• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.245-252
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• 1993

Amiloride is a potassium sparing duretic which specifically inhibits $Na{^+}$ channels. In the present study, we investigated the possible interaction of amiloride with $A_1$ adenosine receptors-adenylyl cyclase system in crude adipocytic plasma membrane fractions prepared from Sprague-Dawley rats. When the function of $G_i$ protein (inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein) was assessed by determining the effects of GTP on isoproterenol-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity, the inhibitory effect of high concentrations of GTP was not observed in the presence of amiloride. In contrast, the adenosine receptor-mediated inhibition of the enzyme activity, as determined empolying 2-chloroadenosine, was either unchanged or even more enhanced by amiloride depending on the concentrations of 2-chloroadenosine. Thus, it appears that GTP- and receptor-mediated inhibitory function of $G_{i}$ proteins can be separated from one another. Receptor-mediated function of $G_{s}$ protein did not appear to be significantly affected by amiloride, since the inhibition of isoproterenol-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity by propranolol under the same conditions was not significantly altered by amiloride. The enhancement of 2-chloroadenosine-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by amiloride was maintained in the presence of 150 mM NaCl. In summary, these results suggest that amiloride interacts both with $A_{l}$ adenosine receptors and with $G_i$ proteins in adipocytic membranes. Its binding to the $A_1$ adenosine receptors appears to facilitate the coupling of the receptors with $G_i$ proteins thereby enhancing the inhibition of isoproterenol-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity by $A_1$ adenosine agonist, and the direct interaction with $G_i$ proteins appears to remove the GTP-dependent inhibitory effect on adenylyl cyclase activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.541-550
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• 2003

E2 glycoprotein of hepatitis C virus (HCV) comprises a surface of viral particle together with E1 glycoprotein, and is thought to be involved in the attachment of HCV viral particle to receptor (s) on the permissible cells including hepatocytes, B cells, T cells, and monocytes. We constructed a phage library expressing cellular proteins of hepatocytes on the phage surface, which turned out to be 8.8${\times}$$10^5$ cfu of diversity and carried inserts in 95% of library. We screened both cDNA phage library and 12-mer peptide library to identify the cellular proteins binding to E2 protein. Some intracellular proteins including tensin and membrane band 4.1 which are involved in signal transduction of survival and cytoskeleton organization, were selected from cDNA phage library through several rounds of panning and screening. On the contrary, membrane proteins such as CCR7, CKR-L2, and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor were identified through screening of peptide library. Phages expressing peptides corresponding to those membrane proteins were bound to E2 protein specifically as determined by neutralization of binding assay. Since it is well known that HCV can infect T cells as well as hepatocytes, we examined to see if E2 protein can bind to CCR7, a member of C-protein coupled receptor family expressed on T cells, using CCR7 transfected tells. Human CCR7 cDNA was cloned into pcDNA3.1(-) vector and transfected into human embryonic kidney cell, 293T, and expressed on the surface of the cell as shown by flow cytometer. Binding assay of E2 protein using CCR7 transfected cells indicated that E2 protein bound to CCR7 by dose-dependent mode, giving rise to the possibility that CCR7 might be a putative cellular receptor for HCV.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.70-70
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• 2003

Estrogen receptor is a ligand-activated transcription factor. Its action depends on the receptor, its ligand, and its coactivator proteins. As a consequence, the concentration of the receptor is a major component that governs the magnitude of the estrogen response. Despite the extensive knowledge on mechanism of estrogen receptor action, regulation of estrogen receptor itself is not very well understood. Estrogen receptor is known to be downregulated under hypoxia leading to inhibition of estrogen receptor mediated transcription activation. We have studied mechanism of loss of estrogen responsiveness under hypoxia. We found that Hif-l${\alpha}$, a major transcription factor regulating hypoxic response, inhibited transcription of estrogen response element driven luciferase gene by expression of HIF-l${\alpha}$/vp16 construct designed to contain transcription activity under normoxia. This loss of estrogen responsiveness appears to be the result of ER${\alpha}$ downregulation. ER${\alpha}$was downregulated at the levels of ligand-biding and protein within l2-24h, and the response was blocked by the proteasome inhibitor MG132, protein synthesis inhibitor cyclohexamide, and tyrosine kinase inhibitor Genistein. These results demonstrate that Hif-l${\alpha}$ downregulates ER${\alpha}$ by proteasome dependent pathway.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.517-522
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• 2016

${\beta}$-Arrestins are one of the protein families that interact with G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). The roles of ${\beta}$-arrestins are multifaceted, as they mediate different processes including receptor desensitization, endocytosis, and G protein-independent signaling. Thus, determining the GPCR regions involved in the interactions with ${\beta}$-arrestins would be a preliminary step in understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the selective direction of each function. In the current study, we determined the roles of the N-terminus, intracellular loops, and C-terminal tail of a representative GPCR in the interaction with ${\beta}$-arrestin2. For this, we employed dopamine $D_2$ and $D_3$ receptors ($D_2R$ and $D_3R$, respectively), since they display distinct agonist-induced interactions with ${\beta}$-arrestins. Our results showed that the second and third intracellular loops of $D_2R$ are involved in the agonist-induced translocation of ${\beta}$-arrestins toward plasma membranes. In contrast, the N- and C-termini of $D_2R$ exerted negative effects on the basal interaction with ${\beta}$-arrestins.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.471-476
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• 1998

