• BMB Reports
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• 제49권5호
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• pp.245-246
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• 2016

The level and activity of critical regulatory proteins in cells are tightly controlled by several tiers of post-translational modifications. HIF-1α is maintained at low levels under normoxia conditions by the collaboration between PHD proteins and the VHL-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. We recently identified a new physiologically relevant mechanism that regulates HIF-1α stability in the nucleus in response to cellular oxygen levels. This mechanism is based on the collaboration between the SET7/9 methyltransferase and the LSD1 demethylase. SET7/9 adds a methyl group to HIF-1α, which triggers degradation of the protein by the ubiquitin-proteasome system, whereas LSD1 removes the methyl group, leading to stabilization of HIF-1α under hypoxia conditions. In cells from knock-in mice with a mutation preventing HIF-1α methylation (Hif1α^KA/KA), HIF-1α levels were increased in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Hif1α^KA/KA knock-in mice displayed increased hematological parameters, such as red blood cell count and hemoglobin concentration. They also displayed pathological phenotypes; retinal and tumor-associated angiogenesis as well as tumor growth were increased in Hif1α^KA/KA knock-in mice. Certain human cancer cells exhibit mutations that cause defects in HIF-1α methylation. In summary, this newly identified methylation-based regulation of HIF-1α stability constitutes another layer of regulation that is independent of previously identified mechanisms.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.123-131
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• 2007

Extracellular stresses induce heat shock response and render cells resistant to lethal stresses. Heat shock response involves induction of heat shock proteins (Hsps). Recently the roles of Hsps in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer are attracting increasing attention and have accelerated the study of heat shock response mechanism. This review focuses on the stress sensing steps, molecules involved in Hsps production, diseases related to Hsp malfunctions, and the potential of proteomics as a tool for understanding the complex signaling pathways relevant to these events.

• BMB Reports
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.275-280
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• 2005

For most of proteins to be active, they need well-defined three-dimensional structures alone or in complex. Folding is a process through which newly synthesized proteins get to the native state. Protein folding inside cells is assisted by various chaperones and folding factors, and misfolded proteins are eliminated by the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation system to ensure high fidelity of protein expression. Under certain circumstances, misfolded proteins escape the degradation process, yielding to deposit of protein aggregates such as loop-sheet polymer and amyloid fibril. Diseases characterized by insoluble deposits of proteins have been recognized for long time and are grouped as conformational diseases. Study of protein folding mechanism is required for better understanding of the molecular pathway of such conformational diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권4호
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• pp.285-291
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• 2019

Eukaryotic cells use conserved quality control mechanisms to repair or degrade defective proteins, which are synthesized at a high rate during proteotoxic stress. Quality control mechanisms include molecular chaperones, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and autophagic machinery. Recent research reveals that during autophagy, membrane-bound organelles are selectively sequestered and degraded. Selective autophagy is also critical for the clearance of excess or damaged protein complexes (e.g., proteasomes and ribosomes) and membrane-less compartments (e.g., protein aggregates and ribonucleoprotein granules). As sessile organisms, plants rely on quality control mechanisms for their adaptation to fluctuating environments. In this mini-review, we highlight recent work elucidating the roles of selective autophagy in the quality control of proteins and RNA in plant cells. Emphasis will be placed on selective degradation of membrane-less compartments and protein complexes in the cytoplasm. We also propose possible mechanisms by which defective proteins are selectively recognized by autophagic machinery.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.107-113
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• 2013

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a member of serine protease inhibitor family, which regulates the activity of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). In CNS, tPA/PAI-1 activity is involved in the regulation of a variety of cellular processes such as neuronal development, synaptic plasticity and cell survival. To gain a more insights into the regulatory mechanism modulating tPA/PAI-1 activity in brain, we investigated the effects of proteasome inhibitors on tPA/PAI-1 expression and activity in rat primary astrocytes, the major cell type expressing both tPA and PAI-1. We found that submicromolar concentration of MG132, a cell permeable peptide-aldehyde inhibitor of ubiquitin proteasome pathway selectively upregulates PAI-1 expression. Upregulation of PAI-1 mRNA as well as increased PAI-1 promoter reporter activity suggested that MG132 transcriptionally increased PAI-1 expression. The induction of PAI-1 downregulated tPA activity in rat primary astrocytes. Another proteasome inhibitor lactacystin similarly increased the expression of PAI-1 in rat primary astrocytes. MG132 activated MAPK pathways as well as PI3K/Akt pathways. Inhibitors of these signaling pathways reduced MG132-mediated upregulation of PAI-1 in varying degrees and most prominent effects were observed with SB203580, a p38 MAPK pathway inhibitor. The regulation of tPA/PAI-1 activity by proteasome inhibitor in rat primary astrocytes may underlie the observed CNS effects of MG132 such as neuroprotection.

