• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.492-498
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• 2012

Phytochemicals have been known to exhibit potent antioxidant activity. This study examined cytoprotective effects of phytochemicals including quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid, and phytic acid against oxidative damage in SK-Hep-1 cells induced by the oxidative and non-oxidative metabolism of ethanol. Exposure of the cells to excess ethanol resulted in a significant increase in cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid hydroperoxide (LPO), and antioxidant enzyme activity. Excess ethanol also caused a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and the quantity of reduced glutathione (GSH). Co-treatment of cells with ethanol and quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid and phytic acid significantly inhibited oxidative ethanol metabolism-induced cytotoxicity by blocking ROS production. When the cells were treated with ethanol after pretreatment of 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP), increased cytotoxicity, ROS production, antioxidant enzyme activity, and loss of MMP were observed. The addition of quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid and phytic acid to these cells showed suppression of non-oxidative ethanol metabolism-induced cytotoxicity, similar to oxidative ethanol metabolism. These results suggest that quercetin, catechin, caffeic acid and phytic acid have protective effects against ethanol metabolism-induced oxidative insult in SK-Hep-1 cells by blocking ROS production and elevating antioxidant potentials.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.688-693
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• 2002

The anticarcinogenic effects of various food components have received much attention in recent years. However mechanism of anticarcinogens in food materials on cancer cells have rarely been investigated. This study was performed to investigate the effects on the cytotoxicity and quinone reductase (QR) activity of Allium tuberusum (AT) on the human cancer cells. The six partition layers which are methanol (ATM), hexane (ATMH), ethylether (ATMEE), ethylacetate (ATMEA), butaonl (ATMB) and aqueous (ATMA) of Allium tuberusum were screened for their cytotoxic effects on HepG2, MCF-7, HeLa and SK-N-MC cells by the MTT assay. Among the six partition layers, ATMEE had the strongest cytotoxic effect at concentration of $150\;{\mu}g/mL$ which resulted over 95% on HepG2, HeLa, MCF-7 and SK-N-MC cell lines. The ATMEA also showed significant cytotoxic effect on HepG2 and SK-N-MC cell lines. The ATMB showed the highest induction activity of QR on HepG2 cells among the other partition layers. QR activity of HepG2 cells, grown in the presence of ATMB at the concentration of $50\;{\mu}g/mL$, was increased by 3.9 times, compared to the control value of 1.0. Based on these results, the ATMEE and ATMB may have potentially anticarcinogenic and chemopreventive activities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.2993-2999
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• 2014

Saccharina japonica is a family member of Phaeophyceae (brown macro-alga) and extensively cultivated in China, Japan and Korea. Here, the potential anti-cancer effect of n-hexane fraction of S. japonica was evaluated in SK-Hep1 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The N-hexane fraction reduced cell viability and increased the numbers of apoptotic cells in a both dose- and time-dependent manner. Apoptosis was activated by both caspase-dependent and independent pathways. The caspase-dependent cell death pathway is mediated by cell surface death receptors and activated caspase-8 amplified the apoptotic signal either through direct activation of downstream caspase-3 or pro-apoptotic proteins (Bad, Bax and Bak) subsequently leading to the release of cytochrome c. On the other hand, caspase-independent apoptosis appeared mediated by disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and translocation of AIF to the nucleus where they induced chromatin condensation and/or large-scale DNA fragmentation. In addition, the n-hexane fraction induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress and cell cycle arrest. The results suggested that potential anti-cancer effects of n-hexane extract from S. japonica on SK-Hep1 cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.143-148
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• 2008

Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is an integral membrane protein that may function as a scaffold for plasma membrane proteins and acts as a tumor suppressor protein. One causative factor of chemotherapy-resistant cancers is P-plycoprotein (P-gp), the product of the multidrug resistance-1 gene (MDR1), which is localized in the caveolar structure. Currently, the interactive roles of CAV1 and MDR1 expression in the death of cancer cells remain controversial. In this study, we investigated the effects of indomethacin on the cell viability and the expression levels of MDR1 mRNA and protein in a CAV1-siRNA-mediated gene knockdown hepatoma cell line (SK-Hep1). Cell viability was significantly decreased in CAV1-siRNA-transfected cells compared with that of control-siRNA-transfected cells. Furthermore, the viability of cells pretreated with CAV1 siRNA was markedly decreased by treatment with indomethacin (400${\mu}$M for 24 h). However, the protein and mRNA levels of MDR1 were unchanged in CAV1-siRNA-transfected cells. These results suggest that CAV1 plays an important role as a major survival enzyme in cancer cells, and indomethacin can sensitively induce cell death under conditions of reduced CAV1 expression, independent of MDR1 expression.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5397-5402
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• 2013

