• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.127-140
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• 2011

Objectives : The research was conducted to confirm the effect of Acanthopanax senticosus harms(ASH) on the anti-tumor activities in AGS human gastric cancer cells. Methods : To examine the potential anti-tumor effect of ASH, we performed many experiments. After processing AGS cancer cells with varying concentrations 80% ethanol ASH extract, analyses by MTT, flow cytometer(FACS) and western blot were used. Results : AGS cancer cells showed decreased cell proliferation and increased contents of S phase when treated with ASH. Moreover, the Western blot experiment showed that ASH affected S phase cell cycle-related molecules(Cyclin A, p21 and p16) in AGS cells. ASH also inhibited EGFR-STAT3 pathway in AGS human gastric cancer cells. Conclusion : Based on these results, we observed that ASH arrested the cell cycle at S phase and inhibited the phosphorylation of EGFR and STAT3 proteins which reduce the cell cycle and the manifestation of the genes that are related to inhibiting cell growth in AGS cells. It can be concluded that ASH can be used in developing medicine for gastric cancer.

• Oncology Letters
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.1904-1914
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• 2019

Apoptosis is regarded as a therapeutic target because it is typically disturbed in human cancer. Silymarin from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been reported to exhibit anticancer properties via regulation of apoptosis as well as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. In the present study, the effects of silymarin on the inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis were examined in human gastric cancer cells. The viability of AGS human gastric cancer cells was assessed by MTT assay. The migration of AGS cells was investigated by wound healing assay. Silymarin was revealed to significantly decrease viability and migration of AGS cells in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the number of apoptotic bodies and the rate of apoptosis were increased in a dose-dependent manner as determined by DAPI staining and Annexin V/propidium iodide double staining. The changes in the expression of silymarin-induced apoptosis proteins were investigated in human gastric cancer cells by western blotting analysis. Silymarin increased the expression of Bax, phosphorylated (p)-JNK and p-p38, and cleaved poly-ADP ribose polymerase, and decreased the levels of Bcl-2 and p-ERK1/2 in a concentration-dependent manner. The in vivo tumor growth inhibitory effect of silymarin was investigated. Silymarin (100 mg/kg) significantly decreased the AGS tumor volume and increased apoptosis, as assessed by the TUNEL assay, confirming its tumor-inhibitory effect. Immunohistochemical staining revealed elevated expression of p-JNK and p-p38 as well as reduced expression of p-ERK1/2 associated with silymarin-treatment. Silymarin was revealed to reduce tumor growth through inhibition of p-ERK and activation of p-p38 and p-JNK in human gastric cancer cells. These results indicated that silymarin has potential for development as a cancer therapeutic due to its growth inhibitory effects and induction of apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2020

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer effects of 18α-Glycyrrhetinic acid (18α-GA), a hydrolyzed metabolite of glycyrrhizin, in AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Methods : We used human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line, AGS cells. We examined cell death by MTT assay and caspase 3 and 9 assay with 18α-GA. To examine the inhibitory effects of 18α-GA, sub-G1 analysis was done the AGS cells after 24 hours with 18α-GA. Also, to investigate the inhibitory mechanisms of 18α-GA, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were examined. Results : 1. 18α-GA inhibited the growth of AGS cells in a dose-dependent fashion. 2. Sub-G1 fractions were significantly and dose-dependently increased by 18α-GA. 3. 18α-GA increased the caspase 3 and 9 activities in AGS cells. 4. 18α-GA inhibited proliferation of AGS cells via the modulation of c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways, which results in the induction of apoptosis. 5. 18α-GA enhanced ROS accumulation in AGS cells. Conclusions : Our findings provide insight into unraveling the effects of 18α-GA in human gastric adenocarcinoma cells and developing therapeutic agents against gastric cancer.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.185-191
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• 2011

In Korea, chestnut production is increasing each year, but consumption is far below production. We investigated the effect of chestnut extracts on antioxidant activity and anticancer effects. Ethanol extracts of raw chestnut (RCE) or chestnut powder (CPE) had dose-dependent superoxide scavenging activity. Viable numbers of MDA-MD-231 human breast cancer cells, DU145 human prostate cancer cells, and AGS human gastric cancer cells decreased by 18, 31, and 69%, respectively, following treatment with $200{\mu}g/mL$ CPE for 24 hr. CPE at various concentrations ($0-200{\mu}g/mL$) markedly decreased AGS cell viability and increased apoptotic cell death dose and time dependently. CPE increased the levels of cleaved caspase-8, -7, -3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase in a dose-dependent manner but not cleaved caspase-9. CPR exerted no effects on Bcl-2 and Bax levels. The level of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein decreased within a narrow range following CPE treatment. The levels of Trail, DR4, and Fas-L increased dose-dependently in CPE-treated AGS cells. These results show that CPE decreases growth and induces apoptosis in AGS gastric cancer cells and that activation of the death receptor pathway contributes to CPE-induced apoptosis in AGS cells. In conclusion, CPE had more of an effect on gastric cancer cells than breast or prostate cancer cells, suggesting that chestnuts would have a positive effect against gastric cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.1326-1331
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• 1999

