• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.282-287
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• 2009

Ochnaflavone is a natural biflavonoid and mainly found in the caulis of Lonicera japonica (Caprifoliaceae). Biological activities such as anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic effects have been previously reported. The anticancer activity of ochnaflavone, however, has been poorly elucidated yet. In the present study, we investigated the effect of ochnaflavone on the growth inhibitory activity in cultured human colon cancer cell line HCT-15. Ochnaflavone inhibited the proliferation of the cancer cells with an $IC_{50}$ value of $4.1{\mu}M$. Flow cytometric analysis showed that ochnaflavone arrested cell cycle progression in the G2/M phase, and induced the increase of sub-G1 peak in a concentration-dependent manner. Induction of cell cycle arrest was correlated with the modulation of the expression of cell cycle regulating proteins including cdc2 (Tyr15), cyclin A, cyclin B1 and cyclin E. The increase of sub-G1 peak by the higher concentrations of ochnaflavone (over $20{\mu}M$) was closely related to the induction of apoptosis, which was evidenced by the induction of DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9, and cleavage of poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase. These findings suggest that the cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis might be one possible mechanism of actions for the anti-proliferative activity of ochnaflavone in human colon cancer cells.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.749-754
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• 2009

The polysaccharide (BB-pol) extracted from Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4 showed growth inhibitory effects on several colon cancer cell lines such as HT-29 and HCT-116. To increase the yield of polysaccharide, B. bifidum BGN4 was cultured in various culture media with different compositions. When B. bifidum BGN4 was cultured in modified MRS broth containing phytic acid, the cells showed increased branch formation and enlarged morphology. The content of total carbohydrate and the ability of adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells were also increased by phytic acid. The polysaccharide obtained from the cells grown in the presence of phytic acid inhibited the proliferation of cancer cell lines such as HT-29 and MCF-7 cells but not normal colon cell line, FHC. Taken together, Bifidobacterium grown in the presence of phytic acid may confer enhanced beneficial function for the host.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.37 no.4 s.147
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• pp.283-289
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• 2006

Ethanol extracts of the whole herb of Agastachis Herba (A) and of Pueraria Radix (P) alone and of their mixture (A+P) downregulated the cell growth, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, prostaglandin $E_2\;(PGE_2)$, and cGMP production. A, P, and A + P inhibited the cell growth of HT-29 colon cancer cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner but not the growth of normal colon cell, CCD-112CoN. In addition, they markedly inhibited the productions of $PGE_2$ and cGMP as well as the mRNA expression of COX-2. These data suggest that non-toxic concentration of A, P, and A + P have a significant effect on the in vitro growth of HT-29 cells, specifically through the inhibition of the $PGE_2$ production via COX-2.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2019

The apoptotic effects of shikonin (5,8-dihydroxy-2-[(1R)-1-hydroxy-4-methylpent-3-enyl]naphthalene-1,4-dione) on the human colon cancer cell line SNU-407 were investigated in this study. Shikonin showed dose-dependent cytotoxic activity against SNU-407 cells, with an estimated $IC_{50}$ value of $3{\mu}M$ after 48 h of treatment. Shikonin induced apoptosis, as evidenced by apoptotic body formation, sub-G_1$ phase cells, and DNA fragmentation. Shikonin induced apoptotic cell death by activating mitogen-activated protein kinase family members, and the apoptotic process was mediated by the activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, leading to activation of the $PERK/elF2{\alpha}/CHOP$ apoptotic pathway, and mitochondrial $Ca^{2+}$ accumulation. Shikonin increased mitochondrial membrane depolarization and altered the levels of apoptosis-related proteins, with a decrease in B cell lymphoma (Bcl)-2 and an increase in Bcl-2-associated X protein, and subsequently, increased expression of cleaved forms of caspase-9 and -3. Taken together, we suggest that these mechanisms, including MAPK signaling and the ER- and mitochondria-mediated pathways, may underlie shikonin-induced apoptosis related to its anticancer effect.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4781-4786
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• 2015

Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is used primarily as an adaptogen herb and also for its immune stimulant properties in Western herbal medicine. Another closely related species used in East Asian medicine systems i.e. Kampo, TCM (Manchuria, Korea, Japan and Ainu of Hokkaido) and also called Siberian ginseng (Acanthopanax senticosus) also displays immune-stimulant and anti-cancer properties. These may affect tumour growth and also provide an anti-fatigue effect for cancer patients, in particular for those suffering from lung cancer. There is some evidence that a carbohydrate in Siberian ginseng may possess not only immune stimulatory but also anti-tumour effects and also display other various anti-cancer properties. Our study aimed to determine the inhibitory and also proliferative effects of a methanol plant extract of Siberan ginseng (E. senticosus) on various cancer and normal cell lines including: A-549 (small cell lung cancer), XWLC-05 (Yunnan lung cancer cell line), CNE (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line), HCT-116 (human colon cancer) and Beas-2b (human lung epithelial). These cell lines were treated with an extract from E. senticosus that was evaporated and reconstituted in DMSO. Treatment of A-549 (small cell lung cancer) cells with E. senticosus methanolic extract showed a concentration-dependent inhibitory trend from $12.5-50{\mu}g/mL$, and then a plateau, whereas at 12.5 and $25{\mu}g/mL$, there is a slight growth suppression in QBC-939 cells, but then a steady suppression from 50, 100 and $200{\mu}g/mL$. Further, in XWLC-05 (Yunnan lung cancer cell line), E. senticosus methanolic extract displayed an inhibitory effect which plateaued with increasing dosage. Next, in CNE (human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line) there was a dose dependent proliferative response, whereas in Beas-2 (human lung epithelial cell line), an inhibitory effect. Finally in colon cancer cell line (HCT-116) we observed an initially weak inhibitory effect and then plateau.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2004

