• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.70-75
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• 2003

The objective of the present study was to investigate the uptake process of 4-Phenylazobenzoxycarbonyl-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro-D-Arg (Pz-peptide), a hydrophilic and collagenase-labile pentapeptide, by isolated hepatocytes. For comparison, the uptake of Pz-peptide by Caco-2 cells and colonic cells, two known paracellular routes of Pz-peptide, was also evaluated. A simple and sensitive reversed-phase HPLC assay method using UV detection has been developed. The coefficient of variation for all the criteria of validation were less than 15%. The method was, therefore, considered to be sutable for measuring the concentration of Pz-peptide in the biological cells. Pz-peptide was extensively uptaked into hepatocytes. The initial velocity of Pz-peptide uptake assessed from the initial slope of the curve was plotted as Eadie-Hofstee plots. The maximum velocity ($V_{max}$) and the Michaelis constant ($K_m$) were 0.190$\pm$0.020 $nmol/min/10^6$ cells and 12.1$\pm$3.23 $\mu$M, respectively. The permeability-surface area product ($PS{influx}$) was calculated to be 0.0157 ml/min/10^6$ cells. $V_{max}$ and $K_m$ values for Caco-2 cells were calculated to be 6.22$\pm$0.930 pmol/min/10^6$ cells and 82.8$\pm$8.37 $\mu$M, respectively, being comparable with those of colonocytes (6.04$\pm$1.03 pmol/min/10^6$ cells and 87.8$\pm$13.2 $\mu$M, respectively). $PS_{influx}$ values for Caco-2 cells and colonocytes were calculated to be 0.0751 $\mu$l/min/10^6$ cells and 0.0688 $\mu$l/min/10^6$ cells, respectively. The more pronounced uptake of Pz-peptide by hepatocytes, when compared with Caco-2 cells and colonocytes, is probably due to its specific transporter. In conclusion, Pz-peptide, a paracellularly transported pentapeptide in the intestine and ocular epithelia, was uptaked into hepatocytes extensively. Although Pz-peptide is able to be uptaked into the Caco-2 cells and colonocytes, it is less pronounced when compared with hepatocytes. $PS_{influx}$ values of Caco-2 cells and colonocytes for unbound Pz-peptide under linear conditions were less than 0.4% when compared with that of hepatocytes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권10호
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• pp.1675-1681
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• 2019

Clostridium difficile toxin A is known to cause colonic epithelial cell apoptosis, which is considered the main causative event that triggers inflammatory responses in the colon, reflecting the concept that the essential role of epithelial cells in the colon is to form a physical barrier in the gut. We previously showed that toxin A-induced colonocyte apoptosis and subsequent inflammation were dependent on prostaglandin E2 ($PGE_2$) produced in response to toxin A stimulation. However, the molecular mechanism by which $PGE_2$ mediates cell apoptosis in toxin A-exposed colonocytes has remained unclear. Here, we sought to identify the signaling pathway involved in toxin A-induced, $PGE_2$-mediated colonocyte apoptosis. In non-transformed NCM460 human colonocytes, toxin A exposure strongly upregulated expression of Bak, which is known to form mitochondrial outer membrane pores, resulting in apoptosis. RT-PCR analyses revealed that this increase in Bak expression was attributable to toxin A-induced transcriptional upregulation. We also found that toxin A upregulation of Bak expression was dependent on $PGE_2$ production, and further showed that this effect was recapitulated by an Prostaglandin E2(PGE2) receptor-1 receptor agonist, but not by agonists of other EP receptors. Collectively, these results suggest that toxin A-induced cell apoptosis involves $PGE_2$-upregulation of Bak through the EP1 receptor.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.23-28
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• 2022

