• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권3호
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• pp.222-227
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• 2020

Inositol polyphosphate multikinase (IPMK) is required for the biosynthesis of inositol phosphates (IPs) through the phosphorylation of multiple IP metabolites such as IP3 and IP4. The biological significance of IPMK's catalytic actions to regulate cellular signaling events such as growth and metabolism has been studied extensively. However, pharmacological reagents that inhibit IPMK have not yet been identified. We employed a structure-based virtual screening of publicly available U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs and chemicals that identified the antidepressant, vilazodone, as an IPMK inhibitor. Docking simulations and pharmacophore analyses showed that vilazodone has a higher affinity for the ATP-binding catalytic region of IPMK than ATP and we validated that vilazodone inhibits IPMK's IP kinase activities in vitro. The incubation of vilazodone with NIH3T3-L1 fibroblasts reduced cellular levels of IP5 and other highly phosphorylated IPs without influencing IP4 levels. We further found decreased Akt phosphorylation in vilazodone-treated HCT116 cancer cells. These data clearly indicate selective cellular actions of vilazodone against IPMK-dependent catalytic steps in IP metabolism and Akt activation. Collectively, our data demonstrate vilazodone as a method to inhibit cellular IPMK, providing a valuable pharmacological agent to study and target the biological and pathological processes governed by IPMK.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.97-104
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• 2008

Objective: Transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily type 1 (TRPV1), a most specific marker of the nociceptive primary afferent, is expressed in peptidergic and non-peptidergic primary afferents innervating skin and viscera. However, its expression in sensory fibers to skeletal muscle is not well known. In this study, we studied the neurochemical characteristics of TRPV1-positive primary afferents to skeletal muscles. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with total $20{\mu}l$ of 1% fast blue (FB) into the gastrocnemius and erector spinae muscle and animals were perfused 4 days after injection. FB-positive cells were traced in the L4-L5 (for gastrocnemius muscle) and L2-L4 (for erector spinae muscle) dorsal root ganglia. The neurochemical characteristics of the muscle afferents were studied with multiple immunofluorescence with TRPV1, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and $P2X_3$. To identify spinal neurons responding to noxious stimulus to the skeletal muscle, 10% acetic acids were injected into the gastrocnemius and erector spinae muscles and expression of phospho extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) in spinal cords were identified with immunohistochemical method. Results: TRPVl was expressed in about 49% of muscle afferents traced from gastrocnemius and 40% of erector spinae. Sixty-five to 60% of TRPV1-positive muscles afferents also expressed CGRP. In contrast, expression of $P2X_3$ immnoreaction in TRPV1-positive muscle afferents were about 20%. TRPV1-positive primary afferents were contacted with spinal neurons expressing pERK after injection of acetic acid into the muscles. Conclusion: It is consequently suggested that nociception from skeletal muscles are mediated by TRPV1-positive primary afferents and majority of them are also peptidergic.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제31권12호
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• pp.1852-1862
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate a single step genome-wide association study (ssGWAS) for identifying genomic regions affecting reproductive traits in Landrace and Large White pigs. Methods: The traits included the number of pigs weaned per sow per year (PWSY), the number of litters per sow per year (LSY), pigs weaned per litters (PWL), born alive per litters (BAL), non-productive day (NPD) and wean to conception interval per litters (W2CL). A total of 321 animals (140 Landrace and 181 Large White pigs) were genotyped with the Illumina Porcine SNP 60k BeadChip, containing 61,177 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), while multiple traits single-step genomic BLUP method was used to calculate variances of 5 SNP windows for 11,048 Landrace and 13,985 Large White data records. Results: The outcome of ssGWAS on the reproductive traits identified twenty-five and twenty-two SNPs associated with reproductive traits in Landrace and Large White, respectively. Three known genes were identified to be candidate genes in Landrace pigs including retinol binding protein 7, and ubiquitination factor E4B genes for PWL, BAL, W2CL, and PWSY and one gene, solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 6A1, for LSY and NPD. Meanwhile, five genes were identified to be candidate genes in Large White, two of which, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A3 and leucine rich repeat kinase 1, associated with all of six reproduction traits and three genes; retrotransposon Gag like 4, transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily C member 5, and LHFPL tetraspan subfamily member 1 for five traits except W2CL. Conclusion: The genomic regions identified in this study provided a start-up point for marker assisted selection and estimating genomic breeding values for improving reproductive traits in commercial pig populations.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권7호
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• pp.844-854
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• 2022

