and APC or β-catenin has not been investigated for pathological outcomes. After interbreeding Apc^Min/+ with TM4SF5-overexpressing transgenic (Tg^TM4SF5) mice, we explored pathological outcomes in the intestines and livers of the offspring. The intestines of 26-week-old dual-transgenic mice (Apc^Min/+:Tg^TM4SF5) had intramucosal adenocarcinomas beyond the single-crypt adenomas in Apc^Min/+ mice. Additional TM4SF5 overexpression increased the stabilization of β-catenin via reduced glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) phosphorylation on Ser9. Additionally, the livers of the dualtransgenic mice showed distinct sinusoidal dilatation and features of hepatic portal hypertension associated with fibrosis, more than did the relatively normal livers in Apc^Min/+ mice. Interestingly, TM4SF5 overexpression in the liver was positively linked to increased GSK3β phosphorylation (opposite to that seen in the colon), β-catenin level, and extracellular matrix (ECM) protein expression, indicating fibrotic phenotypes. Consistent with these results, 78-week-old Tg^TM4SF5 mice similarly had sinusoidal dilatation, immune cell infiltration, and fibrosis. Altogether, systemic overexpression of TM4SF5 aggravates pathological abnormalities in both the colon and the liver.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제33권9호
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• pp.703-712
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• 2023

기존 혈관에서 새로운 혈관을 형성하는 혈관 신생은 혈관 신생 조절인자에 의해 조절되는 다단계 과정이며 배아 발달, 만성 염증 및 상처 복구를 포함한 다양한 생리학적 과정에 필수적이다. 혈관 신생의 조절장애는 암, 자가 면역 질환, 류마티스 관절염, 심혈관 질환 및 상처 치유 지연과 같은 많은 질병을 유발한다. 그러나 효과적인 혈관신생 억제 약물은 제한되어 있으며, 최근 연구에서는 천연 자원에서 잠재적인 약물후보를 식별하는 데 중점을 두고 있다. 예를 들어, 해양 천연물은 항암, 항산화, 항염증, 항바이러스 및 상처 치유 효과를 입증했다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 톳(갈조류) 추출물의 혈관 신생 억제 효과를 확인했습니다. H. fusiformis 추출물은 인간 제대 정맥 내피 세포(HUVECs)에서 세포 이동, 침윤 및 관 형성을 억제하며, 동시에 Matrigel 겔 플러그 분석을 통해 생체 내 혈관 신생을 억제를 확인했다. 또한, 톳 추출물 처리 후 VEGF, Erk, Akt의 활성이 감소하는 것을 확인했다. 이 결과를 토대로 H. fusiformis 추출물이 in vitro 및 in vivo 혈관 신생을 억제함을 시사한다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.122-133
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• 2022

The aim of this study was to investigating whether lncRNA H19 promotes myocardial fibrosis by suppressing the miR-29a-3p/miR-29b-3p-VEGFA/TGF-β axis. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and healthy volunteers were included in the study, and their biochemical parameters were collected. In addition, pcDNA3.1-H19, si-H19, and miR-29a/b-3p mimic/inhibitor were transfected into cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), and proliferation of CFs was detected by MTT assay. Expression of H19 and miR-29a/b-3p were detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, collagen II, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and elastin were measured by western blot analysis. The dual luciferase reporter gene assay was carried out to detect the sponging relationship between H19 and miR-29a/b-3p in CFs. Compared with healthy volunteers, the level of plasma H19 was significantly elevated in patients with AF, while miR-29a-3p and miR-29b-3p were markedly depressed (P < 0.05). Serum expression of lncRNA H19 was negatively correlated with the expression of miR-29a-3p and miR-29b-3p among patients with AF (r_s = -0.337, r_s = -0.236). Moreover, up-regulation of H19 expression and down-regulation of miR-29a/b-3p expression facilitated proliferation and synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM)-related proteins. SB431542 and si-VEGFA are able to reverse the promotion of miR-29a/b-3p on proliferation of CFs and ECM-related protein synthesis. The findings of the present study suggest that H19 promoted CF proliferation and collagen synthesis by suppressing the miR-29a-3p/miR-29b-3p-VEGFA/TGF-β axis, and provide support for a potential new direction for the treatment of AF.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제33권5호
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• pp.591-599
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• 2023

