• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.69-78
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• 2017

Cordyceps militaris has been used in traditional Chinese medicine owing to its anticancer and immunomodulatory activities. Germanium compounds have also been shown to be associated with many pharmacological functions, such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antimutagenic, and immunomodulating effects. In this study, we examined the biological properties of hot water extract from mycelial liquid culture of germanium-enriched C. militaris (CMGe). CMGe displayed a concentration-dependent antiproliferation activity against four human cancer cell lines. The antiproliferative activity of CMGe was 2-4-fold lower than that of hot water extract from mycelial liquid culture in C. militaris (CM). However, CM had a concentration-dependent cytotoxicity to human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Contrastingly, CMGe did not cause any cellular damage to MSCs. MSCs cultured with CMGe displayed an increased proliferative activity with no cytotoxic effect. The oral administration of CMGe inhibited increased tumor volume and weight compared with the control group. CMGe has the potential to be used as an industrial product in medicinal foods as well as in pharmaceutical products.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.106-112
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• 2008

Parkinson's disease (PD) progresses severely by a gradual loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Epidemiological studies showed that the incidences of PD were reduced by smoking of which the major component, nicotine might be neuroprotective. But the function of nicotine, which might suppress the incidences of PD, is still unknown. Fortunately, recently it was reported that a glial reaction and inflammatory processes might participate in a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the SN. The levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ synthesised by astrocytes and microglia are elevated in striatum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in PD. TNF-${\alpha}$ kills the cultured dopaminergic neurons through the apoptosis mechanism. TNF-${\alpha}$ release from glial cells may mediate progression of nigral degeneration in PD. Nicotine pretreatment considerably decreases microglial activation with significant reduction of TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA expression and TNF-${\alpha}$ release induced by lipopholysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Thus, this study was intended to explore the role of nicotine pretreatment to inhibit the expressions of TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA in human fetal astrocytes (HFA) stimulated with IL-$1{\beta}$. The results are as follows: HFA were pretreated with 0.1, 1, and $10{\mu}g/mL$ of nicotine and then stimulated with IL-$1{\beta}$ (100 pg/mL) for 2h. The inhibitory effect of nicotine on expressions of TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA in HFA with pretreated $0.1{\mu}g/mL$ of nicotine was first noted at 8hr, and the inhibitory effect was maximal at 12 h. The inhibitory effect at $1{\mu}g/mL$ of nicotine was inhibited maximal at 24 h. Cytotoxic effects of nicotine were noted above $10{\mu}g/mL$ of nicotine. Moreover, Nicotine at 0.1, 1 and $10{\mu}g/mL$concentrations significantly inhibited IL-$1{\beta}$-induced TF-${\kappa}B$ activation. Collectively, these results indicate that in activated HFA, nicotine may inhibit the expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA through the pathway which suppresses the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. This study suggests that nicotine might be neuroprotective to dopaminergic neurons in the SN and reduce the incidences of PD.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.8 s.88
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• pp.1115-1120
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• 2007

In the present study, we investigated whether several phytochemicals (resveratrol, genistein, epicatechin gallate, dially disulfide, caffeic acid phenetyl ester) and sulindac sulfide could induce expression of tumor suppressor p53 protein in human colorectal HCT116 cells. We found that p53 was dramatically induced by all phytochemical treatments except sulindac sulfide. Among treated phytochemicals, we selected resveratrol for further experiments because it is one of the highest p53 inducer. Using a Western blot analysis, we found that resveratrol induced p53 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Additionally, using membrane-based microarray analysis, we found that twenty-five genes were up-regulated and two genes were down-regulated by resveratrol treatment. Among the up-regulated genes, we selected 4 genes and performed reverse-transcription-PCR to confirm microarray data. The results of RT-PCR were highly accorded with those of membrane microarray. In addition, we found that thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) expression was not dependent on p53 presence, whereas mammary serine protease inhibitor (MASPIN) expression was dependent on p53 expressed by resveratrol treatment. The results of this study may help to promote our understandings of the molecular mechanisms of chemoprevention that are mediated by resveratrol in human colorectal cancer.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.157-167
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• 2010

