• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제42권5호
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• pp.392-399
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• 2007

Objective : Arsenic trioxide ($As_2O_3$) has been used as an anticancer agent in traditional Chinese medicine for thousand years and berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid present that has indicated significant antimicrobial activity. We have examined the combined anticancer effects of $As_2O_3$ and berberine against the human neuroblastoma (HNB) SH-SY5Y cells in vitro, and to elucidate underlying molecular mechanism. Methods : HNB SH-SY5Y cells were treated with $2\;{\mu}M\;As_2O_3$ and $75\;{\mu}g/ml$ berberine, and their survival, cell death mechanism as well as synergistic cytotoxic effects were estimated by using MTT assay, DAPI staining, agarose gel electrophoresis, flow cytometric analysis, and western blot analysis. Results : The combined treatment of two drugs also markedly decreased cell viability. The cytotoxic effects of two drugs were revealed as apoptosis characterized by chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation, and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. The apoptotic cytotoxicity was accompanied by activation of caspase-3 protease as well as decreased the expression of Bcl-2, Bid, and Bcl-x/L. In addition, the cells treated with combination of two drugs also showed significantly increased intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and lipid peroxidation compared to cells $As_2O_3$or berberine only. Conclusion : Combined treatment of $As_2O_3$ with berberine induced activation of apoptotic signaling pathways in HNB SH-SY5Y cells. These results suggest that the possibility of the combined treatment of two chemotherapeutic agents with low concentration improving cytotoxic effect for cancer cells with minimal side effects.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.291-297
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• 2014

The radioprotective effects of a single administration of kojic acid (KA) against ionizing radiation were evaluated via assessment of 30-day survival and alterations of peripheral blood parameters of adult C57BL/6 male mice. The 30-day survival rate of mice pretreated with KA (75 or 300 mg/kg body weight, KA75 or KA300) subcutaneously 27 h prior to a lethal dose (8 Gy, 153.52 cGy/min) of gamma irradiation was higher than that of mice irradiated alone (40% or 60% vs 0%). It was observed that the white blood cell (WBC) count/the red blood cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin content, haematocrit and platelet count of mice with or without KA pretreatment as exposed to a sub-lethal dose (4 Gy, 148.14 cGy/min) of gamma irradiation decreased maximally at day 4/day 8 post-irradiation. Although the initial WBC values were low in KA300 or WR-2721 (amifostine) groups, they significantly recovered to normal at day 19, whereas in the control group they did not. The results from the cytotoxicity and cell viability assays demonstrated that KA could highly protect Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells against ionizing radiation with low toxicity. In summary, KA provides marked radioprotective effects both in vivo and in vitro.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2619-2623
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• 2014

Aim: To investigate signaling pathways for reversal of EGF-mediated multi-drug resistance (MDR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) models. Materials and Methods: HCC MDR cell strain HepG2/adriamycin (ADM) and SMMC7721/ADM models were established using a method of exposure to medium with ADM between low and high concentration with gradually increasing concentration. Drug sensitivity and reversal of multi-drug resistance by EGF were determined and the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Phosphorylation of ERK1, ERK2, ERK5 and expression of Bim were detected by Western blotting. Results: The results showed that HepG2/ADM and SMMC7721/ADM cells were resistant not only to ADM, but also to multiple anticancer drugs. When used alone, EGF had no anti-tumor activity in HepG2/ADM and SMMC7721/ADM cells in vitro, while it increased the cytotoxicity of ADM. EGF induced cell apoptosis and G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in HepG2/ADM And SMMC7721/ADM cells, while enhancing activity of p-ERKs and up-regulated expression of BimEL. Conclusions: EGF might enhance the chemosensitivity of HepG2/ADM and SMMC7721/ADM cells via up-regulating p-ERKs and BimEL protein.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.693-699
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• 2016

