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Biomedical subjects

Yung Joon Yoo

Publications and source records attributed to Yung Joon Yoo.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Transforming growth factor-beta1 induces the non-classical secretion of peroxiredoxin-I in A549 cells.

Recent studies found that peroxiredoxin-I (Prx-I) is secreted from A549 cells although it does not contain a signal peptide and is known to be a cytosolic protein. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) treatment dramatically enhanced Prx-I secretion from A549 cells, and this effect was not inhibited by brefeldin A. Further investigation revealed that A549 cells constitutively secrete TGF-beta1. Furin, a TGF-beta1-converting enzyme, was also highly activated in A549 cells. Ectopic expression of alpha(1)-antitrypsin Portland (alpha(1)-PDX), a potent furin inhibitor, blocked both TGF-beta1 activation and Prx-I secretion. Our findings collectively suggest that non-classical secretion of Prx-I is induced by TGF-beta1, which is constitutively activated by furin in A549 cells.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Cytosolic amyloid-beta peptide 42 escaping from degradation induces cell death.

Accumulating evidence suggests that intracellular amyloid-beta (Abeta) peptide triggers the early pathological events in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, little is known about the consequence of cytosolic Abeta. In this study, we ectopically expressed Abeta42 in the cytoplasm of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells by expressing a fusion protein of GFP-tagged ubiquitin and Abeta42 (GFPUb-Abeta42). Although GFPUb and Abeta42 are stochastically produced with the same molar ratio in the cytoplasm, Abeta42 was completely degraded in more than 50% of the GFPUb-expressing cells. However, if Abeta42 was not degraded in their cytoplasm, then Abeta42-expressing cells underwent apoptosis. The number of Abeta42-expressing cells is significantly increased by the inhibition of proteasome with MG132. Cytosolic Abeta42 which has escaped degradation inhibits proteasome and thereby may accelerate the accumulation of Abeta42 and its detrimental effects. Our findings suggest that cells have the potential to degrade Abeta42 in their cytoplasm but if Abeta42 appears in the cytoplasm due to its incomplete degradation, it accumulates and may trigger the fatal cascade of pathology of AD.

Amyloid beta-Peptides↗

Expression and relationship of male reproductive ADAMs in mouse.

A number of a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) family members are expressed in mammalian male reproductive organs such as testis and epididymis. These reproductive ADAMs are divided phylogenically into three major groups: ADAMs 1, 4, 6, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, and 34 (the first group); ADAMs 2, 3, 5, 27, and 32 (the second group); and ADAMs 7 and 28 (the third group). Previous mouse knockout studies indicate that ADAM1, ADAM2, and ADAM3 have intricate expressional relationships, playing critical roles in fertilization. In the present study, we analyzed processing, biochemical characteristics, localization, and expressional relationship of the previously-unexplored, second-group ADAMs (ADAM5, ADAM27, and ADAM32). We found that all of the three ADAMs are made as precursors in the testis and processed during epididymal maturation, and that ADAM5 and ADAM32, but not ADAM27, are located on the sperm surface. Using sperm from Adam2(-/-) and Adam3(-/-) mice, we found that, among the three ADAMs, the level of ADAM5 is modestly and severely reduced in Adam3 and Adam2 knockout sperm, respectively. Further, we analyzed ADAM7, an epididymis-derived sperm surface ADAM from the separate phylogenetic group, in the knockout sperm. We found that the level of ADAM7 is also significantly reduced in both Adam2 and Adam3-null sperm. Taken together, our results suggest a novel expressional relationship of ADAM5 and ADAM7 with ADAM2 and ADAM3, which play critical roles in fertilization.

