• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제45권1호
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• pp.22-31
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• 2021

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and it results in a high rate of death worldwide, with an increased prevalence with age despite advances in lifestyle management and drug therapy. Atherosclerosis is a chronic progressive inflammatory process, and it mainly presents with lipid accumulation, foam cell proliferation, inflammatory response, atherosclerotic plaque formation and rupture, thrombosis, and vascular calcification. Therefore, there is a great need for reliable therapeutic drugs or remedies to cure or alleviate atherosclerosis and reduce the societal burden. Ginsenosides are natural steroid glycosides and triterpene saponins obtained mainly from the plant ginseng. Several recent studies have reported that ginsenosides have a variety of pharmacological activities against several diseases including inflammation, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on describing the different pharmacological functions and underlying mechanisms of various active ginsenosides (Rb1,-Rd, -F, -Rg1, -Rg2, and -Rg3, and compound K) for atherosclerosis, which could provide useful insights for developing novel and effective anti-cardiovascular drugs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권11호
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• pp.1576-1582
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• 2021

Bacterial β-glucuronidase in the intestine is involved in the conversion of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptochecin glucuronide (derived from irinotecan) to 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin, which causes intestinal bleeding and diarrhea (side effects of anti-cancer drugs). Twelve compounds (1-12) from Polygala tenuifolia were evaluated in terms of β-glucuronidase inhibition in vitro. 4-O-Benzoyl-3'-O-(O-methylsinapoyl) sucrose (C3) was highly inhibitory at low concentrations. C3 (an uncompetitive inhibitor) exhibited a k_i value of 13.4 μM; inhibitory activity increased as the substrate concentration rose. Molecular simulation revealed that C3 bound principally to the Gln158-Tyr160 enzyme loop. Thus, C3 will serve as a lead compound for development of new β-glucuronidase inhibitors.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.234-241
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• 2014

용규(Solanum nigrum)에 함유된 여러 성분 중 항암 활성이 있는 물질을 분리 및 규명하고자 용규를 MeOH로 추출하고 이 추출물을 $CH_2Cl_2$, EtOAc, n-BuOH, $H_2O$로 유기용매 계통분획 하였다. 이 분획물 중 $H_2O$ 획분이 가장 뛰어난 세포 독성 효과를 보였으며 이를 다시 용매별($H_2O$, 40% MeOH, 60% MeOH, MeOH)로 Diaion HP-20 column chromatography하여 4개의 fraction으로 나누었다. 이 fraction 중 $H_2O$ fraction에서 가장 뛰어난 세포 독성효과를 보였으며 몇 차례의 column chromatography를 행하여 얻어진 활성 획분을 GC-MS 및 FAB-MS 분석하였다. 분자량이 416이었으며 GC-Mass를 통하여 library search를 행한 결과 분자식 $C_{28}H_{48}O_2$인 Des-N-26-methylenedihydrotomatidine으로 확인되었다. Des-N-26-methylene-dihydrotomatidine과 비슷한 구조를 가지고 있는 tomatine과 tomatidine의 HT29 세포에 대한 세포독성효과를 확인한 결과, tomatine보다는 활성이 낮았으나 tomatidine 보다는 40 ${\mu}g/ml$ 이상의 농도에서 높은 세포독성 효과를 나타내었다. Des-N-26-methylene-dihydrotomatidine은 지금까지 학계에 보고되어 있지 않은 물질로, 본 연구에서 최초로 용규에서 Des-N-26-methylene-dihydrotomatidine을 분리하였고, 암세포에 대한 세포 독성 효과를 보고하였다. Des-N-26-methylene-dihydrotomatidine의 정상세포에서의 세포 독성 및 작용 기전 등의 추가 연구를 통해 천연 생리 활성 물질 소재로 활용 가능할 것으로 사료된다.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.347-354
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• 2013

Cordyceps militaris, a traditional medicinal mushroom, produces a component compound, cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine). Cordycepin has many pharmacological activities including immunological stimulating, anti-cancer, and anti-infection activities. However, the therapeutic mechanism has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we examined the effects of cordycepin on the antigen-presenting function of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Dendritic cells (DCs) were cultured in the presence of cordycepin and then allowed to phagocytose microspheres containing ovalbumin (OVA). After washing and fixing, the efficacy of OVA peptide presentation by DCs was evaluated using CD8 and CD4 T cells. Also, we confirmed the protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines through RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Cordycepin decreased both MHC class I and class II-restricted presentation of OVA and suppressed the expression of both MHC molecules and the phagocytic activity toward exogenous OVA. The class II-restricted OVA presentation-regulating activity of cordycepin was also confirmed using mice that had been injected with cordycepin followed by soluble OVA. Furthermore, cordycepin suppressed the mRNA and protein levels of iNOS, COX-2, pro-inflammatory cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner. These results provide an understanding of the mechanism of the T cell response-regulating activity of cordycepin through the inhibition of MHC-restricted antigen presentation in relation to its actions on APCs.

