• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3731-3736
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• 2014

Phytic acid (PA) has been reported to have positive nutritional benefits and prevent cancer formation. This study investigated the anticancer activity of rice bran PA against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Cytotoxicty of PA (0.5 to 4mM) was examined by MTT and LDH assays after 24 and 48h treatment. Apoptotic activity was evaluated by expression analysis of apoptosis-regulatory genes [i.e. p53, Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3 and -9] by reverse transcriptase-PCR and DNA fragmentation assay. The results showed antioxidant activity of PA in Fe3+ reducing power assay ($p{\leq}0.03$). PA inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells in a concentration dependent manner ($p{\leq}0.04$). After 48h treatment, cell viability was recorded 84.7, 74.4, 65.6, 49.6, 36.0 and 23.8% in MTT assay and 92.6, 77.0%, 66.8%, 51.2, 40.3 and 32.3% in LDH assay at concentrations of 1, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5mM, respectively. Hence, treatment of PA for 24h, recorded viability of cells 93.5, 88.6, 55.5, 34.6 and 24.4% in MTT assay and 94.2, 86.1%, 59.7%, 42.3 and 31.6%, in LDH assay at concentrations of 1, 2.2, 3.0, 3.6 and 4.0mM, respectively. PA treated HepG2 cells showed up-regulation of p53, Bax, Caspase-3 and -9, and down-regulation of Bcl-2 gene ($p{\leq}0.01$). At the $IC_{50}$ (2.49mM) of PA, the p53, Bax, Caspase-3 and-9 genes were up-regulated by 6.03, 7.37, 19.7 and 14.5 fold respectively. Also, the fragmented genomic DNA in PA treated cells provided evidence of apoptosis. Our study confirmed the biological activity of PA and demonstrated growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in HepG2 cells with modulation of the expression of apoptosis-regulatory genes.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.22.1-22.17
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• 2021

Chitinase-3-like-1 (CHI3L1) is known to induce inflammation in the progression of allergic diseases. Previous our studies revealed that 2-({3-[2-(1-cyclohexen-1-yl)ethyl]-6,7-dimethoxy-4-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2-quinazolinyl}sulfanyl)-N-(4-ethylphenyl)butanamide (K284-6111; K284), the CHI3L1 inhibiting compound, has the anti-inflammatory effect on neuroinflammation. In this study, we investigated that K284 treatment could inhibit the development of atopic dermatitis (AD). To identify the effect of K284, we used phthalic anhydride (5% PA)-induced AD animal model and in vitro reconstructed human skin model. We analyzed the expression of AD-related cytokine mediators and NF-κB signaling by Western blotting, ELISA and quantitative real-time PCR. Histological analysis showed that K284 treatment suppressed PA-induced epidermal thickening and infiltration of mast cells. K284 treatment also reduced PA-induced release of inflammatory cytokines. In addition, K284 treatment inhibited the expression of NF-κB activity in PA-treated skin tissues and TNF-α and IFN-γ-treated HaCaT cells. Protein-association network analysis indicated that CHI3L1 is associated with lactoferrin (LTF). LTF was elevated in PA-treated skin tissues and TNF-α and IFN-γ-induced HaCaT cells. However, this expression was reduced by K284 treatment. Knockdown of LTF decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines in TNF-α and IFN-γ-induced HaCaT cells. Moreover, anti-LTF antibody treatment alleviated AD development in PA-induced AD model. Our data demonstrate that CHI3L1 targeting K284 reduces AD-like skin inflammation and K284 could be a promising therapeutic agent for AD by inhibition of LTF expression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.8
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• pp.1116-1122
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• 2013

