• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.141-147
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• 2013

Hypoxia has been shown to promote inflammation, including the release of proinflammatory cytokines, but it is poorly investigated how hypoxia directly affects inflammasome signaling pathways. To explore whether hypoxic stress modulates inflammasome activity, we examined the effect of cobalt chloride ($CoCl_2$)-induced hypoxia on caspase-1 activation in primary mixed glial cultures of the neonatal mouse brain. Unexpectedly, hypoxia induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation or $CoCl_2$ treatment failed to activate caspase-1 in microglial BV-2 cells and primary mixed glial cultures. Of particular interest, $CoCl_2$-induced hypoxic condition considerably inhibited NLRP3-dependent caspase-1 activation in mixed glial cells, but not in bone marrow-derived macrophages. $CoCl_2$-mediated inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activity was also observed in the isolated brain microglial cells, but $CoCl_2$ did not affect poly dA:dT-triggered AIM2 inflammasome activity in mixed glial cells. Our results collectively demonstrate that $CoCl_2$-induced hypoxia may negatively regulate NLRP3 inflammasome signaling in brain glial cells, but its physiological significance remains to be determined.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.114-123
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• 2007

Osteoarthritis is characterized by cartilage degradation and chondrocytes death. Chondrocyte death is induced by the apotosis through special mechanisms including the activation of caspase-3. On the basis of this background, this study was designed to examine the cartilage protective and anti-apototic effects of Aralia Cordata in in vtro and in collagenase-induced arthritis rabbit model. To conduct in vitro study, chondrocytes culturedfrom rabbit knee joint were treated by 5 ng/ml IL-1a.For in vivo experiment, collagenase-induced arthritis (CIA) rabbit model was made via intraarticular injection with 0.25 ml of collagenase solution. Aralia cordata pharmacopuncture (ACP) was administrated on bilateral Dokbi acupoint (ST35) of rabbits at a dosage of 150 ${\mu}g/kg$ once a day for 28 days after the initiation of the CIA induction. In the study by using CIA rabbit model in vivo, ACP showed the inhibition of cartilage degradation in histological analysis. Aralia cordata also showed anti-apoptotic effect both in vitro and in vivo study. In chondrocytes treated by IL-1a, Aralia cordata inhibited caspase-3 activity and enhanced the proliferation of IL-1a-induced dedifferentiated chondrocytes. ACP showed the inhibition effect on the caspase-3 expression and activity from CIA rabbit model. This study indicates that ACP inhibits the cartilage destruction and the chondrocyte apotosis through downregulation of caspase-3 activity. These data suggest that ACP has a beneficial effect on preventing articular cartilage destruction in osteoarthrtis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1343-1349
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• 2021

Cockroaches live in places where various pathogens exist and thus are more likely to use antimicrobial compounds to defend against pathogen intrusions. We previously performed an in silico analysis of the Periplaneta americana transcriptome and detected periplanetasin-5 using an in silico antimicrobial peptide prediction method. In this study, we investigated whether periplanetasin-5 has anticancer activity against the human leukemia cell line K562. Cell growth and survival of K562 cells treated with periplanetasin-5 were decreased in a dose-dependent manner. By using flow cytometric analysis, acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining and DNA fragmentation, we found that periplanetasin-5 induced apoptotic and necrotic cell death in leukemia cells. In addition, these events were associated with increased levels of the pro-apoptotic proteins Fas and cytochrome c and reduced levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Periplanetasin-5 induces the cleavage of pro-caspase-9, pro-caspase-8, pro-caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). The above data suggest that periplanetasin-5 induces apoptosis via both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Moreover, caspase-related apoptosis was further confirmed by using the caspase inhibitor carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[O-methyl]-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-FMK), which reversed the periplanetasin-5-induced reduction in cell viability. In conclusion, periplanetasin-5 caused apoptosis in leukemia cells, suggesting its potential utility as an anticancer therapeutic agent.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.242-247
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• 2012

Chondrocyte apoptosis has been recognized as an important factor in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$), which produces reactive oxygen species, reportedly induces apoptosis in chondrocytes. The ginsenoside $Rb_1$ (G-$Rb_1$) is the principal component in ginseng and has been shown to have a variety of biological activities, such as anti-arthritis, anti-inflammation, and anti-tumor activities. In this study, we evaluated the effects of G-$Rb_1$ on the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) and caspase-3 activity of chondrocyte apoptosis induced by $H_2O_2$. Cultured rat articular chondrocytes were exposed to $H_2O_2$ with or without G-$Rb_1$ and assessed for viability, MPT, Bcl-xL/Bax expression, caspase-3 activity, and apoptosis. The co-treatment with G-$Rb_1$ showed an inhibition of MPT, caspase-3 activity, and cell death. Additionally, the levels of the apoptotic protein Bax were significantly lower and the levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-xL were higher compared with $H_2O_2$ treatment alone. The results of this study demonstrate that G-$Rb_1$ protects chondrocytes against $H_2O_2$-induced apoptosis, at least in part via the inhibition of MPT and caspase-3 activity. These results demonstrate that G-$Rb_1$ is a potentially useful drug for the treatment of OA patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5895-5900
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• 2013

