• 생명과학회지
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• 제23권11호
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• pp.1397-1403
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• 2013

괴각(Fructus Sophorae)은 회화나무(Styphnolobium japonicum L.)의 열매를 건조한 것으로 전통 한의학에서 널리 사용되는 약재 중의 하나이다. 본 연구에서는 murine RAW 264.7 대식세포 모델을 이용하여 괴각 추출물 (Fructus Sophorae extracts, FSE)이 면역 조절능에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 이를 위한 대식세포 활성과 연관된 면역 반응 parameter로서 prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$)와 tumor necrotic $factor-{\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$)의 생성에 미치는 FSE의 영향을 조사하였다. 본 연구의 결과에 의하면 FSE는 대식세포의 활성을 유도하였고, $PGE_2$ 및 $TNF-{\alpha}$의 생성을 촉진하였으며, 이는 cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)와 $TNF-{\alpha}$ 유전자의 전사 및 번역 수준에서의 활성화와 연관성이 있었다. 또한 FSE 처리에 의하여 다양한 종류의 cytokine 발현의 증가를 cytokine array 분석을 통하여 확인하였으며, RAW 264.7 대식세포의 활성화에는 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) 및 phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt 경로 활성화가 연관되어 있음을 알 수 있었다. 본 연구의 결과는 괴각 추출물이 면역 증강제로서의 개발 가능성이 매우 높음을 시사한다.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.129-135
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• 2013

Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In advanced and metastatic gastric cancer, the conventional chemotherapy with limited efficacy shows an overall survival period of about 10 months. Patient specific and effective treatments known as personalized cancer therapy is of significant importance. Advances in high-throughput technologies such as microarray and next generation sequencing for genes, protein expression profiles and oncogenic signaling pathways have reinforced the discovery of treatment targets and personalized treatments. However, there are numerous challenges from cancer target discoveries to practical clinical benefits. Although there is a flood of biomarkers and target agents, only a minority of patients are tested and treated accordingly. Numerous molecular target agents have been under investigation for gastric cancer. Currently, targets for gastric cancer include the epidermal growth factor receptor family, mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor axis, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT-mammalian target of rapamycin pathways. Deeper insights of molecular characteristics for gastric cancer has enabled the molecular classification of gastric cancer, the diagnosis of gastric cancer, the prediction of prognosis, the recognition of gastric cancer driver genes, and the discovery of potential therapeutic targets. Not only have we deeper insights for the molecular diversity of gastric cancer, but we have also prospected both affirmative potentials and hurdles to molecular diagnostics. New paradigm of transdisciplinary team science, which is composed of innovative explorations and clinical investigations of oncologists, geneticists, pathologists, biologists, and bio-informaticians, is mandatory to recognize personalized target therapy.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.198-206
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• 2007

Hydroquinone is a toxic compound and a major benzene metabolite. We report that it strongly inhibits the activation of macrophages and associated cells. Thus, it suppressed the production of proinflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-3, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-23], secretion of toxic molecules [nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS)] and the activation and expression of CD29 as judged by cell-cell adhesion and surface staining experiments. The inhibition was due to the induction of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in LPS-activated macrophages, since blocking HO-1 activity with ZnPP, an HO-1 specific inhibitor, abolished hydroquinone's NO inhibitory activity. In addition, hydroquinone and inhibitors (wortmannin and LY294002) of the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway had very similar inhibitory effects on LPS-induced and CD29-mediated macrophage responses, including the phoshorylation of Akt. Therefore, our data suggest that hydroquinone inhibits macrophage-mediated immune responses by modulating intracellular signaling and protective mechanisms.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.242-248
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• 2023

Platelets are activated at the sites of vascular injury by a number of molecules, including adenosine diphosphate, collagen and thrombin. The full platelet aggregation is absolutely essential for the normal hemostasis. Glycyrrhiza glabra is a well-known medicinal herb that grows in various parts of the world and is known to have various effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic, anti-osteoporotic and skin-whitening. However, the platelet inhibitory effect of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract (GGE) has not been identified. In this study, we investigated if GGE inhibited platelet aggregation. We observed that GGE inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation, Ca²⁺ mobilization, and thromboxane A2 generation. In addition, GGE suppressed phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K), Akt and elevated phosphorylation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP). Taken together, GGE showed strong antiplatelet effects and may be used to block platelet-mediated cardiovascular diseases.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2021

