• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.177.2-177.2
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• 2003

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are a new class of compound that increase insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) act as ligands for a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-$\gamma$ (PPAR-$\gamma$), which is highly expressed in fatty tissue and, moreover, has been shown to play an important role in fat cell differentiation. The strong interaction between the antidiabetic activity ofTZDs and their ability to activate PPAR-$\gamma$ suggests that PPAR-$\gamma$, through downstream-regulated genes, mediates the effects of TZDs. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.186.2-186.2
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• 2003

PPARs (peroxisome proliferator activated receptors) are member of nuclear hormone receptors superfamily. Activations of PPARs upon binding with ligands modulate glucose metabolite, differentiation of adipocyte, inflammation response, and so on. Thiazolidinedione analog is one of the potential antidiabetic drug that binds and activates PPAR selectively and enhances insulin sensitivity. In an effort to develop novel and effective antidiabetic thiazolidindione analogs, we have synthesized tetrahydroquinoline and para-substituted benzene-linked thiazolidinedione analogs by coupling reaction of the hydrophobic segments with hydroxybenzylthiazolidinedione.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.346.1-346.1
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• 2002

FXR (farnesoid X-activated receptor) is a member of nuclear steroid hormone receptor superfamily and especially a orphan receptor, which are able to control mevalonate pathway upon activation by binding of the specific ligands. We. have launched our study for development of FXR specific ligands getting on in lead discovery. A promising lead stilbene analog was obtained through the screening of a set of library compounds which was previously targeted for other nuclear receptors. And then synthetic modilication of the lead was perfoumde. In addition. fishing a new pharmacophore was fried by UNITT aearch. which brought new structural features.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.319-329
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• 1999

Onset of female puberty follows a series of prepubertal cellular and molecular events including changes of synaptic plasticity, synthetic and releasing activity and gene expression. Dramatic increase of gonadal steroid level is one of the most prominent changes before the onset of puberty. Based on the importance of steroid feedback upon the hypothalamus, we adopted an estrogen sterilized rat (ESR) model where 100 ng of 17$\eta$-estradiol were administered into neonatal pubs for 7 days after birth. To identify genes involved in the onset of female puberty, we applied PCR differential display using RNA samples derived from ESR and control rat hypothalami. About 100 out of more than 1000 RNA species examined displayed differential expression patterns between a 60-day old control rat and ESR. Sequence analysis of differentially amplified PCR products showed homology with genes such as mouse kinesin superfamily-associated protein 3 (KAP3) and several cDNAs previously described by others in mouse and human tissues. Several gene products such as 2-1 and 8-1 corresponded to novel DNA sequences. We analyzed mRNA levels of KAP3, 2-1 and 8-1 genes in the hypothalami derived from neonatal, 6-, 28-, 31-, and 40-day old rats. Northern blot analysis showed that mRNAs of KAP3, 2-1 and 8-1 genes were markedly increased before the initiation of puberty. Neonatal treatment of estrogen clearly inhibited prepubertal increases in KAP3, 2-1 and 8-1 mRNA levels. Therefore, these genes may play important roles in the initiation of hypothalamic puberty. In addition, intracerebroventricular (icv) injection of antisense KAP3 oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) clearly delayed puberty initiation determined by vaginal opening, which further confirmed that KAP3 plays an important role in the regulation of puberty initiation.

• CELLMED
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.6.1-6.12
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• 2014

Anthrax is the deadly disease for human being caused by Bacillus anthracis. Instantaneous research work on the mode of infection of the organism revealed that different proteases are involved in different steps of pathogenesis. Present study reports the in silico characterization and the detection of pathogenic proteases involved in anthrax infection through protein-protein interaction. A total of 13 acid, 9 neutral, and 1 alkaline protease of Bacillus anthracis were selected for analysing the physicochemical parameter, the protein superfamily and family search, multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic tree construction, protein-protein interactions and motif finding. Among the 13 acid proteases, 10 were found as extracellular enzymes that interact with immune inhibitor A (InhA) and help the organism to cross the blood brain barrier during the process of infection. Multiple sequence alignment of above acid proteases revealed the position 368, 489, and 498-contained 100% conserved amino acids which could be used to deactivate the protease. Among the groups analyzed, only acid protease were found to interact with InhA, which indicated that metalloproteases of acid protease group have the capability to develop pathogenesis during B. anthracis infection. Deactivation of conserved amino acid position of germination protease can stop the sporulation and germination of B anthracis cell. The detailed interaction study of neutral and alkaline proteases could also be helpful to design the interaction network for the better understanding of anthrax disease.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.159-165
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• 2013

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the transforming growth factor (TGF-${\beta}$) superfamily and are involved in osteoblastic differentiation. The largest TGF-${\beta}$ superfamily subgroup shares genetic homology with human BMPs (hBMPs) and silkworm decapentaplegic (dpp). In addition, hBMPs are functionally interchangeable with Drosophila dpp. Bombyx mori dpp may induce bone formation in mammalian cells. To test this hypothesis, we synthesized the 1,285-base pairs cDNA of full-length B. mori dpp using total RNAs obtained from the fat body of 3-day-old of the $5^{th}$ instar larvae and cloned the cDNA into the pCEP4 mammalian expression vector. Next, B. mori dpp was expressed in C3H10T1/2 cells. The target cells transfected with the pCEP4-Bm dpp plasmid showed biological functions similar to those of osteogenic differentiation induction growth factors such as hBMPs. We determined the relative mRNA expression rates of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osterix, osteocalcin, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to validate the osteoblast-specific differentiation effects of B. mori dpp by performing quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Interestingly, mRNA expression levels of the 3 marker genes except RUNX2, in cells expressing B. mori dpp were much higher than those in control cells and C3H10T1/2 cells transfected with pCEP4. These results suggested that B. mori dpp signaling regulates osterix expression during osteogenic differentiation via RUNX2-independent mechanisms.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.167-172
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• 2004

