• BMB Reports
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• 제53권11호
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• pp.588-593
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• 2020

The accumulation of triglycerides (TGs) in macrophages induces cell death, a risk factor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We had previously reported that TG-induced macrophage death is triggered by caspase-1 and -2, therefore we investigated the mechanism underlying this phenomenon. We found that potassium efflux is increased in TG-treated THP-1 macrophages and that the inhibition of potassium efflux blocks TG-induced cell death as well as caspase-1 and -2 activation. Furthermore, reducing ATP concentration (known to induce potassium efflux), restored cell viability and caspase-1 and -2 activity. The activation of pannexin-1 (a channel that releases ATP), was increased after TG treatment in THP-1 macrophages. Inhibition of pannexin-1 activity using its inhibitor, probenecid, recovered cell viability and blocked the activation of caspase-1 and -2 in TG-treated macrophages. These results suggest that TG-induced THP-1 macrophage cell death is induced via pannexin-1 activation, which increases extracellular ATP, leading to an increase in potassium efflux.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.409-418
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• 2017

In Korea, Rhus verniciflua Stokes is used to purge hardness, alleviate blood stasis, and treat cancer. However, the mechanisms of related anti-cancer activity are not fully understood in human cancer cells. This study investigated the anti-cancer effects and mechanisms of Rhus verniciflua Stokes on MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and found that treatment with a Rhus verniciflua Stokes extract resulted in time- and concentration-responses that indicated growth inhibition of breast cancer cells by induced apoptosis. This was followed by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential; the activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9; and the up-regulation of tBid. Caspase-dependent apoptosis was induced through the inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and the Akt signaling pathway. This study provides evidence that Rhus verniciflua Stokes might be useful for the treatment of breast cancer.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권4호
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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.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.1611-1615
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• 2012

Triptolide, a diterpenoid obtained from Tripteryglum wilfordii Hook.f, has attracted interest for its antitumor activities against human tumor cell lines in recent years. This report focuses on anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities in human melanoma A375 cells assessed by CCK8 assay, Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometry. In addition, triptolide-induced arrest in the S phase was also observed. Caspase assays showed the apoptosis induced by triptolide was caspase-dependent and probably through intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Furthermore, expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ (p65) and its downstream factors such as Bcl-2, Bcl-$X_L$ was down-regulated. Taken together, the data indicate that triptolide inhibits A375 cells proliferation and induces apoptosis by a caspase-dependent pathway and through a NF-${\kappa}B$-mediated mechanism.

• 통합자연과학논문집
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.93-100
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• 2018

Caspases, a family of cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteases plays a central role in the regulation and the execution of apoptotic cell death. Caspase-3 has been proven to be an effective target for reducing the amount of cellular and tissue damage because the activation of caspases-3 stimulates a signalling pathway that ultimately leads to the death of the cell. In this study, Hologram based Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship (HQSAR) models was generated on a series of Caspase-3 inhibitors named 3, 4-dihydropyrimidoindolones derivatives. The best HQSAR model was obtained using atoms, bonds, and hydrogen atoms (A/B/H) as fragment distinction parameter using hologram length 61 and 3 components with fragment size of minimum 5 and maximum 8. Significant cross-validated correlation coefficient ($q^2=0.684$) and non cross-validated correlation coefficients ($r^2=0.754$) were obtained. The model was then used to evaluate the eight external test compounds and its $r^2_{pred}$ was found to be 0.559. Contribution map show that presence of pyrrolidine sulfonamide ring and its bulkier substituent's makes big contributions for improving the biological activities of the compounds.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권15호
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• pp.6321-6326
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• 2014

${\alpha}$-Methyl-n-butylshikonin (MBS), one of the active components in the root extracts of Lithospermum erythrorhizon, posses antitumor activity. In this study, we assess the molecular mechanisms of MBS in causing apoptosis of SW620 cells. MBS reduced the cell viability of SW620 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner and induced cell apoptosis. Treatment of SW620 cells with MBS down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2 and up-regulated the expression of Bak and caused the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Additionally, MBS treatment led to activation of caspase-9, caspase-8 and caspase-3, and cleavage of PARP, which was abolished by pretreatment with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. MBS also induced significant elevation in the phosphorylation of JNK and p38. Pretreatment of SW620 cells with specific inhibitors of JNK (SP600125) and p38 (SB203580) abrogated MBS-induced apoptosis. Our results demonstrated that MBS inhibited growth of colorectal cancer SW620 cells by inducing JNK and p38 signaling pathway, and provided a clue for preclinical and clinical evaluation of MBS for colorectal cancer therapy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권12호
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• pp.1997-2003
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• 2008