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) playa key role in tumor invasion and metastasis. As an inhibitor of MMP-2, TIMP-2 is known to block both the invasive and metastatic behavior of cancer cells, and decrease tumor growth activity. We performed this study to investigate the effects of TIMP-2 over-expression induced by retroviral mediated gene transfer in vitro and in vivo. The human colon cancer cell line SW480 was transfected with the retroviral vector encoding TIMP-2. The effects of TIMP-2 over-expression were analyzed by invasion assay and gelatinase activity test in colon cancer cells and tumorigencity in nude mice. In evaluation of the transfection efficiency of the retroviral vector encoding TIMP-2 in colon cancer cells, we confirmed up-regulation of TIMP-2 expression dependent on the time of cell culture. In addition, inhibition of MMP-2 expression in SW480/TIMP-2 was shown by gelatin zymography. In the in vitro invasion assay SW480/TIMP-2 inhibited the invasiveness on matrigel coated with collagen. To determine whether TIMP-2 can modulate in vivo tumorigenicity and metastasis, SW480/TIMP-2 cells were injected subcutaneously in nude mice. The tumor mass formation of SW480/TIMP-2 cells in nude mice was markedly decreased compared to nontransfected cancer cells. These results showed that colon cancer cells transfected with the retroviral vector encoding TIMP-2 inhibits the invasiveness in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.196-202
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• 1993

A study was performed to compare the anticancer effects of Korean and Chinese red ginseng roots. The whole crude extracts or chloroform, methanol and acetone fractions of the crude extracts were added in the culture medium of three cancer cell lines, a mouse leukemia cell line ($P_{388}$), a human colon carcinoma cell line (HT-29) and a human rectal carcinoma cell line (HRT-18), to screen the growth inhibition effects. The results are summarized as follows : 1. Crude extracts of both Korean and Chinese red ginseng roots inhibited the proliferation of all the three cancer cell lines tested in a dose dependent manner. However, the growth inhibition effects of Korean red ginseng extracts were significantly greater than that of Chinese red ginseng. 2. An acetone fraction showed the greatest antiproliferative effects among the 11'hole crude extracts, chloroform, methanol and acetone fractions of the crude extracts. 3. These results suggest that the active antiproliferative components of the crude extracts are present mostly in the acetone fraction.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.188-192
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• 1998

We established the model of clonogenic assay with human tumor cell line such as Calu-3 (lung carcinoma), HEC- lB (endometrial adenocarcinoma) , HEp-2 (larnyx carcinoma), Hs-5787 (breast carcinoma), K-562 (chronic myelogenous leukemia), SF-188 (brain carcinoma), SNU-1 (stomach carcinoma) and WiDr (colon carcinoma) . We investigated growth inhibition of solvent (EtOH, MeOH) and water (100$^{\circ}C$, 121$^{\circ}C$) extracts from Korean red ginseng by clonogenic assay. The results of clonogenic assay showed that EtOH extract had growth inhibition against Calu-3, SF-188 and SNU-1, MeOH extract had growth inhibition against Calu-3, Hs-5787, K-562, and WiDr, but water extract at 100$^{\circ}C$ and water extract at 121$^{\circ}C$ had not growth inhibition against used cell lines.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7037-7041
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• 2014

Background: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the most commonly used drug in colon cancer therapy. However, despite impressive clinical responses initially, development of drug resistance to 5-Fu in human tumor cells is the primary cause of failure of chemotherapy. In this study, we established a 5-Fu-resistant human colon cancer cell line for comparative chemosensitivity studies. Materials and Methods: Real time PCR and Western blotting were used to determine gene expression levels. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Glucose uptake was assess using an Amplex Red Glucose/Glucose Oxidase assay kit. Results: We found that 5-Fu resistance was associated with the overexpression of Glut1 in colon cancer cells. 5-Fu treatment at low toxic concentration induced Glut1 expression. At the same time, upregulation of Glut1 was detected in 5-Fu resistant cells when compared with their parental cells. Importantly, inhibition of Glut1 by a specific inhibitor, WZB117, significantly increased the sensitivity of 5-Fu resistant cells to the drug. Conclusions: This study provides novel information for the future development of targeted therapies for the treatment of chemo-resistant colon cancer patients. In particular it demonstrated that Glut1 inhibitors such as WZB117 may be considered an additional treatment options for patients with 5-Fu resistant colon cancers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1017-1021
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• 2013

The cellular apoptosis susceptibility (CSE1L) gene has been demonstrated to regulate multiple cellular mechanisms including the mitotic spindle check point as well as proliferation and apoptosis. However, the importance of CSE1L in human colon cancer is largely unknown. In the present study, we examined expression levels of CSE1L mRNA by semiquantitative RT-PCR. A lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to knock down CSE1L expression in the human colon cancer cell line RKO. Changes in CSE1L target gene expression were determined by RT-PCR. Cell proliferation was examined by a high content screening assay. In vitro tumorigenesis was measured by colony-formation assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometric analysis. We found CSE1L mRNA to be expressed in human colon cancer cells. Using a lentivirus based RNAi approach, CSE1L expression was significantly inhibited in RKO cells, causing cell cycle arrest in the G2/M and S phases and a delay in cell proliferation, as well as induction of apoptosis and an inhibition of colony growth capacity. Collectively, the results suggest that silencing of CSE1L may be a potential therapeutic approach for colon cancer.