Soon Ok Cho

Red ginseng extract inhibits the expression of MCP-1 and iNOS in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells by suppressing the activation of NADPH oxidase and Jak2/Stat3.

ETHNOPHARMCOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Helicobacter pylori induced oxidative stress represents an important mechanism leading to expression of inflammatory mediators. Korean red ginseng is used in traditional medicine to inhibit inflammation. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanism of red ginseng is still under investigation. Thus, we investigated whether Korean red ginseng extract (RGE) inhibits NADPH oxidase, a source of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the Jak2/Stat3 pathway, which mediates the expression of inflammatory mediators, in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS A standardized RGE was supplied by the Korea Ginseng Corporation. Human gastric epithelial cells (AGS) were treated with RGE and stimulated with Helicobacter pylori. NADPH oxidase activity, ROS levels, activation of Jak2/Stat3, and induction of MCP-1 and iNOS were determined. RESULTS Helicobacter pylori infection resulted in an increase in ROS and activation of NADPH oxidase and Jak2/Stat3, which induced the expression of MCP-1 and iNOS in AGS cells. The induction of MCP-1 and iNOS was inhibited by both the Jak2/Stat3 inhibitor AG490 and RGE in Helicobacter pylori-infected cells. RGE suppressed NADPH oxidase activity by inhibiting translocation of cytosolic subunits p67phox and p47phox to the membrane and reduced ROS levels in Helicobacter pylori-infected cells. CONCLUSION RGE inhibits the expression of MCP-1 and iNOS by suppressing the activation of NADPH oxidase and Jak2/Stat3 in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells.

Signaling for Integrin α5/β1 Expression in Helicobacter pylori–Infected Gastric Epithelial AGS Cells

Abstract:  Integrin expression in cancer tissues demonstrates its possible contribution to tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is related to gastric cancer and gastric inflammation. H. pylori induced upregulation in expression of integrin in gastric epithelia cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered as an important regulator in the pathogenesis of H. pylori–induced gastric ulceration and carcinogenesis. Integrin expression may be regulated by oxidant‐sensitive transcription factors, nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) and activator protein‐1 (AP‐1). The present study aims to investigate whether H. pylori in a Korean isolate (HP99) induces the expression of integrin α5 and integrin β1, and whether H. pylori–induced expression of integrin α5 and integrin β1 are inhibited in the cells transfected with mutant genes for Ras (ras N‐17), c‐Jun (TAM‐67), and IκBα(MAD‐3) or treated with DPI, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase. As a result, H. pylori induced the expression of integrin α5 and integrin β1 in gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells time‐dependently . Treatment of DPI or transfection with mutant genes for Ras (ras N‐17), c‐jun (TAM67), and IκBα(MAD3) inhibited H. pylori–induced expression of integrin α5 and integrin β1 in AGS cells. In conclusion, H. pylori activates Ras, NF‐κB, and AP‐1 and thus induces the expression of integrin α5 and integrin β1 in gastric epithelial cells. Inhibition of ROS production by DPI suppressed the expression of integrin α5 and integrin β1 in gastric epithelial cells. The results suggest the possible involvement of NADPH oxidase for ROS production in H. pylori–infected gastric epithelial cells.

Helicobacter pylori in a Korean isolate expressed proteins differentially in human gastric epithelial cells

