• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7473-7478
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• 2014

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a fatal cancer with poor prognosis and less than 10% of CCA patients can be offered surgical cure. Conventional chemotherapy results in unfavorable outcomes. At present, plant-derived compounds are gaining interest as potential cancer therapeutics, particularly for treatment-refractory cancers. In this study, antitumor activity of tiliacorinine, the major alkaloid isolated from a tropical plant, on CCA was first demonstrated. Antiproliferative effects of tiliacorinine on human CCA cell lines were investigated using SRB assays. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, flow cytometric analysis and DNA laddering assays were used for apoptotic determination. Apoptosis-related proteins were verified by Western blotting and antitumor activity of tiliacorinine in vivo was demonstrated in CCA xenografted mice. Tiliacorinine significantly inhibited proliferation of human CCA cell lines with $IC_{50}$ $4.5-7{\mu}M$ by inducing apoptosis through caspase activation, upregulation of BAX, and downregulation of $Bcl_{xL}$ and XIAP. Tiliacorinine considerably reduced tumor growth in CCA xenografted mice. These results demonstrated antitumor effects of tiliacorinine on human CCA in vitro and in vivo. Tiliacorinine may be an effective agent for CCA treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4267-4273
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• 2016

Previous studies suggested that dithio-carbamates are potent apoptosis and anti-apoptosis inducing agents in various cancer cells. Here, the anti-proliferative and apoptosis inducing effects of a new derivative (2-NDC) from the dithio-carbamate family was examined in human leukemia K562 cells. We use thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) to measure viability and cell growth inhibition. The 2-NDC showed effects on viability in a dose and time-dependent manner, inhibiting proliferation at concentrations of $10-30{\mu}M$ after 24-48 hours of treatment and increasing values after 72 hours at $40-120{\mu}M$. The cytotoxic effect of the compound was calculated with an $IC_{50}$ of $30{\mu}M$ after 24-hour. Apoptosis induction was confirmed by acridine orange-ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) staining, DNA fragmentation assay, flow cytometric assessment and also caspase-3 activation assay. Furthermore, enzymes level such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) involved in oxidative stress were evaluated. The results of this study demonstrated insignificant increase of intracellular ROS levels for 24 hours and reduction after 48-72 hours. In addition to reduction of intracellular thiol, caspase-3 like activity was also decreased in a time-dependent manner in cells treated with 2-NDC. Thus 2-NDC can be considered as a good candidate for further pharmaceutical evaluations.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.582-594
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• 2008

Objective : The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of JinlnWhaChul-tang-ga-wasong (JIN) on NDEA-induced liver tumorigenesis. Materials and Methods : We investigated the possible protective effects of Jininwhachul-tang-ga-wasong (JIN) as an anticancer against NDEA-induced liver injury in mice. Experimental mice were classified into 3 groups; normal, saline administered group (control group), and JIN extract (0.15g/kg/every other day) administered group (JIN group) after being injected with NDEA over 12 weeks. We examined the state of differentiation of these tumors and the effects of JIN after 6 weeks. To confirm the induction of apoptosis, the cells were analyzed by terminal deorynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay, acridine orange staining and flow cytometric analysis. To investigate inhibitory effect on the expression of COX-2 by JIN, we performed COX-2 immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results : Body weights significantly decreased in the control and JIN groups compared with the normal group. The levels of cholesterol, hemoglobin and testosterone decreased in the control compared with the normal group. The level of estradiol significantly increased in the control compared with the normal group. The control group reacted with TUNEL assay more than the normal and JIN groups. Upon naked eye, light and electron microscopic examination, JIN improved the morphological and histopathological changes of the liver caused by NDEA-induced hepatic neoplasm. COX-2 immunoreactivity decreased in the JIN group compared with the control group, mRNA expression of the control group was greater than the normal and JIN groups. Conclusion : these results suggest the possibility that JIN may exert an anti-tumor effect on NDEA-induced liver tumorigenesis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.391-398
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• 2005