Cell line development is the most critical and also the most time-consuming step in the production of recombinant therapeutic proteins. In this regard, a variety of vector and cell engineering strategies have been developed for generating high-producing mammalian cells; however, the cell line engineering approach seems to show various results on different recombinant protein producer cells. In order to improve the secretory capacity of a recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA)-producing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line, we developed cell line engineering approaches based on the ceramide transfer protein (CERT) and X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) genes. For this purpose, CERT S132A, a mutant form of CERT that is resistant to phosphorylation, and XBP1s were overexpressed in a recombinant t-PA-producing CHO cell line. Overexpression of CERT S132A increased the specific productivity of t-PA-producing CHO cells up to 35%. In contrast, the heterologous expression of XBP1s did not affect the t-PA expression rate. Our results suggest that CERT-S132A-based secretion engineering could be an effective strategy for enhancing recombinant t-PA production in CHO cells.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 1998

Polyamines were analyzed in young cotyledons of spring radish. The uptake rate of SPD were transported within 20 min lineary and reached the saturation phase after 1hr. The uptake rate of SPD decreased gradually with the time by the increasing amount of SPD inside the cells. The uptake of PA depends on the external pH. The optimal pH of PA uptake are pH 7.5. $K_m-$ and $V_{max}-$values depend on external pH also. The uptake rate of PA was inhibited by external KCI, which depolarized membrane potential in the cells.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2015

Pachymic acid (PA) is a lanostane-type triterpenoid derived from the Poria cocos mushroom. Several beneficial biological features of PA provide medicine with a wide variety of valuable effects, such as anticancer and anti-inflammatory activity; it also has antioxidant effects against oxidative stress. Nonetheless, the biological properties and mechanisms that produce this anti-cancer action of PA remain largely undetermined. In this study, we investigated the pro-apoptotic effects of PA in T24 human bladder cancer cells. It was found that PA could inhibit the cell growth of T24 cells in a dose-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death, as evidenced by the formation of apoptotic bodies and chromatin condensation and accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase. The induction of apoptotic cell death by PA was connected with an up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax and Bad protein expression and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL proteins, and inhibition of apoptosis family proteins. In addition, apoptosis-inducing concentrations of PA induced the activation of caspase-9, an initiator caspase of the mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic pathway, and caspase-3, accompanied by proteolytic degradation of poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase. PA also induced apoptosis via a death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway by caspase-8 activation, resulting in the truncation of Bid and suggesting the existence of cross-talk between the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. Taken together, the present results suggest that PA may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the control of human bladder cancer cells.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2015

We previously identified Streptomyces griseus as an anti-cancer agent (Kim et al., 2014). In this study, we isolated compounds from S. griseus and evaluated their anticancer effect and toxicity in vitro and in vivo. Preparative centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) was used to obtain three compounds, cyclo($_{\small{L}}$-[4-hydroxyprolinyl]-$_{\small{L}}$-leucine], cyclo($_{\small{L}}$-Phe-trans-4-hydroxy-$_{\small{L}}$-Pro) and phenethyl acetate (PA). We chose PA, which had the highest anticancer activity, as a target compound for further experiments. PA induced the formation of apoptotic bodies, DNA fragmentation, DNA accumulation in $G_0/G_1$ phase, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Furthermore, PA treatment increased Bax/Bcl-xL expression, activated caspase-3, and cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) in HL-60 cells. Simultaneous evaluation in vitro and in vivo, revealed that PA exhibited no toxicity in Vero cells and zebrafish embryos. We revealed, for the first time, that PA generates ROS, and that this ROS accumulation induced the Bcl signaling pathway.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.117-127
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• 2001

The high-level expression of a human single chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) was achieved by employing a methotrexate (MTX)-dependent gene amplification system in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. By cotransfecting and coamplifying a scu-PA expression plasmid and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) minigene, several scu-PA expressing CHO cell lines were selected and gene-amplified. These recombinant cell lines, NGpUKs, secreted a completely processed scu-PA of 54 kD and up to 60mg/L was accumulated in the culture medium when they were adapted to an optimal MTX concentration. Over 95% of the scu-PA expressed was secreted in the culture medium and identified having the proper function of a plasminogen activator when activated by plasmin. Based on a genomic Southern analysis, a representative subclone, MGpUK-5, exhibited MTX-dependent scu-PA gene amplification, plus the initial single-copy gene of scu-PA eventually turned into about 150 copies of the amplified gene of scu-PA after gradual adaptation to 2.0$\mu$M of MTX. Meanwhile, the transcripts kof the scu-PA gene increased, although -early saturation of transcription was identified at 0.1$\mu$M of MTX. The scu-PA production by the MGpUK-5 subclone also increased relative to the gene amplification and increased transcripts, however, the relationship was not linearly proportional. Accordingly, since the MGpUK cell lines expressed elevated levels of enzymatically active scu-PA, these cell lines could be applied to the largescale production of scu-PA.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.583-595
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• 2020

