• Molecules and Cells
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 2008

Transcriptional silencing is regulated by promoter methylation and histone modifications such as methylation and acetylation. We constructed a Schizosaccaromyces pombe reporter strain, KCT120a, to identify modifiers of transcriptional silencing, by inserting the $ura4^+$ gene into a heterochromatic telomere region. Two compounds inhibited the activity of histone deacetylases, induced acetylation of histone H3 and caused apoptotic cell death in HeLa cells. Expression of gelsolin and $p21^{waf1/cip1}$ also increased, as it does in response to HDAC inhibitors such as TSA. Therefore, these compounds appear to be potent inhibitors of HDACs, and hence potential anti-cancer drugs. Our observations suggest that a yeast cell-based assay system for transcriptional silencing may be useful for identifying histone deacetylase inhibitors and other agents affecting chromatin remodeling.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.80 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2017

Background: Airway epithelial cells are the first line of defense, against pathogens and environmental pollutants, in the lungs. Cellular stress by cadmium (Cd), resulting in airway inflammation, is assumed to be directly involved in tissue injury, linked to the development of lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We had earlier shown that ACN9 (chromosome 7q21), is a potential candidate gene for COPD, and identified significant interaction with smoking, based on genetic studies. However, the role of ACN9 in the inflammatory response, in the airway cells, has not yet been reported. Methods: We first checked the anatomical distribution of ACN9 in lung tissues, using mRNA in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. Gene expression profiling in bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B), was performed, after silencing ACN9. We further tested the roles of ACN9, in the intracellular mechanism, leading to Cd-induced production, of proinflammatory cytokines in BEAS-2B. Results: ACN9 was localized in lymphoid, and epithelial cells, of human lung tissues. ACN9 silencing, led to differential expression of 216 genes. Pathways of sensory perception to chemical stimuli, and cell surface receptor-linked signal transduction, were significantly enriched. ACN9 silencing, further increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, in BEAS-2B after Cd exposure. Conclusion: Our findings suggest, that ACN9 may have a role, in the inflammatory response in the airway.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.115-125
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• 2020

Resveratrol has been reported to exert anticancer activity via modulation of multiple pathways and genes. In this study, we examined the effect of resveratrol on YD-10B human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells and its molecular mechanisms of action. We found that resveratrol inhibited the proliferation of YD-10B cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The suppressive effect of resveratrol was accompanied by a reduction in Bmi-1 gene expression. We observed that silencing the Bmi-1 gene by small interfering RNA effectively downregulated the levels of GLUT1 mRNA and protein, which were also repressed by resveratrol. Bmi-1 silencing increased the number of YD-10B cells in S-phase arrest by approximately 2.3-fold compared with the control. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrate, for the first time, that resveratrol suppresses Bmi-1-mediated GLUT1 expression in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells and suggest that the specific molecular targeting of Bmi-1 and/or GLUT1 expression can be combined with a chemotherapeutic strategy to improve the response of oral cancer cells to resveratrol.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.303-312
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• 2015

Receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIP3, or RIPK3) is an essential protein in the "programmed", or "regulated" necrosis cell death pathway that is activated in response to death receptor ligands and other types of cellular stress. Programmed necrotic cell death is distinguished from its apoptotic counterpart in that it is not characterized by the activation of caspases; unlike apoptosis, programmed necrosis results in plasma membrane rupture, thus spilling the contents of the cell and triggering the activation of the immune system and inflammation. Here we discuss findings, including our own recent data, which show that RIP3 protein expression is absent in many cancer cell lines. The recent data suggests that the lack of RIP3 expression in a majority of these deficient cell lines is due to methylation-dependent silencing, which limits the responses of these cells to pro-necrotic stimuli. Importantly, RIP3 expression may be restored in many cancer cells through the use of hypomethylating agents, such as decitabine. The potential implications of loss of RIP3 expression in cancer are explored, along with possible consequences for chemotherapeutic response. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(6): 303-312]

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.511-517
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• 2014

MicroRNAs are non-coding short (~23 nucleotides) RNAs that mediate post-transcriptional regulation through sequence-specific gene silencing. The role of miRNAs in neuronal development, synapse formation and synaptic plasticity has been highlighted. However, the role of neuronal activity on miRNA regulation has been less focused. Neuronal activity-dependent regulation of miRNA may finetune gene expression in response to synaptic plasticity and memory formation. Here, we provide an overview of miRNA regulation by neuronal activity including high-throughput screening studies. We also discuss the possible molecular mechanisms of activity-dependent induction and turnover of miRNAs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.10
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• pp.722-727
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• 2008

The present study compared the proteomic characteristics of a low passage number (L-33) and high passage number (H-81) LNCaP cell clone. Marked differences in protein expression were noted in the response of L-33 and H-81 cells to androgens. To investigate if regulation of these proteins was androgen-dependent, expression of the androgen receptor was silenced via small interfering RNA. Consistent with the proteomic data, abrogation of androgen receptor production in H-81 cells resulted in the reversed expression level into L-33 cells compared with non-treated H-81 LNCaP cells. The results clarify the progression into an androgen-independent phenotype.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.743-748
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• 2016

