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β-glucans, the class of biological response modifier has unceasing attention, not only for its immune stimulating but also for its role as prebiotics, modulator of physiological events etc. and is widely used in the treatment of cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular diseases etc. However, β-glucan with different physiochemical properties is found to have discrete clinical functions and thus careful selection of the types of β-glucan plays pivotal role in providing significant and expected clinical outcome. Herein this review, we presented the factors responsible for diverse functional properties of β-glucan, their distinct mode of actions in regulating human health etc. Further, clinical aspects of different β-glucans toward the management of wound care, metabolic dysbiosis, fatty liver disorders and endurance training associated energy metabolism were compiled and exhibited in detail.

With poor prognosis and aberrant lung remodeling, pulmonary fibrosis exhibits worldwide prevalence accompanied by an increase in burden in terms of hospitalization and death. Apart from genetic and non-genetic factors, fibrosis occurs as a side effect of bleomycin antineoplastic activity. Elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanism could help in the development of effective anti-fibrotic treatment strategies. In the present study, we investigated the underlying mechanism behind bleomycin-induced fibrosis using human alveolar epithelial cells (A549 cells). On the basis of the experimental observation, it was demonstrated that with transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) as a central mediator of fibrosis progression, a cross-talk between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and senescence upon bleomycin treatment occurs. This results in the advancement of this serious fibrotic condition. Fibrosis was initiated through integrin activation and imbalance in the redox state (NOX expression) of the cell. It progressed along the TGF-β-mediated non-canonical pathway (via ERK phosphorylation) followed by the upregulation of α-smooth muscle actin and collagen synthesis. Additionally, in this process, the loss of the epithelial marker E-cadherin was observed. Furthermore, the expressions of senescence markers, such as p21 and p53, were upregulated upon bleomycin treatment, thereby intensifying the fibrotic condition. Accordingly, the molecular pathway mediating the bleomycin-induced fibrosis was explored in the current study.

Background Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is involved in fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) activation and promotes pannus formation and bone and cartilage destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61) protein regulates cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Cyr61 in RA-FLS migration and invasion after IL-6 stimulation. Methods Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and real time-polymerase chain reaction were used to examine protein and mRNA levels of Cyr61, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and other signalling proteins. Knockdown of gene expression was performed with siRNA, and RNA sequencing was performed for differential gene analysis. Migration and invasion were assessed by wound healing and Boyden chamber assays. Results Cyr61 levels were elevated in FLSs from RA patients compared to those in osteoarthritis patients. Control and IL-6-treated FLSs showed differential gene expression. IL-6 stimulated protein synthesis of Cyr61, which was attenuated by the extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) inhibitor, PD98059, and knockdown of early growth response 3 (EGR3), but not of JUN. IL-6-induced Cyr61 protein synthesis increased expression of MMP2. Cyr61 promoted FLS migration and invasion in an autocrine manner. Knockdown of CYR61 and a neutralising antibody attenuated Cyr61 synthesis and IL-6-induced FLS migration. Conclusions By modulating the ERK/EGR3 pathway, IL-6 stimulated Cyr61 production and in turn increased invasiveness of FLS. Our data suggest that Cyr61 might be a potential target to prevent the progression of joint damage in RA.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) promulgates epithelial cell associated disease-defining characteristics in tumorigenesis and organ fibrosis. Growth factors such as epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor in addition to cytokines such as transforming growth factor-&beta, 1 (TGF-&beta, 1) is said to play a prominent role in remodeling related pathological events of cancer progression such as invasion, metastasis, apoptosis, EMT, etc. through redox related cellular secondary messengers, in particular the reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the signaling cascade underlying the redox mechanism and thereby the progression of EMT remains largely unknown. In this study, upon TGF-&beta, 1 treatment, we observed an induction in NOX isoforms&mdash, NOX2 and NOX4&mdash, that have time (early and late) and cellular localization (nucleus and autophagosome co-localized) dependent effects in mediating EMT associated cell proliferation and migration through activation of the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/SRC pathway in HeLa, human cervical cancer cells. Upon silencing NOX2/4 gene expression and using the SRC inhibitor (AZD0530), progression of TGF-&beta, 1 induced EMT related cellular remodeling, extra cellular matrix (ECM) production, cell migration and invasion, got significantly reverted. Together, these results indicate that NOX2 and NOX4 play important, albeit distinct, roles in the activation of cytokine mediated EMT and its associated processes via tyrosine phosphorylation of the FAK/SRC pathway.

