• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.125-131
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• 2015

Currently, taxol is mainly extracted from the bark of yews; however, this method can not meet its increasing demand on the market because yews grow very slowly and are a rare and endangered species belonging to first-level conservation plants. Recently, increasing efforts have been made to develop alternative means of taxol production; microbe fermentation would be a very promising method to increase the production scale of taxol. To determine the activities of the taxol extracted from endophytic fungus N. sylviforme HDFS4-26 in inhibiting the growth and causing the apoptosis of cancer cells, on comparison with the taxol extracted from the bark of yew, we used cellular morphology, cell counting kit (CCK-8) assay, staining (HO33258/PI and Giemsa), DNA agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry (FCM) analyses to determine the apoptosis status of breast cancer MCF-7 cells, cervical cancer HeLa cells and ovarian cancer HO8910 cells. Our results showed that the fungal taxol inhibited the growth of MCF-7, HeLa and HO8910 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner. IC50 values of fungal taxol for HeLa, MCF-7 and HO8910 cells were $0.1-1.0{\mu}g/ml$, $0.001-0.01{\mu}g/ml$ and $0.01-0.1{\mu}g/ml$, respectively. The fungal taxol induced these tumor cells to undergo apoptosis with typical apoptotic characteristics, including morphological changes for chromatin condensation, chromatin crescent formation, nucleus fragmentation, apoptotic body formation and G2/M cell cycle arrest. The fungal taxol at the $0.01-1.0{\mu}g/ml$ had significant effects of inducing apoptosis between 24-48 h, which was the same as that of taxol extracted from yews. This study offers important information and a new resource for the production of an important anticancer drug by endofungus fermentation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.322-327
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• 2018

A type of breast cancer with a defect in three molecular markers such as the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor is called triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Many patients with TNBC have a lower survival rate than patients with other types due to a poor prognosis. In this study, we confirmed the anti-cancer effect of a natural compound, Gomisin G, in TNBC cancer cells. Treatment with Gomisin G suppressed the viability of two TNBC cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 but not non-TNBC cell lines such as MCF-7, T47D, and ZR75-1. To investigate the molecular mechanism of this activity, we examined the signal transduction pathways after treatment with Gomisin G in MDA-MB-231 cells. Gomisin G did not induce apoptosis but drastically inhibited AKT phosphorylation and reduced the amount of retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (Rb) and phosphorylated Rb. Gomisin G induced in a proteasome-dependent manner a decrease in Cyclin D1. Consequently, Gomisin G causes cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. In contrast, there was no significant change in T47D cells except for a mild decrease in AKT phosphorylation. These results show that Gomisin G has an anti-cancer activity by suppressing proliferation rather than inducing apoptosis in TNBC cells. Our study suggests that Gomisin G could be used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of TNBC patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.157-162
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• 1998

The antimutagenic activity of three kinds of extract such as fresh juice, ethanol extract and water extract of Artemisia iwayomogi against 3 - amino - 1, 4 - dimethyl - 5H - pyrido [4,3-b] indol (Trp-P-1) and N - methyl - N' - nitro - N -nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) was demonstrated with the Salmonella typhimurium assay. The number of revertants per plate decreased significantly when these extracts(0.5ug/plate) added to the assay system system using S. typhimurium TA 100. These extracts also showed prominant cytotoxic activity against four different kinds of human cancer cell as human lung cancer cell (A549), breast cancer cell(MCF7), fibrosacoma cell(HT1080) and gastric cancer cell(KATOIII), respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.410-417
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• 2000

