• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 2014

Protein kinase C theta (PKC-${\theta}$) is a serine/threonine specific protein kinase. It is largely expressed in the T-cells and CD28 signaling. PKC-${\theta}$ phosphorylates diverse proteins that are involved in the various cellular signaling pathways. Activated PKC-${\theta}$ in turn activates other transcription factors that control the proliferation and differentiation of T- cells. PKC-${\theta}$ is considered to be an interesting therapeutic target due to its crucial role in the proliferation, differentiation and survival of T-cells. In the present study, we have performed ligand-based CoMFA study on a series of pyridylpyrazolopyridine derivatives as PKC-${\theta}$ inhibitors. An acceptable CoMFA model ($q^2$=0.544; ONC=4; $r^2$=0.876) was developed and validated by Bootsrapping and progressive sampling. The CoMFA contour map suggested the regions to increase the activity. Bulky substitutions in R2 position of the piperizine ring could increase the activity. Similarly positive, small substitution in the R1 position of the Pyridine ring could considerably increase the activity. Our work could assist in designing more potent PKC-${\theta}$ inhibitors of pyridylpyrazolopyridine derivatives.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2006

The developmental regulation of the preimplantation mammalian embryos is a fundamental step for preparing the implantation and it may be regulated by several autocrine and paracrine factors including platelet-activating factor. PAF improved the embryonic survival and implantation but its role during blastocyst development is still largely unknown. In this study, the effects and the possible pathway of PAF on developmental regulation of blastocyst to hatching stage were investigated. Developmental pattern in hatching embryo was a concentration-response curve showing maximal activity at 1 nM PAF, with decreasing activity at higher concentrations. $50{\mu}M$ 1-(5-isoquinolimnesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazinme dihydrochloride (H-7), a PKC inhibitor, inhibited the progression of blastocyst to hatching embryo. In addition H-7 blocked the PAF effects on the blastocyst development. Besides tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA), a PKC activator stimulated development of blastocyst to the hatching stage. These finding revealed that PAF support the blastocyst development to the hatching embryo. Also it is suggested that PAF action pathways in hatching supporting include the PKC signaling pathway.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.361-366
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• 2000

In order to investigate the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in chondrogenic differentiation, we examined the localization of PKC isoforms in a limb bud micromass culture system. PKC$\alpha$ is specifically localized in the regions which would become cartilage nodules, while PKC$\lambda/l$ and $\zeta$ display widespread distribution in the whole culture. Distribution of PKC$\alpha$ change along with promotion or inhibition of chondrogenesis by lysophosphatidylcholine or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. On the other hand, localization of PKC$\lambda/l$ or $\zeta$ a was not changed by the modulation of chondrogenesis. Peanut agglutinin binding protein which is associated with cell aggregation during chondrogenesis was present in the cell condensation regions and its expression in those regions was influenced by PKC activity. Expression of fibronectin and N-cadherin in the cell condensing area were also affected by modulation of PKC activity. These results suggest involvement of PKC$\alpha$ in the cell condensation, possibly through regulating expression of fibronectin and N-cadherin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.140-145
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• 2017

Pinus koraiensis cone (PKC) extract was prepared by mixing PKC with sugar at a weight ratio of 1:1 and then removing PKC after incubating the mixture at room temperature for 100 days. The resulting PKC extract was examined for its physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities using Prunus mume fruit extract, which is similar to PKC extract in terms of preparation procedure and product usage, as a control. PKC extract consisted mainly of moisture (21.76%) and sugar (70.03%), leading to high viscosity. PKC extract was apparently yellowish, and therefore its browning index and color intensity were appreciably lower than the control (P=0.0000), indicating that Maillard reaction was not facilitated during fermentation. Compared with the control, PKC extract was not appreciably different in terms of total flavonoid content, whereas its organic acid content and total reducing capacity were significantly lower. Nevertheless, its metal-chelating activity and DPPH radical scavenging activity were comparable to those of the control. In addition, SOD-like activity of PKC extract was 2-fold higher than that of 6.6 mM quercetin, which had a higher total flavonoid content than PKC extract. This indicates that PKC extract contains certain flavonoids with higher antioxidant activities than quercetin. The results show that PKC extract provides antioxidant activity as well as characteristically different sensory properties due to its higher sugar and lower organic acid contents compared with Prunus mume fruit extract.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 1991

