• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.178-183
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• 2023

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate cytotoxic lymphoid cells that actively prevent neoplastic development, growth, and metastatic dissemination in a process called cancer immunosurveillance. Regulation of the cytotoxic activity of NK cells relies on integrated interactions between inhibitory receptors and numerous activating receptors that act in tandem to eliminate tumor cells efficiently. Conventional chemotherapy is designed to produce an anti-proliferative or cytotoxic effect on early tumor cell division. Therapies designed to kill cancer cells and simultaneously maintain host anti-tumor immunity are attractive strategies for controlling tumor growth. Depending on the drug and dose used, several chemotherapeutic agents cause DNA damage and cancer cell death through apoptosis, immunogenic cell death, or other forms of non-killing (i.e., mitotic catastrophe, senescence, autophagy). Among stress-induced immunostimulatory proteins, changes in the expression levels of NK cell activating and inhibitory ligands and tumor cell death receptors play an important role in the detection and elimination by innate immune effectors including NK cells. Therefore, we will address how these cytotoxic lymphocytes sense and respond to high and low concentrations of drug-induced stress to the drug cisplatin, among the various types of drugs that contribute to their anticancer activity.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.873-878
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• 2007

In this study, we isolated porphyran was isolated from the red seaweed Porphyra yezoensis and assessed in terms of in vitro anti-proliferative activity. Sequential anion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography led to purification of 3 porphyrans of different molecular masses, which contained <$50\;{\mu}g/mL$ protein and >$10\;{\mu}g/mL$ porphyran. Crude porphyran inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner (0-5 mg/mL). When HT-29 colon cancer cells and AGS gastric cancer cells were cultured with various concentrations of the purified porphyran, cancer cell growth was inhibited by 50% at a low concentration (5 or $10\;{\mu}g/mL$). Furthermore, the polysaccharide portion of the porphyran preparation, rather than the protein portion, is the most effective at inhibiting cancer cell proliferation via apoptosis, as indicated by increased caspase-3 activity. Our results indicate that purified porphyran has significant in vitro anti-proliferative activity (p<0.05).

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2009

The screening of the anti-cancer activity of the chemical library provided 2-thio-4-aminopyrimidine as the initial hit. The confirmation of structure and biological effect of hit was performed by synthesis and biological evaluation. The optimization of hit was performed by derivatization of substituents while keeping the core structure. The evaluation of growth inhibitory activity was carried out using SRB assay against 6 human cancer cell lines and human fibroblast. The growth inhibitory activity of compounds showed substituent dependency and more than 5 compounds showed complete growth inhibition of cancer cell lines at 10 ${\mu}M$ concentration. Chemical library screening followed by synthetic modification provided possibility that 2-thio-4-aminopyrimidine can be used as a new scaffold for the development of anti-cancer agent.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.170-178
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• 2007

1. Objective This study was aimed to screen the potential antitumor activity of one kinds of Korean medicinal herb extracts against cancer cell lines and to evaluate the growth inhibition effect of L-1210 and S-180 cancer cell lines. 2. Methods It confirmed Anemarrhena asphodeloides extracts to screen the potential antitumor activity. Then, it was extracted with 4 kinds of solvents ; hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol and $H_2O$, and the Growth inhibition effect of these extracts were determined against cancer cell and normal cell. The results were as follows : The IC50(50% inhibitory concentration) values of Anemarrhena asphodeloides extracts were shown to be $253{\mu}g/ml$ against L-1210 cell lines. The IC50 values of ethyl acetate extracts were shown to be $915{\mu}g/ml$ against L-1210 cell lines. The IC50 values of butanol extracts were shown to be $52.3{\mu}g/ml$, $485{\mu}g/ml$ against L-1210, S-180 cell lines, respectively. The butanol extracts were more selectively effective than other extracts to cancer cell lines. 3. Conclusion From these data, it could be concluded that the Anemarrhena asphodeloides extracts to the Growth inhibition effect of L-1210 and S-180 cancer cell lines.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.701-709
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• 2006

