• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.8 s.88
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• pp.1063-1067
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• 2007

The Bcl-2 family proteins play critical roles in regulation of apoptosis, and the balanced interaction of pro- and anti-death members is a key factor in determining the cell fate. Noxa, a BH3-only Bcl-2-family member, has been originally identified as a target gene of p53. To understand the mechanism by which human Noxa (hNoxa) regulates the cell death, we screened the hNoxa binding partner using the yeast two hybrid screening and found that anti-death protein Mcl-1 binds to hNoxa. The binding of hNoxa to Mcl-1 was confirmed by immunoprecipitation in human colon cancer cell line HCT 116 cells. Mcl-1 significantly inhibited the hNoxa-induced cell death in HCT 116 cells. During the cell death induced by hNoxa, Mcl-1 protein was degraded. Its degradation was inhibited by z-VAD-fmk, a pancaspase inhibitor, suggesting caspase is responsible for Mcl-1 degradation in response to hNoxa. Together, the results indicate that hNoxa binds to Mcl-1 that is degraded by cas-pases during hNoxa-induced cell death.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.556-559
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• 2006

The Bcl-2 family of proteins regulates mitochondrial functions during cell death by modulating the efflux of death-promoting proteins such as cytochrome c and endonuclease G. Upon the binding of death ligands to their receptors, caspase-8 cleaves Bid, a BH3-only protein, into tBid that causes the mitochondrial damages resulting in the release of cytochrome c and endonuclease G. Also, another BH3-only protein, hNoxa, has been shown to induce the efflux of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Whether the efflux proteins from the mitochondria in response to tBid or hNoxa are the same or different, however, has not been addressed. We have demonstrated that endonuclease G activities are not detectable among the proteins released from isolated mitochondria by hNoxa but are detectable in that by tBid. These results suggest that the efflux of proteins from the mitochondria are differentially modulated by tBid and hNoxa.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.312-317
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• 2015

Depletion of intracellular zinc by N,N,N,N-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) induces p53-mediated protein synthesis-dependent apoptosis of mouse cortical neurons. Here, we examined the requirement for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)-1 as an upstream regulator of p53 in zinc depletion-induced neuronal apoptosis. First, we found that chemical inhibition or genetic deletion of PARP-1 markedly attenuated TPEN-induced apoptosis of cultured mouse cortical neurons. Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 occurred starting 1 h after TPEN treatment. Suggesting the critical role of PARP-1, the TPEN-induced increase of stability and activity of p53 as well as poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of p53 was almost completely blocked by PARP inhibition. Consistent with this, the induction of downstream pro-apoptotic proteins PUMA and NOXA was noticeably reduced by chemical inhibitors or genetic deletion of PARP-1. TPEN-induced cytochrome C release into the cytosol and caspase-3 activation were also blocked by inhibition of PARP-1. Taken together, these findings indicate that PARP-1 is essential for TPEN-induced neuronal apoptosis.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.863-878
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• 2006

Porphyromonas gingivalis는 치주질환을 야기하는 독성세균으로서, 구강상피세포에 p. gingivalis가 감염되었을 때, 세포형태에 변화를 초래함으로 인해 방어기작이 작동하게 된다. 치주질환과 관련되어 생성된 활성 산소종의 소거에 관여하는 항산화성분은 p. gingivalis 이 감염된 구강상피세포에서 그 분포와 발현수준이 달라지리라 예상된다. 따라서 이번 연구에서는 구강상피세포(KB 세포)에 p. gingivalis가 감염되었을 때 야기되는 활성산소종과 이를 소거하는 역할을 하는 항산화단백들의 역할들을 규명하고자 하였다. 활성산소종 형성을 조절하는 NADPH oxidase 중 NOX4와 Rac1 전사체는 구강상피세포에서 p. gingivalis세균에 의해 증가하였으며 $gp91^{phox}$, Rac2, $p47^{phox}$와 $p67^{phox}$는 세균에 의한 변화가 관찰되지 않았다. 반면에 $p40^{phox}$ 전사체는 감소하는 경향을 보였다. NOX1 전사체는 p. gingivalis 처리 30분 후 감소하였다가 60분 후에는 다시 증가하는 양상을 보였다. 같은 시간에 NOX 활성화 단백인 NOXA1은 감소하고, NOX 구성단백질인 NOXO1은 증가하는 경향을 보였다. p. gingivalis가 감염된 구강상피세포를 방어하는 항산화단백 발현수준을 평가한 결과, SOD1, 2, 3 모두 p. gingivalis 처리시간에 따라 증가하는 양상을 보였다. GPx 발현 양상도 SOD와 유사하게 나타났다. $H_2O_2$를 소거하는 Prx는 감염된 KB 세포에서 Prx4와 Prx5가 4-6배 증가하는 것을 알 수 있었다. 반면 endocytosis 과정 중 $H_2O_2$ 생산은 변화되지 않았다. 이번 연구의 결과, p. gingivalis의 감염은 KB 세포의 NOX4와 Rac1의 NADPH oxidase 발현을 증가시켰으며, NOX1은 NOXA1과 NOXO1의 조절에 의해 영향을 받음을 알 수 있었다. 또한 항산화기작으로는 SOD, GPx, Prx가 증가하였는데, 이것은 Prx4와 Prx5가 중요한 역할을 할 것을 시사하였다.