• BMB Reports
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• v.54 no.9
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• pp.464-469
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• 2021

Cardiomyocyte differentiation occurs through complex and finely regulated processes including cardiac lineage commitment and maturation from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). To gain some insight into the genome-wide characteristics of cardiac lineage commitment, we performed transcriptome analysis on both mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and human induced PSCs (hiPSCs) at specific stages of cardiomyocyte differentiation. Specifically, the gene expression profiles and the protein-protein interaction networks of the mESC-derived platelet-derived growth factor receptor-alpha (PDGFRα)⁺ cardiac lineage-committed cells (CLCs) and hiPSC-derived kinase insert domain receptor (KDR)⁺ and PDGFRα⁺ cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) at cardiac lineage commitment were compared with those of mesodermal cells and differentiated cardiomyocytes. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses revealed that the genes significantly upregulated at cardiac lineage commitment were associated with responses to organic substances and external stimuli, extracellular and myocardial contractile components, receptor binding, gated channel activity, PI3K-AKT signaling, and cardiac hypertrophy and dilation pathways. Protein-protein interaction network analysis revealed that the expression levels of genes that regulate cardiac maturation, heart contraction, and calcium handling showed a consistent increase during cardiac differentiation; however, the expression levels of genes that regulate cell differentiation and multicellular organism development decreased at the cardiac maturation stage following lineage commitment. Additionally, we identified for the first time the protein-protein interaction network connecting cardiac development, the immune system, and metabolism during cardiac lineage commitment in both mESC-derived PDGFRα⁺ CLCs and hiPSC-derived KDR⁺PDGFRα⁺ CPCs. These findings shed light on the regulation of cardiac lineage commitment and the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.285-297
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• 2023

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with progressive memory loss and the cognitive decline. AD is mainly caused by abnormal accumulation of misfolded amyloid β (Aβ), which leads to neurodegeneration via a number of possible mechanisms such as down-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor-tropomyosin-related kinase B (BDNF-TRKB) signaling pathway. 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), a TRKB agonist, has demonstrated potential to enhance BDNF-TRKB pathway in various neurodegenerative diseases. To expand the capacity of flavones as TRKB agonists, two natural flavones quercetin and apigenin, were evaluated. With tryptophan fluorescence quenching assay, we illustrated the direct interaction between quercetin/apigenin and TRKB extracellular domain. Employing Aβ folding reporter SH-SY5Y cells, we showed that quercetin and apigenin reduced Aβ-aggregation, oxidative stress, caspase-1 and acetylcholinesterase activities, as well as improved the neurite outgrowth. Treatments with quercetin and apigenin increased TRKB Tyr516 and Tyr817 and downstream cAMP-response-element binding protein (CREB) Ser133 to activate transcription of BDNF and BCL2 apoptosis regulator (BCL2), as well as reduced the expression of pro-apoptotic BCL2 associated X protein (BAX). Knockdown of TRKB counteracted the improvement of neurite outgrowth by quercetin and apigenin. Our results demonstrate that quercetin and apigenin are to work likely as a direct agonist on TRKB for their neuroprotective action, strengthening the therapeutic potential of quercetin and apigenin in treating AD.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.18.1-18.11
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• 2023

