• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.68-76
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• 2019

Background: In colorectal cancer (CRC), 40-60% of patients develop metastasis. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a pivotal and intricate process that increases the metastatic potential of CRC. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Korean Red Ginseng extract (RGE) on colorectal metastasis through inhibition of EMT and the metastatic abilities of CRC cells. Methods: To investigate the effect of RGE on the metastatic phenotypes of CRC cells, CT26 and HT29 cells were evaluated by using an adhesion assay, a wound-healing assay, an invasion assay, zymography, and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Western-blot analysis was conducted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of RGE, which showed an inhibitory effect on the transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ ($TGF-{\beta}1$)-induced EMT in HT29 cells. Additionally, the antimetastatic effect of RGE was evaluated in a mouse model of lung metastasis injected with CT26 cells. Results: RGE decreased the adhesion and migration ability of the CT26 cells and TGF-${\beta}1$-treated HT29 cells. The invasion ability was also reduced by RGE treatment through the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and activity. Moreover, RGE suppressed the TGF-${\beta}1$-induced EMT via TGF-${\beta}1$/Smad-signaling-mediated Snail/E-cadherin expression in HT29 cells and lung tissue in CT26 tumor-bearing mice. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that RGE inhibited colorectal lung metastasis through a reduction in metastatic phenotypes, such as migration, invasion, and the EMT of CRC cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2024

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) is a transcription factor activated under hypoxic conditions, and it plays a crucial role in cellular stress regulation. While HIF-1α activity is essential in normal tissues, its presence in the tumor microenvironment represents a significant risk factor as it can induce angiogenesis and confer resistance to anti-cancer drugs, thereby contributing to poor prognoses. Typically, HIF-1α undergoes rapid degradation in normoxic conditions via oxygen-dependent degradation mechanisms. However, certain cancer cells can express HIF-1α even under normoxia. In this study, we observed an inclination toward increased normoxic HIF-1α expression in cancer cell lines exhibiting increased HDAC6 expression, which prompted the hypothesis that HDAC6 may modulate HIF-1α stability in normoxic conditions. To prove this hypothesis, several cancer cells with relatively higher HIF-1α levels under normoxic conditions were treated with ACY-241, a selective HDAC6 inhibitor, and small interfering RNAs for HDAC6 knockdown. Our data revealed a significant reduction in HIF-1α expression upon HDAC6 inhibition. Moreover, the downregulation of HIF-1α under normoxic conditions decreased zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 expression and increased E-cadherin levels in lung cancer H1975 cells, consequently suppressing cell invasion and migration. ACY-241 treatment also demonstrated an inhibitory effect on cell invasion and migration by reducing HIF-1α level. This study confirms that HDAC6 knockdown and ACY-241 treatment effectively decrease HIF-1α expression under normoxia, thereby suppressing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These findings highlight the potential of selective HDAC6 inhibition as an innovative therapeutic strategy for lung cancer.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.213-220
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• 2022

Although there have been advances in cancer therapy and surgical improvement, lung cancer has the lowest survival rate (19%) at all stages. This is because most patients are diagnosed with concurrent metastasis, which occurs due to numerous related reasons. Especially, lung cancer is one of the most common and malignant cancers in the world. Although there are advanced therapeutic strategies, lung cancer remains one of the main causes of cancer death. Recent work has proposed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the main cause of metastasis in most cases of human cancers including lung cancer. EMT involves the conversion of epithelial cells, wherein the cells lose their epithelial abilities and become mesenchymal cells involved in embryonic development, such as gastrulation and neural crest formation. In addition, recent research has indicated that EMT contributes to altering the cancer cells into cancer stem cells (CSCs). Although EMT is important in the developmental stages, this process also activates lung cancer progression, including complicated and diverse signaling pathways. Despite the numerous investigations on signaling pathways involved in the progression of lung cancer, this malignancy is considered critical for treatment. EMT in lung cancer involves many transcription factors and inducers, for example, Snail, TWIST, and ZEB are the master regulators of EMT. EMT-related factors and signaling pathways are involved in the progression of lung cancer, proposing new approaches to lung cancer therapy. In the current review, we highlight the signaling pathways implicated in lung cancer and elucidate the correlation of these pathways, indicating new insights to treat lung cancer and other malignancies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권7호
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• pp.2777-2783
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• 2015

