• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1326-1331
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• 1999

In vitro anticancer effect of Chinese cabbage kimchi fractions was investigated by using human cancer cells, AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells and HT 29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells. The Chinese cabbage kimchi(fermented for 4 days at 15oC) was fractionated into 7 groups, methanol extract, hexane fraction(fr.), methanol soluble fr., dichloromethane fr., ethylacetate fr., butanol fr. and aqueous fr.. Chinese cabbage kimchi fractions inhibited the growth of AGS and HT 29 cancer cells as dose dependent. In particular, the dichloromethane fr. showed the highest inhibitory effect among other fractions. When the dichloromethane fr.(0.2mg/ml) was treated, the number of AGS and HT 29 survival cancer cells reduced to 12$\times$104/ml and 11$\times$104/ml compared to 166$\times$104/ml and 50$\times$104/ml of the controls, respectively. Chinese cabbage kimchi fractions also inhibited the DNA synthesis of the cancer cells. They inhibited the DNA synthesis of AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells more efficiently than that of HT 29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells. These results indicate that Chinese cabbage kimchi fractions show in vitro anticancer activity and the dichloromethane fr. among them reveals the highest effect.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2011

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in Western countries. Chemotherapeutic agents with different mechanisms of action have shown an increase in cure rates. In the present study, we investigated the effect of a combination of low concentration of paclitaxel (taxol, 5 nM) and topoisomerase 1 inhibitor camptothecin (CPT) on HCT116 colon cancer cells. Although the viability of cells treated with taxol alone was similar to that of control cells, sequential treatment with taxol and CPT exhibited high cytotoxicity. However, the opposite sequence of treatment did not exert cytotoxic effects on HCT116 cells. This enhanced cytotoxicity of the sequential combination therapy was the result of mitotic arrest, which increased the level of $p21^{Cip1/WAF1}$ through the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Knockdown by $p21^{Cip1/WAF1}$ siRNA or treatment with a p38 inhibitor reduced the viability of cells sequentially exposed to taxol and CPT. Taken together, a low taxol concentration in combination with CPT induced mitotic arrest in HCT116 cells, leading to synergistic cell death through enhanced expression of $p21^{Cip1/WAF1}$ and p38 MAPK pathway. Therefore, taxol could playa role as a sensitizer of CPT in colon cancer cells.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.416-424
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• 2008

In an effort to elucidate the differential actions of blueberry(BB) in both normal and cancer cells, we utilized human breast cell lines to assess the accumulation of radical oxygen species(ROS) and ROS-associated apoptosis in both human normal breast epithelial(MCF10A) and breast cancer(MCF7) cells. BB extract was added to the cultures at a final concentration of $20{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ for 0(control), 6, 12, and 24 hr intervals. The MCF10A cells evidenced no marked ROS accumulation in the presence of BB, whereas the MCF7 cells evidenced clear ROS accumulation upon BB treatment from 12 hours forward. The number of dying or dead cells did not increase in the BB-treated MCF10A cell groups, whereas that number increased profoundly from 12 hr forward. Furthermore, the expression levels of certain stress-related, and pro- and antiapoptotic gene products evidenced differential responses to BB treatment between the MCF10A and MCF7 cell groups. These results indicate that the components of BB extract differentiate cancer cells by not preventing ROS accumulation within cells and by inducing ROS-associated cell death in cancer cells. However, no marked ROS accumulation or induction of cell death was noted in the normal breast epithelial cells. The fact that BB extract exerted a differential effect on cancer cells opens further directions of research regarding the specific components that exert the differential BB-mediated effects in the selective prevention of normal cells and therapy for cancer tissues in the physiological body.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.891-900
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• 2004

