• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.102.1-102.1
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• 2001

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.114-118
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• 2000

The inhibitory effects of doenjang extracts and linoleic acid(LA) which was identified as one of the active compounds in doenjang on the growth of human cancer cells were studied, comparing to the actions on normal cells. Methanol extract and hexane fraction from doenjang exhibited the strong growth inhibitory effect on HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells. Inhibitory effects of chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and aqueous fractions on the cancer cells were observed, moderately or weakly. When cell counts of SNU-C$_1$human colon carcinoma cells were determined daily for 6 days, the inhibitory effect of hexane fraction on this cell line was higher than that of the methanol extract from doenjang. LA completely suppressed the growth of SNU-C$_1$cells after 4 days, while conjugated linoleic acid(CLA) resulted in 98% inhibition after 6 days. With the addition of LA and other free fatty acids such as stearic acid, oleic acid, linolenic acid and ${\gamma}$-linolenic acid (${\gamma}$-LnA) to the culture system, the growth of HT-29 cells and SNU-C$_1$cells was greatly suppressed after 6 days. Inhibitory effects of LA ${\gamma}$-LnA on the growth of these cells were stronger than other fatty acids. On the growth of AZ-521 human gastric carcinoma cells, LA and CLA completely cuppressed the growth of the cells after 4 days and 3 days, respectively. At the level of 0.001%~0.01% of LA, there was no cytotoxic effect on normal rat kidney cells and normal intestine human cells. These results showed that LA, a major active compound of doenjang, had strong inhibitory effects on the growth of human cancer cells without damaging normal cells.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.84-88
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• 2007

In this study, we investigated antimutagenic and anticancer activities of leaf mustard (LM, Brassica juncea) and leaf mustard kimchi (LMK) during their fermentation period. Methanol extracts were prepared from raw mustard, brined leaf mustard in 10% Gueun salt solution for 2 hrs, leaf mustard fermented at 15$^{\circ}C$ for 5 days after brined in 10% Guenun salt solution for 2 hrs (Fr-LM), fresh leaf mustard kimchi (Fresh-LMK) and optimally ripened leaf mustard kimchi fermented at 5$^{\circ}C$ for 30 days (OR-LMK). OR-LMK showed the strongest inhibitory activities against the mutagenicities induced by aflatoxin B1 in Salmonella Typhimurium TA100. LMs and LMKs inhibited the survival or growth of AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells and HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells in MTT assay and growth inhibition test. Among the extracts, OR-LMK and FR-LM exhibited strong antiproliferative effect against cancer cells, especially HT-29 cells. DAPI staining assay showed that OR-LMK induced apoptosis cell death of HT-29 cells in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that leaf mustards and leaf mustard kimchi have chemopreventive activities.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.207-223
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• 2023

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Under the standard of care, patients with advanced GC (AGC) have a median survival time of approximately 12-15 months. With the emergence of immunotherapy as a key therapeutic strategy in medical oncology, relevant changes are expected in the systemic treatment of GC. In the phase III ATTRACTION-2 trial, nivolumab, a monoclonal anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) antibody, as a third- or later-line treatment improved overall survival (OS) compared with placebo in patients with AGC. Furthermore, nivolumab in combination with 5-fluorouracil and platinum as a first-line treatment improved OS in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-negative AGC in the global phase III CheckMate-649 study. Another anti-PD-1 antibody, pembrolizumab, in combination with trastuzumab and cytotoxic chemotherapy as a first-line treatment, significantly improved the overall response rate in patients with HER2-positive AGC. Therefore, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are essential components of the current treatment of GC. Subsequent treatments after ICI combination therapy, such as ICI rechallenge or combination therapy with agents having other modes of action, are being actively investigated to date. On the basis of the success of immunotherapy in the treatment of AGC, various clinical trials are underway to apply this therapeutic strategy in the perioperative and postoperative settings for patients with early GC. This review describes recent progress in immunotherapy and potential immunotherapy biomarkers for GC.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.819-825
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• 2003

