• Molecules and Cells
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• 제41권9호
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• pp.868-880
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• 2018

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most aggressive cancers presenting with high rates of invasion and metastasis, and unfavorable prognoses. The current study aims to investigate whether EZH2/miR-139-5p axis affects epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) in PC, and the mechanism how EZH2 regulates miR-139-5p. Human PC and adjacent normal tissues were collected to determine expression of EZH2 and miR-139-5p, and their relationship with clinicopathological features of PC. Human PC cell line was selected, and treated with miR-139-5p mimics/inhibitors, EZH2 vector or shEZH2 in order to validate the regulation of EZH2-mediated miR-139-5p in PC cells. Dual-luciferase report gene assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were employed to identify the relationship between miR-139-5p and EZH2. RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis were conducted to determine the expression of miR-139-5p, EZH2 and EMT-related markers and ZEB1/2. Tumor formation ability and in vitro cell activity were also analyzed. Highly-expressed EZH2 and poorly-expressed miR-139-5p were detected in PC tissues, and miR-139-5p and EZH2 expressions were associated with patients at Stage III/IV, with LNM and highly-differentiated tumors. EZH2 suppressed the expression of miR-139-5p through up-regulating Histone 3 Lysine 27 Trimethylation (H3K27me3). EMT, cell proliferation, migration and invasion were impeded, and tumor formation and LNM were reduced in PC cells transfected with miR-139-5p mimics and shEZH2. MiR-139-5p transcription is inhibited by EZH2 through up-regulating H3K27me3, thereby down-regulation of EZH2 and up-regulation of miR-139-5p impede EMT and LNM in PC. In addition, the EZH2/miR-139-5p axis presents as a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PC.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.25-30
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• 2006

목적: EphB2 수용체는 티로신 키나제 수용체 군에 속하면서 Wnt 신호 전달계의 대상 유전자로 세포의 성장 및 이동을 조절함으로써 종양의 발생과 진행을 억제한다. 연구자들은 한국인 위암에서 EphB2 단백의 발현 변화가 위암의 발생 및 진행에 관여하는지와 위암의 병리 지표들과의 연관성을 알아보고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: 83예의 파라핀 포매된 위암조직에서 암세포들을 각각 3군데에서 펀치하여 새로운 파라핀 블록으로 옳겨 위암의 고집적 tissue microarray를 제작하였다. Tissue microarray 절편에서 EphB2 단백에 대한 항체로 면역조직화 학염색을 실시한 후 그 발현 양상을 병리 지표들인 조직학적 분류, 침습 정도, 림프절 전이 및 복막 파종과의 연관성을 조사하였다. 결과: EphB2 단백은 정상 위 점막 상피세포의 세포막과 세포질에서 발현되고 있었고 조사된 83예의 위암 중 30예 (36.1%)에서 발현이 소실되었다. 흥미롭게도 EphB2 단백의 발현 소실은 위암의 림프절 전이와 통계적으로 연관성이 있었으나 조직학적 분류, 침습 정도 및 복막 파종과는 연관성이 없었다. 결론: 이러한 소견들은 EphB2 수용체 단백의 발현 소실이 위암의 발생 및 진행에 있어 중요한 과정 중의 하나임을 의미한다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권9호
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• pp.658-669
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• 2021

Enhancers have been conventionally perceived as cis-acting elements that provide binding sites for trans-acting factors. However, recent studies have shown that enhancers are transcribed and that these transcripts, called enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), have a regulatory function. Here, we identified putative eRNAs by profiling and determining the overlap between noncoding RNA expression loci and eRNA-associated histone marks such as H3K27ac and H3K4me1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. Of the 132 HCC-derived noncoding RNAs, 74 overlapped with the eRNA loci defined by the FANTOM consortium, and 65 were located in the proximal regions of genes differentially expressed between normal and tumor tissues in TCGA dataset. Interestingly, knockdown of two selected putative eRNAs, THUMPD3-AS1 and LINC01572, led to downregulation of their target mRNAs and to a reduction in the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. Additionally, the expression of these two noncoding RNAs and target mRNAs was elevated in tumor samples in the TCGA dataset, and high expression was associated with poor survival of patients. Collectively, our study suggests that noncoding RNAs such as THUMPD3-AS1 and LINC01572 (i.e., putative eRNAs) can promote the transcription of genes involved in cell proliferation and differentiation and that the dysregulation of these noncoding RNAs can cause cancers such as HCC.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.164-171
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• 2019

