• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2001.11a
• /
• pp.101-101
• /
• 2001

In the present study, we explored to determine if insulin has any effect on the nuclear translocation of insulin receptor and tyrosine phosphoryaltion of nuclear proteins in the UMR-106 cells. Significant amount of insulin receptors and IRS-1 proteins were detected in the nucleus. IRS-1 and PI$_3$-Kinase appeared to translocate to the nucleus in a time dependent manner. Tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of proteins including 180 KDa, 85 KDa protein in the nucleus was significantly stimulated by insulin, suggesting IRS-1 and PI$_3$-Klnase was activated in the nucleus by insulin treatment. In addition, p70 S6 Kinase, a downstream target of PI3-Kinase was transiently appeared in the nucleus by insulin and its activity was stimulated by insulin. These results suggest that the insulin signaling system containing insulin receptor, IRS-1, PI$_3$-Kinase and p70 S6 Kinase operates in the nucleus of osteoblast cells. The nuclear insulin-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation may play an essential role in the gene expression, differentiation and growth of osteoblast cells.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.391-396
• /
• 2015

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the visual system of the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) by location analysis of some major neurotransmitters glutamate, ${\gamma}$-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acetylcholine, and their receptors, and $m{\ddot{u}}ller$ glial cells in retina. Methods: Standard immunocytochemical techniques were used after vibratome section of retinal tissues of adult greater horseshoe bat for this study. Immnoreactions in immunofluorescence images were analyzed using confocal microscope. Results: Anti-glutamate-immunoreactive neurons were mainly localized in the ganglion cell layer (GCL). The majority of anti-GABA-immunoreactive cells distributed in the inner nuclear layer (INL), and GABAA receptors were localized in the inner plexiform layer (IPL). Anti-choline acetyltransferase-immuoreactive cholinergic neurons were mainly located in the INL and GCL, and most of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were localized in the IPL. The $m{\ddot{u}}ller$ cells in the retina of the greater horseshoe bat stretched theirs range from the GCL to outer nuclear layer (ONL). Conclusions: This study revealed that the retinas of the greater horseshoe bats contain the same major neurotransmitters and receptors, and glial cell in visually functional mammalian retinas. The present results may suggest that the greater horseshoe bats have the functional retinas for visual analysis through the organized retinal neural circuits.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.2161-2166
• /
• 2015

Estrogen receptors (ERs) are steroid receptors located in the cytoplasm and on the nuclear membrane. The sequence similarities of human $ER{\alpha}$, mouse $ER{\alpha}$, rat $ER{\alpha}$, dog $ER{\alpha}$, and cat $ER{\alpha}$ are above 90%, but structures of $ER{\alpha}$ may different among species. Estrogen can be agonist and antagonist depending on its target organs. This hormone play roles in several diseases including breast cancer. There are variety of the relative binding affinity (RBA) of ER and estrogen species in comparison to $17{\beta}-estradiol$ (E2), which is a natural ligand of both $ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$. The RBA of the estrogen species are as following: diethyl stilbestrol (DES) > hexestrol > dienestrol > $17{\beta}-estradiol$ (E2) > 17- estradiol > moxestrol > estriol (E3) >4-OH estradiol > estrone-3-sulfate. Estrogen mimetic drugs, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), have been used as hormonal therapy for ER positive breast cancer and postmenopausal osteoporosis. In the postgenomic era, in silico models have become effective tools for modern drug discovery. These provide three dimensional structures of many transmembrane receptors and enzymes, which are important targets of de novo drug development. The estimated inhibition constants (Ki) from computational model have been used as a screening procedure before in vitro and in vivo studies.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.365-368
• /
• 2009

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in host defense by sensing invading microbial pathogens and initiating innate immune responses. The stimulation of TLRs by microbial components triggers the activation of myeloid differential factor 88 (MyD88)- and toll-interleukin-1 receptor domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-${\beta}$ (TRIF)-dependent downstream signaling pathways. Isoliquiritigenin (ILG), an active ingredient of Licorice, has been used for centuries to treat many chronic diseases. ILG inhibits the MyD88-dependent pathway by inhibiting the activity of inhibitor-${\kappa}B$ kinase. However, it is not known whether ILG inhibits the TRIF-dependent pathway. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of ILG, we examined its effect on signal transduction via the TRIF-dependent pathway of TLRs induced by several agonists. ILG inhibited nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ and interferon regulatory factor 3 activation induced by lipopolysaccharide or polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid. ILG inhibited the lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylation of interferon regulatory factor 3 as well as interferon-inducible genes such as interferon inducible protein-10, and regulated activation of normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES). These results suggest that ILG can modulate TRIF-dependent signaling pathways of TLRs, leading to decreased inflammatory gene expression.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2020

