• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.521-526
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• 2020

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are retrotransposons present in various metazoan genomes and have been implicated in metazoan evolution as well as in nematodes and humans. The long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons contain several regulatory sequences including promoters and enhancers that regulate endogenous gene expression and thereby control organismal development and response to environmental change. ERVs including the LTR retrotransposons constitute 8% of the human genome and less than 0.6% of the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) genome, a nematode genetic model system. To investigate the evolutionarily conserved mechanism behind the transcriptional activity of retrotransposons, we generated a transgenic worm model driving green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression using Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV)-K LTR as a promoter. The promoter activity of HERV-K LTR was robust and fluorescence was observed in various tissues throughout the developmental process. Interestingly, persistent GFP expression was specifically detected in the adult vulva muscle. Using deletion constructs, we found that the region from positions 675 to 868 containing the TATA box was necessary for promoter activity driving gene expression in the vulva. Interestingly, we found that the promoter activity of the LTR was dependent on che-1 transcription factor, a sensory neuron driver, and lin-15b, a negative regulator of RNAi and germline gene expression. These results suggest evolutionary conservation of the LTR retrotransposon activity in transcriptional regulation as well as the possibility of che-1 function in non-neuronal tissues.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.396-401
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the antitumor activity of suspension cultures of tea callus cells grown in the presence of different concentrations of the growth regulator 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) with or without light irradiation. The methanol and ethanol extracts of precipitated cells (MEP, EEP) exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on the growth of tumor cell lines than the water extract of precipitated cells (WEP) or the supernatant Compared to culture under dark conditions, exposure to light irradiation led to significantly higher antitumor activity. The MEP from light irradiated cells at $250{\mu}g/mL$ with 2.0mg/L 2,4-D displayed more than 64% growth inhibition of HEP-2 cells, whereas normal cells showed less than 25% growth inhibition. The some fractions of MEP obtained from Diaion HP-20 column chromatography displayed the majority of inhibitory activity against the HEP-2 cell line. These results show that 2,4-D, and light stimulated the synthesis of antitumor compounds.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.532-541
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• 2010

Peroxidase-like activity of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) has been recently disclosed. To maximize such activity, two catalytically conserved residues (histidine and arginine) found in the distal pocket of peroxidases have successfully been introduced into that of the VHb. A 15-fold increase in catalytic constant ($k_{cat}$) was obtained in P54R variant,which was presumably attributable to the lower rigidity and higher hydrophilicity of the distal cavity arising from substitution of proline to arginine. None of the modifications altered the affinity towards either $H_2O_2$ or ABTS substrate. Spectroscopic studies revealed that VHb variants harboring the T29H mutation apparently demonstrated a spectral shift in both ferric and ferrous forms (406-408 to 411 nm, and 432 to 424-425 nm, respectively). All VHb proteins in the ferrous state had a $\lambda_{soret}$ peak at ~419 nm following the carbon monoxide (CO) binding. Expression of the P54R mutant mediated the downregulation of iron superoxide dismutase (FeSOD) as identified by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF). According to the high peroxidase activity of P54R, it could effectively eliminate autoxidation-derived $H_2O_2$, which is a cause of heme degradation and iron release. This decreased the iron availability and consequently reduced the formation of the $Fe^{2+}$-ferric uptake regulator protein ($Fe^{2+}$-Fur), an inducer of FeSOD expression.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2004

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is stabilized by the herpes-virus-associated ubiquitin-specific protease (HAUSP), a deubiquitinating enzyme. We previously isolated and characterized a mouse orthologue of HAUSP, mHAUSP. mHAUSP cDNA consisted of 3,312 bp encodes 1,103 amino acids with a molecular weight of approximately 135 kDa containing highly conserved Cys, Asp (I), His, and Asn/Asp (II) domains. In this study, we carried out site-directed mutagenesis of 6 conserved amino acids (Cys224, Gln231, Asp296, His457, His465, and Asp482) in Cys box, QQD box, and His box. Interestingly, the conserved Gln 231 was not essential for the catalytic activity of mHAUSP. However, the other conserved amino acids were required for deubiquitinating activity of mHAUSP. We performed isopeptidase assay and confirmed that mHAUSP is able to remove ubiquitin from ubiquitinated substrates. In addition, we observed that mHAUSP induces apoptosis in HeLa cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.584-589
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• 2017

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which is induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, contributes to the entry of immune cells into the site of inflammation in the skin. Here, we show that protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 21 (PTPN21) negatively regulates ICAM-1 expression in human keratinocytes. PTPN21 expression was transiently induced after stimulation with TNF-${\alpha}$. When overexpressed, PTPN21 inhibited the expression of ICAM-1 in HaCaT cells but PTPN21 C1108S, a phosphatase activity-inactive mutant, failed to inhibit ICAM-1 expression. Nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$), a key transcription factor of ICAM-1 gene expression, was inhibited by PTPN21, but not by PTPN21 C1108S. PTPN21 directly dephosphorylated phospho-inhibitor of ${\kappa}B$ ($I{\kappa}B$)-kinase ${\beta}$ ($IKK{\beta}$) at Ser177/181. This dephosphorylation led to the stabilization of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ and inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ activity. Taken together, our results suggest that PTPN21 could be a valuable molecular target for regulation of inflammation in the skin by dephosphorylating p-$IKK{\beta}$ and inhibiting NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.379-384
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• 2012

