• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.218-223
• /
• 2008

Oxidative stress is believed to contribute to the neuronal damage induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the possible antioxidant neuroprotective effect of hydroxyfullerene (a radical absorbing cage molecule) against neuronal death in hippocampal CA1 neurons following transient global cerebral ischemia in the rat. Transient global cerebral ischemia was induced in male Wistar rats by four vessel- occlusion (4VO) for 10 min. Lipid peroxidation in brain tissues was determined by measuring the concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). Furthermore, the apoptotic effects of ${H_2}{O_2}$ on PC12 cells were also investigated. Cell viabilities were measured using MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,-5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assays. Hydroxyfullerene, when administered to rats at 0.3-3 mg/kg i.p. at 0 and 90 minutes after 4-VO was found to significantly reduce CA1 neuron death by 72.4% on hippocampal CA1 neurons. Our findings suggest that hydroxyfullerene protects neurons from transient global cerebral injury in the rat hippocampus by reducing oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation levels, which contribute to apoptotic cell death.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.202-211
• /
• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the apoptotic effect of Phellodendri Cortex water extract (PCWE) on pancreatic cancer cells and to find out the regulating mechanisms. Human-derived pancreatic cancer cell line, MIA PaCa-2 cells were treated by PCWE with various concentrations and the cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. The activation of Annexin V, DNA fragmentation, cell cycle arrest and caspase activation were observed to investigate the role of PCWE in pancreatic cancer cells. Also, to find out the regulating mechanisms, we examined the ROS production. The treatment of PCWE induced the cell death in both concentration and time dependent manner. The treatment of PCWE also increased the expression of Annexin V, DNA fragmentation, cell cycle arrest, and cleavage of caspase, which means cell-death PCWE induced was apoptosis but not necrosis. The ROS production was increased by PCWE treatment and the blockade of ROS inhibited the PCWE-induced cell death. These results could suggest that PCWE induced apoptosis via ROS release in pancreatic cancer cell.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.125-137
• /
• 2013

Promising evidence suggests that amyloid beta peptide ($A{\beta}$), a key mediator in age-dependent neuronal and cerebrovascular degeneration, activates death signalling processes leading to neuronal as well as non-neuronal cell death in the central nervous system. A major cellular event in $A{\beta}$-induced apoptosis of non-neuronal cells, including cerebral endothelial cells, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, is mitochondrial dysfunction. The apoptosis signalling cascade upstream of mitochondria entails $A{\beta}$ activation of neutral sphingomyelinase, resulting in the release of ceramide from membrane sphingomyelin. Ceramide then activates protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), a member in the ceramide-activated protein phosphatase (CAPP) family. PP2A dephosphorylation of Akt and FKHRL1 plays a pivotal role in $A{\beta}$-induced Bad translocation to mitochondria and transactivation of Bim. Bad and Bim are pro-apoptotic proteins that cause mitochondrial dysfunction characterized by excessive ROS formation, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage, and release of mitochondrial apoptotic proteins including cytochrome c, apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), endonuclease G and Smac. The cellular events activated by $A{\beta}$ to induce death of non-neuronal cells are complex. Understanding these apoptosis signalling processes will aid in the development of more effective strategies to slow down age-dependent cerebrovascular degeneration caused by progressive cerebrovascular $A{\beta}$ deposition.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.26-31
• /
• 2012

Actinidia arguta (Actinidiaceae) has been reported to have several pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and anti-oxidant activities. The present study investigated the protective activity of an ethanol extract from the leaf and stem of A. arguta against glutamate-induced neurotoxicity using cultured rat cortical neurons. Exposure of cultured cortical neurons to $500{\mu}M$ glutamate for 12 h triggered neuronal cell death. A. arguta inhibited glutamate-induced neuronal death and apoptosis, which were measured by a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. The increase of pro-apoptotic proteins, Bax and c-caspase-3, in glutamate-treated neurons was significantly inhibited by treatment with A. arguta. A. arguta also inhibited $500{\mu}M$ glutamate-induced elevation of intracellular calcium concentration ($[Ca^{2+}]_i$) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which were measured by fluorescent dyes, Fluo-4 AM and $H_2DCF$-DA, respectively. These results suggest that A. arguta may prevent glutamate-induced apoptotic neuronal death by inhibiting $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ elevation and ROS generation and, therefore, may have a therapeutic role for the prevention of neurodegeneration in cerebral ischemic diseases.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.475-482
• /
• 2012

This study was designed to elucidate the mechanism of the cytoprotective effect of the Palmul-tang (PMT) on glutamate induced cytotoxicity in rat C6 glial cells. We determined the increase of cell viability by PMT on glutamate-induced death of C6 glial cell. On some experiments, glutamate induced cell death to be an apoptotic phenomena characterized by G1 arrest in cell cycle, chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation in C6 glial cells. However, pre-treatment of PMT inhibited characteristic apoptotic phenomena. One of the main mediator of glutamate-induced cytotoxicity was known to generation of reactive oxigen species. In this study, PMT attenuated generation of reactive oxigen species by glutamate through down-regulation of NOX1 expression in C6 glial cells. Furthermore, PMT regulated Bcl2 families and caspase proteins, which contribute the cell survival or death. This study suggests that PMT may be candidate for both of therapeutic and protective prescription.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.63-73
• /
• 2001

