• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.283-288
• /
• 1998

The bialaphos is a potent inhibitor of glutamine synthease in higher plants and is used as a non-selective herbicide. We have used the bialaphos resistant gene(Bar) encoding for an acetyltransferase isolated from Streptomyces hygroscopicus SF1293. Callus derived from mature seeds of rice(Oryza sativa L. cv. Dong Jin) were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA101 carring a plasmid pGPTV-HB containing genes for hygromycin resistance (HygR) and Bar. Transgenic plants showing in vitro resistance to 50 mg/L hygromycin and 10 mg/L bialaphos were obtained by using a two-step selection/regeneration procedure. Transformation efficiency of rice was about 30% which was as high as reported in other dicotyledons. Progenies ($\textrm{T}_{1}$ generation) derived from primary transformant of 17 lines were segregated with a 3 resistant : 1 sensitive ratio in medium containing hygromycin and bialaphos. Stable integration of Bar gene into chromosomal DNA was proven by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA isolated from $\textrm{T}_{2}$ progenies. Transgenic plants ($\textrm{T}_{3}$) grown in the field were resistant to bialaphos (Basta) at a dosage lethal to wild type plants.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.505-509
• /
• 2002

In the course of screening program for VHR DS-PTPase (dual-specificity protein tyrosine phosphatase) from natural sources, Gastrodia elata was selected. One compound showing potent inhibitory activity was isolated by the solvent extraction and column chromatography including silica gel, ODS RP-18, Sephades LH-20, and HPLC. This compound was identified as baicalein by several NMR techniques such as $^1H-NMR$, $^{13}C-NMR$, and DEPT. Baicalein showed selective inhibitory activity against VHR DS-PTPase with $IC_{50}=2.4\;{\mu}M$, and showed cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines with an $GI_{50}$ of $5.26{\sim}12.93\;{\mu}g/mL$ range, including, melanoma (LOX-IMVI), lung cancer (NCI H23 and A549), colon cancer (HCT 116 and SW 620), prostate cancer (PC-3), and leukemia (MOLT 4F).

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.499-508
• /
• 2019

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are primarily responsible for metastasis and recurrence, have self-renewal, differentiation, therapeutic resistance, and tumor formation abilities. Numerous studies have demonstrated the signaling pathways essential for the acquisition and maintenance of CSC characteristics, such as WNT/${\beta}$-catenin, Hedgehog, Notch, B lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 homolog (BMI1), Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), and TGF-${\beta}$ signals. However, few therapeutic strategies have been developed that can selectively eliminate CSCs. Recently, neutralizing antibodies against Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have shown promising outcomes in clinical trials of melanoma, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer, as well as in hematologic malignancies. ICIs are considered to outperform conventional anticancer drugs by maintaining long-lasting anti-cancer effects, with less severe side effects. Several studies reported that ICIs successfully blocked CSC properties in head and neck squamous carcinomas, melanomas, and breast cancer. Together, these findings suggest that novel and effective anticancer therapeutic modalities using ICIs for selective elimination of CSCs may be developed in the near future. In this review, we highlight the origin and characteristics of CSCs, together with critical signaling pathways. We also describe progress in ICI-mediated anticancer treatment to date and present perspectives on the development of CSC-targeting ICIs.

• Translational and Clinical Pharmacology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.160-165
• /
• 2018

Indobufen ($Ibustrin^{(R)}$), a reversible inhibitor of platelet aggregation, exists in two enantiomeric forms in 1:1 ratio. Here, we characterized the anti-platelet effect of S- and R-indobufen using response surface modeling using $NONMEM^{(R)}$ and predicted the therapeutic doses exerting the maximal efficacy of each enantioselective S- and R-indobufen formulation. S- and R-indobufen were added individually or together to 24 plasma samples from drug-naïve healthy subjects, generating 892 samples containing randomly selected concentrations of the drugs of 0-128 mg/L. Collagen-induced platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma was determined using a Chrono-log Lumi-Aggregometer. Inhibitory sigmoid $I_{max}$ model adequately described the anti-platelet effect. The S-form was more potent, whereas the R-form showed less inter-individual variation. No significant interaction was observed between the two enantiomers. The anti-platelet effect of multiple treatments with 200 mg indobufen twice daily doses was predicted in the simulation study, and the effect of S- or R-indobufen alone at various doses was predicted to define optimal dosing regimen for each enantiomer. Simulation study predicted that 200 mg twice daily administration of S-indobufen alone will produce more treatment effect than S-and R-mixture formulation. S-indobufen produced treatment effect at lower concentration than R-indobufen. However, inter-individual variation of the pharmacodynamic response was smaller in R-indobufen. The present study suggests the optimal doses of R-and S-enantioselective indobufen formulations in terms of treatment efficacy for patients with thromboembolic problems. The proposed methodology in this study can be applied to the develop novel enantio-selective drugs more efficiently.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.551-561
• /
• 2021