The Rhus verniciflua Stokes (乾漆-RVS) has been used in traditional East Asia medicine for the therapy of gastritis, stomach cancer, although the mechanism for the biological activity is unclear. In the present study aims to investigate RVS extract contributes to growth inhibitory effect and it's the molecular mechanism on the human gastric cancer cells. AGS (gastric cancer cells) and RIEI (normal cells) were treated to different concentrations and periods of RVS extract $(10{\;}{\sim{{\;}100{\;}ug/mil)$. Growth inhibitory effect was analyzed by measuring FACS study and MTS assay. Cell cycle inhibition was confirmed by measuring CDK2 kinase activity by immunoprecipitation and kinase assay. And apoptosis was confirmed by surveying caspase cascades activation using a pan caspase inhibitor Exposure to RVS extract (50 ug/mll) resulted in a synergistic inhibitory effect on cell growth in AGS cells. Growth inhibition was related with the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis. The extract induces Gl -cell cycle arrest through the regulation of cyclins, the induction of p27kip1, and the decrease CDK2 kinase activity. And upregulated p27kip1 level is caused by protein stability increment by the reduction of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), a key molecule related with p27kip1 ubiquitination and degradation, and do novo protein synthesis. Besides, 乾漆 extract induces apoptosis through the expression of Bax, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and activation of caspase-3. RVS extract induces Gl -cell cycle arrest via accumulation of p27kip1 and apoptosis in human gastric cancer cells but not in normal cells, therefore we suggest that the extract can be used as a novel class of anti-cancer drugs.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.245-252
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• 2019

This study was initially explored to procure biomaterials capable of inhibiting cancer cell growth from nine Persicaria species (Polygonaceae). The extract of P. nepalensis that was selected from the initial screenings was further fractionated to identify bioactive compounds. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction was shown to be the most active in the inhibition of cell growth against six cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ value of 3.77-12.87 ㎍/ml). Phytochemical study led to the isolation of two galactolipids of 1,2-di-O-linolenoyl-3-O-β-D-galactospyranosyl-sn-glycerol (1) and 1-O-linolenoyl-3-O-β-D-galactospyranosyl-sn-glycerol (2) from the hexane fraction and three phenylpropanoyl sucroses of lapathoside A (3), vanicoside B (4) and lapathoside C (5) from the EtOAc fraction. These isolated compounds have not been reported from this plant. Compounds 3 and 4 exhibited the effective growth inhibition against a panel of cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ value of 6.90-18.09 μM). In addition, the anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated to determine lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) formation in RAW264.7 mouse macrophage cells. The EtOAc fraction (IC₅₀; 34.14 ㎍/ml) and its constituents, 3 (8.55 μM) and 4 (7.83 μM) were shown to be effective in the inhibition of LPS-induced NO production. Therefore, compounds 3 and 4 were considered to be active constituents for anti-inflammatory and antitumor activity from P. nepalensis.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.31-38
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• 2012

Sophorae Radix (SR) plays a role in a number of physiologic and pharmacologic functions in many organs. Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the potential role for transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) channels in SR-inhibited growth and survival of AGS and MCF-7 cells, the most common human gastric and breast adenocarcinoma cell lines. Methods: The AGS and the MCF-7 cells were treated with varying concentrations of SR. Analyses of the caspase-3 and - 9 activity, the mitochondrial depolarization and the poly (ADPribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage were conducted to determine if AGS and MCF-7 cell death occured by apoptosis. TRPM7 channel blockers ($Gd^{3+}$ or 2-APB) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) were used in this study to confirm the role of TRPM7 channels. Furthermore, TRPM7 channels were overexpressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells to identify the role of TRPM7 channels in AGS and MCF-7 cell growth and survival. Results: The addition of SR to a culture medium inhibited AGS and MCF-7 cell growth and survival. Experimental results showed that the caspase-3 and -9 activity, the mitochondrial depolarization, and the degree of PARP cleavage was increased. TRPM7 channel blockade, either by $Gd^{3+}$ or 2-APB or by suppressing TRPM7 expression with small interfering RNA, blocked the SR-induced inhibition of cell growth and survival. Furthermore, TRPM7 channel overexpression in HEK 293 cells exacerbated SR-induced cell death. Conclusions: These findings indicate that SR inhibits the growth and survival of gastric and breast cancer cells due to a blockade of the TRPM7 channel activity. Therefore, TRPM7 channels may play an important role in the survival of patients with gastric and breast cancer.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.51-61
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• 2015

