• Molecules and Cells
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.364-371
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• 2007

The tumor suppressor gene Ras association domain family 1A (RASSF1A) is highly methylated in a wide range of human sporadic tumors. The current study investigated the hypermethylation of RASSF1A, the expression of RASSF1A protein, and the correlation between these and the clinicopathological features of gallbladder (GB) cancer in Korean patients. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumors and non-neoplastic GB tissues (22 carcinomas, 8 adenomas, 26 normal epithelia) were collected from patients who had undergone surgical resection. The methylation status of two regions of the RASSF1A CpG island was determined by methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and the expression of RASSF1A protein was examined by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarrays. The K-RAS mutation was analyzed by direct sequencing. Methylation of the RASSF1A promoter (region 1) was detected in 22.7% (5/22) of carcinomas, 12.5% (1/8) of adenomas, and 0% (0/26) of normal gallbladder epithelia (P = 0.025). Methylation of the first exon (region 2) was found in 36.4% (8/22) of carcinomas, 25.0% (2/8) of adenomas, and 8.0% (2/26) of normal gallbladder epithelia (P = 0.038). K-RAS mutations were present in 4.5% (1/22) of carcinomas and 25% (2/8) of adenomas. RASSF1A methylaton was not associated with clinicopathological factors or K-ras mutation. Reduction or loss of RASSF1A expression was observed in most methylated adenocarcinomas. Three RASSF1A-expressing human biliary tract cancer cell lines examined contained unmethylated promoters and exons 1. These results suggest that downregulation of RASSF1A expression by DNA hypermethylation may be involved in GB carcinogenesis.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권14호
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• pp.5917-5920
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• 2014

Background: This study aimed to explore the effects of ras association domain family 1 A (RASSF1A) on proliferation and apoptosis of human cervical cancer cell line Hela cells. Materials and Methods: RASSF1A was cloned into the pcDNA3.1(+) vector to generate pcDNA3.1(+)-RASSF1A plasmid for transfection into Hela cells. Changes in the proliferation and apoptosis of cultured Hela cells were examined by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium chloride assay and flow cytometry. A protein array was used to analyze the expression of apoptotic factors. Results: Plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-RASSF1A was generated and transfected into Hela cells to stably express RASSF1A in Hela cells. RASSF1A transfection was effective in inhibiting the proliferation of Hela cells up to 52.4%, as compared to cells transfected with an empty plasmid. RASSF1A expression also successfully induced apoptosis in human cervical cells with an apoptosis rate of 20.5%. More importantly, protein array results showed that RASSF1 A transfection induced overexpression of p21 and caspase 8, while decreasing the expression of survivin in Hela cells. Conclusions: RASSF1A expression was effective in suppressing the proliferation and increasing apoptosis of Hela cells, and may be a potential therapy for cervical cancer in clinic.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.3719-3724
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• 2013

Background: RASSF1A has been reported to be a candidate tumor suppressor in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the association between RASSF1A promoter methylation and NSCLC remains unclear, particularly in regarding links to clinicopathologic features. Methods: Eligible studies were identified through searching PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. Studies were pooled and odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Funnel plots were also performed to evaluate publication bias. Results: Nineteen studies involving 2,063 cases of NSCLC and 1,184 controls were included in this meta-analysis. A significant association was observed between RASSF1A methylation and NSCLC in the complete data set (OR = 19.42, 95% CI: 14.04-26.85, P < 0.001). Pooling the control tissue subgroups (heterogeneous/autologous) gave pooled ORs of 32.4 (95% CI, 12.4-84.5) and 17.7 (95% CI, 12.5-25.0) respectively. Racial subgroup (Caucasian/Asian) analysis gave pooled ORs of 26.6 (95% CI, 10.9-64.9) and 20.9 (95% CI, 14.4-30.4) respectively. The OR for RASSF1A methylation in poorly-differentiated vs. moderately/well-differentiated NSCLC tissues was 1.88 (95% CI, 1.32-2.68, P<0.001), whereas there were no significant differences in RASSF1A methylation in relation to gender, pathology, TNM stage and smoking behavior among NSCLC cases. Conclusion: This meta-analysis suggests a significant association between RASSF1A methylation and NSCLC, confirming the role of RASSF1A as a tumor suppressor gene. Large-scale and well-designed case-control studies are needed to validate the associations identified in the present meta-analysis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제73권1호
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• pp.11-21
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• 2012

