• BMB Reports
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• 제51권10호
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• pp.486-492
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• 2018

The CCN protein family is composed of six matricellular proteins, which serve regulatory roles rather than structural roles in the extracellular matrix. First identified as secreted proteins which are induced by oncogenes, the acronym CCN came from the names of the first three members: CYR61, CTGF, and NOV. All six members of the CCN family consist of four cysteine-rich modular domains. CCN proteins are known to regulate cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In addition, CCN proteins are associated with cardiovascular and skeletal development, injury repair, inflammation, and cancer. They function either through binding to integrin receptors or by regulating the expression and activity of growth factors and cytokines. Given their diverse roles related to the pathology of certain diseases such as fibrosis, arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, and cancer, there are many emerging studies targeting CCN protein signaling pathways in attempts to elucidate their potentials as therapeutic targets.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.59-66
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• 2022

The Cyr61/CTGF/NOV (CCN) family is dynamically expressed in various tissues, including the nervous system, from the prenatal period to adulthood. However, major studies have been conducted only in limited fields, such as the cardiovascular and muscular systems, skeletal development, and cancer. In addition, although the CCN family is a secretory protein, very few studies have described its mechanism of secretion. Recently, it has been suggested that overexpression of CCN3 or intracellular accumulation due to problems in the secretory pathway can inhibit neuronal axonal growth. In this review, we have briefly summarized the structure and characteristics of the CCN family and its related diseases, with particular emphasis on the secretory mechanism and modifiers of the CCN family, newly identified in the nervous system.

• 한국동물생명공학회지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.255-265
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• 2022

The cellular communication network factor (CCN) family proteins regulate many biological events such as angiogenesis, tumor growth, placentation, implantation, and embryogenesis. The expression and function of CCN1, CCN2, and CCN3 at the maternal-conceptus interface are established in humans and rodents, but little is known about the role of CCN4 to CCN6 in the reproductive organs in any other species. Several studies in transcriptome analysis in pigs have shown that the expression of CCN4 and CCN6 increases in the endometrium during early pregnancy. However, their expression, regulation, and function in the endometrium throughout the estrous cycle and pregnancy have not been fully understood in pigs. Thus, we determined the expression, localization, and regulation of CCN4 and CCN6 during the estrous cycle and at the maternal-conceptus interface in pigs. We found that the levels of CCN4, but not CCN6, changed during the estrous cycle. The levels of CCN4 were greater during mid- to late pregnancy than in the early stage, and the levels of CCN6 were greatest on Day 15 of pregnancy. CCN4 and CCN6 were detected in conceptus tissues during early pregnancy and in chorioallantoic tissues during the later stage of pregnancy. CCN4 mRNA was mainly localized to epithelial cells, CCN6 mRNAs to epithelial and stromal cells in the endometrium. In endometrial explant cultures, CCN4 expression was increased by progesterone, and CCN6 expression by interferon-𝛾. These results suggest that CCN4 and CCN6 may play roles in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy by regulating the endometrial epithelial cell functions in pigs.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.269-277
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• 2005

Objectives: Previously, we sought to compile a list of genes expressed during early folliculogenesis by using cDNA microarray to investigate follicular gene expression and changes during primordialprimary follicle transition and development of secondary follicles (Yoon et al., 2005). Among those genes, a group of genes related to the cell size growth was characterized during the ovarian development in the present study. Methods: We determined ovarian expression pattern of six genes related to the cell size growth (cyr61, emp1, fhl1, socs2, wig1 and wisp1) and extended into CCN family (${\underline{c}}onnective$ tissue growth factor/${\underline{c}}ysteine$-rich 61/${\underline{n}}ephroblastoma$-overexpressed), ctgf, nov, wisp2, wisp3, including cyr61 and wisp1 genes. Expression of mRNA and protein according to the ovarian developmental stage was evaluated by in situ hybridization, and/or semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Results: Among 6 genes related to the cell size growth, cyr61 and wisp1 mRNA was detected only in oocytes in the postnatal day5 mouse ovaries. cyr61 mRNA expression was limited to the nucleolus of oocytes, while wisp1 was expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleolus of oocytes, except nucleus. cyr61 mRNA expression, however, was found in granulosa cells from secondary follicles. The rest 4 genes in the cell size growth group were detected in oocytes, granulosa and theca cells. Cyr61 and Wisp1 proteins were expressed in the oocyte cytoplasm from primordial follicle stage. Especially, Cyr61 protein was detected in pre-granulosa cells, Wisp1 protein was not. By using RT-PCR, we evaluated and decided that Cyr61 protein is produced by their own mRNA in pre-granulosa cells that was not detected by in situ hybridization. cyr61 and wisp1 genes are happen to be the CCN family members. The other members of CCN family were also studied, but their expression was detected in oocytes, granulose and theca cells. Conclusions: We firstly characterized the ovarian expression of genes related to the cell size growth and CCN family according to the early folliculogenesis. Cyr61 protein expression in the pre-granulosa cells is profound in meaning. Further functional analysis for cyr61 in early folliculogenesis is under investigation.