Fisetin is a bioactive flavonol molecule and has been shown to have antioxidant potential, but its efficacy has not been fully validated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the protective efficacy of fisetin on C2C12 murine myoblastjdusts under hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative damage. The results revealed that fisetin significantly weakened H₂O₂-induced cell viability inhibition and DNA damage while blocking reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Fisetin also significantly alleviated cell cycle arrest by H₂O₂ treatment through by reversing the upregulation of p21WAF1/CIP1 expression and the downregulation of cyclin A and B levels. In addition, fisetin significantly blocked apoptosis induced by H₂O₂ through increasing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and attenuating mitochondrial damage, which was accompanied by inactivation of caspase-3 and suppression of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Furthermore, fisetin-induced nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of Nrf2 were related to the increased expression and activation of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in H₂O₂-stimulated C2C12 myoblasts. However, the protective efficacy of fisetin on H₂O₂-mediated cytotoxicity, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction, were greatly offset when HO-1 activity was artificially inhibited. Therefore, our results indicate that fisetin as an Nrf2 activator effectively abrogated oxidative stress-mediated damage in C2C12 myoblasts.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제33권7호
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• pp.574-585
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• 2023

노인들에서 근감소증은 의료-간호비용 증가의 주요 원인 중 하나가 되고 있다. 한국에서는 근감소증 예방 대책이 일반적으로 특정 질병이 없는 노인들을 대상으로 하지만, 요양원-요양병원에서 집단 거주하는 노인들의 근감소증 대책도 필요하다. 근감소증은 운동량 감소, 단백질 및 영양분(미네랄, 비타민 포함) 섭취 감소, 테스토스테론 및 성장호르몬 변화, 염증 등의 원인으로 발생한다. 분자 생물학적인 정확한 병태생리 기전의 이해가 요구된다. 근감소증은 골다공증, 낙상으로 인한 골절, 치매, 당뇨병, 심혈관 질환 등의 증상을 연결될 수 있다. 비타민 B 패밀리(B1-3, B5-7, B9 및 B12) 결핍을 근감소증 유발의 연구 대상으로 선택한 이유는 다음과 같다. 이는 비타민 B가 에너지 및 단백질 대사에 직접 관여하여 정상적인 신경 기능 유지에 필수적이다. 비타민 B 결핍은 신경-근육 질환, 신경성 질환으로 나타날 수 있으며, 노인성 근감소증과 병행하는 경우가 많다. 노인들은 적정치 이하의 비타민 B 패밀리 섭취, 흡수 장애 및 무식증 문제 등을 겪을 가능성이 높다. 초고령화 사회에서 elderly가 자립적으로 일상생활을 할 수 있는 'health lifetime'을 유지하는 것은 개인의 행복추구와 사회경제적 부담을 줄일수 있는 최고의 목표이다. 본 연구는 근감소증과 관련하여 노인들의 근육량 감소 및 근육 기능 저하를 조절하는 수용성 비타민 B 패밀리의 최신 정보를 제공한다. 또한, 비타민 B 패밀리를 통한 마이오카인에 의한 근감소증의 조절 가능성도 소개한다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제56권10호
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• pp.569-574
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• 2023

Aberrant DNA methylation plays a pivotal role in the onset and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), a disease with high incidence and mortality rates in Korea. Several CRC-associated diagnostic and prognostic methylation markers have been identified; however, due to a lack of comprehensive clinical and methylome data, these markers have not been validated in the Korean population. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to obtain the CRC methylation profile using 172 tumors and 128 adjacent normal colon tissues of Korean patients with CRC. Based on the comparative methylome analysis, we found that hypermethylated positions in the tumor were predominantly concentrated in CpG islands and promoter regions, whereas hypomethylated positions were largely found in the open-sea region, notably distant from the CpG islands. In addition, we stratified patients by applying the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) to the tumor methylome data. This stratification validated previous clinicopathological implications, as tumors with high CIMP signatures were significantly correlated with the proximal colon, higher prevalence of microsatellite instability status, and MLH1 promoter methylation. In conclusion, our extensive methylome analysis and the accompanying dataset offers valuable insights into the utilization of CRC-associated methylation markers in Korean patients, potentially improving CRC diagnosis and prognosis. Furthermore, this study serves as a solid foundation for further investigations into personalized and ethnicity-specific CRC treatments.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제46권10호
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• pp.592-610
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• 2023

The Hippo kinase cascade functions as a central hub that relays input from the "outside world" of the cell and translates it into specific cellular responses by regulating the activity of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1). How Hippo translates input from the extracellular signals into specific intracellular responses remains unclear. Here, we show that transforming growth factor β (TGFβ)-activated TAK1 activates LATS1/2, which then phosphorylates YAP1. Phosphorylated YAP1 (p-YAP1) associates with RUNX3, but not with TEAD4, to form a TGFβ-stimulated restriction (R)-point-associated complex which activates target chromatin loci in the nucleus. Soon after, p-YAP1 is exported to the cytoplasm. Attenuation of TGFβ signaling results in re-localization of unphosphorylated YAP1 to the nucleus, where it forms a YAP1/TEAD4/SMAD3/AP1/p300 complex. The TGFβ-stimulated spatiotemporal dynamics of YAP1 are abrogated in many cancer cells. These results identify a new pathway that integrates TGFβ signals and the Hippo pathway (TGFβ→TAK1→LATS1/2→YAP1 cascade) with a novel dynamic nuclear role for p-YAP1.

