• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.203-210
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• 2008

One of cell surface receptor proteins, human folate receptor (hFR) involves in the uptake of folates through cell membrane into cytoplasm, and is anchored to the plasma membrane by a fatty acid linkage, which has been identified in some cells as a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-tailed protein with a molecular mass of about 40 kDa. The hFR is released by phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C (PI-PLC) because it contains fatty acids and inositol on the GPI tail. Caveolin decorates the cytoplasmic surface of caveolae and has been proposed to have a structural role in maintaining caveolae. It is unknown whether caveolin is involved in targeting, and is necessary for the function of GPI-tailed proteins. To compare the ability of folic acid binding, internalization and expression of hFR, and the effect of caveolin at the both apical and basolateral side of cell surfaces in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) clone cells overexpressed the hFR and/or caveolin. Our present results suggest a possibility that the overexpression of caveolin does not be involved in expression of hFR, but plays a role as a factor in PI-PLC releasing kinetics, and for a regulation of formation, processing and function of hFR in CHO clone cells overexpressed cavcolin.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.878-895
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• 2017

Phosphorylation, a critical mechanism in biological systems, is estimated to be indispensable for about 30% of key biological activities, such as cell cycle progression, migration, and division. It is synergistically balanced by kinases and phosphatases, and any deviation from this balance leads to disease conditions. Pathway or biological activity-based abnormalities in phosphorylation and the type of involved phosphatase influence the outcome, and cause diverse diseases ranging from diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and numerous cancers. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are of prime importance in the process of dephosphorylation and catalyze several biological functions. Abnormal PTP activities are reported to result in several human diseases. Consequently, there is an increased demand for potential PTP inhibitory small molecules. Several strategies in structure-based drug designing techniques for potential inhibitory small molecules of PTPs have been explored along with traditional drug designing methods in order to overcome the hurdles in PTP inhibitor discovery. In this review, we discuss druggable PTPs and structure-based virtual screening efforts for successful PTP inhibitor design.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.897-905
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• 2017

Cellular protein homeostasis is maintained by two major degradation pathways, namely the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy. Until recently, the UPS and autophagy were considered to be largely independent systems targeting proteins for degradation in the proteasome and lysosome, respectively. However, the identification of crucial roles of molecular players such as ubiquitin and p62 in both of these pathways as well as the observation that blocking the UPS affects autophagy flux and vice versa has generated interest in studying crosstalk between these pathways. Here, we critically review the current understanding of how the UPS and autophagy execute coordinated protein degradation at the molecular level, and shed light on our recent findings indicating an important role of an autophagy-associated transmembrane protein EI24 as a bridging molecule between the UPS and autophagy that functions by regulating the degradation of several E3 ligases with Really Interesting New Gene (RING)-domains.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.313-321
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• 2018

Anti-cancer drug resistance is a major problem in colorectal cancer (CRC) research. Although several studies have revealed the mechanism of cancer drug resistance, molecular targets for chemotherapeutic combinations remain elusive. To address this issue, we focused on the expression of cellular prion protein ($PrP^C$) in 5-FU-resistant CRC cells. In 5-FU-resistant CRC cells, $PrP^C$ expression is significantly increased, compared with that in normal CRC cells. In the presence of 5-FU, $PrP^C$ increased CRC cell survival and proliferation by maintaining the activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the expression of cell cycle-associated proteins, including cyclin E, CDK2, cyclin D1, and CDK4. In addition, $PrP^C$ inhibited the activation of the stress-associated proteins p38, JNK, and p53. Moreover, after treatment of 5-FU-resistant CRC cells with 5-FU, silencing of $PrP^C$ triggered apoptosis via the activation of caspase-3. These results indicate that $PrP^C$ plays a key role in CRC drug resistance. The novel strategy of combining chemotherapy with $PrP^C$ targeting may yield efficacious treatments of colorectal cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.566-572
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• 2001

Chimeric CD4 proteins were assembled. They contained the entire CD4 ectodomain that is linked to different membrane anchors. Membrane anchors consisted of either glucosyl phosphatidyl inositol (gpi), the transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions of HIV-1 Env protein, or the vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein, respectively. The HIV-1 co-receptor CXCR4 and CD4 were independently inserted into viral envelopes. We compared the insertion of six different CD4/CXCR4 constructs into HIV-1 envelopes, as well as their functionality in targeting and specific infection of cells that constitutively express the HIV-1 Env protein. All of the six different HIV-1 (CD4/CXCR4) pseudotypes were able to transduce Env (+) cells at similar efficiency. In addition, stable transduction of the Env (+) recipient cells demonstrated that all chimeric proteins were functional as receptors for Env when inserted into HIV-1 envelopes. In fact, these results demonstrate for the first time a stable transduction by a targeted HIV-1 pseudotype virus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.779-784
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• 2013

