• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.650-656
• /
• 2013

Endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) plays a pivotal role in augmenting Protein C activation through the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex. EPCR activity is markedly changed by ectodomain cleavage and released as the soluble protein (sEPCR). EPCR shedding is mediated by tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ converting enzyme (TACE). Lycopene found in tomatoes and tomato products has anti-oxidant, anti- cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. However, little is known about the effects of lycopene on EPCR shedding. We investigated this issue by monitoring the effects of lycopene on the phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$ and on the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-mediated EPCR shedding. Data showed that lycopene potently inhibited the PMA, TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and CLP-induced EPCR shedding by suppressing TACE expression. Furthermore, lycopene reduced PMA-stimulated phosphorylation of p38, extracellular regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Given these results, lycopene should be viewed as a candidate therapeutic agent for the treatment of various severe vascular inflammatory diseases via inhibition of the EPCR shedding.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.251-255
• /
• 2005

In the present study, we tried to investigate whether protein kinase C (PKC) activator, phorbol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate (PMA), and PKC inhibitors, $G\"{o}-6976$, Ro-31-8220 and rottlerin significantly affect basal mucin relesed from cultured airway goblet cells. Confluent primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells were metabolically radiolabeled with $^3H$-glucosamine for 24 hr and chased for 30 min in the presence of each agent to assess the effects on $^3H$-mucin release. The results were as follows: (1) PMA increased mucin release from cultured HTSE cells, during 30 min of treatment period; (2) However, $G\"{o}-6976$, Ro-31-8220 and rottlerin did not significantly affect mucin release, during 30 min of treatment period. This finding suggests, at least in part, that PKC might playa minor role in the signaling pathways involved in basal - physiological or constitutive - mucin release from airway goblet cells, although further studies are needed.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.125-133
• /
• 1991

In the isolated rabbit mesenteric artery denuded of endothelium, we characterized the identity of the A23187-induced endothelium-dependent relaxing factor (EDRF) released from the endothelium of rabbit aorta, which is distinct from that of acetylcholine-induced relaxing factor. In the normal physiological salt solution (PSS), the dose-response curves to A23187 and acetylcholine were overlapped together. Their effects were also inhibited by methylene blue. Upon application of hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase into the bath, the phenylephrine-induced precontraction was transiently increased followed by the sustained relaxation. During the burst of hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase reaction, the $Ca^{++}$ ionophore, A23187 but not acetylcholine was able to cause an immediate relaxation. However, A23187-induced relaxation was not manifested when precontracted by 50 mM $K^+-PSS$. Nevertheless, in the presence of superoxide dismutase, A23187 could produce an immediate relaxation without accompanying the transient contraction as acetylcholine did during the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase reaction. On the other hand, acetylcholine-induced relaxation was more sensitively inhibited by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) than A23187-induced relaxation. Endothelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside was not affected by PMA. Based on these results it is suggested that both A23187 and acetylcholine cause the methylene blue-inhibitable endothelium-dependent relaxation, and in addition, A23187 may release a stable EDRF which is resistant to superoxide anion and PMA.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.42-47
• /
• 1999

Phorbol ester, growth factors activities are mediated by unclear transcription factors, the c-Fos and c-Jun, which can regulate transcriptional activation through specific DNA sites and by forming the transcription factor AP-l, which usually mediates cell proliferation and differentiation signals. We explored effects of Pini Folium extract (API-l) on AP-l activity. Western blot analysis confirmed that API-l decreased levels of c-Fos or c-Jun protein induced by the tumor promoter Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA; 200 nM). Transient transfection assays with a c-fos promoter reporter construct showed that API-l decreased transcription activity by ore than 50~60%. However, treatment of API-l activity studied further. The main substances were fractionated into dichloromethane layer. Futhermore, API-l extract repressed the [$^3H$]-thymidine uptake in C6 glioma cells, indicating that this extract could be included in a new type of modulator in the mitogenesis.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.2 no.4
• /
• pp.223-228
• /
• 2006

Several plant-derived cannabinoids and endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors such as 2-arachidonyl-glycerol have been known to inhibit interleukin-2 (IL-2) expression. In the present study, we utilized arachidonylethanolamide (AEA), a putative endogenous ligand for cannabinoid receptors, to determine whether AEA modulated the expression of IL-2. AEA inhibited phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus ionomycin (Io)-induced IL-2 protein secretion and mRNA expression in EL-4 mouse T-cells as determined by ELISA and RT-PCR, respectively. To further characterize the inhibitory mechanism of AEA at the transcriptional level, we performed promoter study for IL-2 gene in PMA/Io-stimulated EL-4 cells. AEA decreased the transcriptional activity of the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NF-AT) as well as the IL-2 promoter activity. These results suggest that AEA suppresses IL-2 expression and that the inhibition is mediated, at least in part, through the down-regulation of NF-AT.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.7
• /
• pp.958-963
• /
• 2006

