• Applied Microscopy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.403-412
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• 2000

Urechis unicinctus spermatogenic cells, sperm and spermatids, prepared from testis are investigated to identify nuclear actin using amoeba monorlonal anti-actin as the first Ab and gold particles (10 nm) conjugated mouse IgG (immunogold) as the Ab marker. The Ag-Ab reactions analyzed the localization of nuclear actin of the spermatogenic cells and the immunogold particles incorporated mainly with nuclear matrices. A few immunogold particles are merged into the acrosomes and the other architectures of spermatogenic cells, such as mitochondrion and centrioles. It is often observed and there is a tendency in which the incorporated immunogold particles are increased in number in the nuclear matrices of sperm compared with that of spermatids The increments and decrements of the incorporated immunogold particles according to developmental stages and the spermatogenic architec-tures are interpreted and discussed in aspect of acrosomal function and of nuclear condensation of spermatids.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.380-387
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• 2008

The effects of the applied stretch and MgADP binding on the structure of the actin and myosin cross-bridges in rabbit fibers in the rigor state have been investigatedwith improved resolution by x-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. To clarify the structure of the ATP hydrolysis intermediates formed by actin and myosin cross-bridges,the effects of various phosphate analogs in the of MgADP on the structure of the thin and thick filaments in glycerinated rabbit muscle fibers in the rigor state investigated by x-ray diffraction with a short exposure time using synchrotron radiation. These results strongly suggest that when MgADP and phosphate analogs such as metallofluorides(BeF3 and AlF4)and vanadate(VO4(Vi)) were added the rigor fibers in the presence of the ATP-depletion backup system, the intensities of the actin-based layer lines were markedly weakened. We found that the intensity of the 14.5 nm-based meridional reflections increase by 20-50% when phosphate analogs such as metallofluorides(BeF3 and AlF4) and vanadate(VO4(Vi)) was added to the rigor muscle.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.365-371
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• 1995

Binary vectors, pBI-ActR1, pBI-ActF1 and pBSH-ActR1, were constructed using pGA642, the replication origin of pTi12 and the rice actin promoter. The sizes of pBI-ActR1, pBI-ActF1 and pBSH-ActR1 were 12.9 kb, 13.2 kb and 11.95 kb, respectively. These vectors containing a rice actin promoter followed by a GUS structural gene could induce stronly the expression of GUS gene in transformed rice cells. Rice explants from 3-4 day old seedlings after germinatin were cocultured with A. tumefaceins harboring pBI-ActR1, pBI-ActF1 or pBSH-ActR1, and then GUS expression in the explants was assayed. Transformation of rice explants by these binary vectors was tissue-specific, such that the meristematic regions of shoot apex, root and hypocotyl were transformed by these binary vectors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.47.2-47.2
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• 2007

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• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1401-1406
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• 2011

Morphological changes in immune cells occur due to pathogen infection and natural circulation. T cells produce uropod, filopodia, lamellipodia, and microvilli for inflammation, immunosurvelliance, migration, and diapedesis. Short finger-like microvilli cover the surfaces of circulating mammalian immune cells. The surface features of monocytes and neutrophils are quite different, containing membrane ruffles as their predominant structure. In this study, we present the involvement of actin cytoskeleton regarding T lymphocyte microvilli. From analysis of scanning electron micrographs, Jurkat T lymphocyte microvilli was observed to rapidly disassemble when exposed to the actin-sequestering molecule, cytochalasin D. In contrast to cytochalasin D treatment, we found that median microvillar thickness was enlarged on Jurkat T lymphocytes treated with PMA via Lin-11, Isl-1, Mec-3 Kinase (LIMK) and cofilin signaling. In addition, actin cytoskeleton was involved in polarity formation in EL4 T lymphocytes. These results suggest that microvilli formation or polarity of T lymphocytes are involved in actin cytoskeleton dynamics.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2007

X-ray diffraction studies have been made to investigate the effects of binding of ADP, ADP+Vi, ADP+AIF4, $ADP+BeF_3$ on the structure of glycerinated rabbit skeletal muscle in the rigor state. Although these phosphate analogs are known to bind actively cycling myosin heads, it is not clear whether they can bind to the attached heads in the rigor muscle. We have found that these analogs can bind to the myosin heads attached to actin filaments in the rigor state. The present results indicate that (1) bound myosin heads altered their conformation in the proximal end toward the plane perpendicular to the fiber axis when MgADP bound to them, and (2) myosin heads were dissociated substantially (up to 50%) from actin filaments but still remained in the vicinity of actin filaments when MgADP and metallofluorides (AIF4 and BeF3) or vanadate bound to them. We detected new conformations of myosin heads attached to actin filaments when they had MgADP or ADP.Pi analogs. We report here these findings on the effects of MgADP and MgADP+phosphate analogs to the rigor crossbridges.

