• Laboraroty Animal Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.288-294
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• 2018

A few clues about correlation between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mulberry (Morus alba) leaves were investigated in only the experimental autoimmune myocarditis and streptozotocin-induced diabetes. To investigate whether a novel extract of mulberry leaves fermented with Cordyceps militaris (EMfC) could suppress ER in fatty liver, alterations in the key parameters for ER stress response were measured in high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese C57L/6 mice treated with EMfC for 12 weeks. The area of adipocytes in the liver section were significantly decreased in the HFD+EMfC treated group as compared to the HFD+Vehicle treated group, while their level was higher in HFD+Vehicle treated group than No treated group. The level of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha ($eIF2{\alpha}$) and inositol-requiring enzyme 1 beta ($IRE1{\alpha}$) phosphorylation and CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) expression were remarkably enhanced in the HFD+Vehicle treated group. However, their levels were restored in the HFD+EMfC treated group, although some differences were detected in the decrease rate. Similar recovery was observed on the ER stress-induced apoptosis. The level of Caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax were decreased in the HFD+EMfC and HFD+orlistat (OT) treated group compared to the HFD+Vehicle treated group. The results of the present study therefore provide first evidence that EMfC with the anti-obesity effects can be suppressed ER stress and ER stress-induced apoptosis in the hepatic steatosis of HFD-induced obesity model.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.147-157
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• 2021

Coronary microembolization (CME) is associated with cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiac dysfunction. Puerarin confers protection against multiple cardiovascular diseases, but its effects and specific mechanisms on CME are not fully known. Hence, our study investigated whether puerarin pretreatment could alleviate cardiomyocyte apoptosis and improve cardiac function following CME. The molecular mechanism associated was also explored. A total of 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into CME, CME + Puerarin (CME + Pue), sham, and sham + Puerarin (sham + Pue) groups (with 12 rats per group). A CME model was established in CME and CME + Pue groups by injecting 42 ㎛ microspheres into the left ventricle of rats. Rats in the CME + Pue and sham + Pue groups were intraperitoneally injected with puerarin at 120 mg/kg daily for 7 days before operation. Cardiac function, myocardial histopathology, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis index were determined via cardiac ultrasound, hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and hematoxylin-basic fuchsin-picric acid (HBFP) stainings, and TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. Western blotting was used to measure protein expression related to the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) pathway. We found that, puerarin significantly ameliorated cardiac dysfunction after CME, attenuated myocardial infarct size, and reduced myocardial apoptotic index. Besides, puerarin inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis, as revealed by decreased Bax and cleaved caspase-3, and up-regulated Bcl-2 and PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β pathway related proteins. Collectively, puerarin can inhibit cardiomyocyte apoptosis and thus attenuate myocardial injury caused by CME. Mechanistically, these effects may be achieved through activation of the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β pathway.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 2011

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is ATPase-directed molecular chaperon and affects survival of cancer cell. Inhibitory effect of Hsp90 by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the cancer cell was reported. However, its role during oocyte maturation and early embryo development is very insufficient. In this study, we traced the effects of Hsp90 inhibitor, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), on meiotic maturation and early embryonic development in pigs. We also investigated several indicators of developmental potential, including structural integrity, gene expression (Hsp90-, cell cycle-, and apoptosis-related genes), and apoptosis, which are affected by 17-AAG. Then, we examined the roles of Hsp90 inhibitor on viability of primary cells in pigs. Porcine oocytes were cultured in the NCSU-23 medium with or without 17-AAG for 44 h. The proportion of GV arrested oocytes was significantly different between the 17-AAG treated and untreated group (78.2 vs 34.8%, p<0.05). After completion of meiotic maturation, the proportion of MII oocytes was lower in the 17-AAG treated group than in the control group (27.9 vs 71.0%, p<0.05). After IVF, the percentage of penetrated oocytes was significantly lower in the 17-AAG treated group (25.2%), resulting in lower normal pronucleus formation (2PN of 14.6%). Therefore, the inhibition of meiotic progression by Hsp90 inhibitor played a critical role in fertilization status. Porcine embryo were cultured in the PZM-3 medium with or without 17-AAG for 6 days. In result, significant differences in developmental potential were detected between the embryos that were cultured with or without 17-AAG. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) showed that the number of containing fragmented DNA at the blastocyst stage increased in the 17-AAG treated group compared with control (7.5 vs 4.4, respectively). Blastocysts that developed in the 17-AAG treated group had low structural integrity and high apoptotic nuclei than those of the untreated control, resulting in decrease the embryonic qualities of preimplantation porcine blastocysts. The mRNA expressions of cell cycle-related genes were down-regulated in the 17-AAG treated group compared with control. Also, the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene Bax increased in 17-AAG treated group, whereas expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bel-XL decreased. However, the expression of ER stress-related genes did not changed by 17-AAG. Cultured pESF cells were treated with or without 17-AAG and used for MIT assay. The results showed that viability of pESF cells were decreased by treatment of 17-AAG ($2{\mu}M$) for 24 hr. These results indicated that 17-AAG decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death. Expression patterns Hsp90 complex genes (Hsp70 and p23), cell cycle-related genes (cdc2 and cdc25c) and apoptosis-related genes (Bax and Bcl-XL) were significantly changed by using RT-PCR analysis. The spliced form of pXbp-1 product (pXbp-1s) was detected in the tunicamycin (TM) treated cells, but it is not detected in 17-AAG treated cells. In conclusion, Hsp90 appears to play a direct role in porcine early embryo developmental competence including structural integrity of blastocysts. Also, these results indicate that Hsp90 is closely associated with cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes expression in developing porcine embryos.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2005

