• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.79-91
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• 2014

Objectives : To investigate the anti-cancer effect of Palbohoichoon-tang (PBHCT) extracts. Methods : The cell viability was assessed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MMT) assay and cell morphological changes were microscopically analyzed after staining with $10{\mu}M$ 2-[4-amidinophenyl]-6-indolecarbamidine dihydrochloride (DAPI) and TUNEL. We also analyzed expression of Bcl2, $Bcl_{xL}$, Bax, procaspase-3, procaspase-9, and procyclic acidic repetitive protein (PARP) by western blot method. Results : Observations showed that PBHCT induced the apoptotic cell death proved by increased sub-G1 phase cell population, apoptotic body formation and chromatin condensation. Western blot analysis of total cell lysates revealed that the PBHCT induced cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, PBHCT dose-dependently increased the activity of caspase-9, caspase-3 and PARP-1. Furthermore, PBHCT reduced anti-apoptotic Bcl2, $Bcl_{xL}$ expression which contributed to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and the activations of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Conclusions : These findings suggest that PBHCT exerts anti-cancer effects on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells by inducing apoptotic death via down-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl2 and $Bcl_{xL}$, up-regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bax, and activation of caspase cascades and PARP-1.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.280-286
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• 2023

In humic substances, fulvic acid (FA) is a subclass of diverse compounds known as humic substances, which are by-products of organic degradation from microorganisms. FA can suppress the proliferation of tumor cells. Despite numerous studies, the exact mechanism for the various effects of FA is not clearly understood. Based on results demonstrating anti-proliferation effects on human cancer, we investigated whether FA has similar effects on lung cancer in this study. Firstly, the anti-cancer effect of FA in pulmonary epithelial tumor cell lines (TC-1 cells) was examined by confirming its inhibitory effect on the cell proliferation of TC-1 cells. TC-1 cell proliferation was reduced by FA on a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. After 24 hours of FA treatment, cell morphological changes such as cell volume decrease, non-adherence and increased number of apoptotic cells were clearly observed. In addition, FA induced a DNA ladder pattern by increased of DNA fragments in TC-1 cells. In the intracellular regulatory pathway by FA, we confirmed that FA induced the reduction of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2 protein levels. These results indicate that FA has anticancer effect by inducing intracellular apoptotic pathway. Further research on the mechanism of anticancer effects will be basic data for the development of potential anticancer drugs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권21호
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• pp.9445-9451
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• 2014

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children. Approximately half of the affected patients are diagnosed with high-risk poor prognosis disease, and novel therapies are needed. Sanguinarine is a benzophenanthridine alkaloid which has anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study is whether sanguinarine has in vitro apoptotic effects and which apoptotic genes might be affected in the human neuroblastoma cell lines SH-SY5Y (N-myc negative), Kelly (N-myc positive, ALK positive), and SK-N-BE(2). Cell viability was analysed with WST-1 and apoptotic cell death rates were determined using TUNEL. After RNA isolation and cDNA conversion, expression of 84 custom array genes of apoptosis was determined. Sanguinarine caused cell death in a dose dependent manner in all neuroblastoma cell lines except SK-N-BE(2) with rates of 18% in SH-SY5Y and 21% in Kelly human neuroblastoma cells. Cisplatin caused similar apoptotic cell death rates of 16% in SH-SY5Y and 23% in Kelly cells and sanguinarine-cisplatin combinations caused the same rates (18% and 20%). Sanguinarine treatment did not affect apoptototic gene expression but decreased levels of anti-apoptotic genes NOL3 and BCL2L2 in SH-SY5Y cells. Caspase and TNF related gene expression was affected by the sanguinarine-cisplatin combination in SH-SY5Y cells. The expression of regulation of apoptotic genes were increased with sanguinarine treatment in Kelly cells. From these results, we conclude that sanguinarine is a candidate agent against neuroblastoma.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.43-50
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• 2013

Palmitic acid (PAM), one of the most common saturated fatty acid (SFA) in animals and plants, has been shown to induce apoptosis in exocrine pancreatic AR42J cells. In this study, we investigated cellular mechanisms underlying protective effects of oleic acid (OLA) against the lipotoxic actions of PAM in AR42J cells. Exposure of cells to long-chain SFA induced apoptotic cell death determined by MTT cell viability assay and Hoechst staining. Co-treatment of OLA with PAM markedly protected cells against PAM-induced apoptosis. OLA significantly attenuated the PAM-induced increase in the levels of pro-apoptotic Bak protein, cleaved forms of apoptotic proteins (caspase-3, PARP). On the contrary, OLA restored the decreased levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins (Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1) in PAM-treated cells. OLA also induced up-regulation of the mRNA expression of Dgat2 and Cpt1 genes which are involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis and mitochondrial ${\beta}$-oxidation, respectively. Intracellular TAG accumulation was increased by OLA supplementation in accordance with enhanced expression of Dgat2 gene. These results indicate that restoration of anti-apoptotic/pro-apop-totic protein balance from apoptosis toward cell survival is involved in the cytoprotective effects of OLA against PAM-induced apoptosis in pancreatic AR42J cells. In addition, OLA-induced increase in TAG accumulation and up-regulation of Dgat2 and Cpt1 gene expressions may be possibly associated in part with the ability of OLA to protect cells from deleterious actions of PAM.