Nicotine, primary component of tobaco produces craving and withdrawal effect both in humans and animals. Nicotine shows a close resemblance to other addictive drugs in molecular, neuroanatomical and pharmacological, particularly the drugs which enhances the cognitive functions. Nicotine mainly shows its action through specific nicotinic acetylcholine receptors located in brain. It stimulates presynaptic acetylcholine receptors thereby enhancing Ach release and metabolism. Dopaminergic system is also stimulated by it, thus increasing the concentration of dopamine in nuclear accumbens. This property of nicotine according to various researchers is responsible for reinforcing behavioral change and dependence of nicotine. Various researchers have also depicted that some non dopaminergic systems are also involved for rewarding effect of nicotinic withdrawal. Neurological systems such as GABAergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, and brain stem cholinergic may also be involved to mediate the actions of nicotine. Further, the neurobiological pathway to nicotine dependence might perhaps be appropriate to the attachment of nicotine to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, peruse by stimulation of dopaminergic system and activation of general pharmacological changes that might be responsible for nicotine addiction. It is also suggested that MAO A and B both are restrained by nicotine. This enzyme helps in degradation dopamine, which is mainly responsible for nicotinic actions and dependence. Various questions remain uninsurable to nicotine mechanism and require more research. Also, various genetic methods united with modern instrumental analysis might result for more authentic information for nicotine addiction.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2000

The rapid progress of molecular genetic methods over the past two decades has necessitated the development of methods to detect and quantify genetic activity within living bodies. Reporter genes provide a rapid and convenient tool to monitor gene expression by yielding a readily measurable phenotype upon expression when introduced into a biological system. Conventional reporter systems, however, are limited in their usefulness for in vivo experiments or human gene therapy because of its invasive nature which requires cell damage before assays can be performed. This offers an unique opportunity for nuclear imaging techniques to develope a novel method for imaging both the location and amount of gene expression noninvasively. Current developments to achieve this goal rely on utilizing either reporter enzymes that accumulate radiolabeled substrates or reporter receptors that bind specific radioligands. This overview includes a brief introduction to the background for such research, a summary of published results, and an outlook for future directions.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.207-214
• /
• 2009

Positron emission tomogrpahy (PET) represents the most advanced scintigraphic imaging technology. With the increase in availability of PET, the clinical use of PET has grown in medical fields. This can be employed for cardiovascular research as well as for clinical applications in patients with various cardiovascular disease. PET allows non-invasive functional assessment of myocardial perfusion, substrate metabolism and cardiac innervation and receptors as well as gene expression in vivo. PET is regarded as the gold standard for the detection of myocardial viability, and it is the only method available for the quantitative assessment of myocardial blood flow. This review focuses on the clinical applications of myocardial perfusion PET in coronary artery disease.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2005

Ever since it was first introduced as a method of scintigraphically measuring regional myocardial perfusion, myocardial perfusion study has been widely used in patients diagnosed or suspected with coronary artery diseases, and continuously improved upon. In addition to the technological enhancement of nuclear medicine equipments, the innovation of radiopharmaceuticals used in the cardiac exams were important contributors to such improvement. Besides the cardiac perfusion studies, new radiopharmaceuticals that visualize fat metabolism or receptors of the sympathetic nervous system have successfully been applied to clinical practice. More information can be collected before diagnosing coronary vascular disease, evaluating the patient's condition, or assessing therapeutic effects. In this review article, the clinical efficacy and characteristics of radiopharmaceutical products tailored for cardiac SPECT that are commonly used in Korea currently, plus the ones not being used yet but have proven value are briefly described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.117-117
• /
• 2003

PPARs (peroxisome proliferator activated receptors) are member of nuclear hormone receptors superfamily. Activations of PPARs upon binding with ligands modulate glucose metabolite, differentiation of adipocyte, inflammation response, and so on. Thiazolidinedione analog is one of potential antidiabetic drug that binds and activates PPARν selectively and enhances insulin sensitivity. In an effort to develop novel and effective antidiabetic thiazolidindione analogs, syntheses of benzoxazole and benzothiazole-linked thiazolidinedione analogs were performed via coupling reaction of benzoxazolylalkylaminoethanol with hydroxybenzylthiazolidinedione to develop novel and effective antidiabetic thiazolidindiones. All compounds were evaluated their biological potency by PPARν transactivation assay and revealed the similar potency with Troglitazone. However, lengthening of N-alkyl substituent did not seem to be beneficial for the activity.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.211-215
• /
• 2009

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a critical role in sensing microbial components and inducing innate immune and inflammatory responses by recognizing invading microbial pathogens. Lipopolysaccharide-induced dimerization of TLR4 is required for the activation of downstream signaling pathways including nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$). Therefore, TLR4 dimerization may be an early regulatory event in activating ligand-induced signaling pathways and induction of subsequent immune responses. Here, we report biochemical evidence that 6-shogaol, the most bioactive component of ginger, inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced dimerization of TLR4 resulting in the inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation and the expression of cyclooxygenase-2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that 6-shogaol can directly inhibit TLR-mediated signaling pathways at the receptor level. These results suggest that 6-shogaol can modulate TLR-mediated inflammatory responses, which may influence the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases.