• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.27 no.8
• /
• pp.834-839
• /
• 2004

In human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE(2) cells undergoing apoptotic death induced by ginsenos-ide Rh2, a dammarane glycoside that was isolated from Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, caspase-1 and caspase-3 were activated. The expression of Bax was increased in the cells treated with ginsenoside Rh2, whereas Bcl-2 expression was not altered. Treatment with caspase-1 inhibi-tor, Ac-YVAD-CMK, or caspase-3 inhibitor, Z-DEVD-FMK, partially inhibited ginsenoside Rh2-induced cell death but almost suppressed the cleavage of the 116 kDa PARP into a 85 kDa fragment. When the levels of p53 were examined in this process, p53 accumulated rapidly in the cells treated early with ginsenoside Rh2. These results suggest that activation of caspase-1 and -3 and the up-regulation of Bax are required in order for apoptotic death of SK-N-BE(2) cells to be induced by ginsenoside Rh2, and p53 plays an important role in the pathways to promote apoptosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.59 no.1
• /
• pp.17-22
• /
• 2015

In this study, we examined the effect of acacetin on the apoptosis induction of HeLa human cervical cancer cells. The results showed that acacetin inhibited the cell viability and induced apoptosis, leading to PARP cleavage and activation of caspase-9, -3, and -7. Moreover, acacetin-induced apoptosis was attenuated by a broad caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk. Also, acacetin resulted in a loss of mitochondria membrane potential. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the induction of apoptosis by acacetin in HeLa cells is associated with caspase activation via the mitochondria pathway.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.87-92
• /
• 2005

The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor$p27^{kip1}$(p27) has been implicated in the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis. Recently, we have demonstrated that ceramide induces apoptotic cell death associated with increase in the level of p27 in HL-60 cells. In the present study, we showed that overexpression of p27 increases ceramide-induced apoptotic cell death in HL-60 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of p27 accelerated DNA fragmentation, PARP cleavage and cytochrome c release induced by ceramide. In addition, ceramide induced Sax expression independent of p27. These findings indicate that enhanced effect on apoptosis by p27 is associated with mitochondrial signaling which involves cytochrome c release.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.259-265
• /
• 2002

Resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in grapes, berries, and peanuts, is one of the most promising agents for cancer prevention. Recent studies show that the antitumor activity of resveratrol occurs through p53-mediated apoptosis. This study demonstrated the mechanism that resveratrol induced apoptosis in human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells lacking p53. Treatment of osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells with resveratrol resulted in decrease of cell viability, which was revealed as apoptosis characterized by activation of caspase-3 protease as well as cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) with change of mitochondrial membrane potential transition. These results suggest that resveratrol may be potentially useful to treat osteosarcoma via activation of caspase protease and mitochondrial dysfunction.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.29 no.12
• /
• pp.1140-1146
• /
• 2006

Ceramide analogs are potential chemotherapeutic agents. We report that a ceramide analog induces apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells. The ceramide analog induced cell death through an apoptotic mechanism, which was demonstrated by DNA fragmentation, the cleavage of poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP), and a loss of membrane asymmetry. Treating the cells with ceramide analog resulted in the release of various proapoptotic mitochondrial proteins including cytochrome c and Smac/DIBLO into the cytosol, and a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential. In addition, the ceramide analog decreased the phospho-Akt and phospho-Bad levels. The expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 decreased slightly with increasing Bax to Bcl-2 ratio. These results suggest that the ceramide analog induces apoptosis by regulating multiple signaling pathways that involve the mitochondrial pathway.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.1363-1369
• /
• 2005

Previously we have shown that shikonin has strong anti-tumor activities via inducing apoptosis and suppressing metastasis on LLC cells in vivo and in vitro. Here we have investigated anti-angiogenic potential of shikonin and its possible mechanism of action in HSE cells. Shikonin inhibited the proliferation of HSE cells in a concentration-dependent manner. It was shown that this proliferation inhibition was caused by apoptosis induced by shikonin via BrdU incorporation and Western blotting analysis. Shikonin treatment was caused that decrease of activation of caspases and cleavage of PARP. And shikonin induced that the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38. Moreover, shikonin showed anti-angiogenic activities inhibiting tube-like formation of HSE cells in vitro and vascular formation of LLC cells in vivo. These findings suggest that shikonin may a possible candidate not only anti-metastatic agent but also anti-angiogenic agent.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.62-67
• /
• 2012

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent for management of cancer because of its selective cytotoxicity to cancer cells. However, some cancer cells have resistance to TRAIL. Accordingly, novel treatment strategies are required to overcome TRAIL resistance. Here, we examined the synergistic apoptotic effect of apigenin in combination with TRAIL in Huh-7 cells. We found that combined treatment of TRAIL and apigenin markedly inhibited Huh-7 cell growth compared to either agent alone by inducing apoptosis. Combined treatment with apigenin and TRAIL induced chromatin condensation and the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, enhanced apoptosis by TRAIL/apigenin combination was quantified by annexin V/PI flow cytometry analysis. Western blot analysis suggested that apigenin sensitizes cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by activating both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathway-related caspases. The augmented apoptotic effect by TRAIL/apigenin combination was accompanied by triggering mitochondria-dependent signaling pathway, as indicated by Bax/Bcl-2 ratio up-regulation. Our results demonstrate that combination of TRAIL and apigenin facilitates apoptosis in Huh-7 cells.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.281-288
• /
• 2016

Apoptosis has been regarded as a therapeutic target because apoptosis is typically disturbed in human cancer. Silymarin found in the seeds of the milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been reported to exert anti-cancer properties through apoptosis. This study was performed to investigate the molecular target for silymarin-mediated apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells. Silymarin reduced the cell viability and induced an apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells. ATF3 overexpression increased PARP cleavage by silymarin. Increased ATF3 expression in both protein and mRNA was observed in silymarin-treated cells. In addition, silymarin increased the luciferase activity of ATF3 promoter. Inhibition of JNK and IκK-α blocked silymarin-mediated ATF3 expression. The results suggest that silymarin induces apoptosis through JNK and IκKα-dependent ATF3 expression in human colorectal cancer cells.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
• /
• 2004.06a
• /
• pp.297-301
• /
• 2004

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of MCS-C2, a novel analogue of toyocamycin and sangivamycin, in human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. When treated with MCS-C2, inhibited proliferation associated with cell cycle arrest and apoptotic induction was found in the HL-60 cells in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner. This apoptotic induction was associated with the cleavage of Bid and a release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol, followed by the activation of caspase-3 and inactivation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). However, there was no significant change in any other mitochondrial membrane proteins, such as Bcl-2 and Bax. Consequently, the current findings suggest that the mitochondrial pathway was primarily involved in the MCS-C2-induced apoptosis in the human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.35-41
• /
• 2012

In this study, we examined the effect of luteolin to enhance TRAIL-induced anticancer effect in SK-Hep1 cells. We found that combined use of TRAIL with luteolin markedly enhanced the cytotoxicity compared to either agent alone by inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, combined treatment of TRAIL with luteolin significantly induced activation of death receptor pathway-related proteins as well as PARP-cleavage and activation of effector caspases. Also, our result indicated that upregulation of DR4 and DR5 by luteolin combination may contribute to enhanced susceptibility of SK-Hep1 cells to TRAIL.