• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.258-263
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• 2004

Ripe fruit of pepper (Capsicum annuum) showed resistance to Colletotrichum gloeoporioides, but unripe fruit was susceptible. We previously isolated the PepTLP gene that induced in both unripe and ripe fruit by fungal infection and wound, and only in ripe fruit by jasmonic acid (JA) treatment. To examine further regulation of PepTLP, the action of specific agonist and antagonists of known signaling effector on the .PepTLP expression by fungal infection, wound, and JA was investigated. A similar dephosphorylation event negatively activated all the PepTLP expression in the ripe fruit by fungal infection, wound, and JA. The induction of PepTLP expression by wound is differentially regulated via phosphorylation and dephosphorylation step during pre- and post-ripening, respectively. In addition, the induction of PepTLP expression in the ripe fruit by wound and JA is differentially regulated via dephosphorylation and phosphorylation step, respectively. Only both wound and JA treatment has synergistic effect on the PepTLP expression in the unripe fruit. Both SA and JA treatments on the unripe fruit, and both wound or JA and SA on the ripe fruit could not do any effect on the expression of PepTLP. These results suggest that the induction of PepTLP expression is differentially regulated via complex regulatory system against fungal infection, wound, and JA treatment during pre- and post-ripening of pepper fruit.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.222-228
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• 1997

Protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C) is one of the four major serine/threonine phosphatases which is dependent on $Mg^{2+}$ for its activity. PP2C was purified from rat liver cytosol and its characteristics were investigated. The substrate employed for routine assay was $[^{32}P]casein$ phosphorylated by PKA. The purification process involved DEAE chromatography, ammonium sulfate fractionation, phenyl sepharose chromatography, sephacryl 5-200 gel filtration, and histone agarose chromatography. The SDS-PAGE of PP2C showed one major single protein band at a position corresponding to a molecular mass of 43 kd and the purification fold was 637. The enzyme showed a pH optimum of 8 and $K_M$ value was $1.9\;{\mu}M$. However, when the substrate was changed to $[^{32}P]histone$, the pH optimum was shifted to 7 and $K_M$ value was $2.3\;{\mu}M.\;Mg^{2+}$ was essential to the enzyme activity and okadaic acid did not exert any inhibitory effect on the enzyme. To examine residue in the active site of PP2C effects of some protein-modifying reagents were tested.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2011

Ceramide is an important lipid mediator of extracellular signals that control various cellular functions, including apoptosis. In this study, we showed that ceramide induced apoptosis in U373MG human glioblastoma cells associated with G1 cell cycle arrest. Treatment of cells with ceramide increased proapoptotic Bax expression and inhibited the expression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL Ceramide also downregulated cyclin E, cyclin D1, cdk 2, and cdk4 which are involved in regulating cell cycle. In addition, ceramide suppressed phosphorylation of Akt, Bad, p70 S6 kinase, and 4E-BP1, suggesting the involvement of Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Additionally, okadaic acid, an inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A, partially blocked the ceramide mediated inhibition of phosphorylation of Akt and 4E-BP1. These results suggest that ceramide induces apoptosis in U373MG glioblastoma cells by regulating multiple signaling pathways that involve cell cycle arrest associated with Akt signaling pathway.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.159-165
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• 2022

In this study, heavy metals (lead, cadmium, and mercury) and shellfish poisoning toxins (diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins, amnesic shellfish poisoning toxins) were investigated in a total of 104 shellfishes. According to the analysis of heavy metals, lead (Pb) was detected in the range of 0.0177-0.5709 mg/kg, cadmium (Cd) was detected in the range of 0.0226-1.4602 mg/kg, and mercury (Hg) was detected in the range of 0.0015-0.0327 mg/kg. Levels of Pb, Cd, and Hg were acceptable by Korean standards. Okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX-1) were investigated for monitoring of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins and OA and DTX-1 were not detected. As a result of monitoring of amnesic shellfish poisoning toxins, domoic acid was detected in 5 of 104 samples and detection ratio was 4.8%. The detection period was found as follows; 1 case in January, 1 case in February, 1 case in May, 2 cases in September. These showed that continuous monitoring for the management of shellfish poisoning toxins and heavy metals is required. In addition, this study can be used as reference data to strengthen managing heavy metals in fishery products.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.458-463
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• 2009