• Oncology Letters
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.3256-3264
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• 2019

The induction of apoptosis is a useful strategy in anti-cancer research. Various Moon Hyung Yang (MHY) compounds have been developed as novel anti-cancer drug candidates; in the present study, the pro-apoptotic effects of (Z)-5-(3-ethoxy-4-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one (MHY695) on HCT116 human colon cancer cells were assessed. MTT assays were performed to investigate the dose-dependent cytotoxic effects of MHY695 on HCT116 cells. Immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry analyses were performed to identify apoptotic cell death, and western blot analysis was used to investigate the apoptotic-signaling pathways. A mouse xenograft model was also used to determine the effects of MHY695 in vivo. MHY695 decreased the viability of HCT116 cells and induced apoptotic cytotoxicity. The apoptotic mechanisms induced by MHY695 involved the dephosphorylation of Bcl-2-associated agonist of cell death protein following protein kinase B inactivation, induced myeloid leukaemia cell differentiation protein and BH3-interacting domain death agonist truncation, caspase-3 and -9 activation and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. In addition, MHY695 significantly suppressed tumor growth in the mouse xenograft model, compared with the vehicle control. Notably, MHY695 exhibited potent anti-cancer effects in four different types of human colon cancer cell line, including Caco-2, DLD-1, HT-29 and HCT116. Additionally, MHY695 showed reduced cytotoxicity in NCM460, normal colonic epithelial cells. Furthermore, MHY-induced cytotoxicity in colon cancer cells was independent of the tumor suppressor protein p53. Collectively, these observations suggested that MHY695 may be a novel drug for the treatment of colon cancer.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권10호
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• pp.1130-1136
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• 2016

본 연구에서는 꼬시래기 산추출물(acid extraction of Gracilaria verrucosa, AEG)을 이용하여 RC-58T/h/SA#4 primary 인체 전립선 암세포에 대한 증식억제 및 apoptosis 유도효과를 밝히고자 하였다. AEG의 처리는 전립선 암세포에서 24시간에서 농도 의존적으로 증식 억제능을 보이는 반면 정상세포에서는 독성을 나타내지 않아 암세포의 증식만을 선택적으로 억제시킴을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한 RC-58T/h/SA#4 세포에서 AEG의 처리는 apoptotic body 형성 및 핵의 형태 변화를 유도하였으며, anti-apoptotic 인자인 Bcl-2 단백질은 감소시키고 pro-apoptotic 인자인 Bax 단백질은 증가시키는 것으로 나타났다. Apoptosis의 유발과 관련된 주요인자인 caspase-3 단백질의 발현은 대조구와 비교하여 AEG를 처리한 군에서 caspase-3의 발현을 농도 의존적으로 증가시키는 것으로 나타났다. 한편, bisphenol A에 의해 비정상적으로 증식된 전립선 암세포에서 AEG의 처리는 유의적인 전립선암세포 성장억제효능을 나타내었다. 본 연구에서는 AEG가 RC-58T/h/SA#4 전립선암 세포에서 암세포 성장억제효과 및 apoptosis 유도효과를 나타낸다는 것을 확인하였으며, 환경호르몬에 의해 증식된 암에 대해서도 성장을 억제할 수 있는 효능을 가지고 있음을 증명하였다.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.42-66
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• 2008

Aconiti Tuber is a traditional medicinal plant generally used in Oriental medicine therapy. In this study, we investigated the biochemical mechanisms of anti-proliferative effects by the methanol extract of Aconiti tuber (MEBJ) in Caki-1 human renal cell carcinoma cells. It was found that MEBJ could inhibit, in a dose-dependent manner, cell growth which was associated with apoptotic cell death such as formation of apoptotic bodies, DNA fragmentation and increased populations of apoptotic-sub G1 phase. Apoptosis of Caki-1 cells by MEBJ was associated with an up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression, and a down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in a dose-dependent manner; however, the levels of IAP family were not affected. MEBJ treatment also induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and -8, and a inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and $PLC{\gamma}1$ protein. Furthermore, MEBJ treatment caused a dose-dependent inhibition of iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2). Though further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anti-cancer activity of MEBJ, the present findings provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the apoptotic activity of MEBJ in cancer cells.