Purpose: Idoxifene is currently entering phase II clinical trials for the treatment of advanced breast cancer. The radiolabeled idoxifene using $[^{123}I]$ provides an opportunity for clinical pharmacology with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The purpose of this study was to prepare radiolabeled idoxifene using $[^{123}I]$ and to determine its cell uptake of breast cancer cell line. Materials and Methods: With a view to evaluating new anticancer drugs, we are investigating the novel antiestrogen pyrrolidino-4-iodotamoxifen (idoxifene). $[^{123}I]$Idoxifene has been prepared in no-carrier-added form using a tributyl stannylated precursor which has been synthesized by means of (2-chloroethoxy)benzene with (${\pm}$)-2-phenylbutanoic acid on the basis of previously reported standard methods. The biodistribution and dynamic behavior of the compound were investigated using the comparative breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 (estrogen receptor-positive) and MDA-MB-468 (non-estrogen receptor). Results and Conclusion: Acylation of (2-chloroethoxy)benzene with (${\pm}$)-2-phenylbutanoic acid gave the versatile ketone (81%) which reacted with 1,4-diiodobenzene to give triphenylethylene as a mixture of E and Z geometric isomers, which were separated by the recrystallization in ethanol. The E-isomer was treated with pyrrolidine to give idoxifene (67%). In order to incorporate radioactive iodine into the 4-position, the 4-stannylated precursor was prepared (30%). The yield of radioiodination was 90-92% with a high radiochemical purity greater than 98%. The ratio of tumor uptake of the breast cancer cell line between MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 was about 1.7.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.706-711
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• 2019

Cisplatin (Cis-DDP) is one of the most widely used anti-cancer drugs. It is applicable to many types of cancer, including lung, bladder, and breast cancer. However, its use is now limited because of drug resistance. p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (p90RSK) is one of the downstream effectors in the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) pathway and high expression of p90RSK is observed in human breast cancer tissues. Therefore, we investigated the role of p90RSK in the Cis-DDP resistance-related signaling pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer cells. First, we discovered that MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited more Cis-DDP resistance than other breast cancer cells, including MCF-7 and BT549 cells. Cis-DDP increased p90RSK activation, whereas the inactivation of p90RSK using a small interfering RNA (siRNA) or dominant-negative kinase mutant plasmid overexpression significantly reduced Cis-DDP-induced cell proliferation and migration via the inhibition of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)2 and MMP9 in MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, p90RSK activation was involved in EMT via the upregulation of mRNA expression, including that of Snail, Twist, ZEB1, N-cadherin, and vimentin. We also investigated NF-κB, the upstream regulator of EMT markers, and discovered that Cis-DDP treatment led to NF-κB translocation in the nucleus as well as its promoter activity. Our results suggest that targeting p90RSK would be a good strategy to increase Cis-DDP sensitivity in triple-negative breast cancers.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2000

Cancer development and the efficiency of chemotherapy relies on the patients calcium-related pathological status such as hyper- or hypocalcemica. In the present study, we investigated the effect of extracellular cations such as calcium and magnesium on the therapeutic efficacy of antitumor drugs. The analytic parameters used were cellular drug uptake/excretion and the chemosensitivity of the human breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and MCF7/ADR. Both calcium and magnesium ions decreased the membrane permeability of cancer cells, which was determined bycell size analysis. These divalent ions also lowered the drug uptake and the cytoplasmic levels of rhodamine 123 and adriamycin, suggesting that they might interfere with the diffusion of these drugs by modifying the physical properties of the cytoplasmic membrane. The acute cytotoxicity of adriamycin after a short period of incubation correlated with changes in its cytoplasmic level. Our results indicate that these extracellular cations might play an important role in the therapeutic activities of anticancer drugs in cancer patients. These results also provide insight a new aspect of chemotherapy, because they suggest that the therapeutic dose of anti-cancer drugs should be modified in cancer-bearing patients presenting with abnormal blood calcium levels.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.424-430
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of mycelia of Lentinus edoes mushroom-cultured Lonicera japonica Thunberg (LLJ) on proliferation of the cancer cell lines (Hep3B, MCF-7 and HeLa), sarcoma 180 (S-180) and antiallergy. In an anti-cancer test using Hep3B (hepatic cancer cell), MCF-7 (breast cancer cell) and HeLa (uterine cancer cell), LLJ extract showed higher antiproliferating effect than that of LJ (Lonicera japonica Thunberg) extract. In an anti-cancer testing using Hep3B cells, LLJ extract showed growth-inhibitory effect of $85.60{\pm}4.66%$ at 3mg/rnL. In an anti-cancer testing using MCF-7 cells, LLJ and LJ extracts showed high antiproliferating effect. LLJ showed the tumor suppressive effect in mice injected with S-180 cells. The growth-inhibitory rates against tumor cells were 61% for LLJ, 37% for LJ. LLJ inhibited histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells activated by compound 48/80. These results suggest that Lentinus edodes mushroom-cultured herb has an antiproliferating effect against cancer cell lines (Hep3B, MCF-7 and HeLa) and S-180 tumor, and will be beneficial in the treatment of allergic reaction.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1145-1151
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• 2012

