• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.503-511
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• 2005

In this study we investigated the biological activity of Chondria Crassicaulis (CC) on the human cancer cells. CC was extracted with methanol and further fractionated into four different types: hexane (CCMH), methanol (CCMM), butanol (CCMB), and aqueous (CCMA) partition layers. We determined the cytotoxic effect of these layers on human cancer cells by MTT assay. Among various partition layers of CC, the CCMM and CCMB showed the strong cytotoxic effects at 150 ${\mu}g$/ml which resulted $98.91\%$, $92.96\%$ on HeLa cell lines and $95.47\%$, $77.05\%$ on MCF-7 cell lines. And, the anti-proliferative effect of CC was accompanied by a marked inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX-2), Caspase-3 and IAP (cIAP-1, cIAP-2 and XIAP) protein and concomitant induction of p53, p21 and Survivin protein. However, CC did not affect the level of Bax, Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL- protein. Also, we observed quinone reductase (QR) induced effects in all fraction layers of CC on HepG2 cells. The QR induced effects of the CCMH and CCMM on HePG2 cells at 120 ${\mu}g$/mL concentration indicated 3.73 and 2.45 with the control value of 1.0. Although further studies are needed, the present work suggests that CC may be a chemopreventive agent for the treatment of human cancer cells.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2004

MicroRNA and siRNA (small interfering RNA), representative members of small RNA, exert their effects on target gene expression through association with protein complexes called miRNP (microRNA associated ribonucleoproteins) and RISC (RNA induced silencing complex), respectively. Although the protein complexes are yet to be fully characterized, human EIF2C2 protein has been identified as a component of both miRNP and RISC. In this report, we raised antiserum against EIF2C2 in order to begin understanding the protein complexes. An immunoblot result indicates that EIF2C2 protein is ubiquitously expressed in a variety of cell lines from human and mouse. EIF2C2 protein exists in both cellular compartments, as indicated by an immunoblot assay with a nuclear extract and a cytosolic fraction (S100 fraction) from HeLa S3 lysate. Depletion of EIF2C1 or EIF2C2 protein resulted in a decrease of microRNA, suggesting a possible role of these proteins in microRNA stability or biogenesis. We also prepared antiserum against dsRNA binding protein PACT, whose homologs in C. elegans and Drosophila are known to have a role in the RNAi (RNA interference) pathway. The expression of PACT protein was also observed in a wide range of cell lines.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.177-182
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• 2010

The Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) has been used in folk medicine to treat cancers. However, limited information exists on the underlying anticancer effects of the major component of I. obliquus in vivo. We hypothesize that the pure compounds ($3{\beta}$-hydroxy-lanosta-8,24-dien-21-al, inotodiol and lanosterol, respectively) separated from I. obliquus would inhibit tumor growth in Balbc/c mice bearing Sarcoma-180 cells (S-180) in vivo and growth of human carcinoma cells in vitro. To test this hypothesis, the growth inhibition of each subfraction isolated from I. obliquus on human carcinoma cell lines (lung carcinoma A-549 cells, stomach adenocarcinoma AGS cells, breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells, and cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa cells) was tested in vitro. Then, after S-180 implantation, the mice were fed a normal chow supplemented with 0, 0.1 or 0.2 mg of subfraction 1, 2 or 3 per mouse per day. All of the subfractions isolated from I. obliquus showed significant cytotoxic activity against the selected cancer cell lines in vitro. Subfraction 1 was more active than subfraction 2 and subfraction 3 against the A549, AGS and MCF-7 cancer cell lines in vitro. In in vivo results, subfraction 1 isolated from I. obliquus at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.2 mg/mouse per day significantly decreased tumor volume by 23.96% and 33.71%, respectively, as compared with the control. Subfractions 2 and 3 also significantly inhibited tumor growth in mice bearing S-180 as compared with the control mouse tumor. Subfraction 1 isolated from I. obliquus showed greater inhibition of tumor growth than subfractions 2 and 3, which agrees well with the in vitro results. The results suggest that I. obliquus and its compounds in these subfractions isolated from I. obliquus could be used as natural anticancer ingredients in the food and/or pharmaceutical industry.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.223-227
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• 2008

Human embryonic stem (ES) cells retain the capacity for self-renewal, are pluripotent and differentiate into the three embryonic germ layer cells. The regulatory transcription factors Oct4, Nanog and Sox2 play an important role in maintaining the pluripotency of human ES cells. The aim of this research was to identify unknown genes upregulated in human ES cells along with Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2. This study characterizes an unknown gene, named chromosome 1 open reading frame 31 (C1orf31) mapping to chromosome 1q42.2. The product of C1orf31 is the hypothetical protein LOC388753 having a cytochrome c oxidase subunit VIb (COX6b) motif. In order to compare expression levels of C1orf31 in human ES cells, human embryoid body cells, vascular angiogenic progenitor cells (VAPCs), cord-blood endothelial progenitor cells (CB-EPCs) and somatic cell lines, we performed RT-PCR analysis. Interestingly, C1orf31 was highly expressed in human ES cells, cancer cell lines and SV40-immortalized cells. It has a similar expression pattern to the Oct4 gene in human ES cells and cancer cells. Also, the expression level of C1orf31 was shown to be upregulated in the S phase and early G2 phase of synchronized HeLa cells, leading us to purpose that it may be involved in the S/G2 transition process. For these reasons, we assume that C1orf31 may play a role in on differentiation of human ES cells and carcinogenesis.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2016

