• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.233-238
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• 2008

This experiment was conducted to enhance the colored potatoes utilization and to determine the biological activity of colored potato extracts. In order to understand the factors responsible for the potent anti-oxidant ability of colored potatoes, it has been evaluated for anti-oxidative activity using oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. 'Hongyoung' extract was significant anti-oxidant activities in ORAC assay. About two-fold higher radical absorbance capacity was found in 'Hongyoung' compared to that in 'Jayoung'. The ability of 80% ethanol extracts from colored potatoes to influence the inhibitory activity of nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has also been investigated. The various therapeutic benefit claims in the new functional medicinal usage of colored potatoes ascribed to the phenolic compounds and anthocyanin. This result revealed that the extracts of colored potatoes are expected to be good candidate for development into sources of free radical scavenger or COX-2 inhibiting agents.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.19-25
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• 2019

Background/Objectives: Although anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is rare, it is one of the deadliest forms of thyroid cancer. The fatality rate for ATC is high, and the survival rate at one year after diagnosis is <20%. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor activities of paclitaxel, radiation, and tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combined therapy in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo and explore its effects on apoptotic cell death pathways. Materials & Methods: ATC cell line was exposed to TKI, lenvatinib in the presence or absence of paclitaxel with radiation, and cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Effects of the combined treatment on cell cycle and intracellular signaling pathways were assessed by flow cytometry and western blot analysis. The ATC cell line xenograft model was used to examine the anti-tumor activity in vivo. Results: Our data revealed that the combined administration of paclitaxel, TKI, and radiation decreased cell viability in ATC cells, and also significantly increased apoptotic cell death in these cells, as demonstrated by the cleavage of caspase-3 and DNA fragmentation. This combination therapy reduced anti-apoptotic factor levels in ATC cells, while significantly decreasing tumor volume and increasing survival in ATC xenografts. Conclusion: These results indicate that administering the combination of paclitaxel, TKI, and radiation therapy may exert significant anticancer effects in preclinical models, potentially suggesting a new clinical approach for treating patients with ATC.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 2020

The tumor suppressor gene, p53, is inactivated in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cells line, Hep3B. Berberine has been reported to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. This study examined whether apoptosis was induced in berberine-treated Hep3B cells and observed the association between apoptosis and the expression of p53 and DNA methyltransferase (DNMT). The cell viability was measured using an MTT assay. Apoptosis of Hep3B was measured using annexin V flow cytometry. Berberine-treated cells were examined for their DNMT enzymatic activity, mRNA expression, and protein synthesis. The p53 levels were examined by Western blot analysis. The berberine treatment resulted in increased Hep3B cell death and apoptosis in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The DNMT3b activity, mRNA expression, and protein levels all decreased after the berberine treatment. In contrast, the p53 protein levels increased with a concomitant decrease in DNMT3b. No change in the expression of ERK was observed, but the P-ERK levels decreased in a dose dependent manner. These results indicate that a treatment of Hep3B cells with berberine can reduce the expression of DNMT3b, leading to an increase in the tumor suppressant gene p53 and an increase in cell apoptosis. This shows that berberine can effectively suppress the proliferation of liver cancer cells.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2018

Objective: D-galactose (D-gal) is well-known agent to induce aging process. In the present study, we selected crocin, the main constituent of Crocus sativus L. (saffron), against D-gal- induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Methods: Pretreated cells with crocin ($25-500{\mu}M$, 24 h) were exposed to D-gal (25-400 mM, 48 h). The MTT assay was used for determination cell viability. Dichlorofluorescin diacetate assay (DCF-DA) and senescence associated ${\beta}$-galactosidase staining assay (SA-${\beta}$-gal) were used to evaluate the generation of reactive oxygen species and beta-galactosidase as an aging marker, respectively. Also advanced glycation end products (AGEs) expression which is known as the main mechanism of age-related diseases was measured by western blot analysis. Results: The findings of our study showed that treatment of cells with D-gal (25-400 mM) for 48h decreased cell viability concentration dependency. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels which are known as main factors in age-related diseases increased from $100{\pm}8%$ in control group to $132{\pm}22%$ in D-gal (200 mM) treated cells for 48h. The cytotoxic effects of D-gal decreased with 24h crocin pretreatment of cells. The cell viability at concentrations of $100{\mu}M$, $200{\mu}M$ and $500{\mu}M$ increased and ROS production decreased at concentrations of 200 and $500{\mu}M$ to $111.5{\pm}6%$ and $108{\pm}5%$, respectively. Also lysosomal biomarker of aging and carboxymethyl lysine (CML) expression as an AGE protein, significantly increased in D-gal 200 mM group after 48h incubation compare to control group. Pre-treatment of SHSY-5Y cells with crocin ($500{\mu}M$) before adding D-gal significantly reduced aging marker and CML formation. Conclusion: Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with crocin before adding of D-gal restored aging effects of D-gal concentration dependency. These findings indicate that crocin has potent anti- aging effects through inhibition of AGEs and ROS production.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.964-971
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• 2006

