• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 1994

When at liver homogenates were incubated with 1mM $CCl_4$ for five min, glycogen level was decreased, while treatment with protein fraction $G_4$ increased the glycogen level. In addition $G_4$ inhibited the phosphorylation of 34 KD and 118 KD polypeptides induced by $CCl_4$. These protein were more strongly phosphorylated by $Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin-dependent kinase than by C-kinase. Since 34 KD polypeptide was solely phosphorylated by NaF (50mM), an inhibitor of both glycogen syntheses and phosphoprotein phosphates, it is inferred that 3 KD polypeptide is glycogen synthase-likd protein. Because glycogen synthesis is inhibited by phosphorylation of $Ca^{2+}$-dependent glycogen syntheses, it is suggested that $G_4$ increased liver glycogen level by inhibiting phosphorylation of 34 KD polypeptide which is thought to glycogen syntheses-like protein.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.378-384
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• 1999

Retinoic acid (RA) and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) induce the differentiation of the multipotent embryonic carcinoma cell line, F9 cells, into parietal endoderm like cell. The F9 cells are highly proliferative doubling approximately 12 hourse. S Phase is predominant, lasting 10 hours and G2/M phase occupies most of the remaining cycle (2 hours) and G1 phase is nearly non-existent. In this study, we showed the effect of RA and dbcAMPon the cell cycle associated molecules (especially around G1 phase) during F9 cell differentiation. Differentiation of F9 cells was induced by the combined addition of RA ($10^{-7}M$) and dbcAMP (0.5mM), and cells were harvested daily up to 4 days. Flow cytometric analysis showed the prolongation of G1 phase around 30 hours after induction. Western blot analysis revealed that the amount of cyclin D1 and cdk2 were increased at day 4. However, histone H1 kinase activity of cdk2 was decreased. These data strongly suggest that RA and dbcAMP induce the growth arrest of F9 cells at G1 phase by decreasing the activity of cdk2, although they have increased the protein contents of cyclin D1 and cdk2. The reason for the discrepancy between the H1 kinase activity and protein contents are not clear yet.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1199-1204
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• 2003

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3 kinase) and the mitogenactivating protein (MAP) kinase pathway on the differentiation of ovine preadipocytes. In order to investigate this issue, we monitored glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity during differentiation with specific inhibitors of PI3 kinase and MAP kinase-Erk kinase, LY294002 and PD098059, respectively. The preadipocytes, which were obtained from ovine subcutaneous adipose tissues, were proliferated to confluence and then differentiated to adipocytes in differentiation medium with each inhibitor for 10 days. The confluent preadipocytes and differentiated adipocytes at days 3, 7 and 10 were harvested for assay of GPDH activity. LY294002 inhibited the differentiation program in dose- and day-dependent manners during 10 days of differentiation. PD098059 did not affect GPDH activity during differentiation. Furthermore, the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}2$ (PPAR-${\gamma}2$), the representative early gene of differentiation, was markedly reduced by LY294002 treatment, although PD098059 did not change it. Our results demonstrated that the activation of PI3 kinase contributes to the differentiation process of ovine preadipocytes.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2004

It is widely accepted that smooth muscle contraction is triggered by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) released from intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ stores such as sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and from the extracellular space, The increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ can phosphorylate the 20-kDa myosin light chain ($MLC_{20}$) by activating MLC kinase (MLCK), and this initiates smooth muscle contraction. In addition to the $[Ca^{2+}]_i$-MLCK-tension pathway, a number of intracellular signal molecules, including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), protein kinase C (PKC), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and Rho-associated coiled coil-forming protein kinase (ROCK), play important roles in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction. However, the mechanisms regulating contraction of caldesmon (CaD), actin-binding protein, are not entirely elucidated in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$. It is known that CaD tightly interacts with actin and inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the roles of $Ca^{2+}$-dependent CaD in smooth muscle contraction. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), G-protein coupled receptor agonist and vasoconstrictor, increased both vascular smooth contraction and phosphorylation of CaD in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$. These results suggest that ET-1 induces contraction and phosphorylation of CaD in rat aortic smooth muscle, which may he mediated by the increase of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.285-291
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• 2016

