• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.487-492
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• 2005

The baculovirus/insect cell expression system is of great value in the study of structure-function relationships in mammalian glucose-transport proteins by site-directed mutagenesis and for the large-scale production of these proteins for mechanistic and biochemical studies. Spodoptera frugiperda Clone 21 (Sf2l) cells grow well on TC-100 medium that contains $0.1\%$ D-glucose as the major carbon source, strongly suggesting the presence of endogenous glucose transporters. However, very little is known about the properties of the endogenous sugar transporter(s) in Sf2l cells, although a saturable transport system for hexose uptake has been previously revealed in the Sf cells. In order to further examine the substrate and inhibitor recognition properties of the Sf2l cell transporter, the ability of hexoses to inhibit 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2dGlc) transport was investigated by measuring inhibition constants $(K_i)$. The $K_i's$ for reversible inhibitors were determined from plots of uptake versus inhibitor concentration. Transport was effectively inhibited by D-mannose and D-glucose. Of the hexoses tested, L-glucose had the least effect on 2dGlc transport in the Sf2l cells, indicating that the transport is stereoselective. Unlike the human HepG2 type glucose transport system, D-mannose had a somewhat greater affinity for the Sf2l cell transporter than D-glucose, implying that the hydroxyl group at the C-2 position is not necessary for strong binding. However, epimerization at the C-4 position of D-glucose (D-galactose) resulted in a dramatic decrease in affinity of the hexose for the Sf2l cell transporter. Such a lowering of affinity might be the result of the involvement of the C-4 hydroxyl in hydrogen bonding. It is therefore suggested that Sf2l cells were found to contain an endogenous sugar transport activity that in several aspects resembles the human HepG2 type glucose transporter, although the insect and human transporters do differ in their affinity for cytochalasin B.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.185-189
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• 2010

We demonstrate a single-frequency wavelength tunable erbium-doped fiber (EDF) ring laser. We used an unpumped-EDF as a saturable-absorber in order to obtain a stable single-frequency with a narrow-linewidth single-polarization mode in the ring cavity. The lasing wavelength was controlled by using bending-induced strain, such as tension and compression strain corresponding to the bending direction, applied to the fiber gratings. The fiber laser exhibited an output power of -1.85 dBm at a wavelength of 1540.72 nm for a pumping power of ~400 mW. An extinction ratio was measured to be more than 60 dB. The proposed tunable fiber laser maintains nearly the same output power while its lasing wavelength is controlled over in a wavelength range of 5 nm.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.289-300
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• 1992

The counter-transport phenomena in the hepatic transport of 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) were kinetically investigated by analyzing the plasma disappearance-time profiles and the transport into the isolated hepatocytes. In vivo "counter transport phenomena" were simulated based on the perfusion model which incorporated the carrier-mediated transport and the saturable intracellular binding. The condition that the mobility of carrier-ligand complex is greater than that of free carrier is not essential for the occurrence of counter-transport phenomenon. To examine the inhibitory effects on the initial uptake of a ligand by the liver, it is necessary to judge whether the true counter-transport mechanism (trans-stimulation) is working or not. The initial plasma disappearance curves of ANS were then kinetically analyzed based on a two-compartment model, in which the ligand is eliminated only from the peripheral compartment (liver compartment). No effects on the initial plasma disappearance rates of ANS were observed after preloading of bromophenol blue (BPB) or rose bengal (RB) in the liver. Inhibitory effect of BPB or RB on the initial uptake (or efflux) rates of ANS by the isolated hepatocytes were not observed, suggesting that the true counter transport mechanism is not working. In conclusion, checking the preloading effects of transstimulation on the initial uptake of a ligand by the liver could be a useful criterion for carrier cycling and common use of the same carrier between two ligands. However, one cannot exclude those possibilities even if the preloading effects cannot be observed.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.370-376
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• 1998