Clostridium difficile toxin A is known to cause deacetylation of tubulin proteins, which blocks microtubule formation and triggers barrier dysfunction in the gut. Based on our previous finding that the Clostridium difficile toxin A-dependent activation of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC-6) is responsible for tubulin deacetylation and subsequent microtubule disassembly, we herein examined the possible effect of potassium acetate (PA; whose acetyl group prevents the binding of tubulin to HDAC-6) as a competitive/false substrate. Our results revealed that PA inhibited toxin A-induced deacetylation of tubulin and recovered toxin A-induced microtubule disassembly. In addition, PA treatment significantly decreased the production of IL-6 (a marker of inflamed tissue) in the toxin A-induced mouse enteritis model. An in vitro HDAC assay revealed that PA directly inhibited HDAC-6-mediated tubulin deacetylation, indicating that PA acted as a false substrate for HDAC-6. These results collectively indicate that PA treatment inhibits HDAC-6, thereby reducing the cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses caused by C. difficile toxin A.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.61-76
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• 2006

To study the effects of anti-cancer, anti-metastasis and immune response improvement effects of herbal-accupunture with Orostachys japhonicus A.Berger, infusion solution put into Kansu(BL18) of mouse induced by Colon26-L5 human colon cancer cells, which are corresponding to humanbody. We observed the change of body weight, surviving number, median surviving time, increase of life span, changes in amount of leukocyte, erythrocyte, platelet, total protein, creatinine, glucose and LDH, weight of spleen and kidney, histological analysis on tissue metastasis of liver, splenic cell proliferation, the expression of cytokine gene, the number of CD4+, CD8+, CD9+ and NK cell, and concluded like this. The results were obtained as follows ; 1. In acute and sub-acute cytotoxicity experiment, significantly signs were not appeared in all groups. 2. Antimetastatic experiment in vitro and in vivo showed that Orostachys Japhonicus A.Berger Herbal-acupuncture at Kansu(BL18) has antimetastatic effects. 3. The spleen cells proliferation of the experimental groups treated with Orostachys Japhonicus A.Berger infusion solution extract has increased significantly compared with that of the control group. 4. As compared with control, the population of total T cell, helper T cell, cytotoxic T cell and macrophage were increased. 5. The production of Th 1 type cytokines from splenocyte and cytokines which is associated with anti-tumor activity form macrophage were increased significantly. Above the results revealed that herbal-accupunture with Orostachys Japhonicus A.Berger infusion solution has effects of anti-cancer, anti-metastasis and immune response improvement.

• 대한한의학방제학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.175-185
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• 2009

Petiolus Nelumbinis, branches of lotus leaf or lotus flower is a traditional oriental herbal medicine widely used for treating a superheat or disorder of qi flow. Although there are many clinical results and literature study, it has been rarely conducted to evaluate the immuno-biological activity. The present study was conducted to examine the anti-inflammatory effects of PNM (Petiolus Nelumbinis MeOH extract) in vitro. To determine cytotoxic concentration of PNM, the cells were treated with PNM for 24 h after LPS addition, and the cell viability was tested by MTT assay. Both of dosages (30 and 100 ${\mu}g/ml$) of PNM had no cytotoxicity. In these concentrations, PNM significantly reduced the elevated levels of NO and $PGE_2$ by LPS. These inhibitory effects of PNM were due to the reduced expressions of iNOS and COX-2 protein. TNF-$\alpha$, IL-1$\beta$ and IL-6 are frequently encountered pro-inflammatory cytokines, and LPS plays a key role in inducing to the massive production of these cytokines. Thus, we next determined the levels of these cytokines. Although PNM had no significant inhibitory effect on the production of TNF-$\alpha$, the elevated levels of IL-1$\beta$ and IL-6 by LPS were dose-dependently reduced in PNM-treated groups. These results demonstrate that PNM has anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the production of proinflammatory cytokines, NO and $PGE_2$ in LPS-activated macrophage. Moreover, the reduction of NO and $PGE_2$ levels was due to the inhibition of iNOS and COX-2 protein expression by PNM.

