• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.691-695
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• 2002

This study was performed to examine the cytotoxic effects of the distilled pine-needle extracts against several cancer cell lines. First, cell lines including mice leukemic cancer cell line (L1210), sarcoma 180 and human monocyte-like cancer cells (U937) were tested using XTT methods in uitro. Pine-needle extracts were prepared by pressing the pine needles and distilling it at below 98$^{\circ}C$ and then added to the growth medium in a final dilution of 10, 20, and 40 times. Growth of three kinds of cancer cells was significantly inhibited by more than 50% with the addition of the extracts. Fifty six to seventy six % of inhibition was shown with the 40 times dilution of the extracts. Greater inhibition was achieved with the 20 times dilution (81~90%) and the 10 times dilution (77~89%) of the extracts. Next, other human cancer cell lines including 3 kinds of breast cancer cell lines (T47D, MDA-MB-231 and MW7A) and one hepatoma cell line (SNU-354) were tested with the 20 times dilution of the extract. T47D and MDA-MB-231 cell lines showed lower inhibition (12%) with the addition of the extract. However, MH7A and SNU-354 cell lines showed 64% and 72% inhibition with the extract, respectively. These results suggest that the distilled pine-needle extracts have strong cytotoxic effect on certain cancer cell lines and the intensity of the effect may vary depending on the process of the pine needle.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.657-665
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• 2006

We recently reported that dimethylsphingosine (DMS), a metabolite of sphingolipids, increased intracellular pH and $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in U937 human monocytes. In the present study, we found that dimethylphytosphingosine (DMPH) induced the above responses more robustly than DMS. However, phytosphingosine, monomethylphytosphingosine or trimethylsphingosine showed little or no activity. Synthetic C3 deoxy analogues of sphingosine did show similar activities, with the C16 analogue more so than C18. The following structure-activity relationships were observed between DMS derivatives and the intracellular pH and $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations in U937 monocytes; 1) dimethyl modification is important for the DMS-induced increase of intracellular pH and $Ca^{2+}$, 2) the addition of an OH group on C4 enhances both activities, 3) the deletion of the OH group on C3 has a negligible effect on the activities, and 4) C16 appears to be more effective than C18. We also found that W-7, a calmodulin inhibitor, blocked the DMS-induced pH increase, whereas, KN-62, ML9, and MMPX, specific inhibitors for calmodulin-dependent kinase II, myosin light chain kinase, and $Ca^{2+}$-calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase, respectively, did not affect DMS-induced increases of pH in the U937 monocytes.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1709-1716
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• 2007

The health benefits of garlic (Allium sativum L.) are derived from a wide variety of components and from the different ways it is administered. The known health benefits of garlic include cardiovascular protective effects, stimulation of immune function, reduction of blood glucose level, protection against microbial, viral and fungal infections, as well as anticancer effects. In the present study, it was examined the effects of water extract of A. sativum (WEAS) on the growth of cultured human tumor cells in order to investigate its anti-proliferative mechanism. Treatment of WEAS to tumor cells resulted in the growth inhibition, especially in leukemia cells, which was associated with induction of G2/M arrest of the cell cycle and apoptosis. In order to further explore the critical events leading to apoptosis in WEAS-treated U937 human leukemia cells, the following effects of WEAS on components of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway were examined: generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), alteration of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and the expression changes of Bcl-2 and IAP family proteins. The cytotoxic effect of WEAS was mediated by its induction of apoptosis as characterized by the occurrence of DNA ladders, apoptotic bodies and chromosome condensation in U937 cells. The WEAS-induced apoptosis in U937 cells was correlated with the generation of intracellular ROS, collapse of MMP, activation of caspase-3 and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins. The quenching of ROS generation with antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine conferred significant protection against WEAS-elicited ROS generation, caspase-3 activation, G2/M arrest and apoptosis. In conclusion, the present study reveals that the cellular ROS generation plays a pivotal role in the initiation of WEAS-triggered apoptotic death in U937 cells.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.279-286
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• 2020

Purple loosestrife-Lythrum anceps (Koehne) Makino is a herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Lythraceae family. It has been used for centuries in Korea and other Asian traditional medicine. It has been showed pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidant and anti-microbial effects. However, the mechanisms underlying its anti-cancer effect are not yet understood. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of apoptosis signaling pathways by ethanol extract of Lythrum anceps (Koehne) Makino (ELM) in human leukemia U937 cells. Treatment with ELM significantly inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner by inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by the formation of apoptotic bodies (ApoBDs), DNA fragmentation and increased populations of sub-G1 ratio. Induction of apoptosis by ELM was connected with up-regulation of death receptor (DR) 4 and DR5, pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein, and inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family proteins, depending on dosage. This induction was associated with Bid truncation, mitochondrial dysfunction, proteolytic activation of caspases (-3, -8 and -9) and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase protein. Therefore, our data indicate that ELM suppresses U937 cell growth by activating the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways, and thus may have applications as a potential source for an anti-leukemic chemotherapeutic agent.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.236-238
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• 2004

