• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.18-21
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• 1998

Comparative cytotoxic activities of petroleum ether soluble fraction from various ginsengs of Panax species were evaluated using A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) and SK-OV-3(human ovary carcinoma) cancer cell lines. Korean red ginseng, Korean white ginseng, American ginseng and Canadian ginseng were found to show more potent cytotoxicitles on A549 and SK-OV-3 cell lines than Chinese red ginseng, Japanese red ginseng and Sanchi ginseng. It is noteworthy that especially, red ginseng prepared from the root of Panax ginseng cultivated in Korea shows relatively stronger cytotoxic activities than those cultivated in China and Japan.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.277-283
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• 2004

Psammaplin A (PSA), a naturally occurring biophenolic compound has been demonstrated to deliver significant cytotoxicity to many cancer cell lines. In this article, we investigated the effect of PSA on cell cycle progression of lung cancer cells (A549). It was found that PSA could slightly perturb the cell cycle progression of A549 cells and lead to the cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase, indicating PSA might disturb the mitosis process of A549 cells. In addition, inspired by the two phenolic groups in the structure of PSA, the antioxidant activity of it has been evaluated. Although PSA was weak in scavenging the stable free radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhyrazyl (DPPH), it showed stronger ABTS radical scavenging activity than ascorbic acid in TEAC assay. Furthermore, it was found that PSA could effectively prevent DNA strand scission induced by oxidative stress. These results suggest that PSA have both cell cycle regulation and antioxidant activities. Herein, we suggest that PSA would be a very interesting and promising candidate to be developed as a multi-function drug.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.610-615
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• 2015

Alveolar epithelial cells have been functionally implicated in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. This study investigated the role of ursolic acid (UA)-a triterpenoid carboxylic acid with potent antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tuberculosis properties in mycobacterial infection of alveolar epithelial A549 cells. We observed that M. tuberculosis successfully entered A549 cells. Cytotoxicity was mediated by nitric oxide (NO). A549 toxicity peaked along with NO generation 72 h after infection. The NO generated by mycobacterial infection in A549 cells was insufficient to kill mycobacteria, as made evident by the mycobacteria growth indicator tube time to detect (MGIT TTD) and viable cell count assays. Treatment of mycobacteria-infected cells with UA reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, NO generation, and eventually improved cell viability. Moreover, UA was found to quench the translocation of the transcription factor, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$), from the cytosol to the nucleus in mycobacteria-infected cells. This study is the first to demonstrate the cytotoxic role of NO in the eradication of mycobacteria and the role of UA in reducing this cytotoxicity in A549 cells.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.93-106
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• 2003

Objective : To investigate the possible molecular mechanism(s) of melittin as a candidate of anti-cancer drug, we examined the effects of the compound on the growth of human lung carcinoma cell line A549. Methods: MTT, morphological changes, DAPI staining, Western blot, RT-PCR and in vitro prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) accumulation assays were performed. Results: The anti-proliferative effect by melittin treatment in A549 cells was associated with morphological changes such as membrane shrinking and cell rounding up. Melittin induced apoptotic cell death in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with inhibition or degradation of apoptotic target proteins such as ${\beta}$-catenin, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP) and phospholipase $C-{\gamma}1(PLC-{\gamma}1)$. Melittin treatment inhibited the expression of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) and accumulation of PGE2 in aconcentration-dependent fashion. In addition, Melittin treatment induced the down-regulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase(hTERT) and proto-oncogene c-myc expression of A549 cells. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings suggest that melittin-induced inhibition of human lung cancer cell proliferation is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death via regulation of several major growth regulatory gene products, and melittin may have therapeutic potential in human lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7129-7135
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• 2014

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the growth inhibitory effect of the combination of ethaselen (BBSKE) and low fixed dose of selenite against A549 human non-small cell lung cancer cells in vitro. Materials and Methods: Growth inhibitory effects against A549 cells were determined by SRB assay. Combination index (CI) values were calculated based on Chou-Talalay median-effect analyses. Dose reduction index (DRI) values were applied to calculate dose reduction of selenite. Contents of free thiols and GSH were determined by DTNB assay and intracellular ROS levels by DCFH-DA fluorescence labeling. Results: Compared with BBSKE or selenite single treatment, the combined application of ethaselen and a low fixed dose of selenite shortened the onset time of sodium selenite, reduced $IC_{50}$ values, and increased the maximum inhibition rates, suggesting a possible molecular mechanism of the synergism. Obvious synergistic effects were observed after different times of combination treatment, especially after 24 h. Compared with selenite single treatment, dosage of selenite could be remarkably reduced in combination therapy to gain the same inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Compared with BBSKE single treatment, the content of free thiols and GSH were significantly reduced and ROS levels greatly elevated in the combination group. For the combination treatment, cell viability increased as greater concentrations of GSH were added. Conclusions: All these results indicate that the combination treatment of BBSKE and selenite showed synergism to inhibit A549 cell proliferation in vitro, and also reduced the selenite dosage to mitigate its toxicity which is very meaningful for combination chemotherapy of lung cancer. The synergism was probably caused by the accelerated exhaustion of intracellular reductive substances, such as free thiols and GSH, which ultimately leads to enhanced oxidative stress and apoptosis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.421-426
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• 2010

