• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.119-128
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• 2016

Angelica polymorpha Maxim root extract (APRE) is a popular herbal medicine used for treating stomachache, abdominal pain, stomach ulcers, and rheumatism; however the effect of APRE on cancer cells has not yet been explored. Here, we examined APRE cytotoxicity seen on target neuroblastoma cells (NB) using cell viability assays, DAPI visualization of fragmented DNA, and Western blotting analysis of candidate signaling pathways involved in proliferation and apoptosis. We demonstrated that APRE reduced cell viability in NB to a greater extent than in fibroblast cells. In addition, we found that APRE could inhibit the three classes of MAPK proteins and could also down-regulate the PI3K/AKT/GSK-$3{\beta}$ activity all being relevant for proliferation and survival. APRE could also up-regulate Bax expression and down-regulate Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. With APRE treatment, depolarization of mitochondria membrane potential and activation of caspase-3 was demonstrated in the SH-SY5Y cells. We could not found increased activity of death receptor and caspase-8 as markers of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway for the APRE treated cells. In presence of a caspase-3 siRNA and a pan-caspase inhibitor, APRE could not reduce the viability of NB cells to a significant degree. So we predicted that with APRE, the intrinsic pathway was solely responsible for inducing apoptosis as we also showed that the non-caspase autophagy pathway or ER stress-ROS mediated pathways were not involved. These findings demonstrate that an intrinsic mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway mediates the apoptotic effects of APRE on SH-SY5Y cells, and that APRE shows promise as a novel agent for neuroblastoma therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.447-456
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• 2022

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of Arctigenin on cell growth and the mechanism of cell death elicited by Arctigenin were examined in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells. To determine the apoptotic activity of Arctigenin in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells, cell viability assay, DAPI staining, caspase activation analysis, and immunoblotting were performed. Arctigenin inhibited the growth of cells in a dose-dependent manner and induced nuclear condensation and fragmentation. Arctigenin-treated cells showed caspase-3/7 activation and increased apoptosis versus control cells. FasL, a death ligand associated with extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways, was up-regulated by Arctigenin treatment. Moreover, caspase-8, a part of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway, was activated by Arctigenin treatments. Expressions of anti-apoptotic factors such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, components of the mitochondria-dependent intrinsic apoptosis pathway, significantly decreased following Arctigenin treatment. The expressions of pro-apoptotic factors such as BAX, BAD and caspase-9, and tumor suppressor -53 increased by Arctigenin treatments. In addition, Arctigenin activated caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) induced cell death. Arctigenin also inhibited the proliferation of FaDu cells by the suppression of p38, NF-κB, and Akt signaling pathways. These results suggest that Arctigenin may inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptotic cell death in FaDu human pharyngeal carcinoma cells through both the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic pathway and the death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.95-104
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• 2007

The mechanism of acacetin-induced apoptosis of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells was investigated. Acacetin caused 50% growth inhibition ($IC_{50}$) of MCF-7 cells at $26.4{\pm}0.7{\mu}M$ over 24 h in the MTT assay. Apoptosis was characterized by DNA fragmentation and an increase of sub-G1 cells and involved activation of caspase-7 and PARP (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase). Maximum caspase 7 activity was observed with $100{\mu}M$ acacetin for 24 h. Caspase 8 and 9 activation cascades mediated the activation of caspase 7. Acacetin caused a reduction of Bcl-2 expression leading to an increase of the Bax:Bcl-2 ratio. It also caused a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential that induced release of cytochrome c and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) into the cytoplasm, enhancing ROS generation and subsequently resulting in apoptosis. Pretreatment of cells with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) reduced ROS generation and cell growth inhibition, and pretreatment with NAC or a caspase 8 inhibitor (Z-IETD-FMK) inhibited the acacetin-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c and AIF. Stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun $NH_4$-terminal kinase 1/2 (SAPK/JNK1/2) and c-Jun were activated by acacetin but extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) nor p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were not. Our results show that acacetin-induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells is mediated by caspase activation cascades, ROS generation, mitochondria-mediated cell death signaling and the SAPK/JNK1/2-c-Jun signaling pathway, activated by acacetin-induced ROS generation.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.400-409
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• 2021

