• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.317-331
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• 2014

Objectives: The root of Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) has been known to possess a range of pharmacological activities including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects. The present study was designed to investigate whether or not PG-induced cell death was connected with autophagy and apoptosis in NCI-H460 human lung cancer cells. Methods: Effects on the cell viability and apoptotic activity were quantified using MTT assays and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Protein activation was measured by immunoblotting. Autophagy was measured by LC3 immunofluorescence and immunoblotting. ROS production and loss of mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) were checked with flow cytometry analysis. Results: Following exposure to PG, NCI-H460 cell proliferation decreased simultaneously inducing autophagic vacuoles and up-regulation of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 and beclin-1 protein expressions. Interestingly, pre-treated with autophagy inhibitors, 3-methyladenin or bafilomycin A1 further triggered reduction of cell viability. PG treatment also induced apoptosis that was related modulation of Bcl-2 family proteins, death receptors and activation of caspases. In addition, PG stimulation clearly enhanced loss of MMP and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Conclusions: Our results suggest that PG elicited both autophagy and apoptosis by increasing loss of MMP and ROS production. PG induced-autophagy may play a cell protective role.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.191-199
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• 2020

Fucoidan, a natural component of brown seaweed, has various biological activities such as anti-cancer activity, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory against various cancer cells. However, the fucoidan has been implicated in melanoma cells via apoptosis signaling pathway. Therefore, we investigated apoptosis with fucoidan in A2058 human melanoma cells with dose- and time-dependent manners. In our results, A2058 cells viability decreased at relatively short-time and low-concentration through fucoidan. This effects of fucoidan on A2058 cells appeared to be mediated by the induction of apoptosis, as manifested by morphological changes through DNA-binding dye Hoechst 33342 staining. When a dose of 80 ㎍/mL fucoidan was treated, the cells were observed: crescent or ring-like structure, chromatin condensation, and nuclear fragmentation. With the increase at 100 ㎍/mL fucoidan, the cell membrane is intact throughout the total process, including membrane blebbing and loss of membrane integrity as well as increase of sub-G1 DNA. Furthermore, to understand the exact mechanism of fucoidan-treated in A2058 cells, western blotting was performed to detect apoptosis-related protein expression. In this study, Bcl-2 family proteins can be regulated by fucoidan, suggesting that fucoidan-induced apoptosis is modulated by intrinsic pathway. Therefore, expression of Bcl-2 and Bax may result in altered permeability, activating caspase-3 and caspase-9. And the cleaved form of poly ADP-ribose polymerase was detected in fucoidan-treated A2058 cells. These results suggest that A2058 cells are highly sensitive to growth inhibition by fucoidan via apoptosis, as evidenced by activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases/p38/Bcl-2 family signaling, as well as alteration in caspase-9 and caspase-3.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1553-1556
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• 2013

Flavonoids are one of the major components found in the peels of citrus fruits. Present evidence has suggested that polymethoxyflavonoids, including nobiletin and tangeretin isolated from Citrus sunki, have many biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-obesity capabilities. Here, we investigated the effect of Citrus sunki peel extract and its possible mechanisms on oxidative stress-induced MMP-1 expression, a major marker of skin photoaging. $H_2O_2$ induced MMP-1 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Extract of Citrus sunki peel (1-25 ${\mu}g/ml$) dose-dependently decreased MMP-1 mRNA levels. When $H_2O_2$ was combined with Citrus sunki peel extract, the phosphorylation of ERK was further decreased compared to a single treatment with $H_2O_2$ alone. Moreover, U0216, an MEK inhibitor, markedly prevented the production of MMP-1. These data suggest that Citrus sunki peel extract has demonstrated protective activity against oxidative damage on MMP-1 expression, and ERK MAP kinase may be involved.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.413-422
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• 2020

Delphinidin is a major anthocyanidin compound found in various vegetables and fruits. It has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and various other biological activities. In this study we demonstrated the anti-cancer activity of delphinidin, which was related to autophagy, in radiation-exposed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Radiosensitising effects were assessed in vitro by treating cells with a subcytotoxic dose of delphinidin (5 μM) before exposure to γ-ionising radiation (IR). We found that treatment with delphinidin or IR induced NSCLC cell death in vitro; however the combination of delphinidin pre-treatment and IR was more effective than either agent alone, yielding a radiation enhancement ratio of 1.54 at the 50% lethal dose. Moreover, combined treatment with delphinidin and IR, enhanced apoptotic cell death, suppressed the mTOR pathway, and activated the JNK/MAPK pathway. Delphinidin inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K, AKT, and mTOR, and increased the expression of autophagy-induced cell death associated-protein in radiation-exposed NSCLC cells. In addition, JNK phosphorylation was upregulated by delphinidin pre-treatment in radiation-exposed NSCLC cells. Collectively, these results show that delphinidin acts as a radiation-sensitizing agent through autophagy induction and JNK/MAPK pathway activation, thus enhancing apoptotic cell death in NSCLC cells.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.145-152
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• 2022

