• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2022

The imbalance of oxidative stress due to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to the pathogenesis of liver disease. To prevent this, the role of antioxidant mechanisms is important. Antioxidant studies have been reported on the Filipendula glaberrima Nakai. However, studies applied to HepG2 cells, which are human liver cells, have not yet been conducted. In this study, 70% ethanol extract of Filipendula glaberrima Nakai (FGE) was prepared and antioxidant activity was investigated. It was confirmed whether FGE pretreatment could reduce hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells. The increase in gene expression of antioxidant biomarkers and the scavenging ability of ROS were measured, and Hoechst 33342 staining was used to know the inhibitory effect of the apoptosis. As a result, FGE significantly increased SOD (2.6-fold), CAT (4.4-fold), MT-1A (3.1-fold), GPx (4-fold), and G6PD (2.4)-fold compared to the H₂O₂-treated group. FGE directly inhibited ROS production from 13.4 to 3.6 (the fluorescence mean of DCF-DA) and also reduced apoptotic cells from 45% to 10% (Hoechst 33342 staining) at 2.5 ㎍/mL. These results demonstrate the excellent antioxidant activity of FGE and show that it can be used as a functional food to prevent liver disease.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.5-9
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• 2013

Rhomboids were identified as the first intramembrane serine proteases about 10 years ago. Since then, the study of the rhomboid protease family has blossomed. Rhomboid domain containing 1 (RHBDD1), highly-expressed in human testis, contains a rhomboid domain with unknown function. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that RHBDD1 was associated with proliferation and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma using recombinant lentivirus-mediated silencing of RHBDD1 in HepG2 cells. Our results showed that down-regulation of RHBDD1 mRNA levels markedly suppressed proliferation and colony formation capacity of HepG2 human hepatoma cancer cells in vitro, and induced cell cycle arrest. We also found that RHBDD1 silencing could obviously trigger HepG2 cell apoptosis. In summary, it was demonstrated that RHBDD1 might be a positive regulator for proliferative and apoptotic characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.493-499
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• 2007

Celastrus orbiculatus (CO) has been used as a traditional herb medicine to treat fever, chill, joint pain, edema, rheumatoid arthritis and bacterial infection in China and Korea. In this study, we investigated anticarcinogenic effects of Celastrus orbiculatus (CO). CO was extracted with methanol (COM), and then further fractionated into four different types: methanol (COMM), hexane (COMH), butanol (COMB) and aqueous (COMA) partition layers. We determined the cytotoxicity of these four partitions in four kind of cancer cell lines, such as HepG2, MCF-7, HT29 and B16F10 Cells by MTT assay. Among various partition layers of CO, the COMM showed the strongest cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines we used. We also observed quinone reductase (QR) induced effects in all partition layers of CO on HepG2 cells. The QR induced effects of COMM on HepG2 cells at 80 ${\mu}$ g/mL concentration indicated 3.28 to a control value of 1.0. The COMM showed the highest induction activity of quinone reductase on HepG2 cells among the other partition layers. Although further studies are needed, the present work suggests that CO may be a chemopreventive agent for the treatment of human cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.176-186
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• 2018

In this study, the total polyphenol contents, antioxidant activities and anti-proliferation effects of HepG2 cell lines in organic slovent fractions obtained from the main methanolic extract of P. yezoensis were analyzed. The polyphenol content of the $CHCl_3$ fraction was $10.3{\mu}g/mg$, slightly less than $13.08{\mu}g/mg$ of the water fraction, but $ED_{50}$ estimated by measuring DPPH free radical scavenging activity exhibited the highest $16.96{\mu}g/ml$ in the $CHCl_3$ fraction. The proliferation effects of $CHCl_3$ and EtOAc fraction toward HepG2 cells inhibited in a dose-dependent manner, showed 90% inhibition when treated for 24 hr at $900{\mu}g/ml$ of $CHCl_3$ fraction. Meanwhile gene expression patterns in HepG2 cells treated $50{\mu}g/ml$ of $CHCl_3$ fraction were identified with microarray analysis. Concerning the efficacy of P. yezoensis, gene ontology analysis explored the genes associated with response to molecule of bacterial origin, vitamin D metabolic process, and response to nutrient. Thus IL6R, CYP1A1 were selected as significant genes based on expression patterns of HepG2 cells, and pathway analysis indicates that ARNT might be considered as a upstream regulator. Also, expression analysis of IL6R and CYP1A1, activity of upstream regulator ARNT in HepG2 cells was confirmed based on Western blotting analysis at the protein level after being treated with 50 and $100{\mu}g/ml$ of $CHCl_3$ fraction.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2008

Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid used in traditional Chinese medicine and has been isolated from a variety of plants, such as Coptis chinensis and Phellodendron amurense. It has a wide spectrum of clinical applications such as in anti-tumor, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, it is still unknown that berberine related with reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis pathway in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. In the present study, we are examined the molecular mechanism of ROS- and p38 MAP kinase-mediated apoptosis by berberine in HepG2 cells. Berberine increased cytotoxicity effects by time- and does-dependent manner. $LD_{50}$ was detected 50 ${\mu}M$ at 48h of exposure to berberine. Nuclei cleavage and apoptotic DNA fragmentation were observed in cells treated with 50 ${\mu}M$ of berberine for 48h. Moreover, berberine induced the activating of caspase-3, p53, p38 and Bax expression, whereas the expression of anti-apoptotic signaling pathways, Bcl-2, was decreased. Additionally, berberine-treated cells had an increased level of generation of ROS and nitric oxide (NO). These results indicated that berberine induces apoptosis of HepG2 cells may be mediated oxidative injury acts as an early and upstream change, triggers mitochondrial dysfunction, Bcl-2 and Bax modulation, p38 and p53 activation, caspase-3 activation, and consequent leading to apoptosis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.50-57
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• 2018

