• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.513-523
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• 2018

The tumor microenvironment greatly influences cancer cell characteristics, and acidic extracellular pH has been implicated as an essential factor in tumor malignancy and the induction of drug resistance. Here, we examined the characteristics of gastric carcinoma (GC) cells under conditions of extracellular acidity and attempted to identify a means of enhancing treatment efficacy. Acidic conditions caused several changes in GC cells adversely affecting chemotherapeutic treatment. Extracellular acidity did inhibit GC cell growth by inducing cell cycle arrest, but did not induce cell death at pH values down to 6.2, which was consistent with down-regulated cyclin D1 and up-regulated p21 mRNA expression. Additionally, an acidic environment altered the expression of atg5, HSPA1B, collagen XIII, collagen XXAI, slug, snail, and zeb1 genes which are related to regulation of cell resistance to cytotoxicity and malignancy, and as expected, resulted in increased resistance of cells to multiple chemotherapeutic drugs including etoposide, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, cisplatin, oxaliplatin and 5-FU. Interestingly, however, acidic environment dramatically sensitized GC cells to apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Consistently, the acidity at pH 6.5 increased mRNA levels of DR4 and DR5 genes, and also elevated protein expression of both death receptors as detected by immunoblotting. Gene silencing analysis showed that of these two receptors, the major role in this effect was played by DR5. Therefore, these results suggest that extracellular acidity can sensitize TRAIL-mediated apoptosis at least partially via DR5 in GCs while it confers resistance to various type of chemotherapeutic drugs.

• BMB Reports
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• 제40권5호
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• pp.814-824
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• 2007

Liver cirrhosis (LC) is defined as comprising diffuse fibrosis and regenerating nodules of the liver. The biochemical and anatomical dysfunction in LC results from both reduced liver cell number and portal vascular derangement. Although several studies have investigated dysregulated genes in cirrhotic nodules, little is known about the genes implicated in the pathophysiologic change of LC or about their relationship with the degree of decompensation. Here, we applied cDNA microarray analysis using 38 HBsAg-positive LC specimens to identify the genes dysregulated in HBV-associated LC and to evaluate their relation to disease severity. Among 1063 known cancer- and apoptosis-related genes, we identified 104 genes that were significantly up- (44) or down- (60) regulated in LC. Interestingly, this subset of 104 genes was characteristically correlated with the degree of decompensation, called the Pugh-Child classification (20 Pugh-Child A, 10 Pugh-Child B, and 8 Pugh-Child C). Patient samples from Pugh-Child C exhibited a distinct pattern of gene expression relative to those of Pugh-Child A and B. Especially in Pugh-Child C, genes encoding hepatic proteins and metabolizing enzymes were significantly down-regulated, while genes encoding various molecules related to cell replication were up-regulated. Our results suggest that subsets of genes in liver cells correspond to the pathophysiologic change of LC according to disease severity and possibly to hepatocarcinogenesis.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.33-45
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• 2011

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is ATPase-directed molecular chaperon and affects survival of cancer cell. Inhibitory effect of Hsp90 by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the cancer cell was reported. However, its role during oocyte maturation and early embryo development is very insufficient. In this study, we traced the effects of Hsp90 inhibitor, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), on meiotic maturation and early embryonic development in pigs. We also investigated several indicators of developmental potential, including structural integrity, gene expression (Hsp90-, cell cycle-, and apoptosis-related genes), and apoptosis, which are affected by 17-AAG. Then, we examined the roles of Hsp90 inhibitor on viability of primary cells in pigs. Porcine oocytes were cultured in the NCSU-23 medium with or without 17-AAG for 44 h. The proportion of GV arrested oocytes was significantly different between the 17-AAG treated and untreated group (78.2 vs 34.8%, p<0.05). After completion of meiotic maturation, the proportion of MII oocytes was lower in the 17-AAG treated group than in the control group (27.9 vs 71.0%, p<0.05). After IVF, the percentage of penetrated oocytes was significantly lower in the 17-AAG treated group (25.2%), resulting in lower normal pronucleus formation (2PN of 14.6%). Therefore, the inhibition of meiotic progression by Hsp90 inhibitor played a critical role in fertilization status. Porcine embryo were cultured in the PZM-3 medium with or without 17-AAG for 6 days. In result, significant differences in developmental potential were detected between the embryos that were cultured with or without 17-AAG. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) showed that the number of containing fragmented DNA at the blastocyst stage increased in the 17-AAG treated group compared with control (7.5 vs 4.4, respectively). Blastocysts that developed in the 17-AAG treated group had low structural integrity and high apoptotic nuclei than those of the untreated control, resulting in decrease the embryonic qualities of preimplantation porcine blastocysts. The mRNA expressions of cell cycle-related genes were down-regulated in the 17-AAG treated group compared with control. Also, the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene Bax increased in 17-AAG treated group, whereas expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bel-XL decreased. However, the expression of ER stress-related genes did not changed by 17-AAG. Cultured pESF cells were treated with or without 17-AAG and used for MIT assay. The results showed that viability of pESF cells were decreased by treatment of 17-AAG ($2{\mu}M$) for 24 hr. These results indicated that 17-AAG decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death. Expression patterns Hsp90 complex genes (Hsp70 and p23), cell cycle-related genes (cdc2 and cdc25c) and apoptosis-related genes (Bax and Bcl-XL) were significantly changed by using RT-PCR analysis. The spliced form of pXbp-1 product (pXbp-1s) was detected in the tunicamycin (TM) treated cells, but it is not detected in 17-AAG treated cells. In conclusion, Hsp90 appears to play a direct role in porcine early embryo developmental competence including structural integrity of blastocysts. Also, these results indicate that Hsp90 is closely associated with cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes expression in developing porcine embryos.

