• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5887-5895
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• 2012

Background: To determine the effect of essential oil obtained from a traditionally used medicinal plant Tridax procumbens L, on lung metastasis developed by B16F-10 melanoma cells in C57BL/6 mice. Materials and Methods: Parameters studied were toxicity, lung tumor nodule count, histopathological features, tumor directed capillary vessel formation, apoptosis and expression levels of $P^{53}$ and caspase-3 proteins. Results: In vitro the MTT assay showed cytotoxicity was found to be high as 70.2% of cancer cell death within 24hrs for $50{\mu}g$. In vivo oil treatment significantly inhibited tumor nodule formation by 71.7% when compared with untreated mice. Formation of tumor directed new blood vessels was also found to be inhibited to about 39.5%. TUNEL assays also demonstrated a significant increase in the number of apoptotic positive cells after the treatment. $P^{53}$ and caspase-3 expression was also found to be greater in the essential oil treated group than the normal and cancer group. Conclusions: The present investigation showed significant effects of the essential oil of Tridax procumbens L in preventing lung metastasis by B16F-10 cell line in C57BL/6 mice. Its specific preventive effect on tumor directed angiogenesis and inducing effect on apoptosis warrant further studies at the molecular level to validate the significance of Tridax procumbens L for anticancer therapy.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.468-473
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• 2004

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin characterized by epidermal hyperplasia, dermal angiogenesis, infiltration of activated T cells, and increased cytokine levels, and affects 1-3% of the world-wide population. Although many immunological and clinical reports indicate a role for the immune system in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, puzzling questions about psoriasis remain unsolved. During the several decade, immunosuppressor and PUVA treatment are ubiquitously used to psoriasis therapy. But recently, to promote terminal differentiation of keratinocytes, block either NK-Tcell or T-cell activation, and interrupting the angiogenic switch represent another therapeutic opportunity in psoriasis. To keep face with immunological therapy, the needs of newly designed prescription on the psoriasis treatments were demanded. With the object of understand the psoriasis from an orient medical point of view, patients were administrated the GY during several weeks. We investigated the changes of gene expression in involved and uninvolved skin samples during the oriental remedy. Microarray data showed several important results. First, Gene expression profiling is similar to each patient. Second, precursor proteins that organize cornified envelops are decreased at the end of remedy. But genes which related to apoptosis, G-protein signalling, and lipid metabolism are increased. Third, 68.5% of clustering genes localized on the psoriasis susceptibility locus. In our results indicated that GY influence on the keratinocytes hyperproliferation by regulating the gene, which located on the psoriasis susceptibility locus.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.224-249
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• 2023

Gastric cancer is heterogeneous in morphology, biology, genomics, and treatment response. Alterations in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression, microsatellite instability (MSI) status, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) levels, and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) can be used as biomarkers. Since the combination of fluoropyrimidine/platinum plus trastuzumab that was investigated in the ToGA trial was approved as a standard of care in HER2-positive patients in 2010, no other agents showed efficacy in the first- (HELOISE, LOGiC, JACOB trials) and second- (TyTAN, GATSBY, T-ACT trials) line treatments. Despite the success in treating breast cancer, various anti-HER2 agents, including a monoclonal antibody (pertuzumab), an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC; trastuzumab emtansine [T-DM1]), and a small molecule (lapatinib) failed to translate into clinical benefits until the KEYNOTE-811 (first-line) and DESTINY-Gastri01 (≥second-line) trials were conducted. The incorporation of HER2-directed treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in the form of a monoclonal antibody or ADC is now approved as a standard treatment. Despite the promising results of new agents (engineered monoclonal antibodies, bi-specific antibodies, fusion proteins, and small molecules) in the early phase of development, the management of HER2-positive gastric cancer requires further optimization to achieve precision medicine with a chemotherapeutic backbone. Treatment resistance is a complex process that can be overcome using a combination of chemotherapy, targeted agents, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, including novel agents. HER2 status must be reassessed in patients undergoing anti-HER2 treatment with disease progression after the first-line treatment. As a general guideline, patients who need systemic treatment should receive chemotherapy plus targeted agents, anti-angiogenic agents, immune checkpoint inhibitors, or their combinations.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2016