SIRT1 is a NAD-dependent protein deacetylase that participates in cellular regulation. The increased migration of fibroblasts is an important phenotype in fibroblast activation. The role of SIRT1 in cell migration remains controversial as to whether SIRT1 acts as an activator or suppressor of cell migration. Therefore, we have established the role of SIRT1 in the migration of human dermal fibroblasts and explored targets of SIRT1 during dermal fibroblast migration. SIRT1 and Cyr61 were expressed in human dermal fibroblasts and the stimulation with TGF-β further induced their expression. Treatment with resveratrol (RSV), a SIRT1 agonist, or overexpression of SIRT1 also promoted the expression Cyr61 in human dermal fibroblasts, whereas the inhibition of SIRT1 activity by nicotinamide or knockdown of SIRT1 decreased the level of Cyr61, as well as TGF-β or RSV-induced Cyr61 expression. Blocking of ERK signaling by PD98509 reduced the expression of Cyr61 induced by TGF-β or RSV. TGF-β, RSV, or SIRT1 overexpression enhanced β-catenin as well as Cyr61 expression. This stimulation was reduced by the Wnt inhibitor XAV939. RSV increased migration and nicotinamide attenuated RSV-induced migration of human dermal fibroblasts. Furthermore, SIRT1 overexpression promoted cell migration, whereas blocking Cyr61 attenuated SIRT1-stimulated migration of human dermal fibroblasts. SIRT1 increased cell migration by stimulating Cyr61 expression and the ERK and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. SIRT1-induced Cyr61 activity is very important for human dermal fibroblasts migration.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate cell fate, although signaling molecules that regulate ROS hormesis remain unclear. Here we show that transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) in lung epithelial cells induced the alternatively spliced CD44v8-10 variant via an inverse ZEB2/epithelial splicing regulatory proteins (ESRPs) linkage. TM4SF5 formed complexes with the cystine/glutamate antiporter system via TM4SF5- and CD44v8-10-dependent CD98hc plasma-membrane enrichment. Dynamic TM4SF5 binding to CD98hc required CD44v8-10 under ROS-generating inflammatory conditions. TM4SF5 and CD44v8-10 upregulated cystine/glutamate antiporter activity and intracellular glutathione levels, leading to ROS modulation for cell survival. Tm4sf5-null mice exhibited attenuated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis with lower CD44v8-10 and ESRPs levels than wild-type mice. Primary mouse alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) revealed type II AECs (AECII), but not type I, to adapt the TM4SF5-mediated characteristics, suggesting TM4SF5-mediated AECII survival following AECI injury during idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Thus, the TM4SF5-mediated CD44v8-10 splice variant could be targeted against IPF.

Purpose One of the features in cancer development is the migration of cancer cells to form metastatic lesions. CYR61 protein promotes migration and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in several cancer cell types. Evidence suggests that CYR61 and dexamethasone are relevant to colorectal cancer. However, relationships between them and colorectal cancer are still unclear. Understanding the molecular mechanism of colorectal cancer progression related with CYR61 and dexamethasone, which is widely used for combination chemotherapy, is necessary for improved therapy. Materials and methods We used colorectal cancer cells, HCT116, co-treated with transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and dexamethasone to examine the inhibitory migration effect of dexamethasone by migratory assay. Alternatively, both migratory pathways, expression of AKT and ERK, and the target factor CYR61 was also tested by co-treatment with TGF-β1 and dexamethasone. Results We report that dexamethasone significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced cell migration, without affecting cell proliferation. Importantly, we observed that TGF-β1 promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process and that dexamethasone co-treatment abolished this effect. ERK and AKT signaling pathways were found to mediate TGF-β1-induced migration, which was inhibited by dexamethasone. In addition, TGF-β1 treatment induced CYR61 expression whereas dexamethasone reduced it. These observations were compatible with the modulation of migration observed following treatment of HCT116 cells with human recombinant CYR61 and anti-CYR61 antibody. Our results also indicated that TGF-β1 enhanced collagen I and reduced matrix metalloproteinase 1 expression, which was reversed by dexamethasone treatment. Conclusion These findings suggested that dexamethasone inhibits AKT and ERK phosphorylation, leading to decreased CYR61 expression, which in turn blocks TGF-β1-induced migration.

Cutaneous wound repair is an intricate process whereby the skin reprograms itself after injury. In the mid-phase of wound repair, the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of cells are the major mechanisms to lead remodeling. We investigated the effect of BMM ((1E,2E)-1,2-bis((6-bromo-2H-chromen-3-yl)methylene)hydrazine), a novel synthetic material, on the migration and viability of keratinocytes or fibroblasts using the in vitro scratch woundhealing, electric cell-substrate imedance sensing (ECIS), invasion, and MTT assays. Cell migration-related factors were analyzed using western blot, and we found that treatment with BMM stimulated the EMT pathway and focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/Src signaling. Differentiation of HaCaT keratinocyte and fibroblast cells was also stimulated by BMM and specifically, NOX2/4 contributed to the activation of fibroblasts for wound healing. Furthermore, BMM treated HaCaT keratinocyte and fibroblast-co-cultured cells increased migration and differentiation. TGF-β and Cyr61 were also secreted to a greater extent than in single cultured cells. In vivo experiments showed that treatment with BMM promotes wound closure by promoting re-epithelialization. In this study, we demonstrated that a novel synthetic material, BMM, is capable of promoting wound healing via the stimulation of re-epithelialization in the epidermis and the activation of fibroblasts in the dermis, in particular, via the acceleration of the interaction between the epidermis and dermis.

