• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.285-291
• /
• 2016

Background: Ginsenosides have been shown to exert beneficial pharmacological effects on the central nervous, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems. We sought to determine whether total ginsenosides (TG) inhibit monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Methods: MCT-intoxicated rats were treated with gradient doses of TG, with or without $N^G$-nitro-$\small{L}$-arginine methyl ester. The levels of molecules involving the regulation of nitric oxide and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways were determined. Results: TG ameliorated MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension in a dose-dependent manner, as assessed by the right ventricular systolic pressure, the right ventricular hypertrophy index, and pulmonary arterial remodeling. Furthermore, TG increased the levels of pulmonary nitric oxide, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and cyclic guanosine monophosphate. Lastly, TG increased mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 expression and promoted the dephosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2. Conclusion: TG attenuates MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension, which may involve in part the regulation of nitric oxide and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.157-163
• /
• 2005

The acetate kinase gene from the copepod Paracyclopina nana was cloned. The open reading frame (ORF) was 1,200 bp, and poly(A) signal sequence was located in the end of the ORF. After the molecular phylogenetic analysis of P nana acetate kinase gene, it was revealed that it formed the same branch with that of Aspergillus. Also P. nana acetate kinase showed the difference with those of other prokaryotic microorganisms but showed the same clade with those of fungi. We also confirmed that the recombinant protein of P. nana acetate kinase made approximately 50 kDa after expression of recombinant gene construct in E. coli. This may be useful to compare this protein to those of other organisms in biochemical characteristics.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.90-99
• /
• 1995

The effect of protein kinase C inhibitors, sturosporine and 1-(5-isoquinolinyl sulfonyl)-2-methyl piperazine(H7) on in vitro differentiation of erythroid progenitor cells which were isolated from spleens of mice infected with the anemia-inducing strain of Friend virus were examined. Erythropoietin-mediated differentitation of erythroid progenitor cells, as determined by the incorporation of $^{59}Fe$ into protoporphyrin, was inhibited by staurosporine and H7 in a concentration -dependent manner. Scatchard analysis of the $^3H-phorbol-12$, 13-dibutyrate binding to erythroid progenitor cells revealed that at the high affinity sites the dissociation constant was 22nM and the maximum number of $^3H-phorbol-12$, 13-dibutyrate binding to erythroid progenitor cells revealed that at the high affinity sites the dissociation constant was 22nM and the maximum number of $^3H-phorbol-12$, 13-dibutyrate binding sites per cell was approximately $3.7\times10^5$. Cytosonic protein kinase C was isolated from erthroid progenitor cells and then purified by sequential column chromatogrphy. Two isoforms of protein kinase C were found. Photoaffinity labeling of the purified protein kinase C samples with $^3H-phorbol-12$12-myristate 13-acetate followed by analysis of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autofluorography showed radiolabeled 82-KDa pepticles. Rediolabeling of the 82-KDa peptides with $^3H-phorbol-12$myristate 13-acete was almost completely blocked by excess unlabeled phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was almost 12-muristate 13-acetate-promoted phosphorylation with the puyrified protein kinase C samples showed that the phosphorylation of 82-KDa peptides was increased as the concentration of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was increased from $10^{-8}M{\;}to{\;}10^{-4}$M. In light of the findings that erythroid progenitor cells possessed an abundance of protein kinase C and that stauroporine and H7 inhibited erythroid differentiation, it seemed likely that protein kinase C would play a role in the erythroid progenitor cell development.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.375-383
• /
• 2008

It is well known that NtMEK2, a tobacco MAPK kinase, is the upstream kinase of both salicylic acid-induced protein kinase and wound-induced protein kinase. In addition, expression of $NtMEK2^{DD}$, a constitutively active mutant of NtMEK2, is known to induce multiple defense responses in tobacco. In this study, transgenic rice plants that contained an active or inactive mutant of NtMEK2 under the control of a steroid inducible promoter were generated and used to determine if a similar MAPK cascade is involved in disease resistance in rice. The expression of $NtMEK2^{DD}$ in transgenic rice plants resulted in HR-like cell death. The observed cell death was preceded by the activation of endogenous rice 48-kDa MBP kinase, which is also activated by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the bacterial blight pathogen of rice. In addition, prolonged activation of the MAPK induced the generation of hydrogen peroxide and up-regulated the expression of defense-related genes including the pathogenesis-related genes, peroxidases and glutathione S-transferases. These results demonstrate that NtMEK2 is functionally replaceable with rice MAPK kinase in inducing the activation of the downstream MAPK, which in turn induces multiple defense responses in rice.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.419-428
• /
• 1994