곤충에서 유래한 항균펩타이드 CopA3는 다양한 세포사멸 과정을 차단한다고 알려져 있다. 세균 톡신에 의한 상피세포 세포사멸이나 6-hydroxy dopamine이 야기하는 신경세포 세포사멸 모두를 차단한다. 연구자 등은 최근에 CopA3가 카스파제에 직접 결합하여 그들의 활성형-절단과정을 차단한다고 보고하였다. 하지만 강력한 CopA3의 항세포사멸 효능을 설명하기 위해서는 추가적인 규명이 필요한 실정이다. 본 연구에서는 세포사멸경로의 핵심억제인자인 survivin 발현에 미치는 CopA3의 영향을 확인하였다. 인간 대장상피세포(HT29)에 CopA3를 처리한 뒤 survivin 발현을 추적한 결과, survivin 단백질 양이 유의하게 증가함을 확인하였다. RT-PCR을 통해서 CopA3가 survivin 유전자의 전사를 증가시킴을 확인하였다. 그리고 CopA3 자극이 Sp1 발현을 증가시키는 사실과, Sp1 억제 물질인 tolfenamic acid 처리가 CopA3에 의한 survivin 증가를 차단한다는 결과들을 바탕으로 우리는 CopA3가 Sp1을 통해 survivin 발현을 유도한다는 최종 결론을 도출하였다. 한편 본 연구를 통해서 CopA3의 강력한 항세포사멸 효능을 설명할 수 있는 분자기작을 새롭게 제시하였다고 사려된다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권8호
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• pp.885-891
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• 2018

급성위막성대장염(Pseudomembranous colitis)은 C. difficile 세균이 분비하는 톡신A에 의해 유발되는 것으로 알려져 있다. 톡신A에 의한 점막 상피세포의 장벽기능 감소가 발병 원인으로 알려져 있다. 최근 연구에 의하면 톡신 A는 대장상피세포 속 HDAC-6의 활성을 높여 튜블린의 탈아세틸화를 증가시키는 것으로 알려져 있다. 튜블린 단백질의 탈아세틸화는 미세소관 불 형성을 초래하여 점막 상피세포의 극단적인 세포 형태 변형을 야기하게 되며 결국 상피세포의 고유기능인 장벽 기능이 파괴된다고 알려져 있다. 최근 연구자 등은 potassium acetate가 톡신A에 의한 튜블린 탈아세틸화와 미세소관 불 형성을 회복시켜 장염을 유의하게 억제함을 보고하였다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 아세틸기를 포함하는 또 다른 간단한 화학구조의 초산을 적용하여 톡신A의 세포독성을 억제하는지 확인해보고자 하였다. 인간 대장상피세포에서 초산 자극은 튜블린 단백질의 아세틸화를 유의하게 증가시켰다. 또한 초산은 대장상피세포 속 미세소관 형성과정도 강하게 촉진시킴을 확인하였다. 초산은 톡신A에 의한 튜블린 탈아세틸화와 미세소관 불 형성 그리고 세포독성 모두를 유의하게 회복시켰다. 이상의 결과는 초산에 의한 미세소관 형성 촉진이 톡신A에 의해 초래되는 세포골격계 파괴와 그로 인한 세포독성을 억제할 수 있음을 보여준다. 따라서 초산이 톡신A의 작용을 차단하여 위막성대장염 증상을 완화시킬 수 있는 치료제로서 개발 가치가 있음을 보여준다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권12호
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• pp.1629-1635
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• 2012

Previously, we demonstrated that the erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) is present on fibroblasts, where it regulates focal contact. Here, we assessed whether this action of EpoR is involved in the reduced cell adhesion observed in colonocytes exposed to Clostridium difficile toxin A. EpoR was present and functionally active in cells of the human colonic epithelial cell line HT29 and epithelial cells of human colon tissues. Toxin A significantly decreased activating phosphorylations of EpoR and its downstream signaling molecules JAK-2 (Janus kinase 2) and STAT5 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5). In vitro kinase assays confirmed that toxin A inhibited JAK 2 kinase activity. Pharmacological inhibition of JAK2 (with AG490) abrogated activating phosphorylations of EpoR and also decreased focal contacts in association with inactivation of paxillin, an essential focal adhesion molecule. In addition, AG490 treatment significantly decreased expression of occludin (a tight junction molecule) and tight junction levels. Taken together, these data suggest that inhibition of JAK2 by toxin A in colonocytes causes inactivation of EpoR, thereby enhancing the inhibition of focal contact formation and loss of tight junctions known to be associated with the enzymatic activity of toxin A.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.371-378
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• 2014

