• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.62-66
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• 2008

Non-saponin gingseng fraction components (NSRG) have been known to have a variety of biological activity. However, the effects of these components on the function of brain cell have not been characterized in detail. In this study, we investigated the preventive effect of non-saponin red ginseng components on acrylamide (ACR)-induced suppression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), which is highly expressed in neuronal cells. The data showed that NSRG blocked the suppression of NCAM expression by ACR in neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-SH). In addition, NSRG significantly increased NCAM expression in ACR-nontreated neuroblastoma cells. NSRG treatment resulted in the increase of cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. We also examined whether NSRG could modulate the NO production of astrocytes. When glioma cells (C6) were treated with various concentrations of NSRG (100-300 ug/ml) in the presence or absence of $IFN-{\gamma}$ for 24 hours, NO production was suppressed in $IFN-{\gamma}-$stimulated C6 cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that treatment of brain cells with NSRG results in the enhancement of proliferation, the suppression of NO production and the protective effect on NCAM expression impaired by ACR. Thus, the present data suggest that NSRG has proliferative and neuroprotective effects and these effects could be useful in neuronal diseases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.3871-3875
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• 2013

Purpose: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small endogenous, non-coding, single-stranded RNAs (approximately 22 nt). Accumulating evidence has shown that aberrant miRNA expression is pronounced and correlated with gastric cancer genesis and progression. Materials and Methods: Expression levels of miR-181a-5p in GC tissues and cell lines were assessed by qRT-PCR and tested for correlation with clinical features. In addition, effects of miR-181a-5p on GC cell growth were investigated. Results: Our findings indicate that miR-181a-5p is upregulated in GC, in correlation with lymph node invasion, nerve invasion and vascular invasion (P<0.05). Enforced expression of miR-181a -5p promoted cell proliferation ability. Conclusions: This study suggested that increased miR-181a-5p is related to GC progression. MiR-181a-5p may represent a potential therapeutic target for GC.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권23호
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• pp.10495-10500
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• 2015

Background: To evaluate the effects of bufalin in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells in vitro and assess the underlying mechanisms. Materials and Methods: Human A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were treated with various concentrations of bufalin. Cell proliferation was measured by CCK-8 assay, apoptotic cell percentage was calculated by flow cytometry and morphological change was observed by inverted phase contrast microscopy/transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the membrane potential of mitochondria was detected by JC-1 fluorescence microscopy assay, and the related protein expression of cytochrome C and caspase-3 was analyzed by Western blotting. Results: Bufalin could inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells via induction of apoptosis, with the evidence of characteristic morphological changes in the nucleus and mitochondria. Furthermore, bufalin decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential with up-regulation of cytochrome C in the cytosol, and activation of caspase-3. Conclusions: Bufalin inhibits the proliferation of A549 cells and triggers mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, pointing to therapeutic application for NSCLC.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.39-49
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• 2009

Objective : Phyllostachyos Folium (PF) has been used to treat patients with febrile disease consuming the body fluids marked by fever with restlessness, thirst etc. In the theory of herbology, PF can clear away heat and promote the production of the body fluids, relieve restlessness. Recently PF is known to have anti-bacterial, anti-oxidantic effects. Methods : The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of PF on solid tumor in mice in terms of immune-potentiating and direct cytotoxic action of PF in vitro and vivo study. The present author investigated thymocyte and splenocyte proliferation to confirm immune-potentiating activity of PF and also investigated tumor/body weight ratio and survival rates in tumor bearing mice. Result : In this study, administration of PF decreased tumor/body weight ratio significantly, and prolonged survival duration compared to non-treated control. In addition, treatment with PF suppressed proliferation rate of Sarcoma 180 (S-180) cells significantly, and elevated proliferation rates of thymocytes isolated from normal mice. These results were co-related with in vivo study. Conclusion : In conclusion, these results suggest that PF is useful to treat patient with solid tumor, because PF has direct toxic action for tumor cell and immune -potentiating action for T cells. Further study will need to elucidate exact mechanisms related in anti-cancer action of PF.

• BMB Reports
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• 제46권9호
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• pp.465-470
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• 2013

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have diverse and important roles in the proliferation and differentiation of adult stem cells in our tissues. Especially, BMPs are well known to be the main inducers of bone formation, by facilitating both proliferation and differentiation of bone stem cells. Interestingly, in skin stem cells, BMPs repress their proliferation but are indispensable for the proper differentiation into several lineages of skin cells. Here, we tested whether BMP antagonists have an effect on the prevention of wrinkle formation. For this study we used an in vivo wrinkle-induced mouse model. As a positive control, retinoic acid, one of the top anti-wrinkle effectors, showed a 44% improvement compared to the non-treated control. Surprisingly, bone morphogenetic protein receptor 1a extracellular domain (BMPR1a-ECD) exhibited an anti-wrinkle effect which was 6-fold greater than that of retinoic acid. Our results indicate that BMP antagonists will be good targets for skin or hair diseases.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권11호
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• pp.6925-6928
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• 2013