We investigated a method to improve anticancer activities of Acer mono wood extracts by ultra high pressure extraction process. The A. mono was extracted by water at $40^{\circ}C$ and 300 MPa for 15 min (High Pressure Extraction, HPE). The extraction yield by ultra high pressure extraction process was 5.42%. The cytotoxicity on human normal lung cell (HEL299) of the extracts from HPE showed 21.54% lower than that from conventional water extraction at $100^{\circ}C$ in adding the maximum concentration of 1.0 mg/$m{\ell}$. Ultra high pressure extracts process for 15 minutes extracts (HPE15) showed more potent scavenging effect than the control, BHA. On SOD-like test, the HPE15 showed highest activity as 32.4% at 1.0 mg/$m{\ell}$ concentration. Human stomach adenocarcinoma, liver adenocarcinoma, breast adenocarcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma cell growth were inhibited up to about 67~79%, in adding 1.0 mg/$m{\ell}$ of extracts from HPE. HPE was 20~25% higher than conventional water extraction. It was interesting that, among several cancer cell lines (stomach adenocarcinoma, liver adenocarcinoma), the growth of digestive related cancer cells were most effectively inhibited as about 75~79%. On in vivo experiment using ICR mice, the variation of body weight of mice group treated A. mono wood extracts from HPE of 100 mg/kg/day concentration was very lower than control and other group. The survival times of group treated this extracts was 61.96% longer than that of the control group and this extracts showed the lower tumor weight, which were 10.49 g than positive control as 16.17 g. Based on these results, we could tell that the HPE wood extracts of A. mono had higher anticancer activity than conventional water extraction. The results of HPE showed obvious advantages in higher efficiency, shorter extraction time, at lower energy costs.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.615-628
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• 2023

Purpose: Increasing levels of domestic fine dust (DFD) have emerged as a serious problem that threatens public health by causing chronic respiratory diseases and skin aging. The present study was performed to investigate the inhibitory effects of Gryllus bimaculatus (the two-spotted cricket), which has recently attracted attention as an edible insect in South Korea, on DFD-induced aging and inflammation. Methods: To verify that DFD causes skin aging and investigate the anti-aging effect of an aqueous ethanolic-Gryllus bimaculatus extract (AE-GBE), human diploid fibroblasts (HDF) were treated with 100 ㎍/mL of European reference material (ERM)-CZ100 dust for 24 hrs in the presence or absence of 100 ㎍/ml AE-GBE. Aging and cellular toxicities were assessed by measuring reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, DNA fragmentation, and β-galactosidase activity. The protein levels of cyclooxygenase (COX) 2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, and collagen were measured by western blot, and the mRNA expressions of inflammation-related genes were assayed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results: Treatment with ERM-CZ100 induced an aged phenotype in HDF cells, as evidenced by increased ROS levels, DNA fragmentation, and senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, but cotreatment with AE-GBE significantly reduced these inductions. The mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α, induced by ERM-CZ100 were also reduced by AE-GBE cotreatment, which also reduced COX2 expression. Moreover, ERM-CZ100-induced MMP-1 expression and reduced collagen type I expression were recovered by AE-GBE treatment. Conclusion: These results suggest that AE-GBE is a potential treatment for domestic fine dust-induced skin inflammation and inflammaging.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.760-771
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• 2012

Marine triterpene glycosides are physiologically active natural compounds isolated from sea cucumbers(holothurians). It was demonstrated that they have a wide range of biological activities, including antifungal, cytotoxic, and antitumor effects. A previous study showed that stichoposide C (STC) isolated from Thelenota anax induces apoptosis through generation of ceramide by activation of acid sphingomyelinase (SMase) and neutral SMase in human leukemia cells. In this study, we investigated whether STD, a structural analog of STC, can induce apoptosis and examined the molecular mechanisms for its activity. It was found that STC and STD induce apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner and lead to the activation of caspase-8, mitochondrial damage, activation of caspase-9, and activation of caspase-3 in K562 and HL-60 cells. STC activates acid SMase and neutral SMase, which results in the generation of ceramide. Specific inhibition of acid SMase or neutral SMase partially blocked STC-induced apoptosis, but not STD-induced apoptosis. In contrast, STD generates ceramide through the activation of ceramide synthase. Specific inhibition of ceramide synthase partially blocked STD-induced apoptosis, but not STC-induced apoptosis. Moreover, STC and STD markedly reduced tumor growth of HL-60 xenograft tumors and increased ceramide generation in vivo. These results indicate that STC and STD can induce apoptosis and have antitumor activity through the different molecular mechanisms, because they have a different sugar residue attached to aglycones. Thus, these results suggest that their actions are affected by a sugar residue attached to aglycones and they can be used as anticancer agents in the treatment of leukemia.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.347-355
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• 2008

Background: IPF is characterized by chronic, fibrosing inflammatory lung disease of unknown etiology. Typical symptoms of IPF are exertional dyspnea with nonproductive cough. Why patients with typical IPF have dry cough rather than productive cough, is unknown. IP-10 plays an important regulatory role in leukocyte trafficking into the lung. The present study investigated the effect of IP-10 in the pathogenesis of dry cough rather than productive cough in IPF patients. Methods: IP-10 concentration was measured by ELISA from BALF of IPF patients. To evaluate the role of IP-10 in mucin expression, the expression of the MUC5AC mucin gene was measured in NCI-H292 cells, a human pulmonary mucoepidermoid carcinoma cell line, after stimulation by TNF-${\alpha}$ with or without IP-10 pretreatment. EGFR-MAPK expression was also examined as a possible mechanism. Results: IP-10 levels were significantly higher in the BALF of IPF patients compared to healthy controls. IP-10 pretreatment reduced TNF-${\alpha}$ induced MUC5AC mucin expression by inhibiting the EGFR-MAPK signal transduction pathway in NCI-H292 cells. Conclusion: These findings suggest that little mucus production in IPF patients might be attributable to IP-10 overproduction, which inhibits the EGFR-MAPK signal transduction pathway required for MUC5AC mucin gene expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.484-491
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• 2019

Proanthocyanidins are naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds abundant in many vegetables, plant skins (rind/bark), seeds, flowers, fruits, and nuts. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated myriad effects potentially beneficial to human health, such as antioxidation, immunomodulation, DNA repair, and antitumor activity. Among immune cells, macrophages are crucial players in a variety of inflammatory responses to environmental conditions. However, it has been widely reported that macrophages cause chronic inflammation and are involved in a variety of diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. In this study, we report the suppressive effect of proanthocyanidins via the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)-related system, on the immune response of the LPS-stimulated mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7. Increased HO-1 expression at mRNA and protein levels were found in proanthocyanidins-treated RAW264.7 cells. Further, proanthocyanidins enhanced nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 translocation into the nucleus. RAW264.7 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with or without proanthocyanidins, and inflammatory mediator expression levels were assessed. Proanthocyanidins treatment resulted in the attenuation of nitric oxide production and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, mRNA and protein expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ and interleukin-6, was inhibited by proanthocyanidins treatment in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. These findings support proanthocyanidins as a promising anti-inflammatory agent.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 1987

Radiobiological and clinical evidences indicate that hyperthermia combined with ionizing radiation produces a significant improvement in therapeutic effect of cancer. In general, malignant cells are more sensitive to heat than normal cells in the heat range of $41\~45^{\circ}C$. We report the experiences obtained from 42 patients with advanced malignant neoplasms managed with 2,450MHz microwave-induced local hyperthermia and ionizing radiation at the Department of Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College. A clinical analysis of 42 thermoirradiated patients showed result of 11(26\%),\;15(36\%),\;11(26\%)\;and\;5(12\%)$ patients with complete response (CR), partial response (PR), minor response (MR) and no response (NR), respectively. Histologically there were $17(40.2\%)$ squamous cell carcinomas, $12(28.6\%)$ adenocarcinomas and $6(14.3\%)$ miscellaneous cancers. Eleven patients with CR consisted of five squamous cell carcinomas, five adenocarcinomas, and one chloroma. Among 15 patients with PR were five squamous cell carcinomas, five adenocarcinomas, three unknown primary tumors, and one poorly differentiated, and miscellaneous tumor each.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.476-481
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• 2020

This study investigated the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Ainsliaea acerifolia water extract (AAWE) on HepG2 cells. Five types of caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) were detected in AAWE, namely, 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4,5-DCQA; 11.16 mg/g), 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3,4-DCQA; 5.23 mg/g), 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (5-CQA; 4.88 mg/g), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (3,5-DCQA; 3.51 mg/g), and 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid (4-CQA; 3.31 mg/g). AAWE exerted ABTS⁺ antioxidant effects, evidenced by polyphenol content and 2,2'2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH radical scavenging) activities. AAWE (300 ㎍/mL) treatment significantly decreased the activities of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as compared to control and exerted protective effects against the increase in liver function index induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/galactosamine (D-GalN) in HepG2 cells. In addition, the secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α by HepG2 cells induced by LPS/D-GalN significantly increased in all treatment groups compared to that in the control. However, AAWE (100-300 ㎍/mL) treatment significantly decreased the secretion of TNF-α compared to that in the control. These results suggest that AAWE treatment reduces hepatotoxicity by increasing antioxidant activities, reducing GGT, AST, and LDH activities, and inhibiting TNF-α secretion.