To determine the effect of dietary fat and calorie level on protein kinase C(PKC) activity in mouse epidermal cells, female BALB/C mice (4weeks of age) were placed on high (24.6% ), moderate(5%) fat or calorie-restricted diets for at least 4 weeks. Diets were formulated on a nutrient/kcal basis such that the mice consumed the same amounts of protein. vitamins, minerals and fiber per kcal. PKC was assayed by the procedure of Wise et at. An apparent increase of PKC activity was observed from the aminal fed high fat diet when compared with the aminal fed moderate fat diet. PKC activity was decreased 40% by calorie restriction. In summary levels of dietary fat may contribute to mechanism of tumor promotion by increasing PKC activity in the mouse skin model.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1981-1984
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• 2009

Subcellular localization of protein kinase often plays an important role in determining its activity and specificity. Protein kinase C (PKC), a family of multi-gene protein kinases has long been known to be translocated to the particular cellular compartments in response to DAG or its analog phorbol esters. We used C-terminal green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion proteins of PKC isoforms to visualize the subcellular distribution of individual PKC isoforms. Intracellular localization of PKC-GFP proteins was monitored by fluorescence microscopy after transient transfection of PKC-GFP expression vectors in the HeLa cells. In unstimulated HeLa cells, all PKC isoforms were found to be distributed throughout the cytoplasm with a few exceptions. PKC$\theta$ was mostly localized to the Golgi, and PKC$\gamma$, PKC$\delta$ and PKC$\eta$ showed cytoplasmic distribution with Golgi localization. DAG analog TPA induced translocation of PKC-GFP to the plasma membrane. PKC$\alpha$, PKC$\eta$ and PKC$\theta$ were also localized to the Golgi in response to TPA. Only PKC$\delta$ was found to be associated with the nuclear membrane after transient TPA treatment. These results suggest that specific PKC isoforms are translocated to different intracellular sites and exhibit distinct biological effects.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2007

Purpose: To understand the pathogenesis of the disease that presents abnormally proliferated vascular endothelial cells, a model of DMH(1,2-dimethylhydrazine)-induced abnormal proliferation of HUVECs(Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells) was made. We indirectly determined that Protein Kinase C(PKC) restricts the cellular proliferation and inhibits the manifestation of growth factor by using several inhibiting substances of the transmitter through our previous studies. Thereupon, we attempted to observe direct enzymatic activities of PKC and its correlation with the abnormal proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. Methods: $10^5$ HUVECs cells were applied to 6 individual well plates in three different groups; A control group cultured without treatment, a group concentrated with $0.75{\times}10^{-8}M$ DMH only, and a group treated with DMH & $5{\times}10^{-9}M$ Calphostin C, inhibitor of PKC. In analyzing the formation of intracellular PKC enzyme, protein separation was performed, and separated protein was quantitatively measured. PKC enzyme reaction was analyzed through Protein Kinase C Assay System (Promega, USA), and the results were analyzed according to Beer's law. Results: Enzymatic activity of PKC presented the highest in all reaction time of a group concentrated only with DMH, and the lowest in the control group. The group treated with DMH and the inhibitor revealed statistically lower enzymatic activity than group only with DMH in all reaction time, although higher than the control group. Conclusion: From the enzymatic aspect, most active and immediate reaction of the PKC was observed in the group concentrated with DMH only. The group treated with DMH & PKC inhibitor showed meaningful decrease. Accordingly, PKC holds a significant role in DMH-induced abnormal proliferation of vascular endothelial cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 1998