UDP-N-Acetylglucosamine(GlcNAc):$\beta$1,4-D-mannoside$\beta$-l ,4N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-III (GnT-III) and UDP-N-GlcNAc:$\alpha$-6-D-mannosid$\beta$-1,6N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase-V(GnT - V) activities were determined in human hepatoma cell lines and metastatic colon cancer cells, and their activities were compared with those of normal liver cells and fetal hepatocytes. GnT-III activities were higher than those of GnT-V in hepatic carcinoma cells. When the two enzyme activities were assayed in highly metastatic colon cancer cells, GnT - V activities were much higher than those of GnT-III. When GlcN, GlcN-biant-PA and UDP-GlcNAc were used as substrates, the enzymes displayed different kinetic properties between hepatic and colon cancer cells, depending on their metastatic potentials. Normal cells of two origins had characteristically very low levels of GnT-III and -V activities, whereas hepatoma and colon cancer cells contained high levels of activities. These data were supported by RT-PCR and Northern blot analyses, showing that the expression of GnT-III and -V mRNAs were increased in proportion to the enzymatic activities. The increased GnT-III, md -V activities were also correlated with increased glycosylation of the cellular glycoproteins in hepatoma and colon cancer cells, as examined by lectin blotting analysis by using wheat germ glutinin (WGA), erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (E-PHA), leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (L-PHA), and concanavalin A (Con A). Treatment with retinoic acid, a differentiation agent, resulted in decreases of both GnT-III and -V activities of HepG2 and HepG3 cells. In colon carcinoma cells, however, treatment with retinoic acid resulted in a reduction of GnT-V activity, but not with GnT-III activity. Although the mechanism underlying the induction of these mzymes is unclear, oligosaccharides in many glycoproteins have been observed of cancer cells.

• CELLMED
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.9.1-9.10
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• 2013

In traditional systems of medicine including homeopathy, the Condurango extract (Con) is often used to cure stomach cancer mainly, without having any scientific validation of its anti-cancer ability. Con has therefore been tested against non-small-cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC) A549 and NCI-H522 (H522) known to contain the KRAS mutation, making them resistant to most chemotherapeutic agents. As cancer cells generally defy cytotoxicity developed by chemopreventive agents and escape cell death, any drug showing the capability of preferentially killing cancer cells through apoptosis is worth consideration for judicious application. A549 and H522 cells were exposed to $0.35{\mu}g/{\mu}l$ and $0.25{\mu}g/{\mu}l$ of Con, respectively, for 48 h and analysed based on various protocols associated with apoptosis and DNA damage, such as MTT assay to determine cell viability, LDH assay, DNA fragmentation assay, comet assay, and microscopical examinations of DNA binding fluorescence stains like DAPI, Hoechst 33258 and acridine orange/ethidium bromide to determine the extent of DNA damage made in drug-treated and untreated cells and the results compared. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and the generation of reactive oxygen species were also documented through standard techniques. Con killed almost 50% of the cancer cells but spared normal cells significantly. Fluorescence studies revealed increased DNA nick formation and depolarized membrane potentials after drug treatment in both cell types. Caspase-3 expression levels confirmed the apoptosis-inducing potential of Con in both the NSCLC lines. Thus, overall results suggest considerable anticancer potential of Con against NSCLC in vitro, validating its use against lung cancer by practitioners of traditional medicine including homeopathy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.267-273
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• 2017

The p53-inducible gene 3 (PIG3), initially identified as a gene downstream of p53, plays an important role in the apoptotic process triggered by p53-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Recently, several studies have suggested that PIG3 may play a role in various types of cancer. However, the functional significance of PIG3 in cancer remains unclear. Here, we found that PIG3 was highly expressed in human colon cancer cell lines compared to normal colon-derived fibroblasts. Therefore, we attempted to elucidate the functional role of PIG3 in colon cancer. PIG3 overexpression increases the colony formation, migration and invasion ability of HCT116 colon cancer cells. Conversely, these tumorigenic abilities were significantly decreased in in vitro studies with PIG3 knockdown HCT116 cells. PIG3 knockdown also attenuated the growth of mouse xenograft tumors. These results demonstrate that PIG3 is associated with the tumorigenic potential of cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo, and could play a key oncogenic role in colon cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.425-431
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• 2018

