Protein serine/threonine phosphatase PPEF-1 suppresses genotoxic stress response via dephosphorylation of PDCD5.

Programmed cell death 5 (PDCD5) is believed to play a crucial role in p53 activation; however, the underlying mechanism of how PDCD5 function is regulated during apoptosis remains obscure. Here, we report that the serine/threonine phosphatase PPEF-1 interacts with and dephosphorylates PDCD5 at Ser-119, which leads to PDCD5 destabilization. Overexpression of wild-type PPEF-1, but not inactive PPEF-1, efficiently suppressed CK2α-mediated stabilization of PDCD5 and p53-mediated apoptosis in response to etoposide (ET).

Delphinidin induces apoptosis via cleaved HDAC3-mediated p53 acetylation and oligomerization in prostate cancer cells.

Delphinidin is a major anthocyanidin compound found in various fruits. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and various other biological activities. In this study, we identified the epigenetic modulators that mediate the apoptotic effect of delphinidin in human prostate cancer cells.

Erratum to: Gecko proteins induce the apoptosis of bladder cancer 5637 cells by inhibiting Akt and activating the intrinsic caspase cascade.

The BMB Reports would like to correct in the reference of BMB Rep. 48(9), 531-536 titled "Gecko proteins induce the apoptosis of bladder cancer 5637 cells by inhibiting Akt and activating the intrinsic caspase cascade". The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS should be corrected as follows, "This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2010-0009086, NRF-2012R1A1A2039992, and 2012M3A9C7050184) and the Brain Busan 21 Project.

Gecko proteins induce the apoptosis of bladder cancer 5637 cells by inhibiting Akt and activating the intrinsic caspase cascade.

Gecko proteins have long been used as anti-tumor agents in oriental medicine, without any scientific background. Although anti-tumor effects of Gecko proteins on several cancers were recently reported, their effect on bladder cancer has not been investigated. Thus, we explored the anti-tumor effect of Gecko proteins and its cellular mechanisms in human bladder cancer 5637 cells.

DNAJB1 destabilizes PDCD5 to suppress p53-mediated apoptosis.

Although PDCD5 promotes p53-mediated apoptosis in various cancers, little is known about PDCD5 regulation. We recently found that DNAJB1 interacts with PDCD5 and induces the ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation of PDCD5, thereby inhibiting p53-mediated apoptosis. To investigate these novel roles for PDCD5 and DNAJB1, we performed DNAJB1 mapping with PDCD5.

Rubus coreanus Miquel inhibits acetylcholinesterase activity and prevents cognitive impairment in a mouse model of dementia.

To find acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors for the prevention of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, ethanol extracts of promising traditional edible Korean plants were tested. Among them, Rubus coreanus Miquel extract exhibited the most significant AChE inhibitory activity. The effect of R.

PKA negatively regulates PP2Cβ to activate NF-κB-mediated inflammatory signaling.

Protein phosphatase 2Cβ (PP2Cβ) was found to act as a negative regulator of NF-κB-mediated inflammatory signaling; however, its regulatory mechanism has not been examined. Here, we show that protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylates the PP2Cβ, which was inhibited by PKA-specific inhibitor, H89. Mutation analysis of serine residues in PP2Cβ revealed that Ser-195 in PP2Cβ is phosphorylated by PKA.

Gecko Proteins Exert Anti-Tumor Effect against Cervical Cancer Cells Via PI3-Kinase/Akt Pathway.

Anti-tumor activity of the proteins from Gecko (GP) on cervical cancer cells, and its signaling mechanisms were assessed by viable cell counting, propidium iodide (PI) staining, and Western blot analysis. GP induced the cell death of HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner while it did not affect the viability of normal cells. Western blot analysis showed that GP decreased the activation of Akt, and co-administration of GP and Akt inhibitors synergistically exerted anti-tumor activities on HeLa cells, suggesting the involvement of PI3-kinase/Akt pathway in GP-induced cell death of the cancer cells.