Accumulating evidence has displayed that targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) is a very promising way for anti-cancer therapies. 2',3'-Dimethoxyflavanone (2',3'-DMF) showed the most potent toxicity of a group of 42 flavonoids tested in MCF-7-SC breast cancer stem cells. 2',3'-DMF triggered intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis by stimulating the cleavage of PARP and the activation of caspase-9, -8, and -3. Interestingly, 2',3'-DMF induces a dramatic increase in the conversion of LC3, a well-known marker for autophagy. However, acidic vesicular organelles (AVOs), one of the autophagic flux markers were not detected. Co-treatment with chloroquine, the lysosomal inhibitor that blocks autophagic degradation did not show any change in the degree of LC3 conversion, implying that LC3 could play a role in the non-autophagic cell death of MCF-7-SC. We found that 2',3'-DMF induces the ubiquitination of caspase-8, this resulted in an interaction between caspase-8 and LC3, which led to the aggregation and activation of caspase-8. Co-treating cells with 2',3'-DMF and 3-methyladenine, an inhibitor of LC3 lipidation, reduced the activation of caspase-8. These findings provide novel insights into the anti-cancer effects of 2',3'-DMF in breast cancer stem cells by revealing that it induced apoptosis in accompany with the activation of caspase-8 mediated by LC3 conversion.

The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical biological process characterized by morphological and behavioral changes in cells. The regulatory and signaling mechanisms of both developmental and pathological EMT have been investigated. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a role in early EMT, but the exact mechanism by which ROS are involved is unclear. We investigated ROS-mediated EMT in human HeLa cells. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) treatments lead to dramatic NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) inductions in HeLa cells; antioxidant treatment prevented TGF-β-driven EMT. Over-expression of the p40phox subunit (NCF4) led to activation of the NOX2 complex and ROS production. We showed that NOX2 and NOX5 mRNA was increased, along with increased expression of several matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in response to NCF4 expression. Moreover, these changes were reversible upon ROS scavenging. Down-regulation of E-cadherin and up-regulation of Snail, Slug and vimentin occurred at the transcriptional level. We also showed that new EMT regulator, YB-1 is a downstream target in ROS-induced EMT. Together, these data suggest that ROS switching is necessary for increased EMT but is not required for the morphological changes that accompany EMT.

Flavonoids are major active ingredients in plants and are considered components of food that provide medical or health benefits. They have diversified structures and have effects on human health, including wound healing induction. More than a hundred flavonoids were screened for HaCaT keratinocytes cellular migration measurements and the relationships between their structural properties and the effects promoting cellular migration were examined. Here, among flavonoids used in the previous structure-activity relationship calculations, 4′,6,7-trimethoxyisoflavone (TMF) was one of the compounds showing the best activity, so that its molecular mechanism of the wound healing effect on HaCaT keratinocytes was investigated in more detail. Our data revealed that TMF increased the wound healing rate, but not the proliferation rate, in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment of keratinocytes with TMF influenced signaling pathways, affecting the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK in a time-dependent manner. TMF also induced the cell–cell adhesion protein E-cadherin, which is essential for promoting collective cell migration. Furthermore, the TMF treatment group also showed higher ROS and NOX2 transcriptional and protein levels. Correlating with matrix metalloproteinase induction by TMF, levels of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagens I and III were significantly lower in the treatment group. To confirm that the effects of TMF occur through the NOX2 pathway, we co-treated cells with TMF plus an NADPH inhibitor (DPI) or a ROS scavenger (NAC). Western blotting revealed that DPI and NAC attenuated the effect of TMF, suggesting that TMF induces ROS through the NOX2 pathway and regulates keratinocyte migration. In summary, TMF promotes wound healing through NOX2 induction, which leads to collective migration and MMP activation.

Nobiletin is a typical polymethoxyl flavone from citrus fruits that has anticancer properties, but the molecular mechanism of its inhibitory effects on the growth of p53-mutated SNU-16 human gastric cancer cells has not been explored. In this study, nobiletin was found to be effective at inhibiting the proliferation of SNU-16 cells than other flavonoids. Nobiletin induced the death of SNU-16 cells through apoptosis, as evidenced by the increased cell population in the sub-G1 phase, the appearance of fragmented nuclei, an increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, the proteolytic activation of caspase-9, an increase in caspase-3 activity, and the degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. We found that the combination of nobiletin plus the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) reduced the viability of SNU-16 cells in a concentration-dependent manner and exhibited a synergistic anticancer effect (combination index = 0.38) when 5-FU was used at relatively low concentrations. The expression of p53 protein increased after treatment with 5-FU, but not nobiletin, whereas the expression of p21 (WAF1/CIP1) protein increased after treatment with nobiletin, but not 5-FU. The cellular responses to nobiletin and 5-FU occurred through different pathways. The results of this study suggest the potential application of nobiletin to the enhancement of 5-FU efficiency in p53 mutant tumors.

Aim Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammatory cytokine production in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (Cyr61) is associated with diseases related to chronic inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of PPARγ agonists on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) invasion and migration, as well as Cyr61 production, in RA-FLS. Methods FLS were cultured with TNF-α and Cyr61 in the presence or absence of PPARγ agonists. Matrix metalloproteinase and Cyr61 expression levels in RA-FLS and culture supernatants were measured by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting. The migration and invasion phenotypes of RA-FLS were determined by wound healing and Boyden chamber assays. Results Cyr61 protein was expressed in RA-FLS, and its intracellular expression and secretion levels were increased by TNF-α. Moreover, Cyr61 directly promoted RA-FLS migration and invasion. Rosiglitazone (RSG) significantly decreased TNF-α-induced Cyr61 expression. RSG decreased TNF-α-induced nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation and inhibitor of κBα degradation. Furthermore, RSG inhibited TNF-α-induced RA-FLS migration and invasion and decreased Cyr61 treatment-induced RA-FLS invasion. Finally, blocking Cyr61 significantly attenuated TNF-α-induced migration. Conclusions Our results demonstrate for the first time that PPARγ agonists may have beneficial effects on the migration and invasion of RA-FLS via the downregulation of Cyr61. Therefore, PPARγ agonists could be potential treatment targets for RA.

Keratinocyte-fibroblast interactions are critical for skin repair after injury. During the proliferative phase of wound healing, proliferation, migration and differentiation of these cells are the major mechanisms leading to tissue remodeling. We have previously reported that glycitin, a major soy isoflavone, stimulates dermal fibroblast proliferation; and the phytochemical, 4',6,7-trimethoxyisoflavone (TMF), induces migration of HaCaT keratinocyte cells. We therefore investigated whether these compounds display synergistic effects on skin cells during wound healing in vitro and in vivo. Co-treatment with TMF and glycitin synergistically promotes the proliferation and migration of both keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts, with a 1:1 ratio of these compounds showing the greatest efficacy in our co-culture system. This keratinocyte-fibroblast interaction occurred via the secretion of TGF-β, and the induction of differentiation and proliferation was confirmed in both indirect and direct co-culture assays. In an excisional and burn wound animal model, mice treated with a 1:1 ratio of TMF and glycitin showed faster wound closure, regeneration and scar reduction than even the positive control drug. These data indicate that two isoflavones, TMF and glycitin, act synergistically to promote wound healing and anti-scarring and could potentially be developed together as a bioactive therapeutic for wound treatment.

Ginsenoside F2 (F2) was assessed for its antiproliferative activity against breast cancer stem cells (CSCs). F2 induced apoptosis in breast CSCs by activating the intrinsic apoptotic pathway and mitochondrial dysfunction. Concomitantly, F2 induced the formation of acidic vesicular organelles, recruitment of GFP-LC3-II to autophagosomes, and elevation of Atg-7 levels, suggesting that F2 initiates an autophagic progression in breast CSCs. Treatment with an inhibitor of autophagy enhanced F2-induced cell death. Our findings provide new insights into the anti-cancer activity of F2 and may contribute to the rational use and pharmacological study of F2.