ADAM Proteins↗

Alternative chaperone machinery may compensate for calreticulin/calnexin deficiency in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Proper folding and maintenance of the native structure are central to protein function and are assisted by a family of proteins called chaperones. Calreticulin and calnexin are ER resident chaperones well conserved from worm to human. Calreticulin/calnexin knock-out mice exhibit a severe phenotype, whereas in Caenorhabditis elegans, calreticulin [crt-1(jh101)]- and calnexin [cnx-1(nr2009)]-null mutant worms exhibit only a mild phenotype, suggesting the possible existence of alternative chaperone machinery that can compensate for the deficiency of calreticulin and/or calnexin. In order to rapidly identify the compensatory chaperone components involved in this process, we analyzed the proteome of crt-1(jh101) mutants and [crt-1(jh101);cnx-1(nr2009)] double mutants. When grown at 20 degrees C, we found that five proteins were up-regulated and two proteins were down-regulated in crt-1(jh101) mutants; nine proteins were up-regulated and five proteins were down-regulated in [crt-1(jh101);cnx-1(nr2009)] double mutants. In addition, elevation of the cultivation temperature to 25 degrees C, which is still permissive to growth but causes specific defects in mutants, led to the identification of several additional proteins. Interestingly, the consistent increment of heat shock protein-70 family members (hsp70) together with protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) at all the examined conditions suggests the possible compensatory function imparted by hsp70 and PDI family members in the absence of calreticulin and/or calnexin.

Animals↗

Caenorhabditis elegans calnexin is N-glycosylated and required for stress response.

Calnexin, a type I integral Ca(2+)-binding protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane, has been implicated in various biological functions including chaperone activity, calcium homeostasis, phagocytosis, and ER stress-induced apoptosis. Caenorhabditis elegans CNX-1 is expressed in the H-shaped excretory cell, intestine, dorsal and ventral nerve cord, spermatheca, and head and tail neurons throughout development. A cnx-1 null mutant displays temperature-sensitive developmental and reproductive defects, and retarded growth under stress. Moreover, a double knockout mutant of calnexin and calreticulin exhibits additive severe defects. Interestingly, both cnx-1 transcript and protein levels are elevated under stress conditions suggesting that CNX-1 may be important for stress-induced chaperoning functions in C. elegans. Glycosidase treatment and site-directed mutagenesis confirmed that CeCNX-1 is N-glycosylated at two asparagine residues of Asn(203) and Asn(571). When transgenic animals from cnx-1 mutant were generated, a glycosylation defective construct failed to rescue phenotypes of cnx-1 mutant suggesting that glycosylation is important for calnexin's functions in C. elegans.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Roles of Rac and p38 kinase in the activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 in response to PMA.

The roles of Rac and p38 kinase in the activation of cPLA2 (cytosolic PLA2) in Rat-2 fibroblasts were investigated. In the present study, we found that PMA activates cPLA2 by a Rac-p38 kinase-dependent pathway. Consistent with this, Rac, if activated, was shown to stimulate cPLA2 in a p38 kinase-dependent manner. In another experiment to understand the signalling mechanism by which the Rac-p38 kinase cascade mediates cPLA2 activation in response to PMA, we observed that PMA-induced cPLA2 translocation to the perinuclear region is completely inhibited by the expression of Rac1N17 or treatment with SB203580 (inhibitor of p38 kinase), suggesting that Rac-p38 kinase cascade acts in this instance by mediating the translocation of cPLA2. The mediatory role of p38 kinase in cPLA2 activation was further demonstrated after a treatment with anisomycin, a very effective activator of p38 kinase. Consistent with the mediatory role of p38 kinase in stimulating cPLA2, anisomycin induced the translocation and activation of cPLA2 in a p38 kinase-dependent manner.

Animals↗

Peroxiredoxin-I is an autoimmunogenic tumor antigen in non-small cell lung cancer.

In eukaryotic cells, peroxiredoxins are both antioxidants and regulators of H(2)O(2)-mediated signaling. We previously found that peroxiredoxin-I (Prx-I) was overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue. Since overexpressed protein can induce a humoral immune response, we examined whether serum from NSCLC patients exhibited immunoreactivity against Prx-I using Western blotting. We found that 25 (47%) of 53 NSCLC patients tested had autoantibodies against Prx-I in their sera, whereas such activity was detected in 4 (8%) sera from 50 healthy subjects. Prx-I itself was detected in the sera from 18 (34%) of 53 NSCLC patients but in only 1 (2%) serum from 50 controls. Moreover, 17% of NSCLC sera were positive to both Prx-I antibody and antigen but none in control sera. The data indicate both Prx-I autoantibody and circulating antigen are potential biomarkers for use in serological diagnosis of NSCLC. Interestingly enough, we found that Prx-I was secreted by lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) but not by non-cancer lung cells (BEAS 2B) or breast cancer cells (MCF7). This cell culture study suggests the possibility of Prx-I secretion from NSCLC tumor tissues.

