• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.303-311
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• 2000

Purpose: Thallium behaves similarly to potassium in vivo. Potassium channel opener (K-opener) opens ATP-sensitive $K^+$-channel located at cell membrane, resulting in potassium efflux from cytosol. We have previously reported that K-opener can alter biokinetics of Tl-201 in cultured cells and in vivo. Malignant tumor cells have high Na-K ATPase activity due to increased metabolic activities and dedifferentiation, and differential delineation of malignant tumor can be possible with Tl-201 imaging. K-opener may affect tumoral uptake of Tl-201 in vivo. To investigate the effects of pinacidil (one of the potent K-openers) on the localization of the tumor with Tl-201 chloride, we evaluated the changes in biodistribution of Tl-201 with pinacidil treatment in tumor-bearing mice. Materials and Methods: Baltic mice received subcutaneous implantation of murine breast cancer cells in the thigh and were used for biodistribution study 3 weeks later. $100{\mu}g$ of pinacidil dissolved in $200{\mu}l$ DMSO/PBS solution was injected intravenously via tail vein at 10 min after 185 KBq ($5{\mu}Ci$) Tl-201 injection. Percentage organ uptake and whole body retention ratio of Tl-201 were measured at various periods after injection, and values were compared between control and pinacidil-treated mice. Results: Pinacidil treatment resulted in mild decrease in blood levels of Tl-201, but renal uptakes were markedly decreased at 30-min, 1- and 2-hour, compared to control group. Hepatic, intestinal and muscular uptake were not different. Absolute percentage uptake and tumor to blood ratios of Tl-201 were lower in pinacidil treated mice than in the control group at all time points measured. Whole body retention ratio of Tl-201 was lower in pinacidil treated mice ($58{\pm}4%$ ), than in the control group ($67{\pm}3%$) at 24 hours after with injection of $100{\mu}g$ pinacidil. Conclusion: K-opener did not enhance, but rather decreased absolute tumoral uptake and tumor-to-blood ratios of Tl-201. Decreased whole body retention ratio and renal uptake were observed with pinacidil treatment in tumor-bearing mice.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.2413-2419
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• 2013

Background: Use of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs ) is now standard for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the effects of EGFR-TKIs in maintenance therapy for advanced NSCLC patients are still unclear. The preent meta-analysis was performed to examine pooled data of randomized control trials (RCT) where EGFR-TKIs were compared against placebo in maintenance regimens for patients with advanced NCSLC to quantify potential benefits and determine safety. Methods: Several data bases were searched, including PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL, and we performed an internet search of conference literature. The endpoints were objective response rates (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). We performed a meta-analysis of the published data, using Comprehensive Meta Analysis software (Version 2.0). with a fixed effects model and an additional random effects model, when applicable. The results of the meta-analysis are expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) or risk ratios (RRs), with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Results: The final analysis included six trials, covering 3,758 patients. Compared with placebo, EGFR-TKIs maintenance therapy improved ORR and PFS for patients with advanced NSCLC, the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05), but proved unable to prolong patients' OS. The main adverse reactions were diarrhea and rashes. Conclusion: EGFR-TKIs demonstrated encouraging efficacy, safety and survival when delivered as maintenance therapy for patients with advanced NSCLC after first-line chemotherapy, especially for the patients who had adenocarcinomas, were female, non-smokers and patients with EGFR gene mutations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6511-6517
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• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to study the relationship between thrombocytosis and clinical features of gastric cancerfocussing on platelet counts and gastric cancer progression through different TNM stages. Methods: According to the normal range of platelet count in our institution, 1,596 patients were divided to two groups: a thrombocytosis group (120 patients, > $400{\times}1000/{\mu}L$) and a control group (1,476 patients, ${\leq}400{\times}1000/{\mu}L$). Results: The incidence of thrombocytosis was 7.5%. Higher platelet counts were observed in patients with older age, larger tumor size, deeper invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and advanced TNM stage. In multivariate logistic regression, tumor size, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage were independent risk factors for thrombocytosis of gastric cancer patients. On prognostic analysis, age, tumor size, tumor location, histologic type, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and TNM stage and platelet count were important factors. Tumor size, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage and the platelet count were independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: Thrombocytosis is associated with clinical features of gastric cancer patients and correlates with a poor prognosis.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.301-307
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) to inhibit 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats. Female Sprague Dawley rats were fed a control diet (NC and DC) or an ethanol extract of turmeric (DT) diet until the end of the experiment. The rats in the DC and DT groups were administered a single dose of DMBA (50 mg/Kg) by oral gavages at 50 days of age. The turmeric ethanol extracts decreased the incidence and multiplicity of DMBA-induced mammary tumor. The turmeric ethanol extract significantly decreased the tumor cell proliferation. The turmeric also significantly decreased the tumor grade based on the degree of the tubule formation. The results suggest that the ethanol extract of turmeric has an inhibitory effect against mammary carcinogenesis, and that such chemopreventive effect may be related to the inhibition of the initiation and the proliferation of tumor cells.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2004

