• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.135-149
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• 2006

Purpose : This study was aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of Millettia Reticulatas on the proliferation of human uterine leiomyoma cells and the expression of gene related the mechanism of cell apoptosis. Methods : We counted the number of death cells treated with indicated concentration of Millettia Reticulatas and investigated cell death rate by MTS assay. Furthermore, flow cytometry analyis and DNA fragmentation assay were used to dissect between necrosis and apoptosis. and then we observed the differential gene expression by western blot analysis. Results : 1) The inhibitory effect on the growth of uterine leiomyoma cell treated with Millettia Reticulatas was increased in a concentration proportional. 2) The result of flow cytometry analysis. subG1 phase arrest related3 cell apoptosis was investigated 23.49% in uterine leiomyoma cell treated Millettia Reticulatas and showed the fession of proportional concentration. 3) The gene expression of p27, p53, p21, p16 related cell cycle was increased according to increasing concentration but cyclin E was none exchanged. 4) The character of apoptosis, DNA fragmentation was significantly observed the fession of proportional concentration. 5) The expression of pro-caspase3 and PARP were decreased dependent on treatment concentration. Conclusion : This study showed that Millettia Reticulatas have the inhibitory effect on the proliferation of human uterine leiomyoma cell and the effect was related with apoptosis. The apoptotic mechanism was observed that the gene expression of p27, p53, p21, p16 related cell cycle was increased according to increasing treatment concentration, induced G1 phase arrest and finally cell death was occurred. The decreased expression of pro-caspase 3 and PARP were noted that apoptosis was related with caspase pathway.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 2014

Background: Research has been conducted with regard to the development of methods for improving the pharmaceutical effect of ginseng by conversion of ginsenosides, which are the major active components of ginseng, via high temperature or high-pressure processing. Methods: The present study sought to investigate the anticancer effect of heat-processed American ginseng (HAG) in human gastric cancer AGS cells with a focus on assessing the role of apoptosis as an important mechanistic element in its anticancer actions. Results and Conclusion: HAG significantly reduced the cancer cell proliferation, and the contents of ginsenosides Rb1 and Re were markedly decreased, whereas the peaks of less-polar ginsenosides [20(S,R)-Rg3, Rk1, and Rg5] were newly detected. Based on the activity-guided fractionation of HAG, ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 played a key role in inducing apoptosis in human gastric cancer AGS cells, and it was generated mainly from ginsenoside Rb1. Ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3 induced apoptosis through activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, as well as regulation of Bcl-2 and Bax expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that heat-processing serves as an increase in the antitumor activity of American ginseng in AGS cells, and ginsenoside 20(S)-Rg3, the active component produced by heat-processing, induces the activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, which contributes to the apoptotic cell death.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.769-776
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• 2014

Anisomycin, also known as flagecidin, is an antibiotic produced by Streptomyces griseolus that inhibits protein synthesis by binding to the ribosomal 28S subunit. The tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a protein that induces apoptotic cell death. TRAIL primarily causes apoptosis in tumor cells by binding to death receptors. Many human cancer cell lines are refractory to TRAIL-induced cell death. In this study, we investigated whether anisomycin could enhance TRAIL-mediated apoptosis in TRAIL-resistant human hepatocarcinoma Hep3B cells. Treatment with anisomycin and TRAIL alone did not reduce cell viability in Hep3B cells. However, in the presence of TRAIL, the anisomycin concentration dependently reduced the cell viability. Our results indicate that anisomycin sensitizes Hep3B cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and that this occurs, at least partly, via caspase activation. Interestingly, Bid knockdown by small interfering RNA significantly reduced the induction of apoptosis in combination with anisomycin and TRAIL, indicating that anisomycin effectively acts to lower the threshold at which TRAIL-mediated truncated Bid triggers the mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis program in Hep3B cells. Therefore, the use of TRAIL in combination with anisomycin might provide an effective therapeutic strategy for the safe treatment of some TRAIL-resistant cancer cells.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2011

Objective : In this study, we investigated the effects of ethanol extract of Anemarrhenae Rhizoma (EAR) on the proliferation and apoptosis induction of HT-29 human colon cancer cells. Methods : Cell viability of HT-29 cells were measured by MTT assay and apoptisis-related proteins were assessed using western blotting. Chromatin condensation of HT-29 cells stained with Hoechst 33258. Results : In the present study, we demonstrated that EAR exhibited significant cytotoxicity in HT-29 cells. The induction of apoptosis in HT-29 cells by EAR treatment was characterized by chromatin condensation and the activation of caspase-3. EAR-induced apoptosis is accompanied by the release of cytochrome c and the specific proteolytic cleavage of PARP. EAR was appeared cytotoxic effect to HT-29 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, EAR treatment led to increase in the caspase-9. The reduction of Bcl-2 and truncation of Bid were induced by EAR. Conclusion : We studied that the EAR induced apoptosis in human colon adenocarcinoma HT-29 cells. These results indicated that EAR can cause apoptosis through mitochondria/caspase pathway in human HT-29 cells.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.9
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• pp.1363-1369
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• 2013

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) can selectively induce apoptosis by targeting cancer cells. However, some cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL-induced cytotoxicity. One method of overcoming TRAIL resistance is combination treatment with reagents to sensitize cells to TRAIL. Luteolin, a flavonoid, has been shown to have anti-cancer effects by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in various cancer cell lines in vitro. In this study, we investigated the effects of combination treatment with non-toxic concentration of TRAIL and luteolin in T24 human bladder cancer cells. Combined treatment with luteolin and TRAIL significantly inhibits cell proliferation via activation of caspases by inducing Bid truncation, up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP). However, the apoptotic effects of combination treatment with luteolin and TRAIL were significantly inhibited by specific caspases inhibitors. Taken together, these results indicate that combination treatment with TRAIL and luteolin can induce apoptosis in TRAIL-resistant cancer cells through down-regulation of XIAP and modulation of tBid and Bax expression.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.1047-1052
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• 2005