• BMB Reports
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.379-383
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• 2017

We previously reported that p53 plays a role as a key regulator in the tetraploid G1 checkpoint, which is activated by actin damage-induced cytokinesis blockade and then prevents uncoupled DNA replication and nuclear division without cytokinesis. In this study, we investigated a role of Skp2, which targets CDK2 inhibitor p27/Kip1, in actin damage-induced tetraploid G1 arrest. Expression of Skp2 was reduced, but p27/Kip1 was increased, after actin damage-induced cytokinesis blockade. The role of Skp2 repression in tetraploid G1 arrest was investigated by analyzing the effects of ectopic expression of Skp2. After actin damage, ectopic expression of Skp2 resulted in DNA synthesis and accumulation of multinucleated cells, and ultimately, induction of apoptosis. These results suggest that Skp2 repression is important for sustaining tetraploid G1 arrest after cytokinesis blockade and is required to prevent uncoupled DNA replication and nuclear division without cytokinesis.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.105-108
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• 2001

Several marine toxins with macrolide structure have been found to act on actin. One of these toxins is mycalolide B isolated from the genus Mycale. This compound belongs to macrolide antibiotics and consists of tris-oxazole with strong cytotoxic activity ($IC_{50}$: 10-50 nM for growth of L1210 murine leukemia cells). This compound was found to be an actin-depolymerizing agent with the mode of action distinct from that of the known actin inhibitor, cytochalasin D. Tolytoxin, a macrolide isolated from cyano-bacteria with similar chemical structure to mycalolide B, seems to have similar effect. Another macrolide compound, aplyronine A, showed the effects similar to those of mycalolide B. Although bistheonellide A, a dimeric macrolide, did not show a severing effect, it de polymerized F-actin and sequestered G-actin by forming 1 : 2 complex with G-actins. Swinholide A has a structure and effects similar to those of bistheonel-lide A. In conclusion, mycalolide B, tolytoxin, aplyronine A, bistheonellide A and swinholide A are the members of "actin de polymerizing macrolide" the mechanism of which is different from that of cytochalasin D.halasin D.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.274-284
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• 2009

Background: Swiprosin-1 was identified in human CD8+ lymphocytes, mature B cells and non-lymphonoid tissue. We have recently reported that swiprosin-1 is expressed in mast cells and up-regulated in both in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The expression of cytokines and swiprosin-1 were determined by by real time PCR and conventional PCR. Pharmacological inhibitors were treated to investigate potential mechanism of swiprosin-1 in mast cell activation. Actin content was evaluated by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Results: The swiprosin-1 augmented PMA/A23187-induced expression of cytokines and release of histamine. However, knock-down of swiprosin-1 showed only a modest effect on PMA/A23187-induced cytokine expression, suggesting that swiprosin-1 has gain-of-function characteristics. Swiprosin-1 was found in microvilli-like membrane protrusions and highly co-localized with F-actin. Importantly, either disruption of actin by cytochalasin B or inhibition of PI3 kinase, an enzyme involved in actin remodeling, by wortmannin blocked cytokine expression only in swiprosin-1-overexpressing cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that swiprosin-1 modulates mast cell activation potentially through actin regulation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 2022

Quercetin, a flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables, exhibits a strong anti-inflammatory activity. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of quercetin on chemotactic activity of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) to culture supernatant from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In addition, we determined whether this effect is related to interleukin (IL)-8 and changes in cytoskeleton. The chemotactic activity of PMNs was evaluated by a modified Boyden chamber assay. Total cellular filamentous (F)-actin levels were measured by method of fluorescence microscopy. The levels of IL-8 mRNA and protein were measured by real time polymerase reaction method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Quercetin (0-50 µM) itself has no chemoattractant effect for PMNs. The culture supernatant from PBMCs (2 × 10⁶ cells/mL) treated with LPS (1 ㎍/mL) showed remarkable increase in chemotaxis of PMNs. However, this effect was reduced dose-dependently by treatment with quercetin. In addition, PBMCs treated with LPS revealed enhanced levels in IL-8 protein and mRNA. Co-treatment of LPS with quercetin (50 µM) in PBMCs decreased IL-8 production and expression. Treatment of quercetin (0-50 µM) on PMNs to rpIL-8 (10 nM) decreased dose-dependently the chemotactic activity of PMNs. Treatment of quercetin on PMNs to IL-8 also reduced their total cellular F-actin level. These results suggested that quercetin attenuates chemotactic activity of PMNs, which is mediated by down-regulation of IL-8 production from LPS-stimulated PBMCs and inhibition of F-actin polymerization in PMNs.