In vitro anticancer effect of Chinese cabbage kimchi fractions was investigated by using human cancer cells, AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells and HT 29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells. The Chinese cabbage kimchi(fermented for 4 days at 15oC) was fractionated into 7 groups, methanol extract, hexane fraction(fr.), methanol soluble fr., dichloromethane fr., ethylacetate fr., butanol fr. and aqueous fr.. Chinese cabbage kimchi fractions inhibited the growth of AGS and HT 29 cancer cells as dose dependent. In particular, the dichloromethane fr. showed the highest inhibitory effect among other fractions. When the dichloromethane fr.(0.2mg/ml) was treated, the number of AGS and HT 29 survival cancer cells reduced to 12$\times$104/ml and 11$\times$104/ml compared to 166$\times$104/ml and 50$\times$104/ml of the controls, respectively. Chinese cabbage kimchi fractions also inhibited the DNA synthesis of the cancer cells. They inhibited the DNA synthesis of AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells more efficiently than that of HT 29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells. These results indicate that Chinese cabbage kimchi fractions show in vitro anticancer activity and the dichloromethane fr. among them reveals the highest effect.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1485-1492
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• 2015

Makgeolli is a traditional wine in Korea and has been traditionally believed to exhibit health benefits. However, the inhibitory effect of dealcoholized makgeolli (MK) on cancer has never been investigated scientifically. In this study, MK exhibited an anti-angiogenic effect by inhibiting tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, without cytotoxicity. Treatment with MK reduced the proliferation of AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells in a dose-dependent manner and increased the sub-G1 population. Next, we evaluated whether MK could induce apoptosis in AGS cells by using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay or Annexin V method. Treatment with MK at 500 and 1,000 μg/ml increased the number of TUNEL-positive AGS cells. Under the same conditions, MK-treated (500 and 1,000 μg/ml) cells showed significant induction of early or late apoptosis, compared with untreated cells (no induction). In addition, MK also induced phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression in AGS cells. However, p53 expression in AGS cells was not changed by MK treatment. Furthermore, MK at 500 mg/kg·d reduced the tumor size and volume in AGS tumor xenografts. Taken together, MK may be useful for the prevention of cancer cell growth.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.466-470
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer effects of Carthami Flos in some kinds of human gastric cancer cells. We used two kinds of human gastric cancer cell lines, such as AGS cells and MKN45 cells. We examined cell death by MTT assay and observed the morphological changes with Carthami Flos. Also, we showed that the combination of sub-optimal doses of Carthami Flos and cisplatin noticeably suppresses in AGS cells and doxorubicin in MKN45 cells. Furthermore, we studied the caspase 3 activity to identify the apoptosis. Therefore, our findings provide insight into unraveling the effects of Carthami Flos in human gastric cancer cells and developing therapeutic agents against gastric cancer.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.195-201
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• 2015

The aim of the study is to investigate the anti-cancer effects of Scutellaria barbata in AGS human gastric adenocarcinoma cells. MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and caspase 3 or 9 activity assay were carried out to examine cell death with Scutellaria barbata. To elucidate the inhibitory effects of Scutellaria barbata, cell cycle (sub-G1) analysis and mitochondrial membrane potential were performed in AGS cells after 24 h incubation with Scutellaria barbata. Scutellaria barbata induced apoptosis in AGS cells by using the MTT assay, the sub-G1 analysis and mitochondrial membrane potential assay. The stronger inhibition effects of AGS cell growth was observed by application of Scutellaria barbata combined with several anti-cancer drugs (paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, ectoposide, doxorubicin and docetaxel) in comparison to the application of Scutellaria barbata or anti-cancer drugs. Our findings provide insight into unraveling the effects of Scutellaria barbata in human gastric cancer cells and developing therapeutic agents against gastric cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2022

Comparing the quality characteristics of kimchi were measured and anticancer effects using AGS human gastric cancer cells were observed. Five kinds of kimchi samples were made of Kanghwa Baek kimchi (KB), Kangwha Turnip kimchi (KT), Turnip: Chinese cabbage = 1:1 Baek kimchi (T1B1), Turnip:Chinese cabbage = 4:1 Baek kimchi (T4B1), Turnip mul kimchi (T). As a result T kimchi showed the best fermentation characteristics among the five samples. T kimchi had a lower percentage of the total number of aerobic bacteria, while the number of lactobacillus was higher than that of other samples. The mRNA and protein expression levels of apoptosis-related factors found that T kimchi significantly increases the mRNA expression levels of caspases-3 and caspases-9 in AGS human gastric cancer cells as compared to the other kimchi samples. It showed high anticancer effects in the order of T, T1B1, and KB kimchi. As the anticancer effect of Turnip mul kimchi made only of turnip was higher, the higher the turnip content, the higher the anticancer effect. These results show that there were changes in fermentation characteristics such as pH, acidity, number of lactic acid bacteria, and anticancer effects according to the ratio of turnip and cabbage.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-cancer effects of Sophorae Radix and the effects of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) in human gastric adenocarcinoma cells (AGS). Method : We used human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line, AGS cells. We examined cell death by MTT assay and caspase 3 assay with Sophorae Radix. To examine the inhibitory effects of Sophorae Radix, cell cycle (sub G1) analysis was done the AGS cells after three days with Sophorae Radix. The reversibility of Sophorae Radix was examined on one day to five days treatment with 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ Sophorae Radix. Result : Sophorae Radix inhibited the growth of AGS cells in a dose-dependent fashion. Also we showed that Sophorae Radix induced apoptosis in AGS cells by MTT assay, caspase 3 assay and sub-G1 analysis. Sophorae Radix combined with 5-FU markedly inhibited the growth of AGS cells compared to Sophorae Radix or 5-FU alone. After 3 days treatment of AGS cells with Sophorae Radix, the fraction of cells in sub-G1 phase was much higher than that of the control group. Conclusion : Our findings provide insight into unraveling the effects of Sophorae Radix in human gastric adenocarcinoma cells and developing therapeutic agents against gastric cancer.