• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• 제20권5호
• /
• pp.93-106
• /
• 2003

Objective : To investigate the possible molecular mechanism(s) of melittin as a candidate of anti-cancer drug, we examined the effects of the compound on the growth of human lung carcinoma cell line A549. Methods: MTT, morphological changes, DAPI staining, Western blot, RT-PCR and in vitro prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) accumulation assays were performed. Results: The anti-proliferative effect by melittin treatment in A549 cells was associated with morphological changes such as membrane shrinking and cell rounding up. Melittin induced apoptotic cell death in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with inhibition or degradation of apoptotic target proteins such as ${\beta}$-catenin, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP) and phospholipase $C-{\gamma}1(PLC-{\gamma}1)$. Melittin treatment inhibited the expression of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) and accumulation of PGE2 in aconcentration-dependent fashion. In addition, Melittin treatment induced the down-regulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase(hTERT) and proto-oncogene c-myc expression of A549 cells. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings suggest that melittin-induced inhibition of human lung cancer cell proliferation is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death via regulation of several major growth regulatory gene products, and melittin may have therapeutic potential in human lung cancer.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제27권3호
• /
• pp.283-289
• /
• 2009

Curcumin, a natural compound extracted from rhizomes of curcuma Curcuma species, has been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-oxidative properties. However, the mechanism of action of the compound remains poorly understood. In this report, we have analyzed the effects of curcumin on the cell proliferation of Burkitt's lymphoma Raji cells. The results demonstrated that curcumin could effectively inhibit the growth of Raji cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further studies indicated that curcumin treatment resulted in apoptosis of cells. Biochemical analysis showed that the expression of Bax, Bid and cytochrome C were up-regulated, while the expression of oncogene c-Myc was down regulated after curcumin treatment. Furthermore, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage was induced by the compound. Interestingly, the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression was not significantly changed in Raji cells after curcumin treatment. These results suggested that the mechanism of action of curcumin was to induce mitochondrial damage and therefore led to Raji cell apoptosis. We further investigated the in vivo effects of curcumin on the growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice. The results showed that curcumin could effectively inhibit tumor growth in the xenograft mouse model. The overall results showed that curcumin could suppress the growth of Burkitt's lymphoma cells in both in vitro and in vivo systems.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제19권4호
• /
• pp.502-507
• /
• 2009

본 연구에서는 봉독의 처리에 따른 A549 폐암세포의 증식억제에서 $PGE_2$ 생성 및 telomerase 활성의 변화 관련성을 조사하였다. A549 세포의 증식은 봉독 처리에 의하여 유의적으로 감소되었으며, 이는 apoptosis 유발과 연관성이 있음을 알 수 있었다. 봉독 처리 농도의 증가에 따라 COX-2의 발현이 전사 및 번역 수준에서 모두 감소되었으며 이에 따른 $PGE_2$의 생성이 현저하게 감소되었으나, COX-1의 발현에는 큰 변화가 없었다. 또한 봉독 처리에 따라 telomere 조절인자들 중, hTERT, hTR 및 c-myc의 발현이 억제되었으며, telomerase의 활성도 매우 감소되었다. 본 연구의 결과는 $PGE_2$ 생성과 telomerase 활성 저하가 봉독의 항암 작용 표적인자로서 작용될 수 있음을 보여준다.

• 대한한의학회지
• /
• 제23권1호
• /
• pp.24-36
• /
• 2002

Objectives: The chemotherapeutic potential of Gagamgilgyung-tang for the treatment of human lung cancer, the antitumorigenic effects of Gagamgilgyung-tang on the proliferation and apoptosis of human lung cancer cell line A427 were investigated using molecular biological approaches, Methods: To determine Gagamgilgyung-tang concentrations which do not evoke cytotoxic damage to the cell line, cell viability was examined by MTT assay. To prove Gagamgilgyung-tang's antitumorigenic potential to human lung cancer, [3H]thymidine incorporation assay, trypan blue exclusion and Cpp32 protease activity assays and quantitative RT-PCR analysis were examined. Results: While A427 cells treated with $0.1-2.0{\mu\textrm{g}}/ml$ of Gagamgilgyung-tang showed no recognizable effect, marked reductions of cell viability were detected at concentrations over $5.0{\;}\mu\textrm{g}/ml$. DNA replication of A427 cells was inhibited by Gagamgilgyung-tang in a dose-dependent manner and Gagamgilgyung-tang induced the G1 cell cycle arrest through inhibition of DNA replication. Gagamgilgyung-tang triggered apoptotic cell death of A427 and enhanced the apoptotic sensitivity of the cells that were injured by a DNA damage-inducing chemotherapeutic drug etoposide. Gagamgilgyung-tang induces expression of growth-inhibiting genes such as p53 and p21/Wafl whereas it inhibited expression of growth-promoting genes such as c-Myc and Cyclin D1. Expression of a representative apoptosis-inducing gene Bax was also found to be induced by Gagamgilgyung-tang while apoptosis-suppressing Bcl-2 expression was not changed. Conclusions: Gagamgilgyung-tang could suppress the abnormal growth of tumor cells by suppressing the survival of genetically altered cells via induction of apoptosis. This study suggests that Gagamgilgyung-tang might have an antitumorigenic potential to human lung cancer cells, which might be associated with its growth-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing properties.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제16권1호
• /
• pp.84-91
• /
• 2006

