• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.91-102
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• 2012

Bcl-2 protects tumor cells from the apoptotic effects of various anti-neoplastic agents. Increased expression of Bcl-2 has been associated with a poor response to chemotherapy in various malignancies, including leukemia. Hence, bypassing the resistance conferred by anti-apoptotic factors such as Bcl-2 represents an attractive therapeutic strategy against cancer cells, including leukemic cells. This study was undertaken to examine whether the anticancer drug, cisplatin and the synthetic chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) derivative, HS-1200 show anti-tumor activity in U937 and U937/Bcl-2 cells. Viability assays revealed that HS-1200 overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 in human leukemic U937 cells. Various apoptosis assessment assays further demonstrated that HS-1200 overcomes the resistance conferred by Bcl-2 in human leukemic U937 cells by inducing apoptosis. In addition HS-1200, but not cisplatin, overcomes the anti-apoptotic effects of Bcl-2 in Bcl-2 over-expressing human leukemic cells (U937/Bcl-2 cells). Notably, we observed that the HS-1200-induced formation of mature promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies (NBs) correlates with a suppression of the anti-apoptotic effects of Bcl-2 in human leukemic cells over-expressing this protein (U937/Bcl-2 cells). Furthermore, HS-1200 was found to induce the association between PML and SUMO-1, Daxx, Sp100, p53 or CBP in the aggregated PML-NBs of U937/Bcl-2 cells. Thus, PML protein and the formation of mature PML-NBs could be considered as therapeutic targets that may help to bypass the resistance to apoptosis conferred by Bcl-2. Elucidating the exact mechanism by which PML regulates Bcl-2 will require further work.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.122-130
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• 2020

To investigate the anti-inflammatory effect on Degenerative Osteoarthritis, Male sprague-Dawley rats were randomized and classified into three different concentration groups. We measured weekly weight change, dietary intake, drinking water intake, blood analysis like TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), IL-6 (interleukin 6), TIMP-1 (tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease-1), MMP-2 (matrix metalloprotease-2), MMP-9 (matrix metalloprotease-9) and micro CT analysis. The results suggest that the treatment with herbal complex HP-04 improved the Monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) induced degenerative osteoarthritis and it could be applicable for the improvement of arthritic symptoms as a new therapeutic agent.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.119-125
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• 2018

The Hippo pathway plays prominent and widespread roles in various forms of human carcinogenesis. Specifically, the Yes-associated protein (YAP), a downstream effector of the Hippo pathway, can lead to excessive cell proliferation and the inhibition of apoptosis, resulting in tumorigenesis. It was reported that the YAP is strongly elevated in multiple types of human malignancies such as breast, lung, small intestine, colon, and liver cancers. Recent work indicates that, surprisingly, Hippo signaling components' (SAV1, MST1/2, Lats1/2) mutations are virtually absent in human cancer, rendering this signaling an unlikely candidate to explain the vigorous activation of the YAP in most, if not all human tumors and an activated YAP promotes the resistance to RAF-, MAPK/ERK Kinase (MEK)-, and Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted inhibitor therapy. The analysis of YAP expressions can facilitate the identification of patients who respond better to an anti-cancer drug treatment comprising RAF-, MEK-, and EGFR-targeted inhibitors. The prominence of YAP for those aspects of cancer biology denotes that these factors are ideal targets for the development of anti-cancer medications. Therefore, our report strongly indicates that the YAP is of potential prognostic utility and druggability in various human cancers.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.54-61
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• 2020

Inflammation is an immune response of the human body but excessive inflammation is taken as a major factor in the development of many diseases including autoimmune disorders, cancer and nerve disorders etc. In this regards the need is to suppress the inflammatory response. Suppression of extra or imperfect inflammatory response is not a big deal provided there is an exact knowledge of particular target in the body. Recent advancements in Pharmacological aspect made the therapy with improved outcomes in number of patients. Anticytokine therapy might be one of the important and novel approaches for inflammation and Arthritis. This can be achieved only when we go through the pathophysiology of expression and identification of mediators. Let's take an example of cytokine like interleukins (IL), chemokines, interferons (INF), tumor necrosis factors (TNF-α), growth factors, and colony stimulating factors) release pathway which is a major signalling protein in inflammatory response. In the present study we have reviewed the recent pharmacological therapeutic advancement, inflammatory mediators, receptors, and major signalling pathways. Such information will not only provide the idea about the mechanism of action of Pharmaceuticals and molecular targets but also it provides a new aspect for drug designing and new corrective approaches in existing clinical medicines. This study will be a source of good information for the researchers working in the area of drug designing and molecular Pharmacology especially in anti-inflammatory and anti arthritic medicines for target based therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2 s.32
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• pp.227-236
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• 1996

The effect of Ligustrum Lucidum(LL) on the production of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide by murine peritoneal macrophages were investigated. Stimulation of the cells with LL in the presence or absence of interferon-r(IFN-r) resulted in the increased accumulation of nitrite in the medium. To further examine the mechanism of LL induced. NO Synthesis, we evaluated the secretion of tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}(TNF-{\alpha})$ by LL in murine macrophages. Treatment of LL increased the secretion of bioactive $TNF-{\alpha}$ in cultured medium. In addition, LL induced NO production was decreased by the treatment of anti-murine $TNF-{\alpha}$. neutralizing antibodies, indicating that LL induced superoxide production was decreased by the treatment of anti-murine $TNF-{\alpha}$ neutralizing antibodies. These data suggested that LL induced superoxide production was related to $TNF-{\alpha}$ secretion. In conclusion, our results indicates that LL may enhance innate immune response and be applied as a immunoregulating drug improving phagocytosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.275-279
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• 2011

