• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10407-10412
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• 2015

Background: ${\beta}$-elemene, extracted from herb medicine Curcuma wenyujin has potent anti-tumor effects in various cancer cell lines. However, the activity of ${\beta}$-elemene against glioma cells remains unclear. In the present study, we assessed effects of ${\beta}$-elemene on human glioma cells and explored the underlying mechanism. Materials and Methods: Human glioma U87 cells were used. Cell proliferation was determined with MTT assay and colony formation assay to detect the effect of ${\beta}$-elemene at different doses and times. Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe cell apoptosis with Hoechst 33258 staining and change of glioma apoptosis and cell cycling were analyzed by flow cytometry. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western-blotting assay were performed to investigated the influence of ${\beta}$-elemene on expression levels of Fas/FasL, caspase-3, Bcl-2 and Bax. The experiment was divided into two groups: the blank control group and ${\beta}$-elemne treatment group. Results: With increase in the concentration of ${\beta}$-elemene, cytotoxic effects were enhanced in the glioma cell line and the concentration of inhibited cell viability ($IC_{50}$) was $48.5{\mu}g/mL$ for 24h. ${\beta}$-elemene could induce cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. With Hoechst 33258 staining, apoptotic nuclear morphological changes were observed. Activation of caspase-3,-8 and -9 was increased and the pro-apoptotic factors Fas/FasL and Bax were upregulated, while the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was downregulated after treatment with ${\beta}$-elemene at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, proliferation and colony formation by U87 cells were inhibited by ${\beta}$-elemene in a time and does-dependent manner. Conclusions: Our results indicate that ${\beta}$-elemene inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of human glioma cells in vitro. The induction of apoptosis appears to be related with the upregulation of Fas/FasL and Bax, activation of caspase-3,-8 and -9 and downregulation of Bcl-2, which then trigger major apoptotic cascades.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.371-379
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• 2012

This study was designed to explore new nutraceutical and cosmetic resources possessing biological activities from the plant kingdom. To fulfill this purpose, we analyzed the anti-oxidative, anti-melanogenic, and anti-inflammatory activities of Zanthoxylum schinifolium extract (ZSE) and its solvent fractions using in vitro assays and cell culture model systems. Three kinds of ZSE treated with methanol, ethanol, and water exhibited potent anti-oxidative activities through DPPH radical scavenging capacity, and inhibited in vitro DOPA oxidation. Furthermore, Z. schinifolium methanol extract (ZSME) inhibited the ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone, which induces melanin contents in B16F10 cells. Its anti-melanogenic activity originates from the inhibition of tyrosinase enzyme activity and melanogenesis related protein expression. Moreover, lipopolysaccharide induced nitric oxide production in the RAW 264.7 cell line was also ameliorated by ZSME treatment in a dose dependent manner. Among the four solvent fractions of ZSME treated with dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water, three fractions, except water, showed significant anti-melanogenic and anti-inflammatory activities. Taken together, these results provide important new insights into Z. schinifolium, indicating that it possesses numerous biological activities such as anti-oxidative, anti-melanogenic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, it may well serve as a promising material in the field of nutraceuticals and cosmetics.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 2017

The anti-inflammatory effect of Sargassum patens C. Agardh ethanol extract (SPEE) was examined based on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in this study. SPEE treatment was not cytotoxic to macrophages compared to the control. The production of NO was suppressed by SPEE by approximately 28% at $100{\mu}g/ml$, and levels of interleukin-6, tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, and $interleukin-1{\beta}$ decreased in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, and nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ was suppressed by SPEE treatment. In vivo, croton oil-induced mouse ear edema was attenuated by SPEE and the infiltration of mast cells into the tissue decreased. Based on these results, SPEE inhibits the release of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators, suggesting that SPEE is a potential agent for anti-inflammatory therapies.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 1999

Purpose : Experimental studies have implicated the wild type p53 In cellular response to radiation. Whether altered p53 function can lead to changes in clinical radiocurability remains an area of ongoing study. This study was performed to investigate whether any correlation between change of p53 and outcome of curative radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancels. Methods : Immunohistochemical analysis with a mouse monoclonal antibody (DO-7) specific for human p53 was used to detect to overexpression of protein in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor sample from 55 head and neck cancer patients treated with curative radiation therapy (median dose of 7020 cGy) from February 1988 to March 1996 at 51. Mary's Hospital. Overexpression of p53 was correlated with locoregional control and survival using Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox regression multi-variate analysis was peformed that included all clinical variables and status of p53 expression. Results : Thirty-seven (67.2$\%$) patients showed overexpression of p53 by immunohistochemical staining in their tumor. One hundred percent of oral cavity, 70$\%$ of laryngeal, 66.7$\%$ of oropharyngeal, 66.7$\%$ of hypopharyngeal cancer showed p53 overexpression (P=0.05). The status of p53 had significant relationship with stage of disease (P=0.03) and history of smoking (P=0.001). The overexpression of p53 was not predictive of response rate to radiation therapy. The locoregional control was not significantly affected by p53 status. Overexpression of p53 didn't have any prognostic implication for disease free survival and overall survival. Primary site and stage of disease were significant prognostic factors for survival. Conclusions : The p53 overexpression as detected by immunohistochemical staining had significant correlation with stage, primary site of disease and smoking habit of patients. The p53 overexpression didn't have any predictive value for outcome of curative radiation therapy in a group of head and neck cancers.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2005

