• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.844-851
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• 2012

Antioxidant and cancer cell growth inhibition activity of hot water extract from five different varieties of Artemisia (A. Argyi H., A. iwayomogi Kitamura, A. Princeps Var Orien talis HARA, A. princeps Pampanini and A. annua L.) in Korea was studied. We determined the phenol and flavonoid contents and examined antioxidant assay, such as DPPH, NO radical scavenging, activity ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and bleaching inhibition activity in the ${\beta}$-carotene linolic acid system. Also, we performed HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell growth inhibition assay of Artemisia extracts. Total phenol and flavonoid contents were the highest in A. iwayomogi Kitamura followed by A. Argyi H. DPPH radical scavenging activity was the highest in A. Argyi H. at 50 ${\mu}g/ml$ concentration, NO radical scavenging activity was more than 50% in A. Princeps Var Orien talis HARA, A. princeps Pampanini, and A. annua L. at 200 ${\mu}g/ml$ concentration. FRAP was higher in A. Argyi H. and A. iwayomogi Kitamura. Antioxidant activity in the ${\beta}$-carotene linolinolic system was also higher in A. Argyi H. and A. iwayomogi Kitamura by 60.50% and 56.90% at 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ concentration, respectively. In cancer cell growth inhibition activities at 400 ${\mu}g/ml$ concentration, A. iwayomogi Kitamura showed greater than 80% on HeLa cell. A. princeps Pampanini and A. Argyi H. extract had growth inhibition activities greater than 80% on MCF cell. The results of this study suggest that the antioxidant and anticancer activities in various Artemisia are a promising source of functional food ingredients.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 1987

Polysaccharide fraction isolated from Coriolus versicolor (Copolang) was studied on the antitumor activity and immunostimulation activities with reference to PS-K. Copolang showed nearly equal antitumor activities to the PS-K and exhibited marked augmentation effects on the antibody mediated hypersensitivity reaction, delayed type hypersensitivity reaction and NK-cell activity in tumor bearing mice. But it did not show any noticeable effect on the antibody secreting cell and macrophage function in normal mice. These results indicate that the antitumor activity and immunostimulating effect of Copolang are comparable to those of PS-K.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.20-29
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• 1992

Effects of squalene on cellular and non-specific immune responses and antitumor activity in mice were investigated. Cellular and non-specific immunological assay parameters adopted in the present study were delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction and resette forming cells (RFC) for cellular immunity, activities of natural killer (NK) cells and phagocyte for non-specific immunity. Squalene resulted in marked increases of cellular and non-specific immune functions and enhancement of host resistance to tumor challenge in dose-dependent manner.

• Mycobiology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.241-243
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• 2007

Antifungal activities of clove essential oil and its volatile vapour against dermatophytic fungi including Candida albicans, Epidermophyton floccosum. Microsporum audouinii, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Trichophyton rubrum were investigated. Both clove essential oil and its volatile vapour strongly inhibit spore germination and mycelial growth of the dermatophytic fungi tested. The volatile vapour of clove essential oil showed fungistatic activity whereas direct application of clove essential oil showed fungicidal activity.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.199-205
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• 2015

T-bet is a critical transcription factor that regulates differentiation of Th1 cells from $CD4^+$ precursor cells. Since T-bet directly binds to the promoter of the IFN-${\gamma}$ gene and activates its transcription, T-bet deficiency impairs IFN-${\gamma}$ production in Th1 cells. Interestingly, T-bet-deficient Th cells also display substantially augmented the production of IL-2, a T cell growth factor. Exogenous expression of T-bet in T-bet deficient Th cells rescued the IFN-${\gamma}$ production and suppressed IL-2 expression. IFN-${\gamma}$ and IL-2 reciprocally regulate Th cell proliferation following TCR stimulation. Therefore, we examined the effect of T-bet on Th cell proliferation and found that T-bet deficiency significantly enhanced Th cell proliferation under non-skewing, Th1-skewing, and Th2-skewing conditions. By using IFN-${\gamma}$-null mice to eliminate the anti-proliferative effect of IFN-${\gamma}$, T-bet deficiency still enhanced Th cell proliferation under both Th1- and Th2-skewing conditions. Since the anti-proliferative activity of T-bet may be influenced by IL-2 suppression in Th cells, we examined whether T-bet modulates IL-2-independent cell proliferation in a non-T cell population. We demonstrated that T-bet expression induced by ecdysone treatment in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells increased IFN-${\gamma}$ promoter activity in a dose dependent manner, and sustained T-bet expression considerably decreased cell proliferation in HEK cells. Although the molecular mechanisms underlying anti-proliferative activity of T-bet remain to be elucidated, T-bet may directly suppress cell proliferation in an IFN-${\gamma}$- or an IL-2-independent manner.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.35 no.4 s.139
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• pp.330-337
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• 2004

