• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.254-262
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• 2010

Artemisia capillaris (A. capillaries) is known to play roles in many cellular events, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We investigated the antifibrogenic efficacy of A. capillaris in the immortalized human hepatic stellate cell line LX2. Cell proliferation was determined by the MTT assay. Cell cycle was analyzed by the flow cytometry. Apoptotic cells were measured using a cell death detection ELISA. Caspase activity was detected by a colorimetric assay. The mRNA level of Bcl-2 and Bax mRNA were measured by real-time PCR. MEK and ERK protein were detected by Western blot analysis. We provide evidence that A. capillaris induces cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and potently inhibits the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. A. capillaris inhibited cell proliferation of LX2 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, increased the apoptosis fraction at cell cycle analysis with an accompanying DNA fragmentation, and resulted in a significant decrease in Bcl-2 mRNA levels and an increase in Bax expression. Exposure of LX2 cells to A. capillaris induced caspase-3 activation, but co-treatment of A. capillaris with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK, and the caspase-3 inhibitor Z-DEVE-FMK, blocked apoptosis. A. capillaris down-regulated Mcl-1 protein levels and inhibited phosphorylation of MEK/ERK, suggesting that it mediates cell death in LX2 cells through the down-regulation of Mcl-1 protein via a MEK/ERK-independent pathway.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.145-149
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• 2007

We have previously shown that 2,4,3',5'-tetramethoxystilbene (TMS), a synthetic trans-stilbene analogue acting as a potent inhibitor of human cytochrome P450 1B1, induces apoptotic cell death in human cancer cells. In the present studies, we report the mechanisms of apoptotic cell death by TMS in human promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells. We found that treatment of HL-60 cells with TMS suppressed the cell growth in a concentration-dependent manner with $IC_{50}$ value of about 0.8 ${\mu}M$. Immunoblot experiments revealed that DMHS-induced apoptosis was associated with cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. The release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol was significantly increased in response to TMS. TMS caused activation of caspase-3 in a concentration-dependent manner and TMS-mediated caspase-3 activation was partially prevented by the caspase inhibitor, zVAD-fmk. Interestingly, we found that the cytotoxic effect of anticancer drugs such as paclitaxel, docetaxel, or etoposide was enhanced in the presence of TMS. Simultaneous treatment with TCDD also significantly increased cytotoxic effects of TMS alone or TMS and anti-cancer agents. Taken together, our present results indicated that TMS leads to apoptotic cell death in HL-60 cells through activation of caspase-3 activity and release of cytochrome c into cytosol. The ability of TMS to increase cytotoxic effect of anticancer drugs may contribute to its usefulness for cancer chemotherapy.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.519-529
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effects of Injinchunggan-tang on cell growth and apoptosis in human hepatic stellate cell line LX2. Materials and Methods : Hepatic stellate cells were treated with various concentrations of Injinchunggan-tang extract for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The extraction was done with distilled water. After the treatment, cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, caspase activity, caspase inhibitor and the mRNA of the Bcl-2, and Bax with ${\beta}$-actin were measured by using MTT assay, apoptosis assay and RT-PCR. Results : Proliferation, and mRNA expression of the hepatic stellate cells were inhibited by Injinchunggan-tang treatment in a dose-dependent manner. This indicates the prescription has inhibitory effect on fibrogenesis of the liver by regulating the fibrogenesis-associated genes in transcription. Cell viability was inhibited in time- and dose-dependent manners. Conclusions : These results suggest that Injinchunggan-tang would be beneficial in the treatment of cirrhotic patients as well as for the patients with chronic hepatitis.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.249-255
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• 2009