Helicobacter pylori, a group 1 carcinogen, colonizes the stomach and affects the development of stomach diseases. Progranulin (PGRN) is an autocrine growth factor that regulates multiple cellular processes and plays a tumorigenic role in many tissues. Nevertheless, the mechanism of action of PGRN in gastric cancer caused by H. pylori infection remains unclear. Here, we investigated the role of PGRN in cell cycle progression and the cell proliferation induced by H. pylori infection. We found that the increased PGRN was positively associated with CDK4 expression in gastric cancer tissue. PGRN was upregulated by H. pylori infection, thereby promoting cell proliferation, and that enhanced level of proliferation was reduced by PGRN inhibitor. CDK4, a target gene of PGRN, is a cyclin-dependent kinase that binds to cyclin D to promote cell cycle progression, which was upregulated by H. pylori infection. We also showed that knockdown of CDK4 reduced the higher cell cycle progression caused by upregulated PGRN. Moreover, when the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway (which is promoted by PGRN) was blocked, the upregulation of CDK4 mediated by PGRN was reduced. These results reveal the potential mechanism by which PGRN plays a major role through CDK4 in the pathological mechanism of H. pylori infection.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.2.1-2.14
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• 2023

Background: Hypothermia is a crucial environmental factor that elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease, but the underlying effect is unclear. Objectives: This study examined the role of cold stress (CS) in cardiac injury and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: In this study, a chronic CS-induced myocardial injury model was used; mice were subjected to chronic CS (4℃) for three hours per day for three weeks. Results: CS could result in myocardial injury by inducing the levels of heat shock proteins 70 (HSP70), enhancing the generation of creatine phosphokinase-isoenzyme (CKMB) and malondialdehyde (MDA), increasing the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) interleukin1b (IL-1β), IL-18, IL-6, and triggering the depletion of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH). Multiple signaling pathways were activated by cold exposure, including pyroptosis-associated NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3)-regulated caspase-1-dependent/Gasdermin D (GSDMD), inflammation-related toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)-mediated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), as well as oxidative stressinvolved thioredoxin-1/thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip) signaling pathways, which play a pivotal role in myocardial injury resulting from hypothermia. Conclusions: These findings provide new insights into the increased risk of cardiovascular disease at extremely low temperatures.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.543-551
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• 2023

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer is a representative Chinese herbal medicine with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. 20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD) has been isolated from ginseng and shown to have promising pharmacological activities. However, effects of PDD on pulmonary fibrosis (PF) have not been reported. We hypothesize that PDD may reverse inflammation-induced PF and be a novel therapeutic strategy. Methods: Adult male C57BL/6 mice were used to establish a model of PF induced by bleomycin (BLM). The pulmonary index was measured, and histological and immunohistochemical examinations were made. Cell cultures of mouse alveolar epithelial cells were analyzed with Western blotting, coimmunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, siRNA transfection, cellular thermal shift assay and qRT-PCR. Results: The survival rate of PPD-treated mice was higher than that of untreated BLM-challenged mice. Expression of fibrotic hallmarks, including α-SMA, TGF-β1 and collagen I, was reduced by PPD treatment, indicating attenuation of PF. Mice exposed to BLM had higher STING levels in lung tissue, and this was reduced by phosphorylated AMPK after activation by PPD. The role of phosphorylated AMPK in suppressing STING was confirmed in TGF-b1-incubated cells. Both in vivo and in vitro analyses indicated that PPD treatment attenuated BLM-induced PF by modulating the AMPK/STING signaling pathway. Conclusion: PPD ameliorated BLM-induced PF by multi-target regulation. The current study may help develop new therapeutic strategies for preventing PF.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.10.1-10.14
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• 2020