Aspirin and its deacetylated form, sodium salicylate (NaSal), have been shown to exert chemopreventive activities against many human cancers including those of the colon, lung, and breast. Previously, we showed that combined treatment of NaSal and genistein synergistically induced apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells, indicating that these two natural chemicals could be used in combination for cancer therapy. In this study, we examined effects of NaSal/genistein combined treatment on other cancer cells and in three-dimensional multicellular tumor spheroid (MTS) and in an in vitro solid tumor model. We found that the combined treatment induces apoptosis in the HCT116 cells and the A549 cells, but not in the MCF-7 cells. Interestingly, the MCF-7 cells responded to the NaSal/genistein combined treatment by undergoing cell death when they were cultivated as MTS. The combined treatment induced apoptosis at an earlier stage in the MCF-7 MTS culture. However, when the MCF-7 MTS was cultivated for a longer period, it induced necrosis rather than apoptosis. We further found that the apoptotic pattern observed in MCF-7 MTS was incomplete: the chromatins were condensed and fragmented, but the nuclear membrane was still intact. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the NaSal/genistein combined treatment induces incomplete apoptosis and necrosis in the MCF-7 MTS culture system.

• CELLMED
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.27.1-27.6
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• 2020

Cancer is one of the leading cause of mortality in India as well as worldwide. The management of cancer by conventional therapy has shown life threatening adverse effects. The researchers are now exploring the natural way of treatment. Unani system of medicine have rich literature for cancer and many compound formulations have been described in this system. Unani system of medicine is based on holistic approach and treat human being as a unit with natural herbs, mineral and animal origin drugs. An important compound Unani formulation (CUF) from the literature has been chosen to explore the Unani claim of its anticancer activity. The phytochemical constituents were assessed using standard phytochemical screening method. Antioxidant property of this formulation was assessed by DPPH assay. The DPPH free radical scavenging assay was carried out by colorimetric method and ascorbic acid was taken as a positive control. Three different extracts of CUF on different concentrations were used to screening on human breast cancer (BCC) MCF-7 cell line. For the estimation of in-vitro cytotoxic potency of the investigated extracts was assessed on MTT assay by using trypan blue method and paclitaxel was used as the standard. Hydro-ethanolic (HE) extract showed highest free radical scavenging activity among all extracts. DPPH Assay showed substantial antioxidant activity of these extracts in hydro-ethanol extract at 1㎍ concentration of CUF. The CUF showed antioxidant and anticancer activity. The claim made by Unani physician has been proved.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.625-634
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• 2019

Background: Ginsenoside Rg3, a derivative of steroidal saponins abundant in ginseng, has a range of effects on cancer cells, including anti-cell proliferation and anti-inflammation activity. Here, we investigate two long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), STXBP5-AS1 and RFX3-AS1, which are hypomethylated and hypermethylated in the promoter region by Rg3 in MCF-7 cancer cells. Methods: The lncRNAs epigenetically regulated by Rg3 were mined using methylation array analysis. The effect of the lncRNAs on the apoptosis and proliferation of MCF-7 cells was monitored in the presence of Rg3 or Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) extract after deregulating the lncRNAs. The expression of the lncRNAs and their target genes was examined using qPCR and Western blot analysis. The association between the expression of the target genes and the survival rate of breast cancer patients was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter platform. Results: STXBP5-AS1 and RFX3-AS1 exhibited anti- and pro-proliferation effects, respectively, in the cancer cells, and the effects of Rg3 and KRG extract on apoptosis and cell proliferation were weakened after deregulating the lncRNAs. Of the genes located close to STXBP5-AS1 and RFX3-AS1 on the chromosome, STXBP5, GRM1, RFX3, and SLC1A1 were regulated by the lncRNAs on the RNA and protein level. Breast cancer patients that exhibited a higher expression of the target genes of the lncRNAs had a higher metastasis-free survival rate. Conclusion: The current study is the first to identify lncRNAs that are regulated by the presence of Rg3 and KRG extract and that subsequently contribute to inhibiting the proliferation of cancer cells.