천연 benzophenanthridine alkaloid의 일종인 sanguinarine에 의한 인간 암세포에서의 세포사멸 유도는 암 치료를 위한 잠재적 치료 가능성으로 여겨져 왔으나 기본적인 항암 기전은 여전히 불분명하다. 종양 억제제 p53의 결실 또는 돌연변이는 결장암세포의 항암제 내성에 대한 주요 원인으로 작용하다. 따라서, 본 연구에서는 정상 p53을 가진 HCT116 (p53+/+) 및 p53이 결여된 HCT116 (p53-/-) 결장암세포를 대상으로 sanguinarine에 의해 유도되는 세포사멸에서 p53의 역할을 조사하였다. 본 연구의 결과에 의하면, sanguinarine은 HCT116 (p53-/-) 세포에 비하여 HCT116 (p53+/+) 세포의 생존력을 현저히 감소시켰다. 아울러 sanguinarine은 HCT116 (p53-/-) 세포보다 HCT116 (p53+/+) 세포에서 p53 및 cyclin-dependent kinase 억제제 p21^WAF1/CIP1의 발현을 증가시키면서 DNA 손상 및 세포사멸의 유도를 증가시켰다. Sanguinarine은 HCT116 (p53+/+) 세포에서 외인성 및 내인성 세포사멸의 개시에 관여하는 caspase-8 및 caspase-9의 활성을 증가시켰으며, 전형적인 효과기 caspase인 caspase-3을 활성화시켰다. 또한, sanguinarine은 HCT116 (p53+/+) 세포에서 Bax/Bcl-2의 발현 비율을 증가시키고 미토콘드리아 손상을 유발하였지만, HCT116 (p53-/-) 세포에서는 이러한 현상이 관찰되지 않았다. 결론적으로 본 연구의 결과는 sanguinarine은 HCT116 결장암세포에서 p53 의존적으로 외인성 및 내인성 세포사멸의 경로 활성을 통하여 세포사멸을 유도하였음을 의미한다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.1833-1837
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• 2015

An aristolactam-type alkaloid, isolated from Orophea enterocarpa, is enterocarpam-III (10-amino-2,3,4,6-tetramethoxyphenanthrene-1-carboxylic acid lactam). It is cytotoxic to various human and murine cancer cell lines; however, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate cytotoxic effects on and mechanism (s) of human cancer cell death in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 and human invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells compared to normal murine fibroblast NIH3T3 cells. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay to determine $IC_{10}$, $IC_{20}$ and $IC_{50}$ levels, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production with 2',7'-dichlorohydrofluorescein diacetate and the caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities using specific chromogenic (p-nitroaniline) tetrapeptide substrates, viz., DEVD-NA, IETD-NA and LEHD-NA and employing a microplate reader. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) was measured by staining with 3, 3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide ($DiOC_6$) and using flow cytometry. The compound was cytotoxic to HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cells with the $IC_{50}$ levels of $26.0{\pm}4.45$ and $51.3{\pm}2.05{\mu}M$, respectively. For murine normal fibroblast NIH3T3 cells, the $IC_{50}$ concentration was $81.3{\pm}10.1{\mu}M$. ROS production was reduced in a dose-response manner in HepG2 cells. The caspase-9 and -3 activities increased in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas caspase-8 activity did not alter, indicating the intrinsic pathway activation. Enterocarpam-III decreased the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) dose-dependently in HepG2 cells, suggesting that the compound induced HepG2 cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. In conclusion, enterocarpam-III inhibited HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation and induced human HepG2 cells to undergo apoptosis via the intrinsic (mitochondrial) pathway and induction of caspase-9 activity.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.35-43
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Bo-du-san (BOS) on apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells, SNU-l cells. BOS, a drug preparation consisting of two herbs, that is, Crotonis Fructus (Strychni ignatii Semen, bodu in Korean) and Glycyrrhizae Radix (Glycyrrhizae uralensis FISCH, Gamcho in Korean). Methodss : In this study, methanol extract of BOS was examined for cytotoxic activity on human gastric cancer cells, SNU-1 cells, using XTT assay, with an IC50 value was 0.7 mg/ml and 0.3 mg/ml at 24 hrs and 48 hrs, respectively. Apoptosis induction by BDS in SNU-l cells was verified by the induction of DNA fragmentation, cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), and activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9. Inhibitors of caspase-3, -8 and -9 (Ac-DEVD-CHO, Z-IETD-FMK and Z-LEHD-FMK) efficiently blocked BOS-induced cell death of SNU-l. Resultss : BOS-induced cell death was via caspase dependent apoptosis. Moreover, treatment of BOS result in the decrease the G1/S cycle regulation proteins (cyclin D1 and E) expression and increase CDK inhibitor proteins (p21 and p27) expression, and increase apoptotic protein, p53 expression. Thus, BOS induces apoptosis in SNU-1 cells via cell cycle arrested in G1 phase. Conclusions : These results indicated that BOS has some potential for use as an anti-cancer agent.

• 대한두경부종양학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.107-113
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• 2012

배 경 편평상피암은 두경부의 악성종양 중 가장 흔하며, 임상적인 경과가 불량하다. 따라서 나쁜 예후를 가지는 환자군을 조기에 선별하여 더 적극적인 치료의 시행을 결정짓는 표지자의 필요성이 대두된다. 우리는 일련의 두경부 편평세포암 검체에서 몇몇 분자 표지자의 예후적 유용성을 평가하고자 하였다. 방 법 23예의 두경부 편평세포암 검체를 대상으로 VEGF, p53, Apaf-1, caspase-9의 발현과 몇몇 임상병리학적 지표들간의 연관성을 면역조직화학염색을 통해 조사하였다. 결 과 환자군은 남성이 더 많았으며 평균연령은 63.7세였다. 1기가 5예, 2기가 2예, 3기가 8예, 4기가 8예였다. 평균생존기간은 37.3개월이었다. VEGF단백 발현은 종양의 크기와 통계적으로 유의한 연관성을 보였다. 이와 더불어 VEGF단백 발현은 병기, 그리고 림프관 침습과 연관적인 경향성을 보였다. 그러나 VEGF단백 발현과 생존기간과는 관련성이 없었다. 또한, Apaf-1과 caspase-9의 단백발현은 다른 임상지표, 환자의 생존기간과는 관련이 없었다. 결 론 VEGF단백 발현은 두경부 편평세포암 환자에서 나쁜 임상경과를 예측할 수 있게 하는 표지자로서의 역할을 할 수 있다. 또한 본 연구는 두경부 편평세포암에서 별로 연구되지 않은 Apaf-1과 caspase-9의 발현상태를 밝힌 점에서 의의가 있다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권8호
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• pp.3293-3299
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• 2015

Background: Arm protein lost in epithelial cancers, on chromosome X (ALEX) is a novel subgroup within the armadillo (ARM) family, which has one or two ARM repeat domains as opposed to more than six-thirteen repeats in the classical Armadillo family members. Materials and Methods: In the study, we explore the biological functions of ALEX1 in breast cancer cells. Overexpression of ALEX1 and silencing of ALEX1 were performed with SK-BR3 and MCF-7 cell lines. Cell proliferation and colony formation assays, along with flow cytometry, were carried out to evaluate the roles of ALEX1. Results: ALEX1 overexpression in SK-BR3 breast cancer cells inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis. Furthermore, depletion of ALEX1 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells increased proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. Additional analyses demonstrated that the overexpression of ALEX1 activated the intrinsic apoptosis cascades through up-regulating the expression of Bax, cytosol cytochrome c, active caspase-9 and active caspase-3 and down-regulating the levels of Bcl-2 and mitochondria cytochrome c. Simultaneouly, silencing of ALEX1 inhibited intrinsic apoptosis cascades through down-regulating the expression of Bax, cytosol cytochrome c, active caspase-9, and active caspase-3 and up-regulating the level of Bcl-2 and mitochondria cytochrome c. Conclusions: Our data suggest that ALEX1 as a crucial tumor suppressor gene has been involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis in breast cancer, which may serve as a novel candidate therapeutic target.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.448-453
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• 2000

천연물로부터 U937 세포주를 사용한 caspase-3 유도저해물질을 탐색한 결과 머위(Petasites japonicum)를 선발하였다. 머위의 메탄올 추출물로부터 Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography, HPLC 등을 사용하여 저해물질을 분리하였으며, UV, EIMS, 1H-NMR, $^{13}C-NMR$, HMBC등의 기기분석을 실시한 결과 [3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-oxopropyl] ester로 동정되었다. 이 물질은 $IC_{50}\;8\;{\mu}g/ml$의 농도로 U937 세포주의 etoposide에 의한 caspase 3 유도를 저해하였으며, DNA fragmentation도 저해하였다. 또한 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) 라디칼 소거능을 나타내었다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권8호
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• pp.3803-3807
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• 2012

Prohibitin (PHB), an evolutionarily-conserved protein, has been found to be over-expressed in gastric cancer and be closely related with tumor malignancy. In this study, to investigate the relationship between PHB expression and cell apoptosis in the BGC823 gastric cancer cell line, low and high expression PHB in BGC823 cells was accomplished using RNA interference technology and gene transfer techniques. Cell proliferation, cell cycling, apoptosis, Bax, Bcl-2 and Cyt.c protein expression and the activation of Caspase-3,9 were assessed after 48h. Over-expression of PHB gene in BGC823 cells resulted in slow cell growth, cell arrest in G2 phase, and an increased apoptosis ratio while the opposite was found for PHB under-expressing cells. In PHB over-expressing cells, the expression of Bax gene was increased, the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased, the activation level of Caspase-3, 9 was increased, but the activation level of Caspase-8 demonstrated no change. These results indicate that PHB induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway.