• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.302-310
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• 2019

Melanoma cells have been shown to respond to BRAF inhibitors; however, intrinsic and acquired resistance limits their clinical application. In this study, we performed RNA-Seq analysis with BRAF inhibitor-sensitive (A375P) and -resistant (A375P/Mdr with acquired resistance and SK-MEL-2 with intrinsic resistance) melanoma cell lines, to reveal the genes and pathways potentially involved in intrinsic and acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. A total of 546 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 239 up-regulated and 307 down-regulated genes, were identified in both intrinsic and acquired resistant cells. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that the top 10 biological processes associated with these genes included angiogenesis, immune response, cell adhesion, antigen processing and presentation, extracellular matrix organization, osteoblast differentiation, collagen catabolic process, viral entry into host cell, cell migration, and positive regulation of protein kinase B signaling. In addition, using the PAN-THER GO classification system, we showed that the highest enriched GOs targeted by the 546 DEGs were responses to cellular processes (ontology: biological process), binding (ontology: molecular function), and cell subcellular localization (ontology: cellular component). Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) network analysis showed a network that was common to two BRAF inhibitorresistant cells. Taken together, the present study may provide a useful platform to further reveal biological processes associated with BRAF inhibitor resistance, and present areas for therapeutic tool development to overcome BRAF inhibitor resistance.

• Oncology Letters
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.1837-1850
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• 2019

Kenalog is a synthetic glucocorticoid drug used to treat various cancers including ocular and choroidal melanoma. However, the drug achieves rarely sustainable results for patients. To overcome this difficulty, the structure of Kenalog was altered by ionizing radiation (IR) to develop a more effective anticancer agent for treatment of various skin cancers. The anticancer effect of modified Kenalog (Kenalog-IR) was assessed in melanoma cancer cells in vitro. The assessment of mitochondrial functions by MTT assay revealed significant inhibition of melanoma cancer cell viability by Kenalog-IR compared to Kenalog. Moreover, Kenalog-IR-induced apoptotic cell death was associated with the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway by triggering the release of intrinsic apoptosis molecules through activation of caspase-related molecules in concentration and time-dependent manners. Furthermore, it was observed that Kenalog-IR-induced apoptosis was associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with increased G2/M cell cycle arrest. Collectively, Kenalog-IR may be a potential suppressor of skin-related cancer in particular melanoma cancer.

• 대한약침학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.26-32
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• 2015

Objectives: Rheum undulatum L. has traditionally been used for the treatment of many diseases in Asia. However, its anti-proliferative activity in cancer has still not been studied. In the present study, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of methanol extract of Rheum undulatum L. (MERL) on human adenocarcinoma gastric cell lines (AGS). Methods: To investigate the anti-cancer effect of MERL on AGS cells, we treated the AGS cells with varying concentrations of MERL and performed 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Cell cycle analyses, measurements of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), caspase activity assays and Western blots were conducted to determine whether AGS cell death occurred by apoptosis. Results: Treatment with MERL significantly inhibited growth of AGS cells in a concentration dependent manner. MERL treatment in AGS cells leaded to increased accumulation of apoptotic sub G1 phase cells in a concentration dependent manner. In control cultures, 5.38% of the cells were in the sub G1 phase. In MERL treated cells, however, this percentage was significantly increased (9.95% at $70{\mu}g/mL$, 15.94% at $140{\mu}g/mL$, 26.56% at $210{\mu}g/mL$ and 38.08% at $280{\mu}g/mL$). MERL treatment induced the decreased expression of pro-caspase-8 and -9 in a concentration dependent manner, whereas the expression of the active form of caspase-3 was increased. A subsequent Western blot analysis revealed increased cleaved levels of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. Also, treatment with MERL increased the activities of caspase-3 and -9 compared with the control. MERL treatment increased the levels of the pro-apoptotic truncated Bid (tBid) and Bcl2 Antagonist X (Bax) proteins and decreased the levels of the anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) protein, whose is the stabilization of mitochondria. However, inhibitions of p38, extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs) and C-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) by MERL treatment did not affect cell death. Conclusion: These results suggest that MERL mediated cell death is associated with an intrinsic apoptotic pathway in AGS cells.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제57권2호
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• pp.103-111
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• 2014

A1E is an extract from traditional Asian medicinal plants that has therapeutic activities against cancers, metabolic disease, and other intractable conditions. However, its mechanism of action on cervical cancer has not been studied. In order to ascertain if A1E would have pronounced anti-cervical cancer effect, cervical cancer cells were incubated with A1E and apoptosis was detected by nuclear morphological changes, annexin V-FITC/PI staining, cell cycle analysis, western blotting, Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and measurement of mitochondrial membrane potential. Expression of human papiloma virus E6 and E7 oncogenes was down-regulated in A1E-treated cervical cancer cells, while p53 and retinoblastoma protein levels were enhanced. A1E also perturbed cell cycle progression at sub-G1 and altered cell cycle regulatory factors in SiHa cervical cancer cells. A1E activated apoptotic intrinsic pathway markers such as caspase-9, caspase-3 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase, and down-regulated expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl. A1E induced mitochondrial membrane potential collapse and cytochrome c release, and inhibited phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, key factors involved in cell survival signaling. Taken all these results, A1E induced apoptosis via activation of the intrinsic pathway and inhibition of the PI3K/Akt survival-signaling pathway in SiHa cervical cancer cells. In conclusion, A1E exerts anti-proliferative action growth inhibition on cervical cancer cells through apoptosis which demonstrates its anti-cervical cancer properties.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.191-196
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• 2008

