• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.451-456
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• 2019

NDRG1 has been reported to exert pivotal roles in tumor progression and metastasis via Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling pathway. However, little is known about the role of NDRG3 in hepatocarcinogenesis despite its classification in the same subfamily of NDRG1. The present study was aimed to characterize the expression pattern and understand the biological roles of NDRG3 in hepatocarcinogenesis, as a means to exploit its therapeutic potential. It was observed that NDRG3 was up-regulated in HCC tissues and higher NDRG3 expression was associated with significantly shorter overall survival. Furthermore, a lower level of NDRG3 exhibited marked positive correlation with metastasis-free survival. In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that knock-down of NDRG3 inhibits HCC metastasis and angiogenesis. We further demonstrated that activation of WNT/${\beta}$-catenin signaling and enhanced CSC-like properties were responsible for NDRG3-mediated promoting effect on HCC. In conclusion, the principal findings demonstrated that high NDRG3 expression facilitates HCC metastasis via regulating the turnover of ${\beta}$-catenin, as well as provides a potential therapeutic target for future therapeutic interventions.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.301-302
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• 2015

Hypoxia is associated with many pathological conditions as well as the normal physiology of metazoans. We identified a lactate-dependent signaling pathway in hypoxia, mediated by the oxygen- and lactate-regulated protein NDRG family member 3 (NDRG3). Oxygen negatively regulates NDRG3 expression at the protein level via the PHD2/VHL system, whereas lactate, produced in excess under prolonged hypoxia, blocks its proteasomal degradation by binding to NDRG3. We also found that the stabilized NDRG3 protein promotes angiogenesis and cell growth under hypoxia by activating the Raf-ERK pathway. Inhibiting cellular lactate production abolishes NDRG3-mediated hypoxia responses. The NDRG3-Raf-ERK axis therefore provides the genetic basis for lactate-induced hypoxia signaling, which can be exploited for the development of therapies targeting hypoxia-induced diseases in addition to advancing our understanding of the normal physiology of hypoxia responses. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(6): 301-302]

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.370-378
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• 2009

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) has recently been found to be a tumor suppressor gene. Although it has been reported that NDRG2 expression in breast cancer cells decreases cell proliferation by inhibiting STAT3 activation via SOCS1 induction, the molecular mechanism of chemotherapeutic agent-induced apoptosis is not well known. To elucidate the effect of NDRG2 on the apoptotic pathway induced by doxorubicin, we established stable cell lines expressing NDRG2 and investigated the effect of NDRG2 expression on the doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. While STAT3 activation was remarkably inhibited by NDRG2 overexpression, the expression level of p21 was increased by NDRG2 expression. We confirmed that NDRG2-expressing cells treated with doxorubicin suppressed STAT3 activation and upregulated p21 expression. NDRG2 expression considerably enhanced TUNEL positive apoptotic cells, poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, release of cytochrome c to cytosol, and caspase-3 activity in doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Bid expression in a resting state and after treatment with doxorubicin increased in MDA-MB-231-NDRG2 cells compared to MDA-MB-231-mock cells. Meanwhile, Bcl-$x_L$ expression decreased in MDA-MB-231-NDRG2 cells compared to MDA-MB-231-mock cells in a resting state and in doxorubicin-treated cells. Collectively, these data suggest that suppression of STAT3 activation by NDRG2 influences the sensitivity to doxorubicin-induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells and this may provide a potential therapeutic benefit to overcome the resistance against doxorubicin in breast cancer.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.219-229
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• 2010

