• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.100-107
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• 1998

Methanol extracts of five Berberidaceae species were examined against tissue factor inhibitory and tumour cell growth inhibitory activity. Methanol extracts of Berberis koreana Palibin showed a strong cytotoxicity activity against SK-MEL-2 (Melanoma) tumour cell lines with more than 90% in $25{\mu}g/m\ell$ and against A549 (Lung carcinoma), SK-OV-3 (Ovarian cancer), XF498 (CNS cancer) and HCTl5 (Colon cancer), other Berberidaceae species except B. koreana species have no effect on the tumour cells. Biologically active compound, therefore, was isolated through the activity guided fractionation and purification. The structure was confirmed by NMR. FT-IR and MS to 2-(3,4-dihydroxybenzyl)-ethyl alcohol. It showed cytotoxicity activity against SNU-C4 tumour cell lines with 50.7% in $50{\mu}g/m\ell$. Methanol extracts of 5 Berberidacae species have no effect on the tissue factor inhibitory activity.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2009

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are a promising class of anticancer agents that inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Previous report has shown that apicidin inhibited SK-OV-3 cells proliferation and down-regulation of cyclin B1 and CDK1, and up-regulation of $p21^{WAF1}$ and p27. However, the mechanism of apicidin-mediated apoptotic cell death is not clearly understood. For this study, we investigated the mechanism of apoptotic pathway induced by apicidin in human ovarian cancer cell. We found that SK-OV-3 cells treated with apicidin caused an increase in the percentage of cells in the G2/M phase, which preceded apoptosis characterized by the appearance of cells with sub-G1 population. To further investigate the mechanism of apoptosis induction by apicidin, we measured TUNEL assay, poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, and caspase activity in SK-OV-3 cells treated with apicidin for 48 h. Apicidin significantly enhanced apoptosis as measured by TUNEL positive apoptotic cells, PARP cleavage, and increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Induction of apoptosis was confirmed by the release of cytochrome c to cytosol. Our data suggest that apicidin-induced apoptosis in SK-OV-3 cells was accompanied by caspase-3 activation and the increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These data suggest that apicidin may be effective in the treatment of ovarian cancer through activation of intrinsic apoptotic pathway.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 1993

These experiments were carried out to investigate whether the enzyme is involved in zona hardening during normal activatin of the oocytes by sperm, and demonstrate peroxidase activity during in vitro fertilization of oocytes treated with peroxidase inhibitors(250 $\mu$M phenylhydrazine, 28mM sodium sulfite, 350mM glycine ethyl ester and 50mM sodium azide) and tyrosine analogue(12.5mM tyramine). Also, zona soluble properties of the ovarian oocytes incubated for 0, 5, 10 and 15 hr in the presence of pheylhydrazine or tyramine were studied by using $\alpha$-chymotrypsin. The results obtained from these experiments were summarized as follows ; 1. The rates of fertilizatin in control oocytes and oocytes treated with phenylhydrazine or tyramine were 69.8%, 62.3% and 88.2%, respectively. However in vitro fertilization in oocytes treated with three different peroxidase inhibitors, sodium sulfite, glycine ethyl ester and sodium azide, were not induced. The oocytes treated with phenylhydrazine had no significant effect on in vitro fertilization rate as compared to control. However there was a significantly different in fertilization between tyramine treated group and control group(P<0.01). 2. The zona solubility(t50) of control and fertilized oocytes in culture treated with phenylhydrazine or tyramine were 30.7, 26.0 and 16.3 min., respectively. Phenylhydrazine treated group and tyramine treated group had effect on inhibition of zona hardening as compared to control group. These results suggest that ovoperoxidase is involved in zona hardening during normal activation of the oocytes by sperm. 3. t50 of control oocytes and ovarian oocytes treated with phenylhydrazine or tyramine for 5, 10 and 15 hr in vitro were 14.0, 26.2 and 32.0 min., 14.5, 26.9 and 30.2 min., and 14.0, 24.3 and 31.2 min., respectively. These results suggest that zona hardening in ovarian oocytes matured for various times in vitro cannot be inhibited by peroxidase inhibitors and tyrosine analogue, that the spontaneous zona hardening incultured ovarian oocytes is not caused by the secretory products of cortical granules released during the cortical reaction, ovoperoxidase.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.311-315
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• 2021

