• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.403-411
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• 2021

This study was designed to evaluate the gastroprotective activity of cirsilineol in hydrochloric acid (HCl)/ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model. Cirsilineol was administered at the doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg in HCl/ethanol-induced rats. The gastroprotective ability was verified by determining the ulcer score, total acidity, hemoglobin, inflammatory cytokines, lipid peroxides, and enzymatic antioxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in gastric tissue and serum biochemical analysis. The results showed a favorable increase in the hemoglobin level, antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT), restored electrochemical balance (carbon dioxide & anion gap) while a noticeable decrease in ulcer index, total acidity, lipid peroxides, inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 beta [IL-1β], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) in rats treated with the cirsilineol. The serum biochemical analysis on liver markers (alkaline phosphatases, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase), kidney markers (urea, creatinine, albumin, globulin, total protein), and lipid profile (triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol) were attenuated by cirsilineol treatment in rats. Histopathology showed enhanced gastric protection and preserved the integrity of gastric mucosa upon cirsilineol administration. These results ultimately suggest that cirsilineol has gastroprotective effects that prevent the development of gastric ulcer.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The $NAD^+$ precursor nicotinamide riboside (NR) is a type of vitamin $B_3$ found in cow's milk and yeast-containing food products such as beer. Recent studies suggested that NR prevents hearing loss, high-fat diet-induced obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and mitochondrial myopathy. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of NR on inflammation and mitochondrial biogenesis in AML12 mouse hepatocytes. MATERIALS/METHODS: A subset of hepatocytes was treated with palmitic acid (PA; $250{\mu}M$) for 48 h to induce hepatocyte steatosis. The hepatocytes were treated with NR ($10{\mu}M$ and 10 mM) for 24 h with and without PA. The cell viability and the levels of sirtuins, inflammatory markers, and mitochondrial markers were analyzed. RESULTS: Cytotoxicity of NR was examined by PrestoBlue assay. Exposure to NR had no effect on cell viability or morphology. Gene expression of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) and Sirt3 was significantly upregulated by NR in PA-treated hepatocytes. However, Sirt1 activities were increased in hepatocytes treated with low-dose NR. Hepatic pro-inflammatory markers including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 were decreased in NR-treated cells. NR upregulated anti-inflammatory molecule adiponectin, and, tended to down-regulate hepatokine fetuin-A in PA-treated hepatocytes, suggesting its inverse regulation on these cytokines. NR increased levels of mitochondrial markers including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ${\gamma}$ coactivator-$1{\alpha}$, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, uncoupling protein 2, transcription factor A, mitochondrial and mitochondrial DNA in PA-treated hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrated that NR attenuated hepatic inflammation and increased levels of mitochondrial markers in hepatocytes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.2655-2660
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• 2016

Background: Prostate cancer is the second most common male cancer and remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Heterogeneity regarding recurrence, tumor progression and therapeutic response reflects the inadequacy of traditional prognostic factors and underlies interest in new genetic and molecular markers. In this work, we studied the prognostic value of the expression of 9 proteins, Ki-67, p53, Bcl-2, PSA, HER2, E-cadherin, $p21^{WAF1/Cip1}$, $p27^{Kip1}$ and $p16^{ink4a}$ in prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 50 prostate cancers diagnosed in Pathology Department of Farhet Hached Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia, during a period of 12 months. Clinico-pathological data and survival were investigated. Protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on archived material. Results: Expression or over-expression of Ki-67, p53, Bcl-2, PSA, HER2, E-Cadherin, $p21^{WAF1/Cip1}$, $p27^{Kip1}$ and $p16^{ink4a}$ was observed in 68%, 24%, 32%, 78%, 12%, 90%, 20%, 44% and 56% of cases, respectively. Overall five-year survival was 68%. A statistically significant correlation was observed between death occurrence and advanced age (p=0.018), degree of tumor differentiation (p=0.0001), perineural invasion (p=0.016) and metastasis occurrence (p=0.05). Death occurrence was significantly correlated with the expression of p53 (p=0.007), Bcl-2 (p=0.02), Ki-67 (p=0.05) and $p27^{Kip1}$ (p=0.04). Conclusions: The p53, Bcl-2, Ki-67 and $p27^{Kip1}$ proteins may be useful additional prognostic markers for prostate cancer. The use of these proteins in clinical practice can improve prognosis prediction, disease screening and treatment response of prostatic cancer.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.201-209
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• 2018