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown remarkable benefit in the treatment of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and have emerged as an effective treatment option even in the first-line setting. ICIs can block inhibitory pathways that restrain the immune response against cancer, restoring and sustaining antitumor immunity. Currently, there are 4 PD-1/PD-L1 blocking agents available in clinics, and immunotherapy-based regimen alone or in combination with chemotherapy is now preferred option. Combination trials assessing combination of ICIs with chemotherapy, targeted therapy and other immunotherapy are ongoing. Controversies remain regarding the use of ICIs in targetable oncogene-addicted subpopulations, but their initial treatment recommendations remained unchanged, with specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors as the choice. For the majority of patients without targetable driver oncogenes, deciding between therapeutic options can be difficult due to lack of direct cross-comparison studies. There are continuous efforts to find predictive biomarkers to find those who respond better to ICIs. PD-L1 protein expressions by immunohistochemistry and tumor mutational burden have emerged as most well-validated biomarkers in multiple clinical trials. However, there still is a need to improve patient selection, and to establish the most effective concurrent or sequential combination therapies in different NSCLC clinical settings. In this review, we will introduce currently used ICIs in NSCLC and analyze most recent trials, and finally discuss how, when and for whom ICIs can be used to provide promising avenues for lung cancer treatment.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.511-518
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• 2012

The mechanisms of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling have been the focus of extensive studies because TLRs are the target of therapeutic intervention on multiple diseases. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory potential of Vigna angularis (azuki bean) on the TLR signaling. The effect of Vigna angularis extract (JSD) on TLR activation was investigated by assessing NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1 inducible secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) activity. JSD significantly inhibited SEAP activity induced by poly I:C (TLR3 ligand) and poly I (TLR7 ligand) in a dose-dependent manner at concentration below 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ with no sign of cytotoxicity. Pretreatment of JSD markedly suppressed mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines and adhesive molecules such as TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, RANTES, MCP-1 and ICAM-1 induced by TLR ligands. It also diminished the phosphorylation of $I{\kappa}B$ kinase and $I{\kappa}B$, and followed by $I{\kappa}B$-mediated nuclear translocation of p50, p65, and phosphorylation of p38, JNK, and IRF signaling pathway. In conclusion, our results suggest that Vigna angularis has inhibitory activity on TLR-3 and -7 signaling and it can be further developed as a remedy in curing TLR-related multiple diseases.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.101-108
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• 2016

