• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.22.1-22.7
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• 2018

Background: Apoptosis is a process of programmed cell death, and apoptosis defect results in serious diseases such as cancer. Apoptosis induction is one of the key mechanisms of anti-cancer agents. This study was aimed to find anti-prostate cancer compounds from marine-derived fungus Microsporum sp. Results: We found that physcion isolated from the fermentation broth extract of the marine fungus Microsporum sp. strain MFS-YL decreases the cell proliferation of PC3 human prostate cancer cells. Physcion induced cell apoptosis as determined by Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining. Physcion downregulated the anti-apopotoic proteins such as Ras, Bcl-xL, and Bcl-2, whereas upregulated the pro-apoptotic Bax. Physcion also activated caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9. Conclusion: These results suggest that physcion from Microsporum sp. inhibits the proliferation of PC3 human prostate cancer cells via the pathway leading to apoptotic cell death. Physcion may be a potential candidate in the field of anticancer drug discovery against human prostate cancer.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.77-91
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• 2005

Purpose : Trichosanthis Radix is traditional medical herb which has been shown to inhibit tumor cell proliferation. In this study, the effects of Trichosanthis Radix extract were investigated on inducing growth inhibition and apoptosis of human uterine cervical carcinoma cells. Methods : Human uterine cervical carcinoma cells line, ME-180, was used for the study. The cells were treated with varying concentrations of Trichosanthis Radix extract. Cell growth and inhibitory rate were measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis induction was detected by fluorescence microscopy, DNA ladder formation and flow cytometry. Results : Trichosanthis Radix extract inhibited the growth of human uterine cervical carcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner. It induced ME-180 cells to undergo apoptosis including fragmented nuclei and nucleosome-sized DNA fragmentation. Flow cytometric analysis showed the increasing rate of apoptotic cells by Trichosanthis Radix extract. Reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential and increase in caspase-3 activity and were found in ME-180 cells treated with Trichosanthis Radix extract. Conclusion : Our data suggest that Trichosanthis Radix extract inhibit the growth and proliferation of ME-180 cells by apoptotic induction and facilitates its activity via caspase-3 activation initiated by depolarization of mitochondria.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.45 no.12
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• pp.1708-1716
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• 2016

The Akt/mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is activated in the majority of human cancers. Activation of the Akt/mTOR pathway confers resistance to many types of cancer therapy. In this study, we evaluated the apoptotic effect of ethanol extract of Artemisia annua L. through down-regulation of Akt signal pathways and the mitochondrial pathway in hepato-carcinoma cells (HepG2). A. annua extract is known as a medicinal herb that is effective against cancer. We evaluated anti-proliferative activity by MTT-based viability assay and apoptotic effect by Annexin-V/PI staining, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and caspase-3/7 activity as determined by flow cytometry. A. annua treatment led to loss of MMP, resulting in cytochrome c-inducible activation of caspase-3/7. Treatment with A. annua extract reduced activities of Akt/mTOR/anti-apoptotic proteins (such as Bcl-2 and $Bcl-X_L$), leading to increased activation of tumor suppressor p53 and pro-apoptotic proteins (such as Bax and Bak). We applied LY294002 (inhibitor of Akt) and rapamycin (inhibitor of mTOR) to determine the relationship between signal transduction of proteins associated with apoptosis. LY294002 and rapamycin significantly reduced cell viability and increased apoptosis. These results indicate that Bcl-2 and caspase-3 are key regulators in A. annua extract-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells and are controlled through the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.447-456
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• 2022

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Arctigenin on cell growth and the mechanism of cell death elicited by Arctigenin were examined in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells. To determine the apoptotic activity of Arctigenin in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells, cell viability assay, DAPI staining, caspase activation analysis, and immunoblotting were performed. Arctigenin inhibited the growth of cells in a dose-dependent manner and induced nuclear condensation and fragmentation. Arctigenin-treated cells showed caspase-3/7 activation and increased apoptosis versus control cells. FasL, a death ligand associated with extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways, was up-regulated by Arctigenin treatment. Moreover, caspase-8, a part of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway, was activated by Arctigenin treatments. Expressions of anti-apoptotic factors such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, components of the mitochondria-dependent intrinsic apoptosis pathway, significantly decreased following Arctigenin treatment. The expressions of pro-apoptotic factors such as BAX, BAD and caspase-9, and tumor suppressor -53 increased by Arctigenin treatments. In addition, Arctigenin activated caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) induced cell death. Arctigenin also inhibited the proliferation of FaDu cells by the suppression of p38, NF-κB, and Akt signaling pathways. These results suggest that Arctigenin may inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptotic cell death in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells through both the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway and the death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.1833-1837
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• 2015

An aristolactam-type alkaloid, isolated from Orophea enterocarpa, is enterocarpam-III (10-amino-2,3,4,6-tetramethoxyphenanthrene-1-carboxylic acid lactam). It is cytotoxic to various human and murine cancer cell lines; however, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate cytotoxic effects on and mechanism (s) of human cancer cell death in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and human invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells compared to normal murine fibroblast NIH3T3 cells. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay to determine $IC_{10}$, $IC_{20}$ and $IC_{50}$ levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production with 2',7'-dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate and the caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities using specific chromogenic (p-nitroaniline) tetrapeptide substrates, viz., DEVD-NA, IETD-NA and LEHD-NA and employing a microplate reader. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) was measured by staining with 3, 3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide ($DiOC_6$) and using flow cytometry. The compound was cytotoxic to HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cells with the $IC_{50}$ levels of $26.0{\pm}4.45$ and $51.3{\pm}2.05{\mu}M$, respectively. For murine normal fibroblast NIH3T3 cells, the $IC_{50}$ concentration was $81.3{\pm}10.1{\mu}M$. ROS production was reduced in a dose-response manner in HepG2 cells. The caspase-9 and -3 activities increased in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas caspase-8 activity did not alter, indicating the intrinsic pathway activation. Enterocarpam-III decreased the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) dose-dependently in HepG2 cells, suggesting that the compound induced HepG2 cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. In conclusion, enterocarpam-III inhibited HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation and induced human HepG2 cells to undergo apoptosis via the intrinsic (mitochondrial) pathway and induction of caspase-9 activity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.137-144
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• 2007

