• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.7
• /
• pp.3043-3051
• /
• 2016

Controlled remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is essential for cell growth, invasion and metastasis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of secreted, zinc-dependent endopeptidases capable of degradation of ECM components. The expression and activity of MMPs in a variety of human cancers have been intensively studied. They play important roles at different steps of malignant tumor formation and have central significance in embryogenesis, tissue remodeling, inflammation, angiogenesis and metastasis. However, increasing evidence demonstrates that MMPs are involved earlier in tumorigenesis. Recent studies also suggest that MMPs play complex roles in tumor progression. MMPs and membrane type (MT)-MMPs are potentially significant therapeutic targets in many cancers, so that designing of specific MMP inhibitors would be helpful for clinical trials. Here, we review the pleiotropic roles of the MMP system in hematological malignancies in-vitro and in-vivo models.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.454-462
• /
• 2000

Interleukin-4(IL-4) is known to be a major cytokine regulating immunoglobulin E(IgE) response by the induction of IgE production and type II IgE receptor(IgER II: CD23) expression. Recently, however, the role of neuroendocrine factors has been implicated in modulating the IgE response. Among various neuroendocrine growth factors, we investigated the effects of the insulin-like growth factor-1(IGF-1) since IL-4 and IGF-1 share common intracellular signaling molecules, such as the insulin receptor substrate-1/2(IRS-1/2) to induce a specific cellular response. In the human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures, IGF-1 was capable of inducing a substantial level of IgE production in a dose-dependent manner. It also noticeably upregulated the IL-4-induced or IL-4 plus anti-CD40-induced IgE production. Similarly, the IGF-1-induced IgE production was enhanced by IL-4 or anti-CD40 in an additive manner, which became saturated at high concentrations of IGF-1. Although IGF-1 alone did not induce IgER II (CD23) expression, it augmented the IL-4-induced surface CD23 expression in a manner similar to the action of anti-CD40. These results imply that IGF-1 is likely to utilize common signaling pathways with IL-4 and anti-CD40 to induce IgE and IgER II expression. In support of this notion, we observed that IGF-1 enhanced the IL-4-induced signal transducers and activators of transcription 6(STAT6) activation and independently induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Both of these bind to the IgE(C) or IgER II (CD23) promoters. Together, our data suggest that IL-4 and IGF-1 work cooperatively to activate STAT6 and $NF-{\kappa}B$. This leads to the subsequent binding of these transcription factors to the $C{\varepsilon}$ and CD23 promoters to enhance the expression of IgE and IgER II. The observed differential ability of IGF-1 on the induction of IgE vs. IgER II is discussed based on the different structure of the two promoters.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.143-148
• /
• 2005

Osteoclasts are multinucleated cells with bone resorbing activity and differentiated from hematopoietic cell lineages of monocyte/macrophages in the presence of receptor activator of NF-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL) and M-CSF. However, the exact molecular mechanisms through which RANKL stimulates osteoclastogenesis remain to be elucidated. Here we report that activation of cAMP-response elementbinding protein (CREB) is not involved in osteoclastogenesis from osteoclast precursors in response to RANKL. RANKL induced CREB activation in osteoclast precursors. Using pharmacological inhibitors, we found that RANKL-induced CREB activation is dependent on p38 MAPK pathways. We also found that ectopic expressions of wild type and dominant negative forms of CREB in osteoclast precursors did not affect RANKL-induced osteoclast formation and bone resorbing activity. Furthermore, dominant negative forms of CREB did not alter the expression levels of osteoclast-specific marker genes. Taken together, these data suggest that CREB is dispensable for differentiation and resorbing activity of osteoclasts.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.51 no.11
• /
• pp.563-571
• /
• 2018

Colorectal cancer (CRC), the third most common cancer in the world, has no specific biomarkers that facilitate its diagnosis and subsequent treatment. The miRNAs, small single-stranded RNAs that repress the mRNA translation and trigger the mRNA degradation, show aberrant levels in the CRC, by which these molecules have been related with the initiation, progression, and drug-resistance of this cancer type. Numerous studies show the microRNAs influence the cellular mechanisms related to the cell cycle, differentiation, apoptosis, and migration of the cancer cells through the post-transcriptionally regulated gene expression. Specific patterns of the upregulated and down-regulated miRNA have been associated with the CRC diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic response. Concretely, the downregulated miRNAs represent attractive candidates, not only for the CRC diagnosis, but for the targeted therapies via the tumor-suppressing microRNA replacement. This review shows a general overview of the potential uses of the miRNAs in the CRC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment with a special focus on the downregulated ones.

