• BMB Reports
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.225-233
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• 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very common form of cancer worldwide and is often fatal. Although the histopathology of HCC is characterized by metabolic pathophysiology, fibrosis, and cirrhosis, the focus of treatment has been on eliminating HCC. Recently, three-dimensional (3D) multicellular hepatic spheroid (MCHS) models have provided a) new therapeutic strategies for progressive fibrotic liver diseases, such as antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory drugs, b) molecular targets, and c) treatments for metabolic dysregulation. MCHS models provide a potent anti-cancer tool because they can mimic a) tumor complexity and heterogeneity, b) the 3D context of tumor cells, and c) the gradients of physiological parameters that are characteristic of tumors in vivo. However, the information provided by an multicelluar tumor spheroid (MCTS) model must always be considered in the context of tumors in vivo. This mini-review summarizes what is known about tumor HCC heterogeneity and complexity and the advances provided by MCHS models for innovations in drug development to combat liver diseases.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.153-160
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• 2006

Human colon cancer is the second most fatal disease among a variety of cancers to cause cancer death in U.S.A. and its incidence rate is currently increased in Korea. Recently, many studies have been being progressed on the efficacy of diverse combination treatments. But results of these studies in vitro were not similar those in vivo. This study compared the anticancer reactions between each use of arsenic trioxide and taxol against human colon cancer HT-29 cell line and combined use of two drugs. And these results compared with the results of HT-29 spheroid cells having similar characteristics to the solid tumor in vivo. The spheroid of HT-29 cells was formed by using a multicellular spheroid system and the result was observed through electron microscopy. In vitro cytotoxicity of each use of arsenic trioxide and taxol was evaluated in HT-29 monolayer cells. The $IC_{50}$ value for arsenic trioxide was to be $33{\mu}M$ and taxol was to be 18nM. The result treated with the combination of taxol and arsenic trioxide decreased the cytotoxicity on the HT-29 monolayer cells. The spheroid cells represented higher resistance against drugs than the monolayer cells. I demonstrated DNA fragmentation after incubation with concentrations more than $10{\mu}M$ arsenic trioxide and 100nM taxol for 48h, on the monolayer cells. But the results of HT-29 cell line treated with the combination of taxol and arsenic trioxide was the same as the outcome of control samples that were not treated with any drug. And I don't demonstrated DNA fragmentation on the spheroid cells. These results suggest that apoptosis was not induced in the use of the combination can be thought as that arsenic trioxide might work as an antagonist to inhibit a taxol mechanism to induce apoptosis. And the spheroid cells represented higher resistance against drugs than the monolayer cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권9호
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• pp.1209-1216
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• 2022

To better understand the effects of PEGylation and biotinylation on the delivery efficiency of proteins, the cationic protein lysozyme (LZ) and anionic protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) were chemically conjugated with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and biotin-PEG to primary amine groups of proteins using N-hydroxysuccinimide reactions. Four types of protein conjugates were successfully prepared: PEGylated LZ (PEG-LZ), PEGylated BSA (PEG-BSA), biotin-PEG-conjugated LZ (Bio-PEG-LZ), and biotin-PEG-conjugated BSA (Bio-PEG-BSA). PEG-LZ and Bio-PEG-LZ exhibited a lower intracellular uptake than that of LZ in A549 human lung cancer cells (in a two-dimensional culture). However, Bio-PEG-BSA showed significantly improved intracellular delivery as compared to that of PEG-BSA and BSA, probably because of favorable interactions with cells via biotin receptors. For A549/fibroblast coculture spheroids, PEG-LZ and PEG-BSA exhibited significantly decreased tissue penetration as compared with that of unmodified proteins. However, Bio-PEG-BSA showed tissue penetration comparable to that of unmodified BSA. In addition, citraconlyated LZ (Cit-LZ) showed reduced spheroid penetration as compared to that of LZ, probably owing to a decrease in protein charge. Taken together, chemical conjugation of targeting ligands-PEG to anionic proteins could be a promising strategy to improve intracellular delivery and in vivo activity, whereas modifications of cationic proteins should be more delicately designed.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.164-171
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• 2019

