• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2018

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Although several recent studies have reported the anti-cancer effects of extracts or components of Citrus unshiu peel, which has been used for various purposes in traditional medicine, the molecular mechanisms for their effects remain unclear. In the present study, the anti-cancer activity of a water-soluble extract of C. unshiu peel (WECU) in MDA-MB-231 human breast carcinoma cells at the level of apoptosis induction was investigated. MATERIALS/METHODS: Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay. Apoptosis was detected using DAPI staining and flow cytometry analyses. Mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, caspase activity and Western blotting were used to confirm the basis of apoptosis. RESULTS: The results indicated that WECU-induced apoptosis was related to the activation of caspase-8, and -9, representative initiator caspases of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, respectively, and caspase-3 accompanied by proteolytic degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and down-regulation of the inhibitors of apoptosis protein family members. WECU also increased the pro-apoptotic BAX to anti-apoptotic BCL-2 ratio, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytoplasm. Furthermore, WECU provoked the generation of ROS, but the reduction of cell viability and induction of apoptosis by WECU were prevented when ROS production was blocked by antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that WECU suppressed proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells by activating extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways in a ROS-dependent manner.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.987-994
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• 1997

To investigate the effects of n-3 fatty acids on breast cancer, MDA-MB231 human breast cancer cells were cultured in the presence of $\alpha$-linolenic (LNA), eicosapentaenoic(EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at a concentration of 0.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml in serum -free IMM medium. Cell growth was monitored and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), $\alpha$-tocopherol contents, and oncogene expression were measured. To compare the effects of n-3 fatty acids with other types of fatty acid, steraic (STA), olieic(OA). linoleic acid(LA) were used. After one day , cell growth was retarded most highly when DHA was in the medium. Cellular TBARS level measured after three days of culture was the highest with DHA in the medium and was also increased by LNA and EPA, compared with STA, OA and LA. Alpha-tocoopherol contents of cells were decreased by DHA but only modestly. There was non significant difference in $\alpha$-tocopherol contents in cells cultured in the presence of the other fatty acids. northern blot hybridization carried out with cells cultured during 24 hours showed that levels of erbB-2 mRNA were not altered by six different fatty acids in the medium but those of c-myc were transiently decreased in the early period by both n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The level of tumor suppressor gen p53 mRNA , however, was increased by DHA with time. It is concluded that the cytotoxicity of lipid peroxide and increased expression of tumor suppressor gene p53 are at least partly responsible for the inhibitory effect of DHA on growth of breast cancer cells.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.10a
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• pp.495-496
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• 2010

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.175-183
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• 2005

The two major isoflavones in soy, genistein and daidzein, are well known to prevent hormone-dependent cancers by their anti estrogenic activity. The exact molecular mechanisms for the protective action are, however, not provided yet. It has been reported that genistein and daidzein have a potential anticancer activity through their antiproliferative effect in many hormone-dependent cancer cell lines. Transforming growth $factor-\beta1(TGF-\beta1)$ has also been found to have cell growth inhibitory effect, especially in mammary epithelial cells. This knowledge led to a hypothetical mechanism that the soy isoflavones-induced growth inhibitory effect can be derived from the regulation of $TGF-\beta1$ and $TGF-\beta$ receptors. In order to test this hypothesis, the effects of the soy isoflavones at various concentrations and periods on the expression of $TGF-\beta1$and $TGF-\beta$ receptors were investigated by using Northern blot analysis in human breast carcinoma epithelial cell lines, an estrogen receptor positive cell line (MCF-7) and an estrogen receptor negative cell line (MDA-MB-231). As a result, only genistein has shown a profound dose-dependent effect on $TGF-\beta1$ expression in the $ER^+$ cell line within the range of doses tested, and the expression levels are correspondent to their inhibitory activities of cell growth. Moreover, daidzein showed down-regulated $TGF-\beta1$ expression at a low dose, the cell growth proliferation was promoted at the same condition. Therefore, antiproliferative activity of the soy isoflavones can be mediated by $TGF-\beta1$ expression, and the effects are mainly, if not all, occurred by ER dependent pathway. The expression of $TGF-\beta$ receptors was induced at a lower dose than the one for $TGF-{\beta}1$ induction regardless of the presence of ER, and the expression patterns are similar to those of the cell growth inhibition. These results indicated that the regulation of $TGF-\beta$ receptor expression as well, prior to $TGF-\beta1$ expression, may be involved in the antiproliferative activity of soy isoflavones. Little or no expression of $TGF-\beta$ receptors was found in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting refractory properties of the cells to growth inhibitory effect of the $TGF-\beta$. The soy isoflavones can seemingly restore the sensitivity of growth inhibitory responses to $TGF-\beta1$ by re-inducing $TGF-\beta$ receptors expression. In conclusions, our findings presented in this study show that the antitumorigenic activity of the soy isoflavones could be mediated by not only $TGF-\beta1$induction but $TGF-\beta$ receptor restoration. Thus, soy isoflavones could be good model molecules to develop new nonsteroidal antiestrogenic chemopreventive agents, associated with, regulation of $TGF-\beta$ and its receptors.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.171-180
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• 2024

