• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.76-83
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• 2006

Epidemiological studies have indicated that the ubiquitous consumption of seaweeds is a protective factor against some types of cancer. Previous results showed that the administration of seaweed powder or extract reduced the incidence rate of chemically induced tumorigenesis using in vivo animal model. Recently, we reported that the extracts of Gloiopeltis furcata, a kind of Korean edible seaweed, caused he cell growth inhibition of various human cancer cell lines, among them methanol extract exhibited a relatively strong antiproliferative activity. However, the molecular mechanisms of this seaweed in malignant cells have been poorly studied until now. To elucidate this problem, we investigated the effects of methanol extract of G. furcata (MEGF) on the growth inhibition in several human cancer cell lines, and further we analyzed the effects of this extract were tested on the activity of apoptosis induction in human leukemic cells. The results demonstrated that MEGF treatment resulted in the morphological changes and the growth inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, MEGF potently suppresses the growth of human leukemic U937 cells by induction of apoptosis, which was associated with induction of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1) in a tumor suppressor p53-independent fashion and up-regulation of Fas/FasL system. Further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anticancer activity of MEGF. Once such compounds are identified, the mechanisms by which they exert their effects can begin to be characterized.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.321-330
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• 2007

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) with the food supplement material and medicine was used traditionally in Asia and Europe. Epidemiological studies revealed that the intake of garlic reduced incidences of various cancer including digestive system. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of garlic ethanol extract on the development of colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in male F344 rats. Five-week-old rats were given four times for two weeks to subcutaneous injections by DMH (30 mg/kg body weight) to induce ACF. The animals were divided into groups that fed diet containing garlic ethanol extract at five different doses (0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 2, 5%), respectively, animals were evaluated for the total number of ACF and total aberrant crypts (AC) per colon detected from methylene blue-stained rat colon. ACF were formed in animals in DMH-treated group. The feeding suppressed potently the appearance ACF in the colon of rats. Especially, fed diet containing garlic ethanol extract at intermediate dose (0.5%) significantly reduced the number of ACF and AC per colon (p < 0.05). Garlic ethanol extract inhibited DMH-induced overexpression of Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) and ${\beta}-catenin$ genes related to cell proliferation that also upregulated the expression of p21Waf1/Cip1 mRNA, a cell cycle-regulating gene. These results suggested that garlic ethanol extract may inhibit ACF formation, ${\beta}-catenin$ gene as the early preneoplastic marker of malignant potential in the process of colon carcinogenesis.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.199-208
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• 2015

Objectives : In the present study, we investigated the effects of ethanol extract of Scutellaria baicalensis (EESB) on the progression of cell cycle in human renal cell carcinoma Caki-1 cells. Methods : The effects of EESB on cell growth and apoptosis induction were evaluated by trypan blue dye exclusion assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The mRNA and protein levels were determined by Western blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Results : It was found that EESB treatment on Caki-1 cells resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth and induced apoptotic cell death as detected by Annexin V-FITC staining. The flow cytometric analysis indicated that EESB resulted in G2/M arrest in cell cycle progression which was associated with the down-regulation of cyclin A expression. Our results also revealed that treatment with EESB increased the mRNA and proteins expression of tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p21(WAF1/CIP1), without any noticeable changes in cyclin B1, Cdk2 and Cdc2. In addition, the incubation of cells with EESB resulted in a significant increase in the binding of p21 and Cdk2 and Cdc2. These findings suggest that EESB-induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis in Caki-1 cells is mediated through the p53-mediated upregulation of Cdk inhibitor p21. Conclusions : Taken together, these findings suggest that EESB may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent and further studies will be needed to identify the biological active compounds that confer the anti-cancer activity of S. baicalensis.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.143-150
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to fabricate the new zirconia block (CNU block) and to evaluate fit of core and porcelain veneered zirconia crown. Material and methods: The experimental blocks were fabricated from the commercial ytrria-stabilized zirconia powder (KZ-3YE Type A). The powder was uniaxial pressing and the green bodies were conducted using the Cold Isostatic Pressing. The zirconia blocks were presintered at $1040^{\circ}C$ and the final sintering was performed at $1450^{\circ}C$. The Kavo Everest ZS $blank{(R)}$ (KaVo, Biberach/ $Ri{\beta}$.) was used as a control group. The linear shrinkage of CNU block and Kavo block were compared. Twenty-one cores for porcelain veneered crowns were fabricated with CAD/CAM system ($Everest{(R)}$, Biberach/ $Ri{\beta}$.). Group I; seven cores fabricated from Kavo blocks, Group II; seven cores fabricated from CNU blocks, Group III; seven cores from CNU blocks and porcelain veneering for crowns. All specimens were cemented and sectioned into two planes; diagonal and bucco-lingual. The measurement of the marginal, internal, and occlusal fit was carried out using SEM ($S-4800^{(R)}$) at $30{\times}$. The results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA test. Results: The linear shrinkage of the CNU block and the KaVo block was 19.00% and 20.09%. The marginal gap of cores ($29.67{\pm}6.58{\mu}m$) fabricated from CNU blocks showed significantly smaller than that of the cores of Kavo blocks ($36.84{\pm}7.18{\mu}m$) (P < .05). The internal gaps of the porcelain veneered crowns ($32.23{\pm}6.33{\mu}m$) were larger than those of the other two groups ($37.57{\pm}6.81{\mu}m$ and $38.14{\pm}6.81{\mu}m$). Conclusion: No statistically significant difference was found in between experimental groups and control group. The experimental groups in marginal gap showed significantly smaller than the control group.