• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.23-30
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Runx2 (runt-related transcription factor 2), a bone-specific transcription factor, is a key regulator of osteoblast differentiation and its expression is induced by the activation of BMP-2 signaling. This study examined whether zinc modulates BMP-2 signaling and therefore stimulates Runx2 and osteoblast differentiation gene expression. Methods: Two osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cell lines (subclones 4 as a high osteoblast differentiation and subclone 24 as a low osteoblastic differentiation) were cultured in an osteogenic medium (OSM) as the normal control, Zn-($1{\mu}M$ Zn) or Zn+($15{\mu}M$ Zn) for 24 h. The genes and proteins for BMP-2 signaling (BMP-2, Smad-1/p-Smad-1), transcription factors (Runx2, osterix), and osteoblast differentiation marker proteins were assessed. Results: In both cell lines, BMP-2 mRAN and protein expression and extracellular BMP-2 secretion all decreased in Zn-. The expression of Smad-1 (downstream regulator of BMP-2 signaling) and p-Smad-1 (phosphorylated Smad-1) also downregulated in Zn-. Furthermore, the expression of the bone-specific transcription factors, Runx2 and osterix, decreased in Zn-, which might be due to the decreased BMP-2 expression and Smad-1 activation (p-Smad-1) by Zn-, because Runx2 and osterix both are downstream in BMP-2 signaling. Bone marker gene expression, such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), collagen type I (COLI), osteocalcin, and osteopontin were also downregulated in Zn-. Conclusion: The results suggest that a zinc deficiency in osteoblasts suppresses the BMP-2 signaling pathway via the suppression of Smad-1 activation, and this suppressed BMP-2 signaling can cause poor osteoblast differentiation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.11
• /
• pp.1628-1633
• /
• 2001

A goat ${\beta}$-casein gene was cloned and sequenced. Our previous study had determined the nucleotide sequences of the 5' flanking region and the structural gene including all 9 exons. In the present study, investigations were done on the regulatory sequences in the 5' flanking region of the goat ${\beta}$-casein gene by aligning and comparing it with the same gene from other mammals. The results showed that -200/-1 bp of the 5' flanking sequences contained six conserved clusters, in which the sites of gene expression regulated by the transcription factor and hormone might exist. It showed that fourteen glucocorticoid receptor elements, two cAMP responsive elements, two SV40 virus enhancer core sequences, two OCT-1 binding elements and one CTF/NF-1 binding element were dispersed in the 5' flanking region of goat ${\beta}$-casein gene. Our findings are perhaps valuable for the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that control the expression of the goat ${\beta}$-casein gene.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.638-645
• /
• 2013

Interferon-tau (IFNT) is thought to be the conceptus protein that signals maternal recognition of pregnancy in ruminants. We and others have observed that OCT4 expression persists in the trophectoderm of ruminants; thus, both CDX2 and OCT4 coexist during the early stages of conceptus development. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of CDX2 and OCT4 on IFNT gene transcription when evaluated with other transcription factors. Human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells were cotransfected with an ovine IFNT (-654-bp)-luciferase reporter (-654-IFNT-Luc) construct and several transcription factor expression plasmids. Cotransfection of the reporter construct with Cdx2, Ets2 and Jun increased transcription of -654-IFNT-Luc by about 12-fold compared with transfection of the construct alone. When cells were initially transfected with Oct4 (0 h) followed by transfection with Cdx2, Ets2 and/or Jun 24 h later, the expression of -654-IFNT-Luc was reduced to control levels. OCT4 also inhibited the stimulatory activity of CDX2 alone, but not when CDX2 was combined with JUN and/or ETS2. Thus, when combined with the other transcription factors, OCT4 exhibited little inhibitory activity towards CDX2. An inhibitor of the transcriptional coactivator CREB binding protein (CREBBP), 12S E1A, reduced CDX2/ETS2/JUN stimulated -654-IFNT-Luc expression by about 40%, indicating that the formation of an appropriate transcription factor complex is required for maximum expression. In conclusion, the presence of OCT4 may initially minimize IFNT expression; however, as elongation proceeds, the increasing expression of CDX2 and formation of the transcription complex leads to greatly increased IFNT expression, resulting in pregnancy establishment in ruminants.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.299-305
• /
• 2001

