• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.369-370
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• 2015

Actin dynamics is critical for the formation and sustainment of the immunological synapse (IS) during T cell interaction with antigen-presenting cells (APC). Thus, many actin regulating proteins are involved in spatial and temporal actin remodeling at the IS. However, little is known whether or how actin stabilizing protein controls IS and the consequent T cell functions. TAGLN2 − an actin-binding protein predominantly expressed in T cells − displays a novel function to stabilize cortical F-actin, thereby augmenting F-actin contents at the IS, and acquiring leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 activation following T cell activation. TAGLN2 also competes with cofilin to protect F-actin in vitro and in vivo. During cytotoxic T cell interaction with cancer cells, the expression level of TAGLN2 at the IS correlates with the T cell adhesion to target cancer cells and production of lytic granules such as granzyme B and perforin, thus expressing cytotoxic T cell function. These findings identify a novel function for TAGLN2 as an actin stabilizing protein that is essential for stable immunological synapse formation, thereby regulating T cell immunity. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(7): 369-370]

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.9
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• pp.457-458
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• 2016

Recent studies have strongly implicated postsynaptic scaffolding proteins such as SAPAP3 or Shank3 in the pathogenesis of various mood disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder (BD), and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Neural Abelson-related gene-binding protein 2 (nArgBP2) was originally identified as a protein that interacts with SAPAP3 and Shank3. Recent study shows that the genetic deletion of nArgBP2 in mice leads to manic/bipolar-like behavior resembling symptoms of BD. However, the function of nArgBP2 at synapse, or its connection with the synaptic dysfunctions, is completely unknown. This study provides compelling evidence that nArgBP2 regulates the spine morphogenesis through the activation of Rac1/WAVE/PAK/cofilin pathway, and that its ablation causes a robust and selective inhibition of excitatory synapse formation, by controlling actin dynamics. Our results revealed the underlying mechanism for the synaptic dysfunction caused by nArgBP2 downregulation that associates with analogous human BD. Moreover, since nArgBP2 interacts with key proteins involved in various neuropsychiatric disorders, our finding implies that nArgBP2 could function as a hub linking various etiological factors of different mood disorders.

• International Journal of Molecular Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.491-502
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• 2019

Although the migration of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is important for hepatic fibrosis, the regulation of this migration is poorly understood. Notably, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 induces monocyte migration to sites of injury or inflammation during the early phase, but inhibits cell migration during the late phase. In the present study, the role of transforming protein RhoA signaling in TGF-β1-induced HSC migration was investigated. TGF-β1 was found to increase the protein and mRNA levels of smooth muscle actin and collagen type I in HSC-T6 cells. The level of RhoA-GTP in TGF-β1-stimulated cells was significantly higher than that in control cells. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of cofilin and formation of filamentous actin (F-actin) were more marked in TGF-β1-stimulated cells than in control cells. Additionally, TGF-β1 induced the activation of nuclear factor-κB, and the expression of extracellular matrix proteins and several cytokines in HSC-T6 cells. The active form of Rap1 (Rap1 V12) suppressed RhoA-GTP levels, whereas the dominant-negative form of Rap1 (Rap1 N17) augmented RhoA-GTP levels. Therefore, the data confirmed that Rap1 regulated the activation of RhoA in TGF-β1-stimulated HSC-T6 cells. These findings suggest that TGF-β1 regulates Rap1, resulting in the suppression of RhoA, activation of and formation of F-actin during the migration of HSCs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.1579-1589
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• 2020

