• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.3881-3885
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• 2015

Obesity markedly increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Recently, the preventive effects of edible mushrooms on triglyceride elevation and visceral fat accumulation have been reported. Here, the effects of Pleurotus eryngii (Eringi) and Hypsizygus marmoreus (Bunashimeji) on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF; precancerous lesions) in the colorectums of mice fed a high-fat diet were examined. Eringi (ER) and Bunashimeji (BU) mushroom powder samples were used. Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice received an intraperitoneal injection of AOM (10 mg/kg) once a week for two weeks, and were sacrificed and dissected at 6 weeks after the start of the experiment. After the initiation of the experiment, they received a normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD + ER (1 or 5% of diet), or HFD + BU (1 or 5% of diet). As a result, body and fat weights were significantly lower in the 5% ER and BU groups than in the HFD group. Liver triglyceride levels were also significantly lower in the 5% ER and BU groups. Total liver cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the 5% ER group. The numbers of ACF (especially large ACF) showed strong inhibitory effects in both ER and BU groups. Measurement of the cell proliferation marker Ki-67 labeling index in the colonic mucosa demonstrated more significant suppression in both ER and BU groups than in the HFD group. These results suggest that the simultaneous intake of ER and BU may inhibit colorectal tumorigenesis in HFD-fed mice.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.4103-4107
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• 2015

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is the standardized therapy for intermediate stage HCC. However, the prognosis for HCC patients treated by TACE greatly varies. Thus, there is a critical need for finding biomarkers to predict the prognosis of HCC patients. The amino acid transporter-2 (ASCT2) is involved in tumorigenesis and progression of many malignancies. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive role of two single nuclear polymorphisms (SNPs, rs3826793 and rs2070246) in the ASCT2 gene in HCC patients treated by TACE. Materials and Methods: Two functional SNPs (rs3826793 and rs2070246) in the ASCT2 gene were selected and genotyped using the Sequenom iPLEX genotyping system in a cohort of 448 unresectable Chinese HCC patients treated by TACE. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan-Meier curves were used for the prognosis analyses. Results: There was no significant association between two SNPs (rs3826793 and rs2070246) in the ASCT2 gene and overall survival of TACE treated HCC patients. However, we demonstrated that patients with early stage HCC carrying T genotype in rs2070246 showed better OS than those carrying CC genotype (P=0.023). Conclusions: We demonstrated that patients with early stage HCC carrying T genotype in rs2070246 showed better OS than those carrying CC genotype.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.3805-3810
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• 2015

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been found to exert anti-cancer activity in various human malignancies. However, the molecular mechanisms by which ATO inhibits tumorigenesis are not fully elucidated. In the current study, we explored the molecular basis of ATO-mediated tumor growth inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells. We used multiple approaches such as MTT assay, wound healing assay, Transwell invasion assay, annexin V-FITC, cell cycle analysis, RT-PCR and Western blotting to achieve our goal. We found that ATO treatment effectively caused cell growth inhibition, suppressed clonogenic potential and induced G2-M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, we observed a significant down-regulation of Skp2 after treatment with ATO. Furthermore, we revealed that ATO regulated Skp2 downstream genes such as FOXO1 and p53. These findings demonstrate that inhibition of Skp2 could be a novel strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer by ATO.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권17호
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• pp.7575-7582
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• 2015

Cyclin E, a key coordinator of the G1 to S transition in the cell cycle, may be deregulated in several malignancies, including breast cancer. The most significant aberration in cyclin E is its elastase mediated proteolytic cleavage into tumor specific low molecular weight isoforms (LMW-Es). LMW-Es are biochemically hyperactive and biologically drive tumorigenesis in transgenic mouse models. Additionally, expression of LMW-Es has been correlated with poor survival in breast cancer cases. Here we determine whether expression of LMW-Es in a breast cancer cell line that is naturally devoid of these deregulated forms would alter their progression through each phase of the cell cycle. The results revealed that LMW-Es expression resulted in an increased doubling time, concomitant with a predominant increase in the population in the S phase of the cell cycle. Moreover, downregulation of p53 in LMW-Es cells resulted in additional shortening of the doubling time and enrichment of cells in the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle. Furthermore, expression of LMW-Es sensitized cells to ${\beta}$-estradiol (E2) mediated growth and changed expression patterns of estrogen receptor and Bcl-2. Intriguingly, expression of LMW-Es could surpass anti-apoptotic effects raised by p53 upregulation. Taken together these studies suggest that overexpression of LMW-Es in collaboration with p53 loss results in altered g rowth properties of MCF-7 cells, enhancing the oncogenic activity of these ER positive breast cancer cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.1349-1353
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• 2012