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease caused by insulin resistance, and abnormally elevated hepatic gluconeogenesis is characterized. Phillyrin, one of the major active constituents of Forsythia suspense, is known to possess the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. However, the anti-diabetes mellitus effect of phillyrin and its molecular mechanisms are unclear. The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of phillyrin on gluconeogenesis in insulin resistant HepG2 cells. Phillyrin suppressed high glucose (HG)-induced glucose production. In addition, phillyrin reduced HG-induced the expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase), major genes in hepatic gluconeogenesis. Phillyrin treatment attenuated HG-induced nucleus protein levels of FOXO1 and HDAC5 and increased the phosphorylation of Akt, AMPK, HDAC5, and FOXO1. The block of AMPK and Akt activity did not exert the inhibitory effect of phillyrin on gluconeogenesis in insulin resistant HepG2. Taken together, these results suggest that phillyrin inhibits gluconeogenesis of hepatocytes to improve glucose metabolism, through the regulation of LKB1/AMPK/HDAC5 and PI3K/AKT/FOXO1 pathway. These results indicate that phillyrin may be useful in improving hepatic gluconeogenesis associated with insulin resistant and T2DM.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.115-122
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• 2024

Heat shock protein (HSP) 90 is expressed in most living organisms, and several client proteins of HSP90 are necessary for cancer cell survival and growth. Previously, we found that HSP90 was cleaved by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and proteasome inhibitors, and the cleavage of HSP90 contributes to their cytotoxicity in K562 leukemia cells. In this study, we first established mouse xenograft models with K562 cells expressing the wild-type or cleavage-resistant mutant HSP90β and found that the suppression of tumor growth by the HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) was interrupted by the mutation inhibiting the HSP90 cleavage in vivo. Next, we investigated the possible function of thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) in the HSP90 cleavage induced by SAHA. TXNIP is a negative regulator for thioredoxin, an antioxidant protein. SAHA transcriptionally induced the expression of TXNIP in K562 cells. HSP90 cleavage was induced by SAHA also in the thymocytes of normal mice and suppressed by an anti-oxidant and pan-caspase inhibitor. When the thymocytes from the TXNIP knockout mice and their wild-type littermate control mice were treated with SAHA, the HSP90 cleavage was detected in the thymocytes of the littermate controls but suppressed in those of the TXNIP knockout mice suggesting the requirement of TXNIP for HSP90 cleavage. We additionally found that HSP90 cleavage was induced by actinomycin D, β-mercaptoethanol, and p38 MAPK inhibitor PD169316 suggesting its prevalence. Taken together, we suggest that HSP90 cleavage occurs also in vivo and contributes to the anti-cancer activity of various drugs in a TXNIP-dependent manner.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.451-459
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• 2015

Raw-red bean (RR) should be boiled in hot water, and only boiled-red bean (BR) has been used in the food industry. In the course of development of functional food using red- bean (Phaseolus radiatus L), hot- water extracts (HWEs) of RR and BR were prepared, respectively and their components and various biological activities were compared. The extraction yield at $100^{\circ}C$ of RR (16.2%) was higher than that of BR (14.8%), and contents of total polyphenols, total flavonoids and reducing sugars of HWE of RR were 2.5-fold, 2.1-fold and 1.5-fold higher than those of HWE of BR. In anti-oxidation activity assay, scavenging activities against DPPH anion and ABTS cation as well as reducing power of RR was higher than those of BR. The results suggest that the anti-oxidant compounds in red bean might be heat-liable or discarded during boiling in hot-water as a cooking drip. Unexpectedly, nitrite scavenging activity was stronger in HWE of BR than RR. In anti-microbial activity assay, HWE of RR ($500{\mu}g/disc$) showed growth inhibition activity against gram-positive bacteria, whereas HWE of BR did not show any activity against any tested bacteria and fungi. Assay of in-vitro anti-diabetes and anti-thrombosis activities, which were previously reported in ethanol extract of red-bean, revealed that HWEs of RR and BR did not show significant activities against ${\alpha}$-amylase, ${\alpha}$-glucosidase, thrombin, prothrombin, or blood coagulation factors. Our results suggest that the anti-oxidation, anti-diabetes and anti-thrombosis activities of HWEs of RR and BR were lower than those of ethanol extracts of red bean, and bioactive substances in RR were destroyed during boiling or discarded after boiling. Further research on suitable boiling and re-use of cooking drip of red bean is necessary.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.165-173
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• 2007