Benzene is one of volatile environmental pollutants to induce asthma and allergy in respiratory system. The airway epithelium is a physical barrier to inhaled toxicants and particulates. However, the effect of benzene in lung epithelial cell viability has not been elucidated. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of benzene on apoptosis in A549 cells, lung epithelial cell line. In this study, benzene decreased cell viability of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner (> $10{\mu}M$). Benzene-induced decrease of cell viability was blocked by the treatment of antioxidants (vitamin C and NAC). Indeed, benzene induced lipid peroxide formation in A549 cells. Benzene decreased Bcl-2 expression but increased Bax expression in A549 cells. In addition, benzene also increased the cleaved form of caspase-3. In conclusion, benzene induced apoptosis via oxidative stress in cultured epithelial cells.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.282-288
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• 2015

Viriditoxin is a fungal metabolite isolated from Paecilomyces variotii, which was derived from the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai. Viriditoxin was reported to inhibit polymerization of FtsZ, which is a key protein for bacterial cell division and a structural homologue of eukaryotic tubulin. Both tubulin and FtsZ contain a GTP-binding domain, have GTPase activity, assemble into protofilaments, two-dimensional sheets, and protofilament rings, and share substantial structural identities. Accordingly, we hypothesized that viriditoxin may inhibit eukaryotic cell division by inhibiting tubulin polymerization as in the case of bacterial FtsZ inhibition. Docking simulation of viriditoxin to ${\beta}-tubulin$ indicated that it binds to the paclitaxel-binding domain and makes hydrogen bonds with Thr276 and Gly370 in the same manner as paclitaxel. Viriditoxin suppressed growth of A549 human lung cancer cells, and inhibited cell division with G2/M cell cycle arrest, leading to apoptotic cell death.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.553-560
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• 2004

In the present study, we investigated the anti-proliferative effects of aqueous extract of Wikyung-tang(WKT) on the growth of human lung carcinoma cell line A549. WKT treatment declined the cell viability and proliferation of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The anti-proliferative effects by WKT treatment in A549 cells was associated with morphological changes such as membrane shrinking and cell rounding up. WKT treatment induced an inhibition and/or degradation of apoptotic target proteins such poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and phospholipase C-γ1 (PLC-γ1). WKT treatment did not affect the levels of other Bcl-2 family gene products, such as Bcl-2, Bax and Bad. Western blot analysis and RT-PCT data revealed that the levels of tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 were induced by WKT treatment in A549 cells. Additionally, WKT treatment induced the down-regulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA (hTERT) expression of A549 cells, however, the levels of other telomere-regulatory gene products were not affected. Taken together, these findings suggest that WKT-induced inhibition of human lung cancer cell proliferation is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death via regulation of several major growth regulatory gene products and WKT may have therapeutic potential in human lung cancer.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 1993

To investigate the relationship between radiosensitivity and postirradiation recovery in human cancer cells, a study was performed using human cancer cell lines-A549, CaSki, SNU-C5 and PCI-13. For the study of radiosensitivity, single doses of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 Gy were given and for postirradiation recovery, two fractions of 4 Gy were separated with a time interval of 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, or 6 hours. Surviving fraction was estimated using colony forming ability. Surviving fractions at 2 Gy (SF2) were 0.496 (0.570-0.412) for A549, 0.496 (0.660-0.332) for CaSki, 0.386 (0.576-0.216) for SNU-C5, and 0.185 (0.247-0.123) for PCI-13. By statistical analysis the SF2 of PCI-13 was lower significantly than those of others (p<0.05). This difference was also observed at 4, 6 and 8 Gy dose levels. At 6 and 8 Gy the surviving fractions of SNU-C5 were also lower significantly than A549 and CaSki (p<0.05). By the analysis with linear quadratic model, the values of ${\alpha}$ for A549, CaSki, SNU-C5 and PCI-13 were 0.3016, 0.3212, 0.4327 and 0.8423, respectively, and those of ${\beta}$ were 0.02429, 0.02009, 0.03349 and 0.00059, respectively. So, the value of ${\alpha}$ showed increasing tendency with decreasing SF2. By the multitarget single hit model the values of Do for A549, CaSki, SUN-C5 and PCI-13 were 1.97, 1.97, 1.46 and 0.81, respectively, and those of n were 1.53, 1.50, 1.56 and 2.28, respectively. So, the value of Do decreased with decreasing SF2. Post-irradiation recovery reached plateau at around 2 hours. Recovery ratio at plateau phase ranged from 1.2 to 4.2; the value were 1.2 for PCI-13, 3.2 for CaSki, 3.3 for SNU-C5, and 4.2 for A549. Recovery rate well correlated with SF2, and increased with increasing Do and decreasing ${\alpha}$. According to above results, the intrinsic radiosensitivity was quite different among the tested cell lines; PCI-13 was the most sensitive and A549 and CaSki was similar. This difference of radiosensitivity is thought to be partly due to the difference in amount of postirradiation recovery. By linear quadratic model the difference of ${\alpha}$ values was very high, and by multitarget single hit model the difference of Do value was significantly high among four cell lines.

• Journal of Digital Policy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2023

This study was conducted to examine the effect of Broccoli Extract on the proliferation inhibition of human-derived cancer cells and the degree of inhibition. The three cell lines used in the experiment were respiratory system lung cancer cells A549, digestive system liver cancer cells SNU-182 and biliary tract cancer SNU-1196. All cancer cells were derived from the human body, and the CCK-8 method was used to measure the degree of inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. As a result of examining the effect on Broccoli Extract 10ug/mL, 100ug/mL, 1000ug/mL, Broccoli Extract inhibited proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner in most cancer cells, In particular, lung cancer cell A549 and liver cancer cell SNU-182 showed significant proliferation inhibition at 1000ug/mL.As a result, it can be seen that broccoli extract provides potential as a cancer preventive and therapeutic agent for tumor suppression mechanisms proven through cell experiments.