• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• 제41권4호
• /
• pp.183-190
• /
• 2016

Anthricin (Deoxypodophyllotoxin), a naturally occurring flavolignan, has well known anti-cancer properties in several cancer cells, such as prostate cancer, cervical carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. However, the effects of Anthricin are currently unknown in oral cancer. We examined the anticancer effect and mechanism of action of Anthricin in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Our data showed that Anthricin inhibits cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner ($IC_{50}$ 50 nM) in the MTT assay and Live & Dead assay. In addition, Anthricin treated FaDu cells showed marked apoptosis by DAPI stain and FACS. Furthermore, Anthricin activates anti-apoptotic factors such as caspase-3, -9 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), suggesting that caspase-mediated pathways are involved in Anthricin- induced apoptosis. Anthricin treatment also leads to accumulation of the pro-apoptotic factor Bax, followed by inhibition of cell growth. Taken together, these results indicate that Anthricn-induced cell death of human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells is mediated by mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway. In summary, our findings provide a framework for further exploration on Anthricin as a novel chemotherapeutic drug for human oral cancer.

• 대한의생명과학회지
• /
• 제19권3호
• /
• pp.195-205
• /
• 2013

Obesity may cause metabolic syndrome and adult diseases. This study was undertaken to investigate the ameliorative or useful effects of beanleaves on inflammation and liver damage in obese rat models. Rats were divided into three groups: a control group (normal diet, n=6), a fat diet group (45%-fat diet, n=7), and a bean leaf group (45%-fat+Korean bean leaves diet, n=7). Body weights in the bean leaf group were lower than those of the fat group (P<0.05). Serum tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) concentrations were lower in both the control and bean leaf groups than in the fat group (P<0.001). TNF-${\alpha}$ concentrations in the bean leaf group were slightly higher than in the control group but statistically significant (P<0.05). The bean leaf group histologically exhibited lower fatty degeneration, spotty necrosis, and leukocyte infiltrations in hepatic tissues than those of the fat group. In the homogenized liver tissues, the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene was only expressed in the fat group. The gene expression levels of hepatic TNF-${\alpha}$, inducible nitric-oxide synthase, peroxiome proliferator-activated receptor-${\alpha}$ (PPAR-${\alpha}$), poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ (TGF-${\beta}1$) were weaker in the bean leaf group than in the fat group. These results suggest that adding bean-leaves to the diet may ameliorate obesity-induced systemic inflammation and liver damage and that bean leaves may be a useful food for preventing obesity and thereby metabolic syndrome and adult diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제27권3호
• /
• pp.283-289
• /
• 2009

Curcumin, a natural compound extracted from rhizomes of curcuma Curcuma species, has been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-oxidative properties. However, the mechanism of action of the compound remains poorly understood. In this report, we have analyzed the effects of curcumin on the cell proliferation of Burkitt's lymphoma Raji cells. The results demonstrated that curcumin could effectively inhibit the growth of Raji cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further studies indicated that curcumin treatment resulted in apoptosis of cells. Biochemical analysis showed that the expression of Bax, Bid and cytochrome C were up-regulated, while the expression of oncogene c-Myc was down regulated after curcumin treatment. Furthermore, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage was induced by the compound. Interestingly, the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression was not significantly changed in Raji cells after curcumin treatment. These results suggested that the mechanism of action of curcumin was to induce mitochondrial damage and therefore led to Raji cell apoptosis. We further investigated the in vivo effects of curcumin on the growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice. The results showed that curcumin could effectively inhibit tumor growth in the xenograft mouse model. The overall results showed that curcumin could suppress the growth of Burkitt's lymphoma cells in both in vitro and in vivo systems.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제36권2호
• /
• pp.223-229
• /
• 2003