Objectives : The objective of the current study is to determine the protective effect of Ukyium(Yougui-yin) on the apoptosis induced by zinc. Methods : Zinc is known to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anion ($O_2$) and hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$), which eventually contribute to cytotoxicity in a variety of cell types. We investigated the viablity of cells, $H_2O_2$ generation, chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation in Hoechst dye staining and $IkB-{\alpha}$ degradation in C6 glial cells of $ZnCl_2$ between pretreatment- and not pretreatment-group with Ukyium. The former methods were researched by Time- and Dose-dependent manners. Results : We demonstrated that pretreatment with Ukyium prevented zinc-induced cell death of C6 glial cells and apoptotic characteristics including chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation. Ukyium also prevented $H_2O_2-induced$ cell death. We further confirmed that Ukyium decreased zinc-induced generation of $H_2O_2$ and inhibited degradation of $IkB-{\alpha}$ by zinc in C6 glial ceHs. Conclusions : These data indicated that Ukyium (Yougui-yin) prevents zinc-induced apoptotic death of C6 glial cells via inhibition of ROS generation, such as $H_2O_2$ as well as inhibition of $IkB-{\alpha}$ degradation.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.318-326
• /
• 1999

Apoptotic cell death, characterized by DNA fragmentation and morphological changes, has previously been shown to occur in vascular endothelial cells cultured with hydrogen peroxide. The present study examined the induction of apoptosis by hydrogen peroxide and whether pyruvate, a key glycolytic intermediate and $\alpha$-keto-monocarboxylate, can inhibit the apoptotic effects in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells(BPAECs). Culture with 500uM hydrogen peroxide resulted in 30% cell death and induced morphological changes and DNA fragmentation. Cell injury was inhibited by the treatment with pyruvate. Pyruvate(0.1-5.0mM), and cell viability increased in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of pyruvate(10~20mM), the viability was improved to over 95%. In contrast, treatment with lactate, a reduced form of phyuvate, did not protect against cell death oxidative stress-induced loss of viability and apoptosis was examined with $\alpha$-cyano-3-hydroxycinnarmate(COHC) as a selective mitochondrial monocarboxylate transport blocker. Incubation with COHC(500uM) did not significantly affect cell viability in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The cytoprotection by pyruvate(3mM)against hydrogen peroxide stress was abolished by COHC. This indicates that the cytoprotection by pyruvate against oxidative stress in endothelial cells is mediated, at least in part, by mitochondrial pyruvate uptake and hence endothelial enerygetics. However, cytosolic mechanisms related, at least in part, by mitochondrial pyruvate uptake and hence endothelial energetics. However, cytosolic mechanisms related to the glutathione system may also contribute. The results suggest that pyruvate has therapeutic potential in the treatment of oxidative stress-induced cytotoxicity associated with increased apoptosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.730-738
• /
• 2001

Apoptosis is a morphologically and biochemically distinct form of cell death that occurs in many different cell types in a wide variety of organisms. Ajbizzia julibrissin belonging the family Leguminosae has been used for the treatment of contusion, sore throat, amnesia, and insomnia in oriental traditional medicine. This study investigates whether the water extract off julibrissin induce apoptotic cell death in Jurkat T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. Jurkat cells were increased inhibitions of cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner by A julibrissin. This herbal medicine also caused apoptosis as measured by cell morphology and DNA fragmentation. The capability oft julibrissin to induce apoptosis was associated with proteolytic cleavage of specific target protein such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein suggesting the possible involvement of caspases. Our result skewed that Bcl-2 and Bax protein levels were not changed in all A julibrissin-treated groups compared to control group. These results suggest that A julibrissin-mediated apoptosis is independent with Bcl-2 related signaling pathway in this cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.553-557
• /
• 2014

Verapamil is used in the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris, and atrial fibrillation. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that verapamil increased the optic nerve head blood flow and improved the retrobulbar circulation. All these show that verapamil is potentially useful for ophthalmic treatment. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate whether verapamil could protect human lens epithelial cell (HLEC) from oxidative stress induced by $H_2O_2$ and the cellular mechanism underlying this protective function. The viability of HLEC was determined by the MTT assay and apoptotic cell death was analyzed by Hoechst 33258 staining. Moreover, Caspase-3 expression was detected by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry analysis. We also detected Caspase-3 mRNA expression by reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the GSH content in cell culture. The results showed that oxidative stress produced significant cell apoptotic death and it was reduced by previous treatment with the verapamil. Verapamil was effective in reducing HLEC death mainly through reducing the expression level of apoptosis-related proteins, caspase-3, and increasing glutathione content. Therefore, it was suggested that verapamil was effective in reducing HLEC apoptosis induced by $H_2O_2$.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.59-66
• /
• 2022

Objectives : This study is to investigate whether Carthami flos exhibits a synergistic effect on the apoptotic effect of doxorubicin on human gastric cancer cells. Methods : We used AGS, a human gastric cancer cell line. To investigate the apoptotic efficacy of doxorubicin and Carthami flos, MTT and CCK-8 methods were used. To confirm apoptosis, cell cycle and mitochondrial membrane potential changes were confirmed. To investigate the mechanism of apoptosis, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) experiment was performed. Results : 1. Doxorubicin or Carthami flos induced cell death in the human gastric cancer cell line AGS. 2. Carthami flos showed a synergistic effect of cell death by doxorubicin. 3. The cell cycle and mitochondrial membrane potential changes revealed that cell death was apoptosis. 4. Apoptosis was related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Conclusions : This result shows the anticancer synergistic effect of Carthami flos in gastric cancer cells, and is considered to be an important basis for the development of anticancer drugs for Carthami flos.