The G protein-activated inwardly rectifying $K^＋$ channel (GIRK1) was coex-pressed in Xenopus oocytes along with the $5-HT_{1A}$ receptor, a 7-helix receptor known to be coupled to $K^＋$ channels in many neural tissues. Thus, the activation of the $5-HT_{1A}$ receptor by its agonist leads to the opening of GIRK1. The GIRK1 current was measured using the two electrode voltage clamp technique with bath application of 5-HT in the presence of various external potassium concentrations $[K^＋]_0$. GIRK1 showed a strong inward rectification since only hyperpolarizing voltages evoked inward currents. $K^{+}$ was the major ion carrier as evidenced by about 44㎷ voltage shift corresponding to a 10-fold external 〔$K^＋$〕 change. 5-HT induced a concentration-dependent inward $K^＋$ current ($EC_{50}{\equation omitted}10.7nM$) which was blocked by $Ba^{2＋}$. Pertussis toxin (PTX) pre-treatment reduced the $K^＋$ current by as much as about 70%, suggesting that PTX-sensitive G protein ($G_i or G_o$ type) are involved in the $5-HT_{1A}$ receptor-GIRK1 coupling in Xenopus oocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.411-417
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• 2019

Humanin (HN) is a mitochondrial peptide that exhibits cytoprotective actions against various stresses and diseases. HN has been shown to induce the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is a negative regulator of receptor activator of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL). However, the role of HN in osteoclastogenesis or other skeletal disorders remains unknown. Here, we examined whether HN regulates osteoclastogenesis via AMPK activation using bone marrow-derived macrophage (BMM) cultures. Our results show that HN inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast formation and reduced the expression of genes involved in osteoclastogenesis, including nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic 1, osteoclastassociated receptor, cathepsin K, and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. Moreover, HN increased the levels of phosphorylated AMPK protein; compound C, an AMPK inhibitor, recovered HN-induced osteoclast differentiation. In addition, we found that HN significantly decreased the levels of RANKL-induced reactive oxygen species in BMMs. Therefore, these results indicate that HN plays an important role in osteoclastogenesis and may function as an inhibitor of bone disorders via AMPK activation.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.508-513
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• 2003

The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produces toxin inclusions that are deleterious to target insect larvae. These toxins are believed to interact with a specific receptor protein(s) that is present on the gut epithelial cells of the larvae. In various insect species (in particular those belonging to the lepidopteran class), aminopeptidase N (APN) is one of the two receptor proteins that are considered to be involved in toxin-receptor interactions. However, in mosquitoes, the nature and identity of the receptor protein is unknown. Here, using RT-PCR, we identified two isoforms of the APN transcripts in the Aedes aegypti mosquito larval midgut. These results are congruent with a previous report of multiple isoforms of the APN gene expression in lepidopteran larvae. Which of the two isoforms (or other yet unidentified receptor proteins) is involved in the killing of mosquito larvae remains to be elucidated.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.371-377
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• 1998

We have cloned a soluble type human folate receptor(hFR type${\gamma}$) from human thymus cDNA library using the PCR amplification technique. To examine whether hFR type${\gamma}$ has a folate transport activity, CHO cells were transfected with the pcDNAhFR${\gamma}$ expression plasmid, and the stable cell line CHO/hFR${\gamma}$ expressing a high level of the hFR type${\gamma}$ was identified by northern and western blot analysis. The CHO/hFR${\gamma}$ cells produced a [$H^3$]folic acid binding protein in the culture medium. However, we couldn't detect any cell surface [$H^3$] folic acid binding and transport activities. The growth of the CHO/hFR${\gamma}$ cells was more rapidly inhibited than the wild type CHO cells in the low concentration folic acid media. These observations indicate that although soluble type human folate receptor can bind [$H^3$]folate, it does not involve in folate transport.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.16-20
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• 2013

G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily is the largest known receptor family, characterized by seven transmembrane domains and considered to be an important drug target. In this study we focused on an orphan GPCR termed as GPR18. As there is no X-ray crystal structure has been reported for this receptor, we report on a homology model of GPR18. Template structure with high homology was used for modeling and ten models were developed. A model was selected and refined by energy minimization. The selected model was further validated using various parameters. Our results could be a starting point for further structure based drug design.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.125-130
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• 2001

A putative protein encoded by Arabidopsis AtMTN3 gene, a homologue of Medicago truncatula MTN3, consists of 285 amino acid residues, and has a predicted molecular mass of 31.5 kDa and a calculated pI of 9.1. Primary amino acid sequence analyses have revealed that the protein contains seven putative transmembrane regions with N-terminus oriented to the outside of the membrane. The AtMTN3 protein shows overall 16.4% of amino acid identity with the rat GALR3 protein, known to be a G-protein-coupled receptor. The gene is present as a single copy in the Arabidopsis genome, and expressed in aerial parts but not in roots of Arabidopsis. Therefore, AtMTN3 appears not to be specifically involved in Rhizobium-induced nodule development, as was predicted for the MTN3 gene. These proteins possibly mediate signal transmission through G-protein-coupled pathways during general interactions between plants and symbiotic or pathogenic microbes.