The product of a tree (Tabebuia avellanedae) from South America, $\beta$-lapachone, is known to exhibit various pharmacological properties, the mechanisms of which are poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to further elucidate the possible mechanisms by which $\beta$-lapachone exerts its anti-proliferative action in cultured human prostate cancer cells. We observed that the proliferation-inhibitory effect of $\beta$-lapachone was due to the induction of apoptosis, which was confirmed by observing the morphological changes and cleavage of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase protein. A DNA flow cytometric analysis also revealed that $\beta$-lapachone arrested the cell cycle progression at the G1 phase. The effects were associated with the down-regulation of the phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) as well as the enhanced binding of pRB and the transcription factor E2F-1. Also, $\beta$-lapachone suppressed the cyclindependent kinases (Cdks) and cyclin E-associated kinase activity without changing their expressions. Furthermore, this compound induced the levels of the Cdk inhibitor $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ expression in a p53-independent manner, and the p21 proteins that were induced by $\beta$-lapachone were associated with Cdk2. $\beta$-lapachone also activated the reporter construct of a p21 promoter. Overall, our results demonstrate a combined mechanism that involves the inhibition of pRB phosphorylation and induction of p21 as targets for $\beta$-lapachone. This may explain some of its anticancer effects.

• 동의생리병리학회지
• /
• 제16권6호
• /
• pp.1143-1150
• /
• 2002

Recent evidence suggests that many Oriental Medicinal prescriptions are effective in cancer patients as a supportive care. Oriental Medicinal herbs have been investigated extensively and are known to have multiple pharmacological effect. These herbs contain a variety of ingredients which may act synergistically to inhibit tumor cell division, to increase tumor cell death (apoptosis), and to increase the proportion of immune cells within tumor. Paljinhangahm-dan (Paljin) has been used to treat for cancer patients in Oriental Medicine for decades. The effects of aqueous extract of Paljin on the induction of apoptotic cell death were investigated in human leukemia cell lines (HL-60, Jurkat, Molt-4 and U937). The viability of leukemia cells was markedly decreased by Paljin in a dose-dependent manner. Paljin induced the apoptotic death of leukemia cells, which was characterized by the ladder-pattern DNA fragmentation, and chromatin condensation of the nuclei. Paljin digested Bid protein but did not affect Bcl-2 protein level and also, induced mitochondrial dysfunction disrupted as shown as the mitochondrial membrane potential. It activated caspase-9 and caspase-3. thereby resulted in cleavage of poly(ADP) ribose polymerase(PARP). These results indicate that Paljin induces apoptosis of human leukemia cells via activation of intrinsic caspase cascades with mitochondrial dysfunction.

• 동의생리병리학회지
• /
• 제17권3호
• /
• pp.629-632
• /
• 2003

Scutellaria barbata has been used as a traditional Chinese Herb for treating liver, lung and rectal tumors. In the present study, cytotoxic effect of Scutellaria barbata MC fradtion was investigated and it was found to inhibit proliferation of human leukemic U937 cells with an IC50 of approximately 10 μg/ml in a dose-dependent manner. We also demonstrated that Scutellaria barbata MC fraction caused apoptosis in U937 cells. In the flow cytometric assay, the MC fraction-treated U937 cells showed an increase in hypo-diplold Sub G1 DNA contents. DNA fragmentation was observed by TUNEL assay. An increase of Bax:Bcl-2 ratio, activation of caspase-9, caspase-3, and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) were demonstrated by western blot analysis. Taken together, these results exerted that the MC fraction suppressed human leukemic U937 cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway.

• 동의생리병리학회지
• /
• 제17권3호
• /
• pp.677-683
• /
• 2003

We investigated the effects of Insamsapye-tang (ISSPT) water extract on the growth of human lung carcinoma A549 cells. Upon treatment with ISSPT extract, a concentration-dependent inhibition of cell viability was observed and cells developed many of the hallmark features of apoptosis, including condensation of chromatin. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that ISSPT treatment increased populations of apoptotic-sub G1 phase. In addition, proteolytic degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and β-catenin protein were observed after treatment of ISSPT extract. These apoptotic effects of ISSPT in A549 cells were associated with marked inhibition of Bel-xL expression in a dose-dependent manner, however the levels of Bcl-2 and Bax expression were not affected. ISSPT treatment also induced the expression of tumor suppressor p53 mRNA and inhibited the expression of caspase-3 mRNA. The previous and present results indicated that ISSPT-induced inhibition of lung cancer cell proliferation is associated with the blockage of G1/S progression and the induction of apoptosis.

