• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2017

Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) belongs to the family of receptor tyrosine kinase. They play important roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, development, migration, survival, wound healing, haematopoiesis and tumorigenesis. FGFRs are reported to cause several types of cancers in humans which make it an important drug target. In the current study, HQSAR analysis was performed on a series of recently reported 1H-Pyrazolo [3,4-b]pyridine derivatives as FGFR antagonists. The model was developed with Atom (A) and bond (B) connection (C), chirality (Ch), hydrogen (H) and donor/acceptor (DA) parameters and with different set of atom counts to improve the model. A reasonable HQSAR model ($q^2=0.701$, SDEP=0.654, NOC=5, $r^2=0.926$, SEE=0.325, BHL=71) was generated which showed good predictive ability. The contribution map depicted the atom contribution in inhibitory effect. A contribution map for the most active compound (compound 24) indicated that hydrogen and nitrogen atoms in the side chains of ring B as well as hydrogen atoms in the side chain of ring C and the nitrogen atom in the ring D contributed positively to the activity in inhibitory effect whereas, the lowest active compound (compound 04) showed negative contribution to inhibitory effect. Thus results of our study can provide insights in the designing potent and selective FGFR kinase inhibitors.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.73-88
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• 2010

Traditionally, the root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc(L.E) has been used as efficacious therapy for inflammation, burns, frostbite and skin ailments (e.g eczema and psoriasis). It contains isohexenylnaphthoquinone derivatives (shikonin and its esters) and furylhydroquinones (shikonofurans) in lipophilic fractions and caffeic acid oligomers (rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid B) in polar fractions. Recently, new preparative isolation and analysis procedures of shikonin along with its oligomers from the extract of L. erythrorhizon by the combination of high-speed counter-current chromatography with high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection have also been introduced. Although there have been many reports on the wound healing, antiinflammatory, and anticancer effects, the research on the effects of anti-atopic dermatitis of the root of L. erythrorhizon were relatively scarce. However, in recent years, new information gathered from research efforts, on the anti-atopic dermatitis properties of the extract or constituents of L. erythrorhizon has been accumulated. In this paper, the findings and advance on the in vitro and in vivo activities of L. erythrorhizon and its constituents especially focused on antiinflammatory and anti-atopic dermatitis effects are summarized. The phytochemical constituents of L. erythrorhizon or its tissue cultures are also presented. Although there are few to verify or refute its activity in human, one result of clinical study of the extract of L. erythrorhizon on the atopic dermatitis patients was introduced to assess the possibility of its clinical use. The reported mechanisms of action and in vivo pharmacological studies in different animal models for the various types of extracts or constituents of L. erythrorhizon are supportive of its therapeutic potential or dietary supplement, however, more evidence from clinically relevant models, as well as systemic studies on the active constituents or the various types of standardized extracts at the cellular and molecular level, are required.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Perilla frutescens Britton leaves are a commonly consumed vegetable in different Asian countries including Korea. Cancer is a major cause of human death worldwide. The aim of the current study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of ethanol extract of perilla leaf (PLE) against important characteristics of cancer cells, including unrestricted growth, resisted apoptosis, and activated metastasis, using human cancer cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: Two human cancer cell lines were used in this study, HCT116 colorectal carcinoma cells and H1299 non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. Assays using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide were performed for measurement of cell growth. Soft agar and wound healing assays were performed to determine colony formation and cell migration, respectively. Nuclear staining and cell cycle analysis were performed for assessment of apoptosis. Fibronectin-coated plates were used to determine cell adhesion. RESULTS: Treatment of HCT116 and H1299 cells with PLE resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of growth by 52-92% (at the concentrations of 87.5, 175, and $350{\mu}g/ml$) and completely abolished the colony formation in soft agar (at the concentration of $350{\mu}g/ml$). Treatment with PLE at the $350{\mu}g/ml$ concentration resulted in change of the nucleus morphology and significantly increased sub-G1 cell population in both cells, indicating its apoptosis-inducing activity. PLE at the concentration range of 87.5 to $350{\mu}g/ml$ was also effective in inhibiting the migration of H1299 cells (by 52-58%) and adhesion of both HCT116 and H1299 cells (by 25-46%). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that PLE exerts anti-cancer activities against colon and lung cancers in vitro. Further studies are needed in order to determine whether similar effects are reproduced in vivo.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2020

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Non-small cell lung cancer is mostly recognized among other types of lung cancer with a poor prognosis by cause of chemotherapeutic resistance and increased metastasis. Luteolin has been found to decrease cell metastasis. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unresolved. The objective of this study was to examine the effect (and its mechanism) of luteolin on the migration and invasion of human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cell viability was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Wound healing and transwell assays were evaluated to assess migration and invasion, respectively. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence were further performed to investigate the role of luteolin and its mechanisms of action. RESULTS: Administration with up to 40 μM luteolin showed no cytotoxic activity on lung cancer A549 cells or non-cancer MRC-5 cells. Additionally, luteolin at 20-40 μM significantly suppressed A549 cells' migration, invasion, and the formation of filopodia in a concentration-dependent manner at 24 h. This is similar with western blot analysis, which revealed diminished the phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (pFAK), phosphorylated non-receptor tyrosine kinase (pSrc), Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1), cell division control protein 42 (Cdc42), and Ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA) expression levels. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our data indicate that luteolin plays a role in controlling lung cancer cells' migration and invasion via Src/FAK and its downstream Rac1, Cdc42, and RhoA pathways. Luteolin might be considered a promising candidate for suppressing invasion and metastasis of lung cancer cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.5071-5076
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• 2014

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the aggressive cancers with a very poor prognosis. Several efforts have been made to identify and develop new agents for prevention and treatment of this deadly disease. In the present study, we examined the anticancer effect of luteolin on human CCA, KKU-M156 cells. Sulforhodamine B assays showed that luteolin had potent cytotoxicity on CCA cells with IC50 values of $10.5{\pm}5.0$ and $8.7{\pm}3.5{\mu}M$ at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Treatment with luteolin also caused a concentration-dependent decline in colony forming ability. Consistent with growth inhibitory effects, luteolin arrested cell cycle progression at the G2/M phase in a dose-dependent manner as assessed by flow cytometry analysis. Protein expression of cyclin A and Cdc25A was down-regulated after luteolin treatment, supporting the arrest of cells at the G2/M boundary. Besides evident G2/M arrest, luteolin induced apoptosis of KKU-M156 cells, demonstrated by a distinct sub-G1 apoptotic peak and fluorescent dye staining. A decrease in the level of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein was implicated in luteolin-induced apoptosis. We further investigated the effect of luteolin on JAK/STAT3, which is an important pathway involved in the development of CCA. The results showed that interleukin-6 (IL-6)-induced JAK/STAT3 activation in KKU-M156 cells was suppressed by treatment with luteolin. Treatment with a specific JAK inhibitor, AG490, and luteolin diminished IL-6-stimulated CCA cell migration as assessed by wound healing assay. These data revealed anticancer activity of luteolin against CCA so the agent might have potential for CCA prevention and therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.3043-3050
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• 2015

The tumor microenvironment (TME) includes numerous non-neoplastic cells such as leukocytes and fibroblasts that surround the neoplasm and influence its growth. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and cancerassociated fibroblasts (CAFs) are documented as key players in facilitating cancer appearance and progression. Alteration of the macrophage (CD68, CD163) and fibroblast (${\alpha}-SMA$, FSP-1) cells in Opisthorchis viverrini (Ov) -induced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) was here assessed using liver tissues from an established hamster model and from 43 human cases using immunohistochemistry. We further investigated whether M2-activated TAMs influence CCA cell migration ability by wound healing assay and Western blot analysis. Macrophages and fibroblasts change their phenotypes to M2-TAMs (CD68+, CD163+) and CAFs (${\alpha}-SMA+$, FSP-1+), respectively in the early stages of carcinogenesis. Interestingly, a high density of the M2-TAMs CCA in patients is significantly associated with the presence of extrahepatic metastases (p=0.021). Similarly, CD163+ CCA cells are correlated with metastases (p=0.002), and they may be representative of an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) with increased metastatic activity. We further showed that M2-TAM conditioned medium can induce CCA cell migration as well as increase N-cadherin expression (mesenchymal marker). The present work revealed that significant TME changes occur at an early stage of Ov-induced carcinogenesis and that M2-TAMs are key factors contributing to CCA metastasis, possibly via EMT processes.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.623-634
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• 1995