Activation of D1-like dopamine receptors by psychostimulants, such as amphetamine, upregulates the expression of immediate early gene and opioid peptide gene in the striatum. The genomic changes are regulated by phosphorylated transcription factors via complicated intracellular events. To evaluate temporal expression of the transcription factors by dopaminergic stimulation, the D1-like dopamine agonist, amphetamine or SKF82958, was systematically delivered. As intracellular markers in response to the agonist, phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB), Fos-related antigens (FRA) and FosB immunoreactivity (IR) was compared at 20 and 120 min time points in the selected areas of the striatum. Semi-quantitative immunocytochemistry showed that amphetamine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly increased pCREB-IR at 20 min, sustained up to 60 min and decreased at 120 min after the infusion. Like amphetamine, the full D1 agonist, SKF82958 (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.), also increased pCREB-IR at 20 min, but not at 120 min after the infusion in the dorsal striatum (caudoputaman, CPu) and shell of ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens, NAc). In contrast, FRA- and FosB-IR induced by SKF82958 was significantly increased at 120 min, but not at 20 min after the administration. These data indicate that SKF82958 mimics induction of CREB phosphorylation by amphetamine and differentially regulates temporal induction of pCREB, and FRA and FosB expression in the striatum.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.31-42
• /
• 2011

Three novel hepcidin isoforms were isolated and characterized from the perciform fish species Oplegnathus fasciatus. These hepcidin isoforms (designated rbhepc5, rbhepc6 and rbhepc7) were found to share a conserved, tripartite gene structure and a considerable sequence homology one another. A comparison of their mature peptide sequences with those of other perciform hepcidin orthologs indicated that these three hepcidin isoforms as well as four other isoforms previously identified in this species, appear to belong to the HAMP2 group of hepcidin genes. Analysis of the 5'-upstream sequences showed that the proximal non-coding regions of rbhepc5~7 do not possess canonical TATA signals; instead, they harbor several binding motifs for transcription factors involved in immune modulation. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis demonstrated that the rbhepc5~7 are expressed predominantly in the liver, and that the transcription of rbhepc5~7 is rapidly induced in the liver, but not in other tissues, by experimental challenge with any of three different bacterial species. However, transcription of rbhepc6 appeared to be negligible under both basal and stimulated conditions, as judged by the redundancy count of randomly chosen reverse transcriptase-PCR clones.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.15-22
• /
• 2006

Many of endocrine disrupting chemicals induce effects via interaction with hormone receptors and responsive elements in target cells. We investigated endocrine disrupting effects of some food additives and contaminants including BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, propionic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, CPM, aflatoxin B1, cadmium chloride, genistein, TCDD and PCBs in yeast transformants expressing human steroid hormone receptors along with steroid responsive elements. The response limit of genetically recombinant yeast to $17{\beta}$-estradiol, testosterone and progesterone was $1{\times}10^{-16},\;1{\times}10^{-12}\;and\;1{\times}10^{-13}M$, respectively. BHT induced weak transcriptional activity in estrogen sensitive yeast, while BHA and sorbic acid interacted weakly with androgen receptor/responsive element. CPM induced transcriptional activities in all types of yeasts sensitive to steroid hormones. Zearalenone and genistein induced high transcriptional activation in estrogen sensitive yeast with relative potencies almost $10^8$ folds lower than $17{\beta}$-estradiol. TCDD induced transcriptional activation weakly in estrogen- and progesterone- sensitive yeasts. This study elucidated that recombinant yeast is a sensitive and high-throughput system and can be used for the direct assessment on chemical interactions with steroid receptors and responsive elements. Also, the present study raises the requirement of evaluation on the endocrine disrupting effects of BHT, BHA, sorbic acid, CPM and TCDD for their transcription activity in yeast screening system though weak in intensity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.579-585
• /
• 2007

