• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권8호
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• pp.619-624
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• 2016

Glioblastoma stem cells (GBM-SCs) are believed to be a subpopulation within all glioblastoma (GBM) cells that are in large part responsible for tumor growth and the high grade of therapeutic resistance that is so characteristic of GBM. MicroRNAs (miR) have been implicated in regulating the expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in cancer stem cells, including GBM-SCs, and they are a potential target for cancer therapy. In the current study, miR-203 expression was reduced in $CD133^+$ GBM-SCs derived from six human GBM biopsies. MicroRNA-203 transfected GBM-SCs had reduced capacity for self-renewal in the cell sphere assay and increased expression of glial and neuronal differentiation markers. In addition, a reduced proliferation rate and an increased rate of apoptosis were observed. Therefore, miR-203 has the potential to reduce features of stemness, specifically in GBM-SCs, and is a logical target for GBM gene therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.905-910
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• 2016

Breast cancer is one of the major threats to female health, and its incidence is rapidly increasing in many countries. Currently, breast cancer is treated with surgery, followed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or both. However, a substantial proportion of breast cancer patients might have a risk for local relapse that leads to recurrence of their disease and/or metastatic breast cancer. Therefore searching for new and potential strategies for breast cancer treatment remains necessary. Immunotherapy is an attractive and promising approach that can exploit the ability of the immune system to identify and destroy tumors and thus prevent recurrence and metastatic lesions. The most promising and attractive approach of immunotherapeutic research in cancer is the blockade of immune checkpoints. In this review, we discuss the potential of certain inhibitors of immune checkpoints, such as antibodies targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), programmed death 1 (PD-1) and lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3), in breast cancer therapeutics. Immune checkpoint inhibitors may represent future standards of care for breast cancer as monotherapy or combined with standard therapies.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.299-306
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• 1996

6-[(N-3,4-Dibromophenyl)amino]-7-chloro-5,8-quinolinedione(FCK13) was tested for antifungal activities. The MIC values were determined by the two-fold dilution method. The therapeutic potential of RCK13 had been assessed in comparison with ketoconazole and fluconazole against systemic infections with candida albicans in normal mice. RCK13 had ED50,0.80$\pm$0.21 mg/kg but ketoconazole had ED50, 8.00$\pm$0.73 mg/kg respectively. And administered RCK13 at the ED50 for 14 days improved survival rates as well as ketoconazole. Acute oral toxicity studies of RCK13 were carried out in ICR mice of both sexes. These acute oral toxicities of RCK13 were low and LD50 values were over 2,850 mg/kg in ICR mice. The genotoxicities of RCK13 had been evaluated. RCK13 was negative in Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium and chromosomal aberration test in CHL cells. The clastogenicity was tested on the RCK13 with in vivo mouse micronucleus assay. RCK13 did not show any clastogenic effect in mouse peripheral blood and was negative in mouse micronucleus assay. These results indicate that RCK13 has no genotoxic potential under these experimental conditions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권14호
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• pp.6129-6133
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• 2015

miR-129-2 is frequently downregulated in multiple cancers. However, how it is silenced in cancers remains unclear. Here we investigated the expression profile and potential biological function of miR-129-2 in glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and lethal form of brain tumors in adults. We showed that miR-129-2 is lost in GBM patient specimens and cultured cell lines. miR-129-2 expression could be restored upon treatment with a histone deadetylase inhibitor (trichostatin A) but not a DNA methylation inhibitor (5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine), and more profound effect was observed with the treatment of these two drugs in combination. Furthermore, forced expression of miR-129-2 repressed the expression of major oncogenic genes such as PDGFRa and Foxp1 in GBMs. Consistently, expression of miR-129-2 significantly inhibits GBM cell proliferation in vitro. These results reveal that miR-129-2 is epigenetically regulated and functions as a tumor suppressor gene in GBMs, suggesting it may serve as a potential therapeutic target for GBM treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.863-868
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• 2015

Background: Artemisia species are important medicinal plants throughout the world. The present in vitro study, using a sesquiterpene lactone-bearing fraction prepared from Artemisia khorassanica (SLAK), sought to investigate anti-cancer properties of this plant and elucidate potential underlying mechanisms for the effects. Materials and Methods: Anti-cancer potential was evaluated by toxicity against human melanoma and fibroblast cell lines. To explore the involved pathways, pattern of any cell death was determined using annexin-V/PI staining and also the expression of Bax and cytochrome c was investigated by Western blotting. Results: The results showed that SLAK selectively caused a concentration-related inhibition of proliferation of melanoma cells that was associated with remarkable increase in early events and over-expression of both Bax and cytochrome c. Conclusions: The current experiment indicates that Artemisia may have anti-cancer activity. We anticipate that the ingredients may be employed as therapeutic candidates for melanoma.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.11-19
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• 2014