• Proceedings of the KACD Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.546.2-546
• /
• 2003

Dental follicle is the mesenchymal tissue which surrounds developing tooth germ. During tooth root development, periodontal components such as cementum, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone are considered to be created by progenitors present in the dental follicle. However, little is known about these progenitors. Previously we observed that cultured bovine dental follicle cells (BDFC) contained putative cementoblast progenitors. To further analyze the biology of these cells, we have attempted to immortalize BDFC by expression of the polycomb group protein Bmi-1 and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). The BDFC expressing Bmi-1 and hTERT showed extended life span by 90 population doublings more than normal BDFC, and still contained cells with potential to differentiate into cementoblasts upon implantation into immunodeficiency mice. Among them, we established a clonal cell line designated as BCPb8, which formed cemetum-like mineralized tissue reactive to anti-cementum specific monoclonal antibody, 3G9, and expressed mRNA for bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin, osteopontin and type I collagen upon implantation. Thus with the combination of hTERT and Bmi-1, we succeeded in immortalization of cementoblast progenitor in BDFC without affecting differentiation potential. The BCPb8 progenitor cell line could be a useful tool not only to study cementogenesis but also to develop regeneration therapy for periodontitis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.16
• /
• pp.7077-7084
• /
• 2015

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent malignancy among males in India. While tobacco and alcohol are main aetiological factors, human papilloma virus (HPV) presence has surprisingly increased in head and neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) in the past two decade but its frequency in OSCCS is still uncertain. We aim to explore the frequency of HPV and its major genotypes in North Indian patients and their association with clinicopathological and histopathological features and p16 expression pattern. Materials and Methods: The study group comprised 250 histologically proven cases of OSCC. HPV was detected by real time PCR in tumor biopsy specimens and confirmed by conventional PCR with PGMY09/PGMY11 primers. Genotyping for high-risk types 16/18 was conducted by type specific PCR. p16 expression was assessed by immunohistochemsitry. Results: HPV presence was confirmed in 23/250 (9.2%) OSCC cases, of which 30.4% had HPV 16 infection, 17.4%were positive for HPV 18 and 26.1% had co-infections. HPV presence was significantly associated with male gender (p=0.02) and habit of pan masala chewing (p=0.01). HPV positive cases also had a history of tobacco consumption in 91.3% cases. p16 over expression was observed in 39.1% of HPV positive cases but this was not significantly different from negative cases (p=0.54). Conclusions: The frequency of HPV in OSCC is low in North-India and majority of cases are associated with a tobacco habit. It appears that tobacco shows a confounding effect in HPV positive cases and use of p16 protein as a reliable marker to assess the potential etiological role of HPV in OSCC in our population is not suggested.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.797-804
• /
• 2000

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat is one of the viral gene products essential for HIV replication. The exogenous Tat protein is transduced through the plasma membrane and then accumulated in a cell. The basic domain of the Tat protein, which is rich in arginine and lysine residues and called the protein transduction domain (PTD), has been identified to be responsible for this transduction activity. To better understand the nature of the transduction mediated by this highly basic domain of HIV-1 Tat, the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) was expressed and purified as a fusion protein with a peptide derived from the HIV-1 Tat basic domain in Escherichia coli. The transduction of Tat-GFP into mammalian cells was then determined by a Western blot analysis and fluorescence microscopy. The cells treated with Tat-GFP exhibited dose- and time-dependent increases in their intracellular level of the protein. the effective transduction of denatured Tat-GFP into both the nucleus and the cytoplasm of mammalian cells was also demonstrated, thereby indicating that the unfolding of the transduced protein is required for efficient transduction. Accordingly, the availability of recombinant Tat-GFP can facilitate the simple and specific identification of the protein transduction mediated by the HIV-1 Tat basic domain in living cells either by fluorescence microscopy or by a fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.29 no.9
• /
• pp.1222-1227
• /
• 2000