Background: $K^-Ras$ activation is an early event in colorectal carcinogenesis and associated mutations have been reported in about 40% of colorectal cancer patients. These mutations have always been responsible for enhancing malignancy and silencing them is associated with attenuation of tumorigenicity. Among downstream effectors are the RAF/MEK/ERK and the PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. PI3K/Akt signaling leads to reduction of apoptosis, stimulated cell growth and enhanced proliferation. Ellagic acid (EA), a naturally occurring antioxidant, has recently emerged as a promising anti-cancer agent. Purpose: To evaluate the impact of cellular genetic makeup of two colon cancer cell lines with different genetic backgrounds, HCT-116 ($K^-Ras^-/p53^+$) and Caco-2 ($K^-Ras^+/p53^-$), on response to potential anti-tumour effects of EA. In addition, the influence of $K^-Ras$ silencing in HCT-116 cells was investigated. Materials and Methods: Cellular proliferation, morphology and cell cycle analysis were carried out in addition to Western blotting for detecting total Akt and p-Akt (at Thr308 and Ser473) in the presence and absence of different concentrations of EA. Cell proliferation was also assessed in cells transfected with different concentrations of $K^-Ras$ siRNA or incubated with ellagic acid following transfection. Results: The results of the present study revealed that EA exerts anti-proliferative and dose-dependent pro-apoptotic effects. Cytostatic and cytotoxic effects were also observed. p-Akt (at Thr308 and Ser473) was downregulated. Moreover, EA treatment was found to (i) reduce $K^-Ras$ protein expression; (ii) in cells transfected with siRNA and co-treated with EA, pronounced anti-proliferative effects as well as depletion of p-Akt (at Thr308) were detected. Conclusions: Cellular genetic makeup ($K^-Ras^-/p53^-$) was not likely to impose limitations on targeting EA in treatment of colon cancer. EA had a multi-disciplinary pro-apoptotic anti-proliferative approach, having inhibited Akt phosphorylation, induced cell cycle arrest and showed an anti-proliferative potential in HCT-116 cells (expressing mutant $K^-Ras$).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2017.06a
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• pp.174-174
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• 2017

To cope with phosphate (Pi) deficient stress, plants modulate various physiological and developmental processes, such as gene expression, Pi uptake and translocation, and root architecture changes. Here, we report the identification and characterization of novel activation-tagged mutant involved in Pi starvation signaling in Arabidopsis. The hpd (${\underline{h}ypersensitive}$ to ${\underline{P}i}$ $ {\underline{d}eficiency}$) mutant exhibits enhanced phosphate uptake and altered root architectural change under Pi starvation compared to wild type. Expression analysis of auxin-responsive DR5::GUS reporter gene in hpd mutant indicated that auxin translocation in roots under Pi starvation are suppressed in hpd mutant plants. Impaired auxin translocation in roots of hpd mutant was attributable to abnormal root architecture changes in Pi starvation conditions. Our results indicated that abnormal auxin translocation in hpd mutant might be due to mis-regulation of auxin efflux carrier proteins, PIN-FORMED (PIN) 1, and 2 under Pi starvation conditions. Not only expression levels but also expression domains of PIN proteins were altered in hpd mutant in response to Pi starvation. Molecular genetic analysis of hpd mutant revealed that the mutant phenotype is caused by the lesion in ENHANCED SILENCING PHENOTYPE4 (ESP4) gene whose function is proposed in mRNA 3'-end processing. The results suggest that mRNA processing plays crucial roles in Pi homeostasis as well as developmental reprograming in response to Pi deprivation in Arabidopsis.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.254-260
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• 2014

Potato Rpi-blb2 encodes a protein with a coiled-coil-nucleotide binding site and leucine-rich repeat (CC-NBSLRR) motif that recognizes the Phytophthora infestans AVRblb2 effector and triggers hypersensitive cell death (HCD). To better understand the components required for Rpi-blb2-mediated HCD in plants, we used virus-induced gene silencing to repress candidate genes in Rpi-blb2-transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants and assayed the plants for AVRblb2 effector. Rpi-blb2 triggers HCD through NbSGT1-mediated pathways, but not NbEDS1- or NbNDR1-mediated pathways. In addition, the role of salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET) in Rpi-blb2-mediated HCD were analyzed by monitoring of the responses of NbICS1-, NbCOI1-, or NbEIN2-silenced or Rpi-blb2::NahG-transgenic plants. Rpi-blb2-mediated HCD in response to AVRblb2 was not associated with SA accumulation. Thus, SA affects Rpi-blb2-mediated resistance against P. infestans, but not Rpi-blb2-mediated HCD in response to AVRblb2. Additionally, JA and ET signaling were not required for Rpi-blb2-mediated HCD in N. benthamiana. Taken together, these findings suggest that NbSGT1 is a unique positive regulator of Rpi-blb2-mediated HCD in response to AVRblb2, but EDS1, NDR1, SA, JA, and ET are not required.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.371-379
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• 2016

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), a major mode of extracellular calcium entry, plays roles in a variety of cell activities. Accumulating evidence indicates that the intracellular calcium ion concentration and calcium signaling are critical for the responses induced by oxidative stress. The present study was designed to investigate the potential effect of SOCE inhibition on $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which are the predominant cells involved in endothelial repair. The results showed that $H_2O_2$-induced EPC apoptosis was reversed by SOCE inhibition induced either using the SOCE antagonist ML-9 or via silencing of stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1), a component of SOCE. Furthermore, SOCE inhibition repressed the increases in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and ameliorated the mitochondrial dysfunction caused by $H_2O_2$. Our findings provide evidence that SOCE inhibition exerts a protective effect on EPCs in response to oxidative stress induced by $H_2O_2$ and may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy against vascular endothelial injury.