Propyl gallate inhibits adipogenesis by stimulating extracellular signal-related kinases pathway in human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Biological Sciences ProgramMesencymal stem cells (MSCs) are isolated from various mesenchymal tissues and differentiate into osteoblast, myocyte, and adipocyte. MSCs are easily obtained without ethical issue, and modulation of MSCs differentiation applies to various therapies. Moreover, the significance of modulating factor in MSCs differentiation is on the rise, we identified Propyl gallate, which can regulate differentiation of MSCs. PG is used as an additives in various foods that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Although the function of PG is well identified in different cell types, it is unknown that PG has an effect on stem cell differentiation. We demonstrate that PG suppresses adipocyte differentiation in human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) by reduced lipid droplets accumulation. Further, PG reduced expression of adipocyte-specific markers, including PPAR-??, C/EBP-??, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein and lipoprotein lipase. PG inhibited adipogenesis of hAMSCs through ERK pathway and the inhibition was recovered in response to blockage of ERK activation. Collectively these results demonstrate unusual function of PG on adipocyte differentiation in hAMSCs and PG inhibits adipocyte differentiation through ERK signaling pathway and decrease of PPAR-?? activity.ope

The Issue of Mind Integration in the Unification of Divided Systems: A Case Study Focused on Germany and the Two Koreas

In this article, we introduce the HSR Forum on mind integration by exploring how the future integration process on the Korean Peninsula will come about, focusing on the East German regime’s transition process. We conceptualize “mind” as a concept that is made up of emotions, sentiments, the will and the senses thus the mind system is the foundation that makes up the dispositions and behaviors of people from both North and South Korea. This article argues for the importance of questioning the general stereotypes that frame integration such as the unification of political systems, as well as provides an alternative approach by thickening the discussion on the social/cultural integration. On this basis, we distinguish four contextual dimensions: first, to identify the intractable conflicts on the Korean Peninsula with incongruity of national and political identities; second, to analyze the attitudes of South Koreans toward inter-Korean integration; third, to understand the differences in perception between South Korean migrants in Germany and South Koreans; and finally, to investigate North Korean defectors’ view on the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK)

Division and Unification: Seen through the Eyes of Korean Migrants in Berlin

Based on qualitative fieldwork among first generation Korean immigrants in Berlin, this article sheds light on their lived experiences of German division and unification. Our research questions are threefold; first, how do these immigrants from the divided Korea perceive the division and unification of Germany? Second, did the fact that the division of Germany could be overcome affect their views on the division and unification of the Korean Peninsula? Third, are there any differences between Koreans in Germany and Koreans in Korea with respect to their views on unification? Our research suggests that different from South Korea, where the discourses in the media and the academia tend to assume sharply antagonistic attitudes, discourses among Koreans in Germany are generally much more supportive of unification. This is because they have a positive perception of German unification in everyday life and, furthermore, have constructed for themselves a future-oriented identity as a people of the Korean Peninsula that will eventually be unified. Korean immigrants in Germany are considerably more optimistic about the possibility of Korean unification than people in South Korea

„Schönheit ist Macht“: Das Beispiel Lookism in Südkorea

South Korea is a country where plastic surgery industry has been a roaring success. Beauty has become a dominant norm. Why? Some people try to explain this phenomenon in terms of the traditional Confucian culture of self-cultivation. However, this cannot be correct, as in Confucian culture a neat look cannot be equated with beauty. However, the rising dominance of lookism since the 1990s can be better explained through the interaction of pressures emanating from the labour market, of entertainment business, of the business strategies of medical industry and of economic policies of the government

Das "Park-Chung-hee-Syndrom" - zur Bewertung einer (Entwicklungs-)Diktatur

Der Geist von Park Chung-hee spukt noch allenthalben. Jedes Mal, wenn die Exporte schwächeln, wenn am hellichten Tag ein Raubmord passiert, wenn eine Brücke zusammenbricht, jedes Mal, wenn die Versorgung mit den öffentlichen Gütern, die unsere Gemeinschaft benötigt, wegen des Egoismus der Regionen und der Bürger ins Stocken gerät, sagen viele Leute öffentlich, man müsse Park Chung-hee aus seinem Grab holen. Unsere Gesellschaft zittert vor dem Geist von Park Chung-hee. Dies schrieb Im Hyôk Baek, Professor für Politikwissenschaft, am 31. Oktober 1994 in der Zeitung Hankyoreh. Er warnte vor den unverbesserlichen, autoritären Kräften, die mit diesem Geist die in sich noch nicht stabile Demokratie Koreas zu zerstören suchten. Ohne eine demokratische Industrialisierung überhaupt versucht zu haben, sei es ein grober Fehler, die Legitimität der autoritären Industrialisierung mit dem "Wunder vom Han'gang" unter Beweis stellen zu wollen. Dieser Appell blieb ohne Wirkung, denn die junge Demokratie Koreas konnte sich auch in den folgenden Jahren nicht vom Geist Park Chung-hees befreien. Vielmehr musste sie eine Park-Chung-hee-Renaissance erleben, die 1997 im so genannten "Park-Chung-hee-Syndrom" gipfelte. Wie konnte es gerade in dieser Phase des demokratischen Aufbruchs zu einer Verherrlichung des früheren Diktators kommen

