• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.351-358
• /
• 2016

Background: This study was designed to investigate whether ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) and compound K (CK) ameliorated insulin resistance by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced inflammation in adipose tissue. Methods: To induce ER stress, epididymal adipose tissue from mice or differentiated 3T3 adipocytes were exposed to high glucose. The effects of Rb1 and CK on reactive oxygen species production, ER stress, TXNIP/NLRP3 inflammasome activation, inflammation, insulin signaling activation, and glucose uptake were detected by western blot, emzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or fluorometry. Results: Rb1 and CK suppressed ER stress by dephosphorylation of $IRE1{\alpha}$ and PERK, thereby reducing TXNIP-associated NLRP3 inflammasome activation in adipose tissue. As a result, Rb1 and CK inhibited IL-$1{\beta}$ maturation and downstream inflammatory factor IL-6 secretion. Inflammatory molecules induced insulin resistance by upregulating phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 at serine residues and impairing insulin PI3K/Akt signaling, leading to decreased glucose uptake by adipocytes. Rb1 and CK reversed these changes by inhibiting ER stress-induced inflammation and ameliorating insulin resistance, thereby improving the insulin IRS-1/PI3K/Akt-signaling pathway in adipose tissue. Conclusion: Rb1 and CK inhibited inflammation and improved insulin signaling in adipose tissue by suppressing ER stress-associated NLRP3 inflammation activation. These findings offered novel insight into the mechanism by which Rb1 and CK ameliorate insulin resistance in adipose tissue.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.60-64
• /
• 2002

Background: Chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been one of the mainstay in breast cancer treatment. The effects of high dose 5-FU on cell cycle regulation were studied in breast caner cells. Methods: A breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was used. Protein expressions of G1/S cyclins, $p21^{Waf1/Cip1}$, cdk2, E2F1 and retinoblastoma were tested by western blot analysis. Immunoprecipitation and immune complex kinase assay were done for the assessment of E2F1/RB interacton and the activity of cdk2 respectively. Results: $p21^{Waf1/Cip1}$ expression was barely detectable in control cells. With addition of 5-FU level of $p21^{Waf1/Cip1}$ were induced and cyclin D3 level was decreased as cell growth decreases. In accordance with increased expression of $p21^{Waf1/Cip1}$, cyclin E-associated cdk2 kinase activity was reduced. Retinoblastoma protein (RB) became dephosphorylated and E2F-1 binding activity with RB was increased. Conclusion: In this situation of high concentration of 5-FU breast cancer cells tend to be G1/S cell cycle arrested. Overexpression of $p21^{Waf1/Cip1}$ and dephosphorylation of RB may mediate the effectss of 5-FU by inhibiting E2F-1 activity, which contributes to G1/S cell cycle arrest. These results could be an indicating landmark for further study of high dose chemotherapy with 5-FU.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.629-636
• /
• 1990

Dephosphorylation of p-nitrophenyldiphenylphosphate(p-NPDPP) mediated by anions of sodium 2-alkylbenzimidazole-5-sulfonate(R-BI-SO$_3$Na) in CTABr micellar solutions are obviously slower than that by anion of sodium benzimidazole-5-sulfonate(BI-SO$_3$Na), and the reation rates were decreased with increase of lengths of alkyl groups. This presents a striking contrast to the reactions in aqueous solutions without added CTABr, of which the reaction rates are on approximately same levels. It seems due to steric effect of alkyl groups of R-BI$^-$SO$_3$Na in the Stern layer of micelle, and it is supported by measured activation parameters(△H$^\neq$/TEX>, △G$^\neq$/TEX> and △S$^\neq$/TEX>) of the reactions in aqueous and micellar solutions. In addition to nucleophilic ability of benzimidazole moiety of R-BI$^-$SO$_3$Na on the reactions, these compounds with long alkyl groups(nonyl to pentadecyl) are micellized for themseleves, and increase the reaction rates due to their micellar catalyses in aqueous solutions, not including CTABr.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.174-179
• /
• 2004

