• Molecules and Cells
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.10-22
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• 2020

Mitochondria have several quality control mechanisms by which they maintain cellular homeostasis and ensure that the molecular machinery is protected from stress. Mitophagy, selective autophagy of mitochondria, promotes mitochondrial quality control by inducing clearance of damaged mitochondria via the autophagic machinery. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitophagy is modulated by various microbial components in an attempt to affect the innate immune response to infection. In addition, mitophagy plays a key role in the regulation of inflammatory signaling, and mitochondrial danger signals such as mitochondrial DNA translocated into the cytosol can lead to exaggerated inflammatory responses. In this review, we present current knowledge on the functional aspects of mitophagy and its crosstalk with innate immune signaling during infection. A deeper understanding of the role of mitophagy could facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic strategies against various infections.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권16호
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• pp.6485-6488
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• 2014

Research over the years has progressively and sequentially provided near complete resolution of regulators of the DNA repair pathways which are so important for cancer prevention. Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM), a high-molecular-weight PI3K-family kinase has emerged as a master regulator of DNA damage signaling and extensive cross-talk between ATM and downstream proteins forms an interlaced signaling network. There is rapidly growing scientific evidence emphasizing newly emerging paradigms in ATM biology. In this review, we provide latest information regarding how oxidative stress induced activation of ATM can be utilized as a therapeutic target in different cancer cell lines and in xenografted mice. Moreover, crosstalk between autophagy and ATM is also discussed with focus on how autophagy inhibition induces apoptosis in cancer cells.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2002

A role of Src family protein Tyrosine kinases (SFK) as mediators of receptor-ligand initiated responses is well established. Well documented, but less well understood is the role of SFK in cellular reaction to stresses. Evidence from the wide variety of experimental systems indicates that SFK mediate responses to all major classes of stress, including oxidation, DNA damage, mechanical impacts, and protein denaturing. SFK may be activated by stresses directly or via regulatory circuits whose identity is not yet fully understood. Depending on the cell type and the nature of activating stimulus, SFK may activate known downstream signaling cascades leading to cell survival, proliferation, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and apoptosis; the identity of these cascades is discussed. As in the case of receptor-initiated signaling, roles of individual SFK in various stress response may be redundant or non-redundant. Although signals generated by different stresses are generally transduced via distinct SFK pathways, these pathways may overlap or exhibit crosstalk. In some cell types stress-induced activation of SFK promotes survival and inhibits apoptosis, whereas the opposite may be true for other cell types. Stress responses constitute a new and rapidly developing area of SFK-mediated signaling.

• Laboraroty Animal Research
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.140-146
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• 2018

Though bile acids have been well known as digestive juice, recent studies have demonstrated that bile acids bind to their endogenous receptors, including Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (GPBAR1; TGR5) and serve as hormone to control various biological processes, including cholesterol/bile acid metabolism, glucose/lipid metabolism, immune responses, and energy metabolism. Deficiency of those bile acid receptors has been reported to induce diverse metabolic syndromes such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance. As consistent, numerous studies have reported alteration of bile acid signaling pathways in type II diabetes patients. Interestingly, bile acids have shown to activate TGR5 in intestinal L cells and enhance secretion of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) to potentiate insulin secretion in response to glucose. Moreover, FXR has been shown to crosstalk with TGR5 to control GLP-1 secretion. Altogether, bile acid receptors, FXR and TGR5 are potent therapeutic targets for the treatment of metabolic diseases, including type II diabetes.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제59권3호
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• pp.235-249
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• 2021

Leptin is a type of adipokine mainly produced by adipocytes and reported to be overproduced in prostate cancer. However, it is not known whether it stimulates the proliferation of prostate cells. In this study, we investigated whether benign prostatic hyperplasia epithelial cells (BPH-1 cells) infected with Trichomonas vaginalis induced the proliferation of prostate cells via a leptin signaling pathway. To investigate the effect of crosstalk between adipocyte leptin and inflamed epithelial cell in proliferation of prostate cells, adipocytes 3T3-L1 cells were incubated in conditioned medium of BPH-1 cells infected with T. vaginalis (T. vaginalis-conditioned medium, TCM), and then the adipocyte-conditioned medium (ATCM) was identified to cause proliferation of prostate cells. BPH-1 cells incubated with live T. vaginalis released pro-inflammatory cytokines, and conditioned medium of these cells caused migration of adipocytes. When prostate stromal cells and BPH-1 cells were incubated with adipocyte conditioned medium containing leptin, their growth rates increased as did expression of the leptin receptor (known as OBR) and signaling molecules such as JAK2/STAT3, Notch and survivin. Moreover, blocking the OBR reduced this proliferation and the expression of leptin signaling molecules in response to ATCM. In conclusion, our findings show that inflamed BPH-1 cells infected with T. vaginalis induce the proliferation of prostate cells through leptin-OBR signaling. Therefore, it is likely that T. vaginalis contributes to prostate enlargement in BPH via adipocyte leptin released as a result of inflammation of the prostate.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.287-294
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• 2023

건강한 adipose tissue는 대사 항상성 통해 비만을 막는데 중요하다고 할 수 있다. Adipose tissue는 포도당과 지질 대사를 통해 에너지 균형에 중요한 역할을 한다. 영양분 상태에 따라, adipose tissue는 지질을 저장하여 커지기도 하고, 지질 분해를 통해 에너지를 소비하기도 한다. 게다가, adipose tissue는 호르몬 분비기관으로 작용이 부각되고 있다. 다양한 adipose tissue 호르몬이 존재하며, metabolic signaling을 통해 다른장기와 조직에 영향을 준다. 예를 들면, adipose tissue에서 분비하는 대표적인 펩타이드 호르몬(adipokine)은 섭식조절을 위해 뇌의 중추신경을 자극한다. 또한 adipocytes도 염증성 cytokines을 분비하여 adipose tissue의 immune cells을 표적으로 한다. 당연하게도, adipocytes는 지질에서 만들어지는 호르몬(lipokine)이 분비되어 특정 수용체와 결합하여 paracrine 및 endocrine으로 영향을 준다. 이러한 adipose tissue 호르몬에 의한 장기 조직 간의 상호작용을 이해하기 위해서는, 세부적인 adipocytes 및 다른 표적 세포에서 metabolic sig- naling이 규명되어야 한다. 그러므로, 과체중이나 비만의 건강하지 못한 adipose tissue에서는 metabolic sig- naling의 비정상적인 조절이 일어난다고 할 수 있다. 새로운 adipose metabolic signaling을 표적으로 하는 치료제는 항 비만 약물개발을 이끌어 낼 수 있다. 본 총설논문은 비만과 대사질환 관점에서 adipose tissue 호르몬과 metabolic signaling의 최신 연구결과를 요약 정리한다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제52권3호
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• pp.214-219
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• 2019

The role of tumor-proximal factors in tumor plasticity during chemoresistance and metastasis following chemotherapy is well studied. However, the role of endothelial cell (EC) derived paracrine factors in tumor plasticity, their effect on chemotherapeutic outcome, and the mechanism by which these paracrine factors modulate the tumor microenvironment are not well understood. In this study, we report a novel mechanism by which endothelial miR-125a and let-7e-mediated regulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling can manipulate vasculogenic mimicry (VM) formation of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. We found that endothelial IL-6 levels were significantly higher in response to cisplatin treatment, whereas levels of IL-6 upon cisplatin exposure remained unchanged in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. We additionally found an inverse correlation between IL-6 and miR-125a/let-7e expression levels in cisplatin treated ECs. Interestingly, IL-6, IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) genes in the IL-6 pathway are closely regulated by miR-125a and let-7e, which directly target its 3' untranslated region. Functional analyses revealed that endothelial miR-125a and let-7e inhibit IL-6-induced adhesion of monocytes to ECs. Furthermore, conditioned medium from cisplatin treated ECs induced a significantly higher formation of VM in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells as compared to that from intact ECs; this effect of cisplatin treatment was abrogated by concurrent overexpression of miR-125a and let-7e. Overall, this study reveals a novel EC-tumor cell crosstalk mediated by the endothelial miR-125a/let-7e-IL-6 signaling axis, which might improve chemosensitivity and provide potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.7-18
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• 2002

The major function of the thymus is to eliminate developing thymocytes that are potentially useless or autoreactive, and select only those that bear functional T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) through fastidious screening. It is believed that glucocorticoids (GCs) are at least in part responsible for cell death during death by neglect. In this review, we will mainly cover the topic of the GC-induced apoptosis of developing thymocytes. We will also discuss how thymocytes that are fated to die by GCs can be rescued from GC-induced apoptosis in. response to a variety of signals with antagonizing properties for GC receptor (GR) signaling. Currently, a lot of evidence supports the notion that the decision is made as a result of the integration of the multiple signal transduction networks that are triggered by GR, TCR, and Notch. A few candidate molecules at the converging point of these multiple signaling pathyways will be discussed. We will particularly describe the role of the SRG3 protein as a potent modulator of GC-induced apoptosis in the crosstalk.

• BMB Reports
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• 제51권5호
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• pp.209-210
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• 2018

NAFLD induces the development of advanced liver diseases such as NASH and liver cancer. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of NAFLD development is critical for its prevention and treatment. Ablation of PTEN or Hippo pathway components induces liver cancer in a murine model by hyperactive AKT or YAP/TAZ, respectively. Although the regulation of these two pathways occurs in the same hepatocyte, the details of crosstalk between Hippo-YAP/TAZ and PTEN-AKT pathways in liver homeostasis and tumorigenesis still remain unclear. Here, we found that depletion of both PTEN and SAV1 in liver promotes spontaneous NAFLD and liver cancer through hyperactive AKT via YAP/TAZ-mediated up-regulation of IRS2 transcription. Conversely, NAFLD is rescued by both ablation of YAP/TAZ and activation of the Hippo pathway. Furthermore, human HCC patients with NAFLD showed strong correlation between YAP/TAZ and IRS2 or phospho-AKT expression. Finally, the inhibition of AKT by MK-2206 treatment attenuates NAFLD development and tumorigenesis. Our findings indicate that Hippo pathway interacts with AKT signaling during the intervention with IRS2 to prevent NAFLD and liver cancer.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.229-232
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• 2002

There are two distinct UV-responsive signaling pathways in UV-irradiated mammalian cells, i.e., the DNA damage-dependent and -independent pathways. The former occurs in nucleus and results in growth arrest and apoptosis via post-translational modification of p53. The latter is initiated by oxidative stress and/or by damages in cell membrane or cytoplasm, which activate signaling cascade through intracellular molecules including mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK). In normal human fibroblastic cells, all of MAPK family members, extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and p38, were rapidly phosphorylated following UV-irradiation. ERK phosphorylation was suppressed by an inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK). As ERK usually responds to mitogenic stimuli from RTK ligands, UV-induced ERK phosphorylation may be linked to the proliferation of survived cells. In contrast, phosphorylation of JNK and p38, as well as apoptosis, were modulated by the level of UV-generated oxidative stress Therefore, JNK and p38 may take part in oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis. Phosphorylation of p53 at Ser and Thr residues are essential for stabilization and activation of p53. Among several sites reported, we confirmed phosphorylation at Ser-15 and Ser-392 after UV-irradiation. Both of these were inhibited by a phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor, presumably due to the shutdown of signals from DNA damage to p53. Phosphorylation at Ser-392 was also sensitive to an antioxidant and a p38 inhibitor, suggesting that Ser-392 of p53 is one of the possible points where DNA damage-dependent and -independent apoptic signals merge. Thus, MAPK pathway links UV-induced intracellular signals to the nuclear responses and modifies DNA damage-dependent cellular outcome, resulting in the determination of cell death.