Synurus deltoides (Aiton) Nakai, belonging to the Compositae family, is an edible plant widely distributed in Northeast Asia. In this study, we examined the mechanisms underlying the immunomodulative effects of the ethanol extract of S. deltoides (SDE). The SDE extract strongly down-regulated the mRNA expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$, thereby inhibiting the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and TNF-${\alpha}$ in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, SDE also suppressed the nuclear translocation of the activation protein (AP)-1 and the nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$), and simultaneously decreased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK), p38, and Akt. In agreement with the in vitro observations, the orally administered SDE ameliorated the acute inflammatory symptoms in the arachidonic acid-induced ear edema and the EtOH/HCl-induced gastritis in mice. Therefore, S. deltoides have a potential anti-inflammatory capacity in vitro and in vivo, suggesting the potential therapeutic use in the inflammation-associated disorders.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.273-277
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• 2006

Recently, Rhei Rhizoma extracts (RRE) have begun to receive more attention as potential biological response modifiers. In the present study, we studied the antiproliferative effect of RRE on tumor cells and the effect of RRE on macrophage function. A variety of tumor cells and macrophages were treated with RRE at various concentrations. The effect of RRE on cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay and the effect of RRE on the production of nitric oxide (NO) was determined in the macrophage-like cell lines Raw264.7, C6 and peritoneal macrophages (pMQ). RRE inhibited the growth of tumor cells (e.g., B16, HOS). However, the effects of RRE on the production of NO varied with macrophage types. RRE had no effect on C6 cell growth and slightly increased the growth of Raw264.7 cells. In addition, treatment of normal pMQ with RRE enhanced NO production in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas RRE suppressed NO production at $50\;{\mu}g/mL$ in both Raw264.7 and C6 cells. However, RRE suppressed NO production in LPS/IFN-$\gamma$-stimulated C6 cells. Overall, these results suggest that RRE elicits an antiproliferative property and differentially modulates NO production in various macrophages, and have a potential for therapeutic application.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.1077-1082
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• 2013

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignancy with a poor prognosis. We aimed to explore whether the expression of Long Non-Coding RNA (LncRNA) growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) is associated with RCC genesis. Methods: We selected twelve clinical samples diagnosed for renal clear cell carcinoma and found that the LncRNA GAS5 transcript levels were significantly reduced relative to those in adjacent unaffected normal renal tissues. Results: In addition, expression of GAS5 was lower in the RCC cell line A498 than that in normal renal cell line HK-2. Furthermore, using functional expression cloning, we found that overexpression of GAS5 in A498 cells inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell apoptosis and arrested cell cycling. At the same time, the migration and invasion potential of A498 cells were inhibited compared to control groups. Conclusion: Our study provided the first evidence that a decrease in GAS5 expression is associated with RCC genesis and progression and overexpression of GAS5 can act as a tumor suppressor for RCC, providing a potential attractive therapeutic approach for this malignancy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권9호
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• pp.4943-4952
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• 2013

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies, with a very poor prognosis. Despite significant improvements in diagnosis and treatment in recent years, the long-term therapeutic efficacy is poor, partially due to tumor metastasis, tecurrence, and resistance to chemo-or radio-therapy. Recently, it was found that a major feature of tumors is a combination of unrestrained cell proliferation and impaired apoptosis. There are now 8 recogized members of the IAP-family: NAIP, c-IAP1, c-IAP2, XIAP, Survivin, Bruce, Livin and ILP-2. There proteins all contribute to ingibition of apoptosis, and provide new potential avenues of cancer treatment. As a powerful tool to suppress gene expression in mammalian cells, RNAi species for inhibiting IAP genes cab be directed against cancers. This review will provide a brief introduction to recent developments of the application IAP-siRNA in tumor studies, with the aim of inspiring future treatment of HCC.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.33-40
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• 2015

Bee venom (BV) has long been used in traditional Eastern and Western medicine for chronic inflammation, pain and skin therapy. Human exposure to BV, however, often causes unwanted adverse effects and is even fatal in some cases. Phospholipase $A_2$ ($PLA_2$) of BV is now suspected to play a key role in these adverse effects. We investigated the potential use of $PLA_2$-free bee venom (PBV) as a replacement for BV in cosmetic products. PBV prepared by molecular weight cut-off ultrafiltration exhibits a superior profile in comparison with regular BV, by inhibiting elastase activity and suppressing the induction of nitric oxide (NO) and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), while retaining the effects of cell proliferation and protection against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced damage in human dermal fibroblast cells. PBV thus appears to be more promising than BV as a cosmetic ingredient with a reduced potential for adverse reactions in the recipient.