This is the first report on the antitumor and immunostimulating activities of Ulva lactuca. Using the WSM (water-soluble fraction of a methanol extract from Ulva lactuca), a concentration of 140 g/mL was found to inhibit 50% of the human leukemia cell line U937 in growth, while splenocyte growth was stimulated up to a concentration of 100$\mu\textrm{g}$/mL. In addition, NO production by a macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7) and alkaline phosphatase activity in mouse splenocytes were both stimulated with 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/mL of WSM. Dose-dependent patterns were observed on all three cell-lines. Accordingly, the current results indicate that VUlva lactuca may be useful as a natural antitumor and immunostimulating agent.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.190.1-190.1
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• 2000

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.149.1-149.1
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• 2000

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.153-157
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• 2007

In order to evaluate the cancer preventive and estrogenic compounds in soybean and Cheongkukjang, MTT assay and in vitro test system for the evaluation of the estrogenic activity were applied. The fractions from the ethanol extract of soybean and Cheongkukjang were prepared by the systematic extraction procedure with the solvents such as hexane, ethyl ether, butanol, methanol and H$_2$O. Ethyl ether fractions of soybean and Cheongkukjang showed the highest cytotoxicity against U937 cell line in dose dependent manner, and ethyl ether fraction of Cheongkukjang showed two times higher cytotoxicity than that of soybean. Aqueous fraction of soybean and ethyl ether fraction of Cheongkukjang revealed the highest estrogenic activity and activity was higher in the fractions of Cheongkukjang than soybean. Mixture of Spirulina and Cheongkukjang showed synergistic activity. These observations concerning cancer preventive and estrogen effects of soybean and Cheongkukjang suggest that these materials possess useful ingredients for the prevention of cancer and/or postmenopausal disorder.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.711-714
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• 1997

In an effort to enhance the lipophilicities, thereby, the penetration into the cell membrane and to increase the antitumor activities of modified derivatives of 2',3'-didehydro-3'-deoxythymidine (d4T, 1), derivatives of 1 were designed and synthesized. Starting from thymidine, 1, 2',3'-didehydro-3'-deoxythymidine-5'-phosphate, disodium salt (d4T-p, 7), and two nicotinate esters of 1; 2',3'-didehydro-3'-deoxy-5'-O-(3-pyridinylcarbonyl)thymidine (d4T-NA, 5) and 2',3'-didehydro-3'-deoxy-5'-phosphoryl-O-(3-pyridinylcarbonyl)thymidine (d4T-p-NA, 8) were synthesized. The lipophilicities of the synthesized compounds were measured by P-values and antitumor activities of those were estimated against mouse leukemia P388, murine mammary carcinoma FM3A, and human histiocytic lymphoma U937 tumor cells in vitro. Although the lipophilicities of the nicotinate esters, 5 and 8 were increased 2.75- and 9.71-fold relative to that of 1 and 7, respectively, the synthesized compounds, 1, 5, 7, and 8 were found to be inactive against P388 and FM3A cells except weak antitumor activity against U937 cell.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.465-469
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• 2015

Background: Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (A. Berger) is commonly used as a folk remedy for cancer therapy. However, the mechanisms of its anti-cancer activity are poorly investigated in human cancer cells. In this study, we investigated whether flavonoids extracted from Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (FEOJ) might have anticancer effects in human leukemia cells, focusing on cell death mechanisms. Materials and Methods: U937 human leukemic cancer cells were used. Results: FEOJ induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in human U937 cancer cells. Flow cytometry revealed significant accumulation of cells with sub-G1 DNA content at the concentrations of $200{\mu}g/mL$ and $400{\mu}g/mL$. FEOJ-induced apoptosis was caspase-dependent through loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP, ${\Delta}{\Psi}m$) in human U937 cancer cells, which might be associated with suppression of Bcl-2 and XIAP proteins. FEOJ induced the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, playing at least in part an important role in FEOJ-induced apoptosis. Conclusions: This study suggested that FEOJ may induce caspase-dependent apoptosis in human leukemic cells by regulating MMP (${\Delta}{\Psi}m$) through suppressing Bcl-2 and X-IAP. In addition, the results indicated that upstream p38 MAPK signaling regulates the apoptotic effect of FEOJ. This study provides evidence that FEOJ might have anti-cancer potential for human leukemic cells.