Purpose: This study examined the effects of Sargassum horneri extracts on palmitic acid (PA)-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in HepG2 cells. Methods: HepG2 cells were treated with varying concentrations of S. horneri extract or PA, and the cell viability was measured by water soluble tetrazolium salts analysis. The effective induction of ER stress and the effects of S. horneri were investigated through an examination of the ER stress-related genes, such as activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4), X-box binding protein (XBP1s), C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The expression and activation levels of unfolded protein response (UPR) associated proteins, such as inositol-requiring enzyme-1α (IRE1α), eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha submit (eIF2α), and CHOP were examined by western blot analysis. Results: The treatment with PA increased the expression of UPR associated genes significantly and induced ER stress in a 12-hour treatment. Subsequent treatment with S. horneri reduced mRNA expression of ATF4, GRP78, and XBP1s. In addition, the protein levels of phosphate (p)-IRE1α, p-elF2α, and CHOP were also reduced by a treatment with S. horneri. An analysis of sirtuin (SIRT) mRNA expression in the S. horneri and PA-treated HepG2 cells showed that S. horneri increased the levels of SIRT2, SIRT6, and SIRT7, which indicates a possible role in reducing the expression of ER stress-related genes. Conclusion: These data indicate that S. horneri can exert an inhibitory effect on ER stress caused by PA and highlight its potential as an agent for managing various ER stress-related diseases.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2008

The present study was undertaken to identify changes of plasminogen activators (PAs) in porcine oviductal epithelial cells (POECs) during the estrous cycle classified with post-ovulatory stages (Post-Ov), early to mid-luteal stages (Early-mid L) and pre-ovulatory (Pre-Ov) stages. The urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) was only observed on day 5 and day 7 of culture in the POECs on all the estrous cycles and gradually increased according to increasing culture times, but not Early-mid L. In POECs-conditioned medium, uPA, tissue-type (tPA) and tPA-PA inhibitor (tPA-PAI) activity were observed at all culture times during estrous cycles. The uPA activity of POECs-conditioned medium on Post-Ov stage were significantly (p<0.05) decreased during prolonged cultures. On the other hand, the tPA activity of POECs-conditioned medium at Post-Ov stage was significantly (p<0.05) higher on day 5 than compared to the other days. Although was higher on day 1 at Post-Ov stage, the tPA-PAI activity of POECs-conditioned medium was significantly (p<0.05) higher on day 7 at all stage than that of day 5 of the culture. Taken together, these results suggest that uPA, tPA and tPA-PAI are produced by POECs, and the variations of the PAs activity are regulated in the different stages of the estrous cycle.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.230-235
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• 2004

We previously reported that the phytoprotein extracted from Acanthopanax senticosus (PA) had anti-carcinogenic anti-metastatic activity via increase of inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication. In the present study investigated the immunomodulatory mechanism of phytoprotein isolated from the stem bark of Acanthopanax sentic (PA). PA was found to significantly stimulate macrophages producing TNF-α and IL-1β in vitro. It also showed tumori activity indicating that PA had the ability to stimulate macrophage directly. Moreover, PA induced the CDB/sup +/ CTL cy responses to recognize antigen on the B16-BL6 melanoma cells. Treatment of PA with B16-BL6 melanoma cells increased the proliferation of splenocytes compared with untreated control. These results demonstrate that PA immunomodulatory activity suggesting a useful anti-tumor agent applicable to treatment and prevention of cancer.