• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.484-487
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• 1996

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are members of a unique family of proteolytic enzymes that degrade components of the extracellular matrix. Significant evidence has accumulated to directly implicate members of the MMPs in tumor invasion and metastasis formation. To investigate the correlation between ras oncogene and MMP gene expression in various tumor cells, we detected mRNAs for the ras, MMP-2 and MMP-9 (72 kD and 92 kD type IV collagenases, respectively) genes in nine human tumor cell lines. The ras gene was expressed in seven cell lines; MMP-2 in three; MMP-9 in two cell lines tested. There was no direct correlation between the ras oncogene and MMP expression. A clear difference in the mRNA expression between MMP-2 and MMP-9 was observed among the cell lines. As an approach to study the effect of the ras oncogene on metastasis, we examined the expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in HT1080 cells transfected with the v-H-ras gene. MMP-9 expression was Significantly enhanced in the ras-transfected HT1080 cells compared with the nontransfectants while ras transfection did not affect the expression of MMP-2. These results suggest the possible inducing effect of the ras oncogene on the metastasis by activation of the MMP-9 gene in HT1080.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.462-467
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• 2008

TPA is known to cooperate with an activated Ras oncogene in the transformation of rodent fibroblasts, but the biochemical mechanisms responsible for this effect have not been established. In the present study we used c-fos promoter-luciferase constructs as reporters, in transient transfection assays, in NIH3T3 cells to assess the mechanism of this cooperation. We found a marked synergistic interaction between TPA and a transfected v-Ha-ras oncogene in the activation of c-fos promoter and SRE. SRE has binding sites for TCF and SRF. A dominant-negative Ras (ras-N17) inhibited the TPA-Ras synergy by blocking the PKC-MAPK-TCF pathway. Dominant-negative RhoA and Rac1 (but not Cdc42Hs) inhibited the TPA-Ras synergy by blocking the Ras-Rho-SRF signaling pathway. Constitutively active $PKC{\alpha}$ and $PKC{\varepsilon}$ showed synergy with v-Ras. These results suggest that the activation of two distinct pathways such as Ras-Raf-ERK-TCF pathway and Rho-SRF pathway are responsible for the induction of c-fos by TPA and Ras in mitogenic signaling pathways.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Pathology Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.13-15
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• 2001

발암성시험연구에 사용되고 있는 형질전환 동물들은 랫드와 마우스 등이 있는데, 그 중 c-Ha-ras proto-oncogene 마우스 (ras H2 mice), v-Ha-ras 형질전환 마우스 (Tg.AC mice), pim-1 형질전환 마우스 및 p53 knockout 마우스 등이 발암유발물질에 감수성이 높아 현재 중기발암성시험에 이용되고 있다. (중략)

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.245-259
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• 1998

Cellular transforming genes have been identified in a number of different tumor cell lines and tumor types. A significant number of these oncogenes belong to the ras gene family. The ras gene family consists of three closely related genes:H-ras, K-ras and N-ras which code for a related 21 kDa protein. Mutations in codon 12, 13 and 61 of one of the three ras genes convert these genes into acute oncogenes. The presence of H-ras gene mutations has important prognostic implications in various tumors. Each genomic DNA was isolated from tumors induced by implantation with DMBA, or by treatment with DMBA -implantation/irradiation. When genome DNA was transfected into NIH 3T3 cells and investigated by two-step PCR-RFLP, the fOllowing results were concluded: 1. Transformation foci developed in two groups when the genome DNA of two experimental groups were transfected into NIH 3T3 cells. 2. Transformation efficiency was 0.01-0.02 foci/㎍DNA in the experimental group with the DMBA-implantation, 0.01-0.03 foci/㎍lgDNA in the experimental group with the DMBA-implantation/irradiation according to results of transfection assay. 3. When the point mutation of H-ras gene was investigated by a two-step PCR-RFLP, there was 13.9％ (5/36) in the experimental group with the DMBA implantation, 15.4 ％ (6/39) in the experimental group with the DMBA -implantation/irradiation. 4. The point mutation in codon 12 and 61 of H-ras was 5.6％(2/36) and 8.3％(3/36) in the experimental group with the DMBA implantation. 5. The point mutation in codon 12 and 61 of H-ras gene was 7.7％(3/39) in the experimental group with the DMBA -implantation/irradiation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.1024-1030
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• 1996

Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide: CAP) is a mai or ingredient of hot pepper that has been used as a spicy food additive, preservative, and medicine. In this study, we evaluated the effect of dietary CAP on the selected proto-oncogene(c-jun, c-myc, H-ras, erbB, p53) expressions in various tissues of mice. Male ICR mice were divided into four groups and fed the experimental diets containing CAP at the levels of 0, 5, 20 and 100ppm for four weeks. Steady state RNA levels in various tissues were measured by slot blot hybridization assay. C-jun expression level was enhanced in stomach tissue from mice fed 20ppm CAP and significantly reduced from mice fed 100ppm CAP. The c-jun expression levels were differentially altered in organ-specific manner, Tumor suppressor gene p53 expression level appeared to be slightly increased in the liver from mice fed 20ppm CAP. These results suggested that dietary CAP differentially modulates c-jun and p53 expression in various organs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.399-402
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• 2003

