• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.391-397
• /
• 2010

E2F transcription factors and their target genes have been known to play an important role in cell growth control. We found that curcumin, a polyphenolic phytochemical isolated from the plant Curcuma longa, markedly suppressed E2F4 expression in HCT116 colon cancer cells. Hydrogen peroxide was also found to decrease E2F4 protein level, indicating the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in curucmin-induced downregulation of E2F4 expression. Involvement of ROS in E2F4 downregulation in response to curcumin was confirmed by the result that pretreatment of cells with N-acetylcystein (NAC) before exposure of curcumin almost completely blocked the reduction of E2F4 expression at the protein as well as mRNA level. Anti-proliferative effect of curcumin was also suppressed by NAC which is consistent to previous reports showing curcumin-superoxide production and induction of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage as well as apoptosis. Expression of several genes, cyclin A, p21, and p27, which has been shown to be regulated in E2F4-dependent manner and involved in the cell cycle progression was also affected by curcumin. Moreover, decreased (cyclin A) and increased (p21 and p27) expression of these E2F4 downstream genes by curcumin was restored by pretreatment of cells with NAC and E2F4 overexpression which is induced by doxycycline. In addition, E2F4 overexpression was observed to partially ameliorate curcumin-induced growth inhibition by cell viability assay. Taken together, we found curcumin-induced ROS down-regulation of E2F4 expression and modulation of E2F4 target genes which finally lead to the apoptotic cell death in HCT116 colon cancer cells, suggesting that E2F4 appears to be a novel determinant of curcumin-induced cytotoxicity.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.45-51
• /
• 2016

Rutin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone-3-rhamnoglucoside) is a bioactive flavonoid from the plant kingdom. Rutin has been studied as potential anticancer agent due to its wide range of pharmacological properties including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and anticancer. Autophagy is a conserved intracellular catabolic pathway to maintain cell homeostasis by formation of autophagosome. Processing of autophagy involves various molecules including ULK1 protein kinase complex, Beclin-1-Vps34 lipid kinase complex, ATG5, ATG12, and LC3 (light chain 3). Cargo-carried autophagosomes fuse with lysosomes resulting in autophagolysosome to eliminate vesicles and degrade cargo. However, the actions of rutin on autophagy are not clearly understood. In this study, we analyzed the effect of rutin on autophagy and inflammation in cancer cell lines. Interestingly, rutin induced autophagy in leukemia (THP-1), oral (CA9-22), and lung (A549) cell lines. TNF-${\alpha}$, key modulator of inflammation, was upregulated by inhibition of rutin-induced autophagy. Taken together, these data indicated that rutin induced autophagy and consequently suppressed TNF-${\alpha}$ production.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.337-344
• /
• 2015

Medicinal plants containing wellness-fusion-complex compound are increasingly being pursued as suitable alternative sources of various biological properties. In this study, inhibitory effect of Quintinia acutifolia, which is a New Zealand plant, on P388 murine lymphocytic leukemia cells using MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide] assay. Based on $^1H-NMR$, $^{13}C-NMR$ spectral data and other spectral analysis, 2,3,2'',3''-tetrahydroochanaflavone (1) and 2'',3''-dihydroochana-flavone (3) inhibited the leukemia cells were purified from the plants. 2,3,2'',3''-tetrahydroochanaflavone (1) and 2'',3''-dihydroochana-flavone (3) are biflavonoids possessing two basic flavonoids and actively inhibited growth of P388 murine lymphocytic leukemia cells with a 50% inhibitory concentration ($IC_{50}$) of $8.2{\mu}g/mL$ and $3.1{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Specially, 2'',3''-dihydroochana-flavone (3) possessed unconjugated flavonone system, which isn't consist of a pair with B ring of 2,3,2'',3''-tetrahydroochanaflavone (1). Therefore, the two compounds could be considered as a candidate for development of anticancer drugs and need to much studies in the future.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.625-635
• /
• 2007