Background: While qualitative analysis of methylation has been reviewed, the quantitative analysis of methylation has rarely been studied. We evaluated the methylation status of CDKN2A, $RAR{\beta}$, and RASSF1A promoter regions in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) by using pyrosequencing. Then, we evaluated the association between methylation at the promoter regions of these tumor suppressor genes and the clinicopathological parameters of the NSCLCs. Methods: We collected tumor tissues from a total of 53 patients with NSCLCs and analyzed the methylation level of the CDKN2A, $RAR{\beta}$, and RASSF1A promoter regions by using pyrosequencing. In addition, we investigated the correlation between the hypermethylation of CDKN2A and the loss of $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression. Results: Hypermethylation of CDKN2A, $RAR{\beta}$, and RASSF1A promoter regions were 16 (30.2%), 22 (41.5%), and 21 tumors (39.6%), respectively. The incidence of hypermethylation at the CDKN2A promoter in the tumors was higher in undifferentiated large cell carcinomas than in other subtypes (p=0.002). Hyperrmethylation of CDKN2A was significantly associated with $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression loss (p=0.045). With regard to the clinicopathological characteristics of NSCLC, certain histopathological subtypes were found to be strongly associated with the loss of $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression (p=0.016). Squamous cell carcinoma and undifferentiated large cell carcinoma showed $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression loss more frequently. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves analysis showed that methylation level and patient survival were barely related to one another. Conclusion: We quantitatively analyzed the promoter methylation status by using pyrosequencing. We showed a significant correlation between CDKN2A hypermethylation and $p16^{INK4A}$ immunoexpression loss.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.54-63
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• 2010

Flavonoid 계열의 한 종류인 baicalin은 항염증, 항암, 항바이러스, 항세균 등의 효능을 가진다. 본 연구진은 선행연구를 통한 이전의 보고에서 baiclain이 adipogenesis pathway(지방세포 형성 경로)의 anti-adipogenic(지방세포 형성억제)과 pro-adipogenic(지방세포 형성 유도) factor들을 조절함으로써 비만 및 adipogenesis를 억제함을 밝혔다. 본 연구에서는, microarray 기술을 이용하여 3T3-L1 세포에서 baiclain이 유도하는 지방세포 형성 억제 효과에 대한 분자적 기작을 보다 상세하게 연구하고자 하였다. 지방세포의 분화 시간(0일, 2일, 4일 및 7일)과 분화 시 baicalin의 처리 유무에 따라 유전자 발현 양상을 분석하기 위해 해당 시료들을 microarray에 적용하였다. Microarray 결과로부터 2배이상의 변화가 있는 3972개의 유전자를 확보하였다. 그 유전자들의 발현 양상을 좀 더 자세히 살펴보기 위해 hierarchical clustering 분석을 진행하였고 그 결과로 20개의 cluster를 분류할 수 있었다. 그들 중 4개의 cluster는 분화의 전반적인 기간에서 baicalin의 첨가에 의해 뚜렷하게 상승(cluster 8과 cluster 10)하거나 반대로 뚜렷하게 감소(cluster 12와 cluster 14)하는 양상을 보였다. Cluster 8과 cluster 10에는 CHOP(CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein), INSIG1(insulin induced gene 1), WISP2(WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 2), ADM(adrenomedullin), CCND2(cyclin D2), GRN(granulin) 및 TGFB3(transforming growth factor, beta 3)과 같은 세포 증식과 지방세포 형성 억제를 상승시키는 유전자들이 다수 포함되었다. 반대로 cluster 12와 cluster 14에는 세포 증식 억제, 세포 주기 억제 및 세포 성장 억제와 연관되거나 지방세포를 유도하는 유전자인 LTA(lympotoxin A), ACADSB(acyl-Coenzyme A dehydrogenase, short/branched chain), HMGCS2(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A synthase 2), IGFBP7(insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7), MERTK(c-merproto-oncogene tyrosine kinase), RASSF2(ras association(RalGDS/AF-6) domain family 2), RHOU(ras homolog gene family, member U) 및 SESN1(sestrin1) 등이 포함되었다. 결론적으로 baicalin은 세포 증식 및 지방세포 형성과 연관된 유전자들을 조절함으로써 지방세포의 분화를 억제하는 것으로 사료된다. 이러한 결과는 baicalin이 유도하는 지방세포 형성 억제 및 비만 억제 효과의 분자적 기작에 대한 중요한 정보를 제시한다.