본 연구는 갈조류 유래 물질인 후코이단이 인슐린 민감성을 증진시키는지를 규명하기 위하여 3T3-L1 지방세포에서 포도당 흡수에 미치는 후코이단의 영향을 측정하고 그 작용기전을 조사하였다. 후코이단은 지방세포에서 포도당 흡수를 유의하게 증가시켰으며 이는 PM-GLUT4의 발현 증가와 관련이 있음을 관찰하였다. 후코이단은 인슐린 신호전달 경로에서 PI3K의 활성화 및 pIRS1tyr, Akt, PKCλ/ζ의 인산화를 대조군에 비해 유의하게 증가시켰다. 또한, AMPK의 활성화를 나타내는 pAMPK 수준이 유의하게 증가하였다. 이들 PI3K 및 AMPK 활성화는 포도당 수송체인 GLUT4를 세포막으로 이동시켰으며 이로 인하여 PM-GLUT4의 발현이 증가되고 포도당 흡수가 촉진되었다. 후코이단에 의한 PI3K 및 AMPK 경로의 활성화를 증명하기 위해, PI3K 억제제인 Wortmannin과 AMPK의 억제제인 Compound C를 사용하여 이들 처리에 의한 포도당 흡수능과 PM-GLUT4의 발현을 측정한 결과 이들의 발현이 유의하게 저해되었다. 따라서 후코이단은 3T3-L1 지방세포에서 PI3K 및 AMPK 경로를 활성화시킴으로써 인슐린 민감성을 증진하고 포도당 흡수를 촉진시킬 수 있음을 나타내었다.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.384-392
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• 2013

An ethanolic extract of Undaria pinnatifida was fractionated using several solvents. Of the fractions, the ethyl acetate fraction had the greatest inhibitory effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Using this fraction (U. pinnatifida ethyl acetate extract, UPE), we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying its inhibitory effect on LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Pretreatment of the cells with up to $100{\mu}g/mL$ UPE significantly inhibited NO production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, UPE treatment markedly reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), while it strongly suppressed the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) by preventing proteolytic degradation of inhibitor of nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ $(I{\kappa}B)-{\alpha}$. Moreover, UPE treatment significantly reduced the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in LPS-stimulated cells. These results indicate that UPE contains anti-inflammatory compounds and suggest that it might be used as a functional food material that assists in prevention of inflammatory diseases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.4161-4168
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• 2015

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a worldwide health problem, being the third most commonly detected cancer in males and the second in females. Rising CRC incidence trends are mainly regarded as a part of the rapid 'Westernization' of life-style and are associated with calorically excessive high-fat/low-fibre diet, consumption of refined products, lack of physical activity, and obesity. Most recent epidemiological and clinical investigations have consistently evidenced a significant relationship between obesity-driven inflammation in particular steps of colorectal cancer development, including initiation, promotion, progression, and metastasis. Inflammation in obesity occurs by several mechanisms. Roles of imbalanced metabolism (MetS), distinct immune cells, cytokines, and other immune mediators have been suggested in the inflammatory processes. Critical mechanisms are accounted to proinflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-1, IL-6, IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$). These molecules are secreted by macrophages and are considered as major agents in the transition between acute and chronic inflammation and inflammation-related CRC. The second factor promoting the CRC development in obese individuals is altered adipokine concentrations (leptin and adiponectin). The role of leptin and adiponectin in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis is attributable to the activation of several signal transduction pathways (JAK/STAT, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), mTOR, and 5'AMPK signaling pathways) and multiple dysregulation (COX-2 downregulation, mRNA expression).