The enzyme squalene synthase (EC 2.5.1.21) catalyzes a reductive dimerization of two farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) molecules into squalene, a key precursor for the sterol and triterpene biosynthesis. A full-length cDNA encoding squalene synthase (designated as TcSqS) was isolated from Taxus cuspidata, a kind of important medicinal plants producing potent anti-cancer drug, taxol. The full-length cDNA of TcSqS was 1765 bp and contained a 1230 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polypeptide of 409 amino acids. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the deduced TcSqS protein had high similarity with other plant squalene synthases and a predicted crystal structure similar to other class I isoprenoid biosynthetic enzymes. Southern blot analysis revealed that there was one copy of TcSqS gene in the genome of T. cuspidata. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis and northern blotting analysis showed that TcSqS expressed constitutively in all tested tissues, with the highest expression in roots. The promoter region of TcSqS was also isolated by genomic walking and analysis showed that several cis-acting elements were present in the promoter region. The results of treatment experiments by different signaling components including methyl-jasmonate, salicylic acid and gibberellin revealed that the TcSqS expression level of treated cells had a prominent diversity to that of control, which was consistent with the prediction results of TcSqS promoter region in the PlantCARE database.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.12
• /
• pp.5001-5007
• /
• 2014

The acetyltransferase inhibitor garcinol, a polyisoprenylated benzophenone, is extracted from the rind of the fruit of Garcinia indica, a plant found extensively in tropical regions. Anti-cancer activity has been suggested but there is no report on its action via inhibiting acetylation against cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis-inhibtion induced by estradiol ($E_2$) in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. The main purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of the acetyltransferase inhibitor garcinol on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis inhibition in human breast cancer MCF-7 cells treated with estrogen, and to explore the significance of changes in acetylation levels in this process. We used a variety of techniques such as CCK-8 analysis of cell proliferation, FCM analysis of cell cycling and apoptosis, immunofluorescence analysis of NF-${\kappa}B$/p65 localization, and RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis of ac-H3, ac-H4, ac-p65, cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl. We found that on treatment with garcinol in MCF-7 cells, $E_2$-induced proliferation was inhibited, cell cycle progression was arrested at G0/G1 phase, and the cell apoptosis rate was increased. Expression of ac-H3, ac-H4 and NF-${\kappa}B$/ac-p65 proteins in $E_2$-treated MCF-7 cells was increased, this being inhibited by garcinol but not ac-H4.The nuclear translocation of NF-${\kappa}B$/p65 in $E_2$-treated MCF-7 cells was also inhibited, along with cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl in mRNA and protein expression levels. These results suggest that the effect of $E_2$ on promoting proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis is linked to hyperacetylation levels of histones and nonhistone NF-${\kappa}B$/p65 in MCF-7 cells. The acetyltransferase inhibitor garcinol plays an inhibitive role in MCF-7 cell proliferation promoted by $E_2$. Mechanisms are probably associated with decreasing ac-p65 protein expression level in the NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway, thus down-regulating the expression of cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.31 no.2 s.51
• /
• pp.189-196
• /
• 2005

Motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus L), a hemp nettle (Labiatae) plant, grows about 1.5${\~}$2 m high spontaneously to wildness in Korea, China, Japan, and other Asian place. Its medical applications includes women's uterine disease, urination, bloody stool, bloody urine, and hemorrhoids. It's also effective for high blood pressure, heart stimulation, and anti-cancer activity. We first prepared chlroform and methanol extracts of motherwort and then they were fractionated using water, $30\%$ methanol, $60\%$ methanol, and $100\%$ methanol, respectively. Each fractionates is assayed for free radical scavenging activities against DPPH and anti-oxidant activity by TBARS assay measuring lipid peroxidation using LDL. The $30\%$ and $60\%$ methanol fractionates of methanol extracts showed strong anti-oxidant activity compared to vitamin C. They also had more Potent SOD activity using pyrogallol at 250 ppm than that of vitamin C. These results suggest that anti-oxidant activities of motherwort may be applicable to development of natural anti-oxidant cosmetics. Possibility of nature anti-oxidation ability cosmetics is seen possibility low official.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.183-193
• /
• 2016