[ $BARODON^{(R)}$ ] is a multi-purpose, high functional alkali solution made by mixing and liquid-ionizing silicon, calcium, sodium, borax, organic carbon chemicals and silver. In this study, we have investigated the apoptotic potential and mechanistic insights of $BARODON^{(R)}$ in human gastric cancer cell line (AGS cells). In MTT assay, $BARODON^{(R)}$ reduced cell viability in AGS cells. Morphological features of apoptosis with marked cytoplasmic vacuolation and appearance of apoptotic peaks in flow cytometry were observed in AGS cells with$BARODON^{(R)}$ treatment. In addition, $BARODON^{(R)}$ induced apoptosis of stomach cancer cell is related to bax up-regulation, caspase 7 protease activation and subsequent cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). These results suggest that BARODON can induce the apoptosis of AGS cells through modulation of bcl-2 family and the activation of intrinsic caspase cascades, indicating that it is potentially useful as a anti-cancer agent.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.579-587
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• 2001

The efficacy of Sagunja-tang and Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata against the human stomach cancer was examined and molecular biological fight of its actions was studied. In the efficacy test of anti-stomach cancer cells growth using the MTT assay, administration of Sagunja-tang resulted in no significant change of stomach cancer cells growth, with the control group. Administration of Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata resulted in a decrease of stomach cancer cells growth in proportion to the concentration of mylabris phalerata and time, which was significantly different from the control group(significance recognized when p<0.05). In the test using the apoptosis assay, administration of Sagunja-tang showed an increase in apoptosis of human stomach cancer cells, with no significant difference from the control group. Administrating Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata showed an increase in apoptosis of stomach cancer cells in proportion to the concentration of mylabris phalerata and time, which was significantly different from the control group(significance recognized when p<0.05). In the test using the quantitative RT-PCR to examine stomach cancer cells growth and revelation of apoptosis related genes, administrating Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata resulted in a decrease of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptosis gene, in proportiong to concentration. No significant change was examined in the revelation of CDK1, Cdc2, Cyclin D1, PCNA, c-myc, which are genes related to the stomach cancer cells growth, and Bax, Bel-XL, the genes related to apoptosis, and p53. Referring to the results above, Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata may be considered to have an anti-growth efficacy against human stomach cancer cells, and an inducement efficacy. Therefore, it can be clinically implemented in the human stomach cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.483-490
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• 2001

There were many controversies in the cause and progress of tumorigenesis. Recently, studies on the mutation of genes related to the tumor have extensively been performed due to development of molecular biology. Structural and morphological changes of chromosomes, which are related to the abnormal activation of oncogenes or inactivation of tumor suppression genes, transform the normal cells into the tumor cells. p53 and Rb are well known tumor suppressor genes, while oncogenes include c-myc, bcl-2 and ras, etc. When exposed to cell damaging agents, p53 inhibits cell growth by inducing transcription of p21. Especially p73, which is homo-logy of p53, frequently deleted in melanoma, neuroblastoma, colon cancer, and breast cancer, when over produced, p73 activates the transcription of p21, bax-1 and inhibits cell growth by inducing apoptosis. For study on mRNA expression of p21 and p73, normal oral keratinocytes, and cell lines of primary and metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma were cultured and then electrophoresis and RT-PCR(reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) were performed. 1. The mRNA of p21 and p73 in normal oral keratinocyte expressed lower than that of primary squamous cell carcinoma. 2. The mRNA of p21 in metastatic oral squamous carcinoma cell lines was expressed as various patterns compared with that of normal oral keratinocyte. 3. In the metastatic oral squamous cell lines, the mRNA of HN8 expressed higher than that of HN12 or HN19. 4. The mRNA of p73 in primary oral squamous cell lines expressed 4-5 times higher than that of normal keratinocyte. 5. In metastatic oral squamous cell lines, there was no significant expression of p73 mRNA compared with that of normal oral keratinocyte. From the results obtained in this study, mRNA expression of p73 in primary oral squamous cell lines was remarkable, while mRNA expression of p21 and p73 in metastatic oral squamous cell lines were statistically insignificant.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.21-32
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Imyosan on apoptosis in human colorectal cancer HCT116 cells. Phellodendron amurense Rupr. and Atratylodes lancea D.C. compose Imyosan. First of all, to study the cytotoxic effect of methanol extract of Imyosan (IMS-MeOH) on HCT116 cells, the cells were treated with various concentrations of IMS-MeOH and then cell viability was determined by XTT reduction method. IMS-MeOH reduced viability of HCT116 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. To confirm the induction of apoptosis, the c1eavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), a substrate for caspase-3 and a typical sign of apoptosis, and the activation of caspase-3, procaspase-8 and procaspase-9 were examined by western blot analysis. IMS-MeOH decreased procaspase-3, procaspase-8 and procaspase-9 levels in a dose-dependent manner and induced the clevage of PARP. IMS-MeOH triggered the mitochondrial apoptotic signaling by increasing the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria to cytosol. Furthermore, IMS-MeOH also downregulated the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and upregulated the pro-apoptotic-Bax. Therefore, these results suggest that IMS-MeOH induced HCT1l6 cell death through the mitochondrial pathway. To explore whether the activities of caspases was required for induction of apoptosis by IMS-MeOH, caspase-3, -8, -9 activity measured by using substrates, respectively. IMS-MeOH increased caspase-3, -8, -9 activity. Co-treatment with inhibitors of caspase-3, -8, -9 and IMS-MeOH significantly blocked IMS-MeOH-triggered apoptosis in HCT1l6 cells. These results suggest that IMS-MeOH induces caspases-mediated apoptosis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3195-3201
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• 2015