Background: Despite numerous useful anticancer properties of curcumin, its utility is limited due to its hydrophobic structure. In this study, we investigated the comparative antiproliferative effect of PAMAM encapsulating curcumin with naked curcumin on the T47D breast cancer cell line. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxic effects of PAMAM dendrimers encapsulating curcumin and curcumin alone were investigated by MTT assay. After treating cells with different concentrations of both curcumin alone and curcumin encapsulated for 24h, telomerase activity was determined by TRAP assay. Results: While PAMAM dendrimers encapsulating curcumin had no cytotoxicity on cancer cells, they decreased the $IC_{50}$ for proliferation and also increased the inhibitory effect on telomerase activity. Conclusions: Considering the non-toxicity in addition to effectiveness for enhancing curcumin anticancer properties, dendrimers could be considered good therapeutic vehicles for this hydrophobic agent.

• 생약학회지
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• 제45권2호
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• pp.127-134
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• 2014

A great interest is emerging about green tea as a tool against human cancer proliferation or inflammation, as pointed out by recent reports describing the inhibitory action of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on angiogenesis, urokinase, metalloproteinases, and induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase. We proposed that EGCG may regulate a multi target signaling having wider spectra of action than those actions of single enzymes. CSK (c-terminal Src kinase) protein is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase involved in the cross-talk and mediation of many signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation, adhesion, invasion, migration, and tumorigenesis. Based on the knowledge that CSK activation is important for cancer proliferation we hypothesized that CSK could be a target of EGCG. Here we showed that EGCG effectively suppressed the growth of CSK MEF cell when compare with CSK knockout MEF cell growth. These results indicate that EGCG could be used as a chemoprevention to modulate CSK signal pathway in inflammatory processes and tumor formation.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.161-166
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• 2015

Early growth response (Egr)-1 is a $Cys_2-His_2-type$ zincfinger transcription factor. It has been shown to induce survival and proliferation of immature and mature B cells, respectively, but its role in the differentiation of B cells into plasma cells remains unclear. To examine the effects of Egr-1 deficiency on the activation of B cells, naive B cells from $Egr1^{-/-}$mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates were activated to proliferate and differentiate, and then assayed by FACS. Proportions of cells undergoing proliferation and apoptosis did not differ between $Egr1^{-/-}$ and WT mice. However, $Egr1^{-/-}$ B cells gave rise to fewer plasma cells than WT B cells. Consistently, $Egr1^{-/-}$ mice produced significantly lower titer of antigen-specific IgG than their WT littermates upon immunization. Our results demonstrate that Egr-1 participates in the differentiation program of B cells into plasma cells, while it is dispensable for the proliferation and survival of mature B cells.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.359-374
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• 2006

Since 1991, Korea, Canada and United States have performed the direct use of spent pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel in the Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactors (DUPIC) fuel development project. Unlike the Tandem fuel cycle, which requires a wet reprocessing, the DUPIC fuel technology can directly refabricate CANDU fuels from the PWR spent fuel and, therefore, is recognized as a highly proliferation-resistant fuel cycle technology, which can be adopted even in non-proliferation treaty countries. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has fabricated DUPIC fuel elements in a laboratory-scale remote fuel fabrication facility. KAERI has demonstrated the fuel performance in the research reactor, and has confirmed the operational feasibility and safety of a CANDU reactor loaded with the DUPIC fuel using conventional design and analysis tools, which will be the foundation of the future practical and commercial uses of DUPIC fuel.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2003

Flounder B lymphocytes isolated from different tissues were studied in terms of cell proliferation, apoptosis and the effects of cortisol on these processes. B lymphocytes, isolated from the flounder head kidney and spleen, were characterized by higher proliferation and lower intracellular calcium ($Ca^2$) response to lgcrosslinking compared with peripheral blood B lymphocytes. Cortisol induced high levels of apoptosis (150% of control levels) in peripheral blood B lymphocytes, in combination with a stimulatory LPS signal. Head kidney and to a lesser extent spleen B lymphocytes, although less sensitive than their equivalent in peripheral blood, underwent cortisol-induced apoptosis irrespective of extra stimulation up to 142% of control levels. Also proliferation with and without LPS stimulation was suppressed by cortisol (compared to plasma values measured during stress conditions) that is effective in inducing a significant increase in apoptosis in all three populations of B-cells, suggesting that cortisol may be important for immunoregulation in both stressed and non-stressed conditions. This implies possible severe impact of stress on lymphocyte development and activity, Different sensitivity of B-cells to the corticosteroid, with respect to developmental stage and activity, may prevent excessive and long lasting depletion of B-lymphocytes.