Immunologists have activated T cells in vitro using various stimulation methods, including phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)/ionomycin and αCD3/αCD28 agonistic antibodies. PMA stimulates protein kinase C, activating nuclear factor-κB, and ionomycin increases intracellular calcium levels, resulting in activation of nuclear factor of activated T cell. In contrast, αCD3/αCD28 agonistic antibodies activate T cells through ZAP-70, which phosphorylates linker for activation of T cell and SH2-domain-containing leukocyte protein of 76 kD. However, despite the use of these two different in vitro T cell activation methods for decades, the differential effects of chemical-based and antibody-based activation of primary human T cells have not yet been comprehensively described. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies to analyze gene expression unbiasedly at the single-cell level, we compared the transcriptomic profiles of the non-physiological and physiological activation methods on human peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived T cells from four independent donors. Remarkable transcriptomic differences in the expression of cytokines and their respective receptors were identified. We also identified activated CD4 T cell subsets (CD55⁺) enriched specifically by PMA/ionomycin activation. We believe this activated human T cell transcriptome atlas derived from two different activation methods will enhance our understanding, highlight the optimal use of these two in vitro T cell activation assays, and be applied as a reference standard when analyzing activated specific disease-originated T cells through scRNA-seq.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.387-403
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury (MIRI) has high morbidity and mortality worldwide. We aimed to explore the role of long noncoding RNA lysyl oxidase like 1 antisense RNA 1 (LOXL1-AS1) in cardiomyocyte pyroptosis. Methods: Hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury was constructed in human cardiomyocyte (HCM). The level of LOXL1-AS1, miR-761, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) and pyroptosis-related proteins was monitored by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or western blot. Flow cytometry examined the pyroptosis level. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase-MB and cardiac troponin I levels were detected by test kits. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay measured the release of inflammatory cytokines. Dual-luciferase assay validated the binding relationship among LOXL1-AS1, miR-761, and PTEN. Finally, ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) animal model was constructed. Hematoxylin and eosin staining assessed morphological changes of myocardial tissue. NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and casepase-1 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. Results: After H/R treatment, LOXL1-AS1 and PTEN were highly expressed but miR-761 level was suppressed. LOXL1-AS1 inhibition or miR-761 overexpression increased cell viability, blocked the release of LDH and inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-18), inhibited pyroptosis level, and downregulated pyroptosis-related proteins (ASC, cleaved caspase-1, gasdermin D-N, NLRP3, IL-1β, and IL-18) levels in HCMs. LOXL1-AS1 sponged miR-761 to up-regulate PTEN. Knockdown of miR-761 reversed the effect of LOXL1-AS1 down regulation on H/R induced HCM pyroptosis. LOXL1-AS1 aggravated the MIRI by regulating miR-761/PTEN axis in vivo. Conclusions: LOXL1-AS1 targeted miR-761 to regulate PTEN expression, then enhance cardiomyocyte pyroptosis, providing a new alternative target for the treatment of MIRI.

• BMB Reports
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.244-249
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• 2024

Many types of cancer are associated with excessive angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenic treatment is an effective strategy for treating solid cancers. This study aimed to demonstrate the inhibitory effects of (E)-2-methoxy-4-(3-(4-methoxyphenyl) prop-1-en-1-yl) phenol (MMPP) in VEGFA-induced angiogenesis. The results indicated that MMPP effectively suppressed various angiogenic processes, such as cell migration, invasion, tube formation, and sprouting of new vessels in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mouse aortic ring. The inhibitory mechanism of MMPP on angiogenesis involves targeting VEGFR2. MMPP showed high binding affinity for the VEGFR2 ATP-binding domain. Additionally, MMPP improved VEGFR2 thermal stability and inhibited VEGFR2 kinase activity, suppressing the downstream VEGFR2/AKT/ERK pathway. MMPP attenuated the activation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB, and it downregulated NF-κB target genes such as VEGFA, VEGFR2, MMP2, and MMP9. Furthermore, conditioned medium from MMPP-treated breast cancer cells effectively inhibited angiogenesis in endothelial cells. These results suggested that MMPP had great promise as a novel VEGFR2 inhibitor with potent anti-angiogenic properties for cancer treatment via VEGFR2/AKT/ERK/NF-κB signaling pathway.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.618-628
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• 1999