Corynebacterial clones which exert regulatory effects on the expression of the glyoxylate bypass genes were isolated using a reporter plasmid carrying the enteric lacZ fused to the aceB promoter of Corynebacterium glutamicum. Some clones carried common fragments as turned out by DNA mapping technique. Subcloning analysis followed by the measurement of $\beta-galactosidase$ activity in Escherichia coli identified the region responsible for the aceB-repressing activity. Sequence analysis of the DNA fragment identified two independent ORFs of ORF1 and ORF2. Among them, ORF2 was turned out to be responsible for the aceB-repressing activity. ORF1 encoded a 23,216 Da protein composed of 206 amino acids. Sequence similarity search indicated that the ORF may encode a ECF-type $\sigma$ factor and designated sigH. To identify the function of sigH, C. glutamicum sigH mutant was constructed by gene disruption technique and the sigH mutant showed growth retardation as compared to the wild type strain. In addition, the mutant strain showed sensitivity to oxidative-stress generating agent plumbagin. This result imply that sigH is probably involved in the stress response occurring during normal cell growth.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.272-281
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• 2003

Nontraditional or alternative medicine is becoming an increasingly attractive approach for the treatment of various inflammatory disorders and cancers. Curcumin is the major constitute of turmoric powder extracted from the rhizomes of the plant Curcuma longa. Resveratrol is a phytoalexin present in grapes and a variety of medicinal plants. In this report, We investigated the effect of curcumin and resveratrol on regulatory protein of cell cycle, induction of apoptosis and MMP activity. Treatment with 75 M curcumin for 24 hrs produced morphological changing in HN-4 cells. Curcumin and resveratrol inhibited the cellular growth in HN-4 cells. Inhibition of cell growth was associated with down-regulation of cell cycle regulatory proteins. Curcumin-induced caspase-3 activation and Bax degradation were dose-dependent with a maximal effect at a concentration of 100 M. The elevated caspase-3 activity in curcumin treated HN-4 cells are correlated with down-regulation of survivin and cIAP1, but not cIAP2. Curcumin induced a dose-dependent increase of cytochrome c in the cytosol. Curcumin induced-apoptosis was mediated through the release of cytochrome c. In addition, curcumin-induced apoptosis was caused by the generation of reactive oxygen species, which was prevented by antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Cotreatment with NAC markedly prevented cytochrome c release, Bax cleavage and cell death. Also resveratrol-induced apoptosis was preceded by down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, cIAP1, and caspase-3 activity. However, resveratrol-induced apoptosis was not prevented by antioxidant NAC. In addition, HN-4 cells release basal levels of MMP2 when cultured in serum-free medium. Treatment of the cells with various concentrations of PMA for 24 hr induced the expression and secretion of latent MMP9 as determined by gelatin zymography. HN-4 cells were treated with various concentrations of curcumin and resveratrol in the presence of 75 nM PMA, and MMP2 and 9 activities were inhibited by curcumin and resveratrol. These findings have implications for developing curcumin-based anticancer and anti-inflammation therapies.

• THE JOURNAL OF KOREAN ORIENTAL ONCOLOGY
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.81-97
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• 2000