pharbitis nil and Taraxacum mongolicum are representative herbs that have been used for cancer treatment in Korean traditional medicine. To understand the molecular basis of the antitumor function, we analyzed the effect of these herbs on proliferation and apoptosis of tumor cells using a gastric cancer cell line AGS. Cell counting assay showed that pharbitis nil strongly inhibit cell proliferation Of AGS whereas Taraxacum mongolicum exhibit no detectable effect on cellular growth. [³H]thymidine uptake analysis also demonstrated that DNA replication of AGS is suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by treatment with pharbitis nil. Additionally, tryphan blue exclusion assay showed that Pharbitis nil induce apoptotic cell death of AGS in a dose-dependent. To explore whether anti antiproliferative and/or proapototic property of Pharbitis nil is associated with their effect on gene expression, we performed RT-PCR analysis of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes. Interestingly, mRNA expression levels of c-Jun, c-Fos, c-Myc, and Cyclin D1 were markedly reduced by Pharbitis nil. Taraxacum mongolicum also showed inhibitory action on expression of these growth-promoting protooncogene but there effects are less significant, as compared to Pharbitis nil. Furthermore, it was also found that Pharbitis nil activates expression of the p53 tumor suppressor and its downstream effector p21Waf1, which induce G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Collectively, our data demonstrate that Pharbitis nil induce growth inhibition and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells and these effects are accompanied with down-and up-regulation of growth-regulating protooncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, respectively. This observation thus suggests that the anticancer effect of Pharbitis nil might be associated with its regulatory capability of tumor-related gene expression.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.365-370
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Oxidative stress is a major cause of cancer. This study investigated the effects of the ethanol extracts from germinated and non-germinated Keunnunjami rice, a blackish-purple pigmented cultivar with giant embryo, on selected human cancer cell lines and on the antioxidant defense system of mice fed with a high-fat diet. MATERIALS/METHODS: High fat-fed mice were orally administered with either distilled water (HF) or extracts (0.25%, w/w) from brown (B), germinated brown (GB), Keunnunjami (K), and germinated Keunnunjami (GK) rice. RESULTS: In comparison with the brown rice extract, Keunnunjami extract showed higher anticancer effect against cervical and gastric cell lines but lower anticancer activity on liver and colon cancer cells. Mice from the HF group showed significantly higher lipid peroxidation and lower antioxidant enzyme activities than the control group. However, the oxidative stress induced by high-fat diet markedly decreased in B, GB, K, and GK groups as compared with the HF group. CONCLUSIONS: Germination may be an effective method for improving the anticancer and antioxidative properties of Keunnunjami rice and extracts from germinated Keunnunjami rice may serve as a therapeutic agent against cervical and gastric cancers and oxidative damage.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.270-276
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• 2008

In this study we investigated the effects of Magnolia Bark (MB) extract and its constituents, such as honokiol and magnolol, on gastritis in rats and the growth of human gastric cancer cells. The MB extract, honokiol, and magnolol showed the acid-neutralizing capacities, the antioxidant activities, and the inhibitory effect on the growth of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori.) at the dose of $50\;{\mu}g/ml$ and over, which is equivalent to that of ampicillin ($100\;{\mu}g/ml$). Honokiol and magnolol had no significant cytotoxicity to human gastric caner cells (AGS and SNU638). However, the MB extract had cytotoxic activity against AGS gastric cancer cell. The MB extract, honokiol, and magnolol significantly inhibited HCI-ethanol-induced gastric lesions without clear change of mucus content. In pylorus ligated rats, honokiol significantly decreased the volume of gastric secretion and gastric acid output, and increased the pH. Magnolol increased the mucus content to almost the same as the control group at oral doses of 50 mg/kg. Therefore, we could guess that antigastritic action of honokiol and magnolol may be associated with the antioxidant activities, acid-neutralizing capacities, inhibition of secretion in gastric acid, and anti-H. pylori action. From these results, we could suggest that MB extract and its constituents, such as honokiol and magnolol, may be useful for the treatment and/or protection of gastritis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.591-598
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• 2018

