• Journal of Advanced Information Technology and Convergence
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.103-113
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• 2019

Motivation: Polymerized actin-based cytoskeletal structures are crucial in shape, dynamics, and resilience of a cell. For example, dynamical actin-containing ruffles are located at leading edges of cells and have a significant impact on cell motility. Other filamentous actin (F-actin) bundles, called stress fibers, are essential in cell attachment and detachment. For this reason, their mechanistic understanding provides crucial information to solve practical problems related to cell interactions with materials in tissue engineering. Detecting and counting actin-based structures in a cellular ensemble is a fundamental first step. In this research, we suggest a new method to characterize F-actin wrapping fibers from confocal fluorescence image stacks. As fluorescently labeled F-actin often envelope the fibers, we first propose to segment these fibers by diminishing an energy based on maximum flow and minimum cut algorithm. The actual actin is detected through the use of bilateral filtering followed by a thresholding step. Later, concave actin bundles are detected through a graph-based procedure that actually determines if the considered actin filament is enclosing the fiber.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.2 s.82
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• pp.192-197
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• 2007

Two distinct morphological features, leading edge and uropod, in mobile T lymphocyte are crucial for efficient directional movement. The uropod is a unique rear protrusion in migrating lymphocytes, in which several proteins, including CD44, ERM (ezrin/radixin/moesin), and F-actin cytoskeleton are concentrated and concerted. F-actin cytoskeleton is a basic mold for the shape maintenance. Rho A small GTPase acts as cytoskeleton organizer, So far, various pathways potentially can induce the Rho activation. PDZ domain is able to increase active Rho A form (Rho-GTP) level, reorganize F-actin cytoskeleton, disrupts the uropod structure and cell migration was diminished, suggesting that signaling pathways between Rho and F-artin cytoskeleton are related to uropod formation.

• The Journal of Natural Sciences
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 1998

In the present study, We have tested the potential effects of ginseng saponin fractions on macrophage chemotaxis and intracellular calcium and F-actin mobilization. Peritoneal macrophages treated with various ginseng saponin fractions showed 28.4% to 71% of increasement of chemotaxis as compared with untreated cells. The activity of intracelluar calcium mobilization was increased up to 65% by treatment with saponins, and F-actin content also increased 10% in the cells loaded with NBD-phallacidin. When the cells were activated with calcium of PMA and treated with saponin fractions, the intracelluar F-actin content increased significantly and prolonged for 2 minutes. These results suggest that ginseng saponin fractions might be a chemoattractants.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.369-370
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• 2015

Actin dynamics is critical for the formation and sustainment of the immunological synapse (IS) during T cell interaction with antigen-presenting cells (APC). Thus, many actin regulating proteins are involved in spatial and temporal actin remodeling at the IS. However, little is known whether or how actin stabilizing protein controls IS and the consequent T cell functions. TAGLN2 − an actin-binding protein predominantly expressed in T cells − displays a novel function to stabilize cortical F-actin, thereby augmenting F-actin contents at the IS, and acquiring leukocyte function-associated antigen-1 activation following T cell activation. TAGLN2 also competes with cofilin to protect F-actin in vitro and in vivo. During cytotoxic T cell interaction with cancer cells, the expression level of TAGLN2 at the IS correlates with the T cell adhesion to target cancer cells and production of lytic granules such as granzyme B and perforin, thus expressing cytotoxic T cell function. These findings identify a novel function for TAGLN2 as an actin stabilizing protein that is essential for stable immunological synapse formation, thereby regulating T cell immunity. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(7): 369-370]

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.231-238
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• 2022

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and F-actin cytoskeleton dynamics play important roles in the survival rate of blastocysts after the vitrified-warming process. However, the protective effects of Mito-TEMPO against cryo-injury and viability through F-actin aggregation and mitochondrial-specific ROS production in vitrificated-warmed bovine embryos have not been investigated. The aims of the present study were to: (1) determine the effects of Mito-TEMPO on embryonic developmental competence and quality by F-actin stabilization during in vitro culturing (IVC), and (2) confirm the effects of Mito-TEMPO through F-actin structure on the cryotolerance of vitrification-warming in Mito-TEMPO exposed in vitro production (IVP) of bovine blastocysts. Bovine zygotes were cultured with 0.1 μM Mito-TEMPO treatment for 2 days of IVC. Mito-TEMPO (0.1 μM) exposed bovine embryos slightly improved in blastocyst developmental rates compared to the non-treated group. Moreover, the viability of vitrified-warmed blastocysts from Mito-TEMPO treated embryos significantly increased (p < 0.05, non-treated group: 66.7 ± 3.2% vs Mito-TEMPO treated group: 79.2 ± 5.9%; re-expanded at 24 hours). Mito-TEMPO exposed embryos strengthened the F-actin structure and arrangement in the blastocyst after vitrification-warming. Furthermore, the addition of Mito-TEMPO into the IVC medium enhanced embryonic survival and quality through F-actin stabilization after the vitrification-warming procedure. Overall, our results suggest that supplementing the culture with 0.1 μM Mito-TEMPO improves the embryonic quality and cryo-survival of IVP bovine blastocysts.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.277-287
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• 2023