The cancer cells, characterized by local invasion and distant metastasis, are very dependant on extracellular matrix. The expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) has been implicated in the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. Among the human MMPs, matirx metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinse-9 (MMP-9) are key enzymes that degrade type IV collagen of the matrix. Here, we studied the effect of disulfiram, an anti-tumor compound, on the suppression of the tumor invasion and the activity of MMP-2, MMP-9 in human osteosarcoma cells (U2OS). Disulfiram had the type IV collagenase inhibitory activity, the effect of inhibition of gene and protein expression, and these inhibitions were responsible for blocking invasion through cell mediated and non-cell mediated pathways. In conclusion, disulfiram inhibited expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9, and regulated the invasion of U2OS, Caki-1 and Caski. These observations raise the possibility of clinical therapeutic applications for disulfiram used as a potential inhibitor of cancer invasion.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.147-166
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• 2008

Objectives : Crohn's disease (CD) is characterized by a chronic relapsing inflammation of the bowel in which proinflammatory cytokines play an important perpetuating role. Methods : Mice (preventive animal model of gliotoxin) were treated with 5 % 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) at day 1 and day 7. To investigate preventive effects of acupuncture with Gujin at $LI_{11}$, acupuncture was carried out at day -1, day 1, day 3. And, to investigate therapeutic effects, acupuncture with Gujin was carried out at day 3, day 5, day 7. For the data analysis, we checked weight and width of colon, diarrhea, edema, survival rate, changes of body weight, and myeloperoxygenase (MPO) activity. For analysing protein expression, we carried out immunohistochemical staining and Western blot and we analyzed mRNA expression by RT-PCR. Results : Colon of TNBS treated mice was erosive and shortening compared with the colon of control mice and induced damages of colon epithelial cell layer and induced infiltration of immune cells in all layer of colon. Acupuncture of gujin at $LI_{11}$ in preventive mode suppressed macorscopic damages such as erosive and shortening of colon by TNBS and damages of intestinal epithelial cells and infiltration of immune cells in the colon. The average weight of 5 cm distal colon was increased in TNBS treated mice (758${\mu}g$) compared with in control mice (112${\mu}g$) and width of distal colon was also increased in TNBS treated mice (4.9mm) compared with in control mice (1.3mm). Acupuncture with Gujin at $LI_{11}$ in preventive and therapeutic mode suppressed increase of colon weight and width by TNBS. TNBS induced edema of colon and diarrhea and Acupunctured with Gujin at $LI_{11}$ in preventive and therapeutic mode ameliorated these symptom by TNBS. In preventive and therapeutic mode, the effects of acupuncture with Gujin at $LI_{11}$ were increasing the motility, suppressing body weight decreasing, suppressing MPO activity, reducing expressing of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-1b, and ICAM-1 in colon compared with that by TNBS Conclusions : This study demonstrates that acupuncture with Gujin at $LI_{11}$ represents a potential therapeutic method of Crohn's disease.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.2 s.82
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• pp.223-229
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• 2007

