• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.358-363
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• 2013

In the present study, we investigated the effect of intracellular glutathione (GSH) depletion in heart-derived H9c2 cells and its mechanism. L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (BSO) induced the depletion of cellular GSH, and BSO-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was inhibited by glutathione monoethyl ester (GME). Additionally, GME inhibited BSO-induced caspase-3 activation, annexin V-positive cells, and annexin V-negative/propidium iodide (PI)-positive cells. Treatment with rottlerin completely blocked BSO-induced cell death and ROS generation. BSO-induced GSH depletion caused a translocation of PKC-${\delta}$ from the cytosol to the membrane fraction, which was inhibited by treatment with GME. From these results, it is suggested that BSO-induced depletion of cellular GSH causes an activation of PKC-${\delta}$ and, subsequently, generation of ROS, thereby inducing H9c2 cell death.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.38-46
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• 2007

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.131-136
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• 2005

The ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion, first identified in the chromosomal translocation in congenital fibrosarcoma, encodes a chimeric protein tyrosine kinase with potent transforming activity. ETV6-NTRK3-dependent transformation involves the joint action of NTRK3 signaling pathways, and aberrant cell cycle progression resulting from activation of Mek1 and Akt. The level of glutathione (GSH) was found to be markedly increased in ETV6-NTRK3-transformed NIH3T3 cells. The activities of the two GSH biosynthetic enzymes as well as of glutathione peroxidase, together with their mRNAs, were also higher in the transformed cells. The transformed cells were able to grow in the presence of GSH-depleting agents, whereas the control cells were not. L-Buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO) inhibited activation of Mek1 and Akt in the transformed NIH3T3 cells. These observations imply that up-regulation of GSH biosynthesis plays a central role in ETV6-NTRK3-induced transformation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.454-459
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• 2004

The present study investigated the effects of gossypin, 3,3',4',5,7,8-hexahydroxyflavone 8-glucoside, on the toxicity induced by oxidative stress or $\beta$-amyloid ($A_{\beta}$) in primary cultured rat cortical cells. The antioxidant properties of gossypin were also evaluated by cell-free assays. Gossypin was found to inhibit the oxidative neuronal damage induced by xanthinelxanthine oxidase or by a glutathione depleting agent, D,L-buthionine (S,R)-sulfoximine. In addition, gossypin significantly attenuated the neurotoxicity induced by $A_{{\beta}(25-35)}$. Furthermore, gossypin dramatically inhibited lipid peroxidation initiated by $Fe^{2+}$ and ascorbic acid in rat brain homogenates. It also exhibited potent radical scavenging activity generated from 1 ,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. These results indicate that gossypin exerts neuroprotective effects in the cultured cortical cells by inhibiting oxidative stress- and $A_{\beta}$-induced toxicity, and that the antioxidant properties of gossypin may contribute to its neuroprotective actions.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.271-278
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• 2001

Oxidative stress and methylglyoxal (MG), a reactive dicarbonyl metabolites produced by enzymatic and non-enzymatic reaction of normal metabolism, induced aldose reductase (AR) expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC). AR expression was induced in a time-dependent manner and reached at a maximum of 4.5-fold in 12 h of MG treatment. This effect of MG was completely abolished by cyclohemide and actinomycin D treatment suggesting AR was synthesized by de novo pathway. Pretreatment of the SMC with N-acetyl-L-cysteine significantly down-regulated the MG-induced AR mRNA. Furthermore, DL-Buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine, a reagent which depletes intracellular glutathione levels, increased the levels of MG-induced AR mRNA. These results indicated that MG induces AR mRNA by increasing the intracellular peroxide levels. Aminoguanidine, a scanvenger of dicarbonyl, significantly down-regulated the MG-induced AR mRNA. In addition, the inhibition of AR activities with statil, an AR inhibitor, enhanced the cytotoxic effect of MG on SMC under normal glucose, suggesting a protective role of AR against MG-induced cell damages. These results imply that the induction of AR by MG may contribute to an important cellular detoxification of reactive aldehyde compounds generated under oxidative stress in extrahepatic tissues.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.326-331
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• 2003