기존에는 방사선 요법은 효과에 비해 소화기 점막 궤양 등 부작용이 많다. 본 연구는 방사선의 작용을 모사하는 방사선 모사 미생물 유래 리보솜 스트레스 반응을 이용하여 방사선 치료의 한계를 대체할 기전적 방법을 모색하고자 한다. 암 치료의 평가를 위해서 대장암의 비균질적인 세포구성, 종양줄기세포 및 주위 미세환경 및 배양 기질 등의 상호작용을 고려할 수 있는 소화기암 스페로이드를 이용하였다. 대조군 대장암 스페로이드에 비해서 리보솜 스트레스하에서는 스페로이드 구조가 상대적으로 큰 군집을 형성하였다. 하지만 이는 구조 자체가 매우 섬긴 세포간 구성을 가진 스페로이드였으며 스페로이드 형성과정의 크기 수축은 대조군에 비해 매우 느리게 나타났다. 대조군은 강하게 뭉친 소규모 클러스트의 집합체가 최종적으로 스페로이드를 형성하여 물리적 손상을 받아도 단단한 소규모 클러스트는 유지되나 리보솜 스트레스 하에서는 물리적 손상에 의해 형태가 파손 후에는 스페로이드 형성이 거의 일어나지 않았다. 기전적으로 리보솜 스트레스 하에서 암세포의 군집하는 이동속도는 매우 느렸으며, 뭉치더라도 세포-세포간 접합부위가 상대적으로 적었다. 이 대장암 스페로이드를 이종 및 동종 이식을 통해 동물에서 증식 시 종양 조직 형성이 매우 억제되었으며, 형성이 되어도 세포-세포간 접합에 핵심단백질인 E-cadherin의 발현이 매우 감소 됨을 알 수 있었다. 결론적으로 방사선 모사 미생물 유래 리보솜 스트레스는 종양 스페로이드 세포 이동 및 접합을 저해하여 3차원 구조 형성 결함을 유발하였으며, 향후 방사선을 대체하여 약물적으로 방사선 항암효과를 구현하는 기반을 제공한다.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.151-161
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• 2022

This study elucidates the anti-cancer potential of gallic acid (GA) as a promising therapeutic agent that exerts its effect by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway. To prove our research rationale, we used diverse experimental methods such as cell viability assay, colony formation assay, tumor spheroid formation assay, cell cycle analysis, TUNEL assay, Western blot analysis, xenograft mouse model and histological analysis. Treatment with GA inhibited cell proliferation in dose-dependent manner as measured by cell viability assay at 48 h. GA and cisplatin (CDDP) also inhibited colony formation and tumor spheroid formation. In addition, GA and CDDP induced apoptosis, as determined by the distribution of early and late apoptotic cells and DNA fragmentation. Western blot analysis revealed that inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway induced upregulation of p53 (tumor suppressor protein), which in turn regulated cell cycle related proteins such as p21, p27, Cyclin D1 and E1, and intrinsic apoptotic proteins such as Bax, Bcl-2 and cleaved caspase-3. The anti-cancer effect of GA was further confirmed in an in vivo mouse model. Intraperitoneal injection with GA for 4 weeks in an A549-derived tumor xenograft model reduced the size of tumor mass. Injection of them downregulated the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and p-Akt, but upregulated the expression of cleaved caspase-3 in tumor tissues. Taken together, these results indicated that GA hindered lung cancer progression by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, suggesting that GA would be a potential therapeutic agent against non-small cell lung cancer.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.131-134
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• 2011

본 논문에서는 한시적 세포포집 구조물을 이용한 다세포 스페로이드의 형성 및 추출칩을 제안하였다. 종래의 웰 플레이트와 플라스크는 작은 스페로이드 형성이 어렵고, 기존 마이크로칩은 고정된 세포포집 구조물을 이용하여 스페로이드 추출이 어려운 단점이 있다. 반면, 제안된 칩은 한시적 세포포집 구조물을 이용하여 스페로이드의 형성과 추출이 모두 용이한 장점이 있다. 50kPa 의 박막압력으로 형성된 세포포집 구조물에 145~155Pa 의 세포입력압력으로 유입되는 세포를 포집한 후, 24 시간 배양하여 스페로이드를 형성하였다. 또한, 박막압력 제거 후 5kPa 의 세포입력압력으로 추출된 스페로이드의 지름과 활성도는 각각 $197{\pm}11.7Bm$, $80.3{\pm}7.7%$로 측정되었다. 제안된 칩은 스페로이드의 균일한 형성과 안정적 추출이 용이하여 스페로이드의 후처리에 적용될 수 있다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제56권7호
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• pp.410-415
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• 2023