Millettia erythrocalyx, a species of plant in the Fabaceae family, is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, such as the Indies, China, and Thailand. The antiviral activity of flavonoids from M. erythrocalyx has been reported; however, the antioxidative and anticancer activities of M. erythrocalyx remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidative and anticancer effects of ethanol extract of M. erythrocalyx (EEME) and the molecular mechanism of its anticancer activity in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. EEME exhibited significant antioxidative effects, with a concentration at 50% inhibition ($IC_{50}$) value of $2.74{\mu}g/ml$, as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay; moreover, it inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in HepG2 cells. Cell cycle analyses showed that EEME induced HepG2 cell accumulation in the subG1 phase in a dose-dependent manner. EEME also induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells, with increases in apoptotic cells and apoptotic bodies, as detected by Annexin V and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, respectively. Treatment with EEME resulted in increased expression of First apoptosis signal (Fas), a death receptor, and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), a proapoptotic protein, and the activation of caspase-3, 8, and 9, resulting in the cleavage of poly (Adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Collectively, these results suggest that EEME may exert an anticancer effect in HepG2 cells by inducing apoptosis via both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4897-4902
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• 2014

Purpose: To investigate the anticancer effects and underlying mechanisms of parthenolide on HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Materials and Methods: Cell viability was assessed by MTT assay and cell apoptosis through DAPI, TUNEL staining and Western blotting. Monodansylcadaverin(MDC) and AO staining were used to detect cell autophagy. Cell proliferation was assessed by Ki67 immunofluorescence staining. Results: Parthenolide induced growth inhibition in HepG2 cells. DAPI and TUNEL staining showed that parthenolide could increase the number of apoptotic nuclei, while reducing the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and elevating the expression of related proteins, like p53, Bax, cleaved caspase9 and cleaved caspase3. Parthenolide could induce autophagy in HepG2 cells and inhibited the expression of proliferation-related gene, Ki-67. Conclusions: Parthenolide can exert anti-cancer effects by inducing cell apoptosis, activating autophagy and inhibiting cell proliferation.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2010

Alginates are polysaccharides isolated from brown algae with gel-forming properties composed of 1,4-linked beta-D-mannuronic acid (M), alpha-L-guluronic acid (G), and alternating (MG) blocks. In this study, we have examined the toxic effects of high M-alginate to activate HepG2 human liver cells. Alginate enhanced the NO production and iNOS protein expression in HepG2 cells. In addition, alginates stimulated the HepG2 to induce IL-1 release and expression of TGF-beta1, which could influence the liver inflammation and chirrhosis. These findings suggest that high M-alginate form brown algae may have toxic effects on liver cells.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.553-560
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• 2012

Hizikia fusiformis, a brown alga that is widely consumed in Korea, Japan, and China, possesses a number of potentially beneficial compounds, including antioxidants and anticoagulants. However, the molecular mechanisms of H. fusiformis in hepatoma cells have not been elucidated. This study investigated the antiproliferative effect and mechanism of action of a glycoprotein from H. fusiformis (HFGP) in HepG2 human hepatoma cells. In an MTS assay, 25 ${\mu}g/mL$ HFGP inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells by $52.36{\pm}2.37%$. HFGP caused the dose-dependent growth inhibition of HepG2 cells by inducing apoptosis and a sub-G1 phase arrest. The antiproliferative activity of HFGP was confirmed based on the expression of several apoptosis-related proteins, which was assessed by Western blot analysis. The expressions of Fas, Fas-associated death domain protein, Bax, and Bad was significantly up-regulated in HFGP-treated cells, and HFGP induced the translocation of Bax to mitochondria and the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol. Therefore, HFGP might be useful in the treatment of liver cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1163-1174
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• 2021

Casein-derived antioxidant peptides by using microbial proteases have gained increasing attention. Combination of two microbial proteases, Protin SD-NY10 and Protease A "Amano" 2SD, was employed to hydrolyze casein to obtain potential antioxidant peptides that were identified by LC-MS/MS, chemically synthesized and characterized in a oxidatively damaged HepG2 cell model. Four peptides, YQLD, FSDIPNPIGSEN, FSDIPNPIGSE, YFYP were found to possess high 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging ability. Evaluation with HepG2 cells showed that the 4 peptides at low concentrations (< 1.0 mg/ml) protected the cells against oxidative damage. The 4 peptides exhibited different levels of antioxidant activity by stimulating mRNA and protein expression of the antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), as well as nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), but decreasing the mRNA expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). Furthermore, these peptides decreased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), but increased glutathione (GSH) production in HepG2 cells. Therefore, the 4 casein-derived peptides obtained by using microbial proteases exhibited different antioxidant activity by activating the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway, and they could serve as potential antioxidant agents in functional foods or pharmaceutic preparation.