• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• 제44권1호
• /
• pp.162-174
• /
• 1997

연구배경 : HSVtk 유전자를 암세포에 이입하여 GCV에 대해 선택적으로 감수성을 증가시키는 HSVtk/GCV 유전자치료에서 bystander effect는 모든 암세포에 유전자를 이입하지 않고도 치료효과를 얻을 수 있도록 한다. 그러나 현존하는 viral vector는 유전자이입 효율이 낮아 임상적으로 치료효과를 기대하는데는 한계가 있다. 따라서 유전자의 이입효율이 높은 새로운 vector의 개발과 함께 bystander effect의 극대화를 통해 치료효과를 증가시킬 수 있는 방법 등이 요구된다. 최근 gap junction을 통한 세포간의 metablic cooperation이 bystander effect의 주요기전임이 밝혀졌고 retinoids는 gap junction을 통한 세포간의 communication을 증가시킨다고 보고되었다. 저자들은 HSVtk/GCV 유전자치료에서 bystander effect에 미치는 retinoids의 효과를 조사하였다. 방 법 : Adenovus와 retrovirus vector를 이용하여 connexin 43를 발현하는 악성중피종세포와 connexin 43를 발현하지 않는 SKHep-J 세포주에 HSVtk 유전자를 이입한 후 HSVtk 유전자가 이입된 세포와 HSVtk 유전자가 이입되지 않은 세포들을 여러가지 비율로 혼합한 mixing study를 시행하였으며 $10^{-10}M-10^{-6}M$ RA 처리 유무에 따른 bystander effect에 의한 살상효과를 비교하였다. 그리고 gap junction을 통한 세포간의 communication에 대한 retinoids의 영향을 조사하기 위해 retinoids 처리에 따른 세포간 communication을 FACS를 이용하여 double-dye transfer study로 측정하였다. 결 과 : Connexin 43를 발현하지 않는 SKHep-J 세포주에서는 RA 처리유무에 따른 bystander effect에 의한 살상효과의 차이가 없었다. 그러나 connexin 43를 발현하는 악성중피종 세포주에서는 $10^{-8}M-10^{-6}M$ RA처리시 세포간의 communication과 bystander effect가 RA를 처리하지 않은 대조군에 비해 유의하게 증가되었다. 결 론 : RA는 gap junction을 통한 세포간의 communication을 증가시켜 HSVtk/GCV 유전자치료에서 bystander effect에 의한 살상효과를 증가시켰다. 이러한 결과는 HSVtk/GCV 유전자치료의 효과를 증가시킬 수 있는 새로운 방법이 될 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제24권1호
• /
• pp.11-18
• /
• 2020

The present study was aimed to explore the neuroprotective role of imatinib in global ischemia-reperfusion-induced cerebral injury along with possible mechanisms. Global ischemia was induced in mice by bilateral carotid artery occlusion for 20 min, which was followed by reperfusion for 24 h by restoring the blood flow to the brain. The extent of cerebral injury was assessed after 24 h of global ischemia by measuring the locomotor activity (actophotometer test), motor coordination (inclined beam walking test), neurological severity score, learning and memory (object recognition test) and cerebral infarction (triphenyl tetrazolium chloride stain). Ischemia-reperfusion injury produced significant cerebral infarction, impaired the behavioral parameters and decreased the expression of connexin 43 and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) in the brain. A single dose administration of imatinib (20 and 40 mg/kg) attenuated ischemia-reperfusion-induced behavioral deficits and the extent of cerebral infarction along with the restoration of connexin 43 and p-STAT3 levels. However, administration of AG490, a selective Janus-activated kinase 2 (JAK2)/STAT3 inhibitor, abolished the neuroprotective actions of imatinib and decreased the expression of connexin 43 and p-STAT3. It is concluded that imatinib has the potential of attenuating global ischemia-reperfusion-induced cerebral injury, which may be possibly attributed to activation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway along with the increase in the expression of connexin 43.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제17권11호
• /
• pp.1517-1522
• /
• 2007