Background: Epimers of ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3) have a low bioavailability and are prone to deglycosylation, which produces epimers of ginsenoside Rh2 (S-Rh2 and R-Rh2) and protopanaxadiol (S-PPD and R-PPD). The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and potency of these molecules as anti-cancer agents. Methods: Crystal violet staining was used to study the anti-proliferatory action of the molecules on a human epithelial breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and compare their potency. Cell death and cell cycle were studied using flow cytometry and mode of cell death was studied using live cell imaging. Anti-angiogenic effects of the drug were studied using loop formation assay. Molecular docking showed the interaction of these molecules with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) and aquaporin (AQP) water channels. VEGF bioassay was used to study the interaction of Rh2 with VEGFR2, in vitro. Results: HUVEC was the more sensitive cell line to the anti-proliferative effects of S-Rh2, S-PPD and R-PPD. The molecules induced necroptosis/necrosis in MDA-MB-231 and apoptosis in HUVEC. S-Rh2 was the most potent inhibitor of loop formation. In silico molecular docking predicted a good binding score between Rh2 or PPD and the ATP-binding pocket of VEGFR2. VEGF bioassay showed that Rh2 was an allosteric modulator of VEGFR2. In addition, SRh2 and PPD had good binding scores with AQP1 and AQP5, both of which play roles in cell migration and proliferation. Conclusion: The combination of these molecules might be responsible for the anti-cancer effects observed by Rg3.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.6511-6516
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• 2012

Recently, we reported that an ethanol extract of Iris nertschinskia induces p53-dependent apoptosis in the MCF7 human breast cancer cell line. However, the detailed mechanisms were not fully explored. Here, we demonstrate another aspect of the activity of I. nertschinskia in breast cancer cells. We compared the response to an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia in two different human breast cancer cell lines, Hs578Tand MDA-MB231, respectively with relatively low and high AKT1/2 activity by trypan blue exclusion assay and FACS analysis. Knockdown of endogenous AKT1 or AKT2 in breast cancer cells by RNA interference determined the sensitivity to I. nertschinskia ethanol extract compared to control cells. The I. nertschinskia ethanol extract induced cell death in a manner that depended on the level of phosphorylated AKT1/2 protein and was associated with a significant increase in the sub-G1 cell population, indicative of apoptosis. Our results indicate that an ethanol extract of I. nertschinskia differentially induces cell death in breast cancer cells depending on their level of phosphorylated AKT1/2.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.358-368
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• 2023

Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Sieb., also known as the arrow tree in Korea, is a plant in East Asia used in traditional medicine and food. In particular, the wings of E. alatus are rich in phenolic compounds. This study evaluated the antioxidant, α-glucosidase inhibition, and anti-cancer activities of E. alatus wing extracts. The radical and hydrogen peroxide scavenging acitvities and reducing the power of 1,000 ㎍/mL E. alatus wing extracts, were similar to those of the positive control (0.1% BHT, 0.1% α-tocopherol). In addition, ethanol and methanol extract at 250 ㎍/mL showed 95.70 and 94.99% of α-glucosidase inhibition activity, respectively. The ethanol extract of E. alatus wings had the highest total polyphenol and flavonoid contents (867.8 mg% and 521.7 mg%, respectively). The E. alatus wing extracts significantly decreased the cell viability of LNCaP human prostate cancer cells (p<0.001), MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells (p<0.001), and HT-29 human colon cancer cells (p<0.001) in a dose-dependent manner. However, there was no significant effect on B16 mouse melanoma cells. Notably, the ethanol extracts showed higher cancer cell growth inhibitory activity in LNCaP and HT-29 cells than the other extracts. These results suggest that E. alatus wing extracts could have significant clinical applications, and our results can be used as basic data for future functional food material development.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6949-6954
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• 2014

Background: Recent studies have indicated that microRNA-15a (miR-15a) is dysregulated in breast cancer (BC). We aimed to evaluate the expression of miR-15a in BC tissues and corresponding para-carcinoma tissues. We also focused on effects of miR-15a on cellular behavior of MDA-MB-231 and expression of its target gene synuclein-${\gamma}$ (SNCG). Materials and Methods: The expression levels of miR-15a were analysed in BC formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues by microarray and quantitative real-time PCR. CCK-8 assays, cell cycle and apoptosis assays were used to explore the potential functions of miR-15a in MDA-MB-231 human BC cells. A luciferase reporter assay confirmed direct targets. Results: Downregulation of miR-15a was detected in most primary BCs. Ectopic expression of miR-15a promoted proliferation and suppressed apoptosis in vivo. Further studies indicated that miR-15a may directly interact with the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of SNCG mRNA, downregulating its mRNA and protein expression levels. SNCG expression was negatively correlated with miR-15a expression. Conclusions: MiR-15a has a critical role in mediating cell cycle arrest and promoting cell apoptosis of BC, probably by directly targeting SNCG. Thus, it may be involved in development and progression of BC.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 1998

To investigate the effects of antioxidative vitamins in combination with various fatty acids on breast cancer cell proliferation, MDA-MB231 human breast cancer cells were cultured for 3 days in the serum-free Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium (IMDM) supplemented with 1.25mg/ml delipidized bovine serum albumin and 10㎍/ml insulin. Alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid or both vitamins were added to the medium at the concentrations of 10 and 50μM in the presence of 3μg/ml of oletic(Oa), linoleic(LA) α-linoleinic(LNA) and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA). Cell growth was reduced significantly by α-tocopherol in a dose-dependent manner, but not affected by ascorbic aicd. The four different fatty acids did not have significant effects on cell growth, although DHA exerted inhibitory effect on the growth after 1 day. However, the each fatty acid was well incorporated into celluar lipid as such or elongated forms. Addition of α-tocopherol remarkably increased its celluar contents and reduced cellular levels of thiobarbituric acid substances (TBARS) that were elevated notably in the presence of DHA in the culture media. But ascorbic acid addition did not change much of either cellular α-tocopherol or TBARS contents. northern blot hybridization showed that tumor supressor gene ρ53 was most highly expressed by the combination of ρ-tocopherol and DHA in 8 hours of cell culture. In conclusion , the growth inhibitory effect of vitamin E suggests that breast cancer cell proliferation is reduced by the mechanism other than cytotoxicity of lipid peroxide and it is related to expressionof tumor supprosser gene p53, that can be increased by both vitamin E and n-3 fatty acid, DHA.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.228.1-228.1
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• 2003

Sphingolipid metabolites have been implicated as an important component of cell signalling, such as cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. But the roles of phytoceramide and its deraivatives are very poorly understood. even though they are abundant in plants, yeasts and animals including humans. We investigated the effects of N-acetyl-C2-phytosphingosine(NAPS) and the analogue of N.N-dimethylsphingosine(DMS), N,N-dimethylphytosphytosphingosine(DMPS), on cell growth inhibition and apoptosis. (omitted)