• BMB Reports
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• 제53권11호
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• pp.576-581
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• 2020

Dimethylation of the histone H3 protein at lysine residue 9 (H3K9) is mediated by euchromatin histone methyltransferase II (EHMT2) and results in transcriptional repression of target genes. Recently, chemical inhibition of EHMT2 was shown to induce various physiological outcomes, including endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated genes transcription in cancer cells. To identify genes that are transcriptionally repressed by EHMT2 during apoptosis, and cell stress responses, we screened genes that are upregulated by BIX-01294, a chemical inhibitor of EHMT2. RNA sequencing analyses revealed 77 genes that were upregulated by BIX-01294 in all four hepatic cell carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. These included genes that have been implicated in apoptosis, the unfolded protein response (UPR), and others. Among these genes, the one encoding the stress-response protein Ras-related GTPase C (RRAGC) was upregulated in all BIX-01294-treated HCC cell lines. We confirmed the regulatory roles of EHMT2 in RRAGC expression in HCC cell lines using proteomic analyses, chromatin immune precipitation (ChIP) assay, and small guide RNA-mediated loss-of-function experiments. Upregulation of RRAGC was limited by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), suggesting that ROS are involved in EHMT2-mediated transcriptional regulation of stress-response genes in HCC cells. Finally, combined treatment of cells with BIX-01294 and 5-Aza-cytidine induced greater upregulation of RRAGC protein expression. These findings suggest that EHMT2 suppresses expression of the RRAGC gene in a ROS-dependent manner and imply that EHMT2 is a key regulator of stress-responsive gene expression in liver cancer cells.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.88-97
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• 1999

To characterize the effects of Gilgyung-Tang(GGT) on cellular proliferation and viability of normal lung fibroblast cells, we examined the cell cycle progression and cell cycle-related gene expression in T3891 using a flow cytometry and a quantitative RT-PCR analysis. 1. The significant surpression effect of cellular proliferations of GGT was observed in proportion to a certain concentration and time. 2. GGT was identified to induce apoptotic death of damaged cells by treatment with a DNA-damage agent and etoposide, while it stimulated the recovery of cellular viability of normal cells. 3 The significant reductions of mRNA expression of PCAN, c-Fos treated by GGT were observed. 4. The significant inductions of mRNA expression of p53, CDKN1. Gadd45 treated by GGT were observed. 5. The apoptosis caused by the reduction of Bcl-2 genes was significant and the Bax genes were increased. but the amount of Fas genes were not changed. These results strongly suggest that GGT triggers arrest of the cell cycle at G1 phase, and thus causes an inhibition of cellular proliferation of human normal lung cells through the transcriptional up-regulation of cell cycle inhibitory genes and down-regulation of induction of cell cycle stimulating genes respectably.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.363-368
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• 2000

Objective : This study was carried out to examine the effect of five fractions of an aqueous extract from Artemisia capillaris $T_{HUNB}$. Methods : The queous extract from Artemisia capillaris $T_{HUNB}$. was fractionized into 5 kinds of material. We observed the effect of each fractions on etoposide-induced apoptosis, cell viability, cell cycle progression and mRNA expression of apoptosis-related genes in human hepatocyte cell line HepG2. Results and Conclusions : The data shows that butanol fraction of Artemisia capillaris $T_{HUNB}$. has no relation with cell cycle, however, it inhibits apoptosis significantly and the action may be due to the suppression of Fas and Sax genes and activation of Bcl-2 gene.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.159-166
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• 2011