Gallic acid, a histone acetyltransferase inhibitor, suppresses β-amyloid neurotoxicity by inhibiting microglial-mediated neuroinflammation.

Scope: We examined the biological effect of gallic acid (GA) as a nuclear factor (NF)-κB acetyltransferase inhibitor on microglial-mediated β-amyloid neurotoxicity and restorative effects on the Aβ-induced cognitive dysfunction.

Methods And Results: The protective effects of GA on the survival of neuronal cells were assessed with an MTT assay and a co-culture system. For the co-culture experiments, both BV-2 and primary microglia cells were treated with GA prior to Aβ stimulation, and conditioned media were transferred to Neuro-2A cells.

Neuroprotective effects of Eriobotrya japonica against β-amyloid-induced oxidative stress and memory impairment.

The generation of oxygen free radicals and oxidative damage is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Eriobotrya japonica has been used to treat several diseases in East Asia. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of an E.

Histone deacetylase 3 is selectively involved in L3MBTL2-mediated transcriptional repression.

This is the first report that L(3)mbt-like 2 (L3MBTL2) specifically interacts with the histone deacetylase domain of histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) via its MBT domain. Here, we show that L3MBTL2 selectively interacts with HDAC3, but not other class I HDACs. An in vitro peptide-binding assay demonstrated the specific association of HDAC3 with methylated histone-K20 tail and L3MBTL2.

Gallic acid suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced nuclear factor-kappaB signaling by preventing RelA acetylation in A549 lung cancer cells.

Although multiple studies have revealed that gallic acid plays an important role in the inhibition of malignant transformation, cancer development, and inflammation, the molecular mechanism of gallic acid in inflammatory diseases is still unclear. In this study, we identified gallic acid from Rosa rugosa as a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) inhibitor with global specificity for the majority of HAT enzymes, but with no activity toward epigenetic enzymes including sirtuin (silent mating type information regulation 2 homologue) 1 (S. cerevisiae), histone deacetylase, and histone methyltransferase.

Ameliorative effect of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid dinonyl ester against amyloid beta peptide-induced neurotoxicity.

Amyloid beta peptide (Abeta)-induced oxidative stress may be linked to neurodegenerative disease. Ethanol extracts of Rosa laevigata protected PC12 cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) reduction assays revealed a significant increase in cell viability when oxidatively stressed PC12 cells were treated with R.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a histone acetyltransferase inhibitor, inhibits EBV-induced B lymphocyte transformation via suppression of RelA acetylation.

Because the p300/CBP-mediated hyperacetylation of RelA (p65) is critical for nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation, the attenuation of p65 acetylation is a potential molecular target for the prevention of chronic inflammation. During our ongoing screening study to identify natural compounds with histone acetyltransferase inhibitor (HATi) activity, we identified epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a novel HATi with global specificity for the majority of HAT enzymes but with no activity toward epigenetic enzymes including HDAC, SIRT1, and HMTase. At a dose of 100 micromol/L, EGCG abrogates p300-induced p65 acetylation in vitro and in vivo, increases the level of cytosolic IkappaBalpha, and suppresses tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha)-induced NF-kappaB activation.

Antiinflammatory effect of lactic acid bacteria: inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 by suppressing nuclear factor-kappaB in Raw264.7 macrophage cells.

Lactobacillus casei 3260 (L. casei 3260) was evaluated in relation to the inflammatory response mediated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in Raw264.7 macrophage cells.

Enzymatic synthesis and characterization of arbutin glucosides using glucansucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-1299CB.

Two arbutin glucosides were synthesized via the acceptor reaction of a glucansucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-1299CB with arbutin and sucrose. The glucosides were purified by Bio-gel P-2 column chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, and the structures were elucidated as 4-hydroxyphenyl beta-isomaltoside (arbutin-G1), 4-hydroxyphenyl beta-isomaltotrioside (arbutin-G2), according to the results of (1)H, (13)C, heteronuclear single-quantum coherence, (1)H-(1)H COSY, and heteronuclear multiple-bond correlation analyses. Arbutin glucoside (4-hydroxyphenyl beta-isomaltoside) exhibited slower effects on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging and similar effects on tyrosinase inhibition, and increased inhibitory effect on matrix metalloproteinase-1 production induced by UVB than arbutin.