Background: Ginsenosides have been shown to exert beneficial pharmacological effects on the central nervous, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. We sought to determine whether total ginsenosides (TG) inhibit monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Methods: MCT-intoxicated rats were treated with gradient doses of TG, with or without $N^G$-nitro-$\small{L}$-arginine methyl ester. The levels of molecules involving the regulation of nitric oxide and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways were determined. Results: TG ameliorated MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension in a dose-dependent manner, as assessed by the right ventricular systolic pressure, the right ventricular hypertrophy index, and pulmonary arterial remodeling. Furthermore, TG increased the levels of pulmonary nitric oxide, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate. Lastly, TG increased mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 expression and promoted the dephosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2. Conclusion: TG attenuates MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension, which may involve in part the regulation of nitric oxide and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.1045-1050
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• 2002

The aims of this study were to detect spontaneously occurring apoptosis in cultured porcine ovarian cells, to examine the role of growth hormone (GH), tyrosine kinase (TK), protein kinase G (PKG) and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) in the control of this process, and to determine whether the effect of GH on apoptosis is mediated by TK-, PKG- and cdc2-dependent intracellular mechanisms. We studied the action of pGH (10 ng/ml), blockers of TK (genistein, lavendustin, both 100 ng/ml), PKG (Rp-Br-PET-cGMPS, 50 nM; KT5823, 100 ng/ml) and CDK (olomoucine, $1{\mu}g/ml$), as well as combinations of GH with these blockers, on the onset of apoptosis in cultured granulosa cells isolated from antral (3-6 mm) porcine follicles. The functional characteristics of an early apoptotic event, DNA fragmentation, were determined using terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL), whilst morphological signs of advanced apoptosis such as pyknosis, chromatin marginalization, shrinkage and fragmentation of nucleus, were detected using routine light microscopy. After culture, some ovarian granulosa cells exhibited DNA fragmentation, which in some cases was associated with morphological apoptosis-related changes (pyknosis, shrinkage and fragmentation of the nucleus). GH significantly reduced the proportion of TUNEL-positive cells. Neither TK nor CDK blockers when given alone, significantly affected the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells although both PKG blockers significantly increased this index. Furthermore, TK and PKG blockers given together with GH, prevented or reversed the inhibitory effect of GH on apoptosis, whilst the CDK blocker olomoucine promoted it. These observations demonstrate apoptosis in porcine ovaries and suggest the involvement of GH, TK, PKG and CDK in the control of this process. They also suggest that the effect of GH on ovarian apoptosis is mediated or regulated by multiple signalling pathways including TK-, PKG- and CDK-dependent intracellular mechanisms.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.541-547
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• 1999

Constructions of a transfer vector and a recombinant baculovirus using the thymidine kinase gene of the Herpes simplex virus type 1 strain F (HSV -1) were carried out. Newly cloned transfer vector, pHcgXIIIB, was constructed by insertion of the glycoprotein gX gene signal peptide sequence of Pseudorabies virus into the baculovirus vector pHcEV-IV. The gX sequence was inserted just downstream from the promoter for the polyhedrin gene of the Hyphantria cunea nuclear polyhedrosis virus (HcNPV). HSV-1 thymidine kinase(tk) gene (1.131 kb) was used as a candidate gene for transferring into the baculovirus expression system. The tk gene was inserted into a BamHI site downstream from the gX sequence-promoter for the polyhedrin gene in the pHcgXIIIB transfer vector and was transferred into the infectious lacZ-HcNPV expression vector. Recombinant virus was isolated and was named gX-TK-HcNPV. The recombinant virus produced a 45 kDa gX-TK fusion protein in Spodoptera frugiperda cells, which was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Microscopic examination of gX-TK-HcNPV-infected cells revealed normal multiplication. Fluorescent antibody staining indicated that the gX-TK fusion protein was present in the cytoplasm. These results indicated that the transfer vector successfully transferred the gX-tk gene into the baculovirus expression system.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.189-195
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• 2012

