• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.818-829
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• 2018

Significant research efforts are ongoing to elucidate the complex molecular mechanisms underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which may in turn pinpoint potential therapeutic targets for treatment. The ALS research field has evolved with recent discoveries of numerous genetic mutations in ALS patients, many of which are in genes encoding RNA binding proteins (RBPs), including TDP-43, FUS, ATXN2, TAF15, EWSR1, hnRNPA1, hnRNPA2/B1, MATR3 and TIA1. Accumulating evidence from studies on these ALS-linked RBPs suggests that dysregulation of RNA metabolism, cytoplasmic mislocalization of RBPs, dysfunction in stress granule dynamics of RBPs and increased propensity of mutant RBPs to aggregate may lead to ALS pathogenesis. Here, we review current knowledge of the biological function of these RBPs and the contributions of ALS-linked mutations to disease pathogenesis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition Conference
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• 2001.12a
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• pp.152-160
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• 2001

The ability of microbial strains to confer health benefits to human and animal hosts is not a feature of many organisms. Lactic acid bacteria are the most commonly used bacteria applied as probiotics and there is now strong evidence that certain strains confer tangible benefits to the host. In terms of preventing infection, the ability of probiotic lactobacilli to colonize the tissue site, even temporarily, and inhibit growth and adhesion of pathogens, has been documented. Using molecular tools, such as RAPD and DGGE, probiotic organisms can be tracked through the intestine and in the vagina, and their impact on the flora assessed. Arguably, strains L. rhamnosus GG and GR-l are the most studied probiotic strains in terms of human application to the gut (GG and GR-l) and vagina (GR-1). Combined with L. fermentum RC-14, GR-l provides a two-pronged therapeutic for the intestine and urogenital tract. Care in manufacturing and distribution is essential to ensure that optimal doses of probiotics are accessible to consumers and patients.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2020

Sphingolipids are ubiquitous building blocks of eukaryotic cell membranes that function as signaling molecules for regulating a diverse range of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, growth, survival, immune-cell trafficking, vascular and epithelial integrity, and inflammation. Recently, several studies have highlighted the pivotal role of sphingolipids in neuroinflammatory regulation. Sphingolipids have multiple functions, including induction of the expression of various inflammatory mediators and regulation of neuroinflammation by directly effecting the cells of the central nervous system. Accumulating evidence points to sphingolipid engagement in neuroinflammatory disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Abnormal sphingolipid alterations, which involves an increase in ceramide and a decrease in sphingosine kinase, are observed during neuroinflammatory disease. These trends are observed early during disease development, and thus highlight the potential of sphingolipids as a new therapeutic and diagnostic target for neuroinflammatory diseases.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-51
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• 2008

Purpose : This paper reviews evidence supporting adaptive plasticity in skeletal muscle fibers induced by various exercise training and neuromuscular activity. Result : Skeletal muscle fiber demonstrates a remarkable adaptability and can adjust its physiologic and contractile makeup in response to alterations in functional demands. This adaptive plasticity results from the ability of muscle fibers to adjust their molecular, functional, and contractile properties in response to altered physiological demands, such as changes in exercise patterns and mechanical loading. The process of activity-dependent plasticity in skeletal muscle involves a multitude of signalling mechanisms initiating replication of specific genetic sequences, enabling subsequent translation of the genetic message and ultimately generating a series of myosin heavy chain isoform. Conclusions : Knowledge of the mechanisms and interaction of activity-dependent adaptive pathways in skeletal muscle is important for our understanding of the synthesis of muscle myosin protein, maintenance of metabolic and functional capacity with physical activity, and therapeutic intervention for functional improvement.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.84-89
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• 2009