The effect of ginsenosides (GS) on germ cell proliferation was evaluated with a chicken ovarian germ-somatic cell coculture model and the mechanism involving protein kinase C (PKC) pathway was investigated. Ovarian cells were cultured in serum-free McCoy's 5A medium and challenged with GS alone or in combinations with PKC activator (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, PMA) or inhibitor ($H_7$) for 48 h. The number of germ cells was counted and the proliferating cells were identified by immunocytochemistry of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Results showed that GS significantly increased germ cell proliferation and this stimulating effect was further increased by PMA, but inhibited by H7, in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, GS-elevated PCNA expression and the PCNA -labeling index of germ cells displayed similar changes with the increased numbers of germ cells. These results indicated that GS stimulated proliferation of ovarian germ cells with involvement of the PKC-mediated system.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
• /
• 2003.10b
• /
• pp.199.1-199.1
• /
• 2003

In the course of our search for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1)/leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) mediated cell adhesion inhibitors from natural sources, new type of cell adhesion inhibitors were isolated from the MeOH extract of Saururus chinensis roots. On the basis of spectral evidence, the structures of the active compounds were identified as manassantin A and B. Manassantin A and B inhibited phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced homotypic aggregation of the human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells without cytotoxicity with MIC value of 1.0 and 5.5 nM, respectively. (omitted)

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.142-147
• /
• 2022

Oxysterols are known to be involved in the physiopathology of atherosclerosis. Since 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) is found in large amounts in oxysterols and in atherosclerotic plaque, the study on how 7-KC may affect monocyte differentiation induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in the monocytic cell line, THP-1, is essential. 7-KC induced a dose-dependent reduction in cell proliferation without inducing cytotoxicity, and the substantial staining of Nile red demonstrates the increased absorption of intracellular lipids. Although 7-KC itself did not increase cell adhesion, it markedly decreased the adhesion of cells treated with PMA. Furthermore, by observing the effect of 7-KC on phagocytosis using fluorescent-labeled latex beads, 7-KC's ability to abolish phagocytosis in PMA-stimulated macrophages was illustrated. The effect of 7-KC on the expression of selected protein markers on the process of differentiation induced by PMA in THP-1 cells was also examined. 7-KC inhibited expression of ICAM-1, CD11a, SR-A1, and SR-B2 (CD36) in PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells. Conversely, 7-KC drastically increased the expression of SR-D1 (CD68)in PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells. In conclusion, these results suggest that 7-KC modulates monocyte differentiation and activation via the intracellular accumulation of lipid droplets.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2001

Recent clinical studies have shown that a high proportion of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) achieve complete remission after treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). However, most patients who receive continuous treatment with ATRA relapse and develop ATRA-resistant leukemia. Dendritic cells (DCs) are important antigen-presenting cells in the development of antileukemic T-cell responses. In this study, we investigated the strategies to overcome ATRA resistance of APL cells by inducing the differentiation of DCs from human leukemic cell lines for the developtment of adoptive immunotherapy. CD83 was used as a mature DC marker in this study and the expression of CD83 mRNA was determined by RT-PCR method. The promyelocytic leukemic cell line HL-60, B lymphoblast cell lines RPMI 7666 and NC-37 could be induced to dendritic cells in vitro. Treatment of HL-60 with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) resulted in the expression of myeloid-related DC phenotypes, while treatment of RPMI 7666 with fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3-ligand, FL) and treatment of NC-37 with PMA and FL led to the expression of lymphoid-related DC phenotypes. In conclusion, myeloid-related DC phenotypes and lymphoid-related DC phenotypes could be generated from HL-60, NC-37 and RPMI 7666 cell lines, respectively. These DC phenotypes can potentially be used to generate antileukemic T cells in vitro for adoptive immunotherapy.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.334-339
• /
• 2021

In the present study, antioxidant and MUC5AC mucin inhibition activities were measured in Ecklonia cava (E. cava) extract. The E. cava extract showed the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents of 607.40±19.44 ㎍ GAE/mg and 13.33±5.28 ㎍ QE/mg, respectively. The free radical scavenging activity of E. cava extract was high in the DPPH radical scavenging activity (RC₅₀ 7.08 ㎍/mL) and ABTS+ radical scavenging activity (RC₅₀ 4.74 ㎍/mL). Also, we investigated whether E. cava extract affects airway MUC5AC mucin gene expression, production and secretion induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) from NCI-H292 cells. Cells were treated with E. cava extract and then stimulated with PMA for 24 h. The E. cava extract inhibited the gene expression of MUC5AC mucin from NCI-H292 cells. This result suggests that E. cava extract can inhibit the gene expression of mucin induced by PMA through directly acting on airway epithelial cells.