Biomedical subjects

Jung Hye Kim

Publications and source records attributed to Jung Hye Kim.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Association of anti-obesity activity of N-acetylcysteine with metallothionein-II down-regulation.

People with upper body or visceral obesity have a much higher risk of morbidity and mortality from obesity-related metabolic disorders than those with lower body obesity. In an attempt to develop therapeutic strategies targeting visceral obesity, depot- specific differences in the expression of genes in omental and subcutaneous adipose tissues were investigated by DNA array technology, and their roles in adipocyte differentiation were further examined. We found that levels of metallothionein-II (MT-II) mRNA and protein expression were higher in omental than in subcutaneous adipose tissues. The study demonstrates that MT-II may play an important role in adipocyte differentiation of 3T3L1 preadipocytes, and that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) inhibits the adipocyte differentiation of 3T3L1 cells by repressing MT-II in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the intraperitoneal administration of NAC to rats and mice resulted in a reduction of body weights, and a marked reduction in visceral fat tissues. These results suggest that MT-II plays important roles in adipogenesis, and that NAC may be useful as an anti-obesity drug or supplement.

3T3-L1 Cells↗

PubMed2006

Regulation of hepatocyte growth factor-mediated urokinase plasminogen activator secretion by MEK/ERK activation in human stomach cancer cell lines.

The regulatory mechanisms for the proliferation and the particular invasive phenotypes of stomach cancers are not still fully understood. Up-regulations of hepatocytes growth factor (HGF), its receptor (c-Met), and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) are correlated with the development and metastasis of cancers. In order to investigate roles of HGF/c-Met signaling in tumor progression and metastasis in stomach cancers, we determined effects of a specific MEK1 inhibitor (PD098059) and a p38 kinase inhibitor (SB203580) on HGF-mediated cell proliferation and uPA expression in stomach cancer cell lines (NUGC-3 and MKN-28). HGF treatment induced the phosphorylations of ERK and p38 kinase in time- and dose- dependent manners. Pre-treatment with PD098059 reduced HGF-mediated cell proliferation and uPA secretion. In contrast, SB203580 pre-treatment enhanced cell proliferation and uPA secretion due to induction of ERK phosphorylation. Stable expression of dominant negative-MEK1 in NUGC-3 cells showed a decrease in HGF-mediated uPA secretion. These results suggest that interaction of a MEK/ERK and a p38 kinase might play an important role in proliferation and invasiveness of stomach cancer cells.

Cell Line, Tumor↗

PubMed2006

Polymorphisms in FOXO gene family and association analysis with BMI.

Forkhead transcription factors of the FOXO subfamily are emerging as shared components of pathways that regulate a variety of cellular functions. In an effort to identify genetic polymorphisms in candidate genes to determine associations with BMI, we sequenced all exons of the FOXO genes (FOXO1a, FOXO3a, and FOXO4) and examined their associations with BMI in a Korean population (n = 734). Sixteen polymorphisms were identified in FOXO genes: three in FOXO1a, seven in FOXO3a, and six in FOXO4. Associations of FOXO polymorphisms with BMI were analyzed using multiple regression, adjusting for age and sex as covariates. One promoter single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5' flanking region of FOXO3a showed significant association with BMI, e.g., the lowest BMI (23.3 +/- 2.69 kg/m2) was discovered in individuals who were carrying T/T, intermediate BMI (26.6 +/- 3.14 kg/m2) was found in heterozygous individuals (C/T), and the highest BMI (27.2 +/- 3.47 kg/m2) occurred in individuals who were homozygous for the major allele (C/C; p = 0.01).

5' Flanking Region↗

PubMed2006

Hepatocyte growth factor/c-met signaling in regulating urokinase plasminogen activator in human stomach cancer: A potential therapeutic target for human stomach cancer.

BACKGROUND: Up-regulation of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), its transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor (c-Met), and urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA), is associated with the development and metastasis of various types of cancers. However, the mechanisms by which HGF/c-Met signaling mediates cancer progression and metastasis are unclear. METHODS: We investigated the roles of HGF/c-Met in tumor progression and metastasis in NUGC-3 and MKN-28 stomach cancer cell lines. RESULTS: Treatment with HGF increased c-Met phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner, as well as increasing cell proliferation. HGF treatment also increased the protein level and the activity of uPA in NUGC-3 and MKN-28 cells. A monoclonal antibody against human uPA receptor (uPAR), mAb 3936, inhibited HGF-mediated tumor cell invasion in a dose-dependent manner. Down-regulation of uPA using uPA-shRNA induced a decrease in in vitro cell invasion in NUGC-3 cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that NUGC-3 and MKN-28 cells express functional c-Met, which may provide a therapeutic target for interfering with metastases of cancer cells by inhibiting uPA and uPAR-mediated proteolysis.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2005

Induction of apoptosis by the overexpression of an alternative splicing variant of mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase.

Mammalian cells harbor two forms of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), cytosolic TrxR1 and mitochondrial TrxR2, both of which are involved in the redox regulation of cell growth and apoptosis. Furthermore, several alternative splicing variants of TrxR1 and TrxR2 have been identified. However, little remains known with regard to their functions in cells. Here, we report an alternative splicing variant of TrxR2 (TrxR2A), which displays a 3-bp deletion in the coding region and an insertion of 1228 bp in the 3'-UTR, between the stop codon and the SECIS element, of the TrxR2 cDNA. In order to determine the cellular function of TrxR2A, we established TrxR2A-inducible HeLa cell lines in which TrxR2A transcription was regulated via a Tet-off expression system. We observed that the induction of TrxR2A resulted in increased apoptosis, due to the reduction of NADPH and alterations in cellular ROS levels. These results suggest that TrxR2A may play a vital role in the regulation of TrxR2 and may confer functional complexity onto the thioredoxin system.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed2005

Down-regulation of a forkhead transcription factor, FOXO3a, accelerates cellular senescence in human dermal fibroblasts.