• 한국해양바이오학회지
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• 제1권4호
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• pp.243-251
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• 2006

Dideoxypetrosynol A, a polyacetylene from the marine sponge Petrosia sp., is known to exhibit significant selective cytotoxic activity against a small panel of human tumor cell lines, however, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. In the present study, it was investigated the further possible mechanisms by which dideoxytetrosynol A exerts its anti-proliferative action in cultured human leukemia cell line U937. We observed that the proliferation-inhibitory effect of dideoxypetrosynol A was due to the induction of G1 arrest of the cell cycle and apoptosis, which effects were associated with up-regulation of cyclin D1 and down-regulation of cyclin E without any change in cyclin-dependent-kinases (Cdks) expression. Dideoxypetrosynol A markedly induced the levels of Cdk inhibitor p16/INK4a expression. Furthermore, down-regulation of phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (pRB) by this compound was associated with enhanced binding of pRB and the transcription factor E2F-1. The increase in apoptosis was associated with a dose-dependent up-regulation in pro-apoptotic Bax expression and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Dideoxytetrosynol A decreased the levels of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 mRNA and protein expression without significant changes in the levels of COX-1, which was correlated with a decrease in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis. Furthermore, dideoxytetrosynol A treatment markedly inhibited the activity of telomerase, and the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), a main determinant of the telomerase enzymatic activity, was progressively down-regulated by dideoxytetrosynol A treatment in a dose-dependent fashion. Taken together, these findings provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of dideoxytetrosynol A.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제31권10호
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• pp.929-936
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• 2021

본 연구에서는 시판하는 천연물 library (Selleckchem, L1400)로부터 암세포 항 성장 활성을 보여주는 천연물을 선별하였다. 즉, 인간 대장암 세포주인 HCT116에 50 μM의 각 천연물을 처리한 후 세포 생존율을 측정하였다. 1차 선별과정을 통하여 5종의 천연물(chrysin, diosmetin, emodin, piperlongumine, tanshinone I)을 선별하였다. 5종의 천연물에 의한 NAG-1 단백질의 발현을 확인한 결과 chrysin과 emodin에 의해서 발현이 현저하게 증가하였다. 또한, chrysin과 emodin은 농도의존적으로 세포 생존율을 감소시켰으며, chrysin과 emodin은 항암 단백질인 NAG-1의 발현을 농도 및 시간 의존적으로 증가시켰다. 게다가, chrysin과 emodin 처리에 의해 증가된 PARP cleavage가 NAG-1 siRNA transfection에 의해서 감소됨을 확인함으로써, chrysin과 emodin에 의한 세포사멸과 NAG-1의 발현 증가가 직접적인 관련이 있음을 증명하였다. 따라서, 본 연구결과는 암세포 항 성장 활성을 보여주는 천연물 선별에 대한 기초 데이터를 제공해 주며, chrysin과 emodin에 의한 암세포 항 성장 활성 및 세포사멸의 기전을 이해하는 데 도움을 줄 것으로 판단된다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제29권9호
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• pp.964-971
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• 2019

간의 지질 축적과 인슐린 저항성은 비알콜성 지방간 환자에게서 증가한다. Piperine은 후추(Piper nigrum)와 필발(인도산 후추, P. longum)의 주요 성분으로 항암, 항비만, 항 당뇨병, 항염증 및 항산화 등의 생리활성이 보고되었다. 그러나 piperine의 인간 간세포 HepG2 세포에서 지질 축적과 인슐린 저항성의 억제제로서의 연구는 보고된 바가 없다. 본 연구의 목적은 지질 축적 및 인슐린 저항성에 대한 piperine의 효과를 palmitate처리된 HepG2 세포에서 잠재적인 분자 기전을 밝히는 것이다. 그 결과 piperine처리군은 지질 함량을 감소시켰고, 지방 형성 표적 유전자인 SREBP-1c와 FAS의 발현을 억제함으로써 palmitate처리된 세포내 지질 축적을 감소시켰다. 게다가 piperine처리군은 지방산 산화에 관련된 CPT-1과 인산화된 ACC 및 인산화된 IRS-1 (Tyr632)와 Akt의 레벨을 증가시켰다. 또한, piperine처리군은 인산화된 IRS-1 (Ser307)의 레벨을 감소시켰다. 결론적으로 palmitate처리된 HepG2 세포에서 piperine은 SREBP-1와 FAS발현의 감소 및 CPT-1과 ACC 인산화의 증가 및 인산화된 IRS-1(Try632)와 Akt 신호전달 경로를 조절함으로써 지질 축적 및 인슐린 저항성을 개선함을 확인하였다. 따라서 piperine의 지질 축적 및 인슐린 저항성을 예방하는 약물로써 가능성이 제시되었다.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.2.1-2.7
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• 2012

