• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.191-195
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• 2011

${\beta}$-Glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides that are produced by bacteria, yeast, fungi, and many plants. Although their pharmacological activities, such as immunomodulatory, anti-infective and anti-cancer effects, have been well studied, it is still unclear how ${\beta}$-glucans exert their activities. However, recent studies on the ${\beta}$-glucans receptors shed some light on their mechanism of action. Since ${\beta}$-glucans have large molecular weights, they must bind surface receptors to activate immune cells. In this review, we summarize the immunopharmacological activities and the potential receptors of ${\beta}$-glucans in immune cells.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.223-228
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• 2014

Magnoflorine, an important compound in Aristolochia, was usually used as an anxiolytic chemical. In this study, the magnoflorine was isolated from Aristolochia and the biological activities such as antioxidant, ${\alpha}$-tyrosinase inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities were investigated. The magnoflorine showed significant antioxidant activity as a 2,2-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenger, $50{\mu}g/mL$ of the magnoflorine scavenged about 70.8% of all the free radicals. And it was good at ${\alpha}$-tyrosinase inhibiting, $100{\mu}g/mL$ of the magnoflorine inhibited 36.5% of the tyrosinase. High dosage of magnoflorine inhibited the inflammation production nitric oxide (NO), and the magnoflorine protected the murine macrophage cells (RAW 264.7) from LPS-induced apoptosis. The cell viability of human colon cancer calls (HT-29) was around 100% when treated with different dose of magnoflorine, it's suggesting that magnoflorine had no anticancer effect.

• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.18-30
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• 2018

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the anti-cancer effects of AAH on ovarian cancer in vitro and by using allograft model in vivo. Methods: In this experiment, the effects of AAH on proliferation rates, cell morphology, cell death type, cell cycle, caspase activities and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway were investigated in A2780, human ovarian cell line. Results: AAH inhibited proliferation of A2780 cells in a dose dependent manner. In addition, AAH induced apoptosis but did not affect cell cycle of A2780 cells. AAH also effectively inhibited caspase 3 and caspase 9 activities respectively. In allograft tumor model, AAH reduced tumor volume and expanded life span in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: It can be inferred that AAH can induce apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells and has possibility as an anticancer agent for ovarian cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.1745-1749
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• 2014

Background: Platycodin D (PD), a triterpenoid saponin isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Platycodonis radix, possesses anti-cancer effects in several cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to evaluate its anticancer activities in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Materials and Methods: MTT and colony formation assays were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, along with flow cytometry and Western blotting for apoptosis. Cell adhesion was tested by observing cellular morphology under a microscope, while the transwell assay was employed to investigate the cell migration and invasion. Results: PD concentration-dependently inhibited cell proliferation in both HepG2 and Hep3B cells, and significantly suppressed colony formation and induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. The protein levels of cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and Bax were up-regulated while that of survivin was down-regulated after treatment with PD. Moreover, PD not only obviously suppressed the adhesion of HepG2 cells to Matrigel, but also remarkably depressed their migration and invasion induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). Conclusions: PD presents anti-cancer potential in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via inducing apoptosis, and inhibiting cell adhesion, migration and invasion, indicating promising features as a lead compound for anti-cancer agent development.

• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.26-39
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• 2015

Objectives : Dendropanax morbifera is known as a tree that has been used in traditional medicine for various diseases. However, its biological activities in cancer have not yet been clearly elucidated. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of water extract of Dendropanax morbifera (DP) on 2 human breast cancer cell lines (estrogen dependent MCF-7 and estrogen independent MDA-MB-231). Methods : The MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to assess cell proliferation, along with cell cycle analysis. Nitric oxide production was detected by Griess assay. The expression of apoptosis related gene was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. Results : Our data revealed that DP inhibits the cell growth in a dose dependent manner (0, 50, 100, 250, and 500 μg/ml) of both estrogen independent MDA-MB-231 and estrogen dependent MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Also, LPS induced nitric oxide production was significantly reduced by DP. Cell cycle analysis showed an increased G1 phase in the MCF-7 cell and G2/M phase in the MDA-MB-231 cell. DP decreased mRNA expression of apoptotic suppressor gene Bcl-xL, and increased mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic genes. DP increased mRNA expression of p21, and Rip1 in both cell. And DP decreased mRNA expression of survivin in the MCF-7 cell. Conclusions : Taken together, these results indicate that DP extract are source of anti-cancer potential and could be developed botanical drug.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.69-76
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• 2018

