• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.379-382
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• 2013

In order to investigate the anticancer activity of an anti-yeast substance (AYS), a proteoglycan produced by Rhanella aquatilis AY2000, the cytotoxicity of the AYS against cancer cells was determined in vitro. The AYS was not cytotoxic to the human Jurkat T cell or the mouse sarcoma 180 cell, but was cytotoxic to the human colon cancer TH20 cell. The AYS was increasingly cytotoxic against human colon cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner at range from 62.5 to 500 ${\mu}g/ml$. Anticancer activity by combination of the AYS and an anticancer agent was also determined. The anticancer agent combined with the AYS was shown to possess greater synergistic anticancer activity against human colon cancer cells, as compared with the anticancer agent alone.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Inonotus obliquus (I. obliquus, Chaga mushroom) has long been used as a folk medicine to treat cancer. In the present study, we examined whether or not ethanol extract of I. obliquus (EEIO) inhibits cell cycle progression in HT-29 human colon cancer cells, in addition to its mechanism of action. MATERIALS/METHODS: To examine the effects of Inonotus obliquus on the cell cycle progression and the molecular mechanism in colon cancer cells, HT-29 human colon cancer cells were cultured in the presence of $2.5-10{\mu}g/mL$ of EEIO, and analyzed the cell cycle arrest by flow cytometry and the cell cycle controlling protein expression by Western blotting. RESULTS: Treatment cells with $2.5-10{\mu}g/mL$ of EEIO reduced viable HT-29 cell numbers and DNA synthesis, increased the percentage of cells in $G_1$ phase, decreased protein expression of CDK2, CDK4, and cyclin D1, increased expression of p21, p27, and p53, and inhibited phosphorylation of Rb and E2F1 expression. Among I. obliquus fractions, fraction 2 (fractionated by dichloromethane from EEIO) showed the same effect as EEIO treatment on cell proliferation and cell cycle-related protein levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that fraction 2 is the major fraction that induces $G_1$ arrest and inhibits cell proliferation, suggesting I. obliquus could be used as a natural anti-cancer ingredient in the food and/or pharmaceutical industry.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.189-195
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• 2012

It has been reported that vitamin C plays an effective role in the treatment and prevention of cancer, but its specific mechanisms are still largely unknown. The incidence of colon cancer is now increasing in Korea. Therefore, we have examined here the effect of vitamin C on the induction of the apoptosis on colon cancer and its related mechanisms. We have found that remarkable increase of the apoptosis and the calcium influx in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in human colon cancer cell line, HCT-8. However, vitamin C-induced apoptosis was effectively inhibited by the pre-treatment of BAPTA-AM (1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid), which is well-known as a calcium specific chelator. During the apoptosis, we found the increase of the translocation of Bad to mitochondria from cytosol, after releasing from 14-3-$3{\beta}$. In this process, the expression of Bax, a well-known pro-apoptotic protein, was also increased. Taken together, vitamin C induces apoptosis of colon cancer cell line, HCT-8 through the increase of 1) the calcium influx in endoplasmic reticulum (ER), 2) the translocation of Bad to mitochondria, and 3) the expression of Bax.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.803-807
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• 2008

We investigated the expression of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) and their possible involvement in the regulation of cell proliferation in four colon cancer cell lines (SNU-61, SNU-81, SNU-407, and SNU-1033) derived from Korean colon carcinoma patients. A ligand binding assay showed that all four cell lines expressed mAChRs. Treatment of the four cell lines with the cholinergic agonist carbachol led to the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). In SNU-407 cells, carbachol significantly stimulated cell proliferation, which could be abolished by the muscarinic antagonist atropine and the ERK1/2 kinase inhibitor PD98059. These results indicate that mAChRs specifically mediate the proliferation of SNU-407 colon cancer cells via the ERK1/2 pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.20
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• pp.8581-8586
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• 2014

Activin is a multifunctional growth and differentiation factor of the growth factor-beta (TGF-${\beta}$) superfamily, which inhibits the proliferation of colon cancer cells. It induces phosphorylation of intracellular signaling molecules (Smads) by interacting with its type I and type II receptors. Previous studies showed that human activin receptor-interacting protein 2 (hARIP2) can reduce activin signaling by interacting with activin type II receptors; however, the activity of hARIP2 in colon cancer has yet to be detailed. In vitro, overexpression of hARIP2 reduced activin-induced transcriptional activity and enhanced cell proliferation and colony formation in human colon cancer HCT8 cells and SW620 cells. Also, hARIP2 promoted colon cancer cell apoptosis, suggesting that a vital role in the initial stage of colon carcinogenesis. In vivo, immunohistochemistry revealed that hARIP2 was expressed more frequently and much more intensely in malignant colon tissues than in controls. These results indicate that hARIP2 is involved in human colon tumorigenesis and could be a predictive maker for colon carcinoma aggressiveness.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.140-146
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• 2016