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the roles of LIM kinases (LIMK1 and LIMK2) during porcine early embryo development. We checked the mRNA expression patterns and localization of LIMK1/2 to evaluate their characterization. We further explored the function of LIMK1/2 in developmental competence and their relationship between actin assembly and cell junction integrity, specifically during the first cleavage and compaction. Methods: Pig ovaries were transferred from a local slaughterhouse within 1 h and cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected. COCs were matured in in vitro maturation medium in a CO2 incubator. Metaphase II oocytes were activated using an Electro Cell Manipulator 2001 and microinjected to insert LIMK1/2 dsRNA into the cytoplasm. To confirm the roles of LIMK1/2 during compaction and subsequent blastocyst formation, we employed a LIMK inhibitor (LIMKi3). Results: LIMK1/2 was localized in cytoplasm in embryos and co-localized with actin in cell-to-cell boundaries after the morula stage. LIMK1/2 knockdown using LIMK1/2 dsRNA significantly decreased the cleavage rate, compared to the control group. Protein levels of E-cadherin and β-catenin, present in adherens junctions, were reduced at the cell-to-cell boundaries in the LIMK1/2 knockdown embryos. Embryos treated with LIMKi3 at the morula stage failed to undergo compaction and could not develop into blastocysts. Actin intensity at the cortical region was considerably reduced in LIMKi3-treated embryos. LIMKi3-induced decrease in cortical actin levels was attributed to the disruption of adherens junction and tight junction assembly. Phosphorylation of cofilin was also reduced in LIMKi3-treated embryos. Conclusion: The above results suggest that LIMK1/2 is crucial for cleavage and compaction through regulation of actin organization and cell junction assembly.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.8
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• pp.749-762
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• 2020

The migration, dedifferentiation, and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are responsible for intimal hyperplasia, but the mechanism of this process has not been elucidated. WD repeat domain 1 (WDR1) promotes actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin-mediated depolymerization of actin filaments (F-actin). The role of WDR1 in neointima formation and progression is still unknown. A model of intimal thickening was constructed by ligating the left common carotid artery in Wdr1 deletion mice, and H&E staining showed that Wdr1 deficiency significantly inhibits neointima formation. We also report that STAT3 promotes the proliferation and migration of VSMCs by directly promoting WDR1 transcription. Mechanistically, we clarified that WDR1 promotes the proliferation and migration of VSMCs and neointima formation is regulated by the activation of the JAK2/STAT3/WDR1 axis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6435-6439
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• 2012

Chemoresistance to cancer therapy is a major obstacle to the effective treatment of human cancers with cisplatin (DDP), but the mechanisms of cisplatin-resistance are not clear. In this study, we established a cisplatin-resistant human ovarian cancer cell line (COC1/DDP) and identified differentially expressed proteins related to cisplatin resistance. The proteomic expression profiles in COC1 before and after DDP treatment were examined using 2-dimensional electrophoresis technology. Differentially expressed proteins were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem MS (NanoUPLC-ESI-MS/MS). 5 protein spots, for cytokeratin 9, keratin 1, deoxyuridine triphosphatase (dUTPase), aarF domain containing kinase 4 (ADCK 4) and cofilin1, were identified to be significantly changed in COC1/DDP compared with its parental cells. The expression of these five proteins was further validated by quantitative PCR and Western blotting, confirming the results of proteomic analysis. Further research on these proteins may help to identify novel resistant biomarkers or reveal the mechanism of cisplatin-resistance in human ovarian cancers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.685-695
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• 2011

Satellite cells are skeletal muscle progenitor/stem cells that reside between the basal lamina and plasma membranes of skeletal fibers in vivo. These cells can give rise to both myogenic and adipogenic cells. Given the possible role for differentiation of satellite cells into adipocytes in marbling and in some pathological disorders like sarcopenia, knowledge of the proteins involved in such process remains obscure. Using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry, we investigated the proteins that are differentially expressed during adipogenic differentiation of satellite cells from bovine longissimus muscle. Our proteome mapping strategy to identify the differentially expressed intracellular proteins during adipogenic differentiation revealed a total of 25 different proteins. The proteins up-regulated during adipogenic differentiation of satellite cells like Cathepsin H precursor, Retinal dehydrogenase 1, Enoyl-CoA hydratase, Ubiquinol-cytochrome-c reductase, T-complex protein 1 subunit beta and ATP synthase D chain were found to be associated with lipid metabolism. The down-regulated proteins like LIM protein, annexin proteins, cofilin-1, Rho GDP-dissociation inhibitor 1 and septin-2, identified in the present study were found to be associated with myogenesis. These results clearly demonstrate that the adipogenic conversion of muscle satellite cells is associated with the up-regulated and down-regulated proteins involved in adipogenesis and myogenesis respectively.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1-14
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• 2007