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae pgs1 nulI mutant, which is deficient with phosphatidyl glycerol (PG) and cardiolipin (CL) biosynthesis, grows well on most fermentable carbon sources, but fails to grow on non-fermentable carbon sources such as glycerol, ethanol, and lactate. This mutant also cannot grow on galactose medium as the sole carbon source. We found that the incorporation of $[^{14}C]-galactose$, which is the first step of the galactose metabolic pathway (Leloir pathway), into the pgs 1 null mutant cell was extremely repressed. Exogenously expressed PGS1 (YCpPGS1) under indigenous promoter could completely restore the pgs1 growth defect on non-fermentable carbon sources, and dramatically recovered $[^{14}C]-galactose$ incorporation into the pgs1 mutant cell. However, PGS1 expression under the GALl promoter $(YEpP_{GAL1}-PGS1myc)$ could not complement pgs1 mutation, and the GAL2-lacZ fusion gene $(YEpP_{GAL2}-lacZ)$ also did not exhibit its $\beta-galactosidase$ activity in the pgs1 mutant. In wild-type yeast, antimycin $A(1\;{\mu}g/ml)$, which inhibits mitochondrial complex III, severely repressed not only the expression of the GAL2-lacZ fusion gene, but also uptake of $[^{14}C]-galactose$. However, exogenously expressed PGS1 partially relieved these inhibitory effects of antimycin A in both the pgs1 mutant and wild-type yeast, although it could not basically restore the growth defect on galactose by antimycin A. These results suggest that the PGSI gene product has an important role in utilization of galactose by Gal genes, and that intact mitochondrial function with PGS1 should be required for galactose incorporation into the Leloir pathway. The PGS1 gene might provide a clue to resolve the historic issue about the incapability of galactose with deteriorated mitochondrial function.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제15권4호
• /
• pp.301-307
• /
• 2009

Whole-body insulin resistance results largely from impaired insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in skeletal muscle. Our previous studies using differential display and quantitative real-time RT-PCR have shown that a novel cDNA band (DD23) had a higher level of expression in insulin resistant skeletal muscle and it was correlated with whole-body insulin action, independent of age, sex, and percent body fat. In this study, we cloned and characterized DD23. The DD23 sequence is part of the 3'UTR region of the RNA binding motif, single stranded interacting protein (RBMS3). We have cloned the full length cDNA for RBMS3 and identified two splice variants. These variants named DD23-L and DD23-S have 15 and 14 exons respectively and differ from RBMS3 in the 3'UTR significantly. Northern blot analyses showed that an ~8.8 kb mRNA transcript of DD23 was predominantly expressed in skeletal muscle and to a lesser extent in placenta, but not in heart, brain, lung, liver, or kidney, unlike RBMS3. Elevated expression levels of these novel alternatively spliced variants of RBMS3 in skeletal muscle may play a role in whole body insulin resistance.

• 한국약용작물학회지
• /
• 제12권4호
• /
• pp.315-320
• /
• 2004

와송 (OJB)의 면역 및 항암 효과를 관찰한 결과, 와송은 생쥐의 비장 및 흉선세포의 생존율을 증가시켰으며, 임파구 아집단분석 결과 비장 T세포를 유의성있게 증가시켰는데 비장 T세포 중의 $T_H$세포 및 Tc세포가 모두 증가되었고, 혈청 중 ${\gamma}-interferon$의 생성을 현저하게 증가시켰다. 또한 와송은 L1210세포 및 U937세포 등의 백혈병세포의 아폽토시스를 촉진시키는 항암능력을 보유하고 있었다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제19권5호
• /
• pp.620-624
• /
• 2009