• 대한화장품학회지
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.177-186
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• 2013

피부 섬유아세포는 인간 피부의 주요 콜라겐 생산 세포이다. 노화가 진행되면, 섬유아세포에서의 콜라겐 생산이 감소되고, matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1)에 의해 시작되는 콜라겐 조각화가 증가된다. 즉 섬유아세포의 콜라겐 항상성의 불균형으로 인해 피부 collagenous, 세포외기질(ECM)의 구조와 기능이 변형되어, 피부노화가 촉진되는 것이다. Cysteine rich protein 61 (CCN1)는 CCN family의 일부이며, 인간피부의 섬유아세포에서 콜라겐 항상성을 조절하는 단백질이다. 노화된 인간 피부 섬유아세포에서의 CCN1 과 발현은 실질적으로 유형 I procollagen 생성을 감소시킴과 동시에 MMP-1의 발현을 증가시켜 섬유의 콜라겐 저하를 일으킨다. 그리고 노화된 섬유아세포는 노화 전 섬유아세포에 비해 증식률이 감소한다. 본 연구에서 만들어 사용한 복제 노화 피부 섬유아세포는 유형 I procollagen의 생성량이 감소하였고, MMP-1의 발현 수준이 증가하는 특징을 나타냈다. 또한 CCN1 단백질의 발현이 증가되고, 증식률이 감소하는 특징을 나타냈다. 가수분해 구멍갈파래 추출물은 노화 전 섬유아세포에서 새로운 콜라겐의 합성을 촉진하고 자외선에 의해 증가된 MP-1의 발현을 감소시켜 광노화를 개선하는 물질로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 활성을 나타내는 가수분해 구멍갈파래 추출물을 사용하여, 복제 노화 피부 섬유아세포에서 가수분해 구멍갈파래 추출물에 의한 CN1 단백질의 발현 억제 여부를 조사하였으며, 이들 추출물은 배양된 복제 노화 피부 섬유아세포에서 유형 I procollagen의 생성을 증가시켰으며, MMP-1 발현을 억제시키는 것을 확인하였다. 또한, 콜라겐 항상성을 조절하는 단백질인 CN1 발현을 크게 감소시켰으며, 노화세포의 증식률을 증가시켰다. 이 결과는 복제 노화 섬유아세포가 in vitro 자연 노화모델로 화장품 원료 활성 연구에 사용될 수 있음을 말한다. 그리고 가수분해 구멍갈파래 추출물은 광노화 뿐 아니라 자연노화를 개선하는 피부미용제로 주름개선 기능성 화장품에 사용가능 하다는 것을 의미한다.

• 대한구강악안면병리학회지
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.155-162
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• 2017

Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF, CCN2) is one of the multi-functional secreted proteins which belong to CCN family of cysteine-rich growth factors. CTGF is known to have pivotal roles in embryonic endochondral ossification but its role in relevance to periodontitis is never been determined. To identify new molecular mediators associated with periodontitis-induced bone resorption, we have analyzed publicly available GEO database and found the markedly augmented CTGF mRNA expression in periodontitis gingival tissues. The existence of CTGF significantly enhanced mature osteoclasts survival which accompanied by reduction in TUNEL-positive nuclei and PARP cleavage. These results may provide another line of evidence the CTGF mediated prolonged osteoclast survival and subsequent increased bone resorption in the periodontitis patients.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.207-212
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• 2013

파이토케미칼 resveratrol은 항산화, 항염증, 항암등을 포함하는 다양한 생리활성을 가지고 있는 것으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 resveratrol이 CCN family 중의 하나인 cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61) 유전자의 발현을 유도할 수 있는지 연구하였다. 결과에 의하면 resveratrol은 3개의 다른 인간 대장암 세포주에서 CYR61 단백질의 발현을 유도하였을 뿐만 아니라, HCT116세포주에서는 처리한 resveratrol 농도와 시간 의존적으로 CYR61 단백질의 발현을 유도하였다. 이러한 CYR61 단백질의 발현이 resveratrol의 어떤 생리활성과 관련이 있는지 확인하기 위하여 몇 종류의 NSAIDs와 항산화제를 처리하여 CYR61 단백질의 발현을 확인하였으나, 오직 resveratrol의 처리에 의해서만 CYR61 단백질의 발현이 유도되었다. 또한, CYR61의 발현은 암 억제유전자인 p53과는 관련이 없는 것으로 판단되었다. Promoter assay를 통하여 프로모터 -732 ~ +54 사이에 조절부위가 있음을 확인하였고, 파이토케미칼 Indole-3-carbinol이나 6-gingerol에 의해서도 CYR61의 발현이 유도되지 않음을 확인하였다. 이러한 연구결과는 resveratrol에 의한 CYR61 유전자의 발현은 resveratrol특이적이며, 이러한 연구결과는 resveratrol만의 특이한 생리활성을 이해하는데 도움을 줄 것으로 기대된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권1호
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• pp.75-80
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• 2015

Osteoclasts are unique cells responsible for the resorption of bone matrix. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the regulation of a wide range of physiological processes. Here, we examined the role of miR-26a in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. The expression of miR-26a was upregulated by RANKL at the late stage of osteoclastogenesis. Ectopic expression of an miR-26a mimic in osteoclast precursor cells attenuated osteoclast formation, actin-ring formation, and bone resorption by suppressing the expression of connective tissue growth factor/CCN family 2 (CTGF/CCN2), which can promote osteoclast formation via upregulation of dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP). On the other hand, overexpression of miR-26a inhibitor enhanced RANKL-induced osteoclast formation and function as well as CTGF expression. In addition, the inhibitory effect of miR-26a on osteoclast formation and function was prevented by treatment with recombinant CTGF. Collectively, our results suggest that miR-26a modulates osteoclast formation and function through the regulation of CTGF.