Objective : Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), an endothelial cell specific cytokine, is a potent angiogenic growth factor implicated in the tumor angiogenesis and increases vascular permeability dramatically. Peritumoral brain edema(PTBE) occurs in 40-60% of meningiomas. Many causative factors have been investigated, but the mechanism of PTBE associate with meningioma is unclear. VEGF has been implicated as one of the causative factors of PTBE. This study was designed to determine whether the extent of VEGF expression is correlated with degree of PTBE in meningiomas. Methods : Meningioma tissue samples from 40 patients(7 men and 33 women, mean age $53{\pm}13years$) who underwent surgery were examined retrospectively for the expression of VEGF immunohistochemically. The extent of PTBE was estimated by using preoperative CT or MRI as an edema index(EI). In addition to VEGF, several causative factors including tumor size, location, histologic type, microvasculature(CD31) were compared with EI. Results : Twenty-six meningiomas demonstrated PTBE, and the other 14 did not. Of the 40 patients of meningiomas, 28 were positive(17 were 1+ and 11 were 2+) for VEGF. The EI increased significantly just as VEGF was strongly expressed(p=0.006). Microvascular proliferation was also closely correlated with the extent of peritumoral brain edema(p<0.05). Conclusion : These data suggest that VEGF expression and microvascular proliferation are closely correlated with PTBE in meningioma.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.569-575
• /
• 1998

One of the most frequent dejects in human cancer is the uncontrolled activation of the ms-signaling pathways. Significant evidence has accumulated to directly implicate members of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in tumor invasion and metastasis formation. We have previously shown that MMP-9 expression was significantly enhanced in the ras-tranfected HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells at the mRNA level. In the present study, we investigated the roles of MMP-2 and -9 on the H-ras-induced invasive phenotypes of MCF 10A human breast epithelial cells and HT 1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. We show that H-ras is able to induce or enhance a signaling pathway leading to the enhancement of an invasive phenotype in both MCF10A and HT1080 cells as determined by matrigel invasion assay. We then examined the effect of H-ras activation on the expression of MMP-2 and -9 by measuring enzymatic activities and mRNA levels. Our data clearly demonstrated that H-ras prominently induces expression of MMP-2 in MCF10A cells, while it efficiently up regulates MMP-9 in HT1080 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that the correlation between ras-mediated invasiveness and enhanced expression of MMPs may be cell type-specific: MMP-9 is closely associated with the invasive phenotype induced by ras activation in fibrosarcoma cells, whereas MMP-2 is more likely associated with it in epithelial cells.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.200-207
• /
• 2019

Albizzia julibrissin (AJ) is an herbal medicine that shows low toxicity, promotes promoting blood circulation and mitigates the inflammation and has mild side effects. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases that occurs in older males and often results in lower urinary tract symptoms. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of AJ against BPH using LNCaP cells and Sprague Dawley rats treated with testosterone. Treatment with AJ extract reduced the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in vitro. In vivo, rats were divided into 6 groups: 1 (Normal Control); 2 (Testosterone propionate (TP) alone); 3 (TP + finasteride); 4 (TP + AJ 10 mg/kg); 5 (TP + AJ 50 mg/kg); 6 (TP + AJ 300 mg/kg). The groups treated with AJ showed reduced the relative prostate weights and BPH-related proteins were altered, with decreased AR, PSA and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) observed by western blot. Histopathological analysis revealed the therapeutic effect of AJ, with a decreased thickness of epithelial cells and reduced level of PCNA and $5{\alpha}$-reductase type 2. These results suggest that AJ extract could ameliorate testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia.