• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.36 no.3
• /
• pp.172-181
• /
• 2018

Successful anticancer strategies require a differential response between tumor and normal tissue (i.e., a therapeutic ratio). In fact, improving the effectiveness of a cancer therapeutic is of no clinical value in the absence of a significant increase in the differential response between tumor and normal tissue. Although radiation dose escalation with the use of intensity modulated radiation therapy has permitted the maximum tolerable dose for most locally advanced cancers, improvements in tumor control without damaging normal adjacent tissues are needed. As a means of increasing the therapeutic ratio, several new approaches are under development. Drugs targeting signal transduction pathways in cancer progression and more recently, immunotherapeutics targeting specific immune cell subsets have entered the clinic with promising early results. Radiobiological research is underway to address pressing questions as to the dose per fraction, irradiated tumor volume and time sequence of the drug administration. To exploit these exciting novel strategies, a better understanding is needed of the cellular and molecular pathways responsible for both cancer and normal tissue and organ response, including the role of radiation-induced accelerated senescence. This review will highlight the current understanding of promising biologically targeted therapies to enhance the radiation therapeutic ratio.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.161-176
• /
• 2018

Fungal ${\beta}$-glucan, known to have immunostimulatory and antitumor activities, can be recognized by host immune cells as one of the pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Although there are several reports on the diverse immunostimulatory activities of ${\beta}$-glucan, little is known about the intracellular signal transduction of ${\beta}$-glucan. Stimulation of RAW264.7 macrophage cells with ${\beta}$-glucan from Ganoderma lucidum induced the expressions of dectin-1, toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), TLR4, and TLR6 at the transcription stage. Treatment with ${\beta}$-glucan also induced inflammatory mediators such as macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIP)-$1{\alpha}$, MIP-$1{\beta}$, MIP-$1{\gamma}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$. Treatment of the cells with polymyxin B, an inhibitor of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), blocked the induction of inflammatory mediators in LPS- or ${\beta}$-glucan-stimulated systems. Pretreatment of the cells in our cell culture system with LY294002, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, or U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) kinase (MEK)1/MEK2 inhibitor, led to a reduction in the induction of inflammatory mediators in a concentration-dependent manner. These results show that stimulation of the macrophage cells by ${\beta}$-glucan induced the expressions of both dectin-1 and TLRs. We also found that the PI3K/Akt and MEK pathways were involved in the induction of inflammatory mediators in macrophage cells during intracellular signal transduction of ${\beta}$-glucan.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.473-479
• /
• 2011

Adenylyl cyclase (AC) catalyzes the formation of cyclic AMP (cAMP) from ATP. The cAMP produced by AC serves as a secondary messenger in a variety of signal transduction pathways, and controls various cellular functions in many organisms. ACs can be grouped into six classes based on their primary amino acid sequences. Eukaryotes and mycobacteria contain only members of class III AC. The catalytic cyclase domains of class III AC are active as dimers: mammalian ACs, which are composed of a single polypeptide with two catalytic cyclase domains, form the active site as a result of intramolecular dimerization of the catalytic cyclase domains. In contrast, mycobacterial ACs function as homodimers, since their polypeptides contain a single catalytic cyclase domain. Six amino acids are required for the catalytic activity of class III AC - two aspartate residues, a lysine-aspartate pair and an arginine-asparagine pair. 16 ACs belonging to the class III were identified in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, and their characteristics are reviewed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.31 no.7
• /
• pp.912-920
• /
• 2021

SOS response is a conserved response to DNA damage in prokaryotes and is negatively regulated by LexA protein, which recognizes specifically an "SOS-box" motif present in the promoter region of SOS genes. Myxococcus xanthus DK1622 possesses a lexA gene, and while the deletion of lexA had no significant effect on either bacterial morphology, UV-C resistance, or sporulation, it did delay growth. UV-C radiation resulted in 651 upregulated genes in M. xanthus, including the typical SOS genes lexA, recA, uvrA, recN and so on, mostly enriched in the pathways of DNA replication and repair, secondary metabolism, and signal transduction. The UV-irradiated lexA mutant also showed the induced expression of SOS genes and these SOS genes enriched into a similar pathway profile to that of wild-type strain. Without irradiation treatment, the absence of LexA enhanced the expression of 122 genes that were not enriched in any pathway. Further analysis of the promoter sequence revealed that in the 122 genes, only the promoters of recA2, lexA and an operon composed of three genes (pafB, pafC and cyaA) had SOS box sequence to which the LexA protein is bound directly. These results update our current understanding of SOS response in M. xanthus and show that UV induces more genes involved in secondary metabolism and signal transduction in addition to DNA replication and repair; and while the canonical LexA-dependent regulation on SOS response has shrunk, only 5 SOS genes are directly repressed by LexA.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.1 no.3
• /
• pp.196-202
• /
• 2001