Two phenolic glucosides, eutigoside Band eutigoside C were isolated from the fresh leaves of Eurya emarginata. These two phenolic glucosides exerted a significant inhibitory effect on the growth of HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells. Furthermore, when the HL-60 cells were treated with eutigoside C, several apoptotic characteristics such as DNA fragmentation, morphologic changes, and increase of the population of sub-G1 hypodiploid cells were observed. In order to understand the mechanism of apoptosis induction by eutigoside C, we examined the changes of Bcl-2 and Bax expression levels. The eutigoside C reduced BcI-2 protein and mRNA levels, but slightly increased Bax protein and mRNA levels in a time-dependent manner. When we examined the activation of caspase-3, an effector of apoptosis, the eutigoside C increased the expression of active form (19-kDa) of caspase-3 and the increase of their activities was demonstrated by the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, a substrate of caspase-3, to 85-kDa. The results suggest that the inhibitory effect of eutigoside C from E. emarginata on the growth of HL-60 appears to arise from the induction of apoptosis via the down-regulation of BcI-2 and the activation of caspase.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2004

To investigate the mechanism of germ cell death in postnatal stage of mouse, the involvement of apoptotic executioners, caspase-3 and caspase-activated DNase(CAD), and apoptotic initiators, Bax Fas and Fas ligand, in the germ cell death has been studied. Immune-labels of active caspase-3 and CAD were located in TUNEL-positive, apoptotic, oocytes as well as normal oocytes of primary or secondary follicles. CAD immune-labels were also detected in the nucleus of TUNEL-positive oocytes. Most of oocytes showing positive immune-labeling of active caspase-3 or CAD had vacuoles in their cytoplasm, which is the morphological characteristic of oocyte during folliclar atresia. Bax immune-stains were detected in the atretic oocytes which showed the vacuole in their cytoplasm. Positive immune-labels for Fas ligand was localized in TUNEL-positive or atretic oocytes. Presence of immunoreactivity of active caspase-3 and CAD in TUNEL-positive germ cells implicate that active raspase-3 and CAD might play a role in germ cell apoptosis during early development of mouse ovarian follicle. Immunohistochemical localization of Bax and Fas ligand in TUNEL-positive oocytes suggests that these might be the most plausible modulator of oocyte apoptosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.532-536
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• 2005

In the course of our screening for small molecules to inhibit apoptosis of U937 human leukemia cells induced by etoposide ($10\;{\mu}g/ml$), Penicillium sp. F020150 with potent inhibitory activity was selected. The active compound was purified from ethyl acetate extract of the microorganism by Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and HPLC, and was identified as gentisyl alcohol (2,5-dihydroxybenzyl alcohol) by spectroscopic methods. The compound inhibited caspase-3 induction with $IC_{50}$ value of $3.0\;{\mu}g/ml$ after 8 h of etoposide treatment. The expression levels of caspase-3 and PARP were dose-dependently inhibited by the compound, suggesting that gentisyl alcohol inhibits etoposide-induced apoptosis via downregulation of caspases.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.518-528
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• 2013

Scutellaria baicalensis, belonging to the family Labiatae, is widely distributed in Korea, China, Mongolia, and eastern Siberia. It has been used in traditional medicine for various diseases, such as dysentery, pyrexia, jaundice, and carbuncles. In addition, S. baicalensis is reported to possess various beneficial pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiviral, antihypertension, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. However, the molecular mechanisms of its anticancer activity have not been clearly elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the proapoptotic effects of ethanol extract of S. baicalensis (EESB) on human renal cell carcinoma Caki-1 cells. The anti-proliferative activity of EESB was associated with apoptosis induction, which was associated with the up-regulation of death receptor 4, the Fas ligand, and Bax and the down-regulation of Bid, XIAP, and cIAP-1 proteins. EESB treatment also induced mitochondrial dysfunction, proteolytic activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9 and degradation of caspase-3 substrate proteins, such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, ${\beta}$-catenin, and phospholipase C-${\gamma}1$. However, pretreatment of a pan-caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk, significantly attenuated the EESB-induced apoptosis. Taken together, these findings suggest that EESB may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent. Further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anticancer activity of S. baicalensis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.240-244
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• 2007

Cigarette smoking causes serious health problems in humans, especially if smoking habits are established during their adolescence. Nicotine is known to mutate DNA and interfere with apoptosis. Apoptosis is considered as a potent defense mechanism against cellular damaging agents. This study aims to investigate the effect of nicotine on the progression of apoptosis induced under ER stress conditions using four different established cell lines: HEK293, 3T3-L1, C2C12, and HepG2. When treated with nicotine, the progression of apoptosis was notably inhibited in the four cell lines according to the assays of caspase-3 activation and DNA fragmentation. In ER-stressed cells, nicotine appears to inhibit the progression of apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. When cells were treated with nicotine prior to ER stress, GRP94 level significantly increased compared to other ER stress markers of PDI and GRP78. This observation suggests that the inhibitory effect of nicotine may results from up-regulation of GRP94, an anti-apoptotic chaperone, under nicotine treatment. Taken together, the present study strongly implies that nicotine may inhibit apoptosis, caused by prolonged ER stress, based on promotion of GRP94 expression.