Adult↗

Production of recombinant amyloid-beta peptide 42 as an ubiquitin extension.

Amyloid-beta peptide 42 (Abeta42) mediates neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We sought to produce recombinant Abeta42 as an ubiquitin extension. A synthetic oligonucleotide encoding Abeta42 was constructed and cloned as an extended polypeptide of hexahistidine-tagged ubiquitin (H(6)Ub) using the pET vector. Isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside induction of transformed Escherichia coli resulted in the production of large amounts of insoluble H(6)Ub-Abeta42 fusion protein. H(6)Ub-Abeta42 was solubilized in 8 M urea and applied to a nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity column for purification. Column washing removed the urea and soluble H(6)Ub-Abeta42 was eluted, indicating that covalently attached ubiquitin prevented Abeta42 from aggregating. Abeta42 was cleaved from H(6)Ub using recombinant yeast ubiquitin hydrolase-1 (YUH-1) and purified using reverse-phase chromatography. The recombinant Abeta42 prepared in this study has the same toxic effect on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells comparing with chemically synthesized, commercial one. The peptide yield was more than 4 mg/L culture, indicating this ubiquitin fusion technique is an attractive method for production of aggregation-prone peptides such as Abeta42.

Amyloid beta-Peptides↗

Under-sulfation by PAPS synthetase inhibition modulates the expression of ECM molecules during chondrogenesis.

Sulfation of proteoglycans is an important post-translational modification in chondrocytes. We previously found that 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) synthetase-2 levels increased more than 10-fold during mesenchymal cell chondrogenesis. Given that PAPS is the sole sulfur donor, and is produced only by PAPS synthetase in all cells, increased expression of PAPS synthetase-2 should be a prerequisite for increased sulfation activity of chondrocytes. We found that sodium chlorate, a specific inhibitor of PAPS synthetase, inhibited proteoglycan sulfation during chondrogenesis. In contrast, sodium chlorate unexpectedly induced early expression of type II collagen and increased the number of cartilage nodules during chondrogenesis. Inhibition of sulfation also accelerated the down-regulation of N-cadherin and fibronectin during chondrogenesis. These findings suggest that sulfation has an important regulatory role in coordinating the timely expression of extracellular matrix molecules during chondrogenesis, and that under-sulfation may cause the breakdown of this coordination, leading to premature chondrogenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A pathway involving protein kinase Cdelta up-regulates cytosolic phospholipase A(2)alpha in airway epithelium.

Cytosolic phospholipase A(2)alpha (cPLA(2)alpha) catalyzes the hydrolysis of glycerophospholipids at the sn-2 position to liberate fatty acids. Although cPLA(2)alpha has been implicated in various cellular processes, the detailed mechanism of its expression remains to be elucidated. Here we report that phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) up-regulates cPLA(2)alpha in A549 airway epithelium cells, and that this effect is sensitive to rottlerin, a potent inhibitor of protein kinase Cdelta (PKCdelta). Consistent with this observation, a dominant negative mutant of PKCdelta reduced cPLA(2)alpha induction in response to PMA. Up-regulation of cPLA(2)alpha by PMA was also inhibited by PDTC, an inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), and degradation of IkappaB and subsequent activation of NF-kappaB occurred in response to PMA treatment. These findings indicate that PMA induces expression of cPLA(2)alpha at the transcriptional level via an NF-kappaB-dependent mechanism. In addition, activation of the NF-kappaB promoter by PMA was diminished by pretreatment with DPI, a flavoenzyme inhibitor as well as by rottlerin, suggesting a role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as PKCdelta. Consistent with this, PMA stimulated the production of ROS and this was blocked by inhibiting PKCdelta. Our results suggest that PKCdelta and ROS lie upstream of NF-kappaB, and we conclude that a PKCdelta-ROS-NF-kappaB cascade plays a pivotal role in cPLA(2)alpha induction by PMA.

Acetophenones↗

Identification of proteins differentially expressed during chondrogenesis of mesenchymal cells.