• KSBB Journal
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.217-226
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• 2009

p53은 전사인자로서 세포의 사멸이나 세포주기 조절 등 다양한 세포 활성을 보이기 때문에 일반적인 환경에서는 매우 낮은 수준으로 단백질 양이 확인된다. p53의 단백질 양과 활성은 다양한 세포 내 신호에 의하여 이루어지는 후전사 변형을 통하여 조절 받는다. 이중 유비퀴틴화는 세포 내에서 p53 단백질의 발현 수준이 낮게 유지되는 것이 가능하게 하는 대표적인 기전이다. 이러한 기전을 일으키는 대표적인 p53의 E3 ligase로는 mdm2, Pirh2, COP1, ARF-BP1 등이 보고되어 있으며, 각각 negative feedback loop나 다른 기전을 통하여 p53 단백질의 분해를 유도하여 세포의 항상성을 조절한다. 이 밖에도 p53은 mdm2나 WWP1, UBC13, MSL2와 같은 E3 ligase로 인해서 모노 유비퀴틴화 되고, p53의 세포 내 위치가 조절되어 전사인자로서의 활성이 억제된다. p53의 세포 내 위치와는 관계없이 p53의 전사인자로써의 활성 또한 아세틸화와 유비퀴틴화의 경쟁적 반응으로 인해 조절 될 수 있다. E4F1에 의한 유비퀴틴화는 세포주기와 관련된 유전자의 발현을 증가시키되 세포사멸 관련 유전자의 발현은 감소시키는 것으로 보아 p53의 수많은 downstream gene의 발현 또한 유비퀴틴화를 통해 조절 될 수 있음이 제시되었다. 앞으로의 연구는 신규 E3 ligase에 의한 p53의 유비퀴틴화 기전 연구 뿐 아니라 이와 관련된 다른 변형과의 관계에 대한 연구 또한 매우 중요하게 부각되어 질 것으로 예상된다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.592-598
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• 2019

Objective: Autophagy is a bulk degradation system for intracellular proteins which contributes to skeletal muscle homeostasis, according to previous studies in humans and rodents. However, there is a lack of information on the physiological role of autophagy in the skeletal muscle of meat animals. This study was planned as a pilot study to investigate changes in expression of two major autophagy-related genes, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain $3{\beta}$ (MAP1LC3B) and autophagy related 7 (ATG7) in fattening beef cattle, and to compare them with skeletal muscle growth. Methods: Six castrated Japanese Black cattle (initial body weight: $503{\pm}20kg$) were enrolled in this study and fattened for 7 months. Three skeletal muscles, M. longissimus, M. gluteus medius, and M. semimembranosus, were collected by needle biopsy three times during the observation period, and mRNA levels of MAP1LC3B and ATG7 were determined by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression levels of genes associated with the ubiquitin-proteasome system, another proteolytic mechanism, were also analyzed for comparison with autophagy-related genes. In addition, ultrasonic scanning was repeatedly performed to measure M. longissimus area as an index of muscle growth. Results: Our results showed that both MAP1LC3B and ATG7 expression increased over the observation period in all three skeletal muscles. Interestingly, the increase in expression of these two genes in M. longissimus was highly correlated with ultrasonic M. longissimus area and body weight. On the other hand, the expression of genes associated with the ubiquitin-proteasome system was unchanged during the same period. Conclusion: These findings suggest that autophagy plays an important role in the growth of skeletal muscle of fattening beef cattle and imply that autophagic activity affects meat productivity.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.364-375
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• 2016