Background: Cell growth is a balance between cell proliferation and cell death. Insulin-like growth factor-I(IGF-I), which binds IGF-I receptor(IGF-IR), mediates cellular proliferation as a potent mitogen. IGF binding protein-3(IGFBP-3) as a circulating major IGFBP can inhibit or enhance the effects of IGF-I on cellular growth by binding IGFs. Methods: We investigated the expressions of mRNA of IGF-I and IGF-IR by northern blot and phosphorylation of IGF-IR with the treatment of IGF-I by western blot in 3T3 fibroblast cells. The cellular proliferations of 3T3 cells with the treatments of IGF-I were evaluated using $^3H$-thymidine incorporation and MTT assay. Also to observe the effect of IGFBP-3 on cellular proliferation, 3T3 cells were treated with anti-IGFBP-3 and ${\alpha}IR_3$(monoclonal antibody to IGF-IR) alone or in combination. Results: Our results demonstrated that 3T3 cells showed mRNA expressions of IGF-I and IGF-IR and the IGF-I increased phosphorylation of IGF-IR. The treatments of 3T3 cells with IGF-I increased cellular proliferation in 5 % and 1 % seruma-containing media, not in serum-free media. The addition of anti-IGFBP-3 to neutralize IGFBP-3 showed 2-fold increase of cellular proliferation, and also co-incubation of anti-IGFBP-3 and ${\alpha}IR_3$ together showed similar increase of cellular proliferation in 3T3 cells. Interestingly, when the cells were pretreated with ${\alpha}IR_3$ for 4 hr, prior to the simultaneous addition of ${\alpha}IR_3$ and anti-IGFBP-3, anti-IGFBP-3-mediated cellular proliferation was decreased to control level. All of these results suggest that free IGF-I released from IGF-I/IGFBP-3 complex would be involved in the cellular proliferation. Conclusion: IGF-I is a mitogen through the activation of IGF-IR in 3T3 cells, and IGFBP-3 could be a potent inhibitor for IGF-I action by binding IGF-I.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.7 s.87
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• pp.889-895
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• 2007

A conventional kinesin, KIF5/kinesin-I, is composed of two kinesin heavy chains (KHCs) and two kinesin light chains (KLCs) and binds directly to microtubules. KIF5 motor mediates the transport of various membranous organelles, but the mechanism how they recognize and bind to a specific cargo has not yet been completely elucidated. Here, we used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify the neuronal protein(s) that interacts with the tetratricopeptide repeats (TRP) of KLCI and found a specific interaction with JNK/stress-activated protein kinase-associated protein 1 (JSAP1/JIPP3). The yeast two-hybrid assay demonstrated that the TRP 1,2 domain-containing region of KLCI mediated binding to the leucine zipper domain of JSAP1. JSAP1 also bound to the TRP region of lac2 but not to neuronal KIF5A, KIF5C and ubiquitous KIF5B in the yeast two-hybrid assay. In addition, these proteins showed specific interactions in the GST pull-down assay and by co-immunoprecipitation. KLCI and KIF5B interacted with GST-ISAP1 fusion proteins, but not with GST alone. An antibody to JSAPI specifically co-immunoprecipitated KIF5s associated with JSAP1 from mouse brain extracts. These results suggest that JSAP1, as KLC1 receptor, is involved in the KIF5 mediated transport.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.310-322
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• 2000

Background : Phospholipase C(PLC) plays an important role in cellular signal transduction and is thought to be critical in cellular growth, differentiation and transformation of certain malignancies. Two second messengers produced from the enzymatic action of PLC are diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate (IP3). These two second messengers are important in down stream signal activation of protein kinase C and intracellular calcium elevation. In addition, functional domains of the PLC isozymes, such as Src homology 2 (SH2) domain, Src homology 3 (SH3) domain, and pleckstrin homology (PH) domain play crucial roles in protein translocation, lipid membrane modificailon and intracellular memrane trafficking which occur during various mitogenic processes. We have previously reported the presence of PLC-${\gamma}1$, ${\gamma}2$, ${\beta}1$, ${\beta}3$, and ${\delta}1$ isozymes in normal human lung tissue and tyrosine-kinase-independent activation of phospholipase C-${\gamma}$ isozymes by tau protein and AHNAK. We had also found that the expression of AHNAK protein was markedly increased in various mstologic types of lung can∞r tissues as compared to the normallungs. However, the report concerning expression of various PLC isozymes in lung canærs and other lung diseases is lacking. Therefore, in this study we examined the expression of PLC isozymes in the paired surgical specimens taken from lung cancer patients. Methods : Surgically resected lung cancer tissue samples taken from thirty seven patients and their paired normal control lungs from the same patients, The expression of various PLC isozymes were studied. Western blot analysis of the tissue extracts for the PLC isozymes and immunohistochemistry was performed on typical samples for localization of the isozyme. Results : In 16 of 18 squamous cell carcinomas, the expression of PLC-${\gamma}1$ was increased. PLC-${\gamma}1$ was also found to be increased in all of 15 adenocarcinoma patients. In most of the non-small cell lung cancer tissues we had examined, expression of PLC-${\delta}1$ was decreased. However, the expression of PLC-${\delta}1$ was markedly increased in 3 adenocarcinomas and 3 squamous carcinomas. Although the numbers were small, in all 4 cases of small cell lung cancer tissues, the expression of PLC-${\delta}1$ was nearly absent. Conclusion : We found increased expression of PLC-${\gamma}1$ isozyme in lung cancer tissues. Results of this study, taken together with our earlier findings of AHNAK protein-a putative PLD-${\gamma}$, activator-over-expression, and the changes observed in PLC-${\delta}1$ in primary human lung cancers may provide a possible insight into the derranged calcium-inositol signaling pathways leading to the lung malignancies.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.67-77
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• 2000