Based on the traditional application of Carthamus tinctorious L. (CF) as a component of Korean medicinal decoctions, in the present study, we investigated in vitro an immunomodulatory activity of water extract of CF(WECF). Water extract of CF significantly increased the in vitro proliferative responses of spleen cells (SPC). However, addition of WECF during anti-CD3 activation resulted in a significant decrease in SPC proliferation. Flow cytometric analysis showed that WECF addition chanced T and B cell frequencies in anti-CD3-activated spleen cell populations. Using purified cells, it was revealed that WECF is mitogenic to B cells but rather inhibitory to T cell Proliferation. Upon anti-CD3 stimulation, high concentration (1 mg/ml) of WECF significantly inhibited T cell proliferation until day 2 of stimulation. At day 3, anti-CD3-activated cells exposed to WECF recovered their proliferation to the level comparable to control. Although B cell proliferation was also inhibited in proliferation at day 1, it recovered sooner and then was rather augmented by WECF at day 3. These data indicate that WECF down-regulates lymphocyte proliferation at early phase of activation but T cells are more vulnerable than B cells to WECF, However, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells did not differ in WECF-mediated immunotoxicity. Data of propidium iodide (PI) staining showed that WECF accelerates activated T cell, but not B cell, apoptosis and WECF concurrently inhibited cytokine production of activated T cells. Taken together, WECF exhibits B cell mitogenic activity and differential toxicity more pronounced to T cells, suggesting a possible in vivo application of WECF for specific control of T cells without alteration of B cell activity.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.157-167
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• 1987

Benzyl alcohol is known to have dual effect on the red blood cell shape change. At low concentration up to 50 mM benzyl alcohol transformed the shape from discocyte to stomatocyte by preferent binding to the inner hemileaflet, however, at higher concentratransformed the shape from discocyte to stomatocyte by preferential binding to the inner monolayer, however, at higher concentration above 50 mM benzyl alcohol transformed to echinocyte by affecting both monolayers. These results suggest that the effect of benzyl alcohol on the red blood cell shape and $Ca^{++}$ transport across cardiac cell membranes to assess the effects of the drug on the structures and functions of the biological cell membranes. The results are as follows: 1) Benzyl alcohol up to 40 mM caused progressive stomatocytic shap change of the red blood cell but above 50 mM benzyl alcohol caused echinocytic shape change. 2) Benzyl alcohol up to 40 mM inhibited both osmotic hemolysis and osmotic volume change of the red blood cell in hypotonic and hypertonic NaCl solutions, respectively. 3) Benzyl alcohol inhibited both Bowditch Staircase and Wood-worth Staircase phenomena at rat left auricle. 4) Benzyl alcohol at concentration of 5 mM increased $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity of red blood cell ghosts slightly but above S mM benzyl alcohol inhibited the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity. 5) Benzyl alcohol at concentrations of 5 mM and 10 mM increased $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity slightly at rat gastrocnemius muscle S.R. but above 10 mM benzyl alcohol inhibited the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity. Above results indicate that benzyl alcohol inhibit water permeability and $Ca^{++}$ transport across cell membranes in part via effects on the fluidity and transition temperatures of the bulk lipid by preferential intercalation into cytoplasmic monolayer and in part via other effect on the conformational change of active sites of the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ molecule extended in cytoplasmic face.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.287-293
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• 2009

