• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제41권7호
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• pp.505-509
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• 1998

Pathogenesis-related proteins중 chitinase를 지황에서 추출하고 분류하였다. 지황 chitinase는 chitin affinity column chromatography로 염기성 및 산성 두개 군으로 분류되었으며 native PAGE gel상 효소활성을 조사한 결과 이동도가 작은 염기성 chitinase는 pH 2.9의 산성추출 조건에서, 이동도가 큰 산성은 pH 8.8의 염기성추출 조건에서 상대적으로 많이 추출되었다. 지황에는 염기성 3개, 산성 4개등 총 7개의 chitinase isoform이 존재하며 이들의 분자량은 $28{\sim}32\;kD$내외이고 지상부와 달리 뿌리에는 주로 염기성 chitinase만 검출되어 일부 산성효소는 조직 특이적으로 발현될 가능성을 보여주고 있다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.114-119
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• 1994

[$^3$H]Ouabain binding parameters ( $K_{D}$ and $B_{max}$) to control rat ventricular strips and Langendorff preparations which were not previously exposed to ouabain were compared with those to both preparations that had been first exposed to a complete ouabain dose range of dose-response curve (10$^{-8}$ to 10$^{4}$M). In rat ventricular strips and Langendorff perfused heart preparations, cumulative dose-response curves of ouabain revealed biphasic positive inotropic effects, a "low-dose" effect and a "high-dose" effect with E $d_{50}$ values of 0.5 $\mu$M and 35 $\mu$M ouabain, respectively. The "low-dose" effect in ventricular strip disappeared or was diminished significantly when the ouabain dose-response curve was repeated after the washout of the effects of the first dose-response curve, whereas there were no significant differences in the maximal "high-dose"effect in both exposures to oubain. However, both of the control and ouabain-preexposed Langendorff perfused hearts revealed the same low-dose effects. The $K_{D}$ value for [$^3$H] ouabain binding and the ouabain binding site concentration ( $B_{max}$) estimated by [$^3$H]ouabain displacement assay in control preparations were 230 nM and 2 pmol/mg protein, respectively. [$^3$H]Ouabain binding parameters were not changed by repeated exposure to high concentrations of ouabain. These results suggest that digitalis receptor desensitization in the rat ventricular strip may due to the change of post-receptor events induced by ouabain binding to a high affinity site ($\alpha$$_2$isoform).).).).).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제24권6호
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• pp.607-612
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• 2001

Endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) shares with nitric oxide (NO) a role as a putative neural messenger in the brain. Both gases are believed to modulate CNS function via an increase in cytoplasmic cGMP concentrations secondary to the activation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). Recently CO and NO were proposed as a possible mediator of febrile response in hypothalamus. NO has been reported to activate both the constitutive and inducible isoform of the cyclooxygenase (COX). Thus, we investigated whether CO arising from heme catabolism by heme oxygenate (HO) is involved in the febrile response via the activation of COX in the hypothalamus. $PGE_2$ which is a final mediator of febrile response released from primary cultured hypothalamic cells was taken as a marker of COX activity. $PGE_2$ concentration was measured with EIA kits. Exogenous CO (CO-saturated medium) and hemin (a substrate and potent inducer of HO) evoked an increase in $PGE_2$ release from hypothalamic cells, and these effects were blocked by methylene blue (an inhibitor of sGC). And membrane permeable cGMP analogue, dibutyryl-cGMP elicited significant increases in $PGE_2$release. These results suggest that there may be a functional link between HO and COX enzymatic activities. The gaseous product of hemin through the HO pathway, CO, might play a role through the modulation of the COX activity in the hypothalamus.

• 통합자연과학논문집
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.25-38
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• 2014

Amyloid-${\beta}$-peptide ($A{\beta}$) is important in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Calpain ($Ca^{2+}$-dependent protease) and caspase-8 (the initiating caspase for the extrinsic, receptor-mediated apoptosis pathway) have been implicated in $AD/A{\beta}$ toxicity. We found that $A{\beta}$ promoted degradation of calpastatin (the specific endogenous calpain inhibitor); calpastatin degradation was prevented by inhibitors of either calpain or caspase-8. The results implied a cross-talk between the two proteases and suggested that one protease was responsible for the activity of the other one. In neuron-like differentiated PC12 cells, calpain promotes active caspase-8 formation from procaspase-8 via the $A{\beta}$ and CD95 pathways, along with degradation of the procaspase-8 processing inhibitor caspase-8 (FLICE)-like inhibitory protein, short isoform (FLIPS). Inhibition of calpain (by pharmacological inhibitors and by overexpression of calpastatin) prevents the cleavage of procaspase-8 to mature, active caspase-8, and inhibits FLIPS degradation in the $A{\beta}$-treated and CD95-triggered cells. Increased cellular Ca2+ per se results in calpain activation but does not lead to caspase-8 activation or FLIPS degradation. The results suggest that procaspase-8 and FLIPS association with cell membrane receptor complexes is required for calpain-induced caspase-8 activation. The results presented here add to the understanding of the roles of calpain, caspase- 8, and CD95 pathway in $AD/A{\beta}$ toxicity. Calpain-promoted activation of caspase-8 may have implications for other types of CD95-induced cell damage, and for nonapoptotic functions of caspase-8. Inhibition of calpain may be useful for modulating certain caspase-8-dependent processes.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.119-126
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• 2021

Activation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), a calcium permeable channel expressed in primary sensory neurons, induces the release of glutamate from their central and peripheral afferents during normal acute and pathological pain. However, little information is available regarding the glutamate release mechanism associated with TRPV1 activation in primary sensory neurons. To address this issue, we investigated the expression of vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) in TRPV1-immunopositive (+) neurons in the rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) under normal and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain conditions using behavioral testing as well as double immunofluorescence staining with antisera against TRPV1 and VGLUT1 or VGLUT2. TRPV1 was primarily expressed in small and medium-sized TG neurons. TRPV1+ neurons constituted approximately 27% of all TG neurons. Among all TRPV1+ neurons, the proportion of TRPV1+ neurons coexpressing VGLUT1 (VGLUT1+/TRPV1+ neurons) and VGLUT2 (VGLUT2+/TRPV1+ neurons) was 0.4% ± 0.2% and 22.4% ± 2.8%, respectively. The proportion of TRPV1+ and VGLUT2+ neurons was higher in the CFA group than in the control group (TRPV1+ neurons: 31.5% ± 2.5% vs. 26.5% ± 1.2%, VGLUT2+ neurons: 31.8% ± 1.1% vs. 24.6% ± 1.5%, p < 0.05), whereas the proportion of VGLUT1+, VGLUT1+/TRPV1+, and VGLUT2+/TRPV1+ neurons did not differ significantly between the CFA and control groups. These findings together suggest that VGLUT2, a major isoform of VGLUTs, is involved in TRPV1 activation-associated glutamate release during normal acute and inflammatory pain.

• BMB Reports
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• 제54권7호
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• pp.380-385
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• 2021

Proper targeting of the βPAK-interacting exchange factor (βPIX)/G protein-coupled receptor kinase-interacting target protein (GIT) complex into distinct cellular compartments is essential for its diverse functions including neurite extension and synaptogenesis. However, the mechanism for translocation of this complex is still unknown. In the present study, we reported that the conventional kinesin, called kinesin-1, can transport the βPIX/GIT complex. Additionally, βPIX bind to KIF5A, a neuronal isoform of kinesin-1 heavy chain, but not KIF1 and KIF3. Mapping analysis revealed that the tail of KIF5s and LZ domain of βPIX were the respective binding domains. Silencing KIF5A or the expression of a variety of mutant forms of KIF5A inhibited βPIX targeting the neurite tips in PC12 cells. Furthermore, truncated mutants of βPIX without LZ domain did not interact with KIF5A, and were unable to target the neurite tips in PC12 cells. These results defined kinesin-1 as a motor protein of βPIX, and may provide new insights into βPIX/GIT complex-dependent neuronal pathophysiology.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.301-312
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• 2019

Post-transcriptional regulation underlies the circadian control of gene expression and animal behaviors. However, the role of mRNA surveillance via the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway in circadian rhythms remains elusive. Here, we report that Drosophila NMD pathway acts in a subset of circadian pacemaker neurons to maintain robust 24 h rhythms of free-running locomotor activity. RNA interference-mediated depletion of key NMD factors in timeless-expressing clock cells decreased the amplitude of circadian locomotor behaviors. Transgenic manipulation of the NMD pathway in clock neurons expressing a neuropeptide PIGMENT-DISPERSING FACTOR (PDF) was sufficient to dampen or lengthen free-running locomotor rhythms. Confocal imaging of a transgenic NMD reporter revealed that arrhythmic Clock mutants exhibited stronger NMD activity in PDF-expressing neurons than wild-type. We further found that hypomorphic mutations in Suppressor with morphogenetic effect on genitalia 5 (Smg5) or Smg6 impaired circadian behaviors. These NMD mutants normally developed PDF-expressing clock neurons and displayed daily oscillations in the transcript levels of core clock genes. By contrast, the loss of Smg5 or Smg6 function affected the relative transcript levels of cAMP response element-binding protein B (CrebB) in an isoform-specific manner. Moreover, the overexpression of a transcriptional repressor form of CrebB rescued free-running locomotor rhythms in Smg5-depleted flies. These data demonstrate that CrebB is a rate-limiting substrate of the genetic NMD pathway important for the behavioral output of circadian clocks in Drosophila.

