• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2007

목적 : 이 연구는 봉독의 주요 성분인 낮은 농도의 melittin이 in vitro에서 세포자멸사 관련 단백질과 전립 선암세포 PC-3 증식 관련 수용체의 발현 조절을 통하여 세포자멸사(Apoptosis)를 유도하는지 in vivo에서 또한 전립선 암세포주인 PC-3 세포의 성장을 억제하는지 살펴보고자 하였다. 방법 : Melittin을 처리한 후 전립선암세포 PC-3의 성장억제를 관찰하기 위해 WST-l assay와 morphology analysis를 시행하였고， 세포자멸사 관련 MAP kinase 계열의 대표인 ERK1/2과 전립선암세포 증식관련 수용체인 PDGF-BB receptor ${\beta}$의 활성 변화 관찰에는 western blot analysis 및 Immunofluorescence Staining , Confocal immunocytochemistry를 시행하였으며， 전립암세포의 종양형성에는 흉선을 제거한 쥐에 Tumorigenecity study를 시행하였다. 결과 : 1. PC-3 세포에서 Melittin 처리 후 세포증식이 억제되었고 세포의 형태는 세포자멸사의 특징을 나타내었다. 2. PC-3 세포에서 Melittin 처리 후 ERKl/2과 PDGF-BB receptor ${\beta}$의 활성이 억제되었다. 3. PC-3 세포에서 Melittin과 AG1296을 함께 투여시 PDGF-BB receptor ${\beta}$ 활성억제의 상승효과가 나타났다. 4. 흉선 제거 후 전립선암세포주를 이식한 쥐에서 Melittin을 피내로 주입한 결과 전립선암의 크기와 무게가 유의하게 감소하였다. 결론 : 이상의 결과는 Melittin이 ERKl/2과 PDGF BB receptor ${\beta}$의 활성 억제를 통하여 인간 전립선암세포주인 PC-3의 세포자멸사를 유발함으로써 증식억제 효과가 있음을 입증한 것이며, 이를 재확인한 생처 연구에서의 긍정적인 결과는 향후 Melittin의 전립선암 예방과 치료에 대한 효과적인 치료제 개발에 초석이 될 것으로 기대된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.178-186
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• 2014

Differential transcription of the clusterin (CLU) gene yields two CLU isoforms, a nuclear form (nCLU) and a secretory form (sCLU), which play crucial roles in prostate tumorigenesis. Pro-apoptotic nCLU and anti-apoptotic sCLU have opposite effects and are differentially expressed in normal and cancer cells; however, their regulatory mechanisms at the transcriptional level are not yet known. Here, we examined the transcriptional regulation of nCLU in response to hypoxia. We identified three putative hypoxia response elements (HREs) in the human CLU promoter between positions -806 and +51 bp. Using a luciferase reporter, electrophoretic gel mobility shift, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we further showed that hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) bound directly to these sites and activated transcription. Exposure to the hypoxia-mimetic compound $CoCl_2$, incubation under 1% $O_2$ conditions, or overexpression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ enhanced nCLU expression and induced apoptosis in human prostate cancer PC3M cells. However, LNCaP prostate cancer cells were resistant to hypoxia-induced cell death. Methylation-specific PCR analysis revealed that the CLU promoter in PC3M cells was not methylated; in contrast, the CLU promoter in LNCap cells was methylated. Co-treatment of LNCaP cells with $CoCl_2$ and a demethylating agent promoted apoptotic cell death through the induction of nCLU. We conclude that nCLU expression is regulated by direct binding of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ to HRE sites and is epigenetically controlled by methylation of its promoter region.

• Journal of Korean Medical Science
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• v.33 no.47
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• pp.303.1-303.10
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• 2018