3-hydrogenwadaphnin (3-HK) is a new daphnane-type diterpene ester isolated from Dendrostellera lessertii with strong anti-tumoral activity in animal models and in cultures. Here, prolonged effects of this new agent on proliferation and viability of several different cancerous cell lines were evaluated. Using [$^3H$]thymidine incorporation, it was found that the drug inhibited cell proliferation and induced G1/S cell cycle arrest in leukemic cells 24 h after a single dose treatment. The cell viability of Jurkat cells was also decreased by almost 10%, 31% and 40% after a single dose treatment (7.5 nM) at 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. The drug-treated cells were stained with acridine orange/ethidium bromide to document the chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. These observations were further confirmed by detection of DNA laddering pattern in the agarose gel electrophoresis of the extracted DNA from the treated cells. Treatment of K562 cells with the drug at 7.5, 15 and 30 nM caused apoptosis in 25%, 45% and 65% of the cells, respectively. Exogenous addition of $25-50\;{\mu}M$ guanosine and/or deoxyguanosine to the cell culture of the drug-treated cells restored DNA synthesis, released cell arrest at G1/S checkpoint and decreased the apoptotic cell death caused by the drug. These observations were not made using adenosine. However, the drug effects on K562 cells were potentiated by hypoxanthine. Based on these observations, perturbation of GTP metabolism is considered as one of the main reasons for apoptotic cell death by 3-HK.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.238-248
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• 2012

Purpose: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is an important cause of neonatal mortality, as this brain injury disrupts normal mitochondrial respiratory activity. Carnitine plays an essential role in mitochondrial fatty acid transport and modulates excess acyl coenzyme A levels. In this study, we investigated whether treatment of primary cultures of rat cortical neurons with L-carnitine was able to prevent neurotoxicity resulting from oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). Methods: Cortical neurons were prepared from Sprague-Dawley rat embryos. L-Carnitine was applied to cultures just prior to OGD and subsequent reoxygenation. The numbers of cells that stained with acridine orange (AO) and propidium iodide (PI) were counted, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and the terminal uridine deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling assay were performed to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine (1 ${\mu}M$, 10 ${\mu}M$, and 100 ${\mu}M$) on OGD-induced neurotoxicity. Results: Treatment of primary cultures of rat cortical neurons with L-carnitine significantly reduced cell necrosis and prevented apoptosis after OGD. L-Carnitine application significantly reduced the number of cells that died, as assessed by the PI/AO ratio, and also reduced ROS release in the OGD groups treated with 10 ${\mu}M$ and 100 ${\mu}M$ of L-carnitine compared with the untreated OGD group (P<0.05). The application of L-carnitine at 100 ${\mu}M$ significantly decreased cytotoxicity, LDH release, and inhibited apoptosis compared to the untreated OGD group (P<0.05). Conclusion: L-Carnitine has neuroprotective benefits against OGD in rat primary cortical neurons in vitro.

• CELLMED
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.9.1-9.10
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• 2013

In traditional systems of medicine including homeopathy, the Condurango extract (Con) is often used to cure stomach cancer mainly, without having any scientific validation of its anti-cancer ability. Con has therefore been tested against non-small-cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC) A549 and NCI-H522 (H522) known to contain the KRAS mutation, making them resistant to most chemotherapeutic agents. As cancer cells generally defy cytotoxicity developed by chemopreventive agents and escape cell death, any drug showing the capability of preferentially killing cancer cells through apoptosis is worth consideration for judicious application. A549 and H522 cells were exposed to $0.35{\mu}g/{\mu}l$ and $0.25{\mu}g/{\mu}l$ of Con, respectively, for 48 h and analysed based on various protocols associated with apoptosis and DNA damage, such as MTT assay to determine cell viability, LDH assay, DNA fragmentation assay, comet assay, and microscopical examinations of DNA binding fluorescence stains like DAPI, Hoechst 33258 and acridine orange/ethidium bromide to determine the extent of DNA damage made in drug-treated and untreated cells and the results compared. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and the generation of reactive oxygen species were also documented through standard techniques. Con killed almost 50% of the cancer cells but spared normal cells significantly. Fluorescence studies revealed increased DNA nick formation and depolarized membrane potentials after drug treatment in both cell types. Caspase-3 expression levels confirmed the apoptosis-inducing potential of Con in both the NSCLC lines. Thus, overall results suggest considerable anticancer potential of Con against NSCLC in vitro, validating its use against lung cancer by practitioners of traditional medicine including homeopathy.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.193-199
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• 2014

Fluoride has been accepted as an important material for oral health and is widely used to prevent dental caries in dentistry. However, its safety is still questioned by some. Autophagy has been implicated in cancer cell survival and death, and may play an important role in oral cancer. This study was undertaken to examine whether sodium fluoride (NaF) modulates autophagy in SCC25 human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells. NaF demonstrated anticancer activity via autophagic and apoptotic cell death. Autophagic vacuoles were detectable using observed to form by monodansylcadaverine (MDC) and acridine orange (AO). Analysis of NaF-treated SCC25 cells for the presence of biochemical markers revealed direct effects on the conversion of LC-3II, degradation of p62/SQSTM1, cleavage formation of ATG5 and Beclin-1, and caspase activation. NaF-induced cell death was suppressed by the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA). NaF-induced autophagy was confirmed as a pro-death signal in SCC25 cells. These results implicate NaF as a novel anticancer compound for oral cancer therapy.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.181-190
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• 2001