Objective: As clinicians and patients await consensus on intraovarian platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment, this project evaluated contemporary research trends in the literature. Methods: A PubMed/NLM search aggregated all ovarian PRP-related publications (n=54) to evaluate their scope, abstract utility, submission-to-publication interval, journal selected, article processing charge (APC), free reader access to full-text manuscripts, number and nationality of authors, and inclusion of international collaborators. The NIH Clinical Trials database was also audited. Results: Published output on intraovarian PRP has increased consistently since 2016, especially among investigators in Greece, Iran, USA, and Turkey. Between 2013 and 2021, 42 articles met the relevancy criteria, of which 40.5% reported clinical studies, small series, or case reports, 33% described experimental animal models, and 23.8% were opinion/review papers. Only two works included a placebo control group. The submission-to-publication interval (mean±standard deviation) was 130±96 days, there were 5.9±3.2 authors per project, and journals invoiced US $1,613±1,466 (range, $0-$3,860) for APCs. Conclusion: There was no correlation between APC and time to publish (Pearson's r=-0.01). Abstract content was inconsistent; sample size and patient age were often missing, yet free full-text "open access" was available for most publications (59.5%). The NIH Clinical Trials portal lists eight registered studies on "ovarian rejuvenation," of which two are actively recruiting patients, while four have been terminated or have an uncertain status. Two studies have concluded, with results from one posted to the NIH website. PRP and its derivatives for ovarian treatment show early promise, but require further investigation. Research is accelerating and should be encouraged, particularly placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2018

Objectives: Auraptene, a natural citrus coumarin, found in plants of Rutaceae and Apiaceae families. In this study, we investigated the effects of auraptene on tumor migration, invasion and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 enzymes activity. Methods: The effects of auraptene on the viability of A2780 and Hela cell lines was evaluated by MTT assay. Wound healing migration assay and Boyden chamber assay were determined the effect of auraptene on migration and cell invasion, respectively. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were analyzed by gelatin zymography assay. Results: Auraptene reduced A2780 cell viability. The results showed that auraptene inhibited in vitro migration and invasion of both cells. Furthermore, cell invasion ability suppressed at $100{\mu}M$ auraptene in Hela cells and at 25, $50{\mu}M$ in A2780 cell line. Gelatin zymography showed that for Hela cell line, auraptene suppressed MMP-2 enzymatic activity in all concentrations and for MMP-9 at a concentration between 12.5 to $100{\mu}M$ in A2780 cell line. Conclusion: Auraptene inhibited migration and invasion of human cervical and ovarian cancer cells in vitro by possibly inhibitory effects on MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.83-89
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• 2010

Apoptosis is a crucial mechanism for the proper regulation of homeostasis. BCL-2 family proteins are key molecules which control cellular survival and apoptosis. MCL-1 (myeloid cell leukemia-1) is a pro-survival member of BCL-2 family that promotes the survival of cells, and is highly expressed in diverse cancers including ovarian cancer, leukemia, and cervical cancer. Previously we identified IEX-1 (immediate early response gene X-1) as a binding partner of MCL-1. In the present study, we demonstrated that overexpression of IEX-1 induced apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. Moreover, IEX-1 significantly attenuated the pro-survival function of MCL-1 in these cells. Also, IEX-1-induced cell death activity was able to be modulated by changes in the expression level of MCL-1. Thus, these results suggest that both IEX-1 and MCL-1 modulate each other's function controlling cellular survival and death and the inhibitory activity of IEX-1 toward MCL-1 may be applied for the development of chemotherapeutics.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.787-794
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• 2005