The fission yeast cells that contained the cloned glutathione synthetase (GS) gene showed 1.4-fold higher glutathione (GSB) content and 1.9-fold higher GS activity than the cells without the cloned GS gene. Interestingly, $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase activity increased 2.1-fold in the S. pombe cells that contained the cloned GS gene. The S. pombe cells that harbored the multi copy-number plasmid pRGS49 (containing the cloned GS gene) showed a higher level of survival on solid media with cadmium chloride (1 mM) or mercuric chloride ($10\;{\mu}M$) than the cells that harbored the YEp357R vector. The 506 bp upstream sequence from the translational initiation point and N-terminal8 amino acid-coding region were fused into the promoteriess $\beta$-galactosidase gene of the shuttle vector YEp367R to generate the fusion plasmid pUGS39. Synthesis of $\beta$-galactosidase from the fusion plasmid pUGS39 was significantly enhanced by cadmium chloride and NO-generating S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) and sodium nitroprusside (SN). It was also induced by L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine, a specific inhibitor of $\gamma$-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS). We also found that the expression of the S. pombe GS gene is regulated by the Atf1-Spc1-Wis1 signal pathway.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.44-48
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• 2005

In our previous study, the first structural gene (GGTI) encoding ${\gamma}-glutamyl$ transpeptidase was cloned and characterized from the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and its transcription, using the GGTI-lacZ fusion gene, containing the 1,085 bp upstream region from the translational initiation point, was found to be enhanced by sodium nitroprusside and L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO). In the present work, regulation of the GGTI gene was further elucidated. Non-fermentable carbon sources, such as acetate and ethanol, markedly enhanced the synthesis of ${beta}-galactosidase$ from the GGTI-lacZ fusion gene. However, its induction by non-fermentable carbon sources appeared to be independent of the presence of the Pap1 protein. Nitrogen starvation also gave rise to induction of GGTI gene expression in a Pap1-independent manner. The three additional fusion plasmids, carrying 754, 421 and 156 bp regions, were constructed. The sequence responsible for the induction by non-fermentable carbon sources and nitrogen starvation was identified to exist within a -421 bp region of the GGTI gene. Taken together, the S. pombe GGTI gene is regulated by non-fermentable carbon sources and nitrogen starvation.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2004

Transcriptional regulation of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe y-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) gene was examined using the two GCS-lacZ fusion plasmids pUGCS101 and pUGCS102, which harbor 607 bp and 447 bp upstream regions, respectively. The negatively-acting sequence was located in the -607 - -447 bp upstream region of the GCS gene. The upstream sequence responsible for induction by menadione(MD) and L-buthionine-(S, R)-sulfoximine (BSO) resides in the -607 - -447 bp region, whereas the sequence which codes for nitric oxide induction is located within the -447 bp region, measured from the translational initiation point. Carbon source-dependent regulation of the GCS gene appeared to be dependent on the nucleotide sequence within -447 bp region. The transcription factor Papl is involved in the induction of the GCS gene by MD and BSO, but not by nitric oxide. Induction of the GCS gene occurring due to low glucose concentration does not depend on the presence of Pap1. These data imply that induction by MD and BSO may be mediated by the Pap1 binding site, probably located in the -607 - -447 region, and also that the nitric oxide-mediated regulation of the S. pombe GCS gene may share a similar mechanism with its carbon-dependent induction.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.78-78
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• 2003

Embryonic stem (ES) cells, derived from preimplantation embryo, are able to differentiate into various types of cells consisting the whole body, or pluripotency. In contrast, terminally differentiated cells do not usually alter their nature but frequently die or transform if they are exposed to inappropriate external stimulations. In addition to the plasticity, ES cells are expected to be different from terminally differentiated cells in very many ways, such as patterns of gene expressions, ability and response of the cells in confronting environmental stimulations, metabolism, and growth rate. As a model system to differentiate these two types of cells, human ES cells (MB03) and terminally differentiated cells (HeLa), we examined the ability of these two types of cells in confronting a severe oxidative insult, that is $H_2O$$_2$. Approximately 1$\times$10$^4$ cells were plated in 96 well plate and serum starved for overnight. The conditioned cells were exposed to a various concentration of $H_2O$$_2$ fur 24 hrs and loaded with neutral red (50$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) for 4 hrs, washed with PBS for 2 min three times, and entrapped dye was dissolved out using acetic ethanol. Cytotoxicity was determined by reading the amount of dye in the medium using microplate reader. equipped with 575 nm filter. Relative amount of the dye entrapped within MB03 or HeLa were not significantly different when cells were exposed up to 0.4 mM $H_2O$$_2$. However, this sharply decreased down to 0.12% in HeLa cells when the cells were exposed to 0.8 mM $H_2O$$_2$, while it was approximately 54% in MB03 suggesting that this concentration of $H_2O$$_2$ is the defensive threshold for HeLa cells. The resistance to oxidative stimulation reversed, however, when cells were co-treated with BSO (L-buthionine- 〔S, R〕-sulfoximine) which chelates intracellular GSH. This result suggests that cellular GSH is the major defensive mechanism of human ES cells. Induction of enzymes involved in GSH metabolism and type of cell death is currently being studied.