• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7245-7249
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• 2014

Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is usually recognized as a chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum. However, increasing evidence indicates that GRP78 can be translocated to the cell surface, acting as a signaling receptor for a variety of ligands. Since little is known about the secretion of GRP78 and its role in the progression of colon cancer we here focused on GRP78 from colon cancer cells, and purified GRP78 protein mimicking the secreted GRP78 was able to utilize cell surface GRP78 as its receptor, activating downstream PI3K/Akt and Wnt/${\beta}$-catenin signaling and promote colon cancer cell proliferation. Our study revealed a new mode of action of autocrine GRP78 in cancer progression: secreted GRP78 binds to cell surface GRP78 as its receptor and activates intracellular proliferation signaling.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.153-164
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• 1998

Cytokines regulate proliferation, differentiation and functions of haemotopoietic cells. Each cytokine possesses a variety of activities on various target cells (pleiotropy) and various cytokines have similar and overlapping activities on the same target cells (redundancy). The nature of these cytokine activities predicts unique feature of cytokine receptors, namely, cytokine has multiple receptors, different cytokines share a common receptor, and different cytokine receptors are linked to common signaling pathways. cDNA cloning of genes for cytokine receptors revealed distinct sets of receptor family with different structural features. The cytokine receptor superfamily consists of a largest family, and contains more than twenty cytokine receptor subunits. This receptor has common structural features in both extracellular and intracellular regions without tyrosine kinase domain. Another striking feature of the receptor is to share common subunit of multiple cytokines, which partly explains the redundancy of activities of some cytokines. Recent studies revealed detailed signaling events of the cytokine receptor, the primary activation of JAK and subsequent phosphorylation of tyrosine residues of receptor, and various cellular proteins. Many SH2 containing adapter proteins play an important role in cytokine signals, and this system has similarities with tyrosine kinase receptor signal transduction. STAT may mainly account for cytokine specific functions as suggested by knockout mice studies. It is of importance to note that cytokine activates multiple signaling pathways and the balance and combination of related signaling events may determine the specificity of functions of cytokines.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.335-341
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• 2021

Zinc is an essential micronutrient with crucial roles in multiple facets of biological processes. Dysregulated zinc homeostasis impairs overall immune function and resultantly increases susceptibility to infection. Clinically, zinc supplementation is practiced for treatment of several infectious diseases, such as diarrhea and malaria. Recent focus on zinc as a beneficial element for immune system support has resulted in investigation of the immunomodulatory roles of zinc in a variety of immune cells. Besides its classical role as a cofactor that regulates the structural function of thousands of proteins, accumulating evidence suggests that zinc also acts, in a manner similar to calcium, as an ionic regulator of immune responses via participation as an intracellular messenger in signaling pathways. In this review, we focus on the role of zinc as a signaling molecule in major pathways such as those downstream of Toll-like receptors-, T cell receptor-, and cytokine-mediated signal transduction that regulate the activity and function of monocytes/macrophages and T cells, principal players in the innate and adaptive immune systems.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.169-176
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• 2022

A primary cilium, a hair-like protrusion of the plasma membrane, is a pivotal organelle for sensing external environmental signals and transducing intracellular signaling. An interesting linkage between cilia and obesity has been revealed by studies of the human genetic ciliopathies Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Alström syndrome, in which obesity is a principal manifestation. Mouse models of cell type-specific cilia dysgenesis have subsequently demonstrated that ciliary defects restricted to specific hypothalamic neurons are sufficient to induce obesity and hyperphagia. A potential mechanism underlying hypothalamic neuron cilia-related obesity is impaired ciliary localization of G protein-coupled receptors involved in the regulation of appetite and energy metabolism. A well-studied example of this is melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R), mutations in which are the most common cause of human monogenic obesity. In the paraventricular hypothalamus neurons, a blockade of ciliary trafficking of MC4R as well as its downstream ciliary signaling leads to hyperphagia and weight gain. Another potential mechanism is reduced leptin signaling in hypothalamic neurons with defective cilia. Leptin receptors traffic to the periciliary area upon leptin stimulation. Moreover, defects in cilia formation hamper leptin signaling and actions in both developing and differentiated hypothalamic neurons. The list of obesity-linked ciliary proteins is expending and this supports a tight association between cilia and obesity. This article provides a brief review on the mechanism of how ciliary defects in hypothalamic neurons facilitate obesity.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2022

All living organisms are destined to die. Cells, the core of those living creatures, move toward the irresistible direction of death. The question of how to die is critical and is very interesting. There are various types of death in life, including natural death, accidental death, questionable death, suicide, and homicide. The mechanisms and molecules involved in cell death also differ depending on the type of death. The dysenteric amoeba, E. histolytica, designated by the German zoologist Fritz Schaudinn in 1903, has the meaning of tissue lysis; i.e., tissue destroying, in its name. It was initially thought that the amoebae lyse tissue very quickly leading to cell death called necrosis. However, advances in measuring cell death have allowed us to more clearly investigate the various forms of cell death induced by amoeba. Increasing evidence has shown that E. histolytica can cause host cell death through induction of various intracellular signaling pathways. Understanding of the mechanisms and signaling molecules involved in host cell death induced by amoeba can provide new insights on the tissue pathology and parasitism in human amoebiasis. In this review, we emphasized on the signaling role of NADPH oxidases in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent cell death by pathogenic E. histolytica.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.297-305
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• 2014