• 한국유기농업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국유기농학회 2009년도 하반기 학술대회
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• pp.103-113
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• 2009

유기농 및 일반재배 대두를 다양한 용매에서 추출하여 그 추출물에 대한 항산화 효과, 항염증 효과, 대식세포의 세포사멸 보호 효과, 그리고 알레르기 저해효과를 비교하였다. DPPH 법과 SOD 효소의 활성 측정으로 항산화 능력을 평가하였으며, 항염증 효과는 LPS로 유도시킨 Raw 264.7 세포주에서 염증 매개 단백질인 Cox-2와 iNOS의 발현량을 western blotting으로 조사하여 분석하였다. 또한 대식세포 보호 효과를 세포사멸 조절 단백질인 Bcl-xl의 발현량 조사로 평가하였고, 1 mM $H_2O_2$ 처리로 유도되는 세포사멸의 보호효과를 세포 수 측정법으로 조사하였다. 항알레르기 효과는 흰쥐의 비만세포인 RBL-2H3 세포주를 사용하여 IgE로 매개되는 비만세포의 탈과립화를 OPT assay로 측정하여 분석하였다. 그 결과, 일반 재배보다 유기 재배 대두 추출물이 더 좋은 항산화, 세포사멸 보호, 항염증 효과를 나타내었다. 특히 유기농 대두의 열수 추출물은 LPS로 유도시킨 염증반응을 효과적으로 억제하는 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 항알레르기 효과는 모든 추출물에서 히스타민 유리량이 약간 감소하는 것으로 나타나 유기농과 일반재배의 차이를 확인할 수 없었다. 대두에는 많은 유용한 생리활성물질 뿐 만 아니라 알레르기 유발 물질도 존재하는 것으로 알려져 있지만 조추출물 상태에서는 특이적인 알레르기 유발보다 오히려 항알레르기 효과가 나타났다. 결론적으로, 만성 염증 및 천식, 그리고 아토피피부염과 같은 염증관련 질환에는 유기재배된 대두가 일반 대두보다 좋은 억제 효과를 가지고 있다고 판단된다.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.91-102
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• 2012

Bcl-2 protects tumor cells from the apoptotic effects of various anti-neoplastic agents. Increased expression of Bcl-2 has been associated with a poor response to chemotherapy in various malignancies, including leukemia. Hence, bypassing the resistance conferred by anti-apoptotic factors such as Bcl-2 represents an attractive therapeutic strategy against cancer cells, including leukemic cells. This study was undertaken to examine whether the anticancer drug, cisplatin and the synthetic chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) derivative, HS-1200 show anti-tumor activity in U937 and U937/Bcl-2 cells. Viability assays revealed that HS-1200 overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 in human leukemic U937 cells. Various apoptosis assessment assays further demonstrated that HS-1200 overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 in human leukemic U937 cells by inducing apoptosis. In addition HS-1200, but not cisplatin, overcomes the anti-apoptotic effects of Bcl-2 in Bcl-2 over-expressing human leukemic cells (U937/Bcl-2 cells). Notably, we observed that the HS-1200-induced formation of mature promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies (NBs) correlates with a suppression of the anti-apoptotic effects of Bcl-2 in human leukemic cells over-expressing this protein (U937/Bcl-2 cells). Furthermore, HS-1200 was found to induce the association between PML and SUMO-1, Daxx, Sp100, p53 or CBP in the aggregated PML-NBs of U937/Bcl-2 cells. Thus, PML protein and the formation of mature PML-NBs could be considered as therapeutic targets that may help to bypass the resistance to apoptosis conferred by Bcl-2. Elucidating the exact mechanism by which PML regulates Bcl-2 will require further work.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.167-173
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• 2005

To investigate the possible molecular mechanism (s) of bee venom as a candidate of anti-cancer drug, we examined the effects of the compound on the growth of human lung carcinoma cell line A549. Bee venom treatment declined the cell growth and viability of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with induction of apoptotic cell death. Bee venom down-regulated the levels of anti-apoptotic genes such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-XS/L, however, the levels of Bax, a pro-apoptotic gene, were up-regulated. Bee venom treatment induced not only tumor suppressor p53 but also cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, bee venom treatment induced the down-regulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase mRNA and telomeric repeat binding factor expression of A549 cells, however, the levels of telomerase-associated protein-1 and c-myc were not affected. Taken together, these findings suggest that bee venom-induced inhibition of human lung cancer cell growth is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death via regulation of several major growth regulatory gene products, and bee venom may have therapeutic potential in human lung cancer.