• BMB Reports
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• 제46권3호
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• pp.131-138
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• 2013

During cancer progression, bone marrow derived myeloid cells, including immature myeloid cells and macrophages, progressively accumulate at the primary tumour site where they contribute to the establishment of a tumour promoting microenvironment. A marked infiltration of macrophages into the stromal compartment and the generation of a desmoplastic stromal reaction is a particular characteristic of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) and is thought to play a key role in disease progression and its response to therapy. Tumour associated macrophages (TAMs) foster PDA tumour progression by promoting angiogenesis, metastasis, and by suppressing an anti-tumourigenic immune response. Recent work also suggests that TAMs contribute to resistance to chemotherapy and to the emergence of cancer stem-like cells. Here we will review the current understanding of the biology and the pro-tumourigenic functions of TAMs in cancer and specifically in PDA, and highlight potential therapeutic strategies to target TAMs and to improve current therapies for pancreatic cancer.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권11호
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• pp.6341-6345
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• 2013

To clarify the role of stem cells in hepatocarcinogenesis, glypican-3 (GPC-3) and E-cadherin expression was investigated in embryonic cell lineages. Mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) and hepatocyte like cells (HCs), representing 0, 22 and 40 days of differentiation, respectively, were treated in vitro with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) at four doses (0, 1, 5 and 15 mM; G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively) for 24 h and GPC-3 and E-cadherin expression was examined by relative quantitative real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry. GPC-3 mRNA expression was significantly different for G4 at day 0 (p<0.001) and for G4 at day 22 (p<0.01) compared with the control (G1). E-cadherin mRNA expression was significantly different for G3 and G4 at day 0 (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively), for G2 and G4 (p<0.05 and p<0.001, respectively) at day 22 and for G2 and G4 (p<0.01 and p<0.001, respectively) at day 40 compared with G1. Immunofluorescence staining for GPC-3 showed a membranous and/or granular expression in cytoplasm of ESCs and HPCs and granular and/or diffuse expression in cytoplasm of HCs, which were also stained by E-cadherin. DEN treatment increased GPC-3 expression in ESCs, HPCs and HCs, with increase of E-cadherin expression. Taken together, the expression of GPC-3 was altered by DEN treatment. However, its expression pattern was different at the stage of embryo stem cells and its derived hepatic lineage cells. This suggests that GPC-3 expression may be modulated in the progeny of stem cells during their differentiation toward hepatocytes, associated with E-cadherin expression.

• 고려인삼학회:학술대회논문집
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• 고려인삼학회 1993년도 학술대회지
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• pp.127-131
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• 1993

The effects of total ginseng saponin. extracts of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, on the differentiation of F9 teratocarcinoma stem cells were studied. F9 stem cells cultured in the presence of ginseng saponin together with dibutyric cAMP became parietal endoderm - like cells. Moreover, the expressions of differentiation marker genes. laminin. type IV collagen. and retinoic acid $receptor-{\beta}(RAR{\beta})$ were increased after treatment of ginseng saponin. Among various ginsenosides purified from crude ginseng saponin, $Rh_1\;and\;Rh_2$ caused the differentiation of F9 cells most effectively. Since ginsenosides and steroid hormone show resemblance in chemical structure. we studied the possibility of the involvement of a steroid receptor in the differentiation process induced by ginsenosides. According to Southwestern blot analysis, a 94 kDa protein regarding as a steroid receptor was detected in F9 cells cultured in the medium containing ginseng saponin. Based on these data, we suggest that ginseng saponin, especially ginsenosides $Rh_1\;and\;Rh_2$ cause the differentiation of F9 cells and the effects of ginsenosides might be exerted via binding with a steroid receptor or its analogous nuclear receptor.