간극결합(intercellular channel)은 인접하는 두 세포사이에 형성된 이온채널이며 이를 통해서 각종 이온, 이차 신호전달물질, 그리고 1 kDa 미만의 대사물질들이 통과한다. 아울러, sodium 혹은 potassium 이온채널처럼 반쪽의 간극결합(connexon 혹은 hemichannel)도 세포막채널로서 작용을 한다. 현재까지 간극결합을 구성하는 connexin (Cx) 단위체는 26종류 이상이 확인되었다. 이 가운데, Cx32, Cx38, Cx46 그리고 Cx50 만이 간극결합채널뿐만 아니라 세포막채널로서도 기능을 수행한다. Xenopus oocytes에서 connexin 38 (Cx38)이 발현하는 것으로 알려져 있지만 Cx38의 생물리학적 특성이 단일채널수준에서 연구가 진행된 경우는 없다. 이번 연구에서는 Cx38 채널의 생물리학적 특성, 즉 전압-의존적 개폐와 투과성(전기전도도와 이온선택성)을 알아보고자 단일채널기록을 수행하였다. Cx38 hemichannel은 전압-의존적인 빠른 개폐와 느린 개폐의 특성을 보였다. 양성전압 환경에서는 Cx38 채널이 낮은 열릴 확률(open probability)로 빠른 개폐가 유도된 반면, 음성전압에서는 느린 개폐가 높은 열릴 확률로 유도되었다. bi-ionic 실험을 통하여, Cx38 채널은 양이온보다 음이온을 더 선택 적으로 통과시킨다는 점을 알게 되었다. Cx38의 아미노산서열을 살펴보면, 아미노말단부위에 전하를 띠는 5개의 아미노산 잔기가 존재한다. 앞으로 이들 잔기를 치환시킨 돌연변이 Cx38 채널을 이용하여 과연 이들 아미노산 부위가 전압-의존적 개폐와 투과성에 관여하는 지 여부를 조사하는 연구는 매우 흥미로운 결과를 도출할 것으로 기대한다.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제36권1호
• /
• pp.43-48
• /
• 2003

Understanding the process of carcinogenesis will involve both the accumulation of many scientific facts derived from molecular, biochemical, cellular, physiological, whole animal experiments and epidemiological studies, as well as from conceptual understanding as to how to order and integrate those facts. From decades of cancer research, a number of the "hallmarks of cancer" have been identified, as well as their attendant concepts, including oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, cell cycle biochemistry, hypotheses of metastasis, angiogenesis, etc. While all these "hallmarks" are well known, two important concepts, with their associated scientific observations, have been generally ignored by many in the cancer research field. The objective of the short review is to highlight the concept of the role of human adult pluri-potent stem cells as "target cells" for the carcinogenic process and the concept of the role of gap junctional intercellular communication in the multi-stage, multi-mechanism process of carcinogenesis. With these two concepts, an attempt has been made to integrate the other well-known concepts, such as the multi-stage, multi-mechanisn or the "initiation/promotion/progression" hypothesis; the stem cell theory of carcinogenesis; the oncogene/tumor suppression theory and the mutation/epigenetic theories of carcinogenesis. This new "integrative" theory tries to explain the well-known "hallmarks" of cancers, including the observation that cancer cells lack either heterologous or homologous gap junctional intercellular communication whereas normal human adult stem cells do not have expressed or functional gap junctional intercellular communication. On the other hand, their normal differentiated, non-stem cell derivatives do express connexins and express gap junctional intercellular communication during their differentiation. Examination of the roles of chemical tumor promoters, oncogenes, connexin knock-out mice and roles of genetically-engineered tumor and normal cells with connexin and anti-sense connexin genes, respectively, seems to provide evidence which is consistent with the roles of both stem cells and gap junctional communication playing a major role in carcinogenesis. The integrative hypothesis provides new strategies for chemoprevention and chemotherapy which focuses on modulating connexin gene expression or gap junctional intercellular communication in the premalignant and malignant cells, respectively.

• 한국수산과학회지
• /
• 제33권6호
• /
• pp.565-571
• /
• 2000

기존의 Cx 배열을 참고로 종내${cdot}$종간을 통하여 잘 보존되어져 있는 영역에서 primer를 설계하고, 은어의 난소를 재료로 하여 PCR을 실시하였다. 증폭된 cDNA 단편을 이용하여, 5'RACE 및 3'RACE법에 의해 미지의 영역을 cloning하여 난소에서 발현하는 Cx cDNA의 전염기배열을 결정하였다. 기존의 Cx 배열과 상동성을 비교한 결과, 대서양산 민어의 Cx32.7과 $63.8{\%}$, bovine의 Cx44와 $61.6{\%}$ 및 대서양산 민어의 Cx32.2와는 $56.7{\%}$의 상동성이 나타났다. 본 cDNA는 35,028 Da의 분자량을 code하는 open reading frame (ORF)으로 구성되어 있어, 은어 Cx35로 명명되었다. 또한 아미노산 배열의 친수성${\cdot}$소수성 영역의 분포예측 결과, 4곳의 소수성 영역과 4곳의 친수성 영역을 교차하는 전형적인 Cx의 구조와 일치하였으며, Cx family의 공통${\cdot}$필수적인 배열인 제1세포외 domain의 consensus 배열 및 제2세포외 domain의 consensus 배열도 존재하였다.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제62권3호
• /
• pp.95-101
• /
• 2019