Although lovastatin, a competitive inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMGCoA) reductase, has been shown to have anti-cancer actions, the effect on human hepatoma cells was not investigated. Moreover, the exact mechanism of this action is not fully understood. In this study we investigated the mechanism by which lovastatin induces apoptosis using HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells. Lovastatin induced apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner in the cells, assessed by the flow cytometric analysis. Treatment with mevalonic acid, a precursor of cholesterol, did not significantly suppress the lovastatin-induced apoptosis. Lovastatin induced a rapid and sustained increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. Treatment with EGTA, an extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator did not significantly alter the lovastatin-induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase and apoptosis, whereas intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ reduction with BAPTA/AM and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release blockers (dantrolene and TMB-8) completely blocked these actions of lovastatin. In addition, the lovastatin-induced apoptosis was significantly reduced by a calpain inhibitor, a broad spectrum caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk and inhibitors specific for caspase-9 and caspase-3 (z-LEHD-fmk and z-DEVD-fmk, respectively), but not by an inhibitor specific for caspase-8 (z-IETD-fmk). Collectively, these results suggest that lovastatin induced apoptosis of HepG2 hepatoma cells through intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release and calpain activation, leading to triggering mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. These results further suggest that lovastatin may be valuable for the therapeutic management of human hepatoma.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.107.1-107.1
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• 2003

20-O-(${\beta}$-D-Glucopyranosyl)-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (IH901), an intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginseng saponins formed from ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2 and Rc, is suggested to be a potential chemopreventive agent. Here we show that IH901 induces apoptosis in human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells. IH901 led to an early activation of procaspase-3 (6 h posttreatment), and the activation of caspase-8 became evident only later (18 h posttreatment). Caspase activation was a necessary requirement for apoptosis because caspase inhibitors significantly inhibited cell death by IH901. (omitted)

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3803-3807
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• 2012

Prohibitin (PHB), an evolutionarily-conserved protein, has been found to be over-expressed in gastric cancer and be closely related with tumor malignancy. In this study, to investigate the relationship between PHB expression and cell apoptosis in the BGC823 gastric cancer cell line, low and high expression PHB in BGC823 cells was accomplished using RNA interference technology and gene transfer techniques. Cell proliferation, cell cycling, apoptosis, Bax, Bcl-2 and Cyt.c protein expression and the activation of Caspase-3,9 were assessed after 48h. Over-expression of PHB gene in BGC823 cells resulted in slow cell growth, cell arrest in G2 phase, and an increased apoptosis ratio while the opposite was found for PHB under-expressing cells. In PHB over-expressing cells, the expression of Bax gene was increased, the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased, the activation level of Caspase-3, 9 was increased, but the activation level of Caspase-8 demonstrated no change. These results indicate that PHB induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.318-324
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• 2019

Squamous cell carcinoma is the primary tumor type in head and neck cancers, the fifth most common malignant neoplasm world-wide. Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis family, is highly expressed in head and neck carcinoma patients and correlated with more aggressive forms. In this study, we investigated whether YM155, a specific survivin inhibitor, could induce apoptosis in head and neck AMC-HN4 cells. YM155 was found to markedly induce apoptosis and cleavage of PARP, a marker of apoptosis. Furthermore, YM155 promoted apoptosis in other cancer cells, such as glioma (U251MG) and renal carcinoma (Caki) cells. In contrast, YM155 had no effect on apoptosis in normal mesangial cells. YM155 significantly induced caspase activation, and pan caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk markedly blocked apoptosis, PARP cleavage, and caspase-3 cleavage. Therefore, YM155 was seen to instigate caspase-dependent apoptosis in head and neck AMC-HN4 cells, inducing downregulation of survivin as well as other apoptotic proteins such as c-FLIP and Mcl-1. In addition, the induction of apoptosis and PARP cleavage by YM155 treatment was effectively inhibited in survivin-, c-FLIP- and Mcl-1-over-expressing head and neck AMC-HN4 cells. In conclusion, YM155 is a potent candidate for inducing cell death in head and neck AMC-HN4 cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.341-346
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• 2014

Paeonol is a major phenolic micromolecular component of Moutan cortex Radicis, a traditional Chinese Medicine. It has shown antitumor effects in previous studies; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. This study investigated the mechanism by giving treatments of placebo, cyclophosphamide, paeonol of 150 and 300 mg/kg to 4 groups of mice bearing EMT6 breast cancer. Apoptosis in tumor cells were confirmed by morphology analysis, including hematoxylin, eosin staining and TUNEL staining. The results showed that the weight of EMT6 breast tumor was significantly reduced in the groups treated with both 150 and 300 mg/kg of paeonol. Immunohistochemical and Western blot results showed that the expression of Bcl-2 was down-regulated while the expression of Bax, caspase 8 and caspase 3 was up-regulated respectively. These results suggest that paeonol exhibits antitumor effects and the mechanism of the inhibition is via induction of apoptosis, regulation of Bcl-2 and Bax expression, and activation of caspase 8 and caspase 3.