Dictamnine (Dic) has the ability to exert cytotoxicity in human cervix, colon, and oral carcinoma cells and dihydroartemisinin (DHA) also has potent anticancer activity on various tumour cell lines. This report explores the molecular mechanisms by which Dic treatment and combination treatment with DHA and Dic cause apoptosis in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells. Dic treatment induced concentration- and time-dependent cell death. FCM analysis showed that Dic induced S phase cell cycle arrest at low concentration and cell apoptosis at high concentration in which loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}m$) was not involved. In addition, inhibition of caspase-3 using the specific inhibitor, z-DQMD-fmk, did not attenuate Dic-induced apoptosis, implying that Dic-induced caspase-3-independent apoptosis. Combination treatment with DHA and Dic dramatically increased the apoptotic cell death compared to Dic alone. Interestingly, pretreatment with z-DQMD-fmk significantly attenuated DHA and Dic co-induced apoptosis, implying that caspase-3 plays an important role in Dic and DHA co-induced cell apoptosis. Collectively, we found that Dic induced S phase cell cycle arrest at low concentration and cell apoptosis at high concentration in which mitochondria and caspase were not involved and DHA enhanced Dic induced A549 cell apoptosis via a caspase-dependent pathway.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.94-104
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• 2024

β-Lapachone is a natural quinone compound originally obtained from the bark of the lapacho tree (Tabebuia vellanedae), which has been used in traditional medicine in several South and Central American countries for treating various diseases. Although β-lapachone has been reported to have potent anticancer activity in many types of cancer cells, its effect on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells is still unclear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effect of β-lapachone on the proliferation of human HCC Hep3B cells. According to our results, the decrease in cell viability of Hep3B cells caused by β-lapachone was closely related to the induction of apoptosis, which was confirmed through changes in nuclear morphology and flow cytometry. In addition, in Hep3B cells treated with β-lapachone, the expression of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic factor, was decreased, while the expression of Bax, an apoptosis inducer, was increased, and the activity of the caspase cascade was also increased. However, in the presence of a pan-caspase inhibitor, β-lapachone-induced apoptosis was weakened, indicating that the induction of apoptosis by β-lapachone was caspase-dependent. Moreover, β-lapachone treatment activated extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling while inhibiting activation of the phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Furthermore, the effect of the ERK inhibitor on suppressing the induction of apoptosis by β-lapachone was minimal, and the PI3K inhibitor significantly increased β-lapachone-induced apoptosis. The findings from this study will contribute to a better understanding of the anticancer activity of β-lapachone in HCC cells.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 2001

The possible mechanism of the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of Boswellia carterri water extract were studied in HL-60 human leukemia cells. The cytotoxicity of HL-60 cells after the treatment of Boswellia carterii water extract showed dose- and time-dependent manner. The apoptotic effect of 300 $\mu$g/ml Boswellia carterii water extract was demonstrated by DNA laddering. The activity of caspase 3-1ike protease was markedly increased in HL-60 cells treated with Boswellia carterii water extract. Furthermore, the level of Bcl-2 was time-dependently reduced, whereas Bax protein level was enhanced by Boswellia carterii water extract treatment. In conclusion, our results suggest that apoptotic effect of Boswellia carterii water extract may partly mediated through activations of caspase-3 activity and Bax expression, and inhibition of Bcl-2 expression.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.484-490
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• 2001

Mylabris phalerata(MP) is an insect that has been used for the treatment of cancer in oriental medicine. To evaluate the anticancer activity of Mylabris phalerata, We measured the cytotoxicity of Mylabris phalerata solvent fractions such as MC, EA, BuOH and residual layers on U937, human monocytic leukemia cells. Of those fractions BuOH layer of Mylabris phalerata was the most effective with ID$_{50}$ of 140$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml. It effectively caused DNA fragmentation from the concentration of 50$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, showed apoptotic nucleus by tenets assay and expressed apototic portion stained by Annexin-V. It also induced the activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of the substrate poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). These results suggest BuOH layer of Mylabris phalerata exerts anticancer activity by induction of apoptosis via activation of caspase-3 protease.e.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.669-676
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• 2019

Zanthoxylum piperitum D.C. (ZP) peels has been used as a natural spice and herb medicine for hypertension reduction, for strokes, and for its anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant activity. However, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms employed by ZP have yet to be completely understood. In this study, we elucidate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of ZP in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. We evaluated the effects of ZP in LPS-induced levels of inflammatory cytokines, prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), and caspase-1 using ELISA. The expression levels of inflammatory-related genes, including cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), were assayed by Western blot analysis. We elucidated the effect of ZP on nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation by means of a luciferase activity assay. The findings of this study demonstrated that ZP inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokine and PGE₂ and inhibited the increased levels of COX-2 and iNOS caused by LPS. Additionally, we showed that the anti-inflammatory effect of ZP arises by suppressing the activation of NF-κB and caspase-1 in LPS- induced RAW264.7 cells. These results provide novel insights into the pharmacological actions of ZP as a potential candidate for development of new drugs to treat inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.212-217
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Citrus Reticulata(CR) on the Cell Detachment and Apoptosis in Human Gastric Cancer SNU-668 Cells. The effect of CR on apoptosis was investigated through MTT assay, DAPI staining, and TUNEL assay. We also performed RT-PCR for apoptotic genes including BCL-2, BAX, and caspase-3, the caspase-3 activity assay, and western blotting for pro-CASP-3. Then, to detect that adhesion of cell to ECM was reduced by CR, we investigated mRNA expression of CDH1 and PTK2 using RT-PCR, and their protein expressions using western blotting, and immunocytochemistry in SNU-668 cells. In this study, the results showed that treatment of CR induced time and dose-dependent cell death in SNU-668 cells. Downregulated mRNA expression of BCL-2, and upregulated mRNA expressions of BAX and CASP-3 indicated that the cell death was due to apoptosis. Protein expression of inactivated CASP-3, and caspase-3 activity assay also showed that apoptosis was induced in CR-treated cells.