• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.163-164
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• 2004

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1186-1191
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• 2004

The root of Saussurea lappa includes sesquiterpene lactones such as costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone, and has been shown to be anti-tumorigenic with being used in traditional medicinal therapy in the Eastern Asia. However, the molecular basis of the effects of Saussurea lappa on fate of gastric carcinoma, which incur very frequently in the area, has not been well identified. In this study, the cytostatic effects of Saussurea lappa were examined using gastric AGS cancer cells. Cell viability was dramatically reduced by Saussurea lappa, in a dose-dependent manner. As time passed after its treatment, apoptotic population was increased and clearly showed G2-arrest. Being consistent, its treatment resulted in maintaining of G1 and S-phase cyclins D1, E, and A even until a significant apoptotic population was observed, for example, at 24h after treatment. However, G2/M phase cyclin B1 was reduced even at 12 h after treatment. In addition, its treatment increased expression of p53, p21/sup Wafl / cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI), and Bax, resulted in cleavages of procaspase 3 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP), indicating that such G2 arrest- and apoptosis-related molecules are involved. Therefore, these suggest that extracts of Saussurea lappa root may be a safer and effective reagent to deal with gastric cancers either by traditional herbal therapy or combinational therapy with conventional chemotherapy.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2013

Cisplatin is a anti-neoplastic agent which is commonly used for the treatment of solid tumor. Cisplatin activates multiple signal transduction pathways involved in the stress-induced apoptosis in a variety of cell types. Previous study reported that cisplatin induces apoptosis through activation of ERK, p38 and JNK in rat mesangial cells, but apoptotic pathway remain known. The present study investigated the apoptotic pathway for cisplatin-indcued apoptosis in rat mesangial cells. cisplatin-induced apoptosis was associated with activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9. Caspase-8 inhibition prevented the activation of both caspase-3 and caspase-9. In addition, cisplatin-induced apoptosis increased the expression of Bax, but not the level of Bcl-2. These change of Bax/bcl-2 ratio caused the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into cytosol. In previous study, the ethanol extract of Bojungbangam-tang (EBJT) inhibited cisplatin-induced apoptosis in rat mesangial cells through inhibition of ERK and JNK activation. However, EBJT did not increase cell proliferation, because it did not prevent cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest. These effect of EBJT may be related to p38 activation. Cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest are inhibited by treatment with p38 inhibitor and EBJT in rat mesangial cells. Also, p38 inhibition and EBJT treatment on cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest are markedly increased the G0/G1 phase and reduced the sub-G1. In conclusion, anti-apoptotic effet of EBJT did not increases cell proliferation, because EBJT did not reduce p38 activation related to cisplatin-induced G2/M phase arrest.

• 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.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.413-417
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• 2015

Recently, we isolated HY253, a novel decahydrofluorene analog with a molecular structure of 7,8a-divinyl-2,4a,4b,5,6,7,8,8a,9,9a-decahydro-1H-fluorene-2,4a,4b,9a-tetraol from the roots of Aralia continentalis, which is known as Dokwhal (獨活), a traditional medicinal herb. Moreover, we previously reported its cytotoxic activity on cancer cell proliferation in human lung cancer A549 and cervical cancer HeLa cells. The current study aimed to evaluate its detailed molecular mechanisms in cell cycle arrest and apoptotic induction in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. Flow cytometric analysis of HepG2 cells treated with $60{\mu}M$ HY253 revealed appreciable cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase via inhibition of Rb phosphorylation and down-regulation of cyclin D1. Furthermore, using western blots, we found that up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, such as p21^CIP1 and p27^KIP1, was associated with this G₁ phase arrest. Moreover, TUNEL assay and immunoblottings revealed apoptotic induction in HepG2 cells treated with $60{\mu}M$ HY253 for 24 h, which is associated with cytochrome c release from mitochondria, via down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein, which in turn resulted in activation of caspase-9 and -3, and proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Accordingly, we suggest that HY253 may be a potent chemotherapeutic hit compound for treating human liver cancer cells via up-regulation and activation of the p53 gene.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.48-59
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• 2005

Objectives : The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of WS on HepG2 cell cycle and expression of related genes. Methods : The MTT assay, Cell counting analysis, $[^3H]-Thymidine$ Incorporation Assay, Flow cytometric analysis, Quantitative RT-PCR were studied. Results : WS inhibited HepG2 cell proliferation in low concentration$(1-10\;{\mu]g/ml)$ which did not cause direct cytotoxicity, with dose-dependant manner. WS in-hibited DNA synthesis as well. Flow cytometric analysis on the HepG2 cell showed G2/M phase arrest. Conclusion : These results suggest that WS inhibits HepG2 cell proliferation not by the gene regulation but by G2/M phase arrest in the cell cycle. Thus further studies on the effect of WS in G2/M phase regulation are thought to be needed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8313-8319
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• 2016