Objectives: This research was investigated to find out the effect of the anticoagulant Perillae folium extract. Methods: To examine an active effect of anticoagulation in Perillae folium extract, the study measured Prothrombin time(PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT) of human plasma in vitro and measured bleeding time and arterio-venous shunt model in rats in vivo. Results: Bleeding time of Perillae folium extract in vivo had a significant increase 1.6 times and thrombus weight of Perillae folium extract had a significant reduction of thrombus weight as 68%. Perillae folium extract had an effect of anticoagulation by operating on extrinsic pathway factor II, V, VII, X and intrinsic pathway factor VIII, IX, X, VI, VII in the coagulation system. Conclusions: Considering the above mentioned results, it is judged that a Perillae folium extract has a control effect of thrombus creation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.62-67
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• 2012

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising agent for management of cancer because of its selective cytotoxicity to cancer cells. However, some cancer cells have resistance to TRAIL. Accordingly, novel treatment strategies are required to overcome TRAIL resistance. Here, we examined the synergistic apoptotic effect of apigenin in combination with TRAIL in Huh-7 cells. We found that combined treatment of TRAIL and apigenin markedly inhibited Huh-7 cell growth compared to either agent alone by inducing apoptosis. Combined treatment with apigenin and TRAIL induced chromatin condensation and the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, enhanced apoptosis by TRAIL/apigenin combination was quantified by annexin V/PI flow cytometry analysis. Western blot analysis suggested that apigenin sensitizes cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis by activating both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathway-related caspases. The augmented apoptotic effect by TRAIL/apigenin combination was accompanied by triggering mitochondria-dependent signaling pathway, as indicated by Bax/Bcl-2 ratio up-regulation. Our results demonstrate that combination of TRAIL and apigenin facilitates apoptosis in Huh-7 cells.

• 대한본초학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.7-11
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• 2009

Objectives : This research was investigated anticoagulant effect of the Chaenomelis Fructus extract. Methods : To examine an active effect of anticoagulation in Chaenomelis Fructus extract, the study measured Prothrombin time(PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of human plasma in vitro and measured bleeding time and arterio-venous shunt model in rats in vivo. Results : Bleeding time of Chaenomelis Fructus extract in vivo had a significant increase as about 1.6 times and thrombus weight of Chaenomelis Fructus extract had a significant reduction of thrombus weight as 50%. Chaenomelis Fructus extract represented an effect of anticoagulation by operating on extrinsic pathway factor II, V, VII, X and intrinsic pathway factor VIII, IX, X, XI, XII in the coagulation system. Conclusions : Considering the above mentioned results, it is judged that a Chaenomelis Fructus extract has a control effect of thrombus creation.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.29-36
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• 1999

Chlorophasts are a central structural feature of stomatal guard cells. Guard cell chloroplasts have both photosystems I and II (PS I and II), carry out O2 evoluation , cyclic and noncyclic photophosporylation, and possess the Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes involved in CO2 fixation. These imply that guard cell chloroplasts have a normal photosynthetic carbon reduction pathway just like their mesophyll counterparts, indicating similar fuctional organization of thylakoid membranes in both types of mesophyll and guard cell chloroplasts. It has been, however, found that guard cell chloroplasts have distinctive and comparative properties in their photosynthetic performance. In this article, I review the intrinsic features on the light reaction of and carbon reduction by guard cell chloroplasts.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.271-277
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• 2019

Citrus macroptera (Rutaceae) has long been used in folk medicine in Bangladesh. Considering the folkloric context, this study was aimed to scrutinize anti-proliferative activity of C. macroptera fruit pulp juice (CMFPJ) against Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC). The anti-proliferative capacity of CMFPJ was investigated and confirmed primarily using MTT assay. In vivo anti-proliferative aptitude of CMFPJ was investigated with 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment. Anti-proliferative efficacy of CMFPJ was assessed based on EAC growth inhibition. CMFPJ inhibited EAC growth in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. And the percentages of in vivo EAC growth inhibition were 19.53, 49.2, and 68.9% at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg CMFPJ respectively. CMFPJ significantly induced expression of apoptosis regulatory genes caspase-8, caspase-9, cytochrome-c, and caspase-3. This considerable anti-cancer activity was perhaps due to combinatorial effect of lectin, polyphenols, and flavonoids present in CMFPJ.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.184-192
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• 2014

${\beta}$-lapachone is a naturally occurring quinone that selectively induces apoptotic cell death in a variety of human cancer cells in vitro and in vivo; however, its mechanism of action needs to be further elaborated. In this study, we investigated the effects of ${\beta}$-lapachone on the induction of apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma AGS cells. ${\beta}$-lapachone significantly inhibited cellular proliferation, and some typical apoptotic characteristics such as chromatin condensation and an increase in the population of sub-G1 hypodiploid cells were observed in ${\beta}$-lapachone-treated AGS cells. Treatment with ${\beta}$-lapachone caused mitochondrial transmembrane potential dissipation, stimulated the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway, as indicated by caspase-9 activation, cytochrome c release, Bcl-2 downregulation and Bax upregulation, as well as death receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptotic pathway, as indicated by activation of caspase-8 and truncation of Bid. This process was accompanied by activation of caspase-3 and concomitant with cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. The general caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk, significantly abolished ${\beta}$-lapachone-induced cell death and inhibited growth. Further analysis demonstrated that the induction of apoptosis by ${\beta}$-lapachone was accompanied by inactivation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. The PI3K inhibitor LY29004 significantly increased ${\beta}$-lapachone-induced apoptosis and growth inhibition. Taken together, these findings indicate that the apoptotic activity of ${\beta}$-lapachone is probably regulated by a caspase-dependent cascade through activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic signaling pathways, and that inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling may contribute to ${\beta}$-lapachone-mediated AGS cell growth inhibition and apoptosis induction.