Early detection of bladder cancer is particularly important since it dramatically affects the survival rates. However, neither urinary cytology nor tumor markers that are currently used are sensitive enough for the early detection of bladder cancer or recurrent disease. The ras genes are frequently mutated in cancer. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic potential of ras mutation analysis in urinary sediments of patients with bladder cancer using a single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and polymerase chain reaction. Mutation in codon 12 of the H-ras gene was observed in 39% of the patients. Our results indicate that this approach may significantly improve diagnostic sensitivity in detecting bladder tumors.

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

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.254-261
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• 2000

The present study has attempted to look into the mechanism of ras-induced carcinogenesis in a human epithelial cell system. Human epithelial cells immortalized with Ad12-SV40 hybrid virus were used to assess carcinogenic potential of the ras-oncogene. Cells transfected with pSV2-ras showed characteristics of cellular transformation. The transformation parameters such as cell density, soft-agar colony formation, and cell aggregation were significantly increased in the cells expressing ras oncoprotein. In addition, the duration required for the appearance of foci was shortened in the ras-transfected cells. Consistent with other reports, our results demonstrated an evidence that the ras-oncogene induced the cellular transformation of human epithelial cell system. When a high concentration of glucocorticoid was added into the media, transformation process was accelerated. It is speculated that glucocorticoid may provide an advantageous environment for the proliferation of the transformed cells. The induction of the intracellular free calcium concentrations following agonist treatment was significantly lower in the transformed cells than in the control cells. These effects were more manifested in the presence of extracellular cacium, indicating that the transformation process may alter the influx pathway of extracellular calcium. The induction of $IP_3$ following agonist treatment was also lower in the transformed cells than in the control cells. Thus, it is suggested that phospholipase C-coupled pathway was down-regulated in the process of the ras-induced transformation. While the levels of $TGF-{\beta}_1$ and PAI-2 mRNAs were decreased, the level of fibronectin mRNA was increased. The results indicate that mechanism of the ras-induced transformation may be associated with the altered expressions of growth regulatory factors. The present study demonstrates an evidence that the ras-induced cellular transformation may be associated with alteration of signal transduction and growth regulatory factors. The study will contribute to improve the understanding of molecular mechanism of epithelium-derived cancers including oral cancer.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.293-297
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• 2001

The international pharmaceutical and regulatory communities had been recognizing the limited utility of conventional rodent carcinogenicity study particularly on the second species, mouse, after intense investigation of carcinogenicity data base worldwide, and a new scheme for carcinogenicity testing for pharmaceuticals was proposed at the Expert Working Group on Safety in the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) in 1996. CB6F 1-Tg rasH2 mouse carrying human prototype c-Ha-ras gene with its own promoter/enhancer is one oj the new carcinogenicity assay model for human cancer risk assessment. Studies have been conducted since 1992 to validate the transgenic (Tg) mice for rapid carcinogenicity test-ing, short term (26 weeks) studies with genotoxic (by Salmonella), non-genotoxic carcinogens, genotoxic non-carcinogens, non-genotoxic non-carcinogens revealed relatively high concordance oj the response of the Tg mouse with classical bioassay across classes of carcinogenic agents. Mechanistic basis for carcinogensis in the model are being elucidated in terms of the role of overexpression and/or point mutation of the transgene. This report review the initial studies of validation of the model and preliminary results of on-going ILSI HESI ACT project will be presented.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.399-403
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• 2009

$p19^{ras}$ is an alternative splicing variant of the proto-oncogene c-H-ras pre-mRNA of $p21^{ras}$. In contrast to $p21^{ras}$, $p19^{ras}$ does not have a C-terminal CAAX motif that targets the plasma membrane and is localized to both the cytoplasm and nucleus. We found that $p19^{ras}$ activated the transcriptional activity of $p73{\beta}$ through protein-protein interactions in the nucleus. p73 is known to play an important role in cellular damage responses such as apoptosis. Although p73 is a structural and functional homologue of p53, p73-mediated apoptosis has not yet been clearly elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that the interaction between $p19^{ras}$ and $p73{\beta}$ accelerated $p73{\beta}$-induced apoptosis through a caspase-3 dependent pathway. Treatment with DEVD-CHO, a caspase inhibitor, also strengthened $p73{\beta}$-mediated apoptosis through a caspase-3 dependent pathway. Furthermore, the enhanced transcriptional activity of endogenous $p73{\beta}$ by treatment with Taxol was amplified by $p19^{ras}$ overexpression, which markedly increased caspase-3 dependent apoptosis in the p53-null SAOS2 cancer cell line. Our findings indicate a functional linkage between $p19^{ras}$ and p73 in caspase-3 mediated apoptosis of cancer cells.