• 대한한의학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.12-21
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• 2005

Objectives: In the present study, we investigated whether an aqueous extract of Armeniacae semen induces apoptotic neuronal cell death upon mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells. Methods: 1. Cell viability was determined by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTI) assay. 2. For in situ detection of apoptotic cells, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining. 3. The fraction of cells was revealed by flow cytometric analysis used that. 4. For detection of apoptotic DNA cleavage, DNA fragmentation assay was performed. 5. For detection of bax and bcl-2, Western blot analysis was performed. 6. Caspase enzyme activity was measured using caspase-3 assay. Results: From the present results, N2a neuroblastoma cells treated with Armeniacae semen extract exhibited several characteristics of apoptosis. A treatment of Armeniacae semen extract was shown to increase the expression of Bax, a proapoptotic protein, and the treatment decreased the expression of Blc2, an anti-apoptotic protein. In addition, Armeniacae semen extract increased the caspase-3 enzyme activity. Conclusions: The present results show that Armeniacae semen extract induces apoptotic cell death in mouse N2a neuroblastoma cells.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.38-43
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• 2003

Purpose: Caspase 2, a member of the family of ICE-like proteases, is activated by the Fas pathway and induces apoptosis by triggering the caspase cascade. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the expression pattern of caspase 2 might be associated with gastric cancer development and if so, to determine to which pathologic parameter it is linked. Materials and Methods: For the construction of the gastric cancer tissue microarray, 78 paraffin-embedded tissues containing gastric cancer areas were cored 3 times and transferred to the recipient master block. The expression pattern of caspase 2 was examined on tissue microarray slides by using immunohistochemistry and was compared with pathologic parameters, including histologic type, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and peritoneal dissemination. Results: Caspase 2 was expressed on superficial and foveolar epithelial cells and lymphocytes in the gastric mucosa, mainly in cytoplasm. We found loss of caspase 2 expression in 41 ($52.6\%$) of the 78 gastric cancer tissues. Statistically, histologic type and other pathologic parameters were not related with loss of caspase 2 expression Conclusion: Our findings provide enough evidence that loss of caspase 2 expression may contribute to the development of Korean gastric cancer and that it might be one of the possible escape mechanisms from apoptosis in gastric cancer.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제26권3호
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• pp.49-58
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• 2009

목적 : 본 연구는 봉약침의 주요성분인 멜리틴이 전립선 암세포주인 DU-145 세포성장에 어떤 영향을 미치는지를 알아보기 위하여 시행하였다. 방법 : 멜리틴이 DU-145의 성장에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위한 cell viability 측정으로는 WST-1 assay를, 세포자멸사의 관찰에는 DAPI(4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole)와 TUNEL staining assay를 시행하였으며, 세포자멸사 조절단백질(calpain, Bax, caspase-3, -9, cleaved caspase-3, cleavaged PARP, cleaved caspase-9, Bcl-2, XIAP, cIAP2, Akt, p-Akt, MMP-2, MMP-13)의 관찰을 위하여 western blot analysis를 시행하였다. 결과 : 1. DU-145 세포에서 멜리틴을 처리한 후 세포자멸사가 유도되어 세포성장이 억제되었다. 2. 세포자멸사 관련 단백질 중 분리된 caspase-3, caspase-9은 유의한 증가를, Bcl-2, p-Akt, XIAP, cXIAP는 유의한 감소를 나타내었다. 결론 : 이상의 결과는 멜리틴이 인간 전립선암세포주인 DU-145의 세포자멸사를 유발함으로써 증식억제 효과가 있음을 나타낸 것으로, 전립선암의 예방과 치료에 대한 효과적인 치료제 개발에 도움이 될 것으로 기대된다.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.111-116
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• 2005

Resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene), a naturally occuring polyphenol compound which present in the skin of grapes and red wine has been considered to posses chemopreventive and antioxidant properties. However, little is known about the cellular actions by which resveratrol mediates its therapeutic effects. In this study, the effect of resveratrol on cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis in human osteogenic sarcoma (HOS) cells was investigated. $IC_{50}$ value was determined to be approximately $6.0{\mu}g/ml$. Chromosomal DNA framgmentation analysis showed the appearance degraded DNA in time-and dose-dependent manner upon treatment of resveratrol. In order to observe the molecular mechanism involved in resveratrol-induced apoptosis, Western blot analysis was performed. We observed the decrease in the level of procaspase-3, the zymogen form of active caspase-3 in resveratrol-treated cells. This result implies that caspase-3 is activated upon treatment of resveratrol. The activation of caspase-3 was confirmed by the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Taken together, our data demonstrate that resveratrol has anti-proliferative effect on HOS cells and induced apoptosis through activation of caspase-3 and PARP cleavage.

• 대한한방부인과학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.18-30
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• 2018

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the anti-cancer effects of AAH on ovarian cancer in vitro and by using allograft model in vivo. Methods: In this experiment, the effects of AAH on proliferation rates, cell morphology, cell death type, cell cycle, caspase activities and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway were investigated in A2780, human ovarian cell line. Results: AAH inhibited proliferation of A2780 cells in a dose dependent manner. In addition, AAH induced apoptosis but did not affect cell cycle of A2780 cells. AAH also effectively inhibited caspase 3 and caspase 9 activities respectively. In allograft tumor model, AAH reduced tumor volume and expanded life span in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: It can be inferred that AAH can induce apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells and has possibility as an anticancer agent for ovarian cancer.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.79-91
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• 2014

Objectives : To investigate the anti-cancer effect of Palbohoichoon-tang (PBHCT) extracts. Methods : The cell viability was assessed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MMT) assay and cell morphological changes were microscopically analyzed after staining with $10{\mu}M$ 2-[4-amidinophenyl]-6-indolecarbamidine dihydrochloride (DAPI) and TUNEL. We also analyzed expression of Bcl2, $Bcl_{xL}$, Bax, procaspase-3, procaspase-9, and procyclic acidic repetitive protein (PARP) by western blot method. Results : Observations showed that PBHCT induced the apoptotic cell death proved by increased sub-G1 phase cell population, apoptotic body formation and chromatin condensation. Western blot analysis of total cell lysates revealed that the PBHCT induced cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, PBHCT dose-dependently increased the activity of caspase-9, caspase-3 and PARP-1. Furthermore, PBHCT reduced anti-apoptotic Bcl2, $Bcl_{xL}$ expression which contributed to the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and the activations of caspase-9 and caspase-3. Conclusions : These findings suggest that PBHCT exerts anti-cancer effects on human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells by inducing apoptotic death via down-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl2 and $Bcl_{xL}$, up-regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bax, and activation of caspase cascades and PARP-1.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권7호
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• pp.3289-3294
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• 2016

Naringin, a bioflavonoid found in Citrus seeds, inhibits proliferation of cancer cells. The objectives of this study were to investigate the mode and mechanism(s) of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell death induced by naringin. The cytotoxicity of naringin towards HepG2 cells proved dose-dependent, measured by MTT assay. Naringin-treated HepG2 cells underwent apoptosis also in a concentration related manner, determined by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and propidium iodide (PI) employing flow cytometry. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) measured using 3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide ($DiOC_6$) and flow cytometer was reduced concentration-dependently, which indicated influence on the mitochondrial signaling pathway. Caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities were enhanced as evidenced by colorimetric detection of para-nitroaniline tagged with a substrate for each caspase. Thus, the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways were linked in human naringin-treated HepG2 cell apoptosis. The expression levels of pro-apoptotic Bax and Bak proteins were increased whereas that of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL protein was decreased, confirming the involvement of the mitochondrial pathway by immunoblotting. There was an increased expression of truncated Bid (tBid), which indicated caspase-8 proteolysis activity in Bid cleavage as its substrate in the extrinsic pathway. In conclusion, naringin induces human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell apoptosis via mitochondria-mediated activation of caspase-9 and caspase-8-mediated proteolysis of Bid. Naringin anticancer activity warrants further investigation for application in medical treatment.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권11호
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• pp.1499-1506
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• 2008

