• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.705-716
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• 2018

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a critical organelle for protein synthesis, folding and modification, and lipid synthesis and calcium storage. Dysregulation of ER functions leads to the accumulation of misfolded- or unfolded-protein in the ER lumen, and this triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR), which restores ER homeostasis. The UPR is characterized by three distinct downstream signaling pathways that promote cell survival or apoptosis depending on the stressor, the intensity and duration of ER stress, and the cell type. Mammalian cells express the UPR transducers IRE1, PERK, and ATF6, which control transcriptional and translational responses to ER stress. Direct links between ER stress and immune responses are also evident, but the mechanisms by which UPR signaling cascades are coordinated with immunity remain unclear. This review discusses recent investigations of the roles of ER stress in immune responses that lead to differentiation, maturation, and cytokine expression in immune cells. Further understanding of how ER stress contributes to the pathogenesis of immune disorders will facilitate the development of novel therapies that target UPR pathways.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.6 s.86
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• pp.847-858
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• 2007

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an important intracellular organelle for folding and maturation of newly synthesized transmembrane and secretory proteins. The ER provides stringent quality control systems to ensure that only correctly folded proteins exit the ER and unfolded or misfolded proteins are retained and ultimately degraded. The ER has evolved stress response both signaling pathways the unfolded protein response (UPR) to cope with the accmulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins and ER overload response (EOR). Accumulating evidence suggests that, in addition to responsibility for protein processing, ER is also an important signaling compartment and a sensor of cellular stress. In this respect, production of bio-functional recombinant-proteins requires efficient functioning of the ER secretory pathway in host cells. This review briefly summarizes our understanding of the ER signaling developed in the recent years to help of the secretion capacities of recombinant cells.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.964-970
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• 2018

Atherosclerosis preferentially involves in prone area of low and disturbed blood flow while steady and high levels of laminar blood flow are relatively protected from atherosclerosis. Disturbed flow induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR). ER stress is caused under stress that disturbs the processing and folding of proteins resulting in the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER and activation of the UPR. Prolonged or severe UPR leads to activate apoptotic signaling. Recent studies have indicated that disturbed flow significantly up-regulated $p-ATF6{\alpha}$, $p-IRE1{\alpha}$, and its target spliced XBP-1. However, the role of laminar flow in ER stress-mediated endothelial apoptosis has not been reported yet. The present study thus investigated the role of laminar flow in ER stress-dependent endothelial cell death. The results demonstrated that laminar flow protects ER stress-induced cleavage forms of PARP-1 and caspase-3. Also, laminar flow inhibits ER stress-induced $p-eIF2{\alpha}$, ATF4, CHOP, spliced XBP-1, ATF6 and JNK pathway; these effects are abrogated by pharmacological inhibition of PI3K with wortmannin. Finally, nitric oxide affects thapsigargin-induced cell death in response to laminar flow but not UPR. Taken together, these findings indicate that laminar flow inhibits UPR and ER stress-induced endothelial cell death via PI3K/Akt pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1132-1136
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• 2012

Many kind of cell stresses induce gene expression of unfolded protein response (UPR)-associated factors. This study demonstrated that up- and down-regulation of gene expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress chaperones and ER stress sensors was induced by immobilization stress in the rat organs (adrenal gland, liver, lung, muscle). However, no statistically significant regulation was detected in the others (heart, spleen, thymus, kidney, testis). The results are the first to show that immobilization stress induces UPR associated gene expression, will help to explain immobilization stress-associated ER stress.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.157-160
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• 2007

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays formation of disulfide bonds and proper folding of secretory proteins. Cellular responses to ER stress enhances the stress-activated kinase pathway and the induces a lot of immediate-early genes. Among of them, the early growth response-1 (Egr-1), a transcription factor, which plays an important role in cell growth, development, differentiation, apoptosis and various types of injury. For that reason, we have tested the expression of Egr-1 against ER stress inducible drugs (tunicamycin, DTT, A23187 and BFA) to understand what kind of aspect occurred by ER stresses.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

Stress coping mechanisms are critical to minimize or overcome damage caused by ever changing environmental conditions. They are designed to promote cell survival. The unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway is mobilized in response to the accumulation of unfolded proteins, ultimately in order to regain endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis. Various elements of coping responses to ER stress including Perk, Ask1, Bip, Chop, Gadd34, Ire1, Atf4, Atf6, and Xbp1 have been identified and were found to be inducible in oocytes and preimplantation embryos, suggesting that, as a normal part of the cellular adaptive mechanism, these coping responses, including the UPR, play a pivotal role in the development of preimplantation embryos. As such, the UPR-associated molecules and pathways may become useful markers for the potential diagnosis of stress conditions for preimplantation embryos. After implantation, ER stress-induced coping responses become physiologically important for a normal decidual response, placentation, and early organogenesis. Attenuation of ER stress coping responses by tauroursodeoxycholate and salubrinal was effective for prevention of cell death of cultured embryos. Further elucidation of new and relevant ER stress coping responses in periimplantation embryos might contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the regulation of normal development of embryonic development and potentiation of embryonic development in vitro.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.435-438
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• 2006