The aim of the present study was to investigate the antigenotoxic properties of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC501; DNA damage was induced by one representative food mutagen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Mice were treated orally with suspensions of lactobacilli for 10 days before administration of food mutagen. During the treatment, the abundance of lactobacilli in feces, as assessed by qPCR analysis, increased, whereas ${\beta}$-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-${\beta}$-glucosaminidase activities decreased. The extent of DNA damage was measured in colon and liver cells by comet assay. In colonocytes, diet supplementation with IMC501 resulted in a significant inhibition of DNA damage induced by PhIP. The results obtained in this in vitro study suggest that Lactobacillus rhamnosus IMC501 used as a dietary supplement can provide a useful integration of antimutagen food components of the normal diet, which are generally lower than the protective level.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제62권2호
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• pp.211-217
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• 2019

Dietary pattern has paramount importance in shaping the gut microbiota and its associated host health. Herein this study, long term (12 weeks) impact of mushroom derived dietary fiber, ${\beta}-glucan$, is investigated for its effect on low fiber diet consumption. Inclusion of dietary fiber into the low fiber diet (LFD) increased the abundance of genera Lactobacillus and Anaerostipes, the microbes responsible for butyrate (major 'fuel source' of colonocytes) production. Mice fed LFD with ${\beta}-glucan$ showed significant increase in the length of small intestine compared to that of the LFD group without ${\beta}-glucan$. Further, dietary fiber consumption enhanced goblet cell density along with mucosal layer thickness. These results indicate promising effects of ${\beta}-glucan$ towards maintenance of healthy gut and gut microbiota.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.170-175
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• 2012

Clostridium difficile toxin A glucosylates Rho family proteins, resulting in actin filament disaggregation and cell rounding in cultured colonocytes. Given that the cellular toxicity of toxin A is dependent on its receptor binding and subsequent entry into the cell, we herein sought to identify additional colonocyte proteins that might bind to toxin A following its internalization. Our results revealed that toxin A interacted with ERK1 and ERK2 in two human colonocyte cell lines (NCM460 and HT29). A GST-pulldown assay also showed that toxin A can directly bind to ERK1 and ERK2. In NCM460 cells exposed to PMA (an ERK1/2 activator), the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 did not affect the interaction between toxin A and ERK1/2. However, an in vitro kinase assay showed that the direct binding of toxin A to ERK1 or ERK2 inhibited their kinase activities. These results suggest a new molecular mechanism for the cellular toxicity seen in cells exposed to toxin A.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제28권9호
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• pp.1016-1021
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• 2018

C. difficile 톡신A에 의한 대장상피세포 자살과정은 위막성대장염(Pseudomembranous colitis)의 주요 원인으로 고려되고 있다. 톡신A는 활성산소 를 증가시켜 세포자살 신호를 유도한다. 또한 톡신A는 미세섬유나 미세소관과 같은 세포골격계 형성을 저해함으로써 자살을 유도한다고 알려져 있다. 하지만 톡신A가 야기하는 소화기 상피세포 자살경로는 아직 불분명하다. 본 연구에서는 소화관 상피세포의 성장과 분화 그리고 기능에 중요하다고 알려져 온 Wnt 신호경로에 대한 톡신A의 영향을 확인해보았다. 이를 위해 비암화-인간대장세포주(NCM460)에 톡신A를 처치하고 Wnt 신호 분자들의 변화를 추적하였다. 또한 톡신A를 주입한 생쥐의 회장 상피세포 속 Wnt 신호경로 변화도 평가하였다. 인간 대장상피세포에서 톡신A는 Wnt 경로의 핵심 신호분자인 ${\beta}$-catenin 단백질의 양을 빠르게 감소시켰다. 이 현상은 생쥐 회장 상피세포에서도 동일하게 확인되었다. 연구자 등은 톡신A가 $GSK3{\beta}$ 활성형 인산화(Thr390)를 증가시킴도 확인하였다. 이는 톡신A가 $GSK3{\beta}$의 활성을 높여서 ${\beta}$-catenin의 인산화시키고 이를 통해 단백질 분해 과정이 촉진되었음을 보여준다. 이 결과들을 종합하면, 톡신A에 의한 소화관 상피세포 자살과정이 상피세포의 성장과 자살을 조절하는 Wnt 신호경로 차단과 밀접하게 연관되어 있음을 보여준다.