Resistance to the induction of apoptosis is a possible mechanism by which tumor cells can survive anti-neoplastic treatments. Melanoma is notoriously resistant to anti-neoplastic therapy. Previous studies have demonstrated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) overexpression in melanoma cell lines. Given its probable role in mediating resistance to apoptosis, many researchers have sought to determine whether the downregulation of FAK in melanoma cells would confer a greater sensitivity to anti-neoplastic agents. Genistein is a known inhibitor of protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK), which may attenuate the growth of cancer cells by inhibiting the PTK-mediated signaling pathway. This present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of genistein on the expression of FAK and cell cycle related proteins in the G361 melanoma cell line. Genistein was found to have a preferential cytotoxic effect on G361 melanoma cells over HaCaT normal keratinocytes. Genistein decreased the expression of 125 kDa phosphotyrosine kinase and the FAK protein in particular. Genistein treatment did not affect the expression of p53 in G361 cells in which p21 is upregulated. The expression of cyclin B and cdc2 was downregulated by genistein treatment. Taken together, our data indicate that genistein induces the decreased proliferation of G361 melanoma cells via the inhibition of FAK expression and regulation of cell cycle genes. This suggests that the use of genistein may be a viable approach to future melanoma treatments.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.251-256
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• 2001

The expression of phase II detoxifying enzymes is affected by a variety of compounds and the induction of the enzymes plays an essential role in chemoprevention. A variety of phytochemicals such as sulfur-containing chemoprotective agents (SCC) may trigger cellular signals and activate phase II gene expression through ARE activation. see induces glutathione S-transferases. Studies were conducted to investigate the role of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) in the induction of GST (e.g. rGSTA2) by sec. We also studied the MAP kinase pathway responsible for the GST expression by see and compared that with the pathway activated by oxidative stress as a result of sulfur amino acids deprivation (SAAD). see inhibited phosphorylation of ERK1/2 although the effect of see on JNK and p38 MAP kinase was minimal. Wortmannin and LY294002. PI3-kinase inhibitors. abolished the increases in rGSTA2 mRNA and protein levels by SCC. Deprivation of cystine and methionine caused oxidative stress in H4IIE cells. as evidenced by a decrease in the reduced glutathione and an increase in prooxidant production. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay revealed that the ARE complex consisting of Nrf-1/2 and Maf proteins was activated 12~48 h. The rGSTA2 mRNA and protein levels were increased by SAAD. Activation of ARE and induction of rGSTA2 were both completely inhibited by PI3-kinase inhibitors. Inhibition of p38 MAP kinase by SB203580 prevented the ARE-mediated rGSTA2 induction. The results of this study showed that PI3-kinase might play an essential role in the ARE-mediated rGSTA2 induction by see or SAAD and that the dual MAP kinase pathways were responsible for the enzyme induction.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.90-97
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• 2021

Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation causes DNA base modifications. One of these changes leads to the generation of 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) due to oxidative stress. In human skin, this modification may induce sunburn, inflammation, and aging and may ultimately result in cancer. We investigated whether phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene), by enhancing the expression and activity of 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase 1 (Ogg1), had an effect on the capacity of UVB-exposed human HaCaT keratinocytes to repair oxidative DNA damage. Here, the effects of phloroglucinol were investigated using a luciferase activity assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions, western blot analysis, and a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Phloroglucinol restored Ogg1 activity and decreased the formation of 8-oxoG in UVB-exposed cells. Moreover, phloroglucinol increased Ogg1 transcription and protein expression, counteracting the UVB-induced reduction in Ogg1 levels. Phloroglucinol also enhanced the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as well as Nrf2 binding to an antioxidant response element located in the Ogg1 gene promoter. UVB exposure inhibited the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB or Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), two major enzymes involved in cell protection against oxidative stress, regulating the activity of Nrf2. Akt and Erk phosphorylation was restored by phloroglucinol in the UVB-exposed keratinocytes. These results indicated that phloroglucinol attenuated UVB-induced 8-oxoG formation in keratinocytes via an Akt/Erk-dependent, Nrf2/Ogg1-mediated signaling pathway.