Objectives : Dracocephalum palmatum Stephan (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant used by the East-Russian nomads but there were few studies on this plant. This study was to evaluate anti-cancer effects of D. palmatum Stephan leaf hexane fraction on human derived prostate cancer cell death. Methods : The dried leaves of D. palmatum were dissolved in methanol, and hexane fraction (DpLH) was again obtained from lyophilized methanol extract (DpLM). DpLH was investigated by measuring by MTT assay and annexin V/PI staining to evaluate its effects on the cell viability and apoptosis of PC-3 cells. The ROS generations were detected by DCF-DA dye. The protein expressions were confirmed by p-AKT, Bcl-2, Bax, procaspase-3 activities. Results : After treatment of DpLH to PC-3 cells, the cell proliferation was significantly inhibited, and in addition, DpLH treatment also accelerated apoptosis of PC-3 cells. When DpLH was treated to the PC-3 cells, its ROS production significantly decreased. The proportion of all proteins (p-AKT/actin, Bcl-2/Bax and procaspase-3/actin ratios) showed decreasing tendency of expression compared with the control group. Conclusions : As shown in the above results, the extract from D. palmatum inhibits ROS production and promotes cell death, which is considered to be a relatively safe induction of cell death when administered to a living body. In conclusion, these results suggested that DpLH may have anti-cancer effect in human prostate cancer cell.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.844-854
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Fucoidan, a polysaccharide content in brown algae, has been reported to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The present study aimed to investigate the suppression effects of fucoidan on A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells migration. MATERIALS/METHODS: The anti-migratory activity of fucoidan in A549 cells was examined by wound healing assay and phalloidin-rhodamine staining in response to fucoidan (0-100 ㎍/mL) treatment for 48 h. Western blot analysis was performed to clarify the protein expressions relevant to migratory activity. RESULTS: Fucoidan (25-100 ㎍/mL) significantly suppressed A549 cells migration together with reduced the intensity of phalloidin-rhodamine which detect filopodia and lamellipodia protrusions at 48 h of treatment. The protein expression indicated that fucoidan significantly suppressed the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Src, and extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK). In addition, the phosphorylation of p38 in A549 cells was found to be increased. CONCLUSIONS: Our data conclude that fucoidan exhibits anti-migratory activities against lung cancer A549 cells mediated by inhibiting ERK1/2 and FAK-Src pathway.

• 산업식품공학
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2011

Codonopsis lanceolata L. (Campanulaceae) has long been used in traditional Korean medicine to treat bronchitis, cough, and inflammatory diseases, however, the efficacy of anti-tumor activities remains to be defined. In this study the effects of Codonopsis lanceolata (C. lanceolata) on proliferation, migration and adhesion in lung (A549, H1299) and ovarian cancer (SKOV-3) cells were investigated. To assess and compare the pharmacological effects and production places of C. lanceolata, the ethanolic extracts of C. lanceolata from different places in Korea (Hongseong, Yecheon, Yeongwol, Yanggu, Gangjin, and Hoengseong) were prepared. The extract from Hoengseong county did have only marginal anti-proliferative activity in all the cell lines tested, however, other extracts had little or no effect on cell proliferation. The extracts from Hongseong, Gangjin or Hoengseong county had partial anti-migratory activity in lung cancer cells, but not in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, the extract from Hoengseong county had partial anti-adhesive activity in ovarian cancer cells, however, other extracts did not affect cell adhesion in both lung and ovarian cancer cells. Taken together, these findings provide the first description of anti-tumor efficacy of C. lanceolata from different production places in Korea, and suggest that C. lanceolata from Hoengseong county may have therapeutic potential in lung and ovarian cancers.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.462-470
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• 2011

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) actively suppress immune cells and have been considered as an impediment to successful cancer immunotherapy. Many approaches have been made to overcome such immunosuppressive factors and to exert effective anti-tumor effects, but the possibility of using medicinal plants for this purpose has been overlooked. Korean red ginseng (KRG) is widely known to possess a variety of pharmacological properties, including immunoboosting and anti-tumor activities. However, little has been done to assess the anti-tumor activity of KRG on MDSCs. Therefore, we examined the effects of KRG on MDSCs in tumor-bearing mice and evaluated immunostimulatory and anti-tumor activities of KRG through MDSC modulation. The data show that intraperitoneal administration of KRG compromises MDSC function and induces T cell proliferation and the secretion of IL-2 and IFN-${\gamma}$, while it does not exhibit direct cytotoxicity on tumor cells and reduced MDSC accumulation. MDSCs isolated from KRG-treated mice also express significantly lower levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and IL-10 accompanied by a decrease in nitric oxide production compared with control. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that KRG enhances T cell function by inhibiting the immunosuppressive activity of MDSCs and suggests that although KRG alone does not exhibit direct anti-tumor effects, the use of KRG together with conventional chemo- or immunotherapy may provide better outcomes to cancer patients through MDSC modulation.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제27권6호
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• pp.7-13
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• 2012

Objectives : Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been associated with pathogenic processes including carcinogenesis through direct effect on DNA directly and by acting as a tumor promoter. Therefore, it has been regarded that ROS may be a major target for cancer prevention. The root of Paeonia lactiflora pall (PL), a traditional Chinese herb, has been a component of effective prescriptions for treatment of liver disease. Also, there are some reports about the antioxidant activities of the extracts from PL. However, little has been known about the effects of PL against oxidative damage. This work aimed to elucidate the anti-oxidant effects of Paeonia lactiflora pall (PL) in the non-cellular system and cellular system. Methods : Antioxidant activities of PL were evaluated by hydroxyl radical scavenging assay and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating assay. Anti-oxidative effect of PL was evaluated by ${\varphi}X$-174 RF I plasmid DNA cleavage assay in non-cellular system. In addition, DNA migration assay, expression level of phospho-H2AX, MTT assay and lipid peroxidation assay were performed for evaluate the anti-oxidative effect of PL in cellular system. Results : PL had a dose-dependent hydroxyl radical scavenging and $Fe^{2+}$ chelating capacity. In addition, PL inhibited oxidative DNA and cell damage induced by hydroxyl radical in non-cellular system and cellular system. Conclusion : Taken together, P. lactiflora pall may be possible for the application to a potential drug for treating the oxidative diseases such as cancer.