Radioiodide uptake in thyroid follicular epithelial cells, mediated by a plasma membrane transporter, sodium iodide symporter (NIS), provides a first step mechanism for thyroid cancer detection by radioiodide injection and effective radioiodide treatment for patients with invasive, recurrent, and/or metastatic thyroid cancers after total thyroidectomy. NIS gene transfer to tumor cells may significantly and specifically enhance internal radioactive accumulation of tumors following radioiodide administration, and result in better tumor control. NIS gene transfers have been successfully performed in a variety of tumor animal models by either plasmid-mediated transfection or virus (adenovirus or retrovirus)-mediated gene delivery. These animal models include nude mice xenografted with human melanoma, glioma, breast cancer or prostate cancer, rats with subcutaneous thyroid tumor implantation, as well as the rat intracranial glioma model. In these animal models, non-invasive imaging of in vivo tumors by gamma camera scintigraphy after radioiodide or technetium injection has been performed successfully, suggesting that the NIS can serve as an imaging reporter gene for gene therapy trials. In addition, the tumor killing effects of I-131, ReO4-188 and At-211 after NIS gene transfer have been demonstrated in in vitro clonogenic assays and in vivo radioiodide therapy studies, suggesting that NIS gene can also serve as a therapeutic agent when combined with radioiodide injection. Better NIS-mediated imaging and tumor treatment by radioiodide requires a more efficient and specific system of gene delivery with better retention of radioiodide in tumor. Results thus far are, however, promising, and suggest that NIS gene transfer followed by radioiodide treatment will allow non-invasive in vivo imaging to assess the outcome of gene therapy and provide a therapeutic strategy for a variety of human diseases.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.164-169
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• 2015

In the present study, we determined the effect of $18{\beta}$-glycyrrhetinic acid ($18{\beta}$-GA) in the mice model bearing xenografts of HT-29 human colon cancer cell line. Data from the cytotoxicity assay displayed that $18{\beta}$-GA induced cell death in HT-29. The cytotoxicity was enhanced as the $18{\beta}$-GA treatment was prolonged. In case of 72 hrs treatment, $LD_{50}$ of $18{\beta}$-GA was approximately $90{\mu}M$, and the efficacy at $100{\mu}M$ of $18{\beta}$-GA appeared to be equivalent to that of doxorubicin at $1{\mu}M$. Based on the in vitro data, we tested the anti-tumor effect of $18{\beta}$-GA in thymic mice (Balb/c strain). Xenograft tumors were generated by subcutaneous injection of HT-29 ($3{\times}10^6cells/mouse$) to mice and the mice were treated intraperitoneally with $18{\beta}$-GA ($50{\mu}g/time/mouse$) every other day for 4 times. The tumor volumes were measured for a period of 14 days. Data displayed that the $18{\beta}$-GA treatment reduced the tumor volumes (P < 0.05) as compared to control mice. However, this activity was demolished when athymic mice (Balb/c nu/nu) were used instead of thymic mice. This observation appeared that T lymphocyte played an important role in the anti-tumor activity. In conclusion, our results indicate that $18{\beta}$-GA has anti-tumor activity in HT-29 tumor-bearing mice, which may be associated with T cells.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.462-470
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• 2011

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) actively suppress immune cells and have been considered as an impediment to successful cancer immunotherapy. Many approaches have been made to overcome such immunosuppressive factors and to exert effective anti-tumor effects, but the possibility of using medicinal plants for this purpose has been overlooked. Korean red ginseng (KRG) is widely known to possess a variety of pharmacological properties, including immunoboosting and anti-tumor activities. However, little has been done to assess the anti-tumor activity of KRG on MDSCs. Therefore, we examined the effects of KRG on MDSCs in tumor-bearing mice and evaluated immunostimulatory and anti-tumor activities of KRG through MDSC modulation. The data show that intraperitoneal administration of KRG compromises MDSC function and induces T cell proliferation and the secretion of IL-2 and IFN-${\gamma}$, while it does not exhibit direct cytotoxicity on tumor cells and reduced MDSC accumulation. MDSCs isolated from KRG-treated mice also express significantly lower levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and IL-10 accompanied by a decrease in nitric oxide production compared with control. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that KRG enhances T cell function by inhibiting the immunosuppressive activity of MDSCs and suggests that although KRG alone does not exhibit direct anti-tumor effects, the use of KRG together with conventional chemo- or immunotherapy may provide better outcomes to cancer patients through MDSC modulation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2011