Increasing evidence has revealed that thy-1 was a potential stem cell marker of liver cancer, but no data have been shown on how thy-1 regulates the pathophysiology of liver cancer, such as proliferation, apoptosis, invasion and migration. We previously demonstrated that thy-1 was expressed in about 1% of hepg2 cells, thy-1+hepg2 cells, but not thy-1-, demonstrating high tumorigenesis on inoculation $0.5{\times}10^5$ cells per BACA/LA mouse after 2 months. In the present study, our results showed that higher expression of thy-1 occurs in 72% (36/50 cases) of neoplastic hepatic tissues as compared to 40% (20/50 cases) of control tissues, and the expression of thy-1 is higher in poorly differentiated liver tumors than in the well-differentiated ones. In addition, thy-1 expression was detected in 85% of blood samples from liver cancer patients, but none in normal subjects or patients with cirrhosis or hepatitis. There was a significant negative correlation between thy-1expression and E-cadherin expression (a marker of invasion and migraton), but not between thy-1 expression and AFP expression in all the liver cancer and blood samples. We further investigated the relationship between thy-1 and E-cadherin in liver cancer hepg2 cell line which was transfected with pReceiver-M29/thy-1 eukaryotic expression vector followed by aspirin treatment. Lower expression of E-cadherin but higher expressions of thy-1 were detected in hepg2 cells transfected with pReceiver-M29/thy-1. Taken together, our study suggested that thy-1 probably regulates liver cancer invasion and migration.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.1297-1303
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• 2012

Aims: Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy often related to hepatitis viral infection. Smad4 is known to mediate the TGF-${\beta}$ pathway to suppress tumorigenesis. However, the function of Smad4 in HCC is still controversial. In this study we compared levels of Smad4 in HCC tissues with or without hepatitis virus infection and adjacent normal-appearing liver. Methods: Samples from HCC patients were analyzed for Smad4 protein and mRNA expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC), RT-PCR and Western blotting. Results: We found that tumor tissues expressed less Smad4 mRNA and protein than the adjacent tissues. Most HCC tumor tissues were negative for Smad4 in IHC staining, while the majority of adjacent tissues were positively stained. Interestingly, protein levels were higher in HCC tissues with viral hepatitis than those without virus infection. Suppression of expression appeared closely related to HCC, so that Smad4 appears to function as a tumor suppressor gene (TSG). Conclusion: Patients with hepatitis viral infection, at higher risk for HCC, exhibited increased Smad4 protein expression suggesting hepatitis virus may modulate Smad4 expression, which is functionally distinct from its putative role as a TSG. Smad4 expression may thus be an applicable marker for diagnosis and/or a target to develop therapeutic agents for HCC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.1675-1679
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• 2014

Objectives: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of many physiological and pathological processes, including tumorigenesis and metastasis. In this study, we sought to determine the underlying molecular mechanisms of metastatic cervical carcinoma by performing miRNA profiling. Methods: Tissue samples were collected from ten cervical squamous cancer patients who underwent hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node (PLN) dissection in our hospital, including four PLN-positive (metastatic) cases and six PLN-negative (non-metastatic) cases. A miRNA microarray platform with 1223 probes was used to determine the miRNA expression profiles of these two tissue types and case groups. MiRNAs having at least 4-fold differential expression between PLN-positive and PLN-negative cervical cancer tissues were bioinformatically analyzed for target gene prediction. MiRNAs with tumor-associated target genes were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Thirty-nine miRNAs were differentially expressed (>4-fold) between the PLN-positive and PLN-negative groups, of which, 22 were up-regulated and 17 were down-regulated. Sixty-nine percent of the miRNAs (27/39) had tumor-associated target genes, and the expression levels of six of those (miR-126, miR-96, miR-144, miR-657, miR-490-5p, and miR-323-3p) were confirmed by quantitative (q)RT-PCR. Conclusions: Six MiRNAs with predicted tumor-associated target genes encoding proteins that are known to be involved in cell adhesion, cytoskeletal remodeling, cell proliferation, cell migration, and apoptosis were identified. These findings suggest that a panel of miRNAs may regulate multiple and various steps of the metastasis cascade by targeting metastasis-associated genes. Since these six miRNAs are predicted to target tumor-associated genes, it is likely that they contribute to the metastatic potential of cervical cancer and may aid in prognosis or molecular therapy.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.18-22
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• 2002