기존에는 방사선 요법은 효과에 비해 소화기 점막 궤양 등 부작용이 많다. 본 연구는 방사선의 작용을 모사하는 방사선 모사 미생물 유래 리보솜 스트레스 반응을 이용하여 방사선 치료의 한계를 대체할 기전적 방법을 모색하고자 한다. 암 치료의 평가를 위해서 대장암의 비균질적인 세포구성, 종양줄기세포 및 주위 미세환경 및 배양 기질 등의 상호작용을 고려할 수 있는 소화기암 스페로이드를 이용하였다. 대조군 대장암 스페로이드에 비해서 리보솜 스트레스하에서는 스페로이드 구조가 상대적으로 큰 군집을 형성하였다. 하지만 이는 구조 자체가 매우 섬긴 세포간 구성을 가진 스페로이드였으며 스페로이드 형성과정의 크기 수축은 대조군에 비해 매우 느리게 나타났다. 대조군은 강하게 뭉친 소규모 클러스트의 집합체가 최종적으로 스페로이드를 형성하여 물리적 손상을 받아도 단단한 소규모 클러스트는 유지되나 리보솜 스트레스 하에서는 물리적 손상에 의해 형태가 파손 후에는 스페로이드 형성이 거의 일어나지 않았다. 기전적으로 리보솜 스트레스 하에서 암세포의 군집하는 이동속도는 매우 느렸으며, 뭉치더라도 세포-세포간 접합부위가 상대적으로 적었다. 이 대장암 스페로이드를 이종 및 동종 이식을 통해 동물에서 증식 시 종양 조직 형성이 매우 억제되었으며, 형성이 되어도 세포-세포간 접합에 핵심단백질인 E-cadherin의 발현이 매우 감소 됨을 알 수 있었다. 결론적으로 방사선 모사 미생물 유래 리보솜 스트레스는 종양 스페로이드 세포 이동 및 접합을 저해하여 3차원 구조 형성 결함을 유발하였으며, 향후 방사선을 대체하여 약물적으로 방사선 항암효과를 구현하는 기반을 제공한다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제30권12호
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• pp.1070-1077
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• 2020

암세포에 항암제를 처리하게 되면, 세포증식, 이동성 또는 약물 내성과 관련된 많은 유전자들의 발현 변화가 발생하며, 유전자 발현 변화는 상호간의 조절 네트워크에 의해 밀접하게 연결될 수도 있다고 추측된다. 본 연구에서 p53 유전자 유무가 다른 A549와 H1299 인간 폐암세포에 독소루비신을 처리하면, 원종양유전자인 FosB의 발현은 증가하지만, 원종양유전자인 SETDB1의 발현은 감소하지만, 단백질 발현의 양적인 차이가 발생한다는 사실을 알 수 있었다. TF motif binding 분석 프로그램을 이용하여 SETDB1과 FosB 프로모터지역에서의 p53단백질의 결합가능성을 분석한 결과, SETDB1의 경우 18부위, FosB의 경우 21 부위의 p53 결합부위를 예측할 수 있었다. SETDB1과 FosB 프로모터의 subcloning하여 luciferase 분석을 수행한 결과, p53은 SETDB1과 FosB을 음성적으로 조절한다는 사실을 알 수 있었다. 또한, H1299 세포에 p53의 과발현은 SETDB1 과 FosB의 발현을 감소시킬 수 있음을 RT-PCR, western blot, qPCR, 면역염색 실험을 통해 확인하였다. 이러한 결과를 종합하여 본다면, p53에 의한 SETDB1과 FosB 유전자 발현 조절은 항암제 처리과정에서 나타나는 암세포의 사멸과 생존에 대한 기능적 조절 네트워크로 사료된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.26-37
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• 2021

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) cause cellular hyperproliferation-associated abnormalities including cervical cancer. The HPV genome encodes two major viral oncoproteins, E6 and E7, which recruit various host proteins by direct interaction for proteasomal degradation. Recently, we reported the structure of HPV18 E7 conserved region 3 (CR3) bound to the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) domain of PTPN14, a well-defined tumor suppressor, and found that this intermolecular interaction plays a key role in E7-driven transformation and tumorigenesis. In this study, we carried out a molecular analysis of the interaction between CR3 of HPV18 E7 and the PTP domain of PTPN21, a PTP protein that shares high sequence homology with PTPN14 but is putatively oncogenic rather than tumor-suppressive. Through the combined use of biochemical tools, we verified that HPV18 E7 and PTPN21 form a 2:2 complex, with a dissociation constant of 5 nM and a nearly identical binding manner with the HPV18 E7 and PTPN14 complex. Nevertheless, despite the structural similarities, the biological consequences of the E7 interaction were found to differ between the two PTP proteins. Unlike PTPN14, PTPN21 did not appear to be subjected to proteasomal degradation in HPV18-positive HeLa cervical cancer cells. Moreover, knockdown of PTPN21 led to retardation of the migration/invasion of HeLa cells and HPV18 E7-expressing HaCaT keratinocytes, which reflects its protumor activity. In conclusion, the associations of the viral oncoprotein E7 with PTPN14 and PTPN21 are similar at the molecular level but play different physiological roles.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.274-283
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• 2022