Introduction: Histone deacetylases (HDAC) are a class of enzymes that remove acetyl groups from ${\varepsilon}$-N-acetyl lysine amino acids of histone proteins. Their action is opposite to that of histone acetyltransferase that adds acetyl groups to these lysines. Only few HDAC inhibitors are approved and used as anti-cancer therapeutics. Thus, discovery of new and potential HDAC inhibitors are necessary in the effective treatment of cancer. Materials and Methods: This study proposed a method using support vector machine (SVM) to classify HDAC8 inhibitors and non-inhibitors in early-phase virtual compound filtering and screening. The 100 experimentally known HDAC8 inhibitors including 52 inhibitors and 48 non-inhibitors were used in this study. A set of molecular descriptors was calculated for all compounds in the dataset using ADRIANA. Code of Molecular Networks. Different kernel functions available from SVM Tools of free support vector machine software and training and test sets of varying size were used in model generation and validation. Results and Conclusion: The best model obtained using kernel functions has shown 75% of accuracy on test set prediction. The other models have also displayed good prediction over the test set compounds. The results of this study can be used as simple and effective filters in the drug discovery process.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권16호
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• pp.6947-6951
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• 2015

Background: Oral carcinoma (OC) remains one of the most difficult malignancies to cure. Hesa-A is an Iranian herbal-marine compound that has shown promising anti-tumor properties against various human tumors. However, its mechanism of action remains to be addressed. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two doses of Hesa-A on mRNA expression of erb$\backslash$b2 as a main prognosticator tumor marker for OC in an animal model. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 12 animals each. Rats in carcinoma groups received 0, 250 and 500mg/kg body weight doses of Hesa-A 3 times a day. The other two groups were considered as treated and untreated control groups. At the end of the experiment, animals were sacrificed and tongue tissues subjected to H and E staining and real time PCR. Results: Our results showed that compared to the control group, erb$\backslash$b2 was over-expressed ~ 30% in the carcinoma group. After treatment with 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg body weight of Hesa-A, erb$\backslash$b2 levels dropped by 24.1% and 3.4 % respectively compared to the control carcinoma group (p<0.01, p<0.0001). Moreover, there was a significant relation between erb$\backslash$b2 mRNA content and observed pathological changes in studied groups (p<0.05). Conclusions: These data provide insight into mechanism(s) by which Hesa-A may improve clinical outcome of oral carcinoma by affecting oncogene erb$\backslash$b2 expression and suggest Hesa-A as an effective chemotherapeutic agent in treatment of HER+tumors.

• BMB Reports
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.223-229
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• 2003

The product of a tree (Tabebuia avellanedae) from South America, $\beta$-lapachone, is known to exhibit various pharmacological properties, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to further elucidate the possible mechanisms by which $\beta$-lapachone exerts its anti-proliferative action in cultured human prostate cancer cells. We observed that the proliferation-inhibitory effect of $\beta$-lapachone was due to the induction of apoptosis, which was confirmed by observing the morphological changes and cleavage of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase protein. A DNA flow cytometric analysis also revealed that $\beta$-lapachone arrested the cell cycle progression at the G1 phase. The effects were associated with the down-regulation of the phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) as well as the enhanced binding of pRB and the transcription factor E2F-1. Also, $\beta$-lapachone suppressed the cyclindependent kinases (Cdks) and cyclin E-associated kinase activity without changing their expressions. Furthermore, this compound induced the levels of the Cdk inhibitor $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ expression in a p53-independent manner, and the p21 proteins that were induced by $\beta$-lapachone were associated with Cdk2. $\beta$-lapachone also activated the reporter construct of a p21 promoter. Overall, our results demonstrate a combined mechanism that involves the inhibition of pRB phosphorylation and induction of p21 as targets for $\beta$-lapachone. This may explain some of its anticancer effects.