식용 및 약용으로 이용되는 산초(Zanthoxylum schinifolium)의 줄기로부터 항암활성 성분을 분리하기 위하여, 산초 줄기를 유기용매로 추출하고 각 추출물의 인체 급성백혈병 암세포에 대한 독성 및 세포자살 유도 활성을 조사하였다. Methanol (SS-7), methylene chloride (SS-8), ethyl acetate (SS-9), n-butanol (SS-10)로 추출한 각 시료와 유기용매 추출 후 잔여분획 (SL-14)의 세포 독성을 인체 급성백혈병 Jurkat T 세포주를 대상으로 조사한 결과, 암세포에 대한 세포독성이 주로 methylene chloride 추출분획인 (SS-8)에서 확인되었다. Methylene chloride 추출물 (SS-8)의 Jurkat T 세포주에 대한 세포독성의 기전은 mitochondria로부터cytochrome c 방출, caspase-9 및 caspase-3의 활성화, PARP 분해, internucleosomal DNA fragmentation 등의 일련의 생화학적 반응을 수반하며, 항 세포자살단백질인 Bcl-xL단백질의 과발현에 의해 억제되는 세포자살 기전임을 확인하였다. FADD가 disruption된 Jurkat T cell clone I2.1 ($FADD^{-/-}$) 및 caspase-8가 결핍된 Jurkat T cell clone I9.2 (caspase-$8^{-/-}$)와 함께 the wild-type Jurkat T cell clone A3에 미치는 SS-8의 세포독성작용을 비교 분석한 결과, wild-type Jurkat A3, FADD-deficient Jurkat clone I2.1및 caspase-8-deficient Jurkat clone I9.2 모두는 SS-8의 세포독성에 대해 유사한 정도의 감수성을 나타내었다. 이는 SS-8에 의해 유도되는 apoptosis에 있어서, Fas/FasL system이 관계되지 않음을 시사한다. 한편, SS-8를 GC-MS 분석하여, 9,12-octadecanoic acid (18.62%), 2,4-dihydro-5-methyl-4-(1-methylethylidene)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)- 3H-pyrazol-3-one (14.97%), hexadecanoic acid (14.23%), (z,z)-6,9-pentadecadien-1-ol (13.73%), 5,6-dimethoxy- 2-methyl benzofuran (10.95%), 그리고 4-methoxy-2-methylcinnamic acid (5.38%) 등을 포함한 16가지의 구성 성분과 그 조성비를 확인하였다. 이상의 연구결과는 산초 줄기에 함유된 항암 활성에 대한 규명과 이해를 증진시킨다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.804-813
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• 2008

본 연구에서는 전통 민간의학에서 많이 사용되는 동충하초(C. militaris)의 항암 작용에 관한 근거 자료의 제시를 위하여 동충하초 열수 추출물(WECM)의 항암 기전 해석을 시도하였다. 이를 위하여 HepG2 인체 간암세포를 사용하였으며, WECM의 처리에 의하여 HepG2 세포의 증식은 처리 농도의 증가에 따라 매우 억제되었다. WECM 처리에 의한 HepG2 세포의 증식 억제는 암세포의 심한 형태적 변형을 수반하였고, 이는 apoptosis 유도와 연관성이 있음을 DAPI 염색을 통한 apoptotic body 출현의 증가 및 flow cytometry 분석에 의한 sub-G1 기에 속하는 세포 빈도의 증가로 확인하였다. WECM 처리에 의한 HepG2 세포의 증식 억제는 또한 종양 억제 유전자 p53 및 CDKI p21의 발현 증가와도 연관성이 있음을 알 수 있었다. WECM 처리에 의한 apopotosis 유도에서 pro-apoptotic 인자인 Bax의 발현이 전사 및 번역 수준에서 매우 증가하였으며, caspase-3의 활성이 매우 높게 증가되었다. 특히 caspase-3 특이적 억제제인 z-DEVD-fmk로 caspase-3의 활성을 인위적으로 차단시켰을 경우, WECM에 의한 HepG2 세포의 apoptosis 유발에 caspase-3이 중심적인 역할을 하고 있음을 알 수 있었다. 본 연구 결과는 WECM의 생화학적 항암기전 해석을 이해하고 향후 수행될 추가 실험을 위한 기초 자료로서 그 가치가 매우 높은 것으로 생각된다.

• 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.