• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2011

Osteosarcoma is a primary bone cancer which occurs mainly in children. Neuroguidin/CANu1 is a nucleolar protein involved in the maintenance of ribosomal structure. In this study, we investigated the effect of Neuroguidin/CANu1 depletion on the response of osteosarcoma cells to doxorubicin. In normal circumstances, Neuroguidin/CANu1 is localized at nucleoli, which translocates to nuclear foci in the presence of doxorubicin. shRNA knockdown of Neuroguidin/CANu1 did not affect cell viability in the absence of doxorubicin, but led to enhanced cytotoxicity in doxorubicin-treated cells. Doxorubicin increased the population of apoptotic cells by 3-fold in Neuroguidin/CANu1-depleted cells compared to that in control cells. Depletion of Neuroguidin/CANu1 mRNA induced the expression of p21 and the cleavage of PARP, leading to increased caspase-3/7 activity. Together, these results suggest that Neuroguidin/CANu1 is required for maintaining cellular homeostasis and may contribute to the improved efficiency of chemotherapy.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.390-396
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• 2008

Osteoarthritis(OA) diseases are characterized by joint pain, tenderness, limitation of movement, crepitus, occasional effusion, and variable degrees of inflammation without systemic effects. We investigated the effects of Achyrantis radixs cream treatment and low intensity ultrasound in monosodium iodoacetate(MIA) induced experimental osteoarthritis rat. Sprague-Dawley 40 rats of 7-8 weeks, weight $250\;{\pm}\;50$ g were divided into four groups including the control group and ostoarthritis group(30 rats). Histopathological examination, Mankin's score, and immunohistochemical were performed. Histological findings in control group that are similar to those observed in human osteoarthritis, such as disorganization of chondrocytes, erosion and fibrillation of cartilage surface, and subchondral bone exposure. Safranin O-fast green staining revealed that marked diffuse reduction of proteoglycans and chondrocyte treated with MIA. The Mankin's score were closely correlated to the grade of histological findings. The level of Bax and caspase-3 expression decreased experimental groups. This study shows that a Acyranthes Radix cream treatment and low intensity ultrasound exerts a beneficial influence on the severity of chondral lesion in osteoarthritis rats. This treatments could related to a reduced level of chondrocyte apoptosis through anti-apoptotoc capacities of MIA-induced apoptotic protein overexpression.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 2016

Amygdalin, D-mandelonitrile-${\beta}$-D-glucoside-6-${\beta}$-glucoside, belongs to aromatic cyanogenic glycoside group derived from rosaceous plant seed. Mounting evidence has supported the anti-cancer effects of amygdalin. However, whether amygdalin indeed acts as an anti-tumor agent against breast cancer cells is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of amygdalin on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells. Here, we show that amygdalin exerted cytotoxic activities on estrogen receptors (ER)-positive MCF7 cells, and MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Amygdalin induced apoptosis of Hs578T TNBC cells. Amygdalin downregulated B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), upregulated Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), activated of caspase-3 and cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP). Amygdalin activated a pro-apoptotic signaling molecule p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK) in Hs578T cells. Treatment of amygdalin significantly inhibited the adhesion of Hs578T cells, in which integrin ${\alpha}5$ may be involved. Taken together, this study demonstrates that amygdalin induces apoptosis and inhibits adhesion of breast cancer cells. The results suggest a potential application of amygdalin as a chemopreventive agent to prevent or alleviate progression of breast cancer, especially TNBC.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.170-174
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• 2007

High-throughput subcellular imaging is a powerful tool for investigating the function of genes. In order to identify novel regulators of apoptosis we transiently transfected HeLa cells with 938 hypothetical genes of unknown function, and captured their nuclear images with an automated fluorescence microscope. We selected genes that induced greater than 3-fold increase in the percentage of apoptotic nuclei compared with vector-transfected cells. The full-length genes C10orf61, MGC 26717, and FLJ13855 were identified as candidate proapoptotic genes, and their apoptotic effects were confirmed by DNA fragmentation ELISAs and Western blotting for caspase-7 and PARP. We conclude that a subcellular image-based apoptotic screen is useful for identifying genes with proapoptotic activity.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.207-212
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• 2009

Celandine (Chelidonium majus, family Papaveraceae) is an herb used extensively in traditional Korean medicine. To investigate its antioxidant and antiproliferative activities, the methanolic extract of celandine was introduced. The antioxidant properties of the extract were tested using various in vitro systems, including hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, DNA damage protection assay, 1,1-diphenyll-2-2-pricylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, metal chelating activity, and reducing power assay. The extract exhibited stronger antioxidant activity ($IC_{50}=7.92{\mu}g/mL$) against hydroxyl radicals in the Fenton system than butylated hydroxyanisole ($IC_{50}=51.46{\mu}g/mL$) and $\alpha$-tocopherol ($IC_{50}=67.48{\mu}g/mL$). Likewise, damage to the plasmid pBR 322 induced by hydroxyl radicals was found to be protected by the extract at a concentration of $400{\mu}g/mL$. Cellular proliferation and the induction of apoptosis were also examined by a cellular proliferation assay, flow cytometry, and mRNA expression analysis. Taken together, the extract significantly inhibited the growth of HT-29 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and gradually increased both the proportion of apoptotic cells and the expression of caspase-3. Overall, our research suggests that celandine possesses antioxidant and antiproliferative properties.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.487-498
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• 2016