Lhx8 (LIM homeobox 8) gene encodes a LIM homeodomain transcriptional regulator that is preferentially expressed in germ cells and critical for mammalian folliculogenesis. However, Lhx8 DNA binding sequences are not characterized yet. We aimed to identify and characterize a cis-acting sequence of germ-cell specific transcriptional factor, Lhx8. To identify Lhx8 DNA binding element, Cyclic Amplification of Sequence Target (CAST) Analysis was performed. Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA) was processed for the binding specificity of Lhx8. Luciferase assay was for the transcriptional activity of Lhx8 through identified DNA binding site. We identified a putative cis-acting sequence, TGATTG as Lhx8 DNA binding element (LBE). In addition, Lhx8 binds to the LBE with high affinity and augments transcriptional activity of luciferase reporter driven by artificial promoter containing the Lhx8 binding element. These findings indicate that Lhx8 directly regulates the transcription of genes containing Lhx8 binding element in oocytes during early folliculogenesis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1101-1107
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• 2015

The role of CRE1 in a thermophilic fungus, Myceliophthora thermophila ATCC42464, was studied using RNA interference. In the cre1-silenced strain C88, the filter paper hydrolyzing activity and β-1,4-endoglucanase activity were 3.76-, and 1.31-fold higher, respectively, than those in the parental strain when the strains were cultured in inducing medium for 6 days. The activities of β-1,4-exoglucanase and cellobiase were 2.64-, and 5.59-fold higher, respectively, than those in the parental strain when the strains were cultured for 5 days. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction showed that the gene expression of egl3, cbh1, and cbh2 was significantly increased in transformant C88 compared with the wild-type strain. Therefore, our findings suggest the feasibility of improving cellulase production by modifying the regulator expression, and an attractive approach to increasing the total cellulase productivity in thermophilic fungi.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2017

Raphanus sativus L. (RS) is a cruciferous vegetable that is widely consumed in Korea. The anticancer activity of leaves of RS (RSL) extract has been investigated; however, no studies focused on its anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of RSL extract. In brief, RSL powder was fractionated into n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water-soluble fractions. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells were treated with each fraction for initial screening. It was found that the chloroform fraction significantly inhibited nitric oxide release in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells with a half maximal inhibitory concentration value of $196{\mu}g/mL$. In addition, the mRNA and protein expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase, measured using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively, were reduced in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, the inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme expression decreased. Furthermore, the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$), the key regulator of the transcriptional activation of the inflammatory cytokine genes, was reduced by the RSL chloroform fraction. Therefore, the results of our study suggest that RSL exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated macrophages via $NF-{\kappa}B$ inactivation.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.199-201
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• 2008

Eosinophil is an improtant leukocyte in the development of various inflammatory diseases. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) acts as a key regulator on monocyte movement, and activation of T cells and NK cells. However, the role of MCP-1 in eosinophils remains to be solved. In the present study, we examined the effect of MCP-1 on eosinophil migration, using human eosinophilic EoL-1 cells as an in vitro model of eosinophils. The surface expression of CCR2 in EoL-1 cells was little detected but MCP-1 strongly induced EoL-1 cell migration in a dose-dependent manner. Increased chemotactic activity due to MCP-1 was blocked by pertussis toxin, a $G_i/G_o$ protein inhibitor and U73122, a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor. These results suggest that MCP-1 activates $G_i/G_o$ protein and PLC and this signal pathway is involved in eosinphil movement. This finding supports the elucidation of pathogenic mechanism of eosinophilic inflammation such as asthma and atopic dermatitis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2006

Background: The Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is an important regulator for the body's stress response. As a primary stress responsive system, HPA-axis secretes various neurotransmitters, hormones, and cytokines, which regulates the immune system. Natural killer (NK) cell which is plays an important role in the innate immune response, is specially decreased their numbers and loose cytolytic activity in response to stress. However, the effect of HPA-axis secreted proteins on NK cell activity has not been defined. Herein, we studied the effect of adrenal secreted adiponectin on NK cell cytotoxicity. Adiponectin which is well-known metabolic control protein, plays important roles in various diseases, including hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory disorders, and cancer. Methods: Signal sequence trap was used to find stress novel secretory protein from HP A-axis. Selected adiponectin was treated mouse mature primary NK cells and then examined the effect of adiponectin to NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine expression level. Results: We found that adiponectin which is secreted from adrenal gland, suppress IL-2 induced NK cell cytotoxicity. And also investigated cytolytic cytokines are suppressed by adiponectin. Conclusion: These data suggest that adiponectin inhibites NK cell cytotoxicity via suppression of cytotoxicity related target gene.