• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.177-185
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• 2020

Although many aquaporin (AQP) transcripts have been demonstrated to express in the female reproductive tract, the defined localizations and functions of AQP subtype proteins remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression of AQP1, AQP3, AQP5, AQP6, and AQP9 proteins in female reproductive tract of mouse and characterized their precise localizations at the cellular and subcellular levels. Immunofluorescence analyses for AQP1, AQP3, AQP6, and AQP9 showed that these proteins were abundantly expressed in female reproductive tract and that intense immunoreactivities were observed in mucosa epithelial cells with a subtype-specific pattern. The most abundant aquaporin in both vagina and uterine cervix was AQP3. Each of AQP1, AQP3, AQP6, and AQP9 exhibited its distinct distribution in stratified squamous or columnar epithelial cells. AQP9 expression was predominant in oviduct and ovary. AQP1, AQP3, AQP6, and AQP9 proteins were mostly seen in apical membrane of ciliated epithelial cells of the oviduct as well as in both granulosa and theca cells of ovarian follicles. Most of AQP subtypes were also expressed in surface epithelial cells and glandular cells of endometrium in the uterus, but their expression levels were relatively lower than those observed in the vagina, uterine cervix, oviduct and ovary. This is the first study to investigate the expression and localization of 5 AQP subtype proteins simultaneously in female reproductive tract of mouse. Our results suggest that AQP subtypes work together to transport water and glycerol efficiently across the mucosa epithelia for lubrication, proliferation, energy metabolism and pH regulation in female reproductive tract.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.1147-1152
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• 2004

To investigate the anti-cancer effects of aqueous extract of Cheonkumwikyung-tang (CKWKT) on the growth of human lung carcinoma cell line A549, we performed various biochemical experiments such as the effects of CKWKT on the cell proliferation and viability, the morphological changes, the effects on expression of apoptosis and cell growth-regulatory gene products. Results obtained are as follow; CKWKT treatment declined the cell viability and proliferation of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The anti-proliferative effect by CKWKT treatment in A549 cells was associated with morphological changes such as membrane shrinking and cell rounding up. CKWKT treatment induced apoptotic cell death of A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, which was associated with inhibition and/or degradation of apoptotic target proteins such poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, β-catenin and phospholipase C-γ1. Western blot analysis revealed that the levels cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 expression were induced by CKWKT treatment in A549 cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that CKWKT-induced inhibition of human lung cancer cell proliferation is associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death via regulation of several major growth regulatory gene products and CKWKT may have therapeutic potential in human lung cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• 제48권8호
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• pp.445-453
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• 2015

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) is an organelle where most secretory and membrane proteins are synthesized, folded, and undergo further maturation. As numerous conditions can perturb such ER function, eukaryotic cells are equipped with responsive signaling pathways, widely referred to as the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). Chronic conditions of ER stress that cannot be fully resolved by UPR, or conditions that impair UPR signaling itself, are associated with many metabolic and degenerative diseases. In recent years, Drosophila has been actively employed to study such connections between UPR and disease. Notably, the UPR pathways are largely conserved between Drosophila and humans, and the mediating genes are essential for development in both organisms, indicating their requirement to resolve inherent stress. By now, many Drosophila mutations are known to impose stress in the ER, and a number of these appear similar to those that underlie human diseases. In addition, studies have employed the strategy of overexpressing human mutations in Drosophila tissues to perform genetic modifier screens. The fact that the basic UPR pathways are conserved, together with the availability of many human disease models in this organism, makes Drosophila a powerful tool for studying human disease mechanisms. [BMB Reports 2015; 48(8): 445-453]

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권5호
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• pp.1977-1981
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• 2012

Houttuynia cordata Thunb (HCT) is a native herb found in Southeast Asia which features various pharmacological activities against allergy, inflammation, viral and bacterial infection, and cancer. The aims of this study were to determine the cytotoxic effect of 6 fractions obtained from silica gel column chromatography of alcoholic HCT extract on human leukemic Molt-4 cells and demonstrate mechanisms of cell death. Six HCT fractions were cytotoxic to human lymphoblastic leukemic Molt-4 cells in a dose-dependent manner by MTT assay, fraction 4 exerting the greatest effects. Treatment with $IC_{50}$ of HCT fraction 4 significantly induced Molt-4 apoptosis detected by annexinV-FITC/propidium iodide for externalization of phosphatidylserine to the outer layer of cell membrane. The mitochondrial transmembrane potential was reduced in HCT fraction 4-treated Molt-4 cells. Moreover, decreased expression of Bcl-xl and increased levels of Smac/Diablo, Bax and GRP78 proteins were noted on immunoblotting. In conclusion, HCT fraction 4 induces Molt-4 apoptosis cell through an endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.315-322
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• 2006

TALP-32 is highly basic protein with a molecular weight of 32 kDa purified from human term placenta. Some basic proteins such as defensins and cecropins are known to induce cell death by increasing membrane permeability and some of them are under development as an anticancer drug especially targeting multi-drug resistant cancers. Therefore, we investigated cytotoxic effect and mechanism of TALP-32 When HeLa cell was incubated with TALP-32, cytotoxicity was increased in time and dose dependent manner. As time goes by, HeLa cells became round and plasma membrane was ruptured. Increase of plasma membrane permeability was determined with LDH release assay. Also in transmission electron microscopy, typical morphology of necrotic cell death, such as cell swelling and intracellular organelle disruption was observed, but DNA fragmentation and caspase activation was not. And necrotic cell death was determined with Annexin V/Pl staining. The cytotoxicity of TALP-32 was minimal and decreased or RBC and Hep3B respectively. These data suggests that TALP-32 induces necrosis on rapidly growing cells but not on slowly growing cells implicating the possibility of its development of anticancer peptide drug.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2008

We report the existence of new type of phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D (PLD), which has been characterized and partially purified in the scuticociliate, Uronema marinum. The enzyme from partial purification showed that it was existed in membrane fraction and was a neutral PLD, which catalyzed both transphosphatidylation and hydrolysis reaction. The activity of partially purified membrane-bound PLD was also found to be optimal at pH 7.0-7.5 for 2 hours at 37℃ and depended strictly on the presence of Ca2+ (2.5 mM) and Mg2+ (1.6 mM). Immunoblot analysis indicated that the enzyme was distinct from hPLD1 (human PLD1) and hPLD2 (human PLD2) because it was not recognized by a polyclonal antibody raised to the 12 terminal amino acid of these enzymes. We also found that the membrane-bound PLD is a PIP2-dependent PLD and that GTP-binding proteins are not implicated in the regulation of this enzyme: This enzyme activity is markedly stimulated by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) but not by the small G-protein Arf and GTPrS. In addition, this enzyme was capable of hydrolyzing phosphatidylcholine (PC) but not phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), implying that PC was a preferred substrate.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제36권9호
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• pp.666-673
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• 2003

폐암의 주된 원인으로 알려진 흡연은 그 악성세포 발현기전이 아직 정확히 규명된 바 없다. 이에 저자들은 흡연에 의한 발암성의 지표로 흡연 중에 특이적으로 존재하는 강력한 발암물질인 NNK(4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone)를 이용하여 흡연에 따른 폐암의 발생과 그 Protein kinase C (PKC) isoform과 관련된 기전에 관한 연구를 시도하였다. 대상 및 방법: 인체 상피세포를 NNK에 노출시킨 후 saturation density, soft agar colony formation, cell aggregation 및 foci의 출현 등의 양상을 파악하여 세포 발암성 여부를 관찰하였으며 NNK를 15분간 노출시킨 후 PKC의 변화는 세포 내 PKC isoform의 양을 cytosolic fraction과 membrane fraction으로 분리하여 측정하여 분석하였다. 결과: NNK 투여군에서 saturation density, soft agar colony formation, cell aggregation 및 foci의 출현 시기 등의 세포 발암성을 뚜렷이 나타내었으며 PKC isoform분석의 경우 PKC-$\alpha$의 membrane fraction의 뚜렷한 증가를 보였으며 이러한 활성은 용량-의존적인 형태를 유지하였다. PKC-$\varepsilon$은 NNK 처리 시 용량-의존적으로 cytosol fraction의 감소 및 membrane fraction의 증가를 뚜렷하게 보였고 NNK에 의한 PKC-λ의 변화는 감지되지 않았다. 결론: 본 연구는 화학적 발암물질인 NNK가 인체발암화에 관여함을 재차 확인하면서 초기 과정에 관여하는 PKC isoform의 변화를 분석함으로써 total PKC활성이 아닌 isoform 각각에 대한 변화를 확인하였다는 점에서 앞으로 인체상피세포 기원의 폐암 생성 기전 연구에 기여할 것으로 생각한다.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.85-90
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• 2003

We investigated the effects of Oak smoke flavoring (OSF, Holyessing) on the growth of DU145 and PC-3 human prostate carcinoma cells. OSF treatment resulted in a concentration-dependent growth inhibition in both DU145 and PC3 cell lines. The anti-proliferative effect of OSF treatment was associated with the induction of apoptotic cell death which was confirmed by morphological change such as membrane shrinking, rounding up and chromatin condensation in DU145 and PC-3 cells. DNA flow cytometry analysis confirmed that OSF treatment increased population of apoptotic sub-G1 phase. Furthermore, we observed an increase of pro-apoptotic protein Bax expression and a decrease of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 by OSF treatment in a dose-dependent manner. OSF also induced a proteolytic cleavage of specific target proteins such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and β-catenin proteins. The present results indicated that OSF-induced inhibition of human prostate carcinoma cell proliferation is associated with the induction of apoptosis.

• 동아시아식생활학회지
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• 제23권6호
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• pp.723-732
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• 2013

We investigated the inducing effects of Rubus coreanus extract (RCE) on apoptosis and its related gene expressions in human breast cancer cells. MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in the presence of 0, 200, 300, and $400{\mu}g/mL$ RCE for 24h. MTT assay demonstrated that relative cell viability measured a decrease in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). This dependency was also found in the increasing levels of cell death by a dual staining with Hoechst 33322 and propidium iodide (p<0.05). These close associations was also observed by different stages of apoptotic processes, as shown by an Apoptosis Detection Kit. To determine whether the alterations in such cell activities obtained above cause the induction of apoptotic genes, PT-PCR was performed expressions of both Bcl-2 and Bax mRNAs. The Bcl-2/Bax ratio which is an important indicator of apoptosis, was found to have significantly decreased dose dependence (p<0.05). Western blot analysis also demonstrated that Caspase-3 significantly increases in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05) in addition to similar alterations of other proteins examined. Taken these results together, the ethanolic RCE used induces a reduction in cell viability along with increased membrane permeability. This leads to a precautious apoptotic process and, subsequently, cell death through the apoptotic pathway involving Bax and Caspase-3 in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells.

• 식품저장과 가공산업
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.9-18
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• 2008

The health benefits of garlic (Allium sativum L.) are derived from a wide variety of components and from the different ways it is administered. The known health benefits of garlic include cardiovascular protective effects, stimulation of immune function, reduction of blood glucose level, protection against microbial, viral and fungal infections, as well as anticancer effects. In the present study, it was examined the effects of water extract of A. sativum (WEAS) on the growth of cultured human tumor cells in order to investigate its anti-proliferative mechanism. Treatment of WEAS to tumor cells resulted in the growth inhibition, especially in leukemia cells, which was associated with induction of G2/M arrest of the cell cycle and apoptosis. In order to further explore the critical events leading to apoptosis in WEAS-treated U937 human leukemia cells, the following effects of WEAS on components of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway were examined: generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), alteration of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and the expression changes of Bcl-2 and IAP family proteins. The cytotoxic effect of WEAS was mediated by its induction of apoptosis as characterized by the occurrence of DNA ladders, apoptotic bodies and chromosome condensation in U937 cells. The WEAS-induced apoptosis in U937 cells was correlated with the generation of intracellular ROS, collapse of MMP, activation of caspase-3 and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins. The quenching of ROS generation with antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine conferred significant protection against WEAS-elicited ROS generation, caspase-3 activation, G2/M arrest and apoptosis. In conclusion, the present study reveals that the cellular ROS generation plays a pivotal role in the initiation of WEAS-triggered apoptotic death in U937 cells.