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide; therefore there is a need to discover new therapeutic modules with improved efficacy and safety. Immune-(cell) therapy is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of intractable cancers. The effectiveness of certain chemotherapeutics in inducing immunogenic tumor cell death thus promoting cancer eradication has been reported. Ginsenoside Rg3 is a ginseng saponin that has antitumor and immunomodulatory activity. In this study, we treated tumor cells with Rg3 to verify the significance of inducing immunogenic tumor cell death in antitumor therapy, especially in DC-based immunotherapy. Rg3 killed the both immunogenic (B16F10 melanoma cells) and non-immunogenic (LLC: Lewis Lung Carcinoma cells) tumor cells by inducing apoptosis. Surface expression of immunogenic death markers including calreticulin and heat shock proteins and the transcription of relevant genes were increased in the Rg3-dying tumor. Increased calreticulin expression was directly related to the uptake of dying tumor cells by dendritic cells (DCs): the proportion of CRT⁺CD11c⁺cells was increased in the Rg3-treated group. Interestingly, tumor cells dying by immunogenic cell death secreted IFN-γ, an effector molecule for antitumor activity in T cells. Along with the Rg3-induced suppression of pro-angiogenic (TNF-α) and immunosuppressive cytokine (TGF-β) secretion, IFN-γ production from the Rg3-treated tumor cells may also indicate Rg3 as an effective anticancer immunotherapeutic strategy. The data clearly suggests that Rg3-induced immunogenic tumor cell death due its cytotoxic effect and its ability to induce DC function. This indicates that Rg3 may be an effective immunotherapeutic strategy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6813-6823
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• 2015

Glioblastoma, also known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is the most aggressive of human brain tumors and has a stunning progression with a mean survival of one year from the date of diagnosis. High cell proliferation, angiogenesis and/or necrosis are histopathological features of this cancer, which has no efficient curative therapy. This aggressiveness is associated with particular heterogeneity of the tumor featuring multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations, but also with implications of aberrant signaling driven by growth factors. The transforming growth factor ${\beta}$ ($TGF{\beta}$) superfamily is a large group of structurally related proteins including $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily members Nodal, Activin, Lefty, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and growth and differentiation factor (GDF). It is involved in important biological functions including morphogenesis, embryonic development, adult stem cell differentiation, immune regulation, wound healing and inflammation. This superfamily is also considered to impact on cancer biology including that of GBM, with various effects depending on the member. The $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily, in particular, is overexpressed in some GBM types which exhibit aggressive phenotypes. This subfamily impairs anti-cancer immune responses in several ways, including immune cells inhibition and major histocompatibility (MHC) class I and II abolishment. It promotes GBM angiogenesis by inducing angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-I) and insulinlike growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), contributes to GBM progression by inducing metalloproteinases (MMPs), "pro-neoplastic" integrins (${\alpha}v{\beta}3$, ${\alpha}5{\beta}1$) and GBM initiating cells (GICs) as well as inducing a GBM mesenchymal phenotype. Equally, Nodal promotes GICs, induces cancer metabolic switch and supports GBM cell proliferation, but is negatively regulated by Lefty. Activin promotes GBM cell proliferation while GDF yields immune-escape function. On the other hand, BMPs target GICS and induce differentiation and sensitivity to chemotherapy. This multifaceted involvement of this superfamily in GBM necessitates different strategies in anti-cancer therapy. While suppressing the $TGF{\beta}$ subfamily yields advantageous results, enhancing BMPs production is also beneficial.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.224-234
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• 2006

We employed human SK-MEL-28 cells as a model system to identify cellular proteins that accompany N-(4-methyl)phenyl-O-(4-methoxy)phenyl-thionocarbamate (MMTC)-induced apoptosis based on a proteomic approach. Cell viability tests revealed that SK-MEL-28 skin cancer cells underwent more cell death than normal HaCaT cells in a dose-dependent manner after treatment with MMTC. Two-dimensional electrophoresis in conjunction with matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis or computer matching with a protein database further revealed that the MMTC-induced apoptosis is accompanied by increased levels of caspase-1, checkpoint suppressor-1, caspase-4, NF-kB inhibitor, AP-2, c-Jun-N-terminal kinase, melanoma inhibitor, granzyme K, G1/S specific cyclin D3, cystein rich protein, Ras-related protein Rab-37 or Ras-related protein Rab-13, and reduced levels of EMS (oncogene), ATP synthase, tyrosine-phosphatase, Cdc25c, 14-3-3 protein or specific structure of nuclear receptor. The migration suppressing effect of MMTC on SK-MEL-28 cell was tested. MMTC suppressed the metastasis of SK-MEL-8 cells. It was also identified that MMTC had little angiogenic effect because it did not suppress the proliferation of HUVEC cell line. These results suggest that MMTC is a novel chemotherapeutic and metastatic agents against the SK-MEL-28 human melanoma cell line.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.131-136
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• 2013