Flavonoids have an ability to suppress various ion channels. We determined whether one of flavonoids, cyanidin-3-glucoside, affects adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-induced calcium signaling using digital imaging methods for intracellular free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration ([$Ca^{2+}$]i), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential in PC12 cells. Treatment with ATP ($100{\mu}M$) for 90 sec induced [$Ca^{2+}$]i increases in PC12 cells. Pretreatment with cyanidin-3-glucoside ($1{\mu}g/ml$ to $100{\mu}g/ml$) for 30 min inhibited the ATP-induced [$Ca^{2+}$]i increases in a concentration-dependent manner ($IC_{50}=15.3{\mu}g/ml$). Pretreatment with cyanidin-3-glucoside ($15{\mu}g/ml$) for 30 min significantly inhibited the ATP-induced [$Ca^{2+}$]i responses following removal of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ or depletion of intracellular [$Ca^{2+}$]i stores. Cyanidin-3-glucoside also significantly inhibited the relatively specific P2X2 receptor agonist 2-MeSATP-induced [$Ca^{2+}$]i responses. Cyanidin-3-glucoside significantly inhibited the thapsigargin or ATP-induced store-operated calcium entry. Cyanidin-3-glucoside significantly inhibited the ATP-induced [$Ca^{2+}$]i responses in the presence of nimodipine and ${\omega}$-conotoxin. Cyanidin-3-glucoside also significantly inhibited KCl (50 mM)-induced [$Ca^{2+}$]i increases. Cyanidin-3-glucoside significantly inhibited ATP-induced mitochondrial depolarization. The intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator BAPTA-AM or the mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ uniporter inhibitor RU360 blocked the ATP-induced mitochondrial depolarization in the presence of cyanidin-3-glucoside. Cyanidin-3-glucoside blocked ATP-induced formation of ROS. BAPTA-AM further decreased the formation of ROS in the presence of cyanidin-3-glucoside. All these results suggest that cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibits ATP-induced calcium signaling in PC12 cells by inhibiting multiple pathways which are the influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ through the nimodipine and ${\omega}$-conotoxin-sensitive and -insensitive pathways and the release of $Ca^{2+}$ from intracellular stores. In addition, cyanidin-3-glucoside inhibits ATP-induced formation of ROS by inhibiting $Ca^{2+}$-induced mitochondrial depolarization.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.161.2-161.2
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• 2015

Melanin is a black pigment, responsible for hair and skin color. In order to find the melanin stimulatory technique which prove useful for a gray and a white hair-preventive agent or tanning agent, we developed atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) and tested for tyrosinase activity and melanin production in melanoma (B16F10) cells in vitro. We found plasma dose dependent increase in melanin production. To explore the contributing mechanism in melanin synthesis, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and MAP kinase signaling pathways were studied. Furthermore, the development of plasma technology for melanin synthesis and planning for in-vivo future studies will be discussed.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.85-90
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• 2017

Mitochondria participate in various intracellular metabolic pathways such as generating intracellular ATP, synthesizing several essential molecules, regulating calcium homeostasis, and producing the cell's reactive oxygen species (ROS). Emerging studies have demonstrated newly discovered roles of mitochondria, which participate in the regulation of innate immune responses by modulating NLRP3 inflammasomes. Here, we review the recently proposed pathways to be involved in mitochondria-mediated regulation of inflammasome activation and inflammation: 1) mitochondrial ROS, 2) calcium mobilization, 3) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide ($NAD^+$) reduction, 4) cardiolipin, 5) mitofusin, 6) mitochondrial DNA, 7) mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein. Furthermore, we highlight the significance of mitophagy as a negative regulator of mitochondrial damage and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, as potentially helpful therapeutic approaches which could potentially address uncontrolled inflammation.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2009

Toll-like receptor (TLR) family proteins, type I transmembrane proteins, play a central role in human innate immune response by recognizing common structural patterns in diverse molecules from bacteria, viruses and fungi. Recently four structures of the TLR and ligand complexes have been determined by high resolution x-ray crystallographic technique. In this review we summarize reported structures of TLRs and their proposed activation mechanisms. The structures demonstrate that binding of agonistic ligands to the extracellular domains of TLRs induces homo- or heterodimerization of the receptors. Dimerization of the TLR extracellular domains brings their two C-termini into close proximity. This suggests a plausible mechanism of TLR activation: ligand induces dimerization of the extracellular domains, which enforces juxtaposition of intracellular signaling domains for recruitment of intracellular adaptor proteins for signal initiation.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.64-69
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• 2020

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate are secondary metabolites produced by anaerobic fermentation of dietary fibers in the intestine. Intestinal SCFAs exert various beneficial effects on intestinal homeostasis, including energy metabolism, autophagy, cell proliferation, immune reaction, and inflammation, whereas contradictory roles of SCFAs in the oral cavity have been reported. Herein, we found that low and high concentrations of SCFAs induce differential regulation of intracellular Ca²⁺ mobilization and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, respectively, in gingival fibroblast cells. Additionally, cell viability was found to be differentially regulated in response to low and high concentrations of SCFAs. These findings demonstrate that the physiological functions of SCFAs in various cellular responses are more likely dependent on their local concentration.