To investigate the effect of dietary menhaden oil on protein kinase C (PKC) activity and membrane phospholipid composition in epidermal cells, female BALB/C mice were fed either menhaden oil or corn oil with two different levels(5% or 20%) for 6 weeks. Membrane phosphatidycholine(PC) was decreased in menhaden oil-fed group. Eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) were only presented in the acyl chain of membrane phospholipid of menhaden oil-fed mice, so that membrane fluidity of the group could be different from the other group. Both cytosolic and membrane-associated PKC activity in epidermal cells were decreased in menhaden oil-fed mice when compare with corn oil-fed mice. Furthermore, rate of PKC transfer from cytosol to membrane in menhaden oil-fed group was not as fast as in corn oil-fed group. Based on these observations, dietary menhaden oil might act differently from other dietary fat in carcinogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.142-145
• /
• 1992

MeOH extract of twenty medicinal herbs were screened for their effects against protein kinase C (PKC) using bleb-forming assay and PKC enzyme assay. Smilax china and Sanguisorba officinalis showed potent anti-PKC activity. Campsis grandiflora and Galla Halepensis showed moderate inhibitory effect on PKC.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.222-231
• /
• 1994

밤바구미 유충기의 whole body로부터 cyclic AMP(CAMP)를 추출하여 농도 변화를 측정하였고 cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase(PKA)를 부분 정제하여 활성도 변화를 조사하여 CAMP 농도와 PKA 활성도와의 소장관계를 비교하였다 CAMP 농도와 PKA 활성도는 HPLC와 liquid scintillation counter를 이용하여 측정하였다 CAMP 농도는 밤바구미 유충에서 월동전에 0.57 UMlg로 가장 높았고, 월동중에 0. 14 UMIS로 감소하였다가 월동후에 0.29 UMlg로 증가하였다 또한 PKA 활성도는 월동전에 2.56unit/mg로 가장 높았으며, 월동중에 0.62 unit/mg로 감소하다가 월동후에 07 unit/mg로 다시 증가하여 CAMP 농도 변화와 유사한 경향을 나타내었다. 이는 월동전에 휴면에 대비하여 최대의 취식으로 지방체 축적이 가장 많았고, 월동중에는 지방체의 소비가 증대되.기 때문에 감소하였다가, 월동후 휴면 종결과 유충-번데기 탈피를 준비하기 위해 'CAMP 농도와 PKA 활성도는 다시 증가하였다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
• /
• 1999.06a
• /
• pp.54-54
• /
• 1999

Protein kinase modulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid C (GABA$_{c}$) currents in freshly dissociated catfish retinal cone-horizontal cell axon-terminals was studied under voltage clamp with the use of the whole cell patch-clamp technique. Responses to pulses of GABA were monitored in intracellular application of adenosin 3',5'-cycle monophophate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC) activators, and their inhibitors or inactive analogues.(omitted)d)

• Journal of Plant Biology
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.73-80
• /
• 1984

Palmitoyl CoA was found to inhibit corn embryo axis glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, which were also inhibites by polyamines. However, reversal of inhibition of both enzymes by palmitoyl CoA was made by spermine. Activity of corn embryo axis protein kinase was found to increase steadily after germination. Activation and inhibition of protein kinase were made by MgCl$_2$and all polymines, respectively. Suc results suggest that fatty acid biosynthesis and lypolysis could be regulated to some extent by polyamines in corn embryo axis.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
• /
• 1998.04a
• /
• pp.56.1-56
• /
• 1998

No Abstract, See Full Text