The signaling pathway of insulin/insulin-like growth factor/phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/Akt/forkhead transcription factors is known to control life span and senescence in organisms ranging from yeast to mice. The FOXO family of forkhead transcription factors, FOXO1, FOXO3a, and FOXO4, play a critical role in this signal transduction pathway. However, the impact of FOXO3a activation on life span of primary cultured human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) is unknown. To investigate the role of FOXO3a in the regulation of cellular senescence, we prepared FOXO3a-siRNA stable HDFs. We found that the down-regulation of FOXO3a RNA and protein in HDFs induced many senescent phenotypes, including changes in cell morphology, increases in population doubling times, senescence-associated beta-galactosidase staining and the cellular reactive oxygen species, and up-regulation of p53/p21 protein expression. Our data provide evidence of the key role of FOXO3a transcription factor as a mediator of cellular senescence in HDFs, and suggest that the mechanism of senescence is conserved in HDFs.

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMed2004

Exploration of replicative senescence-associated genes in human dermal fibroblasts by cDNA microarray technology.

The aging process is known to be regulated by specific genes in various organisms, including yeast, the nematode C. elegans, fruitflies and mice. To explore the novel genes involved in aging process, we applied cDNA microarray technology to a replicative senescence model of human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). Eighty-four genes, including inflammatory genes, cell cycle regulatory genes, cytoskeletal genes, and metabolic genes were found to show more than two fold expressional differences in young and old fibroblasts. Furthermore, 31 genes were confirmed to be up- or down-regulated during replicative senescence by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The overexpressions of several genes including CD36, putative lymphocyte G0/G1 switch gene (G0S2), tumor protein D52-like 1 (TPD52L1), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 6, myxovirus resistant gene 1 (MX1), and the down-regulation of the immunoglobulin superfamily containing leucine-rich repeat (ISLR), neurotrimin, insulin-like growth factor 2 associated protein (IGF2A), and apoptosis-related RNA binding protein (NAPOR3) were newly identified. These results suggest that fibroblasts show the deregulation of various cellular processes, such as inflammatory response, mitosis, cell adhesion, transport, signal transduction, and metabolism during replicative senescence.

Cell Division↗

PubMed2003

Identification of amyloid beta-peptide responsive genes by cDNA microarray technology: involvement of RTP801 in amyloid beta-peptide toxicity.

Amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta), a causative molecule in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and the main component of senile plaques, is known to be neurotoxic in vitro and in vivo. The mechanisms involved in this Ab-mediated neurotoxicity are not fully understood, although there is evidence to suggest the involvement of oxidative stress, alterations in calcium homeostasis, and/or of CDK activators. Many studies have suggested that Ab may exert its toxic effect via the activation of transcription factors. Therefore, we investigated Ab- responsive genes in human neuroblastoma CHP134 cells using 3.1K human DNA microarrays. Among the several genes overexpressed or repressed by Ab, RTP801, Hi95/sestrin 2, and stanniocalcin 2 were confirmed to be Ab-mediated overexpression in the cells by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Transient expression of the sense RTP801 gene in CHP134 cells increased sensitivity to Abeta cytotoxicity and the expression of the antisense RTP801 gene protected the cells from the Abeta toxicity. These results suggest that RTP801 might play important roles in Abeta toxicity and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer Disease↗

PubMed2003

Involvements of mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase (TrxR2) in cell proliferation.

Mammalian cells contain two forms of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), cytosolic TrxR1 and mitochondrial TrxR2. To investigate the biological roles of TrxR2, we generated stable HeLa cell lines expressing a dominant negative form of TrxR2 (TrxR2DN) under the control of the tetracycline-off system. We observed that TrxR2DN-induced cells, following stimulation with EGF, produced more hydrogen peroxide than uninduced cells. The extent of protein tyrosine phosphorylation of many proteins including ERK was higher in TrxR2DN-induced cells than in uninduced cells when stimulated with fetal bovine serum or EGF. Induction of TrxR2DN also resulted in the increased rate of progression of G1 to S phase in cell cycle and cell proliferation and affected the expression of many proteins involved in cell cycle. These results suggest that TrxR2 participates in the regulation of protein tyrosine phosphorylation and cell growth as a component of the mitochondria specific H2O2-eliminating system that includes peroxiredoxin III and thioredoxin 2.

Cell Cycle↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Overexpression of mitochondrial thioredoxin reductase and peroxiredoxin III in hepatocellular carcinomas.

Thioredoxin reductase 2 (TrxR2), thioredoxin II (Trx II) and peroxiredoxin III (Prx III) are specifically localized in mitochondria and believed to play important roles in the regulation of cellular redox status by serving as a primary line of defense against H2O2 produced during respiration. Substantial evidence indicates that the alteration of cellular redox status is a critical factor involved in cell growth and death and results in tumorigenesis. We therefore investigated the expression of TrxR2 and Prx III in 58 paraffin-embedded hepatocellular carcinoma tissues by immunohistochemistry. The labeling indices of TrxR2 and Prx III were significantly higher in tumor tissues than in the corresponding adjacent normal tissues. In 39 (67.2%) out of 58 samples, the levels of TrxR2 expression were higher in tumor tissues than in corresponding adjacent normal tissues, while 11 samples (19.0%) showed lower expression in tumor tissues. Prx III expression was increased in tumor tissues of 23 samples (39.7%) compared to adjacent normal tissues and were decreased in 18 samples (31.0%). These results suggest that alterations in cellular redox status by enhanced expression of TrxR2 and/or Prx III might be associated with the formation and development of hepatocellular carcinomas.

Adult↗