Currently, there are 442 operating nuclear power plants in the world, and 62 more are under construction. According to this reasoning, the treatment of radioactive waste is important to prevent the environmental ecosystem including humans, animals, and plants. Especially, a leakage of radioactive waste causes not only regional problem but also serious global one. In this study, we demonstrate the effect of radioisotopes (e.g., cesium, strontium, and cobalt) on a 3D culture cell. To develop the 3D cell culture system, we used a 96-well-culture plate with biocompatible agarose hydrogel. Using this method, we can perform the 3D cell culture system with three different cell lines such as HeLa, HepG2, and COS-7. In addition, we conducted a cell viability test in the presence of radioisotopes. Interestingly, the 3D morphological cells showed 42% higher cell viability than those on the 2D against cesium. This result indicates that the 3D platform provides cells morphological and physiological characteristic similar to in vivo grown tissues. Moreover, it overcomes the limitation of conventional cell culture system that can't reflect in vivo systems. Finally, we believe that the proposed approach can be applied a new strategy for simple high-throughput screening and accurate evaluation of metal toxicity assay.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1302-1307
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• 2005

In this study, we investigated the anticarcinogenic and antioxidative activities of Rhodiola sachalinensis (RS). Hexane (RSMH), ethylether (RSMEE), ethylacetate (RSMEA), butanol (RSMB), aqueous (RSMA) fractions and methanol extract (RSM) were screened for their growth inhibition effects using 3- (4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on HepG2, HeLa, MCF-7 and HT-29 cells. The anticarcinogenic effects of RSMEE was most significant when tested on MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines at the concentration of $500{\mu}g/mL$ which resulted about $84\%\;and\;90\%$ on MCF-7 and HepG2 cells, respectively. The quinone reductase (QR)-inducing activity of RSMH on HepG2 cells was 3.5 times higher compared with the control at the concentration of $200{\mu}g/mL$. Antioxidative activities of RSM, RSMEE, RSMEA and RSMB showed about $80\%$ of electron donating activity (EDA) which were very similar to that of vitamin C as a control. We observed morphological changes of shrinking and the blebbing of HepG2 cancer cell membranes depending on the concentration of RSMEE.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.334-341
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• 2004

Polysaccharides were prepared from Orostachys japonicus by extration with hot steam water (OJPl). The OIPl fraction was further purified by Sephadex G-50 gel filtration chromatography to produce FI (polysaccharides) and FII (oligosaccharides) fraction. The average molecular masses o fFI and FII fraction were determined to be 3050 kDa and 13 kDa, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of OIPl was tested against 8 strains of bacteria and one strain of yeast by the disc diffusion method, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) method and broth dilution method. The OIPl exhibited a very strong growth inhibition to Candida albicans. The OIPl remarkably sup­pressed the growth of Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus. The OIPl showed higher growth inhibition to Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa than propolis, positive control. When the anticancer activity of the OIPl, FI or FII was examined against human cancer cell lines and the Sarcoma 180 cells, these widely suppressed the proliferation of cell lines in the MTT assay and morphology study. Especially, they remarkably inhibited the growth of A549, HeLa and AGS cells. Also treatment of cancer cells with OJPl, FI or FII induced apoptotic cell death characterized by DNA fragmentation. The OJPl, FI or FII exhibiting various biological activities such as antimicrobial activity and anticancer activity is expected to be developed as new biohealth products.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.90-94
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• 2008

Two sesquiterpenes (1 - 2), a tetralone (3), and two phenylpropanoids (4 - 5) were isolated from the stem bark of Magnolia obovata Thunberg (Magnoliaceae) through repeated column chromatography. Their structures were identified as ${\beta}-eudesmol$ (1), cryptomeridiol (2), 4R-4,8-dihydroxy-${\beta}-tetralone$ (3), trans-pcoumaryl aldehyde (4), and p-coumaric acid (5) on the basis of spectroscopic analysis including two dimensional NMR and mass. Compounds 1 - 3 were tested in vitro for their cytotoxic activity against the K562, HeLa, A549, and HCT116 cancer cell lines. However, compounds 1 - 3 were inactive in this assay system.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.113-115
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• 2006

Ecklonia cava is a brown alga(Laminariaceae) that is abundant in the subtidal regions of Jeju island in Korea. Phlorotannins were identified to be responsible for the biological activities in Ecklonia species. In the present study, triphlorethol-A, a phlorotannin, was isolated from Ecklonia cava and its anticancer properties were investigated. Triphlorethol-A was investigated whether it may show cytotoxicity effects against U937, HeLa, NCI-H460 and MCF-7 cancer cells by MTT test. As a result, triphlorethol-A did not show cytotoxic effects against tested four cell lines.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3041-3044
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• 2013

Background: The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase enzymes. Recent studies have shown that aspirin could be used as an anti-tumor drug. Triptolide, the major compound extracted from the Chinese herb Tripteryglum wilfordii Hook.f, has now been shown that it can inhibit tumor growth. The aim of this study was to analyze the anti-tumor efficiency of aspirin and triptolide in cervical cancer cells. Methods: Viability of cervical cancer cell lines was assessed by the MTT method at various concentrations of aspirin and triptolide. Siha and HeLa cell apoptotic analysis was performed by flow cytometry. Real time-PCR and Western Blotting were used to analyze the expression of Bcl-2/Bax, Cyclin D1 and p16. Results: Viability in the combination group was significantly decreased as compared with either drug used alone. Expression change of Bcl-2/Bax, CyclinD1 and p16 appeared to play an important role in the synergistic killing effect on cervical cancer cell apoptosis. Conclusion: Aspirin and triptolide combination treatment may have synergistic anti-tumor effects on cervical cancer cells.