• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• 제34권2호
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2009

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion is a well-known marker for oxidative stress and aging and also contributes to their unfavorable effects in cultured cells and animal tissues. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of ionizing radiation (IR) on mtDNA deletion and the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this process in human lung fibroblast (IMR-90) cells. Young IMR-90 cells at population doubling (PD) 39 were irradiated with $^{137}Cs$ $\gamma$-rays and the intracellular ROS level was determined by 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and mtDNA common deletion (4977bp) was detected by nested PCR. Old cells at PD 55 and $H_2O_2$-treated young cells were compared as the positive control. IR increased the intracellular ROS level and mtDNA 4977 bp deletion in IMR-90 cells dose-dependently. The increases of ROS level and mtDNA deletion were also observed in old cells and $H_2O_2$-treated young cells. To confirm the increased ROS level is essential for mtDNA deletion in irradiated cells, the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on IRinduced ROS and mtDNA deletion were examined. 5 mM NAC significantly attenuated the IR-induced ROS increase and mtDNA deletion. These results suggest that IR induces the mtDNA deletion and this process is mediated by ROS in IMR-90 cells.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• 제36권3호
• /
• pp.119-126
• /
• 2011

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion is a well-known marker for oxidative stress and aging, and contributes to harmful effects in cultured cells and animal tissues. mtDNA biogenesis genes (NRF-1, TFAM) are essential for the maintenance of mtDNA, as well as the transcription and replication of mitochondrial genomes. Considering that oxidative stress is known to affect mitochondrial biogenesis, we hypothesized that ionizing radiation (IR)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) causes mtDNA deletion by modulating the mitochondrial biogenesis, thereby leading to cellular senescence. Therefore, we examined the effects of IR on ROS levels, cellular senescence, mitochondrial biogenesis, and mtDNA deletion in IMR-90 human lung fibroblast cells. Young IMR-90 cells at population doubling (PD) 39 were irradiated at 4 or 8 Gy. Old cells at PD55, and H2O2-treated young cells at PD 39, were compared as a positive control. The IR increased the intracellular ROS level, senescence-associated ${\beta}$-galactosidase (SA-${\beta}$-gal) activity, and mtDNA common deletion (4977 bp), and it decreased the mRNA expression of NRF-1 and TFAM in IMR-90 cells. Similar results were also observed in old cells (PD 55) and $H_2O_2$-treated young cells. To confirm that a increase in ROS level is essential for mtDNA deletion and changes of mitochondrial biogenesis in irradiated cells, the effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) were examined. In irradiated and $H_2O_2$-treated cells, 5 mM NAC significantly attenuated the increases of ROS, mtDNA deletion, and SA-${\beta}$-gal activity, and recovered from decreased expressions of NRF-1 and TFAM mRNA. These results suggest that ROS is a key cause of IR-induced mtDNA deletion, and the suppression of the mitochondrial biogenesis gene may mediate this process.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제27권4호
• /
• pp.383-398
• /
• 2023

Dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol (DA), the synthetic precursor of a natural compound (austrasulfone) isolated from the coral species Cladiella australis, has shown cytotoxic effects against cancer cells. However, it is unknown whether DA has antitumor effects on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we determined the antitumor effects of DA and investigated its mechanism of action on human NPC cells. The MTT assay was used to determine the cytotoxic effect of DA. Subsequently, apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) analyses were performed by using flow cytometry. Apoptotic and PI3K/AKT pathway-related protein expression was determined using Western blotting. We found that DA significantly reduced the viability of NPC-39 cells and determined that apoptosis was involved in DA-induced cell death. The activity of caspase-9, caspase-8, caspase-3, and PARP induced by DA suggested caspase-mediated apoptosis in DA-treated NPC-39 cells. Apoptosis-associated proteins (DR4, DR5, FAS) in extrinsic pathways were also elevated by DA. The enhanced expression of proapoptotic Bax and decreased expression of antiapoptotic BCL-2 suggested that DA mediated mitochondrial apoptosis. DA reduced the expression of pPI3K and p-AKT in NPC-39 cells. DA also reduced apoptosis after introducing an active AKT cDNA, indicating that DA could block the PI3K/AKT pathway from being activated. DA increased intracellular ROS, but N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, reduced DA-induced cytotoxicity. NAC also reversed the chances in pPI3K/AKT expression and reduced DA-induced apoptosis. These findings suggest that ROS-mediates DA-induced apoptosis and PI3K/AKT signaling inactivation in human NPC cells.