In eukaryotes, ER stress induces UPR (unfolded protein response) via IRE1 activation which sends a molecular signal for XBP1 mRNA splicing in the cytosol. During this mRNA splicing, 23 nt removed in which contains PstI site and then resulting XBP1 product is not digested with PstI restriction enzyme. In this study, using this XBP1 mRNA splicing mechanism, the effect of heat shock on thyrocytes is studied, because heat shock response in the thyrocytes needs more study to understand thyroid physiology under alternative environments. ER inducible drugs (tunicamycin, DTT, $Ca^{2+}$ ionopore A23187, BFA) induce ER stress in the thyrocytes. From 3 hours after heat shock, ER stress is induced and which is reversible when heat shock is without. While $Ca^{2+}$ ionopore A23187 is reversible from ER stress by washing out the drug, thapsigagin is irreversible. Other ER inducible drugs are not so sensitive to ER stress repairing. XBP1 mRNA splicing in a cell is very available method to detect ER stress. It needs only a small quantity of total RNA and processing also very easy.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.307-318
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• 2018

Objectives : Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress designates cellular responses to the accumulation of misfolded and unfolded proteins in ER, which is related to a variety of liver diseases. Present study investigated the inhibitory effects of Litsea japonica flesh water extract (LJE) aganist ER stress. Methods : After HepG2 cells were pretreated with LJE and subsequently exposed to tunicamycin (Tm) or thapsigargin (Tg), expression of C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), glucose regulated protein 78 kDa (GRP78), asparagine synthetase (ASNS), and endoplasmic reticulum DnaJ homologue 4 (ERDJ4) were determined by immunoblot and real-time PCR analysis. Three canonical signaling pathways in response to ER stress were examined to explore molecular mechanisms involved. Results : Pretreatment of 1 mg/mL LJE inhibited Tm- or Tg-induced CHOP expression, while L. japonica fruit water extract did not. In addition, LJE decreased the levels of GRP78, ASNS, and ERDJ4 mRNA by Tm. Moreover, phosphorylations of eukaryotic translation initiation factor $2{\alpha}$ and inositol-requiring enzyme 1, expression of nuclear form of activating transcription factor $6{\alpha}$, and transactivation of ER stress response element- and unfolded protein response element-harboring luciferase activities were inhibited by LJE pretreatment. Conclusions : Present results suggest that LJE would be a candidate to prevent or treat ER stress-mediated liver injuries.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.183-191
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• 2024

The Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) serves as a critical cellular mechanism dedicated to maintaining protein homeostasis, primarily within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This pathway diligently responds to a variety of intracellular indicators of ER stress with the objective of reinstating balance by diminishing the accumulation of unfolded proteins, amplifying the ER's folding capacity, and eliminating slow-folding proteins. Prolonged ER stress and UPR irregularities have been linked to a range of neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the UPR pathway, delineating its activation mechanisms and its role in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. It highlights the intricate interplay within the UPR and its profound influence on brain function, synaptic perturbations, and neural developmental processes. Additionally, it explores evolving therapeutic strategies targeting the UPR within the context of these disorders, underscoring the necessity for precision and further research to effective treatments. The research findings presented in this work underscore the promising potential of UPR-focused therapeutic approaches to address the complex landscape of neuropsychiatric disorders, giving rise to optimism for improving outcomes for individuals facing these complex conditions.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Curcumin, a major component of the Curcuma species, contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Although it was found to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, the functional role of curcumin as well as its molecular mechanism in anti-inflammatory response, particularly in intestinal cells, has been less investigated. The intestine epithelial barrier is the first barrier and the most important location for the substrate coming from the lumen of the gut. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We administered curcumin treatment in the human intestinal epithelial cell lines, T84 and Caco-2. We examined endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response by thapsigargin, qPCR of XBP1 and BiP, electrophysiology by wild-type cholera toxin in the cells. RESULTS: In this study, we showed that curcumin treatment reduces ER stress and thereby decreases inflammatory response in human intestinal epithelial cells. In addition, curcumin confers protection without damaging the membrane tight junction or actin skeleton change in intestine epithelial cells. Therefore, curcumin treatment protects the gut from bacterial invasion via reduction of ER stress and anti-inflammatory response in intestinal epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our data demonstrate the important role of curcumin in protecting the intestine by modulating ER stress and inflammatory response post intoxication.