Skeletal muscle atrophy refers to the decline in muscle mass and strength that occurs under various conditions, including aging, starvation, cancer and other cachectic diseases. Muscle atrophy caused by aging, known as sarcopenia, primarily occurs after 50 years of age. Muscle atrophy-related genes, including atrogin1/muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx) and muscle RING finger 1 (MuRF1), are expressed early in the muscle atrophy process, and their expression precedes the loss of muscle mass. The present study investigated the potential anti-atrophic effects of the Pyropia yezoensis peptide PYP1-5. The MTS assay did not detect cytotoxic effects of PYP1-5 on C2C12 mouse myoblast cells. Subsequently, the anti-atrophic effects of PYP1-5 on skeletal muscle cells was examined by treating C2C12 myotubes with 100 µM dexamethasone (DEX) and/or 500 ng/ml PYP1-5 for 24 h. Compared with the control, myotube diameter was reduced in DEX-treated cells, whereas PYP1-5 treatment protected against DEX-induced muscle atrophy. MAFbx and MuRF1 protein and mRNA expression levels were detected by western blot analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The results demonstrated that PYP1-5 significantly reduced the expression of atrogin1/MAFbx and MuRF1. Therefore, data from the present study suggest that PYP1-5 inhibits the expression of atrogin1/MAFbx and MuRF1 in C2C12 cells, and these characteristics may be of value in the development of anti-atrophy functional foods.
Pyropia yezoensis (P. yezoensis) is a marine algae that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti-aging activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of the P. yezoensis peptide, PYP1-5, on collagen synthesis in the human dermal fibroblast cell line Hs27. Skin aging is related to reduced collagen production and the activities of multiple enzymes, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which degrade collagen structure in the dermis, and tissue inhibitor of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), which inhibit the action of MMPs. While collagen synthesis is associated with a number of signaling pathways, we examined the increased collagen synthesis via the upregulation of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad signaling pathway. Using MTS assay, we found that PYP1-5 did not affect cell viability. Moreover, we confirmed that PYP1-5 increased type 1 collagen expression using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot analysis and quantitative PCR. In addition, we identified changes in various enzymes, as well as the mechanisms behind the PYP1-5-induced collagen synthesis. PYP1-5 decreased the MMP-1 protein and mRNA levels, and increased the TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 protein and mRNA levels. In addition, PYP1-5 activated the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, which increased TGF-β1, p-Smad2 and p-Smad3 expression, while inhibiting Smad7, an inhibitor of the TGF-β/Smad pathway. Furthermore, PYP1-5 upregulated transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) expression, which is reportedly involved in type 1 collagen expression. These findings indicate that PYP1-5 activates the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway, which subsequently induces collagen synthesis in Hs27 cells.
Macrophage polarization has been well documented. Macrophages can aquire two phenotypes, the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype, and the anti-inflammatory and wound healing M2 phenotype. The M1 macrophage phenotype has been linked to metabolic disease and is also associated with cancer-related inflammation. Of note, macrophage polarization can be influenced by the extracellular environment. In the current study, we examined the effects of Pyropia yezoensis glycoprotein (PYGP) on M1 to M2 macrophage polarization in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with LPS exhibited an upregulated expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, namely of the M1 markers, nitric oxide (NO), reactive oxygen species (ROS), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and nitric oxide synthase‑2 (NOS-2). Treatment with PYGP inhibited the production of M1 markers and increased arginase 1 (ARG1), chitinase-like 3 (Chil3; also known as Ym1), resistin like beta (RETNLB; also known as FIZZ1), IL-10, CD163, CD206, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) M2 marker gene expression. The signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 and STAT6 transcription factors were phosphorylated following treatment with PYGP. However, the silencing of STAT3 and STAT6 using siRNA in the macrophages decreased ARG1, Ym1 and FIZZ1 M2 marker gene expression in spite of treatment of PYGP. These findings suggest that PYGP exerts anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the M1 to M2 phenotypic switch through STAT3 and STAT6. Thus, PYGP may have potential for use as a natural remedy for inflammatory diseases.
The differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells into adipocytes involves the activation of an organized system of obesity-related genes, of which those encoding CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) and the Wnt-10b protein may play integral roles. In a previous study of ours, we found that a specific peptide found in tuna (sequence D-I-V-D-K-I-E-I; termed TP-D) inhibited 3T3-L1 cell differentiation. In the present study, we observed that the expression of expression of C/EBPs and Wnt-10b was associated with obesity. The initial step of 3T3-L1 cell differentiation involved the upregulation of C/EBP-α expression, which in turn activated various subfactors. An upstream effector of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) inhibited Wnt-10b expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In a previous study of ours, we sequenced the tuna peptide via sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS/MS) and confirmed the anti-obesity effects thereof in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In the present study, we demonstrate that TP-D inhibits C/EBP and promotes Wnt-10b mRNA expression, thus activating the Wnt pathway. The inhibition of lipid accumulation was measured using a glucose and triglyceride (TG) assay. Our results confirmed that TP-D altered the expression levels of C/EBP-related genes in a dose-dependent manner and activated the Wnt signaling pathway. In addition, we confirmed that total adiponectin and high-molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin levels were reduced by treatment with TP-D. These data indicate that TP-D inhibits adipocyte differentiation through the inhibition of C/EBP genes and the subsequent activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
For a number of years, seaweed has been used as a functional food in Asian countries, particularly in Korea, Japan and China. Pyropia yezoensis is a marine red alga that has potentially beneficial biological activities. In this study, we examined the mechanisms through which a Pyropia yezoensis peptide [PYP1 (1–20)] induces the proliferation of IEC-6 cells, a rat intestinal epithelial cell line, and the involvement of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. First, cell viability assay revealed that PYP1 (1–20) induced cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. Subsequently, we examined the mechanisms responsible for this induction of proliferation induced by PYP1 (1–20). EGFR is widely expressed in mammalian epithelial tissues, and the binding of this ligand affects a variety of cell physiological parameters, such as cell growth and proliferation. PYP1 (1–20) increased the expression of EGFR, Shc, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) and son of sevenless (SOS). EGFR also induced the activation of the Ras signaling pathway through Raf, MEK and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. In addition, cell cycle analysis revealed the expression of cell cycle-related proteins. The results demonstrated an increased number of cells in the G1 phase and an enhanced cell proliferation. In addition, the upregulation of cyclin D, cyclin E, Cdk2, Cdk4 and Cdk6 was observed accompanied by a decreased in p21 and p27 expression. These findings suggest that PYP1 (1–20) stimulates the proliferation of rat IEC-6 cells by activating the EGFR signaling pathway. Therefore, PYP1 (1–20) may be a potential source for the development of bio-functional foods which promotes the proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells.
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