• 생약학회지
• /
• 제48권4호
• /
• pp.273-279
• /
• 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms underlying apoptosis induced by a broussochalcone B (BCB) from Broussonetia papyrifera in HepG2 cells. The results showed that BCB treatment for 24 hr significantly inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, and induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells. More so, BCB treatment triggered the cleavage of caspase-8, -9, -3, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), increase of Bax level, and decrease of Bcl-2 expression. A general caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk) blocked BCB-induced cell death. Furthermore, BCB treatment caused reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, an antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) blocked BCB-induced ROS production and cell death. Therefore, these results indicate that BCB-induced apoptosis is mediated by a caspase dependent pathway and ROS production in HepG2 cells.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제24권1호
• /
• pp.95-104
• /
• 2007

The mechanism of acacetin-induced apoptosis of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells was investigated. Acacetin caused 50% growth inhibition ($IC_{50}$) of MCF-7 cells at $26.4{\pm}0.7{\mu}M$ over 24 h in the MTT assay. Apoptosis was characterized by DNA fragmentation and an increase of sub-G1 cells and involved activation of caspase-7 and PARP (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase). Maximum caspase 7 activity was observed with $100{\mu}M$ acacetin for 24 h. Caspase 8 and 9 activation cascades mediated the activation of caspase 7. Acacetin caused a reduction of Bcl-2 expression leading to an increase of the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio. It also caused a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential that induced release of cytochrome c and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) into the cytoplasm, enhancing ROS generation and subsequently resulting in apoptosis. Pretreatment of cells with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) reduced ROS generation and cell growth inhibition, and pretreatment with NAC or a caspase 8 inhibitor (Z-IETD-FMK) inhibited the acacetin-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c and AIF. Stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun $NH_4$-terminal kinase 1/2 (SAPK/JNK1/2) and c-Jun were activated by acacetin but extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) nor p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were not. Our results show that acacetin-induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells is mediated by caspase activation cascades, ROS generation, mitochondria-mediated cell death signaling and the SAPK/JNK1/2-c-Jun signaling pathway, activated by acacetin-induced ROS generation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제20권3호
• /
• pp.237-243
• /
• 2016

Oleanolic acid (OA) has a wide variety of bioactivities such as hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity and is used for medicinal purposes in many Asian countries. In the present study, the effect of OA on induction of autophagy in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and SMC7721 cells and the related mechanisms were investigated. MTT assay showed that OA significantly inhibited HepG2 and SMC7721 cells growth. OA treatment enhanced formation of autophagic vacuoles as revealed by monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining. At the same time, increasing punctuate distribution of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) and an increasing ratio of LC3-II to LC3-I were also triggered by OA incubation. In addition, OA-induced cell death was significantly inhibited by autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and chloroquine (CQ) pretreatment. And we found out that OA can suppress the PI3K/Akt1/mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, our data suggested that OA-triggered autophagy was ROS-dependent as demonstrated by elevated cellular ROS levels by OA treatment. When ROS was cleared by N-acetylcysteine (NAC), OA-induced LC3-II convertsion and cell death were all reversed. Taken together, our results suggest that OA exerts anticancer effect via autophagic cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
• /
• 제21권3호
• /
• pp.275-282
• /
• 2006

In order to get insight into the mechanism of cadmium (Cd)-induced brain injury, we investigated the effects of Cd on the induction of COX-2 in bEnd.3 mouse brain endothelial cells. Cd induced COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ release, which were attenuated by thiol-reducing antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) indicating oxidative components might contribute to these events. Indeed, Cd increased cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and DNA binding activity of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), an oxidative stress sensitive transcription factor. Cd-induced $PGE_2$ production and COX-2 expression were significantly attenuated by Bay 11 7082, a specific inhibitor of NF-kB and by SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). These data suggest that Cd induces COX-2 expression through activation of NF-kB and p38 MAPK, the oxidative stress-sensitive signaling molecules, in brain endothelial cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제11권1호
• /
• pp.9-13
• /
• 2007

Antioxidant properties have been proposed as a mechanism for the putative anti-inflammatory effects of phenolic compounds. To reveal the relationship between antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects of various antioxidants, we measured 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl(DPPH)-reducing activity and examined the inhibitory effects on LPS-induced inflammation-related gene expression in the BV2 microglial cell line. Lipopolysaccharide(LPS)(0.2 ${\mu}g/ml$) was used with or without antioxidants to treat cells, and the regulation of iNOS and cytokine gene expression was monitored using an RNase protection assay(RPA). Although, all tested antioxidants had similar DPPH-reducing activity and inhibited nitrite production, but the curcuminoid antioxidants(ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and curcumin) inhibited LPS-induced gene expression(iNOS, $TNF-\alpha,\;IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, and IL-1 Ra) in a concentration-dependent manner. Other tested antioxidants did not exhibit the same effects; N-acetylcysteine(NAC) only began to suppress $IL-1{\beta}$ gene expression just below the concentration at which cytotoxicity occurred. Moreover, the antioxidant potency of curcuminoids appeared to have no correlation with anti-inflammatory potency. Only curcumin could inhibit LPS-induced microglial activation at a micromolar level. These data suggest that curcumin may be a safe antioxidant possessing anti-inflammatory activity.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제21권7호
• /
• pp.961-968
• /
• 2011