We developed various plasmid cloning vectors that are useful in the construction of genomic and shotgun libraries. Two medium copy vectors, pCUGlblu21 (pCb21) and pAGlblu21 (pAb21), which are resistant to kanamycin ($Km^R$) and chloramphenicol ($Cam^R$), respectively, are useful for cloning DNA inserts ranging from 5kb to 15kb. Two high copy vectors, pCUGlblu31 (pCb31) and pAGlblu31 (pAb31), containing $Km^R$ and $Cam^R$, respectively, are useful for DNA inserts less than 5kb. These vectors are well adapted for large-scale genome sequencing projects by providing choice of copy number and selectable marker. The small vector size is another advantage of these vectors. All vectors contain lacZa including multicloning sites that originated from pBluscriptllsk- for easy cloning and sequencing. Two medium copy vectors contain unique and rare cutting Swal (ATTTAAAT) restriction enzyme sites for easy determination of insert size. We developed two combined vectors, pC21A31 and pC31A21, which are combinations of (pCb21 + pAb31) and (pCb31 + pAb21), respectively. These two vectors provide four choices of vectors such as $Km^R$ and medium, $Cam^R$ and high, $Cam^R$ and medium, and $Km^R$ and high copy vectors by restriction enzyme cutting, dephosphorylation, and gel purification. These vectors were successfully applied to high throughput shotgun sequencing of rice, tomato, and brassica BAC clones. With an example of extremely biased hydro sheared 3 kb shotgun library of a tomato BAC clone, which is originated from cytogenetically defined peri-centromeric region, we suggest the utility of an additional 10 kb library for sequence assembly of the difficult-to-assemble BAC clone.

• Journal of Oriental Physiology
• /
• v.14 no.2 s.20
• /
• pp.67-82
• /
• 1999

The effects of Bogi, Boyang and Onri herbs on glutamte receptor, and the regulatory mechanism of cAMP-protein kinase on the ion currents activated by Bogi, Boyang and Onri herbs using nystatin-perforated patch clamp were investigated and the following results were obtained. Ginseng radix and Astragali radix, Cervi cornu and Boshniakiae herba, and Aconiti tuber and Zingiberis rhizoma were chosen as Bogi, Boyang and Onri herbs respectively. 1. The ion currents activated by $10^{-5}M$ of glycine were used as controls. The magnitudes of the ion currents by the above named herbs were as follows; Cervi cornu>Astragali radix>Aconiti tuber>Zingiberis rhizoma>Ginseng radix>Boshniakiae herba. 2. The magnitudes of the ion currents by $10^{-5}M$ of glutamate pre-treated with 0.01 mg/ml of Bogi, Boyang and Onri herbs were sharply decreased. 3. The activity of ion channels activated by Bogi herbs pre-treated with $10^{-7}M$ of staurosporin, an inhibitor of protein kinase, for thirty seconds was observed as the experiment proceeded. Staurosporin brought about dephosphorylation of ion channels. Hence, while the activity of ion channels activated by Ginseng radix was decreased, the activity of ion channels activated by Astragali radix was increased, as time went by. 4. The activity of ion channels activated by Boyang herbs pre-treated with $10^{-7}M$ of staurosporin, an inhibitor of protein kinase and an dephosphorylating agent of ion channels, for thirty seconds was investigated. While the activity of ion channels activated by Cervi cornu was increased, the activity of ion channels activated by Boshniakiae herba was initially increased then sharply decreased. 5, The activity of ion channels activated by Onri herbs pre-treated with $10^{-7}M$ of staurosporin, an inhibitor of protein kinase and an dephosphorylating agent of ion channels, for thirty seconds was investigated. While the activity of ion channels activated by Aconiti tuber was increased, that of ion channels activated by Zingiberis rhizomal sharply declined.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.23-30
• /
• 1980