The kinesin proteins (KIFs) make up a large superfamily of molecular motors that transport cargo such as vesicles, protein complexes, and organelles. KIF5 is a heterotetrameric motor that conveys vesicles and plays an important role in neuronal function. Here, we used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify the neuronal protein(s) that interacts with the tail region of KIF5 and found a specific interaction with ${\beta}III$ spectrin. The amino acid residues between 1394 and 1774 of ${\beta}III$ spectrin were required for the interaction with KIF5C. ${\beta}III$ spectrin also bound to the tail region of neuronal KIF5A and ubiquitous KIF5B but not to other kinesin family members in the yeast two-hybrid assay. In addition, these proteins showed specific interactions, confirmed by GST pull-down assay and co-immunoprecipitation. ${\beta}III$ spectrin interacted with GST-KIF5 fusion proteins, but not with GST alone. An antibody to ${\beta}III$ spectrin specifically co-immunoprecipitated KIF5s associated with ${\beta}III$ spectrin from mouse brain extracts. These results suggest that KTF5 motor proteins transport vesicles or organelles that are coated with ${\beta}III$ spectrin.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1065-1074
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• 2016

Growth factors play an important role during early ovarian development and folliculogenesis, since they regulate the migration of germ cells to the gonadal ridge. They also act on follicle recruitment, proliferation/atresia of granulosa cells and theca, steroidogenesis, oocyte maturation, ovulation and luteinization. Among the growth factors, the growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and the bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), belong to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-${\beta}$) superfamily, have been implicated as essential for follicular development. The GDF9 and BMP15 participate in the evolution of the primordial follicle to primary follicle and play an important role in the later stages of follicular development and maturation, increasing the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein expression, plasminogen activator and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR). These factors are also involved in the interconnections between the oocyte and surrounding cumulus cells, where they regulate absorption of amino acids, glycolysis and biosynthesis of cholesterol cumulus cells. Even though the mode of action has not been fully established, in vitro observations indicate that the factors GDF9 and BMP15 stimulate the growth of ovarian follicles and proliferation of cumulus cells through the induction of mitosis in cells and granulosa and theca expression of genes linked to follicular maturation. Thus, seeking greater understanding of the action of these growth factors on the development of oocytes, the role of GDF9 and BMP15 in ovarian function is summarized in this brief review.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.121-136
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• 1996

In order to understand affinities and phylogeny of three families of the Superfamily Entomobryoidea allozyme analysis was performed with three species presumably representing each family, in addition to four species belonging to the neighboring Superfamily Poduroidea together. Electrophoresis for this purpose produced data for calculating allele frequency and enabled to obtain genetic distance and to depict dendrograms as well. The species of Isotomidae, Entomobryidae and Tomoceridae were clustered together whereas those of Hypogastruridae, Onychiuridae and Neanuridae were grouped as monophylies, respectively. Even though Tomoceridae and Entomobryidae were brought together they are considered complete families by showing high genetic distance value between them, thus supporting the hypothesis on their affinity among others. Gulgastrura reticulosa has been revealed to be separated from Hypogastruridae by being clustered rather with Onychiuridae. However, its high genetic distance value suggests the status as an independent family. The present result agreed with the phylogeny of Suborder Arthropleona divided into two Superfamilies mentioned above as in conventional systematics and also when compared with analysis of data of their morphological characters as well as 18S rDNA performed and published elsewhere by the present writers.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.649-655
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• 2006

The NSAID activated gene (NAG-1), a member of the TGF-$\beta$ superfamily, is involved in tumor progression and development. The over-expression of NAG-1 in cancer cells results in growth arrest and increase in apoptosis, suggesting that NAG-1 has anti-tumorigenic activity. This conclusion is further supported by results of experiments with transgenic mice that ubiquitously express human NAG-1. These transgenic mice are resistant to the development of intestinal tumors following treatment with azoxymethane or by introduction of a mutant APC gene. In contrast, other data suggest a pro-tumorigenic role for NAG-1, for example, high expression of NAG-1 is frequently observed in tumors. NAG-1 may be like other members of the TGF-$\beta$ superfamily, acting as a tumor suppressor in the early stages, but acting pro-tumorigenic at the later stages of tumor progression. The expression of NAG-1 can be increased by treatment with drugs and chemicals documented to prevent tumor formation and development. Most notable is the increase in NAG-1 expression by the inhibitors of cyclooxygenases that prevent human colorectal cancer development. The regulation of NAG-1 is complex, but these agents act through either p53 or EGR-1 related pathways. In addition, an increase in NAG-1 is observed in inhibition of the AKT/GSK-$3{\beta}$ pathway, suggesting NAG-1 alters cell survival. Thus, NAG-1 expression is regulated by tumor suppressor pathways and appears to modulate tumor progression.