• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.1163-1169
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• 2013

Insulin induces glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) translocation to the muscle cell surface. As fagopyritol has insulin-like effects, the effects of fagopyritol on GLUT4 translocation and filamentous (F) actin remodeling in L6-GLUT4myc skeletal muscle cells were investigated. Fagopyritol significantly increased plasma membrane GLUT4 levels compared with the basal control in L6-GLUT4myc myoblast cells. Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase inhibitor (LY294002) treatment prevented GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane in the myoblasts. Fagopyritol treatment apparently stimulates F-actin remodeling in myoblasts. In addition, fagopyritol treatment induced GLUT4 translocation and F-actin remodeling in myotubes. Taken together, these results suggest that fagopyritol promotes GLUT4 translocation and F-actin remodeling by activating the PI 3-kinase-dependent signaling pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.2 s.82
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• pp.204-210
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• 2007

Previous reports indicated that the carboxyl terminal residues, glutamine276-threonine277 in particular, were important for actin affinity of the unacetylated smooth ${\alpha}-tropomyosin$. To determine the role of the glutamine and threonine residues in C-terminal region in actin binding, we constructed mutant striated muscle ${\alpha}-tropomyosin$ (TMs), in which these two residues were individually substituted. These mutant tropomyosins, designated TM18 (HT) and TM19 (QA), were overexpressed in E. coli as an either unacetylated form or Ala-Ser. (AS) dipeptide fusion form, and were analyzed F-actin affinity by cosedimentation. Unacetylated TM19 (QA) bound to actin approximately three times stronger than TM18 (HT) and much stronger than ST (HA). AS/TM19 (QA) showed four times stronger, in actin affinity than AS/ST (HA) while AS/TM14 (QT) bound to actin stronger to some extent than AS/TM18 (HT). These results suggested that the presence of Gln residue at 276 be primarily attributed to higher actin affinity of smooth ${\alpha}-tropomyosin$.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.93-98
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• 1997

The present study investigated the cellular localization of a-subunit of Gq (Gaq) protein in developing L8E63, rat skeletal muscle cell line. The colocalization of Gaq with actin cytoskeleton was demonstrated by double-labeling experiments. In mononucleated myoblasts, the immuno-fluorescence staining pattern of Gaq was almost identical with that of F-actin visualized with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin. However, this colocalization of Gaq with cytoskeleton was not maintained in multinucleated myotubes. The staining pattern of Gaq in myotubes did not match with any specific subcellular structure, but appeared as a uniformly distributed diffuse staining throughout the whole cell surface. Interestingly, change in the expression level of Gaq was not detected during myoblast differentiation, suggesting that actin-associated Gaq protein might dissociate from the cytoskeleton as cells differentiate. Immunocytochemical experiments using specific antibodies directed against several G proteins indicated that the subcellular localizations of Gai1, Gai2, Gai3, and Gao were different from those obtained with Gaq.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3213-3222
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• 2015

Background: Cancer metastasis depends on cell motility which is driven by cycles of actin polymerization and depolymerization. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and metabolic oxidative stress have long been associated with cancer. ROS play a vital role in regulating actin dynamics that are sensitive to oxidative modification. The current work aimed at studying the effects of sub-lethal metabolic oxidative stress on actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion and cell migration. Materials and Methods: T47D human breast cancer cells were treated with 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), or doxorubicin (DOX), individually or in combination, and changes in intracellular total glutathione and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured. The expression of three major antioxidant enzymes was studied by immunoblotting, and cells were stained with fluorescent-phalloidin to evaluate changes in F-actin organization. In addition, cell adhesion and degradation ability were measured. Cell migration was studied using wound healing and transwell migration assays. Results: Our results show that treating T47D human breast cancer cells with drug combinations (2DG/BSO, 2DG/DOX, or BSO/DOX) decreased intracellular total glutathione and increased oxidized glutathione, lipid peroxidation, and cytotoxicity. In addition, the drug combinations caused a reduction in cell area and mitotic index, prophase arrest and a decreased ability to form invadopodia. The formation of F-actin aggregates was increased in treated T47D cells. Moreover, combination therapy reduced cell adhesion and the rate of cell migration. Conclusions: Our results suggest that exposure of T47D breast cancer cells to combination therapy reduces cell migration via effects on metabolic oxidative stress.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2187-2191
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• 2015

Background: Protrusive structures formed by migrating and invading cells are termed lamellipodia, filopodia, invadopodia and podosomes. Lamellipodia and filopodia appear on the leading edges of migrating cells and function to command the direction of the migrating cells. Invadopodia and podosomes are special F-actin-rich matrix-degrading structures that arise on the ventral surface of the cell membrane. Invadopodia are found in a variety of carcinomatous cells including squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck region whereas podosomes are found in normal highly motile cells of mesenchymal and myelomonocytic lineage. Invadopodia-associated protein markers consisted of 129 proteins belonging to different functional classes including WASP, NWASP, cortactin, Src kinase, Arp 2/3 complex, MT1-MMP and F-actin. To date, our current understanding on the role(s) of these regulators of actin dynamics in tumors of the orofacial region indicates that upregulation of these proteins promotes invasion and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma, is associated with poor/worst prognostic outcome in laryngeal cancers, contributes to the persistent growth and metastasis characteristics of salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma, is a significant predictor of increased cancer risk in oral mucosal premalignant lesions and enhances local invasiveness in jawbone ameloblastomas.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.104-109
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• 2022