• BMB Reports
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• 제56권2호
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• pp.120-125
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• 2023

Karyopherin-α3 (KPNA3), a karyopherin-α isoform, is intimately associated with metastatic progression via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the molecular mechanism underlying how KPNA3 acts as an EMT inducer remains to be elucidated. In this report, we identified that KPNA3 was significantly upregulated in cancer cells, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer, and its knockdown resulted in the suppression of cell proliferation and metastasis. The comprehensive transcriptome analysis from KPNA3 knockdown cells indicated that KPNA3 is involved in the regulation of numerous EMT-related genes, including the downregulation of GATA3 and E-cadherin and the up-regulation of HAS2. Moreover, it was found that KPNA3 EMT-mediated metastasis can be achieved by TGF-β or AKT signaling pathways; this suggests that the novel independent signaling pathways KPNA3-TGF-β-GATA3-HAS2/E-cadherin and KPNA3-AKT-HAS2/E-cadherin are involved in the EMT-mediated progress of TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings provide new insights into the divergent EMT inducibility of KPNA3 according to cell and cancer type.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• 제57권1호
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• pp.119-128
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• 2024

Glucocorticoids play a physiologic role in the adult male reproductive functions, modulating gonadal steroid synthesis and spermatogenesis, through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). The expression of GR has been described in several key testicular cell types, including somatic cells and early germ cell populations. Nothing is known on GR in human spermatozoa. Herein, we explored the GR expression and its possible role in normal and testicular varicocele semen samples from volunteer donors. After semen parameter evaluation by macro- and microscopic analysis, samples were centrifuged; then spermatozoa and culture media were recovered for further investigations. By western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses we evidenced for the first time in spermatozoa the presence of GR-D3 isoform which was reduced in sperm from varicocele patients. By treating sperm with the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEXA), we found that survival, motility, capacitation, and acrosome reaction were increased in both healthy and varicocele samples. GR involvement in mediating DEXA effects, was confirmed by using the GR inhibitor mifepristone (M2F). Worthy, we also discovered that sperm secretes different cortisol amounts depending on its physio-pathological status, suggesting a defence mechanism to escape the immune system attach in the female genital tract thus maintaining the immune-privilege as in the testis. Collectively, our data suggests a role for glucocorticoids in determining semen quality and function, as well as in participating on sperm immune defensive mechanisms. The novelty of this study may be beneficial and needs to take into account in artificial insemination/drug discovery aimed to enhancing sperm quality.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.10-17
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• 2020

Kinesin 1은 미세소관을 따라 plus말단으로 이동하는 모터단백질로 세포내 물질 수송에 관여한다. Kinesin 1은 경쇄단위체(light chain subunit)를 통하여 운반체들인, 세포내 소기관, 다양한 소포체, 신경전달물질 수용체 단백질, 세포신호전달 단백질과 여러 단백질 복합체들과 결합하여 운반하는 kinesin superfamily protein (KIFs)의 한 종류이다. Kinesin light chains 1 (KLC1)은 모터 기능이 없는 단위체로서 kinesin heavy chain (KHC)과 결합한다. KLC1은 다양한 매개단백질들과 결합하지만 아직 결합하는 매개단백질이 충분히 밝혀지지 않았다. 본 연구에서는 KLC1의 tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) 영역과 결합하는 단백질을 분리하기 위하여 효모 two-hybrid 탐색한 결과 EH domain-binding protein 1-like 1 (EHBP1L1) 을 분리하였다. EHBP1L1은 KLC1의 TPR 영역을 포함한 부위와 결합하지만 KIF5B (kinesin 1의 모터 단백질)과 KIF3A (kinesin 2의 모터 단백질)와는 결합하지 않았다. 또한 KLC1은 EHBP1L1의 C-말단에 존재하는 coiled-coil 도메인과 결합하였으며, 다른 EHBP1L1의 isoform인 EHBP1과는 결합하지 않았다. KLC1은 GST와는 결합하지 않지만 GST-EHBP1L1과 GST-EHBP1L1-coiled-coil domain과는 결합하였다. HEK-293T세포에 EHBP1L1과 KLC1을 동시에 발현시켰을 때 두 단백질은 세포 내에서 같은 부위에 존재하며, EHBP1L1을 면역침강한 결과 KLC1뿐만 아니라 KIF5B와도 같이 침강함을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과들은 kinesin 1은 EHBP1L1이 결합한 운반체를 수송함을 시사한다.