• BMB Reports
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.117-125
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• 2017

Most of the cancers are still incurable human diseases. According to recent findings, especially targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) is the most promising therapeutic strategy. CSCs take charge of a cancer hierarchy, harboring stem cell-like properties involving self-renewal and aberrant differentiation potential. Most of all, the presence of CSCs is closely associated with tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance. Despite the numerous efforts to target CSCs, current anti-cancer therapies are still impeded by CSC-derived cancer malignancies; increased metastases, tumor recurrence, and even acquired resistance against the anti-CSC therapies developed in experimental models. One of the most forceful underlying reasons is a "cancer heterogeneity" due to "CSC plasticity". A comprehensive understanding of CSC-derived heterogeneity will provide novel insights into the establishment of efficient targeting strategies to eliminate CSCs. Here, we introduce findings on mechanisms of CSC reprogramming and CSC plasticity, which give rise to phenotypically varied CSCs. Also, we suggest concepts to improve CSC-targeted therapy in order to overcome therapeutic resistance caused by CSC plasticity and heterogeneity.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권20호
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• pp.8679-8684
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• 2014

CD133 was recently reported to be a cancer stem cell and prognostic marker. Quercetin is considered as a potential chemopreventive agent due to its involvement in suppression of oxidative stress, proliferation and metastasis. In this study, the expression of CD133/CD44 in esophageal carcinomas and Eca109/9706 cells was explored. In immunoflurorescence the locations of $CD133^+$ and multidrug resistance 1 $(MDR1)^+$ in the same E-cancer cells were coincident, mainly in cytomembranes. In esophageal squamous cell carcinomas detected by double/single immunocytochemistry, small $CD133^+$ cells were located in the basal layer of stratified squamous epithelium, determined as CSLC (cancer stem like cells); $CD44^+$ surrounding the cells appeared in diffuse pattern, and the larger $CD44^+$ (hi) cells were mainly located in the prickle cell layer of the epithelium, as progenitor cells. In E-cancer cells exposed to nanoliposomal quercetin (nLQ with cytomembrane permeability), down-regulation of NF-${\kappa}Bp65$, histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and cyclin D1 and up-regulation of caspase-3 were shown by immunoblotting, and attenuated HDAC1 with nuclear translocation and promoted E-cadherin expression were demonstrated by immunocytochemistry. In particular, enhanced E-cadherin expression reflected the reversed epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) capacity of nLQ, acting as cancer attenuator/preventive agent. nLQ acting as an HDAC inhibitor induced apoptotic cells detected by TUNEL assay mediated via HDAC-NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling. Apoptotic effects of liposomal quercetin (LQ, with cytomembrane-philia) combined with CD133 antiserum were also detected by CD133 immunocytochemistry combined with TUNEL assay. The combination could induce greater apoptotic effects than nLQ induced alone, suggesting a novel anti-CSC treatment strategy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권9호
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• pp.4215-4220
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• 2012

AML (Acute myeloid leukemia) is a form of blood cancer where growth of myeloid cells occurs in the bone marrow. The prognosis is poor in general for many reasons. One is the presence of leukaemia-specific recognition markers such as FLT3 (fms-like tyrosine kinase 3). Another name of FLT3 is stem cell tyrosine kinase-1 (STK1), which is known to take part in proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of hematopoietic cells, usually being present on haemopoietic progenitor cells in the bone marrow. FLT3 act as an independent prognostic factor for AML. Although a vast literature is available about the association of FLT3 with AML there still is a need of a brief up to date overview which draw a clear picture about this association and their effect on overall survival.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권11호
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• pp.847-854
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• 2017

Recent studies on molecular carcinogenesis suggest that the chemo-resistance of some cancers is largely due to presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which affect the chemotherapy outcome for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, currently no consensus on a CSC phenotype in HCC has been obtained. Here, we examined Sox12 as a novel CSC marker in HCC. Sox12+ versus Sox12- cells were purified from HCC cell lines. The Sox12+ cells were compared with Sox12- HCC cells for tumor sphere formation, chemo-resistance, tumor formation after serial adoptive transplantations in nude mice, and the frequency of developing distal metastasis. We found that compared to Sox12- HCC cells, Sox12+ HCC cells generated significantly more tumor spheres in culture, were more chemo-resistant to cisplatin, were detected in circulation more frequently, and formed distal tumor more frequently. Moreover, Sox12 appeared to functionally contribute to the stemness of HCC cells. Thus, we conclude that Sox12 may be a novel marker for enriching CSCs in HCC.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.221-226
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• 2007