Knowledge Transfer as Intercultural Translation in the German-Korean Context - Facing Possible Future Challenges within the Triangle of Unification, System Transformation and Societal Integration

It is evident that Korea and Germany are embedded in different cultural traditions and are part of different scenarios of international politics. Acting on this general assumption, a coincidence of national unification and abrupt system change similar to the German process of transition does not seem likely. At most a policy of small steps may be an alternative. This is the reason why South Korean project partners are also interested in the antecedent times of two divided German states. From a theoretical perspective, the attempt of transferring the knowledge of unification to Korea requires a new contextualization of knowledge. This act can be understood as a process of transcoding. Having the practical expectations of Korean project partners in mind, a set of “manuals” has been worked out for seven domains of transfer. Additionally, a simulation game has been created and already tested. The written manuals may be useful to promote at least incremental steps towards a controlled institutional change of a dictatorial regime

Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome: characteristic CT findings differentiating it from other diffuse cystic lung diseases

Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) syndrome is an uncommon, autosomal dominant, multiorgan systemic disorder manifesting as cutaneous fibrofolliculomas, lung cysts with or without spontaneous pneumothorax, and renal tumors. Spontaneous pneumothorax and lung cysts on chest computed tomography (CT) should lead to the inclusion of BHD syndrome in the differential diagnosis, because these findings may develop earlier than other clinical manifestations. Here, we review and describe the characteristic findings of BHD syndrome. The number, shape, size, and distribution of the lung cysts can help to differentiate BHD syndrome from other diffuse cystic lung diseases. Knowledge of the chest CT findings of BHD syndrome may lead to a correct diagnosis and the initiation of an appropriate work-up in order to prevent pneumothorax and for the early detection of renal tumors

FBXW7-mediated ERK3 degradation regulates the proliferation of lung cancer cells

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 3 (ERK3) is an atypical member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, members of which play essential roles in diverse cellular processes during carcinogenesis, including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and invasion. Unlike other MAPKs, ERK3 is an unstable protein with a short half-life. Although deubiquitination of ERK3 has been suggested to regulate the activity, its ubiquitination has not been described in the literature. Here, we report that FBXW7 (F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7) acts as a ubiquitination E3 ligase for ERK3. Mammalian two-hybrid assay and immunoprecipitation results demonstrated that ERK3 is a novel binding partner of FBXW7. Furthermore, complex formation between ERK3 and the S-phase kinase-associated protein 1 (SKP1)-cullin 1-F-box protein (SCF) E3 ligase resulted in the destabilization of ERK3 via a ubiquitination-mediated proteasomal degradation pathway, and FBXW7 depletion restored ERK3 protein levels by inhibiting this ubiquitination. The interaction between ERK3 and FBXW7 was driven by binding between the C34D of ERK3, especially at Thr417 and Thr421, and the WD40 domain of FBXW7. A double mutant of ERK3 (Thr417 and Thr421 to alanine) abrogated FBXW7-mediated ubiquitination. Importantly, ERK3 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells by regulating the G1/S-phase transition of the cell cycle. These results show that FBXW7-mediated ERK3 destabilization suppresses lung cancer cell proliferation in vitro

Signaling Events During Induction of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Expression by Sphingosylphosphorylcholine in Cultured Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is a bioactive sphingolipid metabolite that can enhance wound healing. In a search for effectors downstream of SPC in the wound-healing process, we found that the expression of the gene for plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) was significantly affected. ELISA and western blot analyses showed that SPC markedly induced PAI-1 production in human dermal fibroblasts cultured in vitro. Inhibition by pre-treatment with pertussis toxin (PTx), but not by tyrphostin A47 (a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor), indicated that PTx-sensitive G proteins were involved in SPC-induced PAI-1 expression. SPC elicited a rapid and transient increase in intracellular calcium levels ([Ca2+]i), measured using laser scanning confocal microscopy, which was partly mediated through PTx-sensitive G proteins. Pre-treatment with thapsigargin, but not with EGTA, abolished SPC-induced PAI-1 expression, indicating the importance of Ca2+ release from internal stores. Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) induced the expression of PAI-1, and pre-treatment with Ro 31-8220 (a PKC inhibitor) markedly suppressed SPC-induced PAI-1 expression. SPC-induced PAI-1 expression was also significantly suppressed by PD98059 (a specific MAPK kinase 1/2 inhibitor). Consistent with this result, SPC stimulated the phosphorylation of p42/44 extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Together, these results suggest that SPC induces PAI-1 production through a G protein-coupled calcium increase and downstream kinase signaling events in cultured human dermal fibroblasts