Cell survival is the result of a balance between programmed cell death and cellular proliferation. Cell membrane receptors and their associated signal transducing proteins control these processes. Of the numerous receptors and signaling proteins, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most important receptors involved in signaling pathways implicated in the proliferation and survival of cancer cells. EGFR is often highly expressed in human tumors including oral squamous cell carcinomas, and there is increasing evidence that high expression of EGFR is correlated with poor clinical outcome of common human cancers. Therefore, we examined the antiproliferative activity of gefitinib, epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI), in head and neck cancer cell lines. SCC-9, KB cells were cultured and growth inhibition activity of gefitinib was measured with MTT assay. To study influence of gefitinib in cell cycle, we performed cell cycle analysis with flow cytometry. Western blot was done to elucidate the expression of EGFR in cell lines and phosphorylation of EGFR and downstream kinase protein, Erk and Akt. Significant growth inhibition was observed in SCC-9 cells in contrast with KB cells. Also, flow cytometric analysis showed G1 phase arrest only in SCC-9 cells. In Western blot analysis for investigation of EGFR expression and downstream molecule phosphorylation, gefitinib suppressed phosphorylation of EGFR and downstream protein kinase Erk, Akt in SCC-9. However, in EGFR positive KB cells, weak expression of active form of Erk and Akt and no inhibitory activity of phosphorylation in Erk and Akt was observed. The antiproliferative activity of gefitinib was not correlated with EGFR expression and some possibility of phosphorylation of Erk and Akt as a predictive factor of gefitinib response was emerged. Further investigations on more reliable predictive factor indicating gefitinib response are awaited to be useful gefitinib treatment in head and neck cancer patients.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.711-718
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• 2003

Wanpae-tang is suggested to have antitumor activity on lung cancer. This study was performed to investigate antitumor, immune response, and apoptotic effects by Wanpae-tang in the cancer cell lines and C57BL/6 mice. Experimental studies were progressed through the anticancer activities such as, survival time, cell cytotoxicity, natural killer cell activity, productivity of interleukins and apoptotio effects. The results were summarized as follows: 1. Median survival time of Wanpae-tang treated group was prolonged to 4.1%, as compared with control group, but was not significant. 2. On the MTT assay, half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50) of Wanpae-tang was 15.00 ㎎/㎖ in HeLa cell, and 4.158 ㎎/㎖ in HRT-18 cell. 3. Natural killer cell activity in Wanpae-tang treated group was decreased in case of 100:1 and 10:1 effect cell/target cell ratio. 4. Production of interleukin-2, 4, 12 in Wanpae-tang treated group were significantly increased. 5. On the studies of Wanpae-tang induced apoptosis, a DNA fragmentation patterns were not appeared.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.122-131
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• 1995

Five human cancer cell lines (HeLa S3, Hep 3B, KATO III, Hs 683, HeLa MR) and one human normal cell line (WI-38) were examined cell viability, northern blot analysis, western blot analysis, and in situ hybridization for the expression $O_{6}$ -methylguanine-DNAmethyltransferase (MGMT), which can repair $O_{6}$ -methylguanine produced in DNA by alkylating agents. In cell viability test, the lethal sensitivities of each strain against anti-tumor drug N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)- N-nitrosourea (BCNU) were counted, and both BCNU treated and untreated cell extracts were examined for their MGMT inducibility by RNA dot blot analysis. Cell lines did not show MGMT induction by BCNU pretreatment. Tlle MGMT activity was assayed by measuring the $^3$H radioactivity transferred from the substrate DNA containing [methyl-$^3$H)-O$_{6}$ -methylguanine to acceptor molecules in the cell extracts. Extracts from the majority of tumor strains and normal cells contained substantial MGMT activity of varying degree, while the known Mer$^{[-10]}$ cell (lacked or severely depleted in MGMT activity) Hela MR, and Hs 683 (proved to be Mer$^{[-10]}$ ) were much more sensitive to BCNU than the rest of tumor strains, as measured by cell viability test. Overall results above, KATO III showed the highest expression level of MGMT among the strains examined. Furthermore, with all the tumor and normal strains tested, a good correlation was observed between MGMT expression and cellular resistance to BCNU. The varying levels of expression of MGMT in human cancer cells found in this study should provide a molecular basis for MGMT expression among tumor strains from different tissue origin, the information of antitumor agents selection for chemotherapy of cancers.