Objectives: To investigate the effects of betaine on HeLa cell growth and apoptosis and molecular mechanisms. Materials and Methods: Concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, 5.0, 20.0, 100.0 mg/ml of betaine were used to evaluate the anticancer efficacy for HeLa cells respectively, and MCF-10A was also detected as a normal diploid cell control. Results: We found that proliferation of HeLa cells was inhibited significantly upon exposure to increasing betaine levels with the MTT test (p<0.05). The percentage of S phase cells in the low dose groups (<5mg/ml) were distinctly higher than in high dose groups, and the rates of Sub-G1 phase were the opposite (p<0.01); A high concentration of betaine (>5.0mg/ml) significantly promoted the apoptosis of HeLa cells (p<0.01). SOD activities of the low dose groups were slightly higher than the control group (p<0.05) and there were obvious synchronicity and correlation among the expression of promoting apoptosis genes Bax, P53, Caspase 3 and apoptosis suppression gene Bcl-2. In response to an apoptosis-inducing stimulus, p53 and cyclin D1 could be activated with blockage of the cell cycle at G1/S or S/G2 checkpoints. Conclusions: Our data showed that betaine could promote HeLa cells proliferation in vitro at low concentrations. In contrast, high concentrations could significantly inhibit cell growth and migration, and induce apoptosis of HeLa cells through caspase 3 signaling and further promoted necrosis. This might imply that betaine exhibits tumoricidal effects and acts as a biological response modifier in cancer treatment by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in a dose and time-dependent manner.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.7
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• pp.395-400
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• 2015

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disability caused by a decrease of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Although the etiology of PD is not clear, oxidative stress is believed to lead to PD. Catalase is antioxidant enzyme which plays an active role in cells as a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger. Thus, we investigated whether PEP-1-Catalase protects against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺) induced SH-SY5Y neuronal cell death and in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-trtrahydropyridine (MPTP) induced PD animal model. PEP-1-Catalase transduced into SH-SY5Y cells significantly protecting them against MPP⁺-induced death by decreasing ROS and regulating cellular survival signals including Akt, Bax, Bcl-2, and p38. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that transduced PEP-1-Catalase markedly protected against neuronal cell death in the SN in the PD animal model. Our results indicate that PEP-1-Catalase may have potential as a therapeutic agent for PD and other oxidative stress related diseases. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(7): 395-400]

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.121-129
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• 2018

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced macrophage foam cell formation and apoptosis play critical roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Thioredoxin-1 (Trx) is an antioxidant that potently protects various cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death. However, the protective effect of Trx on ox-LDL-induced macrophage foam cell formation and apoptosis has not been studied. This study aims to investigate the effect of recombinant human Trx (rhTrx) on ox-LDL-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and elucidate the possible mechanisms. RhTrx significantly inhibited ox-LDL-induced cholesterol accumulation and apoptosis in RAW264.7 macrophages. RhTrx also suppressed the ox-LDL-induced overproduction of lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor (LOX-1), Bax and activated caspase-3, but it increased the expression of Bcl-2. In addition, rhTrx markedly inhibited the ox-LDL-induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK). Furthermore, anisomycin (a p38 MAPK activator) abolished the protective effect of rhTrx on ox-LDL-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, and SB203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor) exerted a similar effect as rhTrx. Collectively, these findings indicate that rhTrx suppresses ox-LDL-stimulated foam cell formation and macrophage apoptosis by inhibiting ROS generation, p38 MAPK activation and LOX-1 expression. Therefore, we propose that rhTrx has therapeutic potential in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.