Epigenetic silencing is considered to be a major mechanism for loss of activity in tumor suppressors. Reversal of epigenetic silencing by using inhibitors of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) or histone deacetylases (HDACs) such as 5-Aza-CdR and FK228 has shown to enhance cytotoxic activities of several anticancer agents. This study aims to assess the combinatorial effects of genesilencing reversal agents (5-Aza-CdR and FK228) and oxaliplatin in gastric cancer cells, i.e., Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative SNU-638 and EBV-positive SNU-719 cells. The doublet combinatorial treatment of 5-Aza-CdR and FK228 exhibited synergistic effects in both cell lines, and this was further corroborated by Zta expression induction in SNU-719 cells. Three drug combinations as 5-Aza-CdR/FK228 followed by oxaliplatin, however, resulted in antagonistic effects in both cell lines. Simultaneous treatment with FK228 and oxaliplatin induced synergistic and additive effects in SNU-638 and SNU-719 cells, respectively. Three drug combinations as 5-Aza-CdR prior to FK228/oxaliplatin, however, again resulted in antagonistic effects in both cell lines. This work demonstrated that efficacy of doublet synergistic combination using DNMT or HDACs inhibitors can be compromised by adding the third drug in pre- or post-treatment approach in gastric cancer cells. This implies that the development of clinical trial protocols for triplet combinations using gene-silencing reversal agents should be carefully evaluated in light of their potential antagonistic effects.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.184-187
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• 2000

Prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) plays an important role in the regulation of various gastric functions, and the growth-inhibitory activities on tumor cells are studied in vitro and in vivo. Although the mechanisms have attracted many researchers in the past decade, the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle arrest, or induction of apoptosis by $PGE_2$, is unclear. We investigated the effects of $PGE_2$ on the growth of the human gastric carcinoma cell line SNU1 and genes that are regulated by $PGE_2$ and isolated them using differential display RT-PCR (DD RT-PCR). FACS analysis suggested that SNU1 cells were arrested at the G1 phase by $PGE_2$ treatment. This growth inhibitory effect was in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Treatment of SNU1 cells with $10\;{\mu}g/ml$ $PGE_2$, followed by DD RT-PCR analysis, revealed differently expressed bands patterns from the control. Among the differently expressed clones, we found an unidentified cDNA clone (HGP-27) overexpressed in $PGE_2$-treated cells. The full-length cDNA of HGP-27 was isolated using RACE, which consisted of a 30-nt 5'-noncoding region, a 891-nt ORF encoding the 296 amino acid protein, and a 738-nt 3'-noncoding region including a poly(a) signal. This gene was localized on the short arm of chromosome number 11. Using the Motif Finder program, a myb-DNA binding repeat signature was detected on the ORF region. The COOH-terminal half was shown to have similarity with the $NH_3$-terminal domain of thioredoxin (Trx). This relation between HGP-27 and Trx implied a potential role for HGP-27 in modulating the DNA binding function of a transcription factor, myb.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1843-1849
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• 2004

Conventional medicines have usually sorted to a number of treatments such asoperation, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The existing anti-cancer agents, designed to eradicate cancer cells, have strong toxicities, also with leading to harmful side effects. Recently, a number of researches on natural products have been actively carried out in efforts to develop new treatments that can decrease side effects or increase anti-cancer effects. We performed this study to understand the molecular basis underlying the antitumor effects of Pharbitis nil, and Plantago asiatica, which have been used for herbal medicinal treatments against cancers in East Asia. We analyzed the effects of these medicinal herbs on proliferation and on expression of cell growth/apoptosis related molecules, with using an AGS gastric cancer cell line. The treatment of Pharbitis nil dramatically reduced cell viabilities in a dose and time-dependent manner, but Plantago asiatica didn't. FACS analysis and Annexin V staining assay also showed that Pharbitis nil induce apoptotic cell death of AGS. Expression analyses via RT-PCR and Western blots revealed that Pharbitis nil didn't increase expression of the p53 and its downstream effector p21/sup wafl/, and that the both increased expression of apoptosis related Sax and cleavage of active caspase-3 protein. We also confirmed the translocation of Sax to mitochondria. Collectively, our data demonstrate that Pharbitis nilinduce growth inhibition and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells, and these effects are correlated with down- and up-regulation of growth-regulating apoptotic and tumor suppressor genes, respectively.