• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.292-298
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• 1996

Receptor-mediated endocytosis of coelomic fluid proteins (CP), yolk precursor proteins, appears to be regulated by multiple GTP-binding proteins during oogenesis of a polychaete, Pseudopotamilla occelata. Transport of 125 I-CP into the oocytes of intermediate size class, at which CP is the most actively transported, is enhanced by GTP but inhibited by GTP analogues, either GTPrS or GTP$\beta$S. The effects of GTP and GTPrS on the transport were also confirmed by tracing internalization of gold-labeled CP with transmission electron microscope. Internalization of gold-labeled CP into the yolk granules was enhanced by GTP but inhibited by GTPrS.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.1475-1479
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• 2012

Human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($hPPAR{\gamma}$) has been implicated in numerous pathologies, including obesity, diabetes, and cancer. In this study, we verified that amentoflavone is an agonist of $hPPAR{\gamma}$ and probed the molecular basis of its action. It was demonstrated that amentoflavone bound $hPPAR{\gamma}$ with high (picomolar) affinity and increased the binding between $hPPAR{\gamma}$ and steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) by approximately 4-fold. Based on a docking study, for the first time, we propose a model of amentoflavone and $hPPAR{\gamma}$ binding in which amentoflavone forms three hydrogen bonds with the side chains of His323, Tyr327, and Arg280 in $hPPAR{\gamma}$ and participates in two hydrophobic interactions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.583-588
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• 2012

Functional interaction between Drosophila orphan receptor FTZ-F1 (NR5A3) and a segmentation gene product fushi tarazu (FTZ) is crucial for regulating genes related to define the identities of alternate segmental regions in the Drosophila embryo. FTZ binding to the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of FTZ-F1 is of essence in activating its transcription process. We determined solution structures of the cofactor peptide ($FTZ^{PEP}$) derived from FTZ by NMR spectroscopy. The cofactor peptide showed a nascent helical conformation in aqueous solution, however, the helicity was increased in the presence of TFE. Furthermore, $FTZ^{PEP}$ formed ${\alpha}$-helical conformation upon FTZ-F1 binding, which provides a receptor bound structure of $FTZ^{PEP}$. The solution structure of $FTZ^{PEP}$ in the presence of FTZ-F1 displays a long stretch of the ${\alpha}$-helix with a bend in the middle of helix.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to investigate the specific correlation between physicochemical properties and bioactivity in ecdysteroids found in living organisms. Methods: The examined steroidal compounds were classified into three groups according to their relevance to ecdysone activity. Each compound molecule was completely drawn to automatically calculate its physicochemical parameters and docked against 20-hydroxyecdysone to calculate the total distance. Electronic charge distribution was also observed for each molecule. All procedures were conducted using a computational chemistry program. Results: Ecdysone agonists showed different ranges of parameter values, such as log P, hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB), solubility parameter (SP), hydrophilic surface (HPS), hydrogen bond (HB) and Kappa 2, when compared with antagonists and steroids without ecdysone activity. They also showed a similar electronic charge distribution that is significantly different from the electron charge distribution of antagonists and steroids without ecdysone activity. The total distance values of agonists, estimated by docking them with 20-hydroxyecdysone, were relatively small but showed no correlation with binding affinity with receptor ligand. Conclusions: These results suggest that physicochemical properties such as steric and electronic effects, hydrophobicity and hydrogen bonding may operate in combination to determine the binding activity of ecdysteroids to the receptor protein.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.375-377
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• 2000

It is now generally accepted that a phosphoinositide cycle is involved in the transduction of a variety of signals in plant cells. In animal cells, the hydrolysis of phosphatidyl-4,5-bisphosphate catalysed by phosphatidylinositol - specific phospholipase C yields to D-myo-inositol - 1,4,5-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol, which are well known second messengers. The binding of InsP$_3$to a receptor located on the endoplasmic reticulum triggers a calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum. We have detected and partially characterised key components of phosphoinositide signaling. First, tobacco microsomal fraction and plasma membrane PI-PLC. Consecutively, using a radioligand binding assay we have identified a $Ca^{2+}$ -dependent high affinity InsP$_3$binding site in microsomal membrane fraction vesicle preparation and then we have measured inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate induced calcium release from tobacco microsomal fraction. These findings suggest that phosphoinositide signaling system is present and operates in the tobacco suspension culture.e.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 1996