The main stream of CD137 studies has been directed to the function of CD137 in $CD8^+$ T-cell immunity, including its anti-tumor activity, and paradoxically the immunosuppressive activity of CD137, which proves to be of a great therapeutic potential for animal models of a variety of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Recent studies, however, add complexes to the biology of CD137. Accumulating is evidence supporting that there exists a bidirectional signal transduction pathway for the CD137 receptor and its ligand (CD137L). CD137/CD137L interactions are involved in the network of hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells in addition to the well characterized antigen-presenting cell-T cell interactions. Signaling through CD137L plays a critical role in the differentiation of myeloid cells and their cellular activities, suggesting that CD137L signals trigger and sustain inflammation. The overall consequence might be that the amplified inflammation by CD137L enhances the T-cell activity together with CD137 signals by upregulating costimulatory molecules, MHC molecules, cell adhesion molecules, cytokines, and chemokines. Solving this outstanding issue is urgent and will have an important clinical implication.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.83-92
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• 2018

The biological significance and deregulation of the Hippo pathway during organ growth and tumorigenesis have received a surge of interest in the past decade. The Hippo pathway core kinases, MST1/2 and LATS1/2, are tumor suppressors that inhibit the oncogenic nuclear function of YAP/TAZ and TEAD. In addition to earlier studies that highlight the role of Hippo pathway in organ size control, cell proliferation, and tumor development, recent evidence demonstrates its critical role in cancer stem cell biology, including EMT, drug resistance, and self-renewal. Here we provide a brief overview of the regulatory mechanisms of the Hippo pathway, its role in cancer stem cell biology, and promising therapeutic interventions.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.506-514
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• 2018

The transcriptional regulation of genes determines the fate of animal cell differentiation and subsequent organ development. With the recent progress in genome-wide technologies, the genomic landscapes of enhancers have been broadly explored in mammalian genomes, which led to the discovery of novel specific subsets of enhancers, termed super-enhancers. Super-enhancers are large clusters of enhancers covering the long region of regulatory DNA and are densely occupied by transcription factors, active histone marks, and co-activators. Accumulating evidence points to the critical role that super-enhancers play in cell type-specific development and differentiation, as well as in the development of various diseases. Here, I provide a comprehensive description of the optimal approach for identifying functional units of super-enhancers and their unique chromatin features in normal development and in diseases, including cancers. I also review the recent updated knowledge on novel approaches of targeting super-enhancers for the treatment of specific diseases, such as small-molecule inhibitors and potential gene therapy. This review will provide perspectives on using super-enhancers as biomarkers to develop novel disease diagnostic tools and establish new directions in clinical therapeutic strategies.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1358-1367
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• 2009

This experimental study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Sojihwangamibang on hyperlipidemia in rats induced by high cholesterol diet diet. Sprague- Dawley rats were divided into normal group, control group, SJB treated group. Obese rats were induced by high cholesterol diet treatment for 6 weeks including a oral administration of SJB for 4 weeks. In SJB group, serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride and glucose were significantly decreased, and HDL cholesterol was significantly increased compared with untreated control group. In SJB group, HMG-CoA and ACAT concentration of hepatic homogenate were significantly decreased compared with untreated control group. These results provide experimental evidence that SJB, applied currently in the clinical practice, appears to be effective for down-regulating risk factors of hyperlipidemia, and thus may be used as an objective information for the development of therapeutic agents.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2020

The management of rectal cancer is a major undertaking. There are currently multiple treatment modalities with variable degrees of complications. Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the more frequently used modalities either on its own or more frequently with chemotherapy mostly before the definitive surgery. The outcome of RT is unpredictable. RT has its serious side effects and there are no guarantees of its usefulness in all patients. This article outlines the effect of RT on the tumor, reviews the various staging systems of responses to RT and present recent evidence of which case is less responsive to such treatments to avoid unnecessary complications.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.10-22
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• 2020

Mitochondria have several quality control mechanisms by which they maintain cellular homeostasis and ensure that the molecular machinery is protected from stress. Mitophagy, selective autophagy of mitochondria, promotes mitochondrial quality control by inducing clearance of damaged mitochondria via the autophagic machinery. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitophagy is modulated by various microbial components in an attempt to affect the innate immune response to infection. In addition, mitophagy plays a key role in the regulation of inflammatory signaling, and mitochondrial danger signals such as mitochondrial DNA translocated into the cytosol can lead to exaggerated inflammatory responses. In this review, we present current knowledge on the functional aspects of mitophagy and its crosstalk with innate immune signaling during infection. A deeper understanding of the role of mitophagy could facilitate the development of more effective therapeutic strategies against various infections.