Breast cancer has become the most common cancer among women worldwide. Among breast cancers, metastatic breast cancer is associated with the highest mortality rate. Twist1, one of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-regulating transcription factors, is known to promote the intravasation of breast cancer cells into metastatic sites. Therefore, targeting Twist1 to develop anti-cancer drugs might be a valuable strategy. In this study, LY-290181 dose-dependently inhibited migration, invasion, and multicellular tumor spheroid invasion in breast cancer cell lines. These anti-cancer effects of LY-290181 were mediated through the down-regulation of Twist1 protein levels. LY-290181 inhibited extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathways. Therefore, our findings suggest that LY-290181 may serve as a basis for future research and development of an anti-cancer agent targeting metastatic cancers.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권7호
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• pp.481-492
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• 2021

Tribbles homolog 2 (TRIB2) is implicated in tumorigenesis and drug resistance in various types of cancers. However, the role of TRIB2 in the regulation of tumorigenesis and drug resistance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) is still elusive. In the present study, we showed increased expression of TRIB2 in spheroid-forming and aldehyde dehydrogenase-positive CSC populations of A2780 epithelial ovarian cancer cells. Short hairpin RNA-mediated silencing of TRIB2 expression attenuates the spheroid-forming, migratory, tumorigenic, and drug-resistant properties of A2780 cells, whereas overexpression of TRIB2 increases the CSC-like characteristics. TRIB2 overexpression induced GSK3β inactivation by augmenting AKT-dependent phosphorylation of GSK3β at Ser9, followed by increasing β-catenin level via reducing the GSK3β-mediated phosphorylation of β-catenin. Treatment of TRIB2-ovexpressed A2780 cells with the phosphoinositide3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 abrogated TRIB2-stimulated proliferation, migration, drug resistance of A2780 cells. These results suggest a critical role for TRIB2 in the regulation of CSC-like properties by increasing the stability of β-catenin protein via the AKT-GSK3β-dependent pathways.

• BMB Reports
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• 제48권3호
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• pp.127-128
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• 2015

Tumor metastasis involves circulating and tumor-initiating capacities of metastatic cancer cells. Hepatic TM4SF5 promotes EMT for malignant growth and migration. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) biomarkers remain unexplored for metastatic potential throughout metastasis. Here, novel TM4SF5/CD44 interaction-mediated self-renewal and circulating tumor cell (CTC) capacities were mechanistically explored. TM4SF5-dependent sphere growth was correlated with $CD133^+$, $CD24^-$, ALDH activity, and a physical association between CD44 and TM4SF5. The TM4SF5/CD44 interaction activated c-Src/STAT3/ Twist1/ B mi1 signaling for spheroid formation, while disturbing the interaction, expression, or activity of any component in this signaling pathway inhibited spheroid formation. In serial xenografts of less than 5,000 cells/injection, TM4SF5-positive tumors exhibited locally-increased CD44 expression, suggesting tumor cell differentiation. TM4SF5-positive cells were identified circulating in blood 4 to 6 weeks after orthotopic liver-injection. Anti-TM4SF reagents blocked their metastasis to distal intestinal organs. Altogether, our results provide evidence that TM4SF5 promotes self-renewal and CTC properties supported by $CD133^+/TM4SF5^+/CD44^+^{(TM4SF5-bound)}/ALDH^+/CD24^-$ markers during HCC metastasis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권5호
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• pp.322-330
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• 2017

This study investigated the role of cancer/testis antigen DDX53 in regulating cancer stem cell-like properties. DDX53 shows co-expression with CD133, a marker for cancer stem cells. DDX53 directly regulates the SOX-2 expression in anti-cancer drug-resistant $Malme3M^R$ cells. DDX53 and miR-200b were found to be involved in the regulation of tumor spheroid forming potential of Malme3M and $Malme3M^R$ cells. Furthermore, the self-renewal activity and the tumorigenic potential of $Malme3M^R$-CD133 (+) cells were also regulated by DDX53. A miR-200b inhibitor induced the direct regulation of SOX-2 by DDX53 We therefore, conclude that DDX53 may serve as an immunotherapeutic target for regulating cancer stem-like properties of melanomas.