Cordyceps militaris is well known as a traditional medicinal mushroom and has been shown to exhibit immunostimulatory and anticancer activities. In this study, we investigated the apoptosis induced by an aqueous extract of C. militaris (AECM) via the activation of caspases and altered mitochondrial membrane permeability in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Exposure to AECM induced apoptosis, as demonstrated by a quantitative analysis of nuclear morphological change and a flow cytometric analysis. AECM increased hyperpolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and promoted the activation of caspases. Both the cytotoxic effect and apoptotic characteristics induced by AECM treatment were significantly inhibited by z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor, which demonstrates the important role of caspase-3 in the observed cytotoxic effect. AECM-induced apoptosis was associated with the inhibition of Akt activation in a time-dependent manner, and pretreatment with LY294002, a PI3K/Akt inhibitor, significantly increased AECM-induced apoptosis. The results indicated that AECM-induced apoptosis may relate to the activation of caspase-3 and mitochondria dysfunctions that correlate with the inactivation of Akt.

• 한국자원식물학회지
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• 제33권6호
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• pp.659-665
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• 2020

Adenophorae Radix (AR) has been used as a traditional medicine for various diseases. However, the regulatory mechanisms of AR in allergic inflammation are not yet understood. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect and mechanisms of AR on the mast cell-mediated allergic response. To determine the pharmacological mechanisms of AR in allergic inflammation, we evaluated the effects of AR on the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and IL-8 as well as the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and caspase-1 in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate plus calcium ionophore A23187 (PMACI)-stimulated human mast cells (HMC-1). Our results demonstrated that AR effectively attenuated the PMACI-induced production of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8 in stimulated HMC-1. Additionally, we showed that the inhibitory effect of AR on inflammatory cytokines in PMACI-stimulated HMC-1 cells involved the suppression of the activation NF-kB/caspase-1 in PMACI-stimulated HMC-1. Collectively, these findings provide experimental evidence that AR may be a useful candidate for the treatment of allergic inflammation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.553-557
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• 2014

Verapamil is used in the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris, and atrial fibrillation. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that verapamil increased the optic nerve head blood flow and improved the retrobulbar circulation. All these show that verapamil is potentially useful for ophthalmic treatment. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate whether verapamil could protect human lens epithelial cell (HLEC) from oxidative stress induced by $H_2O_2$ and the cellular mechanism underlying this protective function. The viability of HLEC was determined by the MTT assay and apoptotic cell death was analyzed by Hoechst 33258 staining. Moreover, Caspase-3 expression was detected by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry analysis. We also detected Caspase-3 mRNA expression by reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the GSH content in cell culture. The results showed that oxidative stress produced significant cell apoptotic death and it was reduced by previous treatment with the verapamil. Verapamil was effective in reducing HLEC death mainly through reducing the expression level of apoptosis-related proteins, caspase-3, and increasing glutathione content. Therefore, it was suggested that verapamil was effective in reducing HLEC apoptosis induced by $H_2O_2$.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.271-277
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• 2019

Citrus macroptera (Rutaceae) has long been used in folk medicine in Bangladesh. Considering the folkloric context, this study was aimed to scrutinize anti-proliferative activity of C. macroptera fruit pulp juice (CMFPJ) against Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC). The anti-proliferative capacity of CMFPJ was investigated and confirmed primarily using MTT assay. In vivo anti-proliferative aptitude of CMFPJ was investigated with 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment. Anti-proliferative efficacy of CMFPJ was assessed based on EAC growth inhibition. CMFPJ inhibited EAC growth in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. And the percentages of in vivo EAC growth inhibition were 19.53, 49.2, and 68.9% at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg CMFPJ respectively. CMFPJ significantly induced expression of apoptosis regulatory genes caspase-8, caspase-9, cytochrome-c, and caspase-3. This considerable anti-cancer activity was perhaps due to combinatorial effect of lectin, polyphenols, and flavonoids present in CMFPJ.