The aim of this study was 1) to confirm the practical efficiency of a routine milk P4 monitoring system for postpartum reproductive management of a dairy herd, and 2) to evaluate the relationship between the blood metabolic profiles, milk quality and body weight of individual cows in the farm records, which may reflect the postpartum nutritional condition, and the time of postpartum resumption of ovarian activity of dairy cows. A total of 116 Holstein cows was used in the present study. First, during the period of Experiment 1, postpartum reproductive management based on weekly measured milk P4 concentration from individual cows was conducted. Compared with the reproductive records of the past two years without P4 monitoring, although the day from calving to first AI did not change, both the number of AI until pregnant (with P4; 1.9 times vs. without P4; 2.9 times) and the days open (with P4; 95.1 days vs. without P4; 135.8 days and 133.8 days) were significantly decreased. In Experiment 2, the measurement of blood constituents such as albumin, blood urea nitrogen, packed cell volume, ammonia, glucose, total cholesterol, non-esterified, AST and $\gamma$-GTP was performed on the blood samples taken once approximately 14 days postpartum, to monitor both health and nutritional conditions. The milk constituent parameters, such as milk protein (MP), milk fat (MF), SNF and lactose, collected from the monthly progeny test of individual cows, were used to monitor the postpartum nutritional status. Furthermore, the data obtained from the routine measurements of body weight were used to calculate the rate of peripartum body weight loss. The resumption day of the postpartum estrous cycle was assumed from the milk P4 profiles of individual cows. There was no clear relationship between each parameter from blood examination and those from resumption time. However, the cows had low values of MP, and SNF, which significantly affected the resumption of the postpartum estrous cycle. Similarly, a higher rate of body weight loss indicated a significant delay (more than 1 month) in the resumption of the postpartum estrous cycle, compared with the groups that had a medium or lower rate of body weight loss. The results of the present study demonstrated that the implementation of routine milk P4 monitoring-based postpartum reproductive management, together with milk quality parameters and routine BW data available in field conditions may be utilized as a practical approach for increasing the postpartum reproductive efficiency of a high yielding dairy herd.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.211-218
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• 2010

The mammalian ovary is innervated by sympathetic and sensory neurons which contribute to regulating several aspects of ovarian function, including blood flow, steroidogenesis and follicular development. The existence of a neural connection between central neurons and the ovary has been rarely reported, but the mechanism underlying integration of ovarian activity to broader neuroendocrine responses has not been reported. We have now used a viral transneuronal tracing technique combined with a conventional retrograde labeling procedure of CT-HRP to demonstrate that oxytocin-producing neurons of the hypothalamus are synaptically connected to the ovary. Since ovarian activity is suppressed but the activity of oxytocin neurons is increased during breast feeding. Our finding that the oxytocinergic neural connection is likely to provide a direct transsynaptic mechanism by which the central nervous system maintains the state of infertility that accompanies lactation in mammals.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.187-190
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• 1998

The cytotoxic activity of MeOH extracts of the freeze-dried silkworm (Bombyx mori)-derived materials (4th instar larvae, female and mate pupae, virgin female and male adult), dried Beauveria bassiana-infected silkworm larvae, dried feces from the 4th instar larvae B. mori, and dried mulberry (Morus alba)-derived materials (leaves, fruits, root barks) in vitro was evaluated by sulforhodamine B assay, using the five human solid A 549 lung, SK-OV-2 ovarian, SK-MEL-2 melanoma, XF-498 CNS and HCT-15 colon tumor cell lines. The responses varied with both cell line and material used. The 70% hot MeOH extract of B. mori feces (BFH) revealed potent cytotoxic activity against model tumor cell lines whereas moderate activity was observed from the MeOH extract of B. mori feces. M. alba root barks, and M. alba fruits. The other test materials were ineffective. Because of its potent cytotoxic activity, the activity of each solvent fraction from the BFH was determined. Chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions showed the most potent cytotoxic activity. In conclusion, our results may be an indication of at least one of the pharmacological actions of B. mori feces. M. alba root barks, and M. alba fruits.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.246-250
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• 1998

The cytotoxic activity of methanol extracts of 25 leguminous seeds in vitro was evaluated by sulforhodamine B assay, using the five human solid A549 lung, SK-OV-2 ovarian, SK-MEL-2 melanoma, XF-498 CNS and HCT-15 colon tumor cell lines. The responses varied with both cell line arid leguminous seed used. Extracts of Canavalia lineata and Glycine soja revealed potent cytotoxic activity against A549 arid SK-MEL-2 cell lines. Moderate activity was observed in the extracts of Cassia obtusifolia and Glyeine max var. chungtae, and C. lineata and Vigna angulasis against SK-MEL-2 and HCT-15 cell lines, respectively. The other seed extracts were ineffective against model tumor cell lines. Because of their potent cytotoxic activities, the activity of each solvent fraction from C. lineata and G. soja was determined and the potent activity was produced from their chloroform fractions. As a naturally occurring therapeutic agent, leguminous seeds described could be useful for developing new types of anti-tumor agents.