Objectives: This experimental study was carried out to evaluate the effects of aqueous and methanol extracts of Hedyotis diffusa which has long been used for cancer treatment in oriental medicines on the induction of apoptotic cell death in human lymphoid leukemia cell line, HL-60. Methods: Cells were treated with various concentrations (200 to $0.4{\mu}g$) and periods (6 to 30 hr) of $H_2O$ and methanol extracts of Hedyotis diffusa. Then, cells were tested for viability by MTT assay. Cells wrere treated with $200{\mu}g/ml$ of methanol extract fork various periods. Genomic DNA was isolated, separated, on 1.5% agarose gels, stained with ethidium bromide and visualized under UV light. Cells were treated with $200{\mu}g/ml$ of each extract for 16 hr. Then, cells were treated with Hoechst dye 33342 and observed by fluorescence microscopy. Cells were treated with various doses of each for 12 hr and $100{\mu}g/ml$ of methanol extract for various periods. Lysate from the cells used to measure the activity of Caspase-1 and-3 proteases by using fluorogenic peptide substrates including acetyl-YVAD-AMC and acetyl-DEVD-AMC, respectively. Cells were treated with $200{\mu}g/ml$ of each extract for various periods. Cell lysates were immunoprecipated with anti-JNKl antibodies. The immune complex was reacted with $32^p-ATP$ and c-Jun as a substrate. The phosphotransferase activity of JNKI was measured by using PhosphoImage analyzer (Fuji Co., Japan). Nuclear extracts were isolated and incubated with oligonucleotide probe of $NF-{\kappa}B$. Transcriptional activation of ${\kappa}B$ was measured by using EMSA and visualized by PhosphoImage analyzer (Fuji Co, Japan). Cell lysates were prepared and analyzed by Western blotting with anti-Bc12 antibodies and anti-Bax antibodies. Cells were pretreated with various doses of methanol extract for 2 hr. Then, the extract was removed by centrifugation. Cells were resuspended with RPMI-1640 media containing 0.3% agarose, 10% FBS, overlayred onto bottom layer agarose and incubated at $CO_2$ incubator for 6 days. The number of colony was counted under light microscopy ($\time100$). Results: The death of HL-60 cells was markedly induced by the addition of methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa in a dose and time-dependent manners. The apoptotic characteristic ladder pattern of DNA strand break was observed in death of HL-60 cells. In addition, it was shown nucleus chromatin condensation and fragmentation under Hoechst staining. Therefore, Hedyotis diffusa extract-induced death of HL-60 cells is mediated by apoptotic signaling processes. The activity of Caspase 3-like proteases remained in a basal level in HL-60 cells treated with aqueous extract of Hedyotis diffusa. However, it was markedly increased in HL-60 cells treated with methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa. In addition, the phosphotransferase activity of JNKl was increased in HL-60 cells treated with methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa. Furthermore, the activation of transcriptional activator, $NF-{\kappa}B$ was markedly induced by methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa. Anti-apoptotic Bc12 was cleaved into 23Kda fragment by treatment of methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa. However, expression of proapoptotic Bax protein was increased by treatment of methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, methanol extract markedly inhibited the colony forming efficiency of HL-60 cells in semisolid agar culture. Conclusions: Above results suggest that methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa induces the apoptotic death of human leukemic HL-60 cells via activations of Caspase-3 proteases, JNKI, transcriptional activator $NF-{\kappa}B$, In addition, our results also suggest that methanol extract of Hedyotis diffusa reduces the malignant potential of HL-60 cells via down regulation of colony forming effciency through cleavage of Bc12 as well as induction of Bax.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.634-641
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• 2012

It was reported that the novel compounds (LP9M80-H) of $Liriope$ $platyphylla$ regulate glucose transporter (Glut) biosynthesis by activating the insulin-signaling pathway in the liver and brain of ICR mice. To investigate the therapeutic effects of LP9M80-H on the pathology of diabetes and obesity, alterations of key factors related to symptoms were analyzed in the Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats treated with LP9M80-H for 2 weeks. The abdominal fat masses in the LP9M80-H-treated group were lower than the vehicle-treated group, although there was no difference in body weight between the two groups. Additionally, when compared to the vehicle-treated group, LP9M80-H treatment induced a significant decrease in glucose levels and an increase in the insulin concentration in the blood of OLETF rats. A high level of insulin protein was also detected in pancreatic ${\beta}$ cells of LP9M80-H-treated OLETF rats. A significant reduction in the concentration of lipids and adiponectin was detected only in LP9M80-H-treated OLETF rats. Furthermore, the expression of insulin receptor ${\beta}$ and the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) was dramatically decreased in LP9M80-H-treated OLETF rats compared to the vehicle-treated group. Of the glucose transporters located downstream of the insulin-signaling pathway, glucose transporters (Glut) -2 and -3 were significantly decreased in LP9M80-H-treated OLETF rats, while the level of Glut-4 was maintained under all conditions. Therefore, these results suggest that LP9M80-H may contribute to relieving symptoms of diabetes and obesity through glucose homeostasis and regulation of lipid concentration.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.998-1007
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) extract on the inflammation of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) and blood lipid improvement in hypercholesterolemic mice fed a high cholesterol diet. The lettuce extract (100% ethanol extract) inhibited the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in HUVEC treated with tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$). The lettuce extract suppressed the adhesion of THP-1 to TNF-${\alpha}$-treated HUVEC. The lettuce extract decreased the TNF-${\alpha}$-stimulated production of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein 1. In hypercholesterolemic mice, the lettuce extract reduced serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, while the lettuce extract elevated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, resulting in the decrease of atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor level. These results suggested that lettuce extract can be an useful resource to show an anti-inflammatory effect and improve lipid metabolism.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.231-239
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• 2004

Cerebral microvessel endothelial cells that form blood-brain barrier (BBB) have tight junction for maintaining brain homeostasis. Occludin, one of tight junction protein, is crucial for BBB function. $H_2O_2$ induced occludin changes and effects in bovine brain BBB endothelial cells were examined in this study. The decrease of transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) by $H_2O_2$ was due to disruption of occludin localization. Cytotoxicity test revealed that $H_2O_2$ did not cause cell death below 1 mM $H_2O_2$ within 4 hr. $H_2O_2$ caused intermittent disruption and loss of occludin at tight junctions and occludin disappeared with dose dependent manner from tight junction in confocal laser microscopy. But Western blot revealed that the total amounts of occludin increased by $H_2O_2$ administration. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the ultrastructure of tight junction was not changed by $H_2O_2$. These data suggest that functional disruption of BBB by $H_2O_2$ was due to the localized loss of occludin in tight junction, but the expression of occludin increased in order to compensate the disrupted function in BBB.