Backgorund: WEHI-231 B cell line is a representative model for $IgM^+$ mature B cells. To understand the signaling differences between mature and immature B cells, we compared the responsiveness of WEHI-231 and Bal 17 B cell lines to BCR cross-linking. Methods: The extents of tyrosine phosphorylation, ligand-induced internalization, and activation-induced cell death upon BCR cross-linking were compared in two cell lines. Results: Despite a higher expression of BCR, cross-linking of BCR on WEHI-231 cell evoked a weaker level of tyrosine phosphorylation and BCR endocytosis than Bal 17 cells. Furthermore, the endocytosed BCR could not enter the lysosomal compartment and stayed as peripheral spots in WEHI-231 cells. Conclusion: WEHI-231 cell showed preferred BCR-mediated signaling pathways leading to a reduced capability of antigen presentation as well as the enhanced apoptosis in comparision with Bal 17 cells. These results might reflect the signaling differences between mature and immature B cells.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2012

Interleukin-24 (IL-24) belongs to the IL-10 family of cytokines and is well known for its tumor suppressor activity. This cytokine is released by both immune and nonimmune cells and acts on non-hematopoietic tissues such as skin, lung and reproductive tissues. Apart from its ubiquitous tumor suppressor function, IL-24 is also known to be involved in the immunopathology of autoimmune diseases like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Although the cellular sources and functions of IL-24 are being increasingly investigated, the molecular mechanisms of IL-24 gene expression at the levels of signal transduction, epigenetics and transcription factor binding are still unclear. Understanding the specific molecular events that regulate the production of IL-24 will help to answer the remaining questions that are important for the design of new strategies of immune intervention involving IL-24. Herein, we briefly review the signaling pathways and transcription factors that facilitate, induce, or repress production of this cytokine along with the cellular sources and functions of IL-24.

• Development and Reproduction
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.235-251
• /
• 2012

The reproductive activity in male mammals is well known to be regulated by the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis. The hypothalamic neurons secreting gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) govern the reproductive neuroendocrine system by integrating all the exogenous information impinging on themselves. The GnRH synthesized and released from the hypothalamus arrives at the anterior pituitary through the portal vessels, provoking the production of the gonadotropins(follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)) at the same time. The gonadotropins affect the gonads to promote spermatogenesis and to secret testosterone. Testosterone acts on the GnRH neurons by a feedback loop through the circulatory system, resulting in the balance of all the hormones by regulating reproductive activities. These hormones exert their effects by acting on their own receptors, which are included in the signal transduction pathways as well. Unexpected aberrants are arised during this course of action of each hormone. This review summarizes these abnormal phenomena, including various mutations of molecules and their actions related to the reproductive function.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.78-82
• /
• 2007

The proto-oncogene protein DEK is a nuclear binding phosphoprotein that has been associated with various human diseases including leukemia. Histone acetylation is an important post-translational modification which plays important role in transcriptional regulation. Auto-acetylation of histone acetyltransferase PCAF results in increment of its HAT activity and facilitation of its nuclear localization. In this study, we report that DEK inhibits PCAF auto-acetylation through direct interaction. The C-terminal acidic domains of DEK are responsible for the interaction with PCAF. Using confocal microscopy, we have shown that nuclear localization of PCAF is severely inhibited by DEK. Taken together, our results suggest that DEK may be involved in various cellular signal transduction pathways accommodated by PCAF through the regulation of PCAF auto-acetylation.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2005

Plant responses to salinity stress is critical in determining the growth and development. Therefore, adaptability of plant to salinity stress is directly related with agriculture productivity. Salt adaptation is a result of the integrated functioning of numerous determinants that are regulated coordinately through an appropriate responsive signal transduction cascade. The cascade perceives the saline environment and exerts control over the essential mechanisms that are responsible for ion homeostasis and osmotic adjustment. Although little is known about the component elements of salt stress perception and the signaling cascade(s) in plant, the use of Arabidopsis plant as a molecular genetic tool has been provided important molecular nature of salt tolerance effectors and regulatory pathways. In this review, I summarize recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of salt adaptation.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.44 no.4
• /
• pp.130-143
• /
• 2019

Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and periodontal disease are bone destructive diseases mainly caused by inflammation. Various studies are being conducted to develop treatments for inflammatory bone destructive diseases. Many of these studies involve plant-derived natural compounds. In these studies, cell differentiation, signal transduction pathways, and bone resorption were measured at the cellular level. In disease-induced animal models, the amount of inflammatory mediators or matrix destructive enzymes and serum metabolic markers were measured. This study examined the effects of plant-derived natural compounds, such as flavonoids, on inflammatory bone destructive diseases. In addition, we structurally classified various substances used to maintain bone health and summarized the biological effects and related mechanisms of the components.