Actin dynamics play an essential role in myogenesis through multiple mechanisms, such as mechanotransduction, cell proliferation, and myogenic differentiation. Twinfilin-1 (TWF1), an actin-depolymerizing protein, is known to be required for the myogenic differentiation of progenitor cells. However, the mechanisms by which they epigenetically regulate TWF1 by microRNAs under muscle wasting conditions related to obesity are almost unknown. Here, we investigated the role of miR-103-3p in TWF1 expression, actin filament modulation, proliferation, and myogenic differentiation of progenitor cells. Palmitic acid, the most abundant saturated fatty acid (SFA) in the diet, reduced TWF1 expression and impeded myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts, while elevating miR-103-3p levels in myoblasts. Interestingly, miR-103-3p inhibited TWF1 expression by directly targeting its 3'UTR. Furthermore, ectopic expression of miR-103-3p reduced the expression of myogenic factors, i.e., MyoD and MyoG, and subsequently impaired myoblast differentiation. We demonstrated that miR-103-3p induction increased filamentous actin (F-actin) and facilitated the nuclear translocation of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), thereby stimulating cell cycle progression and cell proliferation. Hence, this study suggests that epigenetic suppression of TWF1 by SFA-inducible miR-103-3p impairs myogenesis by enhancing the cell proliferation triggered by F-actin/YAP1.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.351-354
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• 2004

The cytotoxicological responses to insect growth regulator (IGR), using tebufenozide as ecdysteroid mimic, were investigated in Drosophila Kc cells. Treatment of Kc cells with tebufenozide showed significant growth inhibition and striking morphological changes including aggregation and elongation of the cells. In order to understand the cellular mechanism underlying the response of Drosophila cells to tebufenozide, immunofluorescence microscopy was performed. We found that treatment of Kc cells with tebufenozide enhanced the reorganization of f-actin and stimulated the expression of hsp27. These data suggest a possible association of filamentous actin (f-actin) and hsp27 in the cytotoxicological mechanisms of growth regulators in Drosophila cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.67-67
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• 2003

Filamentous actin (F-actin) is a two stranded long helix that performs structural function in eukaryotic cells. F-actin had been assembled from Alexa-labeled G-actin and had been confined in microchannel. The fluctuation of single filaments was observed by fluorescence optical microscopy. We measured Tangent-tangent Correlation Function G(s) (where s is the distance along the contour of the chain), which tells us the confining wall effect of wormlike semi-flexible polymers as well as the flexural rigidity, such as persistence length.

• ALGAE
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.197-204
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• 2010

Cytoskeletal changes were observed during cell division of the green alga Zygnema cruciatum using flourescein isothiocynate (FITC)-conjugated phallacidin for F-actin staining and FITC-anti-$\alpha$-tubulin for microtubule staining. Z. cruciatum was uninucleate with two star-shaped chloroplasts. Nuclear division and cell plate formation occurred prior to chloroplast division. Actin filaments appeared on the chromosome and nuclear surface during prophase, and the F-actin ring appeared as the cleavage furrow developed. FITC-phallacidin revealed that actin filaments were attached to the chromosomes during metaphase. The F-actin ring disappeared at late metaphase. At telophase, FITC-phallacidin staining of actin filaments disappeared. FITC-anti-$\alpha$-tubulin staining revealed that microtubules were arranged beneath the protoplasm during interphase and then localized on the nuclear region at prophase, and that the mitotic spindle was formed during metaphase. The microtubules appeared between dividing chloroplasts. The results indicate that a coordination of actin filaments and microtubules might be necessary for nuclear division and chromosome movement in Z. cruciatum.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2022

Translocation of azurophil granules is pivotal for bactericidal activity of neutrophils, the first-line defense cells against pathogens. Previously, we reported that lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), an endogenous lipid, enhances bactericidal activity of human neutrophils via increasing translocation of azurophil granules. However, the precise mechanism of LPC-induced azurophil granule translocation was not fully understood. Treatment of neutrophil with LPC significantly increased CD63 (an azurophil granule marker) surface expression. Interestingly, cytochalasin B, an inhibitor of action polymerization, blocked LPC-induced CD63 surface expression. LPC increased F-actin polymerization. LPC-induced CD63 surface expression was inhibited by both a Rho specific inhibitor, Tat-C3 exoenzyme, and a Rho kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, Y27632 which also inhibited LPC-induced F-actin polymerization. LPC induced Rho-GTP activation. NSC23766, a Rac inhibitor, however, did not affect LPC-induced CD63 surface expression. Theses results suggest a novel regulatory mechanism for azurophil granule translocation where LPC induces translocation of azurophil granules via Rho/ROCK/F-actin polymerization pathway.