Background: Nestin is associated with neoplastic transformation. However, the mechanisms by which nestin contributes regarding invasion and malignancy of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) remain unknown. Recent studies have shown that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important in invasion and migration of cancer cells. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the expression of nestin and its correlation with EMT-related proteins in GAC. Materials and Methods: The expression of nestin and EMT-related proteins was examined in GAC specimens and cell lines by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Clinicopathological features and survival outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Positive nestin immunostaining was most obviously detected in the cytoplasm, nucleus or both cytoplasm and nucleus of tumor cells in 19.2% (24/125) of GAC tissues, which was significantly higher than that in normal gastric mucosa tissues (1.7%, 1/60) (p=0.001). Nestin expression was closely related to several clinicopathological factors and EMT-related proteins (E-cadherin, vimentin and Snail) and displayed a poor prognosis. Interestingly, simultaneous cytoplasmic and nuclear nestin expression correlated with EMT-related proteins (E-cadherin, vimentin and Snail) (p<0.05) and lymph node metastasis (p=0.041) and a shorter survival time (p<0.05), but this was not the case with cytoplasmic or nuclear nestin expression. Conclusions: Nestin, particularly expression in both cytoplasm and nucleus, might be involved in regulating EMT and malignant progression in GAC, with potential as an unfavorable indicator in tumor diagnosis and a target for clinical therapy.

• BMB Reports
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• 제56권2호
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• pp.120-125
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• 2023

Karyopherin-α3 (KPNA3), a karyopherin-α isoform, is intimately associated with metastatic progression via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the molecular mechanism underlying how KPNA3 acts as an EMT inducer remains to be elucidated. In this report, we identified that KPNA3 was significantly upregulated in cancer cells, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer, and its knockdown resulted in the suppression of cell proliferation and metastasis. The comprehensive transcriptome analysis from KPNA3 knockdown cells indicated that KPNA3 is involved in the regulation of numerous EMT-related genes, including the downregulation of GATA3 and E-cadherin and the up-regulation of HAS2. Moreover, it was found that KPNA3 EMT-mediated metastasis can be achieved by TGF-β or AKT signaling pathways; this suggests that the novel independent signaling pathways KPNA3-TGF-β-GATA3-HAS2/E-cadherin and KPNA3-AKT-HAS2/E-cadherin are involved in the EMT-mediated progress of TNBC MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings provide new insights into the divergent EMT inducibility of KPNA3 according to cell and cancer type.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.152-161
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• 2020

D-pinitol is an analog of 3-methoxy-D-chiro-inositol found in beans and plants. D-pinitol has anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects. Additionally, D-pinitol induces apoptosis and inhibits metastasis in breast and prostate cancers. However, to date, no study has investigated the anticancer effects of D-pinitol in oral cancer. Therefore, in this study, whether the anticancer effects of D-pinitol induce apoptosis, inhibit the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and arrest cell cycle was investigated in squamous epithelial cells. D-pinitol decreased the survival and cell proliferation rates of CAL-27 and Ca9-22 oral squamous carcinoma cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Evidence of apoptosis, including nuclear condensation, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and caspase-3 fragmentation, was also observed. D-pinitol inhibited the migration and invasion of both cell lines. In terms of EMT-related proteins, E-cadherin was increased, whereas N-cadherin, Snail, and Slug were decreased. D-pinitol also decreased the expression of cyclin D1, a protein involved in the cell cycle, but increased the expression of p21, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. Hence, D-pinitol induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in CAL-27 and Ca9-22 cells, demonstrating an anticancer effect by decreasing the EMT.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.141-148
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• 2015

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the first step in metastasis and implicated in the phenotype of cancer stem cells. Therefore, understanding and controlling EMT, are essential to the prevention and cure of metastasis. In the present study, we examined, by Western blot, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and confocal microscopy, the effects of cardamonin (CDN) on transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ (TGF-${\beta}1$)-induced EMT of A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. TGF-${\beta}1$ induced expression of N-cadherin and decreased expression of E-cadherin. CDN suppressed N-cadherin expression and restored E-cadherin expression. Further, TGF-${\beta}1$ induced migration and invasion of A549 cancer cells, which was suppressed by CDN. TGF-${\beta}1$ induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation during EMT, but CDN blocked it. Protein serine/threonine phosphatase 2A (PP2A) expression in A549 cancer cells was reduced by TGF-${\beta}1$ but CDN restored it. The overall data suggested that CDN suppresses TGF-${\beta}1$-induced EMT via PP2A restoration, making it a potential new drug candidate that controls metastasis.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.337-344
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• 2018