Skeletal myogenesis is essential to keep muscle mass and integrity, and impaired myogenesis is closely related to the etiology of muscle wasting. Recently, miR-141-3p has been shown to be induced under various conditions associated with muscle wasting, such as aging, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the functional significance and mechanism of miR-141-3p in myogenic differentiation have not been explored to date. In this study, we investigated the roles of miR-141-3p on CFL2 expression, proliferation, and myogenic differentiation in C2C12 myoblasts. MiR-141-3p appeared to target the 3'UTR of CFL2 directly and suppressed the expression of CFL2, an essential factor for actin filament (F-actin) dynamics. Transfection of miR-141-3p mimic in myoblasts increased F-actin formation and augmented nuclear Yes-associated protein (YAP), a key component of mechanotransduction. Furthermore, miR-141-3p mimic increased myoblast proliferation and promoted cell cycle progression throughout the S and G2/M phases. Consequently, miR-141-3p mimic led to significant suppressions of myogenic factors expression, such as MyoD, MyoG, and MyHC, and hindered the myogenic differentiation of myoblasts. Thus, this study reveals the crucial role of miR-141-3p in myogenic differentiation via CFL2-YAP-mediated mechanotransduction and provides implications of miRNA-mediated myogenic regulation in skeletal muscle homeostasis.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.233-238
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• 2014

Background: The actin cytoskeleton in podocytes is essential for the maintenance of its normal structure and function. Its disruption is a feature of podocyte foot-process effacement and is associated with proteinuria. ${\alpha}$-Actinin-4 in podocytes serves as a linker protein binding the actin filaments of the cytoskeleton. Methods: To investigate the effect of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the pathological changes of podocyte ${\alpha}$-actinin-4 induced by diabetic conditions, we cultured mouse podocytes under normal glucose (5mM) or high glucose (HG, 30mM) conditions, with or without the addition of advanced glycosylation end products (AGE), and treated with GTS. Results: In confocal imaging, ${\alpha}$-actinin-4 colocalized with the ends of F-actin fibers in cytoplasm, but diabetic conditions disrupted F-actin fibers and concentrated ${\alpha}$-actinin-4 molecules at the peripheral cytoplasm. GTS upregulated ${\alpha}$-actinin protein in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and suppressed the receptor for AGE levels in western blotting. Diabetic conditions, including HG, AGE, and both together, decreased cellular ${\alpha}$-actinin-4 protein levels at 24 h and 48 h. Such quantitative and qualitative changes of ${\alpha}$-actinin-4 protein induced by diabetic conditions were mitigated by GTS. Conclusion: These findings imply that both HG and AGE have an influence on the distribution and amount of ${\alpha}$-actinin-4 in podocytes that can be recovered by GTS.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.10
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• pp.583-588
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• 2015

Microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 (MACF1), a widely expressed cytoskeletal linker, plays important roles in various cells by regulating cytoskeleton dynamics. However, its role in osteoblastic cells is not well understood. Based on our previous findings that the association of MACF1 with F-actin and microtubules in osteoblast-like cells was altered under magnetic force conditions, here, by adopting a stable MACF1-knockdown MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cell line, we found that MACF1 knockdown induced large cells with a binuclear/multinuclear structure. Further, immunofluorescence staining showed disorganization of F-actin and microtubules in MACF1-knockdown cells. Cell counting revealed significant decrease of cell proliferation and cell cycle analysis showed an S phase cell cycle arrest in MACF1-knockdown cells. Moreover and interestingly, MACF1 knockdown showed a potential effect on cellular MTT reduction activity and mitochondrial content, suggesting an impact on cellular metabolic activity. These results together indicate an important role of MACF1 in regulating osteoblastic cell morphology and function.

• International Journal of Molecular Medicine
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.491-502
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• 2019

Although the migration of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is important for hepatic fibrosis, the regulation of this migration is poorly understood. Notably, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 induces monocyte migration to sites of injury or inflammation during the early phase, but inhibits cell migration during the late phase. In the present study, the role of transforming protein RhoA signaling in TGF-β1-induced HSC migration was investigated. TGF-β1 was found to increase the protein and mRNA levels of smooth muscle actin and collagen type I in HSC-T6 cells. The level of RhoA-GTP in TGF-β1-stimulated cells was significantly higher than that in control cells. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of cofilin and formation of filamentous actin (F-actin) were more marked in TGF-β1-stimulated cells than in control cells. Additionally, TGF-β1 induced the activation of nuclear factor-κB, and the expression of extracellular matrix proteins and several cytokines in HSC-T6 cells. The active form of Rap1 (Rap1 V12) suppressed RhoA-GTP levels, whereas the dominant-negative form of Rap1 (Rap1 N17) augmented RhoA-GTP levels. Therefore, the data confirmed that Rap1 regulated the activation of RhoA in TGF-β1-stimulated HSC-T6 cells. These findings suggest that TGF-β1 regulates Rap1, resulting in the suppression of RhoA, activation of and formation of F-actin during the migration of HSCs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.606-611
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• 2000

Dimorphic yeast Candida albicans reversibly switches between the form of yeast and hyphae depending on external conditions. We investigated possible roles of the myosin family in the growth and dimorphic switches of C. albicans with a general myosin ATPase inhibitor, 2,3-butanedione-2-monoxime (BDM). Transition to hyphae as well as proliferation by budding was completely inhibited by BDM at 16 mM. Presence of 16 mM BDM did not affect hyphae-to-bud transition but it blocked budding. The effects of BDM on yeast growth and dimorphic switches were reversible. More than 70% of the BDM-treated cells demonstrated defects in the amount and the polarized localization of F-actin as well as in the shape and migration of the nucleus, suggesting that myosin activities are needed in these cellular processes of C. albicans.