• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3797-3803
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• 2016

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide and thus one of the leading causes of mortality in women. Lovastatin, a non polar, anticholesterol drug has previously been reported to exert antitumour activity in vitro. In the present study, lovastatin from Aspergillus terreus (KM017963) was purified by adsoprtion chromatography and evaluated for its anticancer and anti-oxidant properties with a human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa). Growth inhibitory and proapoptotic effects of purified lovastatin on HeLa cells were investigated by determining its influence on cell numbers, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), DNA fragmentation and antioxidant properties in terms of hydroxy radical scavenging effects as well as levels of total reduced glutathione. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry (propidium iodide staining) confirmed induction of apoptotic cell death and revealed cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. Results of the study give leads for the anticancer effects of lovastatin and its potential usefulness in the chemotherapy of cervical cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1009-1015
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• 2007

In this communication, we report the efficacy of $\beta$-carotene towards differentiation and apoptosis of leukemia cells. Dose ($20{\mu}M$) and time dependence (12 h) tests of $\beta$-carotene showed a higher magnitude of decrease (significance p < 0.05) in cell numbers and cell viability in HL-60 cells than U937 cells but not normal cell like Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC). Microscopical observation of $\beta$-carotene treated cells showed a distinct pattern of morphological abnormalities with inclusion of apoptotic bodies in both leukemia cell lines. When cells were treated with $20{\mu}M$ of $\beta$-carotene, total genomic DNA showed a fragmentation pattern and this pattern was clear in HL-60 than U937 cells. Both the cell lines, on treatment with $\beta$-carotene, showed a clear shift in $G_1$ phase of the cell cycle. In addition the study also revealed anti-oxidant properties of $\beta$-carotene since there was reduction in relative fluorescent when treated than the control at lower concentration. Collectively this study shows the dual phenomenon of apoptosis and differentiation of leukemia cells on treatment with $\beta$-carotene.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.944-951
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• 2007

3-Hydrogenkwadaphnin (3-HK) is a daphnane-type diterpene ester isolated from Dendrostellera lessertii (Thymelaeaceae) with high differentiation and apoptotic potency in leukemic cells without any measurable adverse effects on normal cells (Moosavi et al., 2005b). In this study, we report that 3-HK (12 nM) has the ability to cease proliferation, induce differentiation and apoptosis in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) K562 cell line. The treated cells lost erythroid properties and differentiated along the megakaryocytic lineage based on the morphological features apparent after Wright-Giemsa staining, DNA content analysis and the expression of cell surface marker glycoprotein IIb as analyzed by flow cytometry. Moreover, using Hoechst 33258 and Annexin V double staining indicated the occurrence of apoptosis among the treated cells. On the other hand, restoration of the depleted GTP pool size by exogenous addition of guanosine ($50{\mu}M$) reduced the effect of the drug regarding the extent of differentiation while no further enhancement of 3-HK effect was obtained by addition of exogenous hypoxanthine ($100{\mu}M$). These interesting results necessitate further investigation regarding the mechanism of action of this unique anti-leukemic agent.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1125-1131
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• 2006

This study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of diallyl disulfide (DADS), an oil-soluble organosulfur compound found in garlic, in suppressing human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. A potent increase (of at least 9-fold) in apoptotic cells has accompanied 1) a decrease in cell viability, 2) a increase of the fraction of S-phase cells by up to 63.8%, and 3) a transient increase of the phospho-p38 and phospho-p42/44 (phosphorylated p38 MAPK and phosphorylated p42/44 MAPK) in a time-and concentration-dependent manner. These results indicate that DADS can induce apoptosis in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via, at least partly, S-phase block of the cell cycle, related to a rise in MAPK phosphorylation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2004

Paecilomyces tenuipes is one of the famous Chinese medicinal entomopathogenic fungi that parasite in the lavae of silkworm. A cytotoxic compound, 4$\beta$-acetoxyscirpendiol (ASD) was isolated from a methanolic extracts of Paecilomyces tenuipes. The ASD compound belongs to scirpenol subfamily of trichothecene mycotoxin. In a continuation of the elucidation of the mechanism of ASD, we report here the evidences of induction of apoptosis by ASD in human Jurkat T cell line. In MTT reduction assay for monitoring cell viability, ASD showed strong toxicity. The 50 percent inhibitory concentrations of ASD against human T lymphoid Jurkat cell was 59.5 ng/$m\ell$. Phosphatidylserine externalization was increased by ASD at 3 and 6 hrs when compared with that of 6 hrs in the cell line showing in a time-dependent manner. When whole lysates of cells treated with ASD were subjected to western blot assay, 113 kDa poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was significantly cleaved to 89 kDa fragment. Time-dependent DNA fragmentation was also observed when Jurkat T cells were treated with ASD at 100 ng/$m\ell$ for 6 hrs and 18 hrs at the ratios of 8.5% and 15.0%, respectively. From these data, Jurkat T lymphocytes treated with ASD from Paecilomyces tenuipes underwent typical cascades of apoptotic cell death.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.15-25
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• 2015