Transmembrane 4 L six family member 5 (TM4SF5) is highly expressed in hepatocarcinoma and causes epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of hepatocytes. We found that TM4SF5-expressing cells showed lower mRNA levels but maintained normal protein levels in certain gene cases, indicating that TM4SF5 mediates stabilization of proteins. In this study, we explored whether regulation of proteasome activity and TM4SF5 expression led to EMT. We observed that TM4SF5 expression caused inhibition of proteasome activity and proteasome subunit expression, causing morphological changes and loss of cell–cell contacts. shRNA against TM4SF5 recovered proteasome expression, with leading to blockade of proteasome inactivation and EMT. Altogether, TM4SF5 expression appeared to cause loss of cell–cell adhesions via proteasome suppression and thereby proteasome inhibition, leading to repression of cell–cell adhesion molecules, such as E-cadherin. J. Cell. Biochem. 112: 782–792, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is important in immune function and muscle regeneration, but its expression and localization in adult tissues and primary leukocytes remain unclear. To address this, we generated a specific monoclonal antibody against Gal-1, termed alphahGal-1, and defined a sequential peptide epitope that it recognizes, which is preserved in human and porcine Gal-1, but not in murine Gal-1. Using alphahGal-1, we found that Gal-1 is expressed in a wide range of porcine tissues, including striated muscle, liver, lung, brain, kidney, spleen, and intestine. In most types of cells, Gal-1 exhibits diffuse cytosolic expression, but in cells within the splenic red pulp, Gal-1 showed both cytosolic and nuclear localization. Gal-1 was also expressed in arterial walls and exhibited prominent cytosolic and nuclear staining in cultured human endothelial cells. However, human peripheral leukocytes and promyelocytic HL60 cells lack detectable Gal-1 and also showed very low levels of Gal-1 mRNA. In striking contrast, Gal-1 exhibited an organized cytosolic staining pattern within striated muscle tissue of cardiac and skeletal muscle and colocalized with sarcomeric actin on I bands. These results provide insights into previously defined roles for Gal-1 in inflammation, immune regulation and muscle biology.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare hereditary disorder characterized by recurrent life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections. The underlying defect in CGD is an inability of phagocytes to produce reactive oxygen species as a result of defects in NADPH oxidase. Considering that CGD generally affects about 3-4 in 1,000,000 individuals, it is surprising that the prevalence of CGD on Jeju Island is 20.7 in 1,000,000 individuals. We performed genetic analysis on 12 patients from 10 unrelated families and found that all patients had an identical homozygous single-base substitution of C to T in exon 1 (c.7C>T) of the CYBA gene, which was expected to result in a nonsense mutation (p.Q3X). Because Jeju Island has long been a geologically isolated region, the high prevalence of CGD on Jeju Island is presumably associated with an identical mutation inherited from a common ancestor or proband.

Four-transmembrane L6 family member 5 (TM4SF5) and its homolog L6, a tumor antigen, form a four-transmembrane L6 family. TM4SF5 expression causes uncontrolled cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Although other genuine transmembrane 4 superfamily (TM4SF) members co-operate with integrins for cell migration, roles of TM4SF5 in the cellular spreading and migration are unknown. Using hepatocarcinoma cell clones that ectopically express TM4SF5, we found that cross talks via an extracellular interaction between TM4SF5 and integrin alpha2 in collagen type I environment inhibited integrin alpha2 functions such as spreading on and migration toward collagen I, which were recovered by suppression of TM4SF5 or structural disturbance of its second extracellular loop using a peptide or mutagenesis. Altogether, the observations suggest that TM4SF5 in hepatocytes negatively regulates integrin alpha2 function via an interaction between the extracellular loop 2 of TM4SF5 and integrin alpha2 during cell spreading on and migration through collagen I environment.

We previously reported that the four-transmembrane L6 family member 5 (TM4SF5) was highly expressed in hepatocarcinoma, induced morphological elongation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and caused abnormal cell growth in multilayers in vitro and tumor formation in vivo. In this study, we identified a synthetic compound, 4′-(p-toluenesulfonylamido)-4-hydroxychalcone (TSAHC) that antagonized both the TM4SF5-mediated multilayer growth and TM4SF5-enhanced migration/invasion. TSAHC treatment induced multilayer-growing cells to grow in monolayers, recovering contact inhibition without accompanying apoptosis, and inhibited chemotactic migration and invasion. Tumor formation in nude mice injected with TM4SF5-expressing cells and the growth of cells expressing endogenous TM4SF5, but not of TM4SF5-null cells, was suppressed by treatment with TSAHC, but not by treatment with its analogs. The structure-activity relationship indicated the significance of 4′-p-toluenesulfonylamido and 4-hydroxy groups for the anti-TM4SF5 effects of TSAHC. Point mutations of the putative N-glycosylation sites abolished the TM4SF5-specific TSAHC responsiveness. Conclusion: These observations suggest that TM4SF5-enhanced tumorigenic proliferation and metastatic potential can be blocked by TSAHC, likely through targeting the extracellular region of TM4SF5, which is important for protein-protein interactions. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.)

Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is involved in signal transduction by integrin-mediated cell adhesion that leads to dynamic actin reorganization. Actin (de)polymerization is regulated by cofilin, the Ser(3) phosphorylation (pS(3)cofilin) of which inhibits its actin-severing activity. To determine how ILK regulates pS(3)cofilin, we examined the effects of ILK on pS(3)cofilin using normal RIE1 cells. Compared with suspended cells, fibronectin-adherent cells showed enhanced pS(3)cofilin, depending on ILK expression and c-Src activity. The ILK-mediated pS(3)cofilin in RIE1 cells did not involve Rho-associated kinase, LIM kinase, or testicular protein kinases, which are known to be upstream of cofilin. The kinase domain of ILK, including proline-rich regions, appeared to interact physically with the Src homology 3 domain of c-Src. In vitro kinase assay revealed that ILK immunoprecipitates phosphorylated the recombinant glutathione S-transferase-cofilin, which was abolished by c-Src inhibition. Interestingly, epidermal growth factor treatment abolished the ILK effects, indicating that the linkage from ILK to cofilin is biologically responsive to extracellular cues. Altogether, this study provides evidence for a new signaling connection from ILK to cofilin for dynamic actin polymerization during cell adhesion, depending on the activity of ILK-associated c-Src.

The galectin family of lectins plays crucial roles in the innate immunity systems of vertebrates and invertebrates. Noble galectin (MCGal) was cloned from the marine invertebrate Ruditapes philippinarum and characterized. This protein has an open reading frame of 918 nucleotides, with 309 amino acid residues, and a predicted molecular weight of 33.9kDa. Similar to other galectins, MCGal has neither a signal peptide nor a transmembrane domain, but it contains tandemly repeated carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs), with typical conserved motifs that are important for carbohydrate recognition. Carbohydrate recognition by the recombinant MCGal (rMCGal), as determined by hapten inhibition of hemagglutination, revealed that rMCGal has features common to the galectin family, i.e., significant affinity for galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine. MCGal mRNA expression was detected mainly in the heart, mantle, foot, adductor, palp, and siphon tissues. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) using an anti-MCGal antibody confirmed MCGal expression in these tissues and in hemocytes. Temporal expression of MCGal mRNA in Manila clams challenged with Perkinsus or Vibrio species was up-regulated as compared with non-challenged healthy clams. rMCGal agglutinated Vibrio tapetis, and agglutination was inhibited by incubation with alpha-lactose. rMCGal also bound to the surface of Perkinsus olseni. MCGal plays a crucial role in Manila clam defense, particularly with respect to pathogen recognition.

Camphor ((1R)-1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one), a bicyclic monoterpene, is one of the major constituents of essential oils from various herbs such as rosemary, lavender, and sage. In this study, we investigated the beneficial effects of camphor as a botanical ingredient in cosmetics. Camphor induced the proliferation of human primary dermal fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner via the PI3K/AKT and ERK signaling pathways. Camphor attenuated the elevation of senescence associated with β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity. Elastase activity decreased, while the total amount of collagen increased, in a dose- and time-dependent manner in human primary dermal fibroblasts treated with camphor. Camphor induced the expression of collagen IA, collagen IIIA, collagen IVA, and elastin in human primary dermal fibroblasts. In addition, posttreatment with 26 and 52 mM camphor for 2 weeks led to a significant reduction in the expression of MMP1 but increases in the expression of collagen IA, IIIA, and elastin in mouse skin exposed to UV for 4 weeks. These posttreatments also reduced the depths of the epidermis and subcutaneous fat layer in UV-exposed mouse skin. Taken together, these findings suggest camphor to be a potent wound healing and antiwrinkle agent with considerable potential for use in cosmeceuticals.

We report that human galectin-1 (dGal-1), a small dimeric beta-galactoside-binding protein, induces phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure, measured by Annexin V staining, on human promyelocytic HL-60 cells, T leukemic MOLT-4 cells, and fMet-Leu-Phe-activated, but not resting, human neutrophils. This effect of dGal-1 on HL-60 and MOLT-4 cells is enhanced by pretreatment of the cells with neuraminidase, but treatment of resting neutrophils with neuraminidase does not enhance their sensitivity to dGal-1. Although the induction of staining with Annexin V is often associated with apoptosis, the dGal-1-treated HL-60 cells, MOLT-4 cells, and activated neutrophils do not undergo apoptosis, and there is no detectable DNA fragmentation. HL-60 and MOLT-4 cells treated with dGal-1 continue to grow normally. By contrast, camptothecin-treated HL-60 cells, etoposide-treated MOLT-4 cells, and anti-Fas-treated neutrophils exhibit extensive DNA fragmentation and/or cell death. Lactose inhibits the dGal-1-induced effects, indicating that dGal-1-induced signaling requires binding to cell surface beta-galactosides. The dimeric form of Gal-1 is required for signaling, because a monomeric mutant form of Gal-1, termed mGal-1, binds to cells but does not cause these effects. Importantly, dGal-1, but not mGal-1, treatment of HL-60 cells and activated human neutrophils significantly promotes their phagocytosis by activated mouse macrophages. These dGal-1-induced effects are distinguishable from apoptosis, but like apoptotic agents, prepare cells for phagocytic removal. Such effects of dGal-1 may contribute to leukocyte homeostasis.

Glycitin is a soy isoflavone that exhibits antioxidant, antiallergic, and anti-osteoporosis activities. We investigated the effects of glycitin on dermal fibroblast proliferation and migration. Treatment of primary dermal fibroblasts with glycitin increased cell proliferation and migration. In addition, treatment with 20 μM glycitin for 24 h induced the synthesis of collagen type I and type III at both the mRNA and protein levels. Fibronectin was also increased by 20% after treatment. Matrix metalloproteinase-1 collagenase was decreased in the media after 24-h incubation with glycitin, and the synthesis of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) mRNA increased approximately twofold in cells following glycitin treatment. Phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3 increased after 1 h of glycitin treatment, and phosphorylation continued for 24 h. Furthermore, the phosphorylated form of AKT was increased in glycitin-treated cells after 3 h and remained higher for 24 h. Thus, glycitin treatment produces anti-aging effects including increased total collagen in the culture media, decreased elastase, and decreased β-galactosidase. Together, these results indicate that glycitin stimulates TGF-β secretion, and the subsequent autocrine actions of TGF-β induce proliferation of fibroblasts, ultimately protecting skin cells from aging and wrinkling.

Wound healing plays an important role in protecting the human body from external infection. Cell migration and proliferation of keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts are essential for proper wound healing. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that secondary compounds produced in plants could affect skin cells migration and proliferation. In this study, we identified a novel compound DK223 ([1E, 2E-1,2-bis(6-methoxy-2H-chromen-3-yl) methylene]hydrazine) that concomitantly induced human keratinocyte migration and dermal fibroblast proliferation. We evaluated the regulation of epithelial and mesenchymal protein markers, such as E-cadherin and Vimentin, in human keratinocytes, as well as extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion and metalloproteinase families in dermal fibroblasts. DK223 upregulated keratinocyte migration and significantly increased the epithelial marker E-cadherin in a time-dependent manner. We also found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased significantly in keratinocytes after 2 h of DK223 exposure, returning to normal levels after 24 h, which indicated that DK223 had an early shock effect on ROS production. DK223 also stimulated fibroblast proliferation, and induced significant secretion of ECM proteins, such as collagen I, III, and fibronectin. In dermal fibroblasts, DK223 treatment induced TGF-beta 1, which is involved in a signaling pathway that mediates proliferation. In conclusion, DK223 simultaneously induced both keratinocyte migration via ROS production and fibroblast proliferation via TGF-beta 1 induction.

Cell migration plays an important role in multicellular development and preservation. Because wound healing requires cell migration, compounds promoting cell migration can be used for wound repair therapy. Several plant-derived polyphenols are known to promote cell migration, which improves wound healing. Previous studies of flavonoids on cell lines have focused on their inhibitory effects and not on wound healing. In addition, studies of flavonoids on wound healing have been performed using mixtures. In this study, individual flavonoids were used for cellular migration measurements. Relationships between the cell migration effects of flavonoids and their structural properties have never been reported. Here, we investigated the migration of keratinocytes caused by 100 flavonoids and examined their relationships using hologram quantitative structure-activity relationships. The structural conditions responsible for efficient cell migration on keratinocyte cell lines determined from the current study will facilitate the design of flavonoids with improved activity.

Snail family proteins regulate transcription of molecules for cell-cell adhesion during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Based on putative glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) phosphorylation sites within the Slug/Snail2, we explored the significance of GSK-3β-mediated phosphorylation in Slug/Snail2 expression during EMT. Mutation of the putative GSK-3β phosphorylation sites (S92/96A or S100/104A) enhanced the Slug/Snail2-mediated EMT properties of E-cadherin repression and vimentin induction, compared with wild-type Slug/Snail2. S92/96A mutation inhibited degradation of Slug/Snail2 and S100/104A mutation extended nuclear stabilization. Inhibition of GSK-3β activity caused similar effects, as did the phosphorylation mutations. Thus, our study suggests that GSK-3β-mediated phosphorylation of Slug/Snail2 controls its turnover and localization during EMT.

Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant syndrome characterized by predisposition to early-onset cancers. HNPCC is caused by heterozygous loss-of-function mutations within the mismatch repair genes MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS1, and PMS2. We genotyped the MLH1 and MSH2 genes in patients suffering from Lynch syndrome and in 11 unrelated patients who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and had subsequently undergone surgery. Five Lynch syndrome patients carried germline mutations in MLH1 or MSH2. Two of these were identified as known mutations in MLH1: deletion of exon 10 and a point mutation (V384D). The remaining three patients exhibited novel mutations: a duplication (937_942dupGAAGTT) in MLH1; deletion of exons 8, 9, and 10; and a point mutation in MLH1 (F396I) combined with multiple missense mutations in MSH2 (D295G, K808E, Q855P, and I884T). The findings underline the importance of efficient pre-screening of conspicuous cases.

The expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) has been reported in various cancers. Its expression is associated with tumorigenesis and tumor metastasis. Studies have shown that galectin-7, a beta-galactoside-binding animal lectin, is involved in various processes including the suppression of tumor growth. However, a recent study reported that the development of thymic lymphoma is accelerated by galectin-7 expression. In this report, we demonstrate that the expression of MMP-9 was increased by galectin-7 in human cervix epithelial cells (HeLa). When the galectin-7 gene was transfected to HeLa cells with the ECFP vector, the expression of MMP-9 mRNA increased, as compared to non-transfected cells. As a result, MMP-9 protein levels also increased, as indicated by Western blot and gelatin zymography. In addition, galectin-7-transfected cells exhibited increased invasion in the matrigel invasion system. Expression of MMP-9 is involved in several signaling pathways by various stimulation factors. Therefore, we investigated how the signaling pathway in galectin-7-transfected cells differs from that of non-transfected cells. Upon transfection of galectin-7, p38 MAPK was activated and SB203580, a chemical inhibitor of p38 MAPK, reversed the effects of galectin-7. These results indicate that galectin-7 increases the expression of MMP-9 through the p38 MAPK signaling pathway.

Galectin-1 (Gal-1) regulates leukocyte turnover by inducing the cell surface exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS), a ligand that targets cells for phagocytic removal, in the absence of apoptosis. Gal-1 monomer-dimer equilibrium appears to modulate Gal-1-induced PS exposure, although the mechanism underlying this regulation remains unclear. Here we show that monomer-dimer equilibrium regulates Gal-1 sensitivity to oxidation. A mutant form of Gal-1, containing C2S and V5D mutations (mGal-1), exhibits impaired dimerization and fails to induce cell surface PS exposure while retaining the ability to recognize carbohydrates and signal Ca2+ flux in leukocytes. mGal-1 also displayed enhanced sensitivity to oxidation, whereas ligand, which partially protected Gal-1 from oxidation, enhanced Gal-1 dimerization. Continual incubation of leukocytes with Gal-1 resulted in gradual oxidative inactivation with concomitant loss of cell surface PS, whereas rapid oxidation prevented mGal-1 from inducing PS exposure. Stabilization of Gal-1 or mGal-1 with iodoacetamide fully protected Gal-1 and mGal-1 from oxidation. Alkylation-induced stabilization allowed Gal-1 to signal sustained PS exposure in leukocytes and mGal-1 to signal both Ca2+ flux and PS exposure. Taken together, these results demonstrate that monomer-dimer equilibrium regulates Gal-1 sensitivity to oxidative inactivation and provides a mechanism whereby ligand partially protects Gal-1 from oxidation.

The cytotoxic activity of oxysterols, 7 beta-hydroxycholesterol (7 beta-OHC) and 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OHC), has been evaluated using various leukemia cell lines. Among the tested cell lines, both oxysterols showed the highest cytotoxicity to THP-1, human monocytic leukemia cell line. These oxysterols induced apoptosis through down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and activation of caspases. Also, the oxysterols showed the accumulation at G(2)/M phase of cell cycle through down-regulation of cyclin B1 expression. Taken together, these results indicated that both 7 beta-OHC and 25-OHC inhibited the proliferation of THP-1 cells through apoptosis and cell cycle accumulation at G(2)/M phase.

Background Wound healing is an intricate process whereby the skin repairs itself after injury. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with wound healing and tissue regeneration. Naphthochalcone derivatives have various pharmaceutical properties. We investigated the effect of a novel naphthochalcone derivative, 2-(5-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)naphthalen-1-ol (TDPN), on dermal wound healing in vivo and the migration of keratinocytes in vitro. Result We investigated the effect of TDPN on signaling pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition through protein and transcriptional expression. The TDPN treatment accelerated dermal closure about 3 days and remodeling of dermis. We found that treatment with TDPN induced the migration of keratinocytes but not cytotoxicity. TDPN induced the phosphorylation of ERK and AKT. TDPN-treated cells showed loss of adherence protein and showed induction of the transcriptional factor Slug, mesenchymal marker, and fibronectin. Moreover, TDPN treatment induced the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), which degrades specific components of the extracellular matrix, thereby providing new substrates that facilitate migration and invasion. MMP expression is considered to be one of the major attributes acquired by cells after EMT. Conclusion We propose that a novel naphthochalcone derivative TDPN is capable of promoting keratinocyte migration via the induction of EMT resulting acceleration of wound closure and matrix remodeling. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12929-015-0141-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.