• 한국해양학회지:바다
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.118-126
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• 2009

저서규조류는 하구역 먹이망을 이해하는 데 중요한 생물로서 그들의 광생리 특성에 따라 일차생산력이 크게 변화한다. 본 연구에서는 단기간 온도 변화가 저서규조류 4종(Navicula sp., Nitzschia sp., Cylindrotheca closterium, Pleurosigma elongatum)의 광합성 반응에 미치는 영향을 Diving PAM을 이용한 엽록소 형광 분석법으로 측정하여 광생리 특성을 분석하였다. 6개의 온도 조건(10, 15, 20, 25, 30, $35^{\circ}C$)에서 2시간 간격으로 24시간 동안 엽록소 형광을 측정하여 P-I 곡선을 도출하였다. 제2광계의 유효양자수율($\Phi_{PSII}$)은 대부분의 종에 있어서 온도가 증가함에 따라 감소하였으며, 상대 최대 전자전달율(rETRmax)은 최적 온도까지 증가한 후 급격하게 감소하였다. 최대 빛이용 효율($\alpha$)은 다른 광합성 매개변수에 비해 온도에 덜 민감하였으나, 높은 온도에서는 감소하였으며, 광포화 계수($E_K$)는 상대 최대 전자전달율의 반응과 매우 유사하였다. 종별 광생리 특성을 분석한 결과, Navicula sp.와 Cylindeotheca closterium가 광생리적 조절을 통하여 단시간의 온도 변화에 광순응하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제34권6호
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• pp.399-407
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• 2024

혈관신생은 기존 혈관에서 새로운 혈관을 형성하는 과정이며, 이 현상은 성장, 치유, 월경주기의 변화 중에 발생한다. 종양의 경우, 혈관신생은 원발성 종양의 지속적인 성장, 전이 촉진, 전이성 종양 성장 지원 및 암 진행에 중요한 복잡하고 다면적인 과정이다. 혈관신생 장애는 암 발병, 자가면역 질환, 류마티스 관절염, 심혈관 질환 및 상처 치유 지연을 초래할 수 있다. 현재 유효한 혈관신생 억제약물은 제한된 수에 불과하다. 최근 연구에 따르면 해양 천연물이 혈관신생 억제효과를 나타내는 것으로 보고되고 있다. 이전 연구에서 Hizikia fusiformis의 핵산 추출물(HFC)이 in vitro 및 in vivo에서 혈관 신생 억제효과를 확인하고 보고하였다. 본 연구의 목적은 H. fusiformis의 클로로포름 추출물(HFC)의 혈관신생 억제 효과를 확인하는 것이다. HFC가 세포 이동, 침입 및 관 형성을 포함하여 HUVEC 세포에 미치는 영향을 조사하였고, 또한 마우스 Matrigel 겔 플러그 분석을 통해 생체 내 혈관 신생 억제 효과도 조사하였다. 또한 HFC 처리 후 혈관신생에 중요한 인자인 VEGF, FGFR의 발현이 억제되고, Erk, Akt의 활성이 감소하는 것을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과는 해양갈조류 톳(H. fusiformis)의 클로르포름 추출물이 in vitro 및 in vivo 혈관 신생을 억제함을 보여준다.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.35.1-35.16
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• 2023

Defining the molecular dynamics associated with T cell differentiation enhances our understanding of T cell biology and opens up new possibilities for clinical implications. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of CD5 expression in CD8⁺ T cell differentiation and explored its potential clinical uses. Using PBMCs from 29 healthy donors, we observed a stepwise decrease in CD5 expression as CD8⁺ T cells progressed through the differentiation stages. Interestingly, we found that CD5 expression was initially upregulated in response to T cell receptor stimulation, but diminished as the cells underwent proliferation, potentially explaining the differentiation-associated CD5 downregulation. Based on the proliferation-dependent downregulation of CD5, we hypothesized that relative CD5 expression could serve as a marker to distinguish the heterogeneous CD8⁺ T cell population based on their proliferation history. In support of this, we demonstrated that effector memory CD8⁺ T cells with higher CD5 expression exhibited phenotypic and functional characteristics resembling less differentiated cells compared to those with lower CD5 expression. Furthermore, in the retrospective analysis of PBMCs from 30 non-small cell lung cancer patients, we found that patients with higher CD5 expression in effector memory T cells displayed CD8⁺ T cells with a phenotype closer to the less differentiated cells, leading to favorable clinical outcomes in response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. These findings highlight the dynamics of CD5 expression as an indicator of CD8⁺ T cell differentiation status, and have implications for the development of predictive biomarker for ICI therapy.