We performed comparative proteome analysis of mesenchymal cells and chondrocytes to identify proteins differentially expressed during chondrogenesis. Nine such proteins were identified. Type II collagen, matrilin-1, carbonic anhydrase-II (CA-II), 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) synthetase-2, and aldo-keto reductase were increased during chondrogenesis, whereas cellular retinoic acid binding protein-I (CRABP-I), CRABP-II, cytoplasmic type 5 actin, and fatty acid binding protein were decreased or almost disappeared. Expression of type II collagen, matrilin-1, PAPS synthetase-2, and CA-II was regulated by extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, protein kinase C, and p38 kinase, signaling molecules known to regulate chondrogenesis.

Animals↗

Oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 2 is phosphorylated by glycine-rich protein 3/wall-associated kinase 1 in Arabidopsis.

The Arabidopsis wall-associated receptor kinase, WAK1, is a member of WAK family that links the plasma membrane to the extracellular matrix. A glycine-rich secreted protein, AtGRP-3, was previously shown to regulate WAK1 functions through binding to the extracellular domain of WAK1. In this study, we sought to determine the downstream molecules of the AtGRP-3/WAK1 signaling pathway, by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis combined with Edman sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). We report here that a chloroplast protein, oxygen-evolving enhancer protein 2 (OEE2), specifically interacts with the cytoplasmic kinase domain of WAK1 and becomes phosphorylated in an AtGRP-3-dependent manner. The phosphorylation of OEE2 is also induced in Arabidopsis by treatment with avirulent Pseudomonas syringae. Taken together, these results suggest that OEE2 activity is regulated by AtGRP-3/WAK1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of proteins highly expressed in the hyphae of Candida albicans by two-dimensional electrophoresis.

The increase in Candida albicans infections is caused by the increase in therapies resulting in immunocompromised patients. One factor required for C. albicans pathogenicity is the morphological transition from yeast to hypha. The protein profiles of whole extracts from yeasts and hyphae were examined using two-dimensional electrophoresis to identify the proteins related to the morphological transition. Over 900 protein spots were visualized by silver staining and 11 spots were increased more than three-fold reproducibly during hyphal differentiation. Six of the 11 spots were identified by peptide mass fingerprints, of which three represented PRA1, two PHR1 and the last TSA1. Vertical streak patterns of Pra1p and Phr1p indicated that post-translational modifications seem to be caused by variable glycosylation. Comparative proteome analysis between the wild-type and the deletion mutants, CAMB43 (deltapra1) and CAS10 (deltaphr1), further confirmed the identity of PRA1 and PHR1. Interestingly, Pra1p was downregulated in phr1-deleted mutants. Only PHR1 transcription was increased, indicating that PRA1 and TSA1 are controlled at the post-translational level.

Apoenzymes↗

Essential role of E2-25K/Hip-2 in mediating amyloid-beta neurotoxicity.

The ubiquitin/proteasome system has been proposed to play an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. However, the critical factor(s) modulating both amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) neurotoxicity and ubiquitin/proteasome system in AD are not known. We report the isolation of an unusual ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, E2-25K/Hip-2, as a mediator of Abeta toxicity. The expression of E2-25K/Hip-2 was upregulated in the neurons exposed to Abeta(1-42) in vivo and in culture. Enzymatic activity of E2-25K/Hip-2 was required for both Abeta(1-42) neurotoxicity and inhibition of proteasome activity. E2-25K/Hip-2 functioned upstream of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in Abeta(1-42) toxicity. Further, the ubiquitin mutant, UBB+1, a potent inhibitor of the proteasome which is found in Alzheimer's brains, was colocalized and functionally interacted with E2-25K/Hip-2 in mediating neurotoxicity. These results suggest that E2-25K/Hip-2 is a crucial factor in regulating Abeta neurotoxicity and could play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

Aged↗

Maintenance of differentiated phenotype of articular chondrocytes by protein kinase C and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase.

