Young Hun Song
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 715-721 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0237Abstract : Plants have become physiologically adapted to a seasonally shifting environment by evolving many sensory mechanisms. Seasonal flowering is a good example of adaptation to local environmental demands and is crucial for maximizing reproductive fitness. Photoperiod and temperature are major environmental stimuli that control flowering through expression of a floral inducer, FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) protein. Recent discoveries made using the model plant
Kae Won Cho, Jongsung Lee, and Youngjo Kim
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 722-727 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0061Abstract : Cardiomyopathy is a major cause of death worldwide. Based on pathohistological abnormalities and clinical manifestation, cardiomyopathies are categorized into several groups: hypertrophic, dilated, restricted, arrhythmogenic right ventricular, and unclassified. Dilated cardiomyopathy, which is characterized by dilation of the left ventricle and systolic dysfunction, is the most severe and prevalent form of cardiomyopathy and usually requires heart transplantation. Its etiology remains unclear. Recent genetic studies of single gene mutations have provided significant insights into the complex processes of cardiac dysfunction. To date, over 40 genes have been demonstrated to contribute to dilated cardiomyopathy. With advances in genetic screening techniques, novel genes associated with this disease are continuously being identified. The respective gene products can be classified into several functional groups such as sarcomere proteins, structural proteins, ion channels, and nuclear envelope proteins. Nuclear envelope proteins are emerging as potential molecular targets in dilated cardiomyopathy. Because they are not directly associated with contractile force generation and transmission, the molecular pathways through which these proteins cause cardiac muscle disorder remain unclear. However, nuclear envelope proteins are involved in many essential cellular processes. Therefore, integrating apparently distinct cellular processes is of great interest in elucidating the etiology of dilated cardiomyopathy. In this mini review, we summarize the genetic factors associated with dilated cardiomyopathy and discuss their cellular functions.
You-Sun Kim, Nurdan Kokturk, Ji-Young Kim, Sei Won Lee, Jaeyun Lim, Soo Jin Choi, Wonil Oh, and Yeon-Mok Oh
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 728-733 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0095Abstract : Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) effectively reduce airway inflammation and regenerate the alveolus in cigarette- and elastase-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) animal models. The effects of stem cells are thought to be paracrine and immune-modulatory because very few stem cells remain in the lung one day after their systemic injection, which has been demonstrated previously. In this report, we analyzed the gene expression profiles to compare mouse lungs with chronic exposure to cigarette smoke with non-exposed lungs. Gene expression profiling was also conducted in a mouse lung tissue with chronic exposure to cigarette smoke following the systemic injection of human cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hCB-MSCs). Globally, 834 genes were differentially expressed after systemic injection of hCB-MSCs. Seven and 21 genes, respectively, were up-and downregulated on days 1, 4, and 14 after HCB-MSC injection. The
Yi Rang Na, Daun Jung, Gyo Jeong Gu, and Seung Hyeok Seok
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 734-741 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0160Abstract : Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has a role in inducing emergency hematopoiesis upon exposure to inflammatory stimuli. Although GM-CSF generated murine bone marrow derived cells have been widely used as macrophages or dendritic cells in research, the exact characteristics of each cell population have not yet been defined. Here we discriminated GM-CSF grown bone marrow derived macrophages (GM-BMMs) from dendritic cells (GM-BMDCs) in several criteria. After C57BL/6J mice bone marrow cell culture for 7 days with GM-CSF supplementation, two main populations were observed in the attached cells based on MHCII and F4/80 marker expressions. GM-BMMs had MHCIIlowF4/80high as well as CD11c+CD11bhighCD80?CD64+MerTK+ phenotypes. In contrast, GM-BMDCs had MHCIIhighF4/80low and CD11chighCD8α? CD11b+CD80+CD64?MerTKlow phenotypes. Interestingly, the GM-BMM population increased but GM-BMDCs decreased in a GM-CSF dose-dependent manner. Functionally, GM-BMMs showed extremely high phagocytic abilities and produced higher IL-10 upon LPS stimulation. GM-BMDCs, however, could not phagocytose as well, but were efficient at producing TNFα, IL-1β, IL-12p70 and IL-6 as well as inducing T cell proliferation. Finally, whole transcriptome analysis revealed that GM-BMMs and GM-BMDCs are overlap with
Zhiping Yang, Yan Zhao, Yahong Yao, Jun Li, Wangshi Wang, and Xiaonan Wu
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 742-749 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0162Abstract : The cancer chemo-preventive effects of equol have been demonstrated for a wide variety of experimental tumours. In a previous study, we found that equol inhibited proliferation and induced apoptotic death of human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells. However, the mechanisms underlying equol-mediated apoptosis have not been well understood. In the present study, the dual AO (acridine orange)/EB (ethidium bromide) fluorescent assay, the comet assay, MTS, western blotting and flow cytometric assays were performed to further investigate the pro-apoptotic effect of equol and its associated mechanisms in MGC-803 cells. The results demonstrated that equol induced an apoptotic nuclear morphology revealed by AO/EB staining, the presence of a comet tail, the cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP and the depletion of cIAP1, indicating its pro-apoptotic effect. In addition, equol-induced apoptosis involves the mitochondria-dependent cell-death pathway, evidenced by the depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, the cleavage of caspase-9 and the depletion of Bcl-xL and full-length Bid. Moreover, treating MGC-803 cells with equol induced the sustained activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and inhibiting ERK by U0126, a MEK/ERK pathway inhibitor, significantly attenuated the equol-induced cell apoptosis. These results suggest that equol induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells via the sustained activation of the ERK1/2 pathway. Therefore, equol may be a novel candidate for the chemoprevention and therapy of gastric cancer.
Jong-Su Park, Jae-Ho Ryu, Tae-Ik Choi, Young-Ki Bae, Suman Lee, Hae Jin Kang, and Cheol-Hee Kim
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 750-755 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0173Abstract : Although innate color preference of motile organisms may provide clues to behavioral biases, it has remained a longstanding question. In this study, we investigated innate color preference of zebrafish larvae. A cross maze with different color sleeves around each arm was used for the color preference test (R; red, G; green, B; blue, Y; yellow). The findings showed that 5 dpf zebrafish larvae preferred blue over other colors (B > R > G > Y). To study innate color recognition further,
Akiko Mizutani, Hidetoshi Inoko, and Masafumi Tanaka
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 756-761 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0183Abstract : We have identified 88 interactor candidates for human growth hormone (GH) by the yeast two-hybrid assay. Among those, we focused our efforts on carboxypeptidase E (CPE), which has been thought to play a key role in sorting prohormones, such as pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), to regulated secretory vesicles. We found that CPE co-localizes with and interacts with GH in AtT20 pituitary cells. Downregulation of CPE led to decreased levels of GH secretion, consistent with involvement of CPE in GH sorting/secretion. Our binding assay
Minyeop Nahm, Sunyoung Park, Jihye Lee, and Seungbok Lee
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 762-767 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0203Abstract : Fasciclin II (FasII), the
Kyunghyuk Park, Jennifer M. Frost, Adam James Adair, Dong Min Kim, Hyein Yun, Janie S. Brooks, Robert L. Fischer, and Yeonhee Choi
Mol. Cells 2016; 39(10): 768-775 https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2016.0209Abstract : The