• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.970-977
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• 2013

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an essential role in embryogenesis and is involved in tumor metastasis and invasion; it significantly contributes to tumor progression and aggressiveness. The EMT is characterized by a loss of epithelial cell polarity as a result of the reduced expression of epithelial E-cadherin, a hallmark of the EMT, and the acquisition of mesenchymal-like cell morphology. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as $O_2{^-}$, $H_2O_2$, and $OH^-$ have been demonstrated to induce the EMT; although Snail is involved in ROS-induced EMT by transcriptionally repressing E-cadherin, its mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, we examined the effects of early growth response 1 (Egr-1) overexpression in noninvasive breast tumor cell line MCF-7 cells. Upon Egr-1 overexpression, MCF-7 cells lost epithelial cell polarity and became more spindle-shaped, indicating that Egr-1 may induce EMT. We found that Snail is implicated in Egr-1 induced EMT. We further demonstrate that the Egr-1-Snail axis is activated by ROS and plays a critical role(s) in ROS-induced EMT.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.269-280
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• 2023

Background and Objectives: The colonic epithelial layer is a complex structure consisting of multiple cell types that regulate various aspects of colonic physiology, yet the mechanisms underlying epithelial cell differentiation during development remain unclear. Organoids have emerged as a promising model for investigating organogenesis, but achieving organ-like cell configurations within colonic organoids is challenging. Here, we investigated the biological significance of peripheral neurons in the formation of colonic organoids. Methods and Results: Colonic organoids were co-cultured with human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived peripheral neurons, resulting in the morphological maturation of columnar epithelial cells, as well as the presence of enterochromaffin cells. Substance P released from immature peripheral neurons played a critical role in the development of colonic epithelial cells. These findings highlight the vital role of inter-organ interactions in organoid development and provide insights into colonic epithelial cell differentiation mechanisms. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the peripheral nervous system may have a significant role in the development of colonic epithelial cells, which could have important implications for future studies of organogenesis and disease modeling.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.479-489
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• 1999

Invasion of enteric bacteria, such as Salmonella and invasive E. coli, into intestinal epithelial cells induces proinflammatory gene responses and finally epithelial cell apoptosis. In this study, we asked whether invasive bacterial infection of human intestinal epithelial cells could upregulate cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression and whether increased COX-2 expression could influence intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis. Expression of COX-2 mRNA and prostaglandin (PG) $E_2$ production were upregulated in HT-29 colon epithelial cells which were infected with S. dublin or invasive E. coli, as examined by quantitative RT-PCR and radioimmunoassay. Inhibition of COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ production using NS-398, a specific COX-2 inhibitor, showed a significant increase of epithelial cell apoptosis and caspase-3 activation in HT-29 cells infected with invasive bacteria. However, the addition of valerylsalicylate, a specific COX-1 inhibitor, did not change apoptosis in S. dublin-infected HT-29 cells. These results suggest that up regulated COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ production in response to invasive bacterial infection could contribute to host defense by inhibiting apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2016

An in vitro assay following culture of endometrial epithelial cells is essential for understanding epithelial cell function in reproduction. Several diverse techniques have been developed for isolating endometrial epithelial cells, although an optimal technique has not been identified. In this study, we describe a sedimentation-adherence (S-A) isolation technique with a high-yield cell-separating ability to isolate endometrial epithelial cells from 8-week-old female C57BL/6 mice. We analyzed total cell number, viability, morphology, and expression of cytokeratin 18 as an endometrial epithelial cell-specific marker in cells isolated using a mechanical method compared to the S-A technique. There were no significant differences in the total number, viability, or morphology of the putative endometrial epithelial cells with either method. In contrast, significantly more endometrial epithelial cells harvested using the S-A method were positively stained for cytokeratin 18 than those isolated using the mechanical method. These results confirm that the S-A method is more efficient for retrieving endometrial epithelial cells than a mechanical method.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.46-62
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• 1991

The intermediate filament is one of the most important constituents of the intracytoplasmic cytoskeleton microtubule, actin, myosin and intermediate filament. It is composed of keratin, desmin, vimentin, neurofilament and glial filament, and has important role as a cellular marker, epithelial or mesenchymal origin. So it will be important to differentiated from some poorly or undifferentiated neoplasm to provide adequate therapeutic modalities. This study was performed by using immunohistochemical staining and electron microscopic observation to find out intermediate filaments of epithelial and non-epithelial tumor cells evaluate the degree of differentiation in tumors and therefore to provide some diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. The materials consisted of 83 epithelial and non-epithelial elements bearing 23 normal control, 28 epithelial tumors, and 32 non-epithelial tumors, that are resected for definite treatment at Chosun University Hospital from June, 1988 to June, 1990. Immunohistochemical stain for keratin, desmin and vimentin, and electron microscopic study were performed in all cases. The results obtained were as follows. 1. Immunohistochemical stain for intermediate filament were very useful diagnostic aid for differentiated epithelial tumor to non-epithelial tumor in diagnostic neoplasia. 2. In the electron microscopic finding, the size of intermediate filaments were possible differentiated to cell components of epithelial tumor and non-epithelial tumors.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.92-98
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• 2000

Mesangial cell has several key roles in thee control of glomerular function: it partocipates in the regulation of glomerular filtration rate, macromolecular clearance, and as both a source and target of numerous hormones and autocrines. Many of these insights into mesangial cell function have been obtained by studying mesangial cells in culture. However, no suitble cell lines have established yet. We here reported the immortalization of rat kidney glomeruar mesangial cell by transfection of E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) via electroporation and lipofection. The reslts showed that only electroporation could transfect the genes to mesangial cells and the transfected cells maintained the viability for longer than 6 months. Fluorescence microscopic observation showed that cellular contractility and phagocytosis, which are the two main phenotypes of mesangial cells with rat glomerular epithelial cells showed that the growth of mesangial dells was suppressed by epithelial cell, but the growth of epithelisl cells was enhanced by mesangial cells. Moreover, Such results may imply that the glomerular cell-cell interaction plays an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.441-446
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• 2005

The molecular mechanism of ischemia/reperfusion injury remains unclear. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in cell death caused by ischemia/reperfusion in vivo or hypoxia in vitro. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation has been reported to be involved in hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death in renal epithelial cells. This study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the role of P ARP activation in chemical hypoxia in opossum kidney (OK) cells. Chemical hypoxia was induced by incubating cells with antimycin A, an inhibitor of mitochondrial electron transport. Exposure of OK cells to chemical hypoxia resulted in a time-dependent cell death. In OK cells subjected to chemical hypoxia, the generation of ROS was increased, and this increase was prevented by the $H_2O_2$ scavenger catalase. Chemical hypoxia increased P ARP activity and chemical hypoxia-induced cell death was prevented by the inhibitor of PARP activation 3-aminobenzamide. Catalase prevented OK cell death induced by chemical hypoxia. $H_2O_2$ caused PARP activation and $H_2O_2-induced$ cell death was prevented by 3-aminobenzamide. Taken together, these results indicate that chemical hypoxia-induced cell injury is mediated by PARP activation through H202 generation in renal epithelial cells.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.193-199
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• 2015

Degenerative retinal diseases affect millions of people worldwide, which can lead to the loss of vision. However, therapeutic approaches that can reverse this process are limited. Recent efforts have allowed the possibility of the stem cell-based regeneration of retinal cells and repair of injured retinal tissues. Although the direct differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into terminally differentiated photoreceptor cells comprises one approach, a series of studies revealed the intrinsic regenerative potential of the retina using endogenous retinal stem cells. Muller glial cells, ciliary pigment epithelial cells, and retinal pigment epithelial cells are candidates for such retinal stem cells that can differentiate into multiple types of retinal cells and be integrated into injured or developing retina. In this review, we explore our current understanding of the cellular identity of these candidate retinal stem cells and their therapeutic potential for cell therapy against degenerative retinal diseases. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(4): 193-199]

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.143-144
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2012

The present study showed that Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-${\beta}_1$) can induce apoptosis of bovine mammary epithelial cells. This apoptosis was also observed with phosphorylation of Smad2/3 within 0.5-2 h. Afterwards the signal transferred into the nucleus. Moreover, intracellular free $Ca^{2+}$ concentration was significantly elevated as well as Caspase-3 activated and DNA lysised, thereby inducing the programmed cell death. This signaling pathway of TGF-${\beta}_1$ was blocked by SB-431542 ($10^{-2}{\mu}M$) via inhibiting ALK-5 kinase activity, which thus reversed the anti-proliferation and apoptosis effect of TGF-${\beta}_1$ in mammary epithelial cells. These results indicated that TGF-${\beta}_1$ induced apoptosis of bovine mammary epithelial cells through the ALK-5-Smad2/3 pathway, which plays an important role in inhibiting survival of mammary epithelial cells. Moreover, intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ also played a critical role in TGF-${\beta}_1$-induced cell apoptosis.