Esculetin, a coumarin compound, has been known to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in several types of human cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in esculetin-induced apoptosis are still uncharacterized in human leukemia cells. In this study, we have investigated whether esculetin exerts anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects on human leukemia U937 cells. It was found that esculetin could inhibit cell viability in a time-dependent manner, which was associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death such as increased populations of apoptotic- sub G1 phase. Apoptosis of U937 cells by esculetin was associated with an inhibition of Bcl-2/Bax binding activity, formation of tBid, down-regulation of X-linked inhibitor of apoptotic protein (XIAP) expression, and up-regulation of death receptor 4 (DR4) and FasL expression. Esculetin treatment also induced the degradation of ${\beta}$-catenin and DNA fragmentation factor 45/inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase (DFF45/ICAD). Furthermore, a caspase-3 specific inhibitor, z-DEVD-fmk, significantly inhibited sub-G1 phase DNA content, morphological changes and degradation of ${\beta}$-catenin and DEE45/ICAD. These results indicated that a key regulator in esculetin-induced apoptosis was caspase-3 in human leukemia U937 cells.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.273-276
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• 2006

Three dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship studies for a series of isatin derivatives as a nonpeptidyl caspase-3 enzyme inhibitor were investigated using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA). The first approach of non-peptidyl small molecules by 3D QSAR may be useful in guiding further development of potent caspase-3 inhibitors.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.46-54
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• 2010

Ceramide induces cell death in a variety of cell types however, the underlying molecular mechanisms related to renal epithelial cells remain unclear. The present study was undertaken to determine the role of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) in ceramide-induced cell death in renal epithelial cells. An established renal proximal tubular cell line of opossum kidney (OK) cells was used for this research. Ceramide induced apoptotic cell death in these cells. Western blot analysis showed that ceramide induced activation of ERK. The ERK activation and cell death induced by ceramide were prevented by the ERK inhibitor PD98059. Ceramide caused cytochrome C release from mitochondria into the cytosol as well as activation of caspase-3. Both effects were prevented by PD98059. The ceramide-induced cell death was also prevented by a caspase inhibitor. These results suggest that ceramide induces cell death through an ERK-dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in OK cells.

• 대한치과교정학회지
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.169-183
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• 2003

교정력에 의한 치아 이동은 기계적인 힘에 의하여 압박측에는 다양한 구조를 가진 치주 조직에 혈류의 변화가 생기며 국소적으로 산소 장력에도 변화가 생겨 저산소 상태 가 유발됨은 이미 확인한 바 있다. 본 연구는 치아 주위 골격을 형성하는 조골세포를 대상으로 교정적 치아 이동과 유사한 시험관내 조건을 설정하여 저산소 상태 시 유발되는 조골세포 고사조절 기전을 규명하고자 시행하였다. 생리적인 저산소증의 실험조건으로 $2\%$ 산소상태를 설정하여 저산소 하에서 세포가 고사(apoptosis) 됨을 확인하였고, stress유발 시 많은 관련을 가진 것으로 알려진 p-38 MAPK의 활성을 관찰하였다. 또한 p-38 MAPK의 억제제인 SB203580의 전처치로 인하여 세포의 죽음이 억제됨을 확인하였고, 저산소 상태 시 활성형태로 분절되는 caspase-3, -6및 9등의 세포고사관련 효소들의 활성 형태로의 분절이 억제됨을 확인하였으며 이러한 caspase의 기질인 Lamin-A등의 분절 또한 억제됨을 밝혔다. 또한 마이토콘드리아 내의 cytochrome c의 세포질내로의 이동 또한 조절됨을 확인함으로써 p-38 MAPK의 조절단계를 시사하여 주고 있다. 본 연구로 치아 이동 시 유발되는 저산소 상태 하에서 발생하는 조골세포의 고사 조절에 p-38 MAPK가 관여함을 확인하였다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.804-813
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• 2008