Purpose: Increased apoptosis was recently found in the hypertrophied left ventricle of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Although the available evidence suggests that apoptosis can be induced in cardiac cells by various insults including pressure overload, cardiac apoptosis appears to result from an exaggerated local production of angiotensin in adult SHRs. Altered expressions of Bcl associated X (Bax), Bcl-2, chemokine receptor (CCR)-2, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, transforming growth factor $(TGF)-{\beta}1$, phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (PERK), and connexin 43 proteins, and kallikrein mRNA were investigated to explore the effects of losartan on the SHR model. Methods: Twelve-week-old male rats were grouped as follows: control (C), SHR (hypertension: H), and losartan (L; SHRs were treated with losartan [10 mg/kg/day] for 5 weeks). Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays were performed. Results: Expression of Bax, CCR-2, MCP-1, $TGF-{\beta}1$, PERK, and connexin 43 proteins, and kallikrein mRNA was significantly increased in the H group compared to that in the C group at weeks 3 and 5. Expression of Bax, CCR-2, MCP-1, $TGF-{\beta}1$, and connexin 43 proteins and kallikrein mRNA was significantly decreased after losartan treatment at week 5. PERK protein expression was significantly decreased after losartan treatment at weeks 3 and 5. Bcl-2 protein expression was significantly decreased in the H group compared to that in the C group at weeks 3 and 5. Conclusion: Losartan treatment reduced expression of Bax, CCR-2, MCP-1, $TGF-{\beta}1$, PERK, and connexin 43 proteins, and kallikrein mRNA in SHRs, along with decreased inflammation and apoptosis.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제54권6호
• /
• pp.419-425
• /
• 2012

The coordinated action of the detrusor muscle cells in the urinary bladder is governed by cell-cell communication through gap junction, consisted of connexin (Cx) molecules. Even though a number of researches have been mostly focused on expressional changes of a few Cx isoforms in clinically dysfunctional condition of the bladder, less attention has been paid for investigation of Cx isoforms present in the bladder. Using real-time PCR analysis, the present study examined Cx isoforms expressing in the male rat bladder during postnatal period. Also, expressional patterns of Cx isoforms were evaluated in the bladder at different postnatal ages. Of a total of 13 Cx isoforms tested in the present study, we were able to detect mRNAs of 6 Cx isoforms in the rat urinary bladder, including Cxs 31, 31.1, 32, 37, 40, and 45. The transcript levels of Cxs 31, 31.1, 37, 40, and 45 were gradually increased from 1 week of age until 25 days of age, followed by transient decreases at 45 days of age. However, abundance of Cx32 transcript was drastically increased at 15 days of age, followed by a sharp drop at 45 days of age. These results indicate that differential expression of Cx isoforms in the bladder during postnatal development would be necessary for maintaining proper function of the bladder. A question remains to be answered if significant decreases of transcript levels of some Cx isoforms at the elderly are associated with age-dependent dysfunction of the bladder.

• 대한수의학회지
• /
• 제45권4호
• /
• pp.517-525
• /
• 2005

This study was performed to evaluate using wild-type (WT) and $C{\times}32$ knockout (KO) mice if lack of cell to cell communication by connexin 32 gap junction enhances the benzene-induced hematotoxicity and hemopoietic tumor development. The WT and $C{\times}32$ KO mice were exposed to 300 ppm of benzene for 6 hours/day, 5 days/week for a total of 26 weeks by inhalation, and then sacrificed to evaluate the toxicities of hemopoietic organs or allowed to live out their life span to evaluate the hemopoietic tumor incidence. The significant increase and decrease of organ weight were respectively noted in spleen and thymus of both WT and $C{\times}32$ KO mice without significant difference between the genotypes. Histopathologically, benzene exposure for 26 weeks induced the morphological changes in hemopoietic organs, characterized by fat cell accumulation in the bone marrow and extramedullary hemopoiesis in the spleen. The fat cell accumulation was, compared with that of WT mice, considerably exacerbated in the $C{\times}32$ KO mice. However, no significant difference was observed in the changes of hematological values and bone marrow cellularity as well as in the onset and incidence of hemopoietic tumors between WT and $C{\times}32$ KO mice. In conclusion, this study indicated little significant role of the cellular communication by $C{\times}32$ gap junction in the action mechanism of benzene hematotoxicity and leukemogenicity.

• 대한치과교정학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한치과교정학회 1998년도 제31회 학술대회
• /
• pp.78.1-78.1
• /
• 1998

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• 제19권4호
• /
• pp.264-268
• /
• 1996

Panax-ginseng saponin has been known to exert various pharmacological effects on cellular metabolism. This study was performed to determine the effect of ginseng saponin on gap junction channel-mediated intercellular communication, using an established in vitro system of reconstituted gap junction channels. Gap junction channels are a specialized plasma membrane fraction, which are permeable to relatively large water-soluble molecules. The sucrose permeable property of reconstituted gap junction channels was completely inhibited with 0.1 % (w/v) of ginseng saponin. We also compared the effect of ginseng saponin with that of Triton X-100, a nonionic detergent, on the same system. Triton X-100 showed significantly different effect on sucrose-permeability of gap junction channel from that was affected by ginseng saponin. The structures of liposomes containing gap junction channels was significantly destroyed by Triton X-100.