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, is a principal component of cigarette smoke. B[a]P can cause lung carcinogenesis and plays a key role in lung cancer progression. The role of B[a]P has been reported in lung cancer, but its effects on lung cancer stem cells (CSCs) have not been investigated. Emerging evidence indicates that CSCs are associated with carcinogenesis, tumor initiation, relapse, and metastasis. Therefore, targeting CSCs to defeat cancer is a challenging issue in the clinic. This study explored whether B[a]P alters gene expression in lung cancer cells and CSCs. The lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line was used to investigate the role of B[a]P on lung cancer cells and lung CSCs using microarray and quantitative PCR. B[a]P ($1{\mu}M$) provoked gene expression changes in A549 cancer cells and CSCs by deregulating numerous genes. Gene pathway analysis was performed using GeneMANIA and GIANT. We identified genes that were coexpressed and showed physical interactions. These findings improve our understanding of the mechanism of B[a]P in lung cancer and cancer stem cells and can be an attractive therapeutic target.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.1305-1310
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• 2012

Breast cancer cells undergo transformation when they spread into surrounding tissues. Studies have shown that cancer cells undergo surface alterations and interact with the surrounding microenvironment during the invasion process. The aim of the present study was to analyse these cancer cell surface alterations and interactions of cancer cells and stroma. Twenty 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea-induced breast cancer samples taken from five rats were fixed in McDowell-Trump fixative and then washed in 0.1 M phosphate buffer. The samples were then treated with osmium tetroxide before being washed in distilled water and subsequently dehydrated through graded ethanols. The dehydrated samples were immersed in hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), then following removal of excess HMDS, the samples were air dried at room temperature in a dessicator. The dried samples were mounted onto specimen stubs and coated with gold coater before being viewed under a scanning electron microscope. We detected the presence of membrane ruffles on the surface of cancer cells and the formation of unique surface membrane protrusions to enhance movement and adhesion to the surrounding stroma during the process of invasion. Advancing cancer cells demonstrated formation of lamellipodia and invadopodia. The stroma at the advancing edge was desmoplastic with many collagen fibres laid down near the cancer cells. Our data suggest that all of these abnormalities could act as hallmarks of invasiveness for breast cancer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.9 s.89
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• pp.1232-1236
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• 2007

Growth and DNA synthesis inhibitory effects of extracts from root bark of Ulmus parvifolia on MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells, HT-29 human colon cancer cells and K-562 leukemia cancer cells were studied. The root bark extract of Ulmus parvifolia was extracted with methanol, hot water and juice. The methanol extract showed the highest inhibitory effect on growth of MG-63, HT-29 and K-562 cancer cells by >85%. The treatment of hot water and juice extracts from root bark of Ulmus parvifolia also inhibited growth of the above cancer cells with increasing concentration. DNA synthesis of MG-63 and HT-29 cancer cells was significantly inhibited by adding methanol, hot water and juice extracts from root bark of Ulmus parvifolia with increasing concentration, showing that the inhibitory effect of growth was more effective on HT-29 cancer cells. These results suggest that the methanol extract from root bark of Ulmus parvifolia may have specific active com-pounds on anticancer effect. The hot water extract also showed a strong inhibitory effect on growth of cancer cells, indicating that the active compounds may be stable to heat.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.3653-3656
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• 2012

Background: A number of effective prevention measures have been introduced in attempts to substantially reduce both the incidence and mortality due to many kinds of cancer. The search for new anti-cancer compounds in foods or in plant medicines is one realistic and promising approach to prevention. Chinese medicines provide a rich pool of novel and efficacious agents for cancer prevention and treatment. Previously it was demonstratrated that hyperin extracted from the Manchurian rhododendron leaf reduces the proliferation of many cancer cells. The present study was carried out to evaluate its effects on human endometrial cancer cell viability and apoptosis and to investigate its mechanisms of action in RL952 cells. Methods: Cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. Intracellular calcium ions were detected using laser-scanning confocal microscopy. The effects of hyperin on apoptosis related proteins in RL952 cells were examined using Western blot analysis. Results: The growth of RL952 cells was inhibited by treatment with hyperin. OD values of caspase-3 and caspase-9 were increased and expression of bcl-2 was increased and bax was decreased in protein levels in RL952 cells after 24 h of hyperin treatment, Moreover, intracellular calcium accumulation occurred in hyperin-treated cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that hyperin may play an important role in tumor growth suppression by inducing apoptosis in human endometrial cells via a $Ca^{2+}$-related mitochondrion apoptotic pathway in RL952 cells.