To establish and validate a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the rapid and accurate quantitation of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins, we compared the results from different mobile phases and columns used for their analysis and collision energies for MS/MS experiments. Clear peaks of okadaic acid (OA) and dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1) were obtained by using a mobile phase comprising aqueous acetonitrile containing 2 mM ammonium formate and 50 mM formic acid. The collision energies were optimized to facilitate the most sensitive detection for each toxin, namely, OA, DTX1, pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2), or yessotoxin (YTX). Further, the maximum ion response was obtained at a collision energy of 48 V for OA and DTX1. We compared the analytical performance of $C_8$ and $C_{18}$ columns. A wide range of toxins namely, OA, DTX1, PTX2, and YTX, except DTX3, were detected by both the columns. Although DTX3 was only detected by the $C_8$ column, we found that the $C_{18}$ column was also suitable for the quantitation of OA and DTX1 the toxins responsible for inducing diarrhea. The limit of detection of OA and DTX1 by the established LC-MS/MS conditions was 1 ng/g, and the limit of quantitation of the toxins under the same conditions was 3 ng/g. The process efficiencies were 91-118% for oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and 96-117% for mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) further, we observed no significant effect of matrix during the ionization process in LC-MS/MS. The comparison between mouse bioassay (MBA) and LC-MS/MS yielded varying results because low concentrations of OA and DTX1 were detected by LC-MS/MS in some shellfish samples, which provided positive results on MBA for DSP. The analysis time required by MBA for DSP analysis can be reduced by LC-MS/MS.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.187-193
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• 2005

Several signal transduction pathways have been implicated in ischemic preconditioning induced by the activation of ATP-sensitive $K^+$ $(K_{ATP})$ channels. We examined whether protein kinase C (PKC) modulated the activity of $K_{ATP}$ channels by recording $K_{ATP}$ channel currents in rabbit ventricular myocytes using patch-clamp technique and found that phorbol 12,13-didecanoate (PDD) enhanced pinacidil-induced $K_{ATP}$ channel activity in the cell-attached configuration; and this effect was prevented by bisindolylmaleimide (BIM). $K_{ATP}$ channel activity was not increased by $4{\alpha}-PDD$. In excised insideout patches, PKC stimulated $K_{ATP}$ channels in the presence of 1 mM ATP, and this effect was abolished in the presence of BIM. Heat-inactivated PKC had no effect on channel activity. PKC-induced activation of $K_{ATP}$ channels was reversed by PP2A, and this effect was not detected in the presence of okadaic acid. These results suggest that PKC activates $K_{ATP}$ channels in rabbit ventricular myocytes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.281-286
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• 2002

To understand the cytotoxic mechanism of $MPP^+,$ we examined the involvement of ceramide in $MPP^+-induced$ cytotoxicity to human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. When SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to $MPP^+,\;MPP^+$ induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity accompanied by 2-fold elevation of intracellular ceramide levels in SH-SY5Y cells. Three methods were used to test the hypothesis that the elevated intracellular ceramide is related to $MPP^+-induced$ cytotoxicity: $C_2-ceramide$ was directly applied to cells, sphingomyelinase (SMase) was exogenously added, and oleoylethanolamine (OE) was used to inhibit degradation of ceramide. Furthermore, inhibition of ceramide-activated protein phosphatase (CAPP), the effector of ceramide, using okadaic acid (OA) attenuated cell death but treatment of fumonisin $B_1,$ the ceramide synthase inhibitor, did not alter the cytotoxic effect of $MPP^+.$ Based on these, we suggest that the elevation of intracellular ceramide is one of the important mediators in $MPP^+-induced$ cell death.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2009