Naringenin (NAR) as one of the flavonoids observed in grapefruit has been reported to exhibit an anti-cancer activity. Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) is associated with apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. This study was performed to investigate the molecular mechanism by which NAR stimulates ATF3 expression and apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. NAR reduced the cell viability and induced an apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. ATF3 overexpression increased NAR-mediated cleaved PARP, while ATF3 knockdown attenuated the cleavage of PARP by NAR. NAR increased ATF3 expression in both protein and mRNA level, and increased the luciferase activity of ATF3 promoter in a dose-dependent manner. The responsible region for ATF3 transcriptional activation by NAR is located between -317 and -148 of ATF3 promoter. p38 inhibition blocked NAR-mediated ATF3 expression, its promoter activation and apoptosis. The results suggest that NAR induces apoptosis through p38-dependent ATF3 activation in human colon cancer cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.3981-3986
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• 2014

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP) extracted from Ganoderma lucidum have been shown to induce cell death in some kinds of cancer cells. This study investigated the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of GLP on HCT-116 human colon cancer cells and the molecular mechanisms involved. Cell proliferation, cell migration, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and intracellular free calcium levels ($[Ca^{2+}]i$) were determined by MTT, wound-healing, LDH release and fluorescence assays, respectively. Cell apoptosis was observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. For the mechanism studies, caspase-8 activation, and Fas and caspase-3 expression were evaluated. Treatment of HCT-116 cells with various concentrations of GLP (0.625-5 mg/mL) resulted in a significant decrease in cell viability (P< 0.01). This study showed that the antitumor activity of GLP was related to cell migration inhibition, cell morphology changes, intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ elevation and LDH release. Also, increase in the levels of caspase-8 activity was involved in GLP-induced apoptosis. Western blotting indicated that Fas and caspase-3 protein expression was up-regulated after exposure to GLP. This investigation demonstrated for the first time that GLP shows prominent anticancer activities against the HCT-116 human colon cancer cell line through triggering intracellular calcium release and the death receptor pathway.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.11
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• pp.596-601
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• 2018

Colon cancer is one of the most lethal and common malignancies worldwide. STK899704, a novel synthetic agent, has been reported to exhibit anticancer effects towards numerous cancer cells. However, the effect of STK899704 on the biological properties of colon cancer, including cancer cell migration and cancer stem cells (CSCs), remains unknown. Here, we examined the inhibitory effect of STK899704 on cell migration and CSC stemness. In the wound healing assay, STK899704 significantly inhibited the motility of colon cancer cells. Furthermore, STK899704 downregulated the mRNA expression levels of the cell migration mediator focal adhesion kinase (FAK). STK899704 also suppressed mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase, which are downstream signaling molecules of FAK. Additionally, STK899704 inhibited stemness gene expression and sphere formation in colon cancer stem cells. These results suggest that STK899704 can be used to treat human colon cancer.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2018

Pristimerin is a triterpene compound isolated from plant extracts that reportedly possesses antitumor, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. The current study was designed to evaluate the antitumor effects of pristimerin on human colon cancer cells. Treatment of the human colon cancer cells, HCT116 and SW480, with pristimerin led to a dose-dependent decrease in cell proliferation. Flow cytometry experiments showed that pristimerin increased cell apoptotic rate and decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential in HCT116 and SW480 cells. Western blot assay showed that pristimerin induced increased cleavage of caspase-3, -7, -8, and poly ADP ribose polymerase. Treatment with pristimerin also caused a marked decrease in the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. Additionally, the levels of phosphorylated AKT and forkhead box O3a (FOXO3a) were decreased in pristimerin-treated colon cancer cells. Taken together, our study illustrated that pristimerin promoted apoptosis via the AKT/FOXO3a signaling pathway in colon cancer cells, elucidating that it might be considered as a potential agent for colon cancer therapy.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.51-58
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• 2006

Objectives : In this study, we investigate that Ulmi cortex extract contributes to growth inhibitory effect and anti-cancer activity on the HT-29 human colon cancer cells. Methods : Ulmi cortex was extracted from the leaves of the plant using water. The Ulmi cortex extract was treated to different concentrations for 24 hr. Growth inhibitory effect was analyzed by measuring FACS study and MTT assay. Cell cycle inhibition was confirmed by kinases assay. Cell apoptosis was confirmed by surveying caspases cascades activation using Western blot. Results : Exposure to Ulmi cortex extract (0.4mg/ml) results in an inhibitory effect on cell growth in HT-29 cells. Growth inhibition by Ulmi cortex extract in HT-29 cells was related with the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The Ulmi cortex extract induces G1-cell cycle arrest and DNA fragmentation in HT-29 cells. Furthermore, Ulmi cortex extract induces cell apoptosis through the activation of caspases-3 and PARP cleavage. Conclusion : Ulmi cortex extract induces apoptosis in human colon cancer cells, therefore, we suggest that Ulmi cortex extract can be used as a novel class of anti-cancer drugs.