번역 후 변형 과정은 외부 자극으로부터 세포의 신속한 반응을 야기하는데 있어서 매우 효율적인 기작이다. 이 중, 유비퀴티네이션은 진핵생물 내 대표적인 번역 후 변형 과정으로서, 이러한 유비퀴티네이션에 의해 매개되는 UPS (유비퀴틴/프로테아좀 시스템)는 세포 내 다양한 단백질들의 분해과정을 통해 그들의 안정성을 조절한다. 유비퀴티네이션 과정에 참여하는 3종류의 효소 중에서, E3 효소는 분해할 대상 기질을 결정한다는 면에서 그 중요성을 가지고 있다. CRL (cullin-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase)은 E3 효소 중 가장 거대한 그룹을 형성하고 있는데, 이들은 생체 내에서 cullin, RBX1, 어댑터, 기질 수용체로 이루어진 복합체의 형태로서 그 기능을 발휘한다. 이 중, SCF 복합체로도 알려진 CRL1 복합체의 기능은 다양한 연구를 통해 광범위하게 알려져 온 반면, CRL4 복합체에 대한 연구 및 고찰은 상대적으로 미흡한 실정이다. 또한, 애기장대는 DCAF로 명명된 잠재적 기질 수용체를 총 119개 보유하고 있는데, 현재까지 이들 중 일부 기질 수용체들의 기능만이 밝혀진 상태로서, 나머지 기질 수용체들의 기능 규명은 향후 활발히 탐색되어야 할 연구분야라 할 수 있다. 본 총설에서는 식물의 CRL4 복합체의 구조 및 활성 조절을 알아보고, 각 CRL4 복합체가 관여하는 다양한 식물 내 이벤트에 관하여 최근까지 보고된 CRL4 기질 수용체들을 중심으로 그 연구 진행 사항을 업데이트하고자 한다. 이러한 접근은 각 CRL4 복합체가 기능하는 식물의 다양한 신호 전달 기작들을 보다 명확히 이해하고, 향후 전체 CRL4 복합체의 작용 네트워크를 구축하는데 있어 도움이 될 것으로 사료된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.280-290
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• 2017

Several lines of evidence suggest that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is known to regulate the ER stress signaling pathway, but its role in neuronal systems in terms of ER stress remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that rotenone-induced toxicity in human neuroblastoma cell lines and mouse primary cortical neurons was ameliorated by PTP1B inhibition. Moreover, the increase in the level of ER stress markers ($eIF2{\alpha}$ phosphorylation and PERK phosphorylation) induced by rotenone treatment was obviously suppressed by concomitant PTP1B inhibition. However, the rotenone-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was not affected by PTP1B inhibition, suggesting that the neuroprotective effect of the PTP1B inhibitor is not associated with ROS production. Moreover, we found that MG132-induced toxicity involving proteasome inhibition was also ameliorated by PTP1B inhibition in a human neuroblastoma cell line and mouse primary cortical neurons. Consistently, downregulation of the PTP1B homologue gene in Drosophila mitigated rotenone- and MG132-induced toxicity. Taken together, these findings indicate that PTP1B inhibition may represent a novel therapeutic approach for ER stress-mediated neurodegenerative diseases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.677-682
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• 2014

Resveratrol has been examined in several model systems for potential effects against cancer. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is reported to suppress proliferation in most eukaryocyte cells. Whether resveratrol via AMPK inhibits proliferation of oesophageal adenocarcinoma cells (OAC) is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the roles of AMPK in the protective effects of resveratrol in OAC proliferation and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Treatment of cultured OAC derived from human subjects or cell lines with resveratrol resulted in decreased cell proliferation. Further, inhibition of AMPK by pharmacological reagent or genetical approach abolished resveratrol-suppressed OAC proliferation, reduced the level of $p27^{Kip1}$, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, and increased the levels of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2) of $p27^{Kip1}$-E3 ubiquitin ligase and 26S proteasome activity reduced by resveratrol. Furthermore, gene silencing of $p27^{Kip1}$ reversed resveratrol-suppressed OAC proliferation. In conclusion, these findings indicate that resveratrol inhibits Skp2-mediated ubiquitylation and 26S proteasome-dependent degradation of $p27^{Kip1}$ via AMPK activation to suppress OAC proliferation.