• BMB Reports
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• 제39권5호
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• pp.560-570
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• 2006

Mistletoe (Viscum album) lectins, which are classified as a type II ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) due to their unique biological function and the potential medical and therapeutic application in cancer cells, receive a rising attention. The heterodimeric glycoproteins contain the A-chain with catalytic activity and the B-chain with sugar binding properties. In recent years, studies involving the lectins from the white berry European mistletoe (Viscum album) and the yellow berry Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum) have been described. However, the detailed mechanism in exerting unique cytotoxic effect on cancer cells still remains unclear. Here, we aim to understand and define the molecular basis and biological effects of the type II RIPs, through the studies of the recombinant Korean mistletoe lectin. To this end, we expressed, purified the recombinant Korean mistletoe lectin (rKML), and investigated its molecular characteristics in vitro, its cytotoxicity and ability to induce apoptotic cell death in cancer cells. To gain structural basis for its catalytic activity and sugar binding properties, we performed homology modeling studies based on the high degree of sequence identity and conserved secondary structure prediction between Korean and European, Himalayan mistletoe lectins, and Ricin.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.67-74
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• 2008

Background: The effects of the dietary administration of two heat-inactivated whole bacteria from the Vibrionaceae family, singly or combined, on innate immune response of the rainbow trout were studied. The two bacteria (Pdp11 and 51M6), which were obtained from the skin of rainbow trout, showed in vitro characteristics that suggested they could be considered as potential fish probiotics. Methods: The fish were fed four different diets: control (non-supplemented), or diets supplemented with heat-inactivated bacteria at $10^8$ cfu/g Pdp11, $10^8$ cfu/g 51M6 or with $0.5{\times}10^8$ cfu/g Pdp11 plus $0.5{\times}10^8$ cfu/g 51M6 for 4 weeks. Six fish were sampled at weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4, and then the main humoral (natural haemolytic complement activity and serum peroxidase content) and cellular innate immune responses (leucocyte peroxidase content, phagocytosis, respiratory burst and cytotoxicity) were evaluated. Results: The serum peroxidase content and the natural haemolytic complement activity increased with time, reaching the highest values in the third and fourth weeks of feeding, respectively. The phagocytic ability of specimens fed the mixture of the two inactivated bacteria was significantly higher than in the controls after 2 and 3 weeks of treatment. The same activity increased significantly in rainbow trout fed the Pdp11 diet for 2 weeks or the 51M6 diet for 3 weeks. Respiratory burst activity was unaffected by all the experimental diets at all times assayed. Cytotoxic activity had significantly increased after 3 weeks in fish fed the 51M6 diet. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated the usefulness of incorporating inactivated probiotic bacteria into fish diets.

• 한국균학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.55-59
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• 2000

까치버섯(Polyozellus multiplex) 메탄올 추출물과 물 추출물은 산화 유발물질인 $H_2O_2$에 대하여 메탄올 추출물과 물 추출물에서 각각 53.5%, 29.4%의 생존율을 보여 까치버섯 추출물의 항산화 효과를 확인하였다. 까치버섯 메탄올 추출물과 물 추출물을 이용하여 동물에 강력한 발암물질인 MHNG를 투여한 후 항산화 효소계를 측정한 결과, 물 추출물은 항산화효소인 glutathione S-transferase(GST)와 superoxide dismutase(SOD) 활성과 조직내의 해독물질인 glutathione(GSH)의 함량을 높여 주었다. 또한 0.5%의 까치버섯 물 추출물은 암억제 유전자인 p53회 발현을 매우 증가시켰다. 이상의 결과로 까치버섯(Polyozellus multiplex)은 항산화 능이 있으며 특히, 물 추출물은 체내의 항산화 효소를 활성화시키고 항산화 물질의 함량을 높여주었고 암 억제유전자인 p53의 발현을 증가시켜 항암효과가 있음을 보여주었다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.246-253
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• 2014

Codonopsis lanceolata has been used as an herbal medicine for several lung inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis. Previously, we showed the neuroprotective effect of steamed and fermented C. lanceolata (SFC) in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, the treatment of HT22 cells with SFC decreased glutamate-induced cell death, suggesting that SFC protected HT22 cells from glutamate-induced cytotoxicity. Based on these, we sought to elucidate the mechanisms of the neuroprotective effect of SFC by measuring the oxidative stress parameters and the expression of Bax and caspase-3 in HT22 cells. SFC reduced contents of ROS, $Ca^{2+}$ and NO. Moreover, SFC restored contents of glutathione and glutathione reductase as well as inhibited Bax and caspase-3 activity in HT22 cells. These results indicate that steamed and fermented C. lanceolata (SFC) extract protected HT22 cells by anti-oxidative effect and inhibition of the expression of Bax and caspase-3.