Background and Objectives: The expression of telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein complex, has been detected in tissues from many human cancers, but not in the majority of normal tissues except germ cell. It is believed that the activation of telomerase is linked to celluar immortality and may playa role in tumorigenesis. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) has been identified as a putative catalytic subunit of human telomerase and its expression is closely correlated with telomease activity. We studied the expression of hTERT in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and resection margin by immunohistochemistry for hTERT and evaluate the correlation between hTERT expression and clinical data in HNSCC. Materials and Methods: We performed a immunohistochemistry in 17 cases of HNSCC and 10 cases of resection margins, histologically normal. The correlations between the hTERT expression and the clinical data in HNSCC were analyzed. Result: hTERT immunoreactivities were detected in 14 of 17 (82.4%) HNSCC, 1 of 10 (10%) resection margin. No correlation was observed between clinical data and hTERT expression in HNSCC. Conclusion: hTERT is activated in HNSCC and its expression is independent from clinical data of patients.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.152-159
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• 2006

Electro-magnetic fields and static magnetic fields generated from diverse home/environmental sources have been reported that these could make harmful effects on the human health such as suppression of immunity and tumorigenesis. However, the mechanisms for the biologic effects of electro-magnetic fields or static magnetic fields are still remained unclear. In this study, we examined the in vitro effects of static magnetic fields (SMF) on murine peritoneal macrophages. The cells were exposed in vitro to SMF of $150{\sim}250$ or $350{\sim}450$ G in 5% $CO_2$-incubator. The phagocytic activity of murine peritoneal macrophages was inhibited under exposure to SMF. In order to provide a more complete picture of molecular mechanism for the biological effect of SMF, we compared the levels of total proteins from macrophages with or without exposure to SMF using quantitative proteomic analysis. Proteins which were differentially expressed in macrophages exposed to SMF compared with non-exposed macrophages, were identified. Among them, the levels of trypsinogen 16, lactose-binding lectin Mac-2, galactoside-binding lectin, actin-like (Put. ${\beta}-actin$, vimentin) and electron transferring flavoprotein beta polypeptide were enhanced under exposure to SMF. These results suggest that SMF can affect the phagocytic activity of macrophages via diverse mechanisms.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제34권4호
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• pp.769-779
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• 1994

The root of Bupleurum falcatum L.(BF) has been widely used in oriental medicine as a major camponent in many prescriptions for chronic hepatitis, renal disease, tuberculosis and some other infectious diseases. Many attempts have done to investigate the therapeutic effects of these principles. However, any kinds of screenig on immune regulatory- and antitumor- effects of BF has not been reported. The present study, therefore, was undertaken to investigate the BF-effects on cellular- and humoral-immune responses, phagocytic activities of macrophages, lymphokine- and Immunoglobulin(Ig)-production of lymphocytes, tumorigenesis of implanted sarcoma 180 cells and B16 melanoma cells, and proliferations of some tumor cell lines(Fsa II, 3LL and EL4). BF increased phagocytic activities of mouse peritoneal macrophages in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Arthus reaction and antibody responses to SRBC were slightly enhanced but delayed hypersensitivity was depresed when BF was injected before- and after-SRBC sensitization. BF inhibited the proliferative responses of human tonsillar lymphocytes to PHA- and Con A-stimulation but slightly augmented the response of these cells to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan 1(SAC)-activation. Ig secretion of human mononuclear cells activated with SAC was slightly increased by BF. BF significantly augmented the SAC-induced IL 6 production of human mononuclear cells but not influenced Con Ainduced IL 2 secretion. NK cell activities of mouse splenocytes were somewhat increased when BF was pretreated and this responses were due to the increment of binding affinities of effector cells to target cells and of lytic activities of effector cells against target cells. In vitro BF significantly inhibited the proliferations of cancer cells such as Fsa II, 3LL and EL4 strains. BF decreased not only the frequency of tumor induction but also the tumor size per sarcoma 180 or B16 cell-implanted mouse. Taken together, these results indicate that BF is one of the potential immunomodulator, and suggest its possibility to be used as a desirable antitumor agent.