The antihistaminic action of eighteen herbal medicines was investigated by the radioligand binding and functional assays. The hexane fractions of Trichosanthis radix, Mori cortex radicis and Evodiae fructus dosedependently inhibited [$^3$H] mepyramine binding to H$_1$, receptor in guinea-pig brain homogenates and histamine-induced contraction of isolated guinea-pig ileum. Antihistaminic action of the hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of Mori cortex radicis and the hexane fraction of Evodiae fructus was more potent than their antimuscarinic action evaluated from the inhibition of [$^3$H]QNB binding and carbachol response. The ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions from Scutellariae radix also inhibited histamine-induced contraction, but antihistaminic potencies of these fractions were almost identical with their antimuscarinic potencies. The hexane fractions of Mori cortex radicis and Evodiae fructus inhibited selectively the increase of histamine-induced cutaneous vascular Permeability in the rat dorsal skins. However, the ethyl acetate fraction from Scutellariae radix inhibited eqipotently the effects of histamine and serotonin on the vascular permeability. These results demonstrate that the hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of Mori cortex radicis and the hexane fraction of Evodiae fructus have the selective histamine H$_1$receptor blocking activity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1465-1469
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• 2003

A neutral ligand is synthesized and studied for the binding properties with anions by electrochemical methods. The binding of 1,8-bis[(N'-phenylureido)ethyloxy]anthraquinone (BPUA) with $H_2PO_4^-$ makes cathodic shift of its electrochemical potentials and red shift of absorption band. This novel neutral anion receptor BPUA binds anions through hydrogen bonding and show high selectivity with $H_2PO_4^-$ over $CH_3CO_2^-,CI^-,{\;}and{\;}HSO_4^-$. The selecivity of H_2PO_4^-$ over $CH_3CO_2^-,CI^-,{\;}and{\;}HSO_4^-$ may be attributed to the stronger hydrogen bonding with urea moiety and also with anthraquinone moiety of BPUA receptor, and also the higher complementarity of the cavity of BPUA for tetrahedral H_2PO_4^-$.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.34-41
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• 2006

The neuronal localization of alpha-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) glutamate receptor (GluR) subunits is vital as they play key roles in the regulation of calcium permeability. We have examined the distribution of the calcium permeable AMPA glutamate receptor subunit GluR1 in the mouse visual cortex immunocytochemically. We compared this distribution to that of the calcium-binding proteins calbindin D28K, calretinin, and parvalbumin, and of GABA. The highest density of GluR1-immunoreactive (IR) neurons was found in layers II/III. Enucleation appeared to have no effect on the distribution of GluR1-IR neurons. The labeled neurons varied in morphology; the majority were round or oval and no pyramidal cells were labeled by the antibody. Two-color immunofluorescence revealed that 26.27%, 10.65%, and 40.31% of the GluR1-IR cells also contained, respectively, calbindin D28K, calretinin, and parvalbumin. 20.74% of the GluR1-IR neurons also expressed GABA. These results indicate that many neurons that express calcium-permeable GluR1 also express calcium binding proteins. They also demonstrate that one fifth of the GluR1-IR neurons in the mouse visual cortex are GABAergic interneurons.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.913-919
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• 2015

In vertebrates, the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, binds the biologically active ligand $1{\alpha},25-(OH)_2$-vitamin $D_3$ (1,25 $D_3$). Nearly all vertebrates, including Agnatha, possess a VDR with high ligand selectivity for 1,25 $D_3$ and related metabolites. Although a putative ancestral VDR gene is present in the genome of the chordate invertebrate Ciona intestinalis, the functional characteristics of marine invertebrate VDR are still obscure. To elucidate the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi VDR (HrVDR), we cloned full-length HrVDR cDNA and investigated the transcriptional activity of HrVDR in HEK293 cells. HrVDR consists of 1,680 nucleotides (559 amino acids [aa]), including a short N-terminal region (A/B domain; 26 aa), DNA-binding domain (C domain; 72 aa), hinge region (D domain; 272 aa), and C-terminal ligand-binding domain (E domain; 161 aa). The amino acid sequence identity of HrVDR was greatest to that of C. intestinalis VDR (56%). In the luciferase reporter assays, the transcriptional activity of HrVDR was not significantly increased by 1,25 $D_3$, whereas the farnesoid X receptor agonist GW4064 increased the transactivation of HrVDR. These results suggest the presence of a novel ligand for and a distinct ligand-binding domain in ascidian VDR.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.183-188
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• 2012

In this study, we examined the estrogenic activity of bavachin, a component of Psoralea corylifolia that has been used as a traditional medicine in Asia. Bavachin was purified from ethanolic extract of Psoralea corylifolia and characterized its estrogenic activity by ligand binding, reporter gene activation, and endogenous estrogen receptor (ER) target gene regulation. Bavachin showed ER ligand binding activity in competitive displacement of [$^3H$] $E_2$ from recombinant ER. The estrogenic activity of bavachin was characterized in a transient transfection system using $ER{\alpha}$ or $ER{\beta}$ and estrogen-responsive luciferase plasmids in CV-1 cells with an $EC_{50}$ of 320 nM and 680 nM, respectively. Bavachin increased the mRNA levels of estrogen-responsive genes such as pS2 and PR, and decreased the protein level of $ER{\alpha}$ by proteasomal pathway. However, bavachin failed to activate the androgen receptor in CV-1 cells transiently transfected with the corresponding receptor and hormone responsive reporter plasmid. These data indicate that bavachin acts as a weak phytoestrogen by binding and activating the ER.