본 연구에서는 미만형 위암조직에서의 임상병리학적 인자와 HSP70, BAG1, Raf-1의 발현간의 상관관계를 평가하고자 하였다. Hsp70은 열충격단백질(heat shock protein)의 환경적 스트레스로부터 세포를 보호하는 분자생물학적 chaperone으로 작용하는 것뿐 아니라 anti-apoptotic 작용을 통하여 암세포의 생존과 전이를 촉진시키는 것으로 알려져 있다. Proto-oncogene의 일종인 Raf는 사람을 포함한 진핵세포의 생장에 관여하는 중요한 신호전달경로인 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)경로의 중심인자로서 다양한 암에서 그 발현이 증가한다고 알려져 있다. Bcl-2에 결합하여 세포사멸을 저해하는 것으로 처음 보고된 Bcl-2-associated athanogene-1 (BAG-1)은 다양한 암에서 그 발현이 증가된다고 보고되었다. 또한 BAG-1은 HSP70과 상호작용하여 Raf-1-ERK signal pathway와 cell growth를 조절하는 것으로 보고되었다. Hsp70의 발현은 임파절 전이가 있는 경우 24례(64.9%)에서 양성, 13례(35.1%)에서 음성을 보였으며, 임파절 전이가 없는 경우 6례(26.1%)에서 양성, 17례(73.9%)에서 음성을 보여 임파절의 전이가 있는 경우가 임파절 전이가 없는 경우에 비해 유의하게 높은 발현율을 보였다(p=0.007). N-stage에 따른 발현은 N-stage가 증가함에 따라 발현율이 유의하게 증가하였다(p=0.006). BAG1의발현은 전체 대상 환자 중 43례(71.7%)에서 양성, 17례(28.3%)에서 음성소견을 보였으며, 65세 미만에서 65세 이상에 비해 유의하게 높은 발현율을 보였다(p=0.035). RAF1의 경우 전체 대상 환자 중 45례(75.0%)에서 양성, 15례(25.0%)에서 음성소견을 보였으며, BAG1 양성환자에서 RAF1의 발현이 유의하게 증가 하였다(p=0.021). 본연구 결과 Hsp70은 종양의 진행과 상관성이 있을 것으로 생각되어지며, BAG1과 Raf-1은 미만형위 암의 진단적 마커로 유용할 것으로 사료된다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.347-355
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• 1999

배경: Phospholipase C(PLC)는 세포의 성장, 분화, 변형(transformation)과 관련된 세포내 신호 전달과정에 중추적인 역할을 하는 효소이다. 이들 중 PLC-$\gamma$는 tyrosine kinase의 인산화에 의해 주로 활성화되는 데, 최근에 phosphatidic acid(PA), phosphatidy-linositol 3, 4, 5-trisphosphate($PIP_3$), tau 단백에 의한 활성화 기전이 밝혀진 바 있다. 특히 tau 단백은 bovine brain에서 arachidonic acid와 함께 PLC-$\gamma$를 활성화시키는 것으로 알려져 PLC-$\gamma$와 $PLA_2$ 사이의 cross-talk이 이루어질 가능성이 제시되고 있다. 최근 보고에 의하면 tau 단백과 같은 기전으로 PLC-${\gamma}1$ 활성화시키는 단백이 bovine lung에서 발견되었고, 이 활성화 단백을 정제 및 클론하여 AHNAK 단백임이 확인된 바 있다. 또한 PLC-${\gamma}1$이 유방암, 대장암, 위암 등에서 증가되어 있어 발암 과정과 연관되어 있음이 보고되어 왔으나 PLC-${\gamma}1$의 활성화 단백인 AHNAK 단백에 대해서는 질병과 관련되어 연구된 것이 아직 없는 실정이며 저자 등은 폐암 조직과 정상 폐조직에서 AHNAK 단백의 발현 양상을 연구하여 폐암의 발암과정에 AHNAK 단백이 관여함을 밝히고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 아주대학교 병원에 내원하여 폐암으로 수술을 받은 환자의 폐암 조직과 동일 환자의 정상 폐조직에서 AHNAK 단백의 발현양상을 western blot 분석과 면역조직화학적 염색방법을 통하여 조사하였다. 결과: 14예의 편평상피암 세포조직 중 8예 (57.1 %)와 14예의 선암 세포조직 모두에서 정상 대조군에 비해 AHNAK 단백의 발현이 증가하였고, 70 kDa~200kDa의 여러가지 분자량을 가지는 띠모양으로 나타났다. 면역조직화학적 염색에서도 정상 폐조직보다 폐암 조직내에서 강한 발색반응을 보였다. 결론: PLC-${\gamma}1$의 활성화 단백인 AHNAK 단백이 폐암 조직에서 정상 조직보다 과발현된 것은, AHNAK 단백이 PLC-${\gamma}1$을 활성화시켜 폐암의 발생 기전에 관여할 수 있음을 뒷받침한다고 하겠다.