Ameliorating effect of Gardenia jasminoides extract on amyloid beta peptide-induced neuronal cell deficit.

The brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients are characterized by large deposits of amyloid beta peptide (Abeta). Abeta is known to increase free radical production in nerve cells, leading to cell death that is characterized by lipid peroxidation, free radical formation, protein oxi-dation, and DNA/RNA oxidation. In this study, we selected an extract of Gardenia jasminoides by screening, and investigated its ameliorating effects on Abeta-induced oxidative stress using PC12 cells.

Ferulic acid supplementation prevents trimethyltin-induced cognitive deficits in mice.

This study's objective was to clarify the ameliorative effects ferulic acid (4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid) has against cognitive deficits and ChAT activation in trimethyltin (TMT) induced, memory injured mice following a 28-d ferulic acid treatment. After administering TMT for 3 d, each mouse performed Y-maze and passive avoidance tests to check immediate working memory performance and cognitive function. The results showed that ferulic acid administration attenuated TMT-induced memory injury and a decline in ChAT activity in the mice.

Inhibitory effect of Aucubin isolated from Eucommia ulmoides against UVB-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 production in human skin fibroblasts.

Of 30 herbal plants tested, the methanol extracts of Eucommia ulmoides (52%), Evodia officinalis (45%), and Pleuropterus multiflorus (41%) each showed a potent inhibitory effect on the matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) production in ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated human fibroblasts. Aucubin was isolated as the MMP-1 inhibitor from E. ulmoides, and significantly suppressed the production of MMP-1 by nearly 57% compared to the control.

Protective effects of aucubin isolated from Eucommia ulmoides against UVB-induced oxidative stress in human skin fibroblasts.

Ultraviolet-B (UVB) irradiation has been demonstrated to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells and skin, which induces the synthesis of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), causing skin photoaging. Using the human skin fibroblast HS68 cell line in the present study, we investigated the photoprotective effects of aucubin from Eucommia ulmoides. Pretreatment with aucubin significantly inhibited the production of MMP-1 by 57% when compared to the UVB-irradiated cells.

Effect of culture conditions on production of 5-aminolevulinic acid by recombinant Escherichia coli.

Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is formed by the enzyme ALA synthase (hemA gene). Then ALA is converted to Porphobilinogen (PBG) by the ALA dehydratase (hemB gene). For the overproduction of ALA, we used an Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) containing a hemA gene from Bradyrhzobium japonicum, which was created in our previous work.

In vitro and in vivo effects of macrophage-stimulatory polysaccharide from leaves of Perilla frutescens var. crispa.

The crude polysaccharide (PFB-1) was isolated from the leaves of Perilla frutescens var. crispa by the sequential procedures with hot-water extraction, methanol reflux, and ethanol precipitation. It was further purified by anion column chromatography in order to obtain the partially purified polysaccharide (PFB-1-0).

Isolation and characterization of alkyl peroxy radical scavenging compound from leaves of Laurus nobilis.

EtOH-soluble fraction from leaves of Laurus nobilis (bay leaves) possessed the highest alkyl peroxy radical (ROO*) scavenging activity among 120 kinds of herbs and edible plants, using the bioassay system which could determine the viability of Staphylococcus aureus 209p by ROO* cytotoxicity. After EtOH-soluble fraction was partitioned with chloroform, ethylacetate, n-butanol and water, the ethylacetate-soluble fraction (L-EA) possessing the highest scavenging activity was further fractionated by Silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC analysis on micro-Bondapak C18 reverse phase, and a major flavonol (L-EA-IIa-3-H2) in leaves of L. nobilis was isolated.