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.8-16
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• 2009

항암제에 의해 흰쥐에서 다형핵 백혈구(polymorphonuclear leukocytes, PMN) 의 활성산소종(reactive oxygen species, ROS)과 산화질소(nitric oxide, NO)의 생성변화에 대해 연구하였다. 최근 자극유도인자에 의한 PMN의 호흡방출은 protein kinase C (PKC)의 활성, inositol phosphate transduction pathway의 활성, 그리고 intracellular [$Ca^{2+}$]와 관계가 있다고 밝혀졌으며, 본 연구에서 사용된 항암제(cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, tamoxifen, doxifluridine)중 일부는 화학치료제로써 비특이적으로 면역을 억제하는데 사용되고 있다. 암 치료 시 백혈구의 방어기능에 미치는 영향을 연구하기 위한 목적으로 in vitro에서 각 항암제를 처리한 PMN을 배양하여 ROS와 NO의 생성변화와 이차적 신호전달계인 phospholipase C(PLC), D(PLD), PKC, tyrosine phosphorylation kinase (TPK)와 phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase의 억제율을 측정하였다. PMN에 각각cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, tamoxifen, doxifluridine을 short term(${\leq}4hrs$) 처리시, formylmethionyl-leucy1-phenylalanine (FMLP) 자극에 의해 호흡방출의 증가가 나타났다. 반면, long term (8hrs) 처리 시, ROS의 생성은concentration-dependent 방법으로 감소되었다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.4469-4475
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• 2015

Transient receptor potential melastain 7 (TRPM7) is a bifunctional protein with dual structure of both ion channel and protein kinase, participating in a wide variety of diseases including cancer. Recent researches have reported the mechanism of TRPM7 in human cancers. However, the correlation between TRPM7 and prostate cancer (PCa) has not been well studied. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential the role of TRPM7 in the apoptosis of PC-3 cells, which is the key cell of advanced metastatic PCa. In this study, we demonstrated the influence and potential function of TRPM7 on the PC-3 cells apoptosis induced by TNF-related apoptosis inducing-ligand (TRAIL). The study also found a novel up-regulated expression of TRPM7 in PC-3 cells after treating with TRAIL. Suppression of TRPM7 by TRPM7 non-specific inhibitors ($Gd^{3+}$ or 2-aminoethoxy diphenylborate (2-APB) ) not only markedly eliminated TRPM7 expression level, but also increased the apoptosis of TRAIL-treated PC-3 cells, which may be regulated by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway accompany with up-regulated expression of cleaved Caspase-3, (TRAIL-receptor 1, death receptors 4) DR4, and (TRAIL-receptor 2, death receptors 5) DR5. Taken together, our findings strongly suggested that TRPM7 was involved in the apoptosis of PC-3 cells induced by TRAIL, indicating that TRPM7 may be applied as a therapeutic target for PCa.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.37-43
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• 2010

The serine/threonine kinase Akt has been shown to play a role of multiple cellular signaling pathways and act as a transducer of many functions initiated by growth factor receptors that activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). It has been reported that phosphorylated Akt activates eNDS resulting in the production of NO and that NO stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), which results in accumulation of cGMP and subsequent activation of the protein kinase G (PKG). It has been also reported that PKG activates PI3K/Akt signaling. Therefore, it is possible that PI3K, Akt, eNOS, sGC, and PKG form a loop to exert enhanced and sustained activation of Akt. However, the existence of this loop in eNOS-expressing cells, such as endothelial cells or astrocytes, has not been reported. Thus, we examined a possibility that Akt phosphorylation might be enhanced via eNOS/sGC/PKG/PI3K pathway in astrocytes in vivo and in vitro. Phosphorylation of Akt was detected in astrocytes after KA treatment and was maintained up to 72 h in mouse hippocampus. 2 weeks after KA treatment, astrocytic Akt phosphorylation was normalized to control. The inhibition of eNOS, sGC, and PKG significantly decreased Akt and eNDS phosphorylation induced by KA in astrocytes. In contrast, the decreased phosphorylation of Akt and eNDS by eNDS inhibition was significantly reversed with PKG activation. The above findings in mouse hippocampus were also observed in primary astrocytes. These data suggest that Akt/eNOS/sGC/PKG/PI3K pathway may constitute a loop, resulting in enhanced and sustained Akt activation in astrocytes.