Formation of inclusion bodies is usually observed when foreign proteins are overexpressed in E. coli. The formation of inclusion bodies might be prevented by lowering the rate of protein synthesis, and appropriate regulation of the protein expression rate may lead to the soluble expression. In this study, human growth hormone (rhGH) was expressed in a soluble form by slowing down the protein synthesis rate, which was controlled in the transcriptional and translational levels. The transcriptional level was controlled by the regulation of the amount of RNA polymerase specific to the promoter in front of the rhGH gene. For lowering the rate of translation, the T7 transcription terminator-deleted vector was used to synthesize the longer mRNA of the target gene because the longer mRNA is expected to reduce the availability of tree ribosomes. In both methods, the percentage of soluble expression increased when the expression rate slowed down, and more than 93% of rhGH expressed was a soluble form in the T7 transcription terminator-deleted expression system.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.174-182
• /
• 1992

The hemagglutinin-esterase glycoprotein (HE) gene of bovine coronavirus, coupled with a simian virus 40 early promoter and polyadenylation signal, was inserted into a human adenovirus transfer vector. The transfer vector was used to co-transfect 293 cells along with adenovirus genomic DNA. The hemagglutinin-esterase transcription unit was rescued into the adenovirus genome by homologous in vivo DNA recombination between the vector plasmid DNA and the adenovirus genomic DNA, and a recombinant adenovirus was isolated by several rounds of plaque assays. Thus the recombinant adenovirus carries the hemagglutinin-esterase gene in the early transcription region 3 (E3) of the adenovirus genome in the parallel orientation to the E3 transcription. The recombinant adenovirus synthesized the HE polypeptide in HeLa cells as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation with anti-coronavirus rabbit antisera. The recombinant HE polypeptide could be labelled by $[^3H]$glucosamine, demonstrating that the recombinant HE was glycosylated. Cells expressing the HE polypeptide exhibited hemadsorption activity when incubated with mouse erythrocytes. The HE was transported to the plasma membrane as shown by the cell surface immunofluorescence, indicating that the recombinant HE polypeptide retained its biological activities. Potential for the use of infectious recombinant adenovirus as a live virus-vectored vaccine candidate for bovine coronavirus disease is discussed.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.716-725
• /
• 2004

Sox protein family, a transcription factor, has been found in whole animal kingdom, and contains a sequence-specific DNA binding domain called high mobility group domain (HMG). The Sox protein family based on the amino acid sequence of HMG domain was classified into 10 groups. Each group of Sox family shows significant conservation from nematode to human. The HMG domain affect to various developmental cell differentiation through binding to enhancer and regulating other transcription factors. Recently, many molecular biologists focus their research on the illustration of Sox-related disease, evolution and phylogeny. Especially, stem cell research with Sox gene family is indispensable field for understanding of their biological functions. The understanding of Sox genes may contribute to understand their role in human genetic disease and whole animal evolution.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.289-294
• /
• 2012

Histone methylation has diverse functions including transcriptional regulation via its lysine or arginine residue methylation. Studies indicate that deregulation of histone methylation is linked to human cancers including leukemia. Histone H3K27 methyltrnasferase response element II binding protein (RE-IIBP), as a transcriptional repressor to target gene IL-5, interacts with HDAC and is over-expressed in leukemia patient samples. In this study, we have identified that hematopoiesis-related genes GATA1 and HOXA9 are down-regulated by RE-IIBP in K562 and 293T cells. Transient reporter analysis revealed that GATA1 transcription was repressed by RE-IIBP. On the other hand, HOXA9 and PBX-related homeobox gene MEIS1 was up-regulated by RE-IIBP. These results suggest that RE-IIBP might have a role in hematopoiesis or leukemogenesis by regulating the transcription of target genes, possibly via its H3K27 methyltransferase activity.