Background: It is generally accepted that skeletal muscle contraction is triggered by nerve impulse and intracellular $Ca^{2+}\;([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ released from intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ stores such as sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Specifically, this process, called excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling, takes place at intracellular junctions between the plasma membrane, the transverse (T) tubule L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel (dihydropyridine-sensitive L-rype $Ca^{2+}$ channel, DHPR, also called tetrads), and the SR $Ca^{2+}$ release channel (ryanodine-sensitive $Ca^{2+}$ release channel, RyR, also called feet) of internal $Ca^{2+}$ stores in skeletal muscle cells. Furthermore, it has been reported that the $Ca^{2+-}$ dependent and -independent contraction determine the expression of skeletal muscle genes, thus providing a mechanism for tightly coupling the extent of muscle contraction to regulation of muscle plasticity-related excitation-transcription (E-T) coupling. Purpose: Expression and activity of plasticity-associated enzymes in gastrocnemius muscle strips have not been well studied, however. Methods: Therefore, in this study the expression and phosphorylation of E-C and E-T coupling-related mediators such as protein kinases, ROS(reactive oxygen species)- and apoptosis-related substances, and others in gastrocnemius muscles from rats was examined. Results: I found that expression and activity of MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases, ERK1/2, p38MAPK, and SAPK/JNK), apoptotic proteins (cleaved caspase-3, cytochrome c, Ref-1, Bad), small GTP-binding proteins (RhoA and Cdc42), actin-binding protein (cofilin), PKC (protein kinase C) and $Ca^{2+}$ channel (transient receptor potential channel 6, TRPC6) was observed in rat gastrocnemius muscle strips. Conclusion: These results suggest that MAPKs, ROS- and apoptosis-related enzymes, cytoskeleton-regulated proteins, and $Ca^{2+}$ channel may in part functionally import in E-C and E-T coupling from rat skeletal muscles.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.122-127
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• 2006

The innermost structures of synovium consist of one to three layers of cells generally identified as synovial lining cells(SLC). The present studies were initiated to determine the protein expression patterns of fibroblast-like synovial(FLS) cells derived from the synovia of rheumatoid arthritis. Post-traumatic arthritis(PTA) is one of the most common causes of secondary osteoarthritis, and usually affects younger people. The proteins were separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and RNA expression investigated by RT-PCR Proteome analyses led to the identification of more than 1,500 protein spots and of 11 differently expressed protein spots among them. Six proteins were down-regulated, and five proteins were up-regulated in ACL-transected synovial tissue. Among these, spots 3 and 8 were identified as cofilin-1 and smooth muscle protein $22-\alpha$, respectively, Therefore, the proteome analysis of synovial tissue is a useful approach to investigate a joint after an injury and can be used to understand the pathogenesis of PTA.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.613-625
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• 2006

Periodontal ligament(PDL) cells and human gingival fibroblasts(HGFs) play important roles in development, regeneration, normal function, and pathologic alteration. PDL cells and HGFs have the similarity related with general characteristics of fibroblast such as spindle shaped morphology, the presence of vimentin intermediate filament and the synthesis of interstitial collagens and fibronectin. There were many studies about the differences between PDL cells and HGFs, but they were not about whole gene level. In this study, we tried to explain the differences of gene expression profiles between PDL cells and HGFs, and the differences among three individuals by screening gene expression patterns of PDL cells and HGFs, using cDNA microarray. Although there were some variants among three experiments, a set of genes were consistentely and differentially expressed in one cell type. Among 3,063 genes, 49 genes were more highly expressed in PDL cells and 12 genes were more highly expressed in HGFs. The genes related with cell structure and motility were expressed more highly in PDL cells. These are cofilin 1, proteoglycan 1 secretory granule, collagen type I(${\alpha}$ 1), adducin gamma subunit, collagen type III(${\alpha}$ 1), fibronectin, lumican(keratan sulfate proteoglycan), and ${\alpha}$ -smooth muscle actin. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase known as the enzyme controlling extracellular matrix with matrix metalloproteinase is more highly expressed in PDL cells, osteoprotegerin known as osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor is more highly expressed in HGFs. We performed northern blot to verify cDNA microarray results on selected genes such as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase, fibronectin, osteoprogeterin. The result of northern blot analysis showed that each cell expressed the genes in similar pattern with cDNA microarray result. This result indicates that cDNA microarray is a reliable method in screening of gene expression profiles.