Canine mammary tumors are among the most frequently observed cutaneous tumors in female dogs. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), referred to as tumor-initiating cells, are thought to have properties similar to normal stem cells such as the ability to self-renewal and to differentiate into various cell types. Biological understanding of CSCs and the critical pathways involved in their maintenance are important in research and therapy for mammary tumors. We conducted the present study on sphere formation from REM134 cells by using methylcellulose to produce tumorspheres on a large scale and compared the specific markers of the spheres-formed and plating-cultured REM134 cells. The results revealed that the tumorspheres cultured in methylcellulose had higher seeding density and improved morphology compared to those produced in normal sphere formation medium. Expression levels of stemness markers and CSC-related markers were higher in tumorsphere-forming cells than in plating-cultured cells. Subsequently, we transplanted the tumorsphere-forming and plating-cultured cells into female nude mice to examine their tumorigenic potential. Tumor volume increased rapidly in mice transplanted with tumorsphere-derived cells compared to plating-cultured cells. We observed a novel sphere-forming condition for REM134 cells and showed that REM134 cell tumorspheres can exhibit improved CSC properties.

• BMB Reports
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.127-128
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• 2015

Tumor metastasis involves circulating and tumor-initiating capacities of metastatic cancer cells. Hepatic TM4SF5 promotes EMT for malignant growth and migration. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarkers remain unexplored for metastatic potential throughout metastasis. Here, novel TM4SF5/CD44 interaction-mediated self-renewal and circulating tumor cell (CTC) capacities were mechanistically explored. TM4SF5-dependent sphere growth was correlated with $CD133^+$, $CD24^-$, ALDH activity, and a physical association between CD44 and TM4SF5. The TM4SF5/CD44 interaction activated c-Src/STAT3/ Twist1/ B mi1 signaling for spheroid formation, while disturbing the interaction, expression, or activity of any component in this signaling pathway inhibited spheroid formation. In serial xenografts of less than 5,000 cells/injection, TM4SF5-positive tumors exhibited locally-increased CD44 expression, suggesting tumor cell differentiation. TM4SF5-positive cells were identified circulating in blood 4 to 6 weeks after orthotopic liver-injection. Anti-TM4SF reagents blocked their metastasis to distal intestinal organs. Altogether, our results provide evidence that TM4SF5 promotes self-renewal and CTC properties supported by $CD133^+/TM4SF5^+/CD44^+^{(TM4SF5-bound)}/ALDH^+/CD24^-$ markers during HCC metastasis.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2004

Objectives: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common head and neck malignant tumor. The molecular genetic changes involving both oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes are known to be involved in head and neck squamous cell carcinogenesis, but the roles of the known tumor suppressor genes in carcinogenesis are not fully elucidated. The objectives of this study are to demonstrate the genetic alterations including the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) , amplification, and microsatellite instability of known tumor suppressor genes in HNSCC and to evaluate the relationship between genetic alterations of tumor suppressor genes and clinicopathologic features. Materials and Methods: Genetic alterations of 10 micro satellite markers of the 6 known tumor suppressor genes (APC, EXT1, DPC4, p16, FHIT, and PTEN) were analysed by DNA-PCR in paraffin-embedded histologically confirmed HNSCC specimens. Results: The genetic alterations of tumor suppressor genes were found frequently. Among the genetic alterations, LOH was most frequently found one. LOH was found frequently in APC (45.4%), EXT1 (36.4%), DPC4 (54.5%), and p16 (50%), but not found in FHIT. Also, the author found that abnormalities of APC gene was related to cervical lymph node metastasis and recurrence and that abnormalities of EXT1 gene were coexisted with those of APC gene or DPC4 gene. But these coexistences had no correlation with clinical features. Conclusion: These results suggested that APC, EXT1, p16, and DPC4 genes might play important roles and multiple tumor suppressor genes may participate dependently or independently in the carcinogenesis of HNSCC. These results also suggested that APC gene might relate to prognosis.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2016