Src-Homology 2 (SH2) domains have a capacity to bind phosphotyrosine-containing sequence context and play essential roles in various cellular signaling pathways. Due to the specific nature of the binding between SH2 domains and their counterpart proteins, inhibitors of SID domain binding have drawn extensive attention as a potential candidate for therapeutic agents. Here, we describe the binding assay system to screen for the ligands or blockers of the SH2 domains with an emphasis on the $p56^{lck}$ SH2 domain. In our assay system, SID domains expressed and purified as fusion proteins to Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were covalently attached to 96-well microtitre plates through amide bond formation, which were subsequently allowed to bind the biotinylated phosphotyrosine (pY)containing synthetic pep tides. The binding of biotinylated pY peptides was detected by the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated streptavidin. Using the various combinations of SH2 domain-pY peptides, we observed that: (1) The binding of pY-peptides to its counterpart SH2 domain is concentration-dependent and saturable; (2) The binding is highly specific for a particular combination of SH2 domain-pY peptide pair; and (3) The binding of Lck SH2-cognate pY-peptides is specifically competed by the nonbiotinylated peptides with expected relative affinity. These results indicate that the established assay system detects the SH2-pY peptide interaction with reproducible sensitivity and specificity and is suitable for screening the specific inhibitors of $p56^{lck}$ SH2 function.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1997

The ability of Hep-G2 cells to process $[^{125}I]LDL$ under basal conditions was investigated. The receptor-binding and internalization of $[^{125}I]LDL$ increased with the time of incubation in a saturable manner. After 4 h of incubation, 31.4 ng of $[^{125}I]LDL$ was cell bound. The cells rapidly internalized $[^{125}I]LDL$ via specific, receptor-mediated endocytosis. The amount of internalized $[^{125}I]LDL$ reached a maximun of 96.7 ng at 2 h of incubation and remained constant for the next 2 h. The rate of degradation of internalized $[^{125}I]LDL$ proceeded in a linear manner over the entire 4 h of incubation after an initial lag period. The effects of individial fatty acids (C18:0. C18:1, C18:2. and C18:3), differing in their degree of unsaturation. on the receptor-binding, internalization and degradation of $[^{125}I]LDL$ were also investigated. Inclusion of 1.0 mM of each fatty acid into the culture medium significantly increased $[^{125}I]LDL$ metabolism in Hep-G2 cells. Among the fatty acids tested, stearic acid had the least effect on the receptor-binding activity. There were no significant differences among the unsaturated fatty acids in LDL-receptor binding. The effect of individual fatty acids on the $[^{125}I]LDL$ uptake was similar to that of the receptor-binding. showing a significantly lower effect with stearic acid. The amount of degraded material of internalized $[^{125}I]LDL$ was the lowest with stearic acid when it was compared with unsaturated fatty acids.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.399-408
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• 2018

In this study, we examined the molecular and functional characterization of choline uptake in the human esophageal cancer cells. In addition, we examined the influence of various drugs on the transport of [$^3H$]choline, and explored the possible correlation between the inhibition of choline uptake and apoptotic cell death. We found that both choline transporter-like protein 1 (CTL1) and CTL2 mRNAs and proteins were highly expressed in esophageal cancer cell lines (KYSE series). CTL1 and CTL2 were located in the plasma membrane and mitochondria, respectively. Choline uptake was saturable and mediated by a single transport system, which is both $Na^+$-independent and pH-dependent. Choline uptake and cell viability were inhibited by various cationic drugs. Furthermore, a correlation analysis of the potencies of 47 drugs for the inhibition of choline uptake and cell viability showed a strong correlation. Choline uptake inhibitors and choline deficiency each inhibited cell viability and increased caspase-3/7 activity. We conclude that extracellular choline is mainly transported via a CTL1. The functional inhibition of CTL1 by cationic drugs could promote apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, CTL2 may be involved in choline uptake in mitochondria, which is the rate-limiting step in S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) synthesis and DNA methylation. Identification of this CTL1- and CTL2-mediated choline transport system provides a potential new target for esophageal cancer therapy.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 1991

The hepatic uptake of an anionic fluorescence probe, l-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) was characterized using isolated rat hepatocytes. The initial uptake rate of ANS by isolated hepatocytes was determined. The uptake process of ANS was fitted well to the Michaelis-Menten equation with a saturable component. The $V_{max}$ and $K_m$ values were $2.9{\pm}0.1\;nmol/min/mg$ protein and $29.1{\pm}3.2\;{\mu}M$, respectively. The uptake clearance $(CL_{up})$ based on the ratio of $V_{max}$ to $K_m$ was 11.7 ml/min/g liver, revealing the good coincidence with that assessed from the analysis of the plasma disappearance curve in previous report. Furthermore, the effect of serum protein on the hepatic uptake of ANS into isolated hepatocytes was investigated. The permeability clearances $(PS_{inf})$ of ANS uptake were much higher than those predicted based on the unbound fractions in the presence of serum. These suggested that the hepatic uptake of extensively serum protein-bound ANS is mediated not only by the unbound form of ligand but also by the serum protein-mediated uptake mechanism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 1994