Periodontitis is characterized by gingival inflammation and results in periodontal pocket formation with loss of the supporting alveolar bone and connective tissue around the teeth. Therapeutic modalities should therefore aim not only at eliminating the gingival inflammatory process and preventing the progression of periodontal disease but also at reestablishing and regenerating the periodontal tissue previously lost to the disease. To achieve periodontal regeneration, progenitor cells must migrate to the denuded root surface, attach to it, proliferate and mature into an organized and functional fibrous attachment apparatus. Likewise, progenitor bone cells must also migrate, proliferate, and mature in conjunction with the regenerating periodontal ligament. Significant advances have been made during the last decade in understanding the factors controlling the migration, attachment and proliferation of cells. A group of naturally occuring molecules known as polypeptide growth factors in conjunction with certain matrix proteins are key regulators of these biological events. Of these, the fibroblast growth factor(FGF), platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF) , insulin like growth factor(CIGFs), transforming growth factor(TGFs), epidermal growth factor(EGF) and bone morphogenetic growth factor(BMPs) apper to have an important role in periodontal wound healing. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of BMP on periodontal ligament cells. Human periodontal ligament cells were cultured from extracted tooth for non-periodontal reason. Cultured periodontal ligament cells were treated with BMP. Cellular activities were determined by MTT(3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and ALP(alkaline phosphatase) activity. The results were as follows ; Regardless of cultured time, cellular activities were stimulated by BMP. Also, BMP greatly increased alkaline phosphatase(ALP) in periodontal ligament cells. These results suggest that BMP not only have no cytotoxic effect on periodontal ligament cells, but also have osteogenic stimulatory effect on periodontal ligament cells.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2008

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), also designated matrixins, hydrolyze components of the extracellular matrix. These proteinases playa central role in many biological processes, such as embryogenesis, normal tissue remodeling, wound healing, and angiogenesis, and in diseases such as atheroma, arthritis, cancer, and tissue ulceration. In previous data, disruption of the actin cytoskeleton by cytochalasin D (CD) inhibited NO-induced apoptosis, dedifferentiation, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression, and prostaglandin $E_2$ production in chondrocytes cultured on plastic or during cartilage explants culture. In this study, we investigated the effects of the actin cytoskeleton architecture on MMP-2 expression and dedifferentiation by CD in rabbit articular chondrocytes. Rabbit articular chondrocytes were prepared from cartilage slices of 2-weeks-old New Zealand white rabbits by enzymatic digestion. CD was used as a disruptor of actin cytoskeleton. In this experiments measuring CD dose response, primary chondrocytes were treated with various concentrations of CD for 24h. The actin disruption was determined by immunostaining. MMP-2 expression levels were determined by immunoblot analysis and Reverse transcriptase-Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and MMP-2 activity was determined by gelatin zymography. We found that cell morphological change and up-regulation of MMP-2 expression by CD as determined via immunostaining, gelatin zymography and immunoblotting. Moreover, CD induced MMP-2 transcription was detected by RT-PCR. Also, CD-induced type II collagen expression was inhibited by MMP-2 inhibitor I treatment. Our results indicate that CD up-regulated MMP-2 activation causes dedifferentiation of articular chondrocyte.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3805-3810
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• 2015

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been found to exert anti-cancer activity in various human malignancies. However, the molecular mechanisms by which ATO inhibits tumorigenesis are not fully elucidated. In the current study, we explored the molecular basis of ATO-mediated tumor growth inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells. We used multiple approaches such as MTT assay, wound healing assay, Transwell invasion assay, annexin V-FITC, cell cycle analysis, RT-PCR and Western blotting to achieve our goal. We found that ATO treatment effectively caused cell growth inhibition, suppressed clonogenic potential and induced G2-M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, we observed a significant down-regulation of Skp2 after treatment with ATO. Furthermore, we revealed that ATO regulated Skp2 downstream genes such as FOXO1 and p53. These findings demonstrate that inhibition of Skp2 could be a novel strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer by ATO.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1851-1857
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• 2014

Objective: The main purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of berberine hydrochloride (BH) on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of CNE-1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Our results shed light on the functional components of traditional Chinese herbs for potential use in modern medicine. Methods: The CNE-1 cell line was treated with different concentrations of BH and effects on cell viability and proliferation were evaluated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Anti-migratory and anti-invasive actions of BH were investigated using wound healing assays and the Millicell Hanging cell culture insert system, respectively. Expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related gene twist (Twist) was analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blotting. Apoptosis was estimated with an annexin-V fluorescein (FITC) apoptosis detection kit, as well as with reference to levels of activated caspase-3 of CNE-1 cells before and after treatment with BH utilizing fluorescence spectroscopy. Results: BH was capable of reducing proliferation and viability of CNE-1 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, also demonstrating anti-migratory and anti-invasive capacities which correlated with reduction in expression of Twist. Finally, BH was able to induce significant amounts of apoptosis in CNE-1 cells, as demonstrated by an increase in the activity of caspase-3 and in annexin-V staining following treatment. Conclusion: BH extracted from rhizoma coptidis demonstrated an ability to block proliferation, induce apoptosis, and impair the migration and invasion of the CNE-1 cell line Considering these properties, our results suggest that BH could be an important compound for consideration in the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.