This study was designed to investigate the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on DNA stability in human spermatozoa. To verify human spermatozoa were incubated with xanthine-xanthine oxidase (X 100$\mu$M-XO 50 mlU ~ 400 mIU), $H_2O_2$ (125 $\mu$M ~ 1 mM), sodium nitroprusside (SNP 0.1 $\mu$M ~ 100 $\mu$M) or lymphocyte. Otherwise, spermatozoa were incubated under low $O_2$ (5%) condition. Damage of sperm DNA was analyzed by single cell electrophoresis (Comet assay) and flow cytometry after acridine orange staining. In the presence of ROS, there was increase in DNA damage. The rate of DNA single strand breakage (9.0$\pm$1.0% ~ 46.0$\pm$4.6%) and DNA fragmentation (7.51$\pm$1.0% ~ 29.5$\pm$4.6%) were similar regardless of the kinds of ROS and exposure time. DNA damage in the lower $O_2$ condition (5%) was lower than ambient $O_2$ condition (20%). Taken together, it suggested that sperm DNA might be damaged by ROS. In the presence of ROS, increase in DNA damage and chromatin instability was obvious in spite of short exposure. Although present study reconfirmed that sperm incubation in the low concentration of ROS have the benefit m the induction of capacitation and Ah, the increase in DNA damage by ROS and possible genetic problem should be considered before the human trials.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 1991

The change of the acridine orange absorbance was used to monitor the formation and/or dissipation of a pH gradient in microvillous membrane vesicles (MVV) isolated from human term placenta. Under $Na^+$ efflux conditions, an acidification of the intravesicular space occured and it was completely inhibited by 0.1 mM amiloride. Under $K^+$ efflux conditions, an acidification of the intravesicular space occured and it was potentiated by valinomycin or FCCP. An inwardly directed chloride gradient also induced a minor intravesicular acidification, but it was not observed in voltage-clampled MVV. The initial rate of the dissipation of a pH gradient was accelerated by pulse injections of $Na^+$ in a saturable manner and $Li^+$ could replace $Na^+$. The kinetic parameter of $Na^+$ in placental $Na^+/H^+$ exchange was similar to that of renal $Na^+/H^+$ exchange. Amiloride was a inhibitor of directly coupled $Na^+/H^+$ exchange and its $IC_{50}$ in placental MVV was about 14-fold higher than that in renal brush border membrane. These results indicate that $Na^+/H^+$ exchanger exists in human placental MVV and that its kinetic characteristics is similar to that of renal $Na^+/H^+$ exchanger but its pharmacological characteristics is different. In placental MVV $K^+,\;H^+$, and, relatively minor chloride conductances are present. The magnitude of $Cl^-/OH^-$ exchange, even though it exists, seems to be smaller than that of $Na^+/H^+$ exchange.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.581-589
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• 2009

The water extract of Dohongsamul-tang(DHSMT) has been traditionally used in treatment of ischemic heart and brain diseases in Oriental Medicine. However, little is known about the mechanism by which DHSMT protects C6 glial cells from glucose deprevation induced damages. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of DHSMT on 2-deoxy-D-glucose induced autophagy of C6 glial cells. Autophagic phenotype is evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry with specific biological staining dyes, including monodansylcadaverine and acridine orange, as well as Western blot analysis with microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3) and Beclin-1. Treatment with 2-deoxy-D-glucose significantly resulted in a decrease of the viability of C6 glial cells and increase of the extracellular LDH release in a dose and time-dependent manner. However, pretreatment with DHSMT protected C6 glial cells from glucose deprivation with 2-deoxy-D-glucose. The author also observed the fact that autophagy phenotype occurred by 2-deoxy-D-glucose in C6 glial cells. Pretreatment with 3-MA, a pharmacological inhibitior of autophagy, abolished the formation of acidic vesicle organelle in C6 glial cells treated with 2-deoxy-D-glucose. However, pretreatment with DHSMT inhibited the formation of autophagic phenotypes, including formation of acidic vesicle organelle, and increase of the expression of LC-3 II Beclin-1 proteins in C6 glial cells treated with 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Taken together, these data suggest that DHSMT is able to protect C6 glial cells from glucose deprivation with marked inhibition of autophagy formation.