Background: N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is a member of the NDRG gene family. Our previous report indicated a possible role for NDRG2 in regulating the cytokine, interleukin-10 (IL-10), which is an important immunosuppressive cytokine. Several pathways, including p38-MAPK, NF-${\kappa}B$, and JAK/STAT, are used for IL-10 production, and the JAK/STAT pathway can be inhibited in a negative feedback loop by the inducible protein, SOCS3. In the present study, we investigated the effect of NDRG2 gene expression on IL-10 signaling pathway that is modulated via SOCS3 and STAT3. Methods: We generated NDRG2-overexpressing U937 cell line (U937-NDRG2) and treated the cells with PMA to investigate the role of NDRG2 in IL-10 production. U937 cells were also transfected with SOCS3- or NDRG2-specific siRNAs to examine whether the knockdown of SOCS3 or NDRG2 influenced IL-10 expression. Lastly, STAT3 and SOCS3 induction was measured to identify the signaling pathway that was associated with IL-10 production. Results: RT-PCR and ELISA assays showed that IL-10 was increased in U937-mock cells upon stimulation with PMA, but IL-10 was inhibited by overexpression NDRG2. After PMA treatment, STAT3 phosphorylation was decreased in a time-dependent manner in U937-mock cells, whereas it was maintained in U937-NDRG2 cells. SOCS3 was markedly reduced in U937-NDRG2 cells compared with U937-mock cells. IL-10 production after PMA stimulation was reduced in U937 cells when SOCS3 was inhibited, but this effect was less severe when NDRG2 was inhibited. Conclusion: NDRG2 expression modulates SOCS3 and STAT3 activity, eventually leading to the inhibition of IL-10 production.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.22-26
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• 2011

목 적 : 두경부 암은 발생 순위에서 전체 6위에 해당하는 다빈도 암이나 최근 20여년 동안의 노력에도 불구하고 두경부 암의 독톡한 특성상 생존률에서 뚜렷한 향상을 보이지 못하고 있다. 특히, 하인두 암은 원발 부위의 점막하 침윤이 흔하며, 주변 림프절 전이와 원격 전이가 흔하고, 2차 원발 암종 발생이 흔하여 두경부 암 중에서도 가장 불량한 예후를 보이고 있는 악성 종양이다. 최근에 이러한 암을 치료하고 진단하기 위한 방법으로 분자생물학적 접근법들이 많이 시도 되고 있으며, 그 중 하나로 N-myc downstream regulated gene-1(Ndrg-1)이라는 유전자가 유방, 전립선, 방광 암 등의 타 악성 종양에서 종양의 전이 및 진행 양상과 관련되어 있다는 보고가 있었다. 이에 본 연구는 하인두 암에서의 Ndrg-1의 발현 양상을 살펴보고 이와 임상 양상과의 연관관계를 살펴보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 1996년부터 2003년까지 수술 받은 하인두 암 환자 56명을 대상으로 면역조직화학검사를 시행하여 Ndrg-1 발현을 확인하였고, 3명의 신선 조직을 대상으로 RT-PCR, Western blot을 시행하였다. 결 과 : Ndrg-1은 RT-PCR에서 정상 조직과 악성종양 조직 모두에서 비슷한 수준으로 발현되었다. 그러나 Western blot에서는 정상 조직에서 뚜렷한 증가 양상을 보여 타 연구와 동일한 결과를 보였고, 이는 불필요하며 비효율적인 mRNA수준에서의 발현이 있지만 최종적인 단백 산물 발현에서는 암종의 진행과 연계되어 악성 종양 진행군에서 발현이 억제되는 결과로 해석된다. 면역조직화학검사에서는 정상 상피조직에서 Ndrg-1 발현이 확인되었으며, 통계적으로 유의하지는 않으나 불량한 예후를 가진 그룹에서 대체로 발현이 억제되는 악성 종양과의 역 연관 관계를 확인할 수 있었고, 특히 림프절 전이를 보인 그룹과 그렇지 않은 그룹 사이에서는 통계적으로 유의미한 결과가 확인되었다. 결 론 : 즉, 림프절 전이가 없는 그룹에서 Ndrg-1이 종양의 전이에 관여할 것이라는 타 연구와 일관된 결과로 하인두 암에서도 그 역할이 있음을 나타내는 결과라 할 수 있다.