KRAS activating mutations, which are present in more than 90% of pancreatic cancers, drive tumor dependency on the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathways. Therefore, combined targeting of RAS/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways may be required for optimal therapeutic effect in pancreatic cancer. However, the therapeutic efficacy of combined MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling target inhibitors is unsatisfactory in pancreatic cancer treatment, because it is often accompanied by MAPK pathway reactivation by PI3K/AKT inhibitor. Therefore, we developed an inRas37 antibody, which directly targets the intra-cellularly activated GTP-bound form of oncogenic RAS mutation and investigated its synergistic effect in the presence of the PI3K inhibitor BEZ-235 in pancreatic cancer. In this study, inRas37 remarkably increased the drug response of BEZ-235 to pancreatic cancer cells by inhibiting MAPK reactivation. Moreover, the co-treatment synergistically inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and exhibited synergistic anticancer activity by inhibiting the MAPK and PI3K pathways. The combined administration of inRas37and BEZ-235 significantly inhibited tumor growth in mouse models. Our results demonstrated that inRas37 synergistically increased the antitumor activity of BEZ-235 by inhibiting MAPK reactivation, suggesting that inRas37 and BEZ-235 co-treatment could be a potential treatment approach for pancreatic cancer patients with KRAS mutations.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제12권6호
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• pp.639-652
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• 2022

The prolyl 3-hydroxylase family member 4 (P3H4), is associated with post-translational modification of fibrillar collagens and aberrantly activated in cancer leading to tumor progression. However, its role in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is still unknown. Here we reported that P3H4 was highly expressed in renal cancer tissues and significantly positive correlated with poor prognosis. Knockdown of P3H4 inhibited the proliferation, migration and metastasis of renal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, and also, overexpression of it enhanced the oncogenic process. Mechanistically, P3H4 depletion decreased the levels of GDF15-MMP9 axis and repressed its downstream signaling. Further functional studies revealed that inhibition of GDF15 suppressed renal cancer cell growth and GDF15 recombinant human protein (rhGDF15) supplementation effectively rescued the inhibitory effect induced by P3H4 knockdown. Moreover, decreased levels of MMP9 caused by inhibition of P3H4-GDF15 signaling constrained the expression of PD-L1 and suppression of P3H4 accordingly promoted anti-tumor immunity via stimulating the infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in syngeneic mice model. Taken together, our findings firstly demonstrated that P3H4 promotes ccRCC progression by activating GDF15-MMP9-PD-L1 axis and targeting P3H4-GDF15-MMP9 signaling pathway can be a novel strategy of controlling ccRCC malignancy.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.139-144
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• 2005

Bioflavone quercetin is believed to play an important role preventing bone loss by affecting osteoclastogenesis and regulating many systemic and local factors including hormones and cytokines. This study examined how quercetin acts on tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$)-mediated apoptosis in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. Apoptosis assays revealed the dose-dependent acceleration of quercetin on $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ apoptosis in MC3T3-E1 cells, which was demonstrated by the increased number of positively stained cells in the trypan blue staining and TUNEL assay, and the migration of many cells to the $sub-G_0/G_1$ phase in flow cytometric analysis. In particular, quercetin treatment alone increased the expression of p53 and p21 proteins in the cells. Consequently, this study showed that quercetin accelerates the $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ apoptosis in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.183-189
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• 2003

Platycodi Radix, the root of Platycodon grandiflorum, commonly known as Doraji, is used as a traditional oriental medicine. Extracts from the roots of P. grandiflorum have been reported to have wide ranging health benefits. We investigated the effects of an aqueous extract from the roots of P. grandiflorum (AEPG) on the cell proliferation of human lung carcinoma A549 cells in order to understand its anti-proliferative mechanism. AEPG treatment resulted in the inhibition of cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. This anti-proliferative effect of A549 cells by AEPG treatment was associated with morphological changes such as membrane shrinking, cell rounding up and inhibition of cell migration. DNA flow cytometric histograms showed that populations of both Sand G2/M phase of the cell cycle were increased by AEPG treatment in a concentration-dependent manner. AEPG treatment induced a marked accumulation of tumor suppressor p53 and a concomitant induction of cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p21 and p27. In addition, SSS treatment resulted in down-regulation of Cdk2 and Cdk4 expression. The present results indicated that AEPG-induced inhibition of lung cancer cell proliferation is associated with the blockage of S to G2/M phase progression the induction of apoptosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that P. grandiflorum has strong potential for development as an agent for prevention against human lung cancer.