Snailfish usually lives at the bottom of the sea and showed typical retrogressive change with specialized tissue structures of skin and skeletons. In order to obtain the specific genes of snailfish, highly expressed in the body, we made subtracted cDNA library and analyzed 200 clones. Totally 200 clones were obtained and sequenced, and among them 62 clones were turned out to be homologous to the known gene, i.e., thioesterase (9), myosin (8), creatine kinase (7), skeletal alpha-actin (6), parvalbumin b (5), ribosomal protein (5), type I collagen (3), muscle troponin (3), dopamine receptor (2), histatin (2), and heat shock protein (2), cystatin (1), lectin (1), statherin (1), secretory carrier membrane protein (1), keratin type I (1), desmin (1), chloroplast (1), muscle tropomyosin (1), reticulum calcium ATPase (1), ribonucleoprotein (1). The remaining 138 clones were low homologous or non-redundant genes through Genbank search. Especially 5 clones were novel and specifically expressed in the body tissues of Snailfish by in situ hybridization. Therefore, we analysed these 5 clones to identify the C-terminal protein structures and motifs, and partly defined the roles of these proteins in comparison with the expression patterns by in situ hybridization. C9O-77, about 5000 bp, was supposed to be a matrix protein expressed strongly positive in epithelium, myxoid tissue, fibrous tissue and collagenous tissue. C9O-116, about 1500 bp, was supposed to be a transmembrane protein which was weakly expressed in the fibrous tissue, epithelium tissue, and myxoid tissue, but strong in muscle tissue. C9O-130, about 1200 bp, was supposed to be an intracytoplasmic molecule usually in the epithelial cells. C9O-161, about 2000 bp, was weakly expressed in epithelium, muscle tissue and myxoid tissue, but specially strong in epithelium. C9O-171, about 1000 bp, was supposed to be a transcription factor containing zinc finger like domain, which was intensely expressed in the epithelium, muscle tissue, fibrous tissue, and in collagenous tissue.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2005

Recently, a large number of clinical experiments have shown that exposure of organic pollutants lead to various cancers through the abnormal cell growth. Environmental pollutants, such as 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), are carcinogen and are known to cause the cognitive disability and motor dysfunction in the developing of brain. The effects of these pollutants on neurodevelopmental disorder is well established, but the underlying mechanism(s) and similarity of gene expression profiles in human brain tumors with organic pollutants still remain unclear. In this study, we first examined the gene expression profiles in glioblastomas compared with meningioma that are kinds of primary human brain tumor by using human cDNA microarray. The results of cDNA microarray analysis revealed that 26 genes were upregulated (Z-ratio>2.0) and 14 genes were downregulated (Z-ratio<-2.0) in glioblastoma compared with meningioma. From the altered gene patterns, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling related genes, such as MAP2K3, MAP3K11 and jun activated domain binding protein, and transcription factors, such as UTF2 and TF12, were upregulated in glioblastoma. Also, we tried to investigate the relation between important genes up- and down-regulated in giloblastoma and various organic pollutants. Therefore, the identification of changes in the patterns of gene expression may provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in human primary brain tumors and of the relation between gene expression profiles and organic pollutants in brain tissue.