This study attempted to investigate the possibility of the use of Morinda citrifolia (MC) as a cosmetic ingredient from its physiological activities such as antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity and anti-aging effect. MC is a tropical plant that has been used as traditional polynesian foods and medicines for over two thousand years. It has been reported that this shrub can improve antimicrobial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects and strengthen an immune system. The in vitro antioxidant activity of MC was performed to see the DPPH scavenging activity by measuring total polyphenol content and total flavonoid content. As a result, a lack of any cytotoxicity was confirmed in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) cell. When MC extract at a concentration of over $50{\sim}100{\mu}g/mL$ was added, MMP-1 expression considerably diminished. In an in vivo test, in addition, cream containing MC extract was prepared and applied to a total of 22 women in their 30 ~ 50s in ages in the morning and in the evening for four weeks. Changes in keratin, melanin index, pore, skin color and wrinkles under the naked eyes were then comparatively measured. Keratin levels slightly increased in the control group but decreased in the experimental group. In addition, wrinkles diminished in the experimental group. This study found that MC extract controls many MMP-1 related mechanisms with great potential for use as a natural ingredient of anti-aging cosmetics.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.323-331
• /
• 2019

White jelly fungus (Tremella fuciformis Berk; TF) has been used as a traditional medicine in Asia; it is known to prevent hypertension, aging, cancer, and arteriosclerosis. This study aimed to investigate the anti-diabetic effects of fermented Tremella fuciformis Berk (FTF) ethanol extracts fermented with L. rhamnosus BHN-LAB 76. We show that FTF increases the ${\alpha}$-glucosidase inhibitory activity and suppress the adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These inhibitory effects of FTF are accompanied by the regulation of the phosphorylation of AMPK, JNK, and Akt. These data demonstrate that FTF not only inhibits adipogenesis by affecting the adipogenic signaling, but also increases the anti-diabetic effects by regulating the insulin signaling pathway. Therefore, we suggest that the FTF can be used for developing functional food and cosmetics materials.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.58 no.3
• /
• pp.219-226
• /
• 2015

The anticancer activity of a methanolic extract from lemon leaves (MLL) was assessed in MCF-7-SC human breast cancer stem cells. MLL induced apoptosis in MCF-7-SC, as evidenced by increased apoptotic body formation, sub-G1 cell population, annexin V-positive cells, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, as well as proteolytic activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. Concomitantly, MLL induced the formation of acidic vesicular organelles, increased LC3-II accumulation, and reduced the activation of Akt, mTOR, and p70S6K, suggesting that MLL initiates an autophagic progression in MCF-7-SC via the Akt/mTOR pathway. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a critical step in the acquisition of the metastatic state, is an attractive target for therapeutic interventions directed against tumor metastasis. At low concentrations, MLL induced anti-metastatic effects on MCF-7-SC by inhibiting the EMT process. Exposure to MLL also led to an increase in the epithelial marker E-cadherin, but decreased protein levels of the mesenchymal markers Snail and Slug. Collectively, this study provides evidence that lemon leaves possess cytotoxicity and anti-metastatic properties. Therefore, MLL may prove to be beneficial as a medicinal plant for alternative novel anticancer drugs and nutraceutical products.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.15.1-15.11
• /
• 2011

Background: Histone deacetylase (HDAC) 8 is one of its family members catalyzes the removal of acetyl groups from N-terminal lysine residues of histone proteins thereby restricts transcription factors from being expressed. Inhibition of HDAC8 has become an emerging and effective anti-cancer therapy for various cancers. Application computational methodologies may result in identifying the key components that can be used in developing future potent HDAC8 inhibitors. Results: Facilitating the discovery of novel and potential chemical scaffolds as starting points in the future HDAC8 inhibitor design, quantitative structure-activity relationship models were generated with 30 training set compounds using genetic function approximation (GFA) and Bayesian algorithms. Six GFA models were selected based on the significant statistical parameters calculated during model development. A Bayesian model using fingerprints was developed with a receiver operating characteristic curve cross-validation value of 0.902. An external test set of 54 diverse compounds was used in validating the models. Conclusions: Finally two out of six models based on their predictive ability over the test set compounds were selected as final GFA models. The Bayesian model has displayed a high classifying ability with the same test set compounds and the positively and negatively contributing molecular fingerprints were also unveiled by the model. The effectively contributing physicochemical properties and molecular fingerprints from a set of known HDAC8 inhibitors were identified and can be used in designing future HDAC8 inhibitors.