Many reports indicate that $18{\beta}$-glycyrrhetinic acid ($18{\beta}$-GA) from Glycyrrhizae Radix has anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory activities, whereas reports regarding anticancer activity of the compound are few. In present study, we investigated antitumor effect of $18{\beta}$-GA on tumor caused by A549 cancer cell in mice. Data resulting from the cytotoxicity assay showed that $18{\beta}$-GA caused killing of A549 cells. $LD_{50}$ values of $18{\beta}$-GA were app. 180 ${\mu}M$ and 80 ${\mu}M$, corresponding to 48 hr- and 72 hr-treatments, displaying that the killing activity was more effective as the $18{\beta}$-GA treatment was prolonged. Based on these data, antitumor effect of $18{\beta}$-GA was tested in nude mice. For induction of the tumor, A549 ($3{\times}10^6$ cells/mouse) was injected subcutaneously into the lateral abdomen of nude mice (Balb/c nu/nu). To determine the antitumor effect, nude mice with tumor were given $18{\beta}$-GA (1 mg/200 ${\mu}l$/mouse) intraperitoneally every three days for four times. Tumor-sizes were measured with a caliper for a period of 24 days. Results showed that the $18{\beta}$-GA treatment reduced the tumor-sizes (P<0.05) as compared with negative control nude mice that received diluent (DPBS). The reduction degree was greater than reduction degree by doxorubicin (60 ${\mu}g$/mouse), and the pattern of reduction was almost sustained during the entire period of the observation. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate that $18{\beta}$-GA has antitumor activity to the A549 cancer cell-caused tumor.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.405-416
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• 2007

Objective : Lots of papers have revealed that tumor growth related factors such as EGF, EGFR, c-erbB-2 play an important role in tumorigenesis and proliferation. These factors are found in most tumors of ectodermal origin. But, documentations of tumor growth related factors on salivary gland tumors were rare. Therefore, we determined expressions of tumor growth related factors; PCNA, p53, EGF, EGFR, cerbB2(HER-2), Maspin, DMBT-1, N-Ras in representative salivary gland tumors. Materials and methods : A few types of salivary tumors were examined by immunohistochemical assays. Each antibody was applied to specimens of tumors. Specimens were composed of 5 pleomorphic adenomas (PA), 3 mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MEC), 2 adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC) and 2 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) from 12 patients. One specimen was selected randomly as negative control. For evaluation of staining intensity, each stained sample was divided into 5 grade; no staining, obscure, weak staining, moderate staining, strong staining. Results : Strong expressions of PCNA were found in all tumors except of PA. EGF was expressed strongly in SCC, ACC sequently. But in both PA and MEC, EGF expression was weak. EGFR and c-erbB-2 expression showed similar patterns in all salivary gland tumor tissues. P53 showed weak expression generally in all salivary gland tumors. DMBT-1 was expressed in SCC rather than in ACC or in MEC. N-Ras showed weak expressions in all salivary gland tumors except of squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusion : Taken together, tumor growth related factors were expressed in salivay tumors as well as mucosal squamous cell carcinoma. Especially EGFR and c-erbB-2 could be candidates as diagnostic markers for estimating clinical grade of salivary gland tumors. But further studies with reliable methods will be needed to confirm the results of this study.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1491-1498
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• 2006

The feasibility of pullulan acetate nanoparticles (PAN) with ionic strength (IS) sensitivity as a radioisotope carrier to inhibit tumor growth is demonstrated. PAN was radiolabeled with rhenium 188 (Re-188) without any chelating agents. The labeling efficiency of Re-188 into PAN (Re-188PAN) was $49.3{\pm}4.0%$ as determined by TLC. The tumor volumes of mice treated with 0.45 mCi of Re-188-PAN were measured and compared with that of free Re-188 after 5 days of intratumoral injection. For the histological evaluation of apoptotic nuclei of tumor cells, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotinylated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining were performed. The mean tumor volume of the Re-188-PAN-treated group was decreased by 36% after 5 days, whereas that the free Re-188-treated group was decreased by only 15% (P<0.05). The mean number of TUNEL-positive cells in Re-188-PAN-treated tumors at $144.3{\pm}79.9$ cells/section was significantly greater than the control ($26.7{\pm}7.9$ cells/section, P=0.03). The numbers of leukocyte and lymphocyte were decreased in both free Re-188- and Re-188-PAN-treated mice. These results indicated that the intratumoral injection of Re-188-PAN effectively inhibits the tumor growth by prolonging Re-188 retention time in tumor site induced by the IS sensitivity.