Shikonin, a major ingredient in the traditional Chinese herb Lithospermumerythrorhizon, exhibits multiple biological functions including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. It has recently been reported that shikonin displays antitumor properties in many cancers. This study was aimed to investigate whether shikonin could inhibit oral squamous carcinoma cell (OSCC) growth via mechanisms of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. The effects of shikonin on the viability and growth of OSCC cell line, SCC25 cells were assessed by MTT assay and clonogenic assays, respectively. Hoechst staining and DNA electrophoresis indicated that the shikonin-treated SCC25 cells were undergoing apoptosis. Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, MMP activity, and proteasome activity also supported the finding that shikonin induces apoptosis. Shikonin treatment of SCC25 cells resulted in a time- and dose-dependent decrease in cell viability, inhibition of cell growth, and increase in apoptotic cell death. The treated SCC25 cells showed several lines of apoptotic manifestation as follows: nuclear condensation; DNA fragmentation; reduced MMP and proteasome activity; decrease in DNA contents; release of cytochrome c into cytosol; translocation of AIF and DFF40 (CAD) onto the nuclei; a significant shift in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio; and activation of caspase-9, -7, -6, and -3, as well as PARP, lamin A/C, and DFF45 (ICAD). Shikonin treatment also resulted in down-regulation of the G1 cell cycle-related proteins and up-regulation of $p27^{KIP1}$. Taken together, our present findings demonstrate that shikonin strongly inhibits cell proliferation by modulating the expression of the G1 cell cycle-related proteins, and that it induces apoptosis via the proteasome, mitochondria, and caspase cascades in SCC25 cells.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.228-242
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• 1993

Some therapeutic agents and medicaments may lead to pathologic changes in the gingival tissue, especially on the cultured human gingival fibroblasts. The purpose of this study was to investigate on the effect of diphenylhydantoin, retinoic acid to the human gingival fibroblast. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured from the healthy gingiva of patients with orthodontic patients. Gingival fibroblasts were trypsinized and transferred to the wells of 96 well microtest plates. Next day, the medium was removed, fibroblasts were washed with HBSS, and the washed cells were cultured in growth medium added 5 or $10{\mu}g/ml$ of diphenylhydantoin, $10^{-5}M$, $10^{-6}M$ and $10^{-7}M$ of retinoic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid. The passage number of cultured fibroblasts were fifth and eighth. The cell morphology was examined by inverted microscope, the cell number was counted by hemocytometer, and cell activity was measured by the growth and proliferatiton assay using MTT assay. The fifth experiments were performed and statistical significance was measured by ANOVA. The cell morphology in the presence of retinoic acid was round irrespective of the presence of diphenylhydantoin and glycyrrhetinic acid(Fig 2-6). The proliferation of cells was not changed by diphenylhydantoin(Table 1). The cell activity showed the tendency to increase at the concentration of $10{\mu}$'/, of diphenylhydantoin (Table 2). The cell activity in the presence of retinoic acid glycyrrhetinic acid was decreased, and the increased cell activity by diphenylhydantoin was decreased by retinoic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid at the concentration of $10^{-7}M$(Table 3-5). These results suggested that the increased cell activity by diphenylhydantoin might be modulated by retinoic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.177-188
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• 1996

The effects of cytokines on the growth and differentiation of glial cells in culture were evaluated to confirm that cytokines could modify the number and function of glial cells. Proliferation of glial cells was determined by the $^3H-thymidine$ uptake and the double immunostain with anti-cell specific marker and anti-bromodeoxyuridine(BrdU) antibody. To check the effect on the differentiation of glial cells, the amount of glial fibrillar acidic protein(GFAP) and the activity of glutamine synthetase(GS) were measured in astrocytes. And also the amounts of myelin basic protein(MBP) and the activity of 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase(CNPase) were measured in oligodendrocytes. Among the cytokines used, only interleukin-$1{\beta}(IL-1{\beta})$ stimulated the growth of type 1 and type 2 astrocyte as well as 0-2A precursor cell. When the functional changes in these glial cells by cytokines were tested, $IL-1{\beta}$ did not increase GFAP content in type 1 and type 2 astrocyte, but $IL-1{\beta}$ increased GS activity in type 1 astrocyte, and slightly decreased this enzyme activity in type 2 astrocyte. Also interleukin-2(IL-2) and $interferon-{\gamma}$ $(IFN-{\gamma})$ inhibited the activity of GS in type 1 and type 2 astrocyte. On the other hand, all cytokines used did not modify the growth and differentiation in oligodendrocytes. From these results we could suggest that $IL-1{\beta}$ increases the growth of type 1 and type 2 astrocyte and also promotes the development for 0-2A precursor cell to type 2 astrocyte.