Peroxisome proliferators induce hepatic peroxisome proliferation and hepatic tumors in rodents. These chemicals increase the expression of the peroxisomal $\beta$-oxidation pathway and the cytochrome P-450 4A family, which metabolizes lipids, including eicosanoids. Peroxisome proliferators transiently induce increased cell proliferation in vivo. However, peroxisome proliferators are weakly mitogenic and are not co-mitogenic with epidermal growth factor (EGF) in cultured hepatocytes. Earlier study found that the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate is cornitogenic with eicosanoids. In order to study possible mechanisms of the comitogenicity of peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate and eicosanoids' we hypothesized that the co-mitogenicity may result from synergistic or additive increases of second messengers in mitogenic signal pathways. We therefore examined the effect of the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate, prostaglandin $F_2_{\alpha}$($PGF_2{\alpha}$) and the combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ with or without growth factors on the protein kinase C (PKC) activity, and inositol-1, 4, 5-triphosphate ($IP_{3-}$) and intracellular calcium ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) concentrations in cultured rat hepatocytes. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ significantly increased particulate PKC activity. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ also significantly increased EGF, transforming growth factor-$\alpha$ ($TGF_2{\alpha}$) and hepatic growth factor (HGF)-induced particulate PKC activity. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2_\alpha$greatly increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$. However, the increases of PKC activity and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ by ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ alone were much smaller. Neither ciprofibrate or $PGF_2{\alpha}$ alone nor the combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$ significantly increased the formation of $IP_3$. The combination of ciprofibrate and $PGF_2{\alpha}$, however, blocked the inhibitory effect of $TGF-{\beta}$ on particulate PKC activity and formation of $IP_3$ induced by EGF. These results show that co-mitogenicity of the peroxisome proliferator ciprofibrate and eicosanoids may result from the increase in particulate PKC activity and intracellular calcium concentration but not from the formation of $IP_3$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.551-558
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• 2003

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is associated with a severe liver disease and increased frequency in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Overexpression of HCV core protein is known to transform fibroblast cells. Phospholipase D (PLD) activity is commonly elevated in response to mitogenic signals, and PLD has been also reported to be overexpressed and hyperactivated in some human cancer. The aim of this study was to understand how PLD can be regulated in HCV core protein-transformed NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. We observed that in unstimulated state, basal PLD activity was higher in NIH3T3 cells overexpressing HCV core protein than in vector-transfected cells. Although expression of PLD and protein kinase C (PKC) in core protein-transformed cells was similar with that of control cells, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), which is known to activate PKC, stimulated significantly PLD activity in core protein-transformed cells, compared with that of the control cells. PLD activity assay using PKC isozyme-specific inhibitor, and PKC translocation experiment showed that PKC-$\delta$ was mainly involved in the PMA-induced PLD activation in the core-transformed cells. Taken together, these results suggest that PLD might be implicated in core protein-induced transformation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1177-1182
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• 2012

Protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated in carcinogenesis and displays variable expression profiles during cancer progression. Studies of dietary phytochemicals on cancer signalling pathway regulation have been conducted to search for potent signalling regulatory agents. The present study was designed to evaluate any suppressive effect of maslinic acid on PKC expression in human B-lymphoblastoid cells (Raji cells), and to identify the PKC isoforms expressed. Effects of maslinic acid on PKC activity were determined using a PepTag$^{(R)}$ assay for non-radioactive detection of PKC. The highest expression in Raji cells was obtained at 20 nM PMA induced for 6 hours. Suppressive effects of maslinic acid were compared with those of four PKC inhibitors (H-7, rottlerin, sphingosine, staurosporine) and two triterpenes (oleanolic acid and ursolic acid). The $IC_{50}$ values achieved for maslinic acid, staurosporine, H-7, sphingosine, rottlerin, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid were 11.52, 0.011, 0.767, 2.45, 5.46, 27.93 and $39.29\;{\mu}M$, respectively. Four PKC isoforms, PKC ${\beta}I$, ${\beta}II$, ${\delta}$, and ${\zeta}$, were identified in Raji cells via western blotting. Maslinic acid suppressed the expression of PKC ${\beta}I$, ${\delta}$, and ${\zeta}$ in a concentration-dependent manner. These preliminary results suggest promising suppressive effects of maslinic acid on PKC activity in Raji cells. Maslinic acid could be a potent cancer chemopreventive agent that may be involved in regulating many downstream signalling pathways that are activated through PKC receptors.