Simazine은 triazine계 제초제로서, 잡초와 일년생 풀들을 통제하는데 우리나라를 포함하여 세계적으로 널리 사용되고 있으며, 미국, 유럽, 오스트레일리아의 경우, 물에서 두 번째로 많이 검출되는 살충제로 알려져 있다. Simazine에오염된 토양과 물을 통하여 사람에게 노출되어 이후 생체 내에 수년간 잔존하며 특히, 생물체의 지방 및 조직에 농축되는특징을 갖는 내분비계 장애물질로 분류되어졌다. 하지만 simazine이 정소세포의 사멸 또는 생존에 미치는 영향과 세포예정사를 관장하는 Bcl-2 family 유전자 발현에 미치는 영향을 보고한 연구는 없다. 또한 simazine이 성의 분화와 생식기관발달에 중요한 steroidogenesis 관련 유전자의 발현에 미치는 영향 분석에 관한 연구도 미흡한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구진은 이번 연구에서 simazine이 mouse Sertoli 세포와 rat Leydig 세포에서 세포사멸을 관장하는 Bcl-2 family 유전자군의발현과 steroidogenesis 조절관련 유전자군의 발현 변화에 미치는 영향을 조사하였고, simazine이상기 유전자군의 정상적인 발현을 저해함을 확인하였다. 그러므로 본 연구의 결과로 미루어 볼 때, 사람이나 기타 동물 등이 simazine에 장시간 노출될 경우, 생식 세포에 apoptosis가 유도될 수 있는 가능성을 제시하였으며, steroidogenesis 조절관련 유전자군의 발현을 교란시킴으로써, 정상적인 testis의 발달을 저해하여 남성 생식계의 기능장애를 유도할 가능성이 있음을 제시하였다.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.579-587
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• 2001

The efficacy of Sagunja-tang and Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata against the human stomach cancer was examined and molecular biological fight of its actions was studied. In the efficacy test of anti-stomach cancer cells growth using the MTT assay, administration of Sagunja-tang resulted in no significant change of stomach cancer cells growth, with the control group. Administration of Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata resulted in a decrease of stomach cancer cells growth in proportion to the concentration of mylabris phalerata and time, which was significantly different from the control group(significance recognized when p<0.05). In the test using the apoptosis assay, administration of Sagunja-tang showed an increase in apoptosis of human stomach cancer cells, with no significant difference from the control group. Administrating Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata showed an increase in apoptosis of stomach cancer cells in proportion to the concentration of mylabris phalerata and time, which was significantly different from the control group(significance recognized when p<0.05). In the test using the quantitative RT-PCR to examine stomach cancer cells growth and revelation of apoptosis related genes, administrating Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata resulted in a decrease of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptosis gene, in proportiong to concentration. No significant change was examined in the revelation of CDK1, Cdc2, Cyclin D1, PCNA, c-myc, which are genes related to the stomach cancer cells growth, and Bax, Bel-XL, the genes related to apoptosis, and p53. Referring to the results above, Sagunja-tang plus Mylabris phalerata may be considered to have an anti-growth efficacy against human stomach cancer cells, and an inducement efficacy. Therefore, it can be clinically implemented in the human stomach cancer.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.56-62
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• 2012

To determine the biological effects of low-dose-rate radiation ($^{137}Cs$, 2.95 mGy/h) on EL4 lymphoma cells during 24 h, we investigated the expression of genes related to apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, iron transport, and ribonucleotide reductase. EL4 cells were continuously exposed to low-dose-rate radiation (total dose: 70.8 mGy) for 24 h. We analyzed cell proliferation and apoptosis by trypan blue exclusion and flow cytometry, gene expression by real-time PCR, and protein levels with the apoptosis ELISA kit. Apoptosis increased in the Low-dose-rate irradiated cells, but cell number did not differ between non- (Non-IR) and Low-dose-rate irradiated (LDR-IR) cells. In concordance with apoptotic rate, the transcriptional activity of ATM, p53, p21, and Parp was upregulated in the LDR-IR cells. Similarly, Phospho-p53 (Ser15), cleaved caspase 3 (Asp175), and cleaved Parp (Asp214) expression was upregulated in the LDR-IR cells. No difference was observed in the mRNA expression of DNA repair-related genes (Msh2, Msh3, Wrn, Lig4, Neil3, ERCC8, and ERCC6) between Non-IR and LDR-IR cells. Interestingly, the mRNA of Trfc was upregulated in the LDR-IR cells. Therefore, we suggest that short-term Low-dose-rate radiation activates apoptosis in EL4 lymphoma cells.

• 한방안이비인후피부과학회지
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.11-32
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• 2009

Objective : This study was designed to investigate anti-cancer and whitening activities (LC). So it was investigated the effects of LC on proliferation rates of melanoma genetic profile by LC. Methods : The genetic profile for the effect of LC on human derived melanoma cell, SK-MEL-2, was measured using microarray technique, and the functional analysis on these genes were conducted. Total 441 genes were up-regulated and 830 genes down-regulated in cells treated with LC. Genes induced or suppressed by LC were all mainly concerned with basic signalling pathways, which are involved in cell growth, differentiation and migration. Especially, many genes, which are related in apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were up-regulated by treatment with LC, and genes related in cell cycle were down-regulated. Result : The network of total protein interactions were identified by using cytoscape program, and some key molecules, such as BCL2L1, SIN3A, SMAD2 and c-myc that can be used for elucidation of therapeutical mechanism of medicine in the future. Conclusion : These results suggest possibility of LC as addition drug and whitening cosmetics. In addition, it was also suggested that related mechanisms are involved in BCL2L1, SIN3A, SMAD2 and c-myc related signalling pathways.