동면 개시인자로 알려진 DADLE는 여러 연구에 의해 in vivo와 in vitro 상에서 유사 동면 상태를 야기한다. 본 연구는 인체혈구암세포인 U937 세포주의 세포 사멸과 세포 주기 둥에 대한 DADLE의 영향을 살펴보았다. DADLE가 처리된 U937세포는 8${\sim}6$10 ${\mu}$M의 높은 농도에서 세포 증식이 감소하였으며, 0${\sim}6$ ${\mu}$M의 낮은 농도에서 영향이 없었다. DNA flow cytometer를 이용하여 세포 주기를 분석해본 결과 DADLE에 의한 세포 주기 억제가 관찰되었다. DADLE처리에 따른 세포 증식률 감소 및 세포 주기 억제효과를 전사 수준에서 조사한 결과 Bcl-XL, c-IAP-2의 발현 및 survivin의 발현 감소가 관찰되었으며, COX-2의 발현 역시 COX-1의 변화 없이 감소함을 확인하였다. 또한, cyclin E 와 cdk-2, -4 그리고 -6의 발현 역시 감소하는 것을 관찰하였다. Telomere 조절 관련 유전자의 경우도 c-myc과 TERT의 감소, 그리고 TEP-1가 증가하는 현상을 관찰하였다. 이상의 결과는 DADLE를 U937 암세포주에 처리했을 때 세포 주기의 억제를 통하여 life-time을 증가시킬 가능성을 시사하며 이에 관한 지속적인 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제24권9호
• /
• pp.995-1000
• /
• 2014

바이러스 분리 및 검출 측면에서의 해양바이러스 연구는 높은 빈도의 돌연변이와 유전적 다양성 때문에 한계가 있어 왔다. 현재 해양바이러스를 검출하기 위해 사용되고 있는 방법 중 ELISA를 기반으로 하는 혈청학적 방법이 가장 보편적이다. 혈청학적 방법은 항체의 질과 고도로 정제된 정확한 항원을 요구한다. 최근에 바이러스 외피단백질을 항원으로 이용하고자하는 새로운 실험시스템이 yeast surface display (YSD)를 사용하여 개발되었다. 이 연구에서는 붉바리 신경괴사 바이러스(RGNNV)의 외피단백질 유전자를 YSD와 HA-tagging 시스템을 이용하여 발현시키고 정제하였다. 2개의 RGNNV 외피단백질 유전자 조각(RGNNV1 및 RGNNV2)을 염기서열 데이터베이스에 기초하여 합성하였고, 효모 발현 벡터인 pCTCON로 클로닝하였다. 효모 strain EBY100에서의 RGNNV 외피단백질의 발현은 발현벡터에 의해 코드되는 C-말단의 c-myc tags를 인지하는 형광표지된 항체를 이용하여 flow cytometry로 검출되었다. 발현된 RGNNV 외피단백질은 ${\beta}$-mercaptoethanol 처리 후 Aga1과 Aga2 사이의 이황화결합 절단에 의해 효모표면으로부터 분리되었다. Anti-HA 항체를 사용한 Western blots을 수행하였을 때 각 RGNNV 외피단백질이 정해진 크기에서 검출되는 것이 확인되었다. 이러한 결과는 YSD와 HA-tagging 시스템이 재조합 RGNNV 외피단백질의 발현과 정제에 적용가능함을 나타낸다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권17호
• /
• pp.7943-7957
• /
• 2015

Background and Aims: Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the growth-suppression potentiality of a crude saponin extract (CSENS) prepared from medicinal herb, Nigella sativa, on human colon cancer cells, HCT116. Materials and Methods: HCT116 cells were subjected to increasing doses of CSENS for 24, 48 and 72 h, and then harvested and assayed for cell viability by WST-1. Flow cytometry analyses, cell death detection ELISA, fluorescent stains (Hoechst 33342 and acridine orange/ethidium bromide), DNA laddering and comet assays were carried out to confirm the apoptogenic effects of CSENS. Luciferase reporter gene assays, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses were performed to assess the impact of CAERS and CFEZO on the expression levels of key regulatory proteins in HCT116 cells. Results: The results demonstrated that CSENS inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis. Apoptosis was confirmed by flow cytometry analyses, while CSENS-treated cells exhibited morphological hallmarks of apoptosis including cell shrinkage, irregularity in cellular shape, cellular detachment and chromatin condensation. Biochemical signs of apoptosis, such as DNA degradation, were observed by comet assay and gel electrophoresis. The pro-apoptotic effect of CSENS was caspase-3-independent and associated with increase of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. CSENS treatment down-regulated transcriptional and DNA-binding activities of NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1 proteins, associated with down-regulation of their target oncogenes, c-Myc, cyclin D1 and survivin. On the other hand, CSENS up-regulated transcriptional and DNA-binding activities of Nrf2 and expression of cytoprotective genes. In addition, CSENS modulated the expression levels of ERK1/2 MAPK, p53 and p21. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CSENS may be a valuable agent for treatment of colon cancer.