PurposeThe proteins expressed in gastric epithelial cells infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) may determine the clinical outcome such as chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric carcinoma. The present study aims to determine the differentially expressed proteins in human gastric epithelial AGS cells that were infected with H. pylori in a Korean isolate, a cagA+, vacA s1b m2 iceA1 H. pylori by proteomic analysis. The differentially expressed proteins, whose expression levels were more or less than twofold in H. pylori-infected cells, were analyzed.ResultsTen proteins (chromatin assembly factor-1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, 14-3-3 protein τ, eukaryotic translation initiation factor 6, heat-shock protein 90β, dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase-1, l-lactate dehydrogenase B chain, prohibitin, triosephosphate isomerase, protein disulfide isomerase) were up-regulated while eight proteins (heat-shock gp96 precursor, nucleophosmin, ornithine aminotransferase, Ku70, l-arginine-glycine amidinotransferase, Smad anchor for receptor activation, ADP-ribosylation factor, WD repeat-containing protein isoform 1) were down-regulated by H. pylori infection in AGS cells. These proteins are related to cell proliferation, cell adhesion, carcinogenesis, cell-defense mechanisms against oxidative stress, membrane trafficking, and energy metabolism.ConclusionsOxidative stress, cell proliferation, cell adhesion, and membrane trafficking may be involved in the pathogenesis of gastric diseases including cancer associated with H. pylori in a Korean isolate.

Ataxia telangiectasia mutated inhibits oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by regulating heme oxygenase-1 expression.

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is caused by mutational inactivation of the ataxia telangiectasia mutated (Atm) gene, which is involved in DNA repair. Increased oxidative stress has been shown in human AT cells and neuronal tissues of Atm-deficient mice. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an inducible antioxidant enzyme and protects cells against oxidative stress. The purpose of this study is to determine whether ATM induces antioxidant enzyme HO-1 and protects cells from oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis by driving the activation of PKC-δ and NF-κB, by increasing cell viability, and by downregulating DNA fragmentation and apoptotic indicators (apoptosis-inducing factor and cleaved caspase-3). AT fibroblasts stably transfected with human full-length ATM cDNA (YZ5 cells) or the empty vector (MOCK cells) were treated with H2O2 as a source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). As a result, transfection with ATM inhibited ROS-induced cell death and DNA fragmentation in MOCK cells. Transfection with ATM induced expression of HO-1 which was mediated by PKC-δ and NF-κB in H2O2-treated MOCK cells. ZnPP, an HO-1 inhibitor, and transfection with HO-1 siRNA increased ROS levels and apoptosis, whereas hemin, an HO-1 activator, reduced ROS levels and apoptosis in H2O2-treated YZ5 cells. Rottlerin, a PKC-δ inhibitor, inhibited NF-κB activation and HO-1 expression in H2O2-treated YZ5 cells. MOCK cells showed increased cell death, DNA fragmentation, and apoptotic indicators compared to YZ5 cells exposed to H2O2. In addition, transfection with p65 siRNA increased ROS levels and DNA fragmentation, but decreased HO-1 protein levels in H2O2-treated YZ5 cells. In conclusion, ATM induces HO-1 expression via activation of PKC-δ and NF-κB and inhibits oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. A loss of HO-1 induction may explain why AT patients are vulnerable to oxidative stress.

Diphenyleneiodonium inhibits the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric epithelial AGS cells

ObjectiveTo investigate whether NADPH oxidase induces MCP-1 expression and the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. MaterialH. pylori in Korean isolates, human gastric epithelial AGS cellsTreatmentAGS cells pretreated with or without an NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) are cultured in the presence of H. pylori at a bacterium/cell ratio of 300:1.MethodsReactive oxygen species (ROS) and MCP-1 were determined by confocal microscopy and enzyme-linked immonosorbent assay. NADPH oxidase activity was measured by lucigenin assay. mRNA expression of MCP-1 was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Levels of MAPKs were assessed by Western blot analysis.Results H. pylori induced increase in ROS, NADPH oxidase activity, MCP-1 expression, and the activation of MAPKs including extracellular signal-regulated kinases, p38, and jun N-terminal kinases in AGS cells, which was inhibited by DPI.ConclusionInhibiting NADPH oxidase by DPI suppresses H. pylori-induced activation of MAPKs and MCP-1 expression in AGS cells.