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancers, such as papillary and follicular cancers, have a favorable prognosis. However, poorly differentiated thyroid cancers, such as medullary, squamous and anaplastic advanced thyroid cancers, are very aggressive and insensitive to radioiodine treatment. Thus, novel therapies that attenuate metastasis are urgently needed. We found that both PDGFC and PDGFRA are predominantly expressed in thyroid cancers and that the survival rate is significantly lower in patients with high PDGFRA expression. This finding indicates the important role of PDGF/PDGFR signaling in thyroid cancer development. Next, we established a SW579 squamous thyroid cancer cell line with 95.6% PDGFRA gene insertion and deletions (indels) through CRISPR/Cas9. Protein and invasion analysis showed a dramatic loss in EMT marker expression and metastatic ability. Furthermore, xenograft tumors derived from PDGFRA geneedited SW579 cells exhibited a minor decrease in tumor growth. However, distant lung metastasis was completely abolished upon PDGFRA gene editing, implying that PDGFRA could be an effective target to inhibit distant metastasis in advanced thyroid cancers. To translate this finding to the clinic, we used the most relevant multikinase inhibitor, imatinib, to inhibit PDGFRA signaling. The results showed that imatinib significantly suppressed cell growth, induced cell cycle arrest and cell death in SW579 cells. Our developed noninvasive apoptosis detection sensor (NIADS) indicated that imatinib induced cell apoptosis through caspase-3 activation. In conclusion, we believe that developing a specific and selective targeted therapy for PDGFRA would effectively suppress PDGFRA-mediated cancer aggressiveness in advanced thyroid cancers.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.73-82
• /
• 2023

Purpose : Cymbopogon citratus, also known as lemongrass, has widely spread around the world and its essential oil is usually applied in food, perfume, and other industrial purposes. In addition, C. citratus has also been used for the treatment of inflammation, digestive disorders, and diabetes in traditional medicine. In this study, the antioxidative activity of C. citratus ethanol extract (CCEE) was analyzed in RAW 264.7 cells through the induction of one of phase II enzymes, heme oxygenase (HO)-1 by nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor (Nrf)2, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt. Methods : The antioxidative activity of CCEE against oxidative stress and its underlying molecular mechanisms were analyzed by the cell viability assay, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation assay, and Western blot analysis in RAW 264.7 cells. Results : The results exhibited that CCEE potently attenuated tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) induced intracellular ROS levels in a dose-dependent manner without any cytotoxicity. CCEE treatment significantly induced the expression of HO-1 which is known for its antioxidative capacity. In addition, CCEE treatment significantly upregulated the expression of Nrf2, a corresponding transcription factor for the regulation of antioxidative enzymes, which was in accordance with the HO-1 overexpression. MAPK and PI3K/Akt were also evaluated for their important roles in the regulation of cellular redox homeostasis against oxidative damage. As a result, the potent HO-1 expression was mediated by not extracellular regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase (JNK), p38, but phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) phosphorylation. To confirm the antioxidative activity of CCEE-induced HO-1 expression, oxidative damage was initiated by t-BHP and attenuated by CCEE treatment, which was identified by HO-1 selective inhibitor and inducer. Conclusion : Consequently, CCEE potently induced the HO-1-mediated antioxidative potential through the modulation of Nrf2 and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways in RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest that CCEE could be a promising strategy for the mitigation against cellular oxidative damage.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.33 no.10
• /
• pp.776-782
• /
• 2023

Silymarin, which is derived from dried Silybum marianum (milk thistle) seeds and fruits, possesses various beneficial properties, such as hepatoprotective, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activity. This research aimed to explore the antioxidative activity of silymarin against oxidative stress and understand its molecular mechanism in RAW 264.7 cells. The study employed cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation assays and western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that silymarin effectively reduced intracellular ROS levels induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a dose-dependent manner without causing any cytotoxic effects. Moreover, silymarin treatment significantly upregulated the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1, a phase II enzyme known for its potent antioxidative activity. Additionally, silymarin treatment significantly induced the expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor (Nrf) 2, a transcription factor responsible for regulating antioxidative enzymes, which was consistent with the upregulated HO-1 expression. To investigate the involvement of key signaling pathways in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis against oxidative stress, the phosphorylation status of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) was estimated by western blot analysis. The results showed that silymarin potently induced HO-1 expression, which was mediated by the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. To further validate the antioxidative potential of silymarin-induced HO-1 expression, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative damage was employed and attenuated by silymarin treatment, as identified by a selective inhibitor for each signaling molecule. In conclusion, silymarin robustly enhanced antioxidative activity by inducing HO-1 via the Nrf2/p38 MAPK signaling pathway in RAW 264.7 cells.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.32.1-32.15
• /
• 2020