Present study aims to investigate the topical distribution of pupal stage specific cuticle protein and its temporal and spatial role during the wing formation of Artogeia rapae. ArCP27(27 kd cuticle protein) was identified as pupal stage specific cuticle protein in cuticle tissues and has not shown any qualitative differences by local portions of body. ArCP27 maintained constant concentration just after pupal ecdysis to 5-day old pupal stage but thereafter decreased. In fat body, ArCP27 was found in both thoracic and abdominal fat body from the last larval to pupal stage. In wing cuticle, ArCP27 began to find from 5-day old pupal stage. Immunologically ArCP27 in thoracic and abdominal cuticle has the response against the ArCP27 at 5-day old pupa but since then has no response. But the antibody against ArCP27 has reacted to 5- and 7-day old pupal and adult wing protein. $^3H-leucine$ was not incorporated into ArCP27 in 5- and 7-day old thoracic and abdominal cuticle but was incorporated into ArCP27 in 7-day old wing cuticle and adult wing, suggesting that ArCP27 partly participates the wing cuticle formation by the process of digestion and reabsorption of old cuticle.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2014

Eukaryotic gene expression is an important process, which is initiated by several transcription factors and RNA polymerases that occupy the promoter region of genomic DNA. Although there are many experiments to identify the promoter region in a gene, it is time and labor consuming to finalize it. In this study, we utilized bioinformatic programs, including Ensembl, NCBI, and CpG plots, to identify the cloning promoter region in SETDB1 genomic DNA. We performed PCR amplification to obtain the SETDB1 promoter on an approximately 2 kb region upstream from the TSS named SETDB1-P1. The PCR product was ligated with TA cloning vectors, and we confirmed the insert size using restriction enzyme digestion. Sequentially, the insert was subcloned into a pGL3-luc vector to produce pGL3-SETDB1- P1-luc and then confirmed by DNA sequencing. We also obtained a fragmented PCR product called P2 and P3 and performed a luciferase assay using pGL3-SETDB1-P1-luc transfection. We found that several anticancer drugs, including taxol, 4-FU, and doxorubicin, decreased the promoter activity of SETDB1. We obtained consistent data on the regulation of SETDB1 gene expression after anticancer drug treatment using Western blot analysis and RT-PCR. Our results suggest that promoter cloning of the human SETDB1 gene utilizing bioinformatics is a very useful and timesaving approach to study gene expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.164-171
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• 2017

Our previous study suggested that S-allylcysteine (SAC) inhibits the proliferation of the human cervical cancer cell line, HeLa, at least in part through the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. To further analyze the specific molecular mechanism(s) by which SAC mediates its antiproliferative effects, this study examined the role of SAC in regulating the protein expression of initiator caspase (caspase-9), effector caspases (caspase-3 and caspase-7), and poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) in HeLa. Western blot analysis showed that when cells were treated with 50 mM SAC for 48 hr, the expression of procaspase-3, -7, and -9 and PARP was reduced by 94%, 38%, 95%, and 64%, respectively, as compared to the untreated control. In contrast, the expression of caspase-3, -7, and -9 and cleaved-PARP was markedly increased by SAC treatment. The SAC-mediated changes in the expression of these proteins were correlated with the concomitant inhibition of cellular proliferation by SAC. The cell proliferation assay showed that HeLa treatment with more than 20 mM SAC for 6-48 hr resulted in both concentration- and time-dependent inhibition of cellular proliferation. These results indicate that the SAC-induced antiproliferative effect in HeLa may be mediated at least in part through the activation of caspase-9, followed by the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-7 as well as the inactivation of PARP, thus leading to cellular apoptosis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.592-597
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• 2020

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seeds contain an average of 40% protein on a dry weight basis, but they also contain antinutritional elements such as lectin, Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI), and 7S α'- subunit protein. The objective of this research was to develop a new soybean genotype with triple recessive alleles for these elements. Three parents (Gaechuck#2, PI506876, and Le-16) were used to develop the genetic population, and the presence of lectin and KTI protein was detected using Western blot while 7S α' subunit protein was detected using SDS-PAGE. One F₃ plant strain with proper agronomical traits such as type, height, seed quality, and 100-seed weight was selected. The genotype of the developed strain is titilelecgy1cgy1, that is KTI, lectin, and 7S α' subunit protein free. The new strain has a purple flower, determinate growth habit, and light yellow pods at maturity. The seed has a buffer hilum and is yellow in color. The new strain's height was 58 cm compared to the Daewonkong cultivar at 46 cm, and its 100-seed weight was 27.1 g, smaller than the Daewonkong at 29.0 g. This is the first new soybean strain with the titilelecgy1cgy1 genotype, and it can be used to improve yellow soybean cultivars of high quality and function.