• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 2011

The amphetamine derivative 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a potent monoaminergic neurotoxin with the potential to cause serotonergic neurotoxicity, but has become a popular recreational drug. Little has been known about the cellular effects induced by MDMA. This report shows that MDMA inhibits neuronal cell growth and differentiation. MDMA suppressed neuronal cell growth. The results of quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that Egr-1 expression is elevated in mouse embryo and neuroblastoma cells after MDMA treatment. Transiently transfected Egr-1 interfered with the neuronal differentiation of neuroblastoma cells such as SH-SY5Y and PC12 cells. These findings provide evidence that the abuse of MDMA during pregnancy may impair neuronal development via an induction of Egr-1 over-expression.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9131-9136
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• 2014

ELDF15, homologous with AT2 receptor-interaction protein 1 (ATIP1), may play an important role in cell differentiation, proliferation, and carcinogenesis. We aimed to understand the biological function of ELDF15 via construction and transfection of a recombinant expression vector containing antisense ELDF15. Recombinant expression vectors were successfully constructed and transfected into K562 cells. A stable transfectant, known as pXJ41-asELDF15, stably produced antisense ELDF15. Compared with K562 and K562-zeo cells, K562-pXJ41-asELDF15 cells showed inhibition of cell proliferation. RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression and protein level of ELDF15 decreased significantly in K562 cells transfected with pXJ41-asELDF15. Expression of hemoglobin increased in K562 cells transfected with pXJ41-asELDF15 by benzidine staining. increases NBT reduction activity in K562 cells transfected with pXJ41-asELDF15.Colony forming efficiency in two-layer soft agar was clearly inhibited as assessed by electron microscopy. These results suggest that ELDF15 plays a potential role in cell differentiation, proliferation and carcinogenesis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.772-782
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• 2020

Skeletal muscle differentiation or myogenesis is important to maintain muscle mass and metabolic homeostasis. Muscle-specific microRNAs (miRNAs) are known to play a critical role in skeletal myogenic differentiation. In this study, we examined the expression profiling of miRNAs during myogenic differentiation in rat L6 myoblasts using rat miRNA microarrays. We identified the upregulated expression of miR-128 as well as several well-known myogenic miRNAs, including miR-1, miR-133b, and miR-206. We additionally confirmed the increased expression of miR-128 observed on microarray through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), which showed similarly upregulated expression of both primary miR-128 and mature miR-128, consistent with the microarray findings. Furthermore, transfection of miR-128 into rat L6 myoblasts induced gene expression of myogenic markers such as muscle creatine kinase (MCK), myogenin, and myosin heavy chain (MHC). Protein expression of MHC was increased as well. Inhibition of miR-128 by inhibitory peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) blocked the expression of those myogenic markers. In addition, the transfection of miR-128 into rat L6 myoblasts enhanced the phosphorylation of Erk and Akt proteins stimulated by insulin, while simultaneously reversing the inhibited phosphorylation of Erk and Akt due to insulin resistance. These findings suggest that miR-128 may play important roles in myogenic differentiation and insulin signaling.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2022

Macrophages are a major cellular component of innate immunity and are mainly known to have phagocytic activity. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), they can be differentiated into tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). As the most abundant immune cells in the TME, TAMs promote tumor progression by enhancing angiogenesis, suppressing T cells and increasing immunosuppressive cytokine production. N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is a tumor suppressor gene, whose expression is down-regulated in various cancers. However, the effect of NDRG2 on the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs in breast cancer remains elusive. In this study, we investigated the effect of NDRG2 expression in breast cancer cells on the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs. Compared to tumor cell-conditioned medium (TCCM) from 4T1-mock cells, TCCM from NDRG2-over-expressing 4T1 mouse breast cancer cells did not significantly change the morphology of RAW 264.7 cells. However, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the mRNA levels of TAM-related genes, including MR1, IL-10, ARG1 and iNOS, in RAW 264.7 cells. In addition, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the expression of TAM-related surface markers, such as CD206, in peritoneal macrophages (PEM). The mRNA expression of TAM-related genes, including IL-10, YM1, FIZZ1, MR1, ARG1 and iNOS, was also downregulated by TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells. Remarkably, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells reduced the expression of PD-L1 and Fra-1 as well as the production of GM-CSF, IL-10 and ROS, leading to the attenuation of T cell-inhibitory activity of PEM. These data showed that compared with TCCM from 4T1-mock cells, TCCM from 4T1-NDRG2 cells suppressed the TAM differentiation and activation. Collectively, these results suggest that NDRG2 expression in breast cancer may reduce the differentiation of macrophages into TAMs in the TME.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.446-453
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• 1990

In order to investigate the retinoic acid indticed-differentiation of F9 teratocarcinoma stem cell, we have analyzed the change of cell morphology and laminin expression after exposure to retinoic add and cyclic AMP. It is shown that undifferentiated F9 stem cells grow as closely packed colonies, and it is difficult to distinguish cell-cell boundaries. After retinoic add and dibutyryl cyclic AMP treatment, F9 cells assume a flat morphology characterized by perinuclear granules and arrest growth. According to Northern blot analysis, laminin expression was increased markedly after retinoic acid treatment. Laminin Bi gene expression was increased at least 30-fold and laminin B2 gene expression was increased approximately 20-fold during differentiation process. Employing immunofluoresence analysis, it was proved that the synthesis of laminin protein was low level in F9 stem cell whereas it became high level in retinoic acid treated F9 cell and the laminin protein was largely accumulated in the cell surface. Our results suggest that induction of laminin Bi and B2 genes m F9 cells is retinoic acid-mediated control, and morphological change and differentiation of F9 cells might be associated with laminin gene expression.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.963-975
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• 2022