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are known to have an infinite proliferation and pluripotency that are associated with complex processes. The objective of this study was to examine expression of genes differentially regulated during differentiation of human ES cells by suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Human ES cells were induced to differentiate into neural precursor cells via embryoid body. Neural precursor cells were isolated physically based on morphological criteria. Immunocytochemical analysis showed expression of pax6 in neural precursor cells, confirming that the isolated cells were neural precursor cells. Undifferentiated human ES cells and neural precursor cells were subject to the SSH. TPX2 (Targeting Protein for Xklp2 (Xenopus centrosomal kinesin-like protein 2)) was identified, cloned and analyzed during differentiation of human ES cells into neural lineages. Expression of TPX2 was gradually down-regulated in embryoid bodies and neural precursor cells relative to undifferentiated ES cells. Targeting Protein for Xklp2 has been shown to be involved in cell division by interaction with microtubule development in cancer cells. Taken together, result of this study suggests that TPX2 may be involved in proliferation and differentiation of human ES cells.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제41권6호
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• pp.515-522
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• 2018

Patients with head and neck cancer are treated with therapeutic irradiation, which can result in irreversible salivary gland dysfunction. Because there is no complete cure for such patients, stem cell therapy is an emerging alternative for functional restoration of salivary glands. In this study, we investigated in vitro characteristics of primarily isolated epithelial cells from human salivary gland (Epi-SGs) and in vivo formation of acini-like structures by Epi-SGs. Primarily isolated Epi-SGs showed typical epithelial cell-like morphology and expressed E-cadherin but not N-cadherin. Epi-SGs expressed epithelial stem cell (EpiSC) and embryonic stem cell (ESC) markers. During long-term culture, the expression of EpiSC and ESC markers was highly detected and maintained within the core population with small size and low cytoplasmic complexity. The core population expressed cytokeratin 7 and cytokeratin 14, known as duct markers indicating that Epi-SGs might be originated from the duct. When Epi-SGs were transplanted in vivo with Matrigel, acini-like structures were readily formed at 4 days after transplantation and they were maintained at 7 days after transplantation. Taken together, our data suggested that Epi-SGs might contain stem cells which were positive for EpiSC and ESC markers, and Epi-SGs might contribute to the regeneration of acini-like structures in vivo. We expect that Epi-SGs will be useful source for the functional restoration of damaged salivary gland.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권11호
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• pp.1313-1319
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• 2016

암은 비균질적으로 구성된 세포집합체로 간질세포 및 세포 외 기질로 구성된 미세환경과 상호작용에 의해 발병, 전이, 심화되는 복잡한 질병이다. 하지만, 기존의 2차원 배양 세포 기반 플랫폼이 3차원적 생체 환경과 암의 비균질성을 대표하기 힘든 한계를 극복하기 위해 스페로이드 배양 세포를 비롯한 다양한 플랫폼 개발이 활발해지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 특히 감염, 염증 및 식이적 환경성 영향력에 민감한 HCT-8 대장암 세포주를 기반으로 하여 3차원 스페로이드 배양법을 보다 효과적인 방법으로 개선하고, 대장암 스페로이드 세포를 기반으로 암의 비균질적인 특질과 항암내성 연구의 간단하고 개선된 플랫폼을 제시고자 하였다. 3차원 배양법 최적화를 위해 물리적 배양환경 조성과 배양배지 구성에 따른 스페로이드 형태형성을 비교 분석하고 암 줄기세포군의 증가 양상을 확인한 결과, 필수요소로 구성된 제한 배지와 균일한 형태의 비부착성 표면 배양접시에서 배양된 스페로이드가 균일한 형태의 구형을 형성하고 암 줄기세포군이 증가함을 확인하였다. 대장암 스페로이드 세포를 기반으로 대장암 치료제인 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)에 대한 화학적 감응성 변화를 측정한 결과, 암 줄기세포가 5-FU에 대한 화학적 감수성 저해의 원인이 되며, 최적배양 조건에서 암 줄기세포의 약제 내성의 표현이 증대되었다. 이는 암줄기세포의 항암제 내성에 대한 잠재적 위험성을 내포하는 것으로, 이 방법론은 감염, 염증 및 식이적 요인과 연관된 대장암 스페로이드 세포 기반 항암제 약물반응을 검증하기 위해 효과적이면서 간소한 시험법으로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.