Leptin, an adipokine predominantly produced from adipose tissue, is well known to induce tumor growth. However, underlying molecular mechanisms are not established yet. While p53 has long been well recognized as a potent tumor suppressor gene, accumulating evidence has also indicated its potential role in growth and survival of cancer cells depending on experimental environments. In the present study, we examined if p53 signaling is implicated in leptin-induced growth of cancer cells. Herein, we demonstrated that leptin treatment significantly increased p53 protein expression in both hepatic (HepG2) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells without significant effect on mRNA expression. Enhanced p53 expression by leptin was mediated via modulation of ubiquitination, in particular ubiquitin specific protease 2 (USP2)-dependent manner. Furthermore, gene silencing of p53 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) suppressed leptin-induced growth of hepatic and breast cancer cells, indicating the role of p53 signaling in tumor growth by leptin. In addition, we also showed that knockdown of p53 restored suppression of caspase-3 activity by leptin through modulating Bax expression and prevented leptin-induced cell cycle progression, implying the involvement of p53 signaling in the regulation of both apoptosis and cell cycle progression in cancer cells treated with leptin. Taken together, the results in the present study demonstrated the potential role of p53 signaling in leptin-induced tumor growth.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.7-20
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• 2006

The major event in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is the death of many cells related to host immune response. The demise of these cells is normally explained by cell suicide mechanism, apoptosis. Interestingly, the decrease in the number of immune cells, such as non-CD4+ cells as well as CD4+ T cells, in HIV infection usually occurs in uninfected bystander cells, not in directly infected cells. It has, therefore, been suggested that several soluble factors, including viral protein R (Vpr), are released from the infected cells and induce the death of bystander cells. Some studies show that Vpr interacts directly with adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT) to induce mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP). The MMP results in release of some apoptogenic factors such as cytochrome-c (cyt-c) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF). Vpr also has indirect effect on mitochondria through enhancing the level of caspase-9 transcription and suppressing nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$). The involvement of p53 in Vpr-induced apoptosis remains to be studied. On the other hand, low level of Vpr expression has anti-apoptotic effect, whereas it's high level of expression induces apoptosis. Extracellular Vpr also exhibits cytotoxicity to uninfected bystander cells through apoptotic or necrotic mechanism. The facts that Vpr has cytotoxic effect on both infected cells and bystander cells, and that it exhibits both proand anti-apoptotic activity may explain its role in viral survival and disease progression.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2003

Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is one of the most studied areas of modern biology. Apoptosis is a genetically regulated process, which plays an essential role in the development and homeostasis of higher organisms. Mitochondria, known to play a central role in regulating cellular metabolism, was found to be critical for regulating apoptosis induced under both physiological and pathological conditions. Mitochondria are a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) but they can also serve as its target during the apoptosis process. Release of apoptogenic factors from mitochondria, the best known of which is cytochrome c, leads to assembly of a large apoptosis-inducing complex called the apoptosome. Cysteine pretenses (called caspases) are recruited to this complex and, following their activation by proteolytic cleavage, activate other caspases, which in turn target for specific cleavage a large number of cellular proteins. The redox regulation of apoptosis during and after cytochrome c release is an area of intense investigation. This review summarizes what is known about the biological role of ROS and its targets in apoptosis with an emphasis on its intricate connections to mitochondria and the basic components of cell death.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 2007

Programmed cell death was characterized in the silkworm thoracic ganglia TG1, TG2 and TG3 during postembryonic periods by TUNEL assay. Apoptotic cells were detected in the three TGs of all larval stages except for day-1, 2 1st instar larvae, in which no apoptotic cells were found. From day-7 5th larva, the numbers of apoptotic cells were dramatically increased and peaked on day-1 pupa and day-2 pupa and then abruptly decreased. Apoptotic cells finally disappeared in day-1 adult. In-vivo injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) into day-8 5th larva resulted in a striking decrease of apoptotic cells. Actinomycin D (Act D) or cycloheximide (CHX), injected into hemolymph of day-8 5th larva, resulted in a decrease of apoptotic cells in the three TGs. Injection of caspase-8 and -3 inhibitors also blocked cellular apoptosis. These results will provide valuable information for understanding of cellular changes in the three TGs during metamorphosis of the insect species.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2019

Apigenin, a common natural product that is found in many plants and vegetables, has been reported to have many biological activities, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. The triple-negative breast carcinoma cell line MDA-MB-231 is known to be highly invasive and resistant to chemotherapy. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effect of apigenin on human MDA-MB-231 cells. First, the cytotoxicity of apigenin toward MDA-MB-231 cells was analyzed by MTT assay. Then, the cell cycle and apoptotic effects of apigenin were examined, and the molecular mechanism underlying its anticancer activity was explored. Apigenin inhibited the growth of the cells in a dose-dependent manner, correlating with the cell cycle arrest at the G2-M phase as well as an increase of early apoptosis. The cell-cycle inhibitory effect was highly associated with the increased expression of p21 and decreased expression of CDK6, cyclin D1, and cyclin B1. The induction of apoptosis by apigenin was associated with the upregulated expression of cleaved PARP and cleaved caspase-3, -7, and -9.