${\beta}$-Arrestins turn off G protein-mediated signals and initiate distinct G protein-independent signaling pathways. We previously demonstrated that angiotensin $AT_1$ receptorbound ${\beta}$-arrestin 1 is cleaved after $Phe^{388}$ upon angiotensin II stimulation. The mechanism and signaling pathway of angiotensin II-induced ${\beta}$-arrestin cleavage remain largely unknown. Here, we show that protein Tyr phosphatase activity is involved in the regulation of ${\beta}$-arrestin 1 cleavage. Tagging of green fluorescent protein (GFP) either to the N-terminus or C-terminus of ${\beta}$-arrestin 1 induced conformational changes and the cleavage of ${\beta}$-arrestin 1 without angiotensin $AT_1$ receptor activation. Orthovanadate and molybdate, inhibitors of protein Tyr phosphatase, attenuated the cleavage of C-terminal GFP-tagged ${\beta}$-arrestin 1 in vitro. The inhibitory effects of okadaic acid and pyrophosphate, which are inhibitors of protein Ser/Thr phosphatase, were less than those of protein Tyr phosphatase inhibitors. Cell-permeable pervanadate inhibited angiotensin II-induced cleavage of ${\beta}$-arrestin 1 in COS-1 cells. Our findings suggest that Tyr phosphorylation signaling is involved in the regulation of angiotensin II-induced ${\beta}$-arrestin cleavage.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.224-231
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• 2007

$H_2O_2$, as an example of oxidative stress, induces cardiac myocyte apoptosis. Bcl-2 family proteins are key regulators of the apoptotic response while their functions can be regulated by post-translational modifications including phosphorylation, dimerization or proteolytic cleavage. In this study, we examined the role of various protein kinases in regulating total BAD protein levels in adult rat cardiac myocytes undergoing apoptosis. Stimulation with 0.1 mM $H_2O_2$, which induces apoptosis, resulted in a marked down-regulation of BAD protein, which is attributed to cleavage by caspases since it can be restored in the presence of a general caspase inhibitor. Inhibition of PKC, p38-MAPK, ERK1/2 and PI-3-K did not influence the reduced BAD protein levels observed after stimulation with $H_2O_2$. On the contrary, inhibition of PKA or specifically $PKC{\delta}$ resulted in up-regulation of BAD. Decreased caspase 3 activity was observed in $H_2O_2$ treated cells after inhibition of PKA or $PKC{\delta}$ whereas inhibition of PKA also resulted in improved cell survival. Furthermore, addition of okadaic acid to inhibit selected phosphatases resulted in enhanced BAD cleavage. These data suggest that, during oxidative stress-induced cardiac myocyte apoptosis, there is a caspase-dependent down-regulation of BAD protein, which seems to be regulated by coordinated action of PKA, $PKC{\delta}$ and phosphatases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.357-364
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• 1999

We investigated the role of $Ca^{2+}$ and protein kinases/phosphatases in the stimulatory effect of insulin on glucose transport. In isolated rat adipocytes, the simple omission of $CaCl_2$ from the incubation medium significantly reduced, but did not abolish, insulin-stimulated 2-deoxy glucose (2-DG) uptake. Pre-loading adipocytes with intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator, 5,5'-dimethyl bis (o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N'N' tetraacetic acetoxymethyl ester (5,5'-dimethyl BAPTA/AM) completely blocked the stimulation. Insulin raised intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration $([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ about 1.7 times the basal level of $72{\pm}5$ nM, and 5,5'-dimethyl BAPTA/AM kept it constant at the basal level. This correlation between insulin-induced increases in 2-DG uptake and $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ indicates that the elevation of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ may be prerequisite for the stimulation of glucose transport. Studies with inhibitors (ML-9, KN-62, cyclosporin A) of $Ca^{2+}-calmodulin$ dependent protein kinases/phosphatases also indicate an involvement of intracellular $Ca^{2+}.$ Additional studies with okadaic acid and calyculin A, protein phosphatase-1 (PP-1) and 2A (PP-2A) inhibitors, indicate an involvement of PP-1 in insulin action on 2-DG uptake. These results indicate an involvement of $Ca^{2+}-dependent$ signaling pathway in insulin action on glucose transport.