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide; therefore there is a need to discover new therapeutic modules with improved efficacy and safety. Immune-(cell) therapy is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of intractable cancers. The effectiveness of certain chemotherapeutics in inducing immunogenic tumor cell death thus promoting cancer eradication has been reported. Ginsenoside Rg3 is a ginseng saponin that has antitumor and immunomodulatory activity. In this study, we treated tumor cells with Rg3 to verify the significance of inducing immunogenic tumor cell death in antitumor therapy, especially in DC-based immunotherapy. Rg3 killed the both immunogenic (B16F10 melanoma cells) and non-immunogenic (LLC: Lewis Lung Carcinoma cells) tumor cells by inducing apoptosis. Surface expression of immunogenic death markers including calreticulin and heat shock proteins and the transcription of relevant genes were increased in the Rg3-dying tumor. Increased calreticulin expression was directly related to the uptake of dying tumor cells by dendritic cells (DCs): the proportion of CRT⁺CD11c⁺cells was increased in the Rg3-treated group. Interestingly, tumor cells dying by immunogenic cell death secreted IFN-γ, an effector molecule for antitumor activity in T cells. Along with the Rg3-induced suppression of pro-angiogenic (TNF-α) and immunosuppressive cytokine (TGF-β) secretion, IFN-γ production from the Rg3-treated tumor cells may also indicate Rg3 as an effective anticancer immunotherapeutic strategy. The data clearly suggests that Rg3-induced immunogenic tumor cell death due its cytotoxic effect and its ability to induce DC function. This indicates that Rg3 may be an effective immunotherapeutic strategy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3851-3854
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• 2013

Objective: To explore changes in the serum tumor makers, hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level and their relations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) before and after intervention. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with NSCLC and 40 healthy individuals undergoing physical examination in our hospital provided the observation and control groups. HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and VEGF levels in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) in the observation group before and after intervention and in control group on the day of physical examination, along with serum carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), neuron-speci ic enolase (NSE) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC) levels in the observation group with a fully automatic biochemical analyzer. Clinical effects and improvement of life quality in the observation group were also evaluated. Results: The total effective rate and improvement of life quality after treatment in observation group were 30.0% and 32.5%, respectively. Serum HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and VEGF levels in the control group were lower than that in observation group (p<0.01), but remarkably elevatedafter intervention (p<0.01). In addition, serum CEA, NSE and SCC levels were apparently lowered by treatment (p<0.01). Serum HIF-$1{\alpha}$ demonstrated a positive relation with VEGF level (p<0.01) and was inversely related with CEA, NSE and SCC levels (p<0.01). Conclusions: Significant correlations exist between marked increase of serum HIF-$1{\alpha}$ and VEGF levels and decrease of indexes related to hematological tumor markers in NSCLC patients after intervention.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.13-21
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• 2019

Objective : The purpose of this study is to report and observe effects of Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) on stage IV metastatic breast cancer patient. Method : A right breast cancer patient diagnosed with metastatic lesions on liver, lung, spleen, multiple bones and skin on right breast April 2013. The patient received Herceptin + Docetaxel + Zometa from May 2013 and started to receive TKM since July 2013 to decrease side effects of chemotherapy. From December 2013 to November 2014, she had received Herceptin 18 times more. The clinical outcomes were measured by computed tomography, laboratory findings including tumor markers (CEA, CA15-3), liver function test (AST, ALT), and numeric rating scales (NRS). Results : After 6 years of TKM treatment combined with standard chemotherapy, tumor size was partially decreased in lung, liver, right pleura and spleen. Levels of tumor markers also showed decrease. There were no severe adverse events induced by TKM based on National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event (NCI-CTCAE) version 4.0. Conclusion : This case suggests that TKM combined with standard chemotherapy could be a promising method for treating metastatic stage IV breast cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.142-149
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• 2001

To investigate the correlation between the clinical features and the expression of p53, PCNA, and Ki-67 of the head neck squamous cell carcinoma, immunohistochemicalstaining of p53, PCNA, and Ki-67 on the paraffin embedded tissue blocks of 116 surgically removed specimens were done. The staining intensity was divided as grade 1 to grade 3 and the results were statistically analysed. 1. The positive reation rates of cell proliferation markers (PCNA and Ki-67) were higher than that of p53. There was significant correlations of the PCNA and Ki-67 expression but there was no significant correlations between p53 and PCNA or p53 and Ki-67. 2. There were no significant correlation between the expression of p53, PCNA and Ki-67 and tumor site or tumor size. 3. There was no significant differences in the positive response according to the nodal status. The node metastasis groups revealed that higher proportion of grade 3 staining of PCNA and Ki-67 than node negative group. From the above results it is concluded that p53 and cell proliferation markers PCNA and Ki-67 might have their unique mechanism involving in the growing and progression of tumor. Overexpression of p53 does not appear to represent an independent prognostic marker in head neck squamous cell carcinoma.