Sirtuin proteins have emerged as important modulators of several age-associated diseases. These include cancer and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Among the sirtuin family members, SIRT2 mRNA is strongly expressed. To investigate the pathophysiological significance of SIRT2 as a primary regulator of angiogenesis, we focused on the biological role of SIRT2 under hypoxic conditions, examining the gene expression pattern of sirtuin family members in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). SIRT2 was expressed primarily in the cytoplasm, but it was dynamically trans-localized in the nuclear by hypoxia stimuli. Interestingly, both SIRT2 and the pro-angiogenic factor, VEGF, were up- regulated by hypoxia. A Matrigel assay demonstrated that the HUVECs formed a tube-like structure under hypoxia. The SIRT2 inhibitor, AK-1, significantly decreased the tube-forming activity of the HUVECs under either normoxia or hypoxia conditions. These findings suggest that SIRT2 might be a key regulator of angiogenesis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.474-483
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• 2019

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in pathologic ocular neovascularization and vascular leakage via activation of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2). This study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic mechanisms and effects of the tetrapeptide Arg-Leu-Tyr-Glu (RLYE), a VEGFR2 inhibitor, in the development of vascular permeability and choroidal neovascularization (CNV). In cultured human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs), treatment with RLYE blocked VEGF-A-induced phosphorylation of VEGFR2, Akt, ERK, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), leading to suppression of VEGF-A-mediated hyper-production of NO. Treatment with RLYE also inhibited VEGF-A-stimulated angiogenic processes (migration, proliferation, and tube formation) and the hyperpermeability of HRMECs, in addition to attenuating VEGF-A-induced angiogenesis and vascular permeability in mice. The anti-vascular permeability activity of RLYE was correlated with enhanced stability and positioning of the junction proteins VE-cadherin, ${\beta}$-catenin, claudin-5, and ZO-1, critical components of the cortical actin ring structure and retinal endothelial barrier, at the boundary between HRMECs stimulated with VEGF-A. Furthermore, intravitreally injected RLYE bound to retinal microvascular endothelium and inhibited laser-induced CNV in mice. These findings suggest that RLYE has potential as a therapeutic drug for the treatment of CNV by preventing VEGFR2-mediated vascular leakage and angiogenesis.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.750-761
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• 2021

This study was performed to observe the responses of angiogenesis-related protein expression in skeletal muscle of aged rats by regular resistance exercise training with aerobic exercise. For the purpose of the study, naturally aged SD rats (20-24 months, N=18) were used and divided into control (CON, n=6), resistance exercise (RE, n=6), and resistance + aerobic exercise (RE + AE, n=6) groups. RE group performed 3 sets × 4 exercises each session using a ladder for laboratory animals, and RE +AE group performed 2 sets × 3 times of ladder climbing and additional treadmill running (30 min) each session. After 8 weeks of exercise training, soleus muscle and extensor digitorum longus muscle (EDL) were extracted and used for analysis. Western blot was performed to analyze the expression levels of angiogenesis-related proteins (HIF-1α, VEGF, FLK-1, Ang-1, Ang-2) in skeletal muscle. As a result of the study, the expression of HIF-1α, VEGF, FLK-1, Ang-1, and Ang-2 proteins in soleus muscle (type I muscle) was higher in RE +AE than in CON group, and HIF-1α, VEGF, Ang-1, Ang-2 protein expression of RE group was higher than that of CON group. Furthermore, Ang-2 to Ang-1 ratio of RE + AE group was higher than that of RE group, showing differences by exercise type. In EDL muscle (type II muscle), HIF-1α was increased only by RE group, whereas VEGF and FLK-1 protein expressions were increased in both training types, and no difference was observed between the types of exercise training. In addition, there was no difference in angiopoieitin protein expressions in EDL muscle by exercise training. Therefore, in aging, regular exercise training induces skeletal muscle angiogenic response regardless of exercise type, and in particular, the combination of aerobic exercise with resistance exercise may have an additional positive effect on angiogenesis in type I muscle.