• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.812-827
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• 2024

Phloroglucinol (PG) is one of the abundant isomeric benzenetriols in brown algae. Due to its polyphenolic structure, PG exhibits various biological activities. However, the impact of PG on anagen signaling and oxidative stress in human dermal papilla cells (HDPCs) is unknown. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential of PG for improving hair loss. A non-cytotoxic concentration of PG increased anagen-inductive genes and transcriptional activities of β-Catenin. Since several anagen-inductive genes are regulated by β-Catenin, further experiments were performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which PG upregulates anagen signaling. Various biochemical analyses revealed that PG upregulated β-Catenin signaling without affecting the expression of Wnt. In particular, PG elevated the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT), leading to an increase in the inhibitory phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) at serine 9. Treatment with the selective phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT inhibitor, LY294002, restored the increased AKT/GSK3β/β-Catenin signaling and anagen-inductive proteins induced by PG. Moreover, conditioned medium from PG-treated HDPCs promoted the proliferation and migration of human epidermal keratinocytes via the AKT signaling pathway. Subsequently, we assessed the antioxidant activities of PG. PG ameliorated the elevated oxidative stress markers and improved the decreased anagen signaling in hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced HDPCs. The senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining assay also demonstrated that the antioxidant abilities of PG effectively mitigated H₂O₂-induced senescence. Overall, these results indicate that PG potentially enhances anagen signaling and improves oxidative stress-induced cellular damage in HDPCs. Therefore, PG can be employed as a novel therapeutic component to ameliorate hair loss symptoms.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.859-867
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• 2023

Lupeol is a type of pentacyclic triterpene that has been reported to have therapeutic effects for treating many diseases; however, its effect on insulin resistance is unclear clear. This study examined the inhibitory effect of lupeol on the serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 in insulin resistance-induced 3T3-L1 adipocytes. 3T3-L1 cells were cultured and treated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) for 24 hours to induce insulin resistance. Cells treated with different concentrations of lupeol (15 μM or 30 μM) or 100 nM of rosiglitazone were incubated. Then, lysed cells underwent western blotting. Lupeol exhibited a positive effect on the negative regulator of insulin signaling and inflammation-activated protein kinase caused by TNF-α in adipocytes. Lupeol inhibited the activation of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B)-a negative regulator of insulin signaling-and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK); it was also an inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase (IKK) and inflammation-activated protein kinases. In addition, Lupeol downregulated serine phosphorylation and upregulated tyrosine phosphorylation in insulin receptor substrate-1. Then, the downregulated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway was activated, the translocation of glucose transporter type 4 was stimulated to the cell membrane, and intracellular glucose uptake increased in the insulin resistance-induced 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Lupeol may improve TNF-α-induced insulin resistance by downregulating the serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 by inhibiting negative regulators of insulin signaling and inflammation-activated protein kinases in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2010

Phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-triphosphate ($PIP_3$) is a lipid second messenger that employs a wide range of downstream effector proteins for the regulation of cellular processes, including cell survival, polarization and proliferation. One of the most well characterized cytoplasmic targets of $PIP_3$, serine/threonine protein kinase B (PKB)/Akt, promotes cell survival by directly interacting with nucleophosmin (NPM)/B23, the nuclear target of $PIP_3$. Here, we report that nuclear $PIP_3$ competes with Akt to preferentially bind B23 in the nucleoplasm. Mutation of Arg23 and Arg25 in the PH domain of Akt prevents binding to $PIP_3$, but does not disrupt the Akt/B23 interaction. However, treatment with phosphatases PTEN or SHIP abrogates the association between Akt and B23, indicating that nuclear $PIP_3$ regulates the Akt/B23 interaction by controlling the concentration and subcellular dynamics of these two proteins.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.184-194
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• 2023

In this study, we investigated whether p-anisaldehyde (PAA), the main component of essential oils derived from anise seeds, influences the differentiation of mouse C2C12 myoblasts. Cells were induced to differentiate over 5 days using a differentiation medium with or without PAA (50 or 200 mg/mL). Myotube length and diameter were measured, and the expressions of myogenic markers (myoblast determination protein 1, myogenin, myocyte enhancer factor 2, muscle creatine kinase, and myosin heavy chain) and atrophy-related genes (atrogin-1 and muscle ring finger-1 [MuRF-1]) were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation was monitored by western blotting. PAA significantly induced the formation of smaller and thinner myotubes and reduced myogenic marker expression. Furthermore, PAA increased the expressions of atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 and simultaneously reduced Akt phosphorylation. Our findings indicate that PAA inhibits the myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells by reducing the phosphorylation and activation of Akt.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.120-126
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• 2005

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays a critical role in vascular biology and pathophysiology. Its activity is regulated by multiple mechanisms such as calcium/calmodulin, protein-protein interactions, sub-cellular locations and phosphorylation at various sites. Phosphorylation of eNOS-Ser1177 (based on mouse sequence) has been identified as an important mechanism of eNOS activation. However, signaling pathway leading to it phosphorylation remains controversial. The regulation of eNOS-Ser1177 phosphorylation by Src and protein kinase A (PKA) was investigated in the present study using cultured mouse aorta endothelial cells. Expression of a constitutively active Src mutant in the cells enhanced phosphorylation of eNOS and protein kinase B (Akt). The Src-stimulated phosphorylation was not attenuated by the expression of a dominant negative PKA regulatory subunit. Neither activation nor inhibition of PKA activity had any significant effect on tyrosine phosphorylation of activation or inactivation site in Src. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that Src/Akt pathway and PKA signaling may regulate eNOS phosphorylation independently. The existence of multiple mechanisms for eNOS phosphorylation may guarantee endothelial nitric oxide production in various cellular contexts which is essential for maintenance of vascular health.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.115-115
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• 2004

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1617-1624
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• 2010

Recently, it has been found that Asiasari radix showed a hypopigmenting effect on melanogenesis through activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-activated kinase (ERK) in B16F10 melanoma cells. However, the hypopigmenting effect of A. radix on the $\alpha$-melanocyte stimulating hormone ($\alpha$-MSH)-stimulated melanogenesis has remained unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory mechanism of the partially purified A. radix (PPAR)-induced hypopigmentating effects on $\alpha$-MSH-stimulated melanogenesis in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. PPAR strongly inhibited tyrosinase activity and leads to decreased melanin synthesis in $\alpha$-MSH-stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells. PPAR also decreased the $\alpha$-MSH-induced over-expression of the melanogenic enzymes, tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, dopachrome tautomerase (Dct) and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). We further showed that PPAR inhibits $\alpha$-MSH-induced melanogenesis via phosphorylation of MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt, and that their activation was blocked by MEK inhibitors, PD98059 and PI3K inhibitors, LY294002 in $\alpha$-MSH-stimulated B16F10 melanoma cells. These results suggest that PPAR inhibits $\alpha$-MSH-induced melanogenesis by activation of MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt through MITF degradation, which may lead to down-regulation of tyrosinase.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.221-225
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• 2015

As metformin can inhibit endometrial carcinoma (EC) cell growth and the insulin growth factor (IGF) system is active in EC, the question of whether it can regulate endometrial carcinoma cell secretion of IGF-1 or expression of IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) is of interest. In this study, serum IGF-1 levels in EC patients were found to be comparable with that in the non EC patients (p>0.05). However, the IGF-1 level in the medium of cultured cells after treatment with metformin was decreased (p<0.05). IGF-1R was highly expressed in human endometrial carcinoma paraffin sections, but IGF-1R and phosphor-protein kinase B/protein kinase B (p-Akt/Akt) expression was down-regulated after metformin treatment (p<0.05). In summary, metformin can reduce the secretion of IGF-1 by Ishikawa and JEC EC cell lines and their expression of IGF-1R to deactivate downstream signaling involving the PI-3K/Akt pathway to inhibit endometrial carcinoma cell growth.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.589-597
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• 2015

It has been reported that overexpression of MUC5AC induced by excessive inflammation leads to airway obstruction in respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. 15-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects, but the role of 15-HETE in respiratory inflammation has not been determined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 15-HETE on MUC5AC expression and related pathways. In this study, phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) was used to stimulate NCI-H292 bronchial epithelial cells in order to examine the effects of 15-HETE. 15-HETE inhibited PMA-induced expression of MUC5AC mRNA and secretion of MUC5AC protein. Moreover, 15-HETE regulated matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). In addition, 15-HETE decreased the nuclear translocation of specificity protein-1 (Sp-1) transcription factor and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Furthermore, 15-HETE enhanced the transcriptional activity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) as a PPARγ agonist. This activity reduced the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PΚB/Akt) by increasing the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). In conclusion, 15-HETE regulated MUC5AC expression via modulating MMP-9, MEK/ERK/Sp-1, and PPARγ/PTEN/Akt signaling pathways in PMA-treated respiratory epithelial cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.324-333
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• 2004

To determine whether Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) treatment represents a potential means of enhancing the survival of cardiac muscle cells from adriamycin (ADR)-induced cell death, the present study examined the ability of IGF-I to prevent cell death. The study was performed utilising the embryonic, rat, cardiac muscle cell line, H9C2. Incubating cardiac muscle cells in the presence of adriamycin increased cell death, as determined by MTT assay and annexin V-positive cell number. The addition of 100 ng/mL IGF-I, in the presence of adriamycin, decreased apoptosis. The effect of IGF-I on phosphorylation of PI, a substrate of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) or protein kinase B (AKT), was also examined in H9C2 cardiac muscle cells. IGF-I increased the phosphorylation of ERK 1 and 2 and $PKC{\;}{\zeta}{\;}kinase$. The use of inhibitors of PI 3-kinase (LY 294002), in the cell death assay, demonstrated partial abrogation of the protective effect of IGF-I. The MEK1 inhibitor-PD098059 and the PKC inhibitor-chelerythrine exhibited no effect on IGF-1-induced cell protection. In the regulatory subunit of PI3K-p85- dominant, negative plasmid-transfected cells, the IGF-1-induced protective effect was reversed. This data demonstrates that IGF-I protects cardiac muscle cells from ADR-induced cell death. Although IGF-I activates several signaling pathways that contribute to its protective effect in other cell types, only activation of PI 3-kinase contributes to this effect in H9C2 cardiac muscle cells.