α-Lipoic Acid Inhibits Expression of IL-8 by Suppressing Activation of MAPK, Jak/Stat, and NF-κB in H. pylori-Infected Gastric Epithelial AGS Cells

The epithelial cytokine response, associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS), is important in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced inflammation. H. pylori induces the production of ROS, which may be involved in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (Jak/Stat), and oxidant-sensitive transcription factor, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), and thus, expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in gastric epithelial cells. α-lipoic acid, a naturally occurring thiol compound, is a potential antioxidant. It shows beneficial effects in treatment of oxidant-associated diseases including diabetes. The present study is purposed to investigate whether α-lipoic acid inhibits expression of inflammatory cytokine IL-8 by suppressing activation of MAPK, Jak/Stat, and NF-κB in H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells. Gastric epithelial AGS cells were pretreated with or without α-lipoic acid for 2 h and infected with H. pylori in a Korean isolate (HP99) at a ratio of 300:1. IL-8 mRNA expression was analyzed by RT-PCR analysis. IL-8 levels in the medium were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. NF-κB-DNA binding activity was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Phospho-specific and total forms of MAPK and Jak/Stat were assessed by Western blot analysis. ROS levels were determined using dichlorofluorescein fluorescence. As a result, H. pylori induced increases in ROS levels, mRNA, and protein levels of IL-8, as well as the activation of MAPK [extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2), p38], Jak/Stat (Jak1/2, Stat3), and NF-κB in AGS cells, which was inhibited by α-lipoic acid. In conclusion, α-lipoic acid may be beneficial for prevention and/or treatment of H. pylori infection-associated gastric inflammation.

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase induces phosphorylation of IκBα in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric epithelial AGS cells

In Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced gastric ulceration, NF-κB regulates the expression of inflammatory genes. NF-κB is activated by phsophorylation of its endogenous inhibitor, IκBα. The possible involvement of mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) on NF-κB activation has been suggested in various cells. Present study aims to investigate whether H. pylori in a Korean isolate induces phosphorylation of IkBα and whether H. pylori-induced phosphorylation of IkBα is mediated by MAPK in gastric epithelial AGS cells. AGS cells were treated with MAPK inhibitors (U0126 for extracellular signal-regulated kinase, SB203580 for p38 kinase, SP600125 for c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinases) and stimulated with H. pylori. As a result, H. pylori increased phospho-specific IκBα accompanied with the decrease in control IκBα. H. pylori-induced phosphorylation of IκBα was inhibited by treatment of U0126, but not by SB203580 or SP600125. In conclusion, extracellular signal-regulated kinase induces phosphorylation of IκBα in H. pylori-infected AGS cells.

Diphenyleneiodonium Inhibits Apoptotic Cell Death of Gastric Epithelial Cells Infected with Helicobacter pylori in a Korean Isolate

NADPH oxidase produces a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced gastric epithelial cells. Even though ROS mediate apoptotic cell death, direct involvement of NADPH oxidase on H. pylori-induced apoptosis remains unclear. Besides, H. pylori isolates show a high degree of genetic variability. The predominant genotype of H. pylori in Korea has been reported as cagA+, vacA s1b, m2, iceA genotype. Present study aims to investigate whether NADPH oxidase-generated ROS mediate apoptosis in human gastric epithelial AGS cells infected with H. pylori in a Korean isolate. AGS cells were pretreated with or without an NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) and cultured in the presence of H. pylori at a bacterium/cell ratio of 300:1. Cell viability, hydrogen peroxide level, DNA fragmentation, and protein levels of p53, Bcl-2, and Bax were determined. Results showed that H. pylori inhibited cell viability with the density of H. pylori added to the cells. Inhibition of NADPH oxidase by DPI suppressed H. pylori-induced cell death, increased hydrogen peroxide, DNA fragmentation, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, and p53 induction in AGS cells dose-dependently. The results suggest that targeting NADPH oxidase may prevent the development of gastric inflammation associated with H. pylori infection by suppressing abnormal apoptotic cell death of gastric epithelial cells.