발생하는 간암 중 가장 주요한 형태인 간세포암은 강한 전이특성으로 인해 높은 재발율과 사망률을 보인다. Silymarin은 엉겅퀴에서 추출한 플라보노이드 성분으로 여러 암세포주에서 상피간엽전환(epithelial mesenchymal transition, EMT) 조절을 통해 항암효과를 보이는 것으로 보고되었다. 본 연구에서는 silymarin이 EMT의 조절을 통해 간세포암 세포주인 Huh7 cell의 침윤과 전이를 억제하는지를 분석하고자 하였다. Huh7 cell의 침윤과 전이 활성을 분석하기 위하여 wound healing assay와 in vitro invasion assay를 시행하였고 EMT 관련 유전자와 상위 신호전달물질의 발현 분석을 위해 Western blot assay를 실시하였다. 그 결과 silymarin은 농도 의존적으로 Huh7 cell의 침윤과 전이를 억제하였다. EMT 관련 유전자 중 세포 부착 단백질인 E-cadherin은 증가하였으나, 중간엽세포의 지표인 vimentin, 종양미세환경 조절에 관여하는 MMP-9의 발현은 억제되었고 이들의 활성에 관여하는 전사인자인 Snail과 nuclear factor $(NF)-{\kappa}B$ 또한 농도 의존적으로 활성이 감소하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 특히, 상위신호전달물질 중 silymarin은 phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt의 인산화 억제를 통해 EMT 관련 유전자들을 조절하는 것으로 나타났고 이것은 selective inhibitor인 LY294002의 처리 결과로 확인할 수 있었다. 결과적으로, silymarin은 PI3K/Akt 경로를 통해 EMT 관련 유전자의 발현을 조절함으로써 Huh7 cell의 침윤과 전이를 억제하는 것으로 생각된다. 이를 통해 silymarin이 간세포암의 전이 억제에 효과적인 항암물질의 후보가 될 수 있는 잠재력을 가진 후보물질이 될 수 있음을 보여주었다.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.10-18
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• 2006

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important etiologic factor for the development of peritoneal fibrosis in CAPD patients. Mesothelial cells are main source of trans-differentiated fibroblasts under stress from the bioincompatible peritoneal dialysate. In our study there was no difference in dialysate TGF-${\beta}$ and VEGF between the low and high GDP groups during an initial 12 months. However, after adjusting with D-CA125, the low GDPs group showed a significantly lower D-TGF-${\beta}$/D-CA125 and D-VEGF/CA125 during the initial 12 months. Among the adjusted peritoneal growth factors for CA125, VEGF/CA125 and TGF-b/CA125 were factors significantly associated with greater EMT in this study. Adjustment of the peritoneal growth factor for effluent CA125 (surrogate for mass of HPMCs) revealed significant association with EMT suggesting that the fibroblastoid transition from HPMCs could be affected by the amount of intraperitoneal growth factors (TGF-b, VEGF) per unit mass of HPMCs. There was significant improvement in both cell score and D-CA125 at the sixth and 12th months after switching from a high GDPs solution to a low GDPs solution. Use of icodextrin solution in patients who had average peritoneal transport showed not only better systemic effects such as decreased glucose absorption via dialysate but also preservation of the peritoneum, including less EMT and high mesothelial bulk mass. In conclusion, Therapy with low GDP solution including icodextrin may positively impact preservation of the peritoneal membrane integrity and prevention of peritoneal fibrosis with time on PD.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.4065-4069
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• 2015

Background: Epidermal growth factor-like domain multiple 7 (EGFL7), a secreted protein specifically expressed by endothelial cells during embryogenesis, recently was identified as a critical gene in tumor metastasis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was found to be closely related with tumor progression. Accordingly, it is important to investigate the migration and EMT change after knock-down of EGFL7 gene expression in human pancreatic cancer cells. Materials and Methods: EGFL7 expression was firstly testified in 4 pancreatic cancer cell lines by real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and western blot, and the highest expression of EGFL7 was found in PANC-1 cell line. Then, PANC-1 cells transfected with small interference RNA (siRNA) of EGFL7 using plasmid vector were named si-PANC-1, while transfected with negative control plasmid vector were called NC-PANC-1. Transwell assay was used to analyze the migration of PANC-1 cells. Real-time PCR and western blotting were used to detect the expression change of EGFL7 gene, EMT markers like E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin, Vimentin, Fibronectin and transcription factors like snail, slug in PANC-1, NCPANC-1, and si-PANC-1 cells, respectively. Results: After successful plasmid transfection, EGFL7 gene were dramatically knock-down by RNA interference in si-PANC-1 group. Meanwhile, migration ability decreased significantly, compared with PANC-1 and NC-PANC-1 group. Meanwhile, the expression of epithelial phenotype marker E-Cadherin increased and that of mesenchymal phenotype markers N-Cadherin, Vimentin, Fibronectin dramatically decreased in si-PANC-1 group, indicating a reversion of EMT. Also, transcription factors snail and slug decreased significantly after RNA interference. Conclusions: Current study suggested that highly-expressed EGFL7 promotes migration of PANC-1 cells and acts through transcription factors snail and slug to induce EMT, and further study is needed to confirm this issue.