The rates of morbidity and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not lessened because of difficulty in treating tumor metastasis. Mongolian Saussurea involucrata (SIE) possesses various anticancer activities, including apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. However, detailed effects and molecular mechanisms of SIE on metastasis are unclear. Thus, the present study was undertaken to investigate antimetastatic effects on HCC cells as well as possible mechanisms. Effects of SIE on the growth, adhesion, migration, aggregation and invasion of the SK-Hep1 human HCC cell line were investigated. SIE inhibited cell growth of metastatic cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. Incubation of SK-Hep1 cells with $200-400{\mu}g/mL$ of SIE significantly inhibited cell adhesion to gelatin-coated substrate. In the migration (wound healing) and aggregation assays, SIE treated cells showed lower levels than untreated cells. Invasion assays revealed that SIE treatment inhibited cell invasion capacity of HCC cells substantially. Quantitative real time PCR showed inhibitory effects of SIE on MMP-2/-9 and MT1-MMP mRNA levels, and stimulatory effects on TIMP-1, an inhibitor of MMPs. The present study not only demonstrated that invasion and motility of cancer cells were inhibited by SIE, but also indicated that such effects were likely associated with the decrease in MMP-2/-9 expression of SK-Hep1 cells. From these results, it was suggested that SIE could be used as potential anti-tumor agent.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1998.10b
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• pp.360-360
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• 1998

C11, a chloride-containing VK3 analog, acts as a mediator of programmed cell death in SK-Hep-1 cell lines, but its molecular mechanisms linked to cell death are not understood. In this study, we investigated the expression of p21 gene and its relationship to apoptosis induced by C11. In SK -hep-1 cells, the addition of C11 resulted in time-dependent growth suppression and DNA fragmentation characteristics of apoptosis. p21 protein was induced during this process, while the protein level of p53 was not changed at the same condition. This apoptotic cell death with p21 induction was also observed in the Hep3B cells lacking functional p53 after treatment of C11. These results suggest that C11-induced apoptosis is associated with up-regulation of p21 protein in p53-independent pathway. Next, in order to confirm whether the p53-independent p21 induction is required for C11-induced apoptosis, we introduced the p21 gene into Hep3B. Overexpression of p21 did not affect the expression of the bcl-2 gene, but DNA fragmentation and PARa cleavage were significantly increased. These data indicate that p21 is involved in C11-induced apoptosis. Although Bcl-2 has been implicated to interfere with an essential signaling molecule involved in the apoptosis pathway, its molecular mechanism and target molecule are poorly understood. To determine the effects of bcl-2 overexpression on apoptosis and to investigate whether BcI-2 interfers with the p53-independent p21 pathway, we transfected the bcl-2 expression vector into SK - Hep-1 cels. Overexpression of Bcl-2 prevented C11-induced apoptosis. Taken together, C11-induced apoptosis is regulated by p52-independent p21 pathway and bcl-2 may inhibit functional activity of p21, therebe may inhibit the C11-induced apoptosis.ptosis.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.371-377
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• 2018

The fruits of Panax ginseng were extracted with 80% aqueous MeOH and the concentrates were partitioned into EtOAc, n-BuOH, and $H_2O$ fractions. The repeated $SiO_2$ and octadecyl $SiO_2$ column chromatographies for the EtOAc fraction led to isolation of five ginsenosides. The chemical structures of these compounds were determined as ginsenoside F1 (1), ginsenoside F2 (2), ginsenoside F3 (3), ginsenoside Ia (4), notoginsenoside Fe (5) based on spectroscopic analyses including nuclear magnetic resonance, MS, and infrared. Compounds 2-5 were isolated for the first time from the fruits of P. ginseng in this study. All isolated compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against human cancer cell lines such as HCT-116, SK-OV-3, human cervix adenocarcinoma (HeLa), HepG2, and SK-MEL-5. Among them compounds 2, 4, and 5 showed significant cytotoxicity on cancer cells. Compound 2 exhibited cytotoxicity on SK-MEL-5, HepG2, and HeLa cells with $IC_{50}$ values of 82.8, 86.8, and $78.3{\mu}M$, respectively. Compound 4 showed cytotoxicity on HCT-116, SK-MEL-5, SK-OV-3, HepG2, and HeLa cells with $IC_{50}$ values of 24.5, 25.4, 26.3, 22.0, and $24.9{\mu}M$, respectively. Compound 5 did on SK-MEL-5 cell with $IC_{50}$ value of $81.7{\mu}M$. The cytotoxicity of ginsenoside 2, 4, and 5 isolated from the fruits of Panax ginseng showed strong inhibition effect against on cancer cells, all of which have a glucopyranosyl moiety on C-3.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.37.1-37.17
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• 2021

Hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein has been reported as a key protein regulating the pathogenesis of HBV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent evidence has shown that HBx is implicated in the activation of autophagy in hepatic cells. Nevertheless, the precise molecular and cellular mechanism by which HBx induces autophagy is still controversial. Herein, we investigated the molecular and cellular mechanism by which HBx is involved in the TRAF6-BECN1-Bcl-2 signaling for the regulation of autophagy in response to TLR4 stimulation, therefore influencing the HCC progression. HBx interacts with BECN1 (Beclin 1) and inhibits the association of the BECN1-Bcl-2 complex, which is known to prevent the assembly of the pre-autophagosomal structure. Furthermore, HBx enhances the interaction between VPS34 and TRAF6-BECN1 complex, increases the ubiquitination of BECN1, and subsequently enhances autophagy induction in response to LPS stimulation. To verify the functional role of HBx in liver cancer progression, we utilized different HCC cell lines, HepG2, SK-Hep-1, and SNU-761. HBx-expressing HepG2 cells exhibited enhanced cell migration, invasion, and cell mobility in response to LPS stimulation compared to those of control HepG2 cells. These results were consistently observed in HBx-expressed SK-Hep-1 and HBx-expressed SNU-761 cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that HBx positively regulates the induction of autophagy through the inhibition of the BECN1-Bcl-2 complex and enhancement of the TRAF6-BECN1-VPS34 complex, leading to enhance liver cancer migration and invasion.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.104-111
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• 2005

Several solvents were used to fractionate an extract obtained from the chapped root bark of Ulmus davidiana Planchon. The each fractionary part was condensed under reduced pressure and then examined to investigate the inhibitory effect on MMPs by modified gelatin zymography, where EA fraction showed the inhibition effect on the activity of MMPs. A compound showing inhibition effect on the MMPs was isolated and purified from EA fraction. Under IR, $^1H$- and $^{13}C$- NMR analyses it is very close to a catethin. This substance showed 48% inhibition effect on measurement of MMP-9 activity at 5 mM and 43% at 10 mM. To verify the effect of this substance on cells, human hepatoma, SK-Hep-1 cells as a cancer model, and Chang liver cells as a normal model were selected. MTT assay was performed to examine the cell viability by treatment of $1{\mu}L/mL$ of the purified substance on cells. The purified substance showed negligible toxicity on human liver cell line.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.155-159
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• 2013

Honokiol, a naturally occurring neolignan mainly found in Magnolia species, has exhibited a potential anti-proliferative activity in human cancer cells. However, the growth inhibitory activity against hepatocellular carcinoma cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms has been poorly determined. The present study was designed to examine the anti-proliferative effect of honokiol in SK-HEP-1 human hepatocellular cancer cells. Honokiol exerted anti-proliferative activity with cell-cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and sequential induction of apoptotic cell death. The cell-cycle arrest was well correlated with the down-regulation of checkpoint proteins including cyclin D1, cyclin A, cyclin E, CDK4, PCNA, retinoblastoma protein (Rb), and c-Myc. The increase of sub-G1 peak by the higher concentration of honokiol ($75{\mu}M$) was closely related to the induction of apoptosis, which was evidenced by decreased expression of Bcl-2, Bid, and caspase-9. Hohokiol was also found to attenuate the activation of signaling proteins in the Akt/mTOR and ERK pathways. These findings suggest that the anti-proliferative effect of honokiol was associated in part with the induction of cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and dow-nregulation of Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in human hepatocellular cancer cells.