지질과산화로부터 생성된 aldehyde 중 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE)는 산화적 손상과 관련된 다량의 arachidonic acids, linoleic acids 등으로부터 생성될 수 있다. 그러므로 HNE는 산화적 스트레스와 관련된 세포사에서 중요한 매개인자로 작용을 할 수가 있을 것이다. 본 연구는 HNE가 세포사를 유발할 것이라 가정하고, 먼저 흰쥐 전립선 유래 내피세포인 YPEN-1 세포에서 세포독성을 측정하였다. 세포생장 저해능력은 HNE를 $5\sim15\;{\mu}M$ 농도로 처리하여 형태적 변화와 MTT assay를 통하여 결과를 관찰하였다. 그 결과 HNE가 이 세포에서 핵형의 변화와 세포사를 유발시키는 것을 각각의 실험을 통해 확인이 되었다. 또한 이 사실을 단백질의 변화를 통하여 확인을 할 수가 있었다. HNE를 24시간 처리한 세포에서 poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 단백질 분절이 매개되었고 Bax의 발현량이 증가하였다. 또한 세포내의 활성 산소종들을 발생시켰다. 이에 생성된 활성 산소종과 peroxynitrite가 세포사와 관련이 있는가를 밝히기 위하여 이들의 포식자들인 N-acetylcysteine과 penicillamine을 본 연구에서 사용하였다. 이들 포식자들에 의해 HNE에 의해 유도되는 세포사가 억제가 되었기에 산화적 활성화가 HNE에 의해 유도된 세포사와 관련이 있음을 알 수 있었다. 이러한 결과들은 HNE가 내피세포에서 ROS와 peroxynitrite 생성을 통하여 세포사를 일으킨다는 사실을 뒷받침해 준다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제22권12호
• /
• pp.1621-1627
• /
• 2012

세포의 이동은 성장, 면역 작용, 그리고 혈관 신생 등 많은 생리현상에 중요한 역할을 한다. 또한 염증 및 종양 세포 침윤 등의 다양한 병리적 현상과도 밀접한 연관이 있다. 본 연구에서는 lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)는 활성산소의 생성을 통해 SKOV-3 난소암세포의 이동을 조절한다는 것을 관찰하였다. 먼저, 난소 암세포인 SKOV-3에서 LPA에 의한 세포의 이동이 강하게 일어남을 확인하였다. LPA에 의한 SKOV-3 세포의 이동은 phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt 신호전달체계를 저해시키는 약물에 의해서 완벽히 억제됨을 확인하였으나 ERK 신호전달체계를 저해시키는 약물에 의해서는 전혀 영향을 받지 않았다. 그리고 SKOV-3 세포에서 LPA에 의한 활성산소 형성이 시간에 따라 강하게 일어남을 확인하였다. 더욱이 LPA에 의한 활성산소 형성도 PI3K 또는 Akt의 저해제에 의해서 완벽히 억제됨을 확인하였으나 ERK 신호전달을 억제하였을 때는 거의 영향을 받지 않았다. SKOV-3 세포에서 LPA에 의해 생성된 활성산소는 diphenylene idonium (DPI, $10{\mu}M$), apocyanin (Apo, $10{\mu}M$)과 같은 NADPH oxidase 억제제를 전 처리하였을 때 활성산소가 형성되지 못함을 관찰하였다. 그러나 xanthine oxidase (allopurinol, Allo, $10{\mu}M$), cyclooxygenase (indomethacin, Indo, $10{\mu}M$), 또는 mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I (rotenone, Rot, $10{\mu}M$)를 억제하였을 때는 LPA에 의한 활성산소 형성에 영향을 주지 못함을 확인하였다. 마지막으로 활성산소 억제제인 N-acetylcysteine (NAC, $10{\mu}M$)에 의해서 LPA에 의한 암세포의 이동이 억제됨을 관찰하였다. 이와 더불어 LPA에 의한 SKOV-3 세포의 이동도 NADPH oxidase 억제에 의해 저해가 됨을 확인하였다. 이러한 연구결과로 보아 LPA에 의한 활성산소의 형성에는 PI3K/Akt/NADPH oxidase 신호전달체계가 중추적인 역할을 하며 이를 통해 암세포의 이동을 조절한다는 것을 알 수 있었다.