Influenza virus is the major cause of seasonal and pandemic flu. Currently, oseltamivir, a potent and selective inhibitor of neuraminidase of influenza A and B viruses, is the drug of choice for treating patients with influenza virus infection. However, recent emergence of oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses has limited its efficacy. Morin hydrate (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid isolated from Morus alba L. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anticancer effects partly by the inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway. However, its effects on influenza virus have not been studied. We evaluated the antiviral activity of morin hydrate against influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 (A/PR/8; H1N1) and oseltamivir-resistant A/PR/8 influenza viruses in vitro. To determine its mode of action, we carried out time course experiments, and time of addition, hemolysis inhibition, and hemagglutination assays. The effects of the co-administration of morin hydrate and oseltamivir were assessed using the murine model of A/PR/8 infection. We found that morin hydrate reduced hemagglutination by A/PR/8 in vitro. It alleviated the symptoms of A/PR/8-infection, and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as TNF-α and CCL2, in infected mice. Co-administration of morin hydrate and oseltamivir phosphate reduced the virus titers and attenuated pulmonary inflammation. Our results suggest that morin hydrate exhibits antiviral activity by inhibiting the entry of the virus.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.116-122
• /
• 1999

In order to characterize the property of $Ca^{2+}$ transport in plant cell, microsomes were prepared from the roots of tomato and microsomal $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake was measured. When 1 mM vanadate, a selective inhibitor of P-type ATPases, 50 mM $NO_3^-$, a specific inhibitor of vacuolar $H^{+}-ATPase$, and both of these inhibitors were treated, the microsomal $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptakes were inhibited by 20, 33 and 47%, respectively. The inhibitory effects of these two inhibitors were investigated by using a protonophore, gramicidin. When the chemical gradient of $H^{+}$ was relieved by gramicidin, the uptake was decreased by 30%, implying the presence of $Ca^{2+}/H^+$ antiporter in the microsomal membrane. In the $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake experiment, the effect of gramicidin was independent of vanadate-induced inhibition. However, when the activity of vacuolar $H^{+}-ATPase$ was inhibited by $NO_3^-$, the effect of gramicidin was severely decreased. Meanwhile, thapsigargin, a specific antagonist of ER/SR-type $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$, inhibited the microsomal $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptake and the maximum inhibitory effect was obtained at $10\;{\mu}M$. The effect of thapsigargin was blocked by $NO_3^-$ and gramicidin, but not by vanadate. These results imply that vanadate directly inhibits the activity of $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$; however, $NO_3^-$ and thapsigargin block the activity of $Ca^{2+}/H^+$ antiporter by inhibiting the vacuolar $H^{+}-ATPase$. In conclusion, the microsomal $^{45}Ca^{2+}$ uptakes are mediated by two major enzymes, $Ca^{2+}-ATPase$ and $Ca^{2+}/H^+$ antiporter in tomato root tissue.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.207-215
• /
• 2003

Purpose: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which is part of the mitogen-activated protin kinase cascade, opposes initiation of the apoptotic cell death which is programmed by diverse cytotoxic stimuli. In this regard, the inhibition of ERK may be useful in improving the therapeutic efficacy of established anticancer agents. Materials and Methods: Murine hepatocarcinoma, HCa-I is known to be highly radioresistant with a TCD50 (radiation dose yield in $50\%$ cure) of more than 80 Gy. Various anticancer drugs have been found to enhance the radioresponse of this particular tumor but none were successful. The objective of this study was to explore whether the selective inhibition of MEK could potentiate the antitumor efficacy of radiation in vivo, particularly in the case on radioresistant tumor. C3H/HeJ mice hearing $7.5\~8\;mm$ HCa-I, were treated with PD98059(intratumoral injection of $0.16\;\mug/50\;\mul$). Results: Downregulation on ERK by PD98059 was most prominent 1h after the treatment. In the tumor growth delay assay, the drug was found to Increase the effect of the tumor radioresponse with an enhancement factor (EF) of 1.6 and 1.87. Combined treatment of 25 Gy radiation with PD98059 significantly increased radiation induced apoptosis. The peak apoptotic index (number on apoptotic nuclei in 1000 nuclei X100) was $1.2\%$ in the case of radiation treatment alone, $0.9\%$ in the case of drug treatment alone and $4.9\%,\;5.3\%$ in the combination treatment group. An analysis of apoptosis regulating molecules with Western blotting showed upregulation of p53, p$p21^{WAF1/CIP1}\;and\;Bcl-X_s$ in the combination treatment group as compared to their levels in either the radiation alone or drug alone treatment groups. The level of other molecules such as $Bcl-X_L4, Bax and Bcl-2 were changed to a lesser extent. Conclusion: The selective inhibition of MEK in combination with radiation therapy may have potential benefit in cancer treatment.