In order to validate the use of Saussurea Lappa as an anti-inflammatory drug in the traditional Korean medicine, I have investigated the effects of water-soluble extract of Saussurea Lappa (ESL) on the production of pro-inflammatory tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$) in murine RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The extract inhibited dose-dependently TNF-${\alpha}$ production without its cytotoxic effect on the macrophages, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and significantly decreased mRNA levels of TNF-${\alpha}$, as determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The extract also inhibited LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$, thereby resulting in TNF-${\alpha}$ gene expression. These results suggest that ESL may have therapeutic potential in the control of inflammatory diseases mediated by activated macrophages.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.29-56
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• 2024

In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in the molecular profiling of gastric cancer. This progress has led to the development of various molecular classifications to uncover subtype-specific dependencies that can be targeted for therapeutic interventions. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a crucial biomarker for advanced gastric cancer. The recent promising results of novel approaches, including combination therapies or newer potent agents such as antibody-drug conjugates, have once again brought attention to anti-HER2 targeted treatments. In HER2-negative diseases, the combination of cytotoxic chemotherapy and programmed cell death-1/programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors has become the established standard of care in first-line settings. In the context of gastric cancer, potential biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression, Epstein-Barr virus, microsatellite instability, and tumor mutational burden are being considered for immunotherapy. Recently, promising results have been reported in studies on anti-Claudin18.2 and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 treatments. Currently, many ongoing trials are aimed at identifying potential targets using novel approaches. Further investigations will be conducted to enhance the progress of these therapies, addressing challenges such as primary and acquired resistance, tumor heterogeneity, and clonal evolution. We believe that these efforts will improve patient prognoses. Herein, we discuss the current evidence of potential targets for systemic treatment, clinical considerations, and future perspectives.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.656-662
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• 2001

Angiogenesis is known as a crucial process in the growth and spreading of tumor cells. Accordingly, the effective inhibition of this process would appear to be a promising way to cure angiogenesis-related diseases, including cancer. This study demonstrates that acalycixenolide E (AX-E) from the marine organism Acalycigorgia inermis exhibits a potent anti-angiogenic activity both in vitro and in vivo. AX-E inhibits the bFGF-induced proliferation of HUVECs in a dose dependent manner, along with the bFGF-induced migration, invasion, and tube formation of HUVECs. Moreover, AX-E potently inhibits the in vivo neovascularization of the chorioallantoic membranes (CAMs) of growing chick embryos. interestingly, AX-E suppresses the expression of metalloproteases 2 and 9, yet shows no effect on their activities. The novel chemical structure and potent anti-angiogenic activity of AX-E will be of great value in elucidating the molecular mechanism of angiogenesis as well as in the development of a novel anti-angiogenic drug.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.255-259
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• 2003

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a critical role in various immune responses involving $CD4^+$ T cells and have been used to generate anti-tumor immunity. Chemotherapy induces severe side effects including immunosuppression in patients with cancer. Although immunosuppression has been studied, the effects of anticancer drugs on DCs are not fully determined. In this study, we demonstrated that CD40 activation strongly protected DCs from 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or mitomycin C-induced apoptosis. DCspecific surface markers, including CD11c and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II, were used for identifying DCs. CD 40 activation with anti-CD40 mAb significantly enhanced the viability of DCs treated with 5-FU or mitomycin C, assayed by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide). Fluorescence staining and analysis clearly confirmed the enhancing effect of anti-CD40 mAb on the viability of DCs, suggesting that CD40 activation may transduce critical signals for the viability of DCs. Annexin V staining assay showed that CD40 significantly protected DCs from 5-FU or mitomycin C-induced apoptosis. Taken together, this study shows that CD40 activation with anti-CD40 mAb has strong anti-apoptosis effect on DCs, suggesting that CD40 activation may overcome the immunosuppression, especially downregulation of number and function of DCs in chemotherapy-treated cancer patients.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.296-306
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• 2014

There is growing evidence that crosstalk between mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) cells and stromal microenvironments, such as bone marrow and secondary lymphoid tissues, promotes tumor progression by enhancing survival and growth as well as drug resistance of MCL cells. Recent advances in the understanding of lymphoma microenvironment have led to the identification of crucial factors involved in the crosstalk and subsequent generation of their targeted agents. In the present study, we evaluated the combinatory effect of blocking antibodies (Ab) targeting CXCR4 and VLA-4, both of which were known to play significant roles in the induction of environment-mediated drug resistance (EMDR) in MCL cell line, Jeko-1. Simultaneous treatment with anti-CXCR4 and anti-VLA-4 Ab not only reduced the migration of Jeko-1 cells into the protective stromal cells, but also enhanced sensitivity of Jeko-1 to a chemotherapeutic agent to a greater degree than with either Ab alone. These combinatorial effects were associated with decreased phosphorylation of ERK1/2, AKT and NF-${\kappa}B$. Importantly, drug resistance could not be overcome once the adhesion of Jeko-1 to the stromal occurred despite the combined use of Abs, suggesting that the efforts to mitigate migration of MCLs should be attempted as much as possible. Our results provide a basis for a future development of therapeutic strategies targeting both CXCR4 and VLA-4, such as Ab combinations or bispecific antibodies, to improve treatment outcomes of MCL with grave prognosis.