Exogenous polyamines are able to induce life span and improve glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. However, the effects of exogenous polyamines on adipocyte differentiation and which polyamine transporters mediate them have not been elucidated yet. Here, we identified for the first time that exogenous polyamines can clearly stimulate adipocyte differentiation through polyamine transporters, solute carrier family 3 member A2 (SLC3A2) and SLC7A1. Exogenous polyamines markedly promote 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation by increasing the intracellular lipid accumulation and the expression of both adipogenic and lipogenic genes in a concentration-dependent manner. In particular, exogenous putrescine mainly regulates adipocyte differentiation in the early and intermediate stages. Moreover, we have assessed the expression of polyamine transporter genes in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and adipocytes. Interestingly, the putrescine-induced adipocyte differentiation was found to be significantly suppressed in response to a treatment with a polyamine transporter inhibitor (AMXT-1501). Furthermore, knockdown experiments using siRNA that specifically targeted SLC3A2 or SLC7A2, revealed that both SLC3A2 and SLC7A2 act as important transporters in the cellular importing of exogenous putrescine. Thus, the exogenous putrescine entering the adipocytes via cellular transporters is involved in adipogenesis through a modulation of both the mitotic clonal expansion and the expression of master transcription factors. Taken together, these results suggest that exogenous polyamines (such as putrescine) entering the adipocytes through polyamine transporters, can stimulate adipogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2001

Background and Objectives： Heat shock protein(HSP) 27 is a member of the small HSP family that plays a part in the epithelial cell growth and differentiation, wound healing. apoptosis and cell protection against inflammatory cytotoxic mediators. The expression of HSP27 was investigated in normal laryngeal tissue and squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. Materials and Methods : We studied expression of HSP27 by Western blot on 20 patients of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Results： HSP27 expressed in all normal and cancer tissues. In 9 cases(45%), expression of HSP27 more prominent in cancer tissue. Statistically, there were no significant difference in the expression of HSP27 in normal and cancer tissue, clinical stage and tumor differentiation. Conclusion 45% of cancer tissues was more prominent than normal tissue. But further studies on expression of HSP27 in laryngeal cancer and relationship with clinical parameter should be done.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.4-11
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• 2020

Objective: Puerarin has the potential of regulating the differentiation of preadipocytes, but its mechanism of action has not yet been elucidated. Adipocytes found in adipose tissue, the main endocrine organ, are the main sites of lipid deposition, and are widely used as a cell model in the study of in vitro fat deposition. This study aimed to investigate the effects of puerarin on adipogenesis in vitro. Methods: Puerarin was added to the culture medium during the process of adipogenesis. The proliferation and differentiation of bovine preadipocytes was measured through cell viability and staining with oil red O. The content of triacylglycerol was measured using a triglyceride assay kit. The mRNA and protein expression levels of adipogenic genes, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α, were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. Results: The addition of puerarin significantly increased adipogenesis of bovine preadipocytes and enhanced the mRNA and protein level expression of PPARγ (p<0.01). The expression of P-Akt increased after adipogenic hormonal induction, whereas puerarin significantly increased PPARγ expression by promoting the Akt signaling component, P-Akt. The mechanism of adipogenesis was found to be related to the phosphorylation level of Ser473, which may activate the downstream signaling of the Akt pathway. Conclusion: Puerarin was able to promote the differentiation of preadipocytes and improve fat deposition in cattle. The mechanism of adipogenesis was found to be related to the phosphorylation level of Ser473.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.891-895
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• 2008

Natural substances have recently received much attention as therapeutic drugs to prevent many diseases in humans because they avoid the many side effects of treatment with chemical compounds. We examined the effect of water extract of deer antler in RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation. The effects of water extract of deer antler in osteoclast differentiation were determined by culture of bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). The mRNA expression levels of c-Fos, NFATc1, TRAP, and GAPDH in BMMs were analyzed by RT-PCR. Cell lysates were obtained from the treated cells, the expression levels of c-Fos and NFATc1 were determined by western blotting with antibodies for c-Fos and NFATc1. Water extract of deer antler greatly inhibited RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation in osteoclast precursors without cytotoxicity. Water extract of deer antler inhibited the expression of c-Fos and NFATc1 in BMMs treated with RANKL. Our findings suggest that water extract of deer antler inhibited osteoclast differentiation by suppressing c-Fos and NFATc1 expression in response to RANKL. These results demonstrate that water extract of deer antler may be a useful the treatment of bone-related disease such as osteoporosis.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.239-246
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• 2017

27-Hydroxycholesterol (27OHChol) has been reported to induce differentiation of monocytic cells into a mature dendritic cell phenotype. We examined the effect of methanol extract of Nardostachys chinensis (Nard) on 27OHChol-induced differentiation using THP-1, a human monocytic cell line. Treatment of monocytic cells with methanol extract of Nard resulted in decreased transcription and surface expression of CD80, CD83, and CD88 elevated by 27OHChol in a dose-dependent manner. Surface levels of MHC class I and II molecules elevated by 27OHChol were also reduced to basal levels by treatment with the Nard extract. Decreased endocytosis activity caused by 27OHChol was recovered by treatment with the Nard extract. CD197 expression and cell attachment were attenuated by the Nard extract. In addition, levels of transcription and surface expression of CD molecules involved in atherosclerosis, such as CD105, CD137, and CD166 upregulated by 27OHChol were significantly decreased by treatment with methanol extract of Nard. These results indicate that methanol extract of Nard down-regulates 27OHChol-induced differentiation of monocytic cells into a mature dendritic cell phenotype and expression of CD molecules associated with atherosclerosis. The current study suggests that biological activity of oxygenated cholesterol derivatives can be inhibited by herbal medication.