Objectives : In this study, we investigated the anti-proliferative and apoptosis inducing effect of water extract of Chelidonium majus (CM) on human breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231. Methods : The MTT assay was used to assess cell proliferation. The expression of apoptosis related gene was assessed by quantitative Real-time PCR. Cell apoptosis detected by flow cytometry using Annexin-V/PI staining. Results : Our data revealed that CM inhibited the cell growth in a dose dependent manner (0, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 μg/ml). CM increased mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic genes Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9. Annexin-V/PI staining assays revealed that apoptosis-induced cell death increased in a dose-dependent manner in cells. Conclusions : CM induces cell death in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell and shows potentials for use in cancer therapy as apoptosis-inducing agent.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.2133-2139
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• 2014

4-Methylsulfinyl-3-butenyl isothiocyanate (MTBITC) found in the radish (Raphanus sativus L.), is a wellknown anticancer agent. In this study, the mechanisms of the MTBITC induction of cell apoptosis in human A549 lung cancer cells were investigated. Our PI staining results showed that MTBITC treatment significantly increased the apoptotic sub-G1 fraction in a dose-dependent manner. The mechanism of apoptosis induced by MTBITC was investigated by testing the change of mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}m$), the expression of mRNAs of apoptosis-related genes by RT-PCR, and the activities of caspase-3 and -9 by caspase colorimetric assay. MTBITC treatment decreased mitochondrial membrane potential by down-regulating the rate of Bcl-2/Bax and Bcl-xL/Bax, and activation of caspase-3 and -9. Therefore, mitochondrial pathway and Bcl-2 gene family could be involved in the mechanisms of A549 cell apoptosis induced by MTBITC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.sup3
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• pp.299-304
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• 2016

Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) is a secreted tripartite genotoxin produced by many pathogenic gram-negative bacteria. It is composed of three subunits, CdtA, CdtB and CdtC, and CdtB-associated deoxyribonuclease (DNase) activity is essential for the CDT toxicity. In the present study, to design a novel potentially antitumor drug against lung cancer, the possible mechanisms of cdtB anticancer properties were explored in the A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell line. A recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1/cdtB was constructed expressing CdtB of human periodontal bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and investigated for toxic properties in A549 cells and possible mechanisms. It was observed that plasmid pcDNA3.1/cdtB caused loss of cell viability, morphologic changes and induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, measurement of caspase activity indicated involvement of an intrinsic pathway of cell apoptosis. Consequently, the recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.1/cdtB may have potential as a new class of therapeutic agent for gene therapy of lung cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5379-5383
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• 2013

Therapeutic effects of zoledronic acid (ZOL) on giant cell tumour of bone (GCT) have been proven. Apoptosis induction was considered to be one of the mechanisms of ZOL tumour inhibition. In this study, we presented the possibility of an osteogenic differentiation stimulation mechanism of ZOL and further investigated dosage and time effects. We treated stromal cells of GCT (GCTSC) with ZOL for 48 hours at different concentrations ($0{\mu}M$, $0.01{\mu}M$, $0.1{\mu}M$, $1{\mu}M$, 5${\mu}M$, $30{\mu}M$) and assessed apoptotic and osteogenic differentiation markers with immunohistochemical techniques and real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Our results suggested that ZOL enhanced mRNA expression of Cbfa-1, osterix and osteocalcin genes with a maximum effect at $1{\mu}M$ in GCTSC. Time course experiments indicated a time dependent osteogenic differentiation effect. In conclusion, ZOL may be considered as an adjuvant in the treatment of GCT not only by inducing apoptosis but also by stimulating osteogenic differentiation of remaining tumor stromal cells after surgery.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.223-228
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• 2015

6-Gingerol exerts anti-tumor effects in various cancer cell models. We evaluated the effect of 6-gingerol on the growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and MCF-10A breast epithelial cells to determine whether any growth-inhibitory effects found were attributable to apoptosis, and to elucidate the underlying mechanism of action. 6-Gingerol inhibited the viability of both cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent manner; however, the degree of inhibition was greater in MCF-7 than MCF-10A cells. By flow cytometry, induction of dose- and time-dependent apoptosis was found, and the magnitude of apoptosis was also markedly greater in MCF-7 than MCF-10A cells. Expression of caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was observed in MCF-7 cells treated with 6-gingerol, and further cleavage of PARP occurred in these cells. We suggest that 6-gingerol induces apoptosis in human breast cancer cells mainly by promoting caspase-3 expression and subsequent degradation of PARP.