We have recently shown that thymoquinone (TQ) has a potent cytotoxic effect and induces apoptosis via caspase-3 activation with down-regulation of XIAP in mouse neuroblastoma (Neuro-2a) cells. Interestingly, our results showed that TQ was significantly more cytotoxic towards Neuro-2a cells when compared with primary normal neuronal cells. In this study, the effects of TQ on cell-cycle regulation and the mechanisms that contribute to this effect were investigated using Neuro-2a cells. Cell-cycle analysis performed by flow cytometry revealed cell-cycle arrest at G2/M phase and a significant increase in the accumulation of TQ-treated cells at sub-G1 phase, indicating induction of apoptosis by the compound. Moreover, TQ increased the expression of p53, p21 mRNA and protein levels, whereas it decreased the protein expression of PCNA, cyclin B1 and Cdc2 in a dose-dependent manner. Our finding suggests that TQ could suppress cell growth and cell survival via arresting the cell-cycle in the G2/M phase and inducing apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 1998

Purpose : The relationship between environmental PH on the radiation induced-apoptosis in SCK mammary adenocarcinoma cells and cell cycle dependence was investigated. Material and Methods : Mammary adenocarcinoma cells of A/J mice(SCK cells) in exponential growth phase were irradiated with a $l37^Cs$ irradiator at room temperature. The cells were irradiated 1 hour after the media was replaced with fresh media at a different pHs. After incubation at $37^{\circ}C$ for 0-48 h, the extent of apoptosis was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry. The progression of cells through the cell cycle after irradiation in different pHs was also determined with flow cytometry. Bssults : The induction of apoptosis by irradiation in pH 6.6 medium was markedly less than that in pH 7.5 medium. When the cells were irradiated and maintained in pH 7.5 medium, the percentage of cells in $G_2/M$ phase rapidly increased to about $70\%$ at 12 h after an exposure to 120y and returned to control level by 36 h. The percentage of cells in G1 phase decreased as the percentage of cells in $G_2/M$ increased. On the other hand, in pH 6.6 medium the percentage of cells in G2/M phases gradually increased to about $45\%$ at 24 h after 12Gy irradiation and then slowly recessed and consequently, as much as $30-35\%$ of the cells were still in the Ga/M phase 48 h after irradiation. The percentage of cells in G1 phase then increased as the Ga/M arrest began to recede. The radiation-induced Ga/M arrest in PH 0.0 medium lasted markedly longer than that in pH 7.5 medium. Conclusion : Radiation-induced apoptosis in SCK tumor cells are reversely suppressed in an acidic environment. Radiation-induced Ga/M arrest is prolonged in an acidic environment indicating that the suppression of radiation-induced apoptosis and prolongation of radiation-induced Ga/M arrest in an acidic environment are related.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.425-432
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• 2013

Typha orientalis, also known as bulrush or cattail, is a perennial herbaceous plant found in freshwater wetlands and has been widely used in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. Recent data has revealed that SH21B, a mixture composed of seven herbs including T. orientalis, exhibited an anti-adipogenic activity by the inhibition of the expression of adipogenic regulators. However, the anti-cancer effect of T. orientalis and its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the anti-cancer effect and its mechanism in the methanol extract of T. orientalis (METO) on human colon carcinoma HT29 cells. It was found that METO treatment showed cytotoxic activity in a dose-dependent manner, and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in HT29 cells. The induction of G2/M arrest by METO was associated with the up-regulation of phospho-Cdc2 (Tyr15), an inactive form of Cdc2 and the down-regulation of Cdc25c phosphatase. METO also induced tumor suppressor p53 and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 (WAF1/CIP1) expression. In addition, METO-induced apoptosis was characterized by the proteolytic activation of caspase-3, degradation of poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), and up-regulation of death receptor FAS and pro-apoptotic Bax expression. Collectively, these results indicate that the cell cycle inhibition and apoptosis induction of METO in HT29 cells allows for the possibility of its use in anti-cancer therapies.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.223-229
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• 2015

In this study, extract from Artemisia annua in L. (AAE) is known as a medicinal herb that is effective against cancer. The cell cycle is regulated by the activation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)/cyclin complex. We will focus on regulation of CDK2 by cyclin E. cyclin E is associated with CDK2 to regulate progression from G1 into S phase. Akt is known to play an important role in cell proliferation and cell survival. Activation of Akt increases mTOR activity that promotes cell proliferation and cancer growth. In this study, we investigated that AAE-induced cell cycle arrest at G1/S phase in HCT116 colon cancer. Treatment of AAE shows that reduced activation of Akt decreases mTOR/Mdm2 activity and then leads to increase the activation of p53. The active p53 promotes activation of p21. p21 induces inactivation of CDK2/cyclin E complex and occurs cell cycle arrest at G1/S phase. We treated LY294002 (Akt inhibitor) and Rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) to know the relationship between the signal transduction of proteins associated with cell cycle arrest. These results suggest that AAE induces cell cycle arrest at G1/S phase by Akt/mTOR pathway in HCT116 colon cancer cell.