Jaewoo Kim

Growth-arrested 3T3-L1 preadipocytes rapidly express CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-beta (C/EBPbeta) upon hormonal induction of differentiation. However, the DNA binding activity of C/EBPbeta is not activated until the cells synchronously reenter S phase during the mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) phase of differentiation. In this period, C/EBPbeta is sequentially phosphorylated by MAPK and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta, inducing C/EBPbeta DNA binding activity and transcription of its target gene

Adiponectin is exclusively expressed in differentiated adipocytes and plays an important role in regulating energy homeostasis, including the glucose and lipid metabolism associated with increased insulin sensitivity. However, the control of adiponectin gene expression in adipocytes is poorly understood. We show here that levels of adiponectin mRNA and protein are reduced in the white adipose tissue of ob/ob and db/db mice and that there is a concomitant reduction of the adipocyte determination-

CCAAT enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPbeta) plays an essential role in the cascade that triggers adipocyte differentiation. C/EBPbeta activates transcription of C/EBPalpha and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, transcriptional activators of genes that give rise to the adipocyte phenotype. Sequential phosphorylation of C/EBPbeta/liver activating protein (LAP) on Thr(188) by MAPK and on Ser(184) or Thr(179) by glycogen synthase kinase beta (GSK3beta) is required for acquisition

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) predict severity in various diseases. In this study, we evaluated the value of NLR and PLR as prognostic factors in acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: Patients with AP were prospectively enrolled from March 2014 to September 2016 at Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine. NLR and PLR were obtained at admission and were compared with other known prognostic scoring systems. RESULTS: A total of 243 patients

Pulse-chase labeling identified incomplete maturation of the cationic amino acid transporter that serves as the receptor for ecotropic retroviruses in infected NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. The molecular basis and functional consequences of this change were studied by expressing viral and receptor proteins in Xenopus oocytes. Expression of the ecotropic, but not polytropic, envelope surface protein, gp70, interfered with N-linked glycosylation of the permissive mouse, but not the nonpermissive, human tra

KLF8 (Krüppel-like factor 8) is a zinc-finger transcription factor known to play an essential role in the regulation of the cell cycle, apoptosis, and differentiation. However, its physiological roles and functions in adipogenesis remain unclear. In the present study, we show that KLF8 acts as a key regulator controlling adipocyte differentiation. In 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, we found that KLF8 expression was induced during differentiation, which was followed by expression of peroxisome proliferator

The kinetic energy stored in the rotating mass of wind turbine generators can provide the effective power quality solution to the inertia-free stand-alone (IFSA) microgrid by improving its stability. In conventional power systems, the power released from the inertia of synchronous generators regulates the system frequency. However, the frequency does not vary much even when a large disturbance or a load change occurs in the IFSA microgrid with only converter-based generators. This paper proposes

Mesenchymal stem cells have the capacity to give rise to multiple cell types, such as adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and myocytes. However, the molecular events responsible for the lineage specification and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells remain unclear. Using gene expression profile studies, we determined that Scavenger receptor class A, member 5 (SCARA5) is a novel mediator of adipocyte commitment. SCARA5 was expressed at a higher level in committed A33 preadipocyte cells com

The walking exercise was found to improve colonoscopic bowel cleansing without significant patient discomfort.

The liver-specific expression of the GLUT2 glucose transporter gene is suppressed in cultured hepatoma cell lines as well as in hepatocytes in primary culture. To understand the underlying mechanism involved in this process, we analysed the rat GLUT2 promoter region. A DNase I footprinting assay with rat liver nuclear extract revealed eight protected regions within a -500 bp region of the GLUT2 promoter (sites A to H). Three of these sites (B, F and H) were occupied by transcription factors that

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although the majority of patients with Mallory-Weiss syndrome (MWS) have a benign course, MWS patients with recurrent bleeding have an unfavorable outcome and require intensive care. Therefore, this study was carried out to identify the risk factors for recurrent bleeding in MWS patients. METHODS: The medical records of patients with MWS between January 1999 and December 2003, were reviewed retrospectively. Demographics, initial clinical and laboratory parameters, and endoscopic

The dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) gene encodes the most abundant non-collagenous protein in tooth dentin and DSPP protein is cleaved into several segments including the highly phosphorylated dentin phosphoprotein (DPP). Mutations in the DSPP gene have been solely related to non-syndromic form of hereditary dentin defects. We recruited three Korean families with dentinogenesis imperfecta (DGI) type II and sequenced the exons and exon-intron boundaries of the DSPP gene based on the candidate g

Glucocorticoids are associated with obesity, but the underlying mechanism by which they function remains poorly understood. Previously, we showed that small G protein Dexras1 is expressed by glucocorticoids and leads to adipocyte differentiation. In this study, we explored the mechanism by which Dexras1 mediates adipogenesis and show a link to the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling pathway. Without Dexras1, the activation of MAPK and subsequent phosphorylation of CCAAT/enhancer bindi

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between serum ferritin levels and metabolically obese normal weight (MONW) and to determine the appropriate cut-off value of serum ferritin for the prediction of clinical metabolic status in nonobese Korean adults. Data from 9411 participants in the fourth (2008) and fifth (2010) annual Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were used in this study. MONW was determined by combining National Cholesterol Education Program A