Labelling of chromatin proteins with 32P was observed after incubating isolated liver nuclei with $[{\gamma}-32P]$ ATP for 5 minutes at $37^{\circ}C$. The pattern of labelling with 32P was examined on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with nuclei from rats maintained in a starvation state for 48 hours, following refeeding for 12 hours; and from fed streptozotocin-diabetic rats with insulin injection 6 hours before sacrifice. With 48h starved rat liver nuclei the level of phosphorylation for 0.14M NaCl soluble proteins was decreased in the molecular weights between 41,000 and 200,000 daltons relative to normal controls. Refeeding the starved rats reversed the change of phosphorylation pattern over 12 hour The level of phosphorylation for five phenol soluble non-histone proteins with molecular weights above 59,000 daltons was somewhat decreased with 48h starved rat liver nuclei as compared with that of normal controls. Starvation also decreased the phosphorylation level of major histones in relation to normal controls. The experiment with insulin injection into fed streptozotocin-diabetic rats showed the tendency to increase phosphorylation of 0.14M NaCl soluble proteins (130,000 dalton protein) and phenol soluble non-histone proteins (155,000 dalton protein). The phosphorylation level of histones appeared to be invariant under the experimental conditoins employed here. These results suggest the possibility that the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of 0.14M NaCl soluble proteins and $H_1$ histone precede those of other chromatin associated nuclear proteins, It is of interest to find that insulin signal was correlated to phosphorylation of nuclear proteins while glucagon signet dephosphorylated nuclear proteins.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.21 no.7
• /
• pp.1032-1038
• /
• 2011

Recently identified Ciona intestinalis voltage sensor-containing phosphatase (Ci-VSP) consists of an ion channel-like transmembrane domain (VSD) and a phosphatase-like domain. Ci-VSP senses the change of membrane potential by its VSD and works as a phosphoinositide phosphatase by its phosphatase domain. In this study, we present the construction of His-tagged phosphatase-like domain of Ci-VSP, its recombinant expression and purification, and its enzymatic activity behavior in order to examine the biochemical behavior of phosphatase domain of Ci-VSP without interference. We found that Ci-VSP(248-576)-His can be eluted with an elution buffer containing 25 mM NaCl and 100 mM imidazole during His-tag purification. In addition, we found the proper measurement condition for kinetics study of Ci-VSP(248-576)-His against p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP). We measured the kinetic constant of Ci-VSP(248-576)-His at $37^{\circ}C$, pH 5.0 or 5.5, under 30 min of reaction time, and less than $2.0\;{\mu}g$ of protein amount. With these conditions, we acquired that Ci-VSP(248-576)-His has $K_m$ of $354{\pm}0.143\;{\mu}M$, $V_{max}$ of $0.0607{\pm}0.0137\;{\mu}mol$/min/mg and $k_{cat}$ of $0.359{\pm}0.009751\;min^{-1}$ for pNPP dephosphorylation. Therefore, we produced a pure form of Ci-VSP(248-576)-His, and this showed a higher activity against pNPP. This purified protein will provide the road to a structural investigation on an interesting protein, Ci-VSP.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.187-197
• /
• 2009

Objective: Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins are important in regulating cellular signaling pathways. Bead-based multiplex phosphorylation assay was conducted to detect the phosphorylation of seven proteins to maximize the information obtained from a single lysate of stage-specific mouse oocytes at a time. Methods: Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured for 2 h, 8 h, and 16 h, respectively to address phosphorylation status of seven target proteins during oocyte maturation process. We analyzed the changes in phosphorylation at germinal vesicle (GV, 0 h), germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD, 2 h), metaphase I (MI, 8 h), and metaphase II (MII, 16 h in vitro or in vivo) mouse oocytes by using Bio-Plex phosphoprotein assay system. We chose seven target proteins, namely, three mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 MAPK, and other 4 well known signaling molecules, Akt, GSK-$3{\alpha}/{\beta}$, $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$, and STAT3 to measure their phosphorylation status. Western blot analysis and kinase inhibitor treatment for ERK1/2, JNK, and Akt during in vitro maturation of oocytes were conducted for the confirmation. Results: Phosphorylation of ERK1/2, JNK, p38 MAPK and STAT3 was increased over 3 folds up to 20 folds, while phosphorylation of the other three signal molecules, Akt, GSK-$3{\alpha}/{\beta}$, and $I{\kapa}B{\alpha}$ was less than 3 folds. All of these results except for Akt were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: This is the first report on the new and valuable method measuring many phosphoproteins simultaneously in one minute sample such as oocyte lysates. All of the three MAPKs, ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 MAPK are involved in the process of mouse oocyte maturation. In addition, STAT3 might be important regulator of oocyte maturation, while Akt phosphorylation at Serine 473 may not be involved in the regulation of oocyte maturation.