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis of global concern caused by Leptospira interrogans. The availability of ligand libraries has facilitated the search for novel drug targets using chemogenomics approaches, compared with the traditional method of drug discovery, which is time consuming and yields few leads with little intracellular information for guiding target selection. Recent subtractive genomics studies have revealed the putative drug targets in peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathways in Leptospira interrogans. Aligand library for the murD ligase enzyme in the peptidoglycan pathway has also been identified. Our approach in this research involves screening of the pre-existing ligand library of murD with related protein family members in the putative drug target assembly in the peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway. A chemogenomics approach has been implemented here, which involves screening of known ligands of a protein family having analogous domain architecture for identification of leads for existing druggable protein family members. By means of this approach, one murC and one murF inhibitor were identified, providing a platform for developing an anti-leptospirosis drug targeting the peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway. Given that the peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway is exclusive to bacteria, the in silico identified mur ligase inhibitors are expected to be broad-spectrum Gram-negative inhibitors if synthesized and tested in in vitro and in vivo assays.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2018

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest superfamily of transmembrane receptors and have vital signaling functions in various organs. Because of their critical roles in physiology and pathology, GPCRs are the most commonly used therapeutic target. It has been suggested that GPCRs undergo massive genetic variations such as genetic polymorphisms and DNA insertions or deletions. Among these genetic variations, non-synonymous natural variations change the amino acid sequence and could thus alter GPCR functions such as expression, localization, signaling, and ligand binding, which may be involved in disease development and altered responses to GPCR-targeting drugs. Despite the clinical importance of GPCRs, studies on the genotype-phenotype relationship of GPCR natural variants have been limited to a few GPCRs such as b-adrenergic receptors and opioid receptors. Comprehensive understanding of non-synonymous natural variations within GPCRs would help to predict the unknown genotype-phenotype relationship and yet-to-be-discovered natural variants. Here, we analyzed the non-synonymous natural variants of all non-olfactory GPCRs available from a public database, UniProt. The results suggest that non-synonymous natural variations occur extensively within the GPCR superfamily especially in the N-terminus and transmembrane domains. Within the transmembrane domains, natural variations observed more frequently in the conserved residues, which leads to disruption of the receptor function. Our analysis also suggests that only few non-synonymous natural variations have been studied in efforts to link the variations with functional consequences.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.179-186
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• 2005

This study was conducted to find the gender and age differences in dietary behaviors and food consumption pattern of Korean American adults living in western parts of USA. The structured survey forms and self-administered food frequency questionnaire were used to assess dietary behavior and nutrient intakes. It was found that younger subjects kept their meal time more irregularly and skipped breakfast more often than older subjects due to lack of time. There were significant age differences in skipping meals, kind of skipping meals, and the reasons for skipping meals. Young subjects consumed more American type food while older subjects consumed more traditional Korean food. Nutrient intakes of males' except for the elderly were significantly higher in energy, protein, Fe and P than those of females'. Vitamin A and vitamin C intake were significantly higher in females. Energy ratio of carbohydrate: protein: fat was 56.2 : 16.8 : 27.0. Females consumed more plant food as their dietary sources of protein, fat, Ca and Fe, compared to males. Ca intakes of participants' were below $75\%$ of RDA except for the youngest male and $30\~49$ aged male and females. Futhermore, Ca intake was below $70\%$ after age 50 in both genders. Effective nutrition education program targeting Korean Americans in the community should be developed and implemented to increase Ca consumption.

• Kidney Research and Clinical Practice
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2016

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, and its pathogenesis is complex and has not yet been fully elucidated. Abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism is key to understanding the pathogenesis of DN, which can develop in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. A hallmark of this disease is the accumulation of glucose and lipids in renal cells, resulting in oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress, intracellular hypoxia, and inflammation, eventually leading to glomerulosclerosis and interstitial fibrosis. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that dysregulation of 50 adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme that plays a principal role in cell growth and cellular energy homeostasis, in relevant tissues is a key component of the development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus; thus, targeting this enzyme may ameliorate some pathologic features of this disease. AMPK regulates the coordination of anabolic processes, with its activation proven to improve glucose and lipid homeostasis in insulin-resistant animal models, as well as demonstrating mitochondrial biogenesis and antitumor activity. In this review, we discuss new findings regarding the role of AMPK in the pathogenesis of DN and offer suggestions for feasible clinical use and future studies of the role of AMPK activators in this disorder.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.441-456
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• 2022

Shiga toxins (Stxs) are major virulence factors from the enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), a subset of Stx-producing Escherichia coli. Stxs are multi-functional, ribosome-inactivating proteins that underpin the development of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and central nervous system (CNS) damage. Currently, therapeutic options for the treatment of diseases caused by Stxs are limited and unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning toxin-induced inflammation remain unclear. Numerous works have demonstrated that the various host ribotoxic stress-induced targets including p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, its downstream substrate Mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2, and apoptotic signaling via ER-stress sensors are activated in many different susceptible cell types following the regular retrograde transportation of the Stxs, eventually leading to disturbing intercellular communication. Therapeutic options targeting host cellular pathways induced by Stxs may represent a promising strategy for intervention in Stx-mediated acute renal dysfunction, retinal damage, and CNS damage. This review aims at fostering an in-depth understanding of EHEC Stxs-mediated pathogenesis through the toxin-host interactions.