We investigated the alterations in basal tone of aortic strips by changing the Ca concentration, basal $^{45}Ca$ uptake and $^3H-nitrendipine$ binding of the single cells of aortic smooth muscles in the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. While the basal tone of the aortic strips in WKY rats was not affected by alteration of Ca concentration, that in SHR was decreased by the removal of Ca from the bath solution and was recovered by the restoration of Ca to normal levels. This contraction increased in a Ca concentration-dependent manner and reached a maximum at 2 mM Ca. The basal tone of aorta in SHR was suppressed by verapamil $(10^{-6}M)$. The basal tone of aorta in SHR increased about 50% in the strips of endothelial rubbing, compared with that of intact endothelium. Basal $^{45}Ca$ uptake in the aortic single smooth muscle cells of SHR was greater than that of WKY (p<0.01), Specific bindings of $[^3H]nitrendipine$ in the aortic single smooth muscles of SHR and WKY were saturable. The dissociation constant $(K_d)\;was\;0.71{\pm}0.15\;and\;1.18{\pm}0.08nM$ SHR, respectively, and the difference in $K_d$ between two strains was statistically significant (p<0.03). The maximal binding capacity $(B_{max})\;was\;34.6{\pm}3.2\;and\;47.4{\pm}4.3\;fmol/10^6$ SHR respectively, and the difference of $(B_{max})$ between two strains was statistically significant (p<0.05). from the above results, it is suggested that the increase of Ca influx via potential-operated Ca channels and the increase of the number of dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca channels contribute to high basal tone of the aortic strips in SHR.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.275-283
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• 2005

The purpose of the present study was to kinetically investigate the carrier-mediated uptake in the hepatic transport of organic anions, and to simulate the 'in vivo counter-transport' phenomena, using kinetic model which was developed in this study. The condition that the mobility of carrier-ligand complex is greater than that of free carrier is not essential for the occurrence of 'counter-transport' phenomenon. To examine the inhibitory effects on the initial uptake of organic anions by the liver, it is necessary to judge whether the true counter-transport mechanism (trans-stimulation) is working or not. Effects of bromophenol blue (BPB) or bromosulfophthalein (BSP) on the plasma disappearance curves of a 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) were then kinetically analyzed based on a flow model, in which the ligand is eliminated only from the peripheral compartment (liver compartment). Moreover, 'in vivo counter-transport' phenomena were simulated based on the perfusion model which incorporated the carrier-mediated transport and the saturable intracellular binding. The 'in vivo counter-transport' phenomena in the hepatic transport of a organic anions were well demonstrated by incorporating the carrier-mediated process. However, the 'in vivo counter-transport' phenomena may be also explained by the enhancement of back diffusion due to the displacement of intracellular binding. In conclusion, one should be more cautious in interpreting data obtained from so-called 'in vivo counter-transport' experiments.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.220-229
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• 1992

The muscarinic acetylcholine receptors of the dog unpregant uterus were characterized using $[^3H]quinuclidinyl$ benzilate(QNB) as a radioligand and the binding of muscarinic receptor agonists and antagonists in the uterus was compared to that in the urinary bladder which contains almost exclusively the M2 receptors in order to determine the receptor subtypes in the uterus. $[^3H]QNB$ binding to uterus and bladder was rapid, saturable and reversible. Scatchard analysis of the saturation data gave linear plots and the Hill coefficients were close to unit, which indicated that each preparation contained a single population of specific binding sites for $[^3H]QNB$. The KD values(120 pM) for QNB were almost identical in both organs, whereas the $B_{max}$ value of 256 fmol/mg protein in the uterus was significantly different from that of 563 fmol/mg protein in the bladder. Muscarinic agonists and antagonists inhibited in a competitive manner the $[^3H]QNB$ binding to the same extent in both organs. The competition binding studies using antagonists(atropine and pirenzepine) exhibited a single binding site and this site had a low affinity for pirenzepine with the Ki value of about 330 nM. However, high and low affinity binding sites were observed with carbachol, methacholine and oxotremorine. These binding studies with agonists and antagonists did not show any differences in drug affinities between uterus and bladder. These results indicate that the muscarinic receptors in the uterus are M2 receptors which have a low affinity for pirenzepine.