In the previous study, we reported the antioxidative and cellular protective effects of Jeju native plant extracts. In this study, we investigated the anti-oxidative, anti-wrinkle and whitening effects of new 37 plant extracts collected from self-growing plants in Jeju island. Their anti-oxidant activities were measured by the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) radical scavenging assay and reactive oxygen species(ROS) scavenging assay in $Fe^{3+}-EDTA/H_2O_2$ system. The cytoprotective properties of 37 plant extracts were assessed in the rose-bengal sensitized photohemolysis of human erythrocytes. The inhibitory effect of 37 plant extracts on tyrosinase were investigated to assess their whitening efficacy. Finally, their anti-elastase activities were measured to predict the anti-wrinkle efficacy in the human skin. The results showed that the extracts of Myrica rubra stem bark and Securinega suffruticosa have the free radical scavenging activity($FSC_{50}:\;5,\;8{\mu}g/mL$, respectively), and the extracts of Quercus acutissima leaf and Securinega suffruticosa stem bark have the prominent ROS scavenging activity($OSC_{50}:\;0.009{\mu}g/mL$). Photohemolysis of erythrocytes in the presence of rose-bengal as a sensitizer was inhibited by the extracts of Securinega suffruticosa stem bark and Salix koreensis stem(${\tau}_{50}$, 895 min, 640 min at 50 ${\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Myrica rubra stem bark extract(77.8% at 200 ${\mu}g/mL$) and Salix koreensis stem extract(76.2% at 200 ${\mu}g/mL$) also have the inhibitory effect on tyrosinase and elastase activities, respectively. These results indicated that the stem park of Myrica rubra, Securinega suffruticosa, and Camellia japonica, the stem of Salix koreensis, and the leaf of Quercus aqutissima and Camellia japonica could have e benefitial effects when they are added as ingredients in cosmetics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.331-337
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• 2015

Citrus and its peels, which are by-products from juice and/or jam processing, have long been used in Asian folk medicine. Citrus peels show an abundant variety of flavanones, and these flavanones have glycone and aglycone forms. Aglycones are more potent than glycones with a variety of physiological functions since aglycone absorption is more efficient than glycones. Bioconversion with cytolase converted narirutin and naringin into naringenin and hesperidin into hesperetin. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of bioconversion of Citrus unshiu (CU) peel extracts with cytolase (CU-C) in RAW264.7 cells. HPLC chromatograms showed that CU and CU-C had 23.42% and 29.39% total flavonoids, respectively. There was substantial bioconversion of narirutin to naringenin and of hesperidin to hesperetin. All citrus peel extracts showed DPPH scavenging activities in a dose-dependent manner, and CU-C was more potent than intact CU. RAW264.7 cells were pre-treated with $0{\sim}500{\mu}g/mL$ of citrus peel extracts for 4 h and then stimulated by $1{\mu}g/mL$ of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 8 h. All citrus peel extracts showed decreased mRNA levels and protein expression of LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose-dependent manner. Especially, CU-C markedly inhibited mRNA and protein expression of iNOS and COX-2 compared to intact citrus peel extracts. All citrus peel extracts showed decreased NO production by iNOS activity. This result suggests that bioconversion of citrus peel extracts with cytolase may provide potent functional food materials for prevention of chronic diseases attributable to oxidation and inflammation by boosting the anti-inflammatory effects of citrus peels.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.343-351
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the whitening effect of aerial part of Pueraria lobata and mechanisms. Aerial part of Pueraria lobata, dose-dependently reduced the melanin content. Aerial part of Pueraria lobata, significantly decreased cellular tyrosinase activity, while there was not any effect on tyrosinase in cell-free conditions. To elucidate the mechanisms behind the aerial part of Pueraria lobata, treated melanogenesis regulation, the expressions of melanogensis related genes, proteins, and the activity of ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ were determined. Aerial part of Pueraria lobata, significantly inhibited gene and protein levels of MITF, tyrosinase and TRP-1. It suppressed the ${\alpha}-glucosidase$, leading to inhibition on the maturation of tyrosinase. Also aerial part of Pueraria lobata, was observed to have the high antioxidant activity. These results suggested that whitening effect of aerial part of Pueraria lobata, should be due to the down-regulation of MITF, tyrosinase and TRP-1 expression and the intercepting maturation of tyrosinase through suppressing ${\alpha}-glucosidase$. Another should be the high anti-oxidant activity. The findings show the possibility that aerial part of Pueraria lobata, can be used as a potential skin-whitening agent.