• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제29권12호
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• pp.1140-1146
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• 2006

Ceramide analogs are potential chemotherapeutic agents. We report that a ceramide analog induces apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells. The ceramide analog induced cell death through an apoptotic mechanism, which was demonstrated by DNA fragmentation, the cleavage of poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), and a loss of membrane asymmetry. Treating the cells with ceramide analog resulted in the release of various proapoptotic mitochondrial proteins including cytochrome c and Smac/DIBLO into the cytosol, and a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, the ceramide analog decreased the phospho-Akt and phospho-Bad levels. The expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 decreased slightly with increasing Bax to Bcl-2 ratio. These results suggest that the ceramide analog induces apoptosis by regulating multiple signaling pathways that involve the mitochondrial pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.333-338
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• 1998

The sphingomyelin cycle and ceramide generation have been recognized as potential growth suppression signals in mammalian cells. Ceramide has been shown to induce differentiation, cell growth arrest, senescence, and apoptosis. Although the intracelluar target for the action of ceramide remains unknown, recent studies have demonstrated the role of cytosolic ceramideactivated protein phosphatase(CAPP). In this study, the cytotoxic effect of C2-ceramide, a synthetic cellpermeable ceramide analog, on HEp-2 cells and the mechanism by which ceramide induces cell death were investigated. The addition of exogenous C2-ceramide resulted in a concentration dependent cell death. Okadaic acid, a potent inhibitor of CAPP, enhanced ceramide-mediated cell death, which suggests that CAPP is not involved in this process. To understand the mechanism of action of ceramide, we studied the relationship between ceramide and c-Myc and pRb which are defined components of cell growth regulation. Western blot analyses revealed that C2-ceramide (10${\mu}M$) induced c-Myc down-regulation, but there were no significant changes in pRb. However, treatment of okadaic acid (10 nM) enhanced c-Myc and pRb down-regulation. Reduction of the amount of c-Myc and pRb occurred during HEp-2 cell death. These results suggest that the cytotoxic effect of ceramide in HEp-2 cells may not be mediated through the action of CAPP and that the downstream target for ceramide is c-Myc and pRb.

• 한국독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국독성학회 2003년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.13-14
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• 2003

Ceramide, a potential cell death marker formed by sphingomyelinase, is involved in the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). This study examines the effect of C2-ceramide (C2), a cell-permeable ceramide analog, on the LPS-inducible COX-2 expression and signaling pathways. C2 did not induce COX-2, but potentiated LPS-inducible COX-2 expression in Raw264.7 cells, whereas dihydro-C2 was inactive.(omitted)

• 한국독성학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국독성학회 2002년도 Molecular and Cellular Response to Toxic Substances
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• pp.144-144
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• 2002

Ceramide, formed by sphingomyelinase, is involved in the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). This study examines the effect of C2-ceramide (C2), a cell-permeable ceramide analog, on the LPS-inducible COX-2 expression and signaling pathways.(omitted)

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.185-190
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• 2005

The chicken oviduct is a dynamic organ that produces secretory proteins such as ovalbumin and its cells undergo cell proliferation and differentiation. There has been no study of the cellular mechanism involved in cell death in the chicken oviduct. Therefore, this study has focused on the study of apoptosis in primary oviduct cells. Because ceramide is known to activate apoptosis in tumor cells and is produced in the oviduct, we used an exogenous ceramide analog to induce cell death. The viability of ceramide-treated chicken oviduct cells decreased in a dose-dependent manner and apoptotic cells were detected by staining with annexin V. The expression of apoptosis-related genes was assessed by RT-PCR and bcl-2 mRNA was found to decrease after exposure to ceramide while Bcl-x mRNA increased 12 h post-treatment. In addition, caspase-3 was expressed strongly in the early stages of apoptosis, while caspase-1 and -9 transcripts increased at later times. We conclude that ceramide induces apoptosis in oviduct-derived primary cells via a caspase- and bcl-2-dependent pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.185-191
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• 2004

Tissue transglutaminase (tTGase) regulates various biological processes, including extracellular matrix organization, cellular differentiation, and apoptosis. Here we report the protective role of tTGase in the cell death that is induced by the tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) and ceramide, a product of the TNF-$\alpha$ signaling pathway, in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Treatment with retinoic acid (RA) induced the differentiation of the neuroblastoma cells with the formation of extended neurites. Immunostaining and Western blot analysis showed the tTGase expression by RA treatment. TNF-$\alpha$ or $C_2$ ceramide, a cell permeable ceramide analog, induced cell death in normal cells, but cell death was largely inhibited by the RA treatment. The inhibition of tTGase by the tTGase inhibitors, monodansylcadaverine and cystamine, eliminated the protective role of RA-treatment in the cell death that is caused by TNF-$\alpha$ or $C_2$-ceramide. In addition, the co-treatment of TNF-$\alpha$ and cycloheximide ecreased the protein level of tTGase and cell viability in the RA-treated cells, supporting the role of tTGase in the protection of cell death. DNA fragmentation was also induced by the co-treatment of TNF-$\alpha$ and cycloheximide. These results suggest that tTGase expressed by RA treatment plays an important role in the protection of cell death caused by TNF-$\alpha$ and ceramide.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.760-771
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• 2012

해양 트리테르펜 글리코시드(marine triterpene glycosides)는 해삼(Holothurians)으로부터 분리된 천연물질로서 항 진균작용, 항암작용 및 용혈 작용 등 여러 가지 생물학적 활성들을 가지고 있다고 보고되었다. 또한 이전의 연구 결과 Thelenota anax로부터 분리한 stichoposide C (STC)는 산성 스핑고마이엘리나제와 중성 스핑고마이엘리나제의 활성화에 의한 세라마이드의 생성을 통하여 백혈병 세포주에서 세포사멸을 유도한다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 본 연구에서는 STC와 구조 유사체인 STD가 백혈병 세포에서 세포사멸을 유도하는지와 이에 대한 분자적 기전을 살펴보았다. STC와 STD는 K562 세포와 HL-60 세포에서 농도와 시간 의존적으로 세포 사멸을 일으키고 이러한 세포 사멸은 caspase-8의 활성화, 미토콘드리아 손상, caspase-9의 활성화, 그리고 caspase-3의 활성화에 의해 유도된다. 이러한 결과는 STC와 STD가 외인성 경로와 내인성 경로의 활성화를 통해 세포 사멸을 유도함을 시사한다. 그리고 STC는 산성 SMase와 중성 SMase를 활성화시키고 이 결과로 세라마이드를 생성시킨다. 산성과 중성 SMase의 특이적인 저해제를 이용하여 STC에 의한 세포 사멸이 부분적으로 억제됨을 알 수 있었다. 반면에, STD는 세라마이드 합성 효소의 활성화에 의해서 세라마이드를 생성시킨다. 세라마이드 합성 효소 저해제를 이용하여 STD에 의한 세포 사멸이 부분적으로 억제되는 것을 확인하였다. 더욱이 STC와 STD는 HL-60 세포의 이종 이식 종양 모델에서 종양의 성장을 현저하게 억제하였고 세라마이드의 생성도 증가시켰다. 이러한 결과는 STC와 STD가 aglycone에 부착된 당이 다르므로 서로 다른 경로를 통해 세포 사멸과 항암 활성을 유도한다는 것을 암시하였다. 따라서 이러한 결과는 이들의 작용은 aglycone에 부착된 당에 의해 영향을 받을 수 있고 이들은 향후 백혈병의 치료제로 사용될 수 있다는 것을 제시하였다.