• 동의생리병리학회지
• /
• 제23권5호
• /
• pp.1154-1160
• /
• 2009

Androgen receptors (AR) play a crucial role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Many studies have suggested that prostate cancer cell proliferation is inhibited by AR downregulation, and it has been reported that Takrisodokyeum (TRSDY) induced apoptotic cell death and suppressed tumorigenesis in human leukemia cells. Therefore, this study was conducted to elucidate the mechanism by which TRSDY affects cell growth and AR expression in androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells (LNCaP cells). We investigated the proliferation and apoptosis of LNCaP cells using MTT and DNA fragmentation assays. In addition, we used western blot analysis to assess the effects of TRSDY on the expression of the AR target gene, prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Furthermore, the mechanism of AR downregulation by TRSDY was investigated using EMSA to analyze the binding activity of AR to androgen response elements (ARE). TRSDY significantly suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis in LNCaP cells. In addition, TRSDY-induced apoptotic cell death was accompanied by activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of its substrate, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. TRSDY also inhibited the constitutively expressed- or 5a-dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced AR/PSA protein levels. However, these effects were mediated by inhibition of the binding of AR to ARE. TRSDY-mediated AR/PSA downregulation contributes to the inhibition of cell proliferation and the induction of apoptosis in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. Our findings suggest that TRSDY may be used as a chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of prostate cancer.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국응용약물학회 2003년도 Annual Meeting of KSAP : International Symposium on Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences on Obesity
• /
• pp.81-81
• /
• 2003

The present study was taken to examine the inhibitory effect of extracts of Scytosiphon lomentaria, a marine alga growing in Jeju Island, on the growth of cancer cells and to develop an anti-cancer agent using components of S. lomemtaria. The effect was observed by the measurement of metabolic activity using colorimetric 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In results, crude extract of this alga markedly inhibited the growth of leukemia cell lines such as HL-60 and KG-1, but could scarcely inhibit the growth of normal cells (HEL299) and adenocarcinoma cells (SNU-16 and HCT-I5). When HL-60 cells were treated with the extract, DNA fragmentation and the increase of proportion of sub-G1 hypodiploid cells were observed. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of S. lomemtaria on the growth of HL-60 cells seems to arise from the induction of apoptosis. In order to understand the mechanism of apoptosis inducton by S. lomemtaria, we examined the changes of Bcl-2 and Bax expression. The extract reduced Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein, but increased Bax, a pro-apoptotic protein in a dose-dependent manner. When we examined the activation of caspase-3, an effector of apoptosis, the expression of active form(19 kDa) of caspase-3 was increased and the increase of their activities was demonstrated by the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase, a substrate of caspase-3, to 85 kDa. The results indicate that extract of S. lomentaria induces the apoptosis of HL-60 cells via the down-regulation of Bc1-2 and the activation of caspases.

• 한국응용약물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국응용약물학회 2003년도 Annual Meeting of KSAP : International Symposium on Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences on Obesity
• /
• pp.82-82
• /
• 2003

The present study was undertaken to examine the cytotoxic effect of extract of Eurya emarginata against cancer cells and to develop an anti-cancer agent using components of its leaves. The crude extract of its leaves markedly inhibited the growth of leukemia cells including HL-60. When the HL-60 cells were treated with the extract, DNA fragmentation, morphologic changes and sub-Gl hypodiploid cells were observed. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of E. emarginata on the growth of the HL-60 cells appears to arise from the induction of apoptosis. Moreover, the extract markedly reduced c-Myc expression in a time-dependent manner. Eutigoside C showing the cytotoxic effect was isolated from the leaves of E. emarginata. Eutigoside C reduced the Bcl-2 protein and mRNA levels in a time-dependent manner, whereas the Bax protein and mRNA expression levels were slightly increased. When HL-60 cells were treated with eutigoside C, the release of cytochrome C from mitochondria into the cytosol was observed. Also, the expressions of the active forms of caspase 9 and 3 were increased and the activation of caspase 3 was demonstrated by the cleavage of Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, a vital substrate of effector caspase. The results indicate that the eutigoside C from E. emarginata induce apoptosis of HL-60 cells via the down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and activation of caspases.