본 연구에서는 전통 민간의학에서 많이 사용되는 동충하초(C. militaris)의 항암 작용에 관한 근거 자료의 제시를 위하여 동충하초 열수 추출물(WECM)의 항암 기전 해석을 시도하였다. 이를 위하여 HepG2 인체 간암세포를 사용하였으며, WECM의 처리에 의하여 HepG2 세포의 증식은 처리 농도의 증가에 따라 매우 억제되었다. WECM 처리에 의한 HepG2 세포의 증식 억제는 암세포의 심한 형태적 변형을 수반하였고, 이는 apoptosis 유도와 연관성이 있음을 DAPI 염색을 통한 apoptotic body 출현의 증가 및 flow cytometry 분석에 의한 sub-G1 기에 속하는 세포 빈도의 증가로 확인하였다. WECM 처리에 의한 HepG2 세포의 증식 억제는 또한 종양 억제 유전자 p53 및 CDKI p21의 발현 증가와도 연관성이 있음을 알 수 있었다. WECM 처리에 의한 apopotosis 유도에서 pro-apoptotic 인자인 Bax의 발현이 전사 및 번역 수준에서 매우 증가하였으며, caspase-3의 활성이 매우 높게 증가되었다. 특히 caspase-3 특이적 억제제인 z-DEVD-fmk로 caspase-3의 활성을 인위적으로 차단시켰을 경우, WECM에 의한 HepG2 세포의 apoptosis 유발에 caspase-3이 중심적인 역할을 하고 있음을 알 수 있었다. 본 연구 결과는 WECM의 생화학적 항암기전 해석을 이해하고 향후 수행될 추가 실험을 위한 기초 자료로서 그 가치가 매우 높은 것으로 생각된다.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.30-40
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• 2008

The objectives of this study was to check up the effect of celecoxib, COX-2 inhibitor, on the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. After mefenamic acid, aspirin and celecoxib, COX-2 inhibitor, were inoculated to HN 22 cell line, the following results were obtained through tumor cell viability by wortmannin, growth curve of tumor cell line, apoptotic index, PGE2 synthesis, total RNA extraction, RT-PCR analysis and TEM features. 1. When wortmannin and celecoxib were given together, the survival rate of tumor cells was lowest about 47 %. So wortmannin had an effect on the decrease of survival rate of tumor cells. 2. In growth curve, the slowest growth was observed in celecoxib inoculated group. 3. The synthesis of PGE2 was decreased in all group and the obvious suppression and highest apoptotic index was observed in celecoxib inoculated group. 4. Suppression of expression of COX-2 mRNA was evident in celecoxib inoculated group. But that of COX-1,2 mRNA was observed in mefenamic acid inoculated group and aspirin inoculated group. 5. In celecoxib inoculated group, mRNA expression of AKT1 was decreased and that of PTEN & expression of caspase 3 and 9 was evidently increased. Depending on above results, when celecoxib was inoculated to oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line, an increase of mRNA expression of caspase 3,9 and PTEN is related to a decrease of mRNA expression of AKT1. Wortmannin had an effect on the decrease of survival rate of tumor cells. Celecoxib might induce apoptosis of tumor cell by suppression of AKT1 pathway and COX-2 inhibition. This results suggested that COX-2 inhibitor might be significantly effective in chemoprevention of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.336-343
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• 2008

본 연구에서는 인체전립선 상피세포인 267B1 세포에서 HDAC 저해제인 TSA에 의한 증식억제가 apoptosis 유도에 의한 것임을 제시하였다. 이러한 TSA에 의한 267B1 세포의 apoptosis에는 c-IAP-1 및 c-IAP-2와 같은 IAP family의 발현감소가 동반되었으나 Bax 및 Bcl-2와 같은 Bcl-2 family의 발현에는 큰 변화가 없었다. 그리고 TSA에 의한 267Bl 세포의 apoptosis는 caspase의 활성에 의한 표적 단백질들의 분해와 연관성이 있었다. 또한 TSA에 의한 apoptosis 유도에서 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성이 증가된다는 것을 세포질에서 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 핵 내로의 이동에 따른 전사활성의 증가 현상에 의한 것임을 다양한 방법으로 제시하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 TSA와 같은 HDAC 저해제에 의한 apoptosis 유도에는 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 활성 증가가 동반될 수 있음을 보여주는 결과로서 HDAC 저해제의 항암활성에 대한 $NF-{\kappa}B$의 새로운 역할 가능성을 제시하여 주는 것으로서 이에 관한 추가적인 연구의 필요성을 제시하였다.