The differentiated phenotype of chondrocyte is rapidly lost during in vitro culture by a process designated "dedifferentiation." In this study, we investigate the roles of protein kinase C (PKC) and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) in the maintenance of the differentiated chondrocyte phenotype. Chondrocytes isolated from rabbit articular cartilage underwent dedifferentiation upon serial monolayer culture with cessation of type II collagen expression and proteoglycan synthesis, which was reversed by culturing dedifferentiated cells in alginate gel. The expression pattern of PKC alpha was essentially the same as that of type II collagen during de- and redifferentiation, in that expression was decreased during dedifferentiation and increased during redifferentiation. In contrast to PKC alpha, ERK activity increased 15-fold during dedifferentiation. This enhanced activity was terminated during redifferentiation. Down-regulation of PKC alpha in passage 0 chondrocytes resulted in dedifferentiation. However, overexpression of PKC alpha did not affect type II collagen levels, suggesting that PKC alpha expression is not sufficient to maintain the differentiated phenotype. However, inhibition of ERK by PD98059 enhanced type II collagen expression and proteoglycan synthesis in passage 0 cells, retarded dedifferentiation during monolayer cultures, and reversed dedifferentiation caused by down-regulation of PKC. Unlike PKC-dependent ERK regulation of chondrogenesis, PKC and ERK independently modulated chondrocyte dedifferentiation, as confirmed by observations that PKC down-regulation and ERK inhibition did not alter ERK phosphorylation and PKC expression, respectively. In addition, expression of N-cadherin, alpha-catenin, and beta-catenin, which are oppositely regulated to type II collagen during phenotype alterations, were modulated by PKC and ERK during chondrogenesis but not dedifferentiation, supporting distinct mechanisms for the regulation of chondrocyte differentiation and maintenance of differentiated phenotype by these two protein kinases.

Animals↗

ERK-1/2 and p38 kinase oppositely regulate nitric oxide-induced apoptosis of chondrocytes in association with p53, caspase-3, and differentiation status.

Nitric oxide regulates cartilage destruction by causing dedifferentiation and apoptosis of chondrocytes. We investigated the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase subtypes, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK)-1/2, and p38 kinase in NO-induced apoptosis of rabbit articular chondrocytes and their involvement in dedifferentiation. Generation of NO with sodium nitroprusside (SNP) caused dedifferentiation, as indicated by the inhibition of type II collagen expression and proteoglycan synthesis. NO additionally caused apoptosis, accompanied by p53 accumulation and caspase-3 activation. SNP treatment stimulated activation of ERK-1/2 and p38 kinase. Inhibition of ERK-1/2 with PD98059 rescued SNP-induced dedifferentiation but enhanced apoptosis up to 2-fold, whereas inhibition of p38 kinase with SB203580 enhanced dedifferentiation, with significant blockage of apoptosis. The stimulation of apoptosis by ERK inhibition was accompanied by increased p53 accumulation and caspase-3 activity, whereas the inhibitory effect of p38 kinase blockade was associated with reduced p53 accumulation and caspase-3 activity. Our results indicate that NO-induced p38 kinase functions as an induction signal for apoptosis and in the maintenance of chondrocyte phenotype, whereas ERK activity causes dedifferentiation and operates as an anti-apoptotic signal. NO generation is less proapoptotic in chondrocytes that are dedifferentiated by serial monolayer culture or phorbol ester treatment. NO-induced p38 kinase activity is low in dedifferentiated cells compared with that in differentiated chondrocytes, with lower levels of p53 accumulation and caspase-3 activity. Our findings collectively suggest that ERK-1/2 and p38 kinase oppositely regulate NO-induced apoptosis of chondrocytes, in association with p53 accumulation, caspase-3 activation, and differentiation status.

Animals↗

A Method for Assaying Deubiquitinating Enzymes.

A general method for the assay of deubiquitinating enzymes was described in detail using (125)I-labeled ubiquitin-fused alphaNH-MHISPPEPESEEEEEHYC (referred to as Ub-PESTc) as a substrate. Since the tyrosine residue in the PESTc portion of the fusion protein was almost exclusively radioiodinated under a mild labeling condition, such as using IODO-BEADS, the enzymes could be assayed directly by simple measurement of the radioactivity released into acid soluble products. Using this assay protocol, we could purify six deubiquitinating enzymes from chick skeletal muscle and yeast and compare their specific activities. Since the extracts of E. coli showed little or no activity against the substrate, the assay protocol should be useful for identification and purification of eukaryotic deubiquitinating enzymes cloned and expressed in the cells.

Journal Article↗