Background: Cell division cycle 6 (CDC6) is an essential regulator of DNA replication and plays important roles in the activation and maintenance of the checkpoint mechanisms in the cell cycle. CDC6 has been associated with oncogenic activities in human cancers; however, the clinical significance of CDC6 in prostate cancer (PCa) remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether the CDC6 mRNA expression level is a diagnostic and prognostic marker in PCa. Methods: The study subjects included 121 PCa patients and 66 age-matched benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients. CDC6 expression was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical (IH) staining, and then compared according to the clinicopathological characteristics of PCa. Results: CDC6 mRNA expression was significantly higher in PCa tissues than in BPH control tissues (P = 0.005). In addition, CDC6 expression was significantly higher in patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels (> 20 ng/mL), a high Gleason score, and advanced stage than in those with low PSA levels, a low Gleason score, and earlier stage, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that high expression of CDC6 was significantly associated with advanced stage (${\geq}T3b$) (odds ratio [OR], 3.005; confidence interval [CI], 1.212-7.450; P = 0.018) and metastasis (OR, 4.192; CI, 1.079-16.286; P = 0.038). Intense IH staining for CDC6 was significantly associated with a high Gleason score and advanced tumor stage including lymph node metastasis stage (linear-by-linear association, P = 0.044 and P = 0.003, respectively). Conclusion: CDC6 expression is associated with aggressive clinicopathological characteristics in PCa. CDC6 may be a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker in PCa patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fermented ginseng extract by mushroom mycelia on antiproliferation of cancer cells. Phellinus linteus, Ganoderma lucidum, and Hericium erinaceum mycelia were inoculated to ginseng. The effects of fermented ginseng extract on antiproliferation of stomach (MKN-45), colon (HCT116), mammary (MCF-7), lung (NCIH460), prostate (PC-3), and liver (HepG2) cancer cells were investigated by MTT assay. Fermented ginseng extract showed significant antiproliferation effects compared with fresh ginseng extract. Fermented ginseng extract by P. linteus, G. lucidum, and H. erinaceum mycelia showed growth-inhibitory effect of 44.50, 17.75 and 43.98% viability at 1.5 mg/mL on the MKN-45 cell line, 62.86, 3.73, and 54.55% at 1.5 mg/mL on the HCT116 cell line, 41.81, 7.01, and 37.84% at 1.5 mg/mL on the MCF-7 cell line, 53.52, 5.31, and 35.27% at 1.5 mg/mL on the NCIH460 cell line, 35.05, 3.07, and 44.29% at 1.5 mg/mL on the PC-3 cell line, and 59.57, 6.34, and 4.97% at 1.5 mg/mL on the HepG2 cell line, respectively. These results indicated that fermented ginseng by G. lucidum mycelium showed the highest antiproliferation effect against various cancer cells.

• 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.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.7
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• pp.892-898
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• 2009

MIF is a progesterone analogue and is known as a potent progesterone antagonist. Although MIF has been known to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth, its molecular mechanisms are not yet clear. In the present study, when the cells were treated for 2-4 days with 5-40 $\mu$M of MIF, the growth and viability of LNCaP cells were significantly decreased in a dose- and time-dependent manner. When the cells, cultivated in a normal 2 mM calcium concentration medium, were treated with 15 $\mu$M MIF for 1 day, the intracellular calcium level increased by 26% compared to the control. Similar results were also found in cells located in the calcium-free reaction buffer, indicating that MIF induced the increase of intracellular Ca$^{2+}$ levels, regardless of the presence of calcium in the surrounding medium. In the cells treated with various concentrations of MIF, the intracellular calcium levels increased in a dose dependent manner. Cells treated with MIF revealed typical early apoptotic signs, i.e., chromosome condensation and nuclei fragmentation. In cells treated with 40 11M MIF, Bcl-2 decreased to 19% of the control. The expression of Bax increased to almost 2 fold of the control. These results demonstrated very clearly that MIF treatment blocks the expression of Bcl-2 but stimulates the expression of Bax. According to the results of the present investigation, the apoptotic mechanism of MIF is triggered by intracellular modulation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.663-666
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• 2009

Anti-proliferation effects of Corni fructus ethanol extracts were investigated in the RC58T/h/SA#4 cells treated with environmental hormones including dioxin and bisphenol A. The proliferation was decreased at the concentration over $500{\mu}g/mL$ in the RC58T/h/SA#4 cells with ethanol extracts of various concentrations (1, 10, 100, 500, and $1000{\mu}g/mL$). The environmental hormones such as dioxin and bisphenol A increased the growth of RC58T/h/SA#4 cells in the charcoal-treated FBS (cFBS) medium. The proliferation was the highest at 1 nM and $0.1{\mu}M$ for the tested dioxin and bisphenol A concentration, respectively. Ethanol extracts showed inhibition of the proliferation in a dose-dependent manner at the tested concentrations (10, 100, 300, and $500{\mu}g/mL$) in the RC58T/h/SA#4 cells treated with the environmental hormones. The anti-proliferation was the highest at $500{\mu}g/mL$ concentration among the tested ethanol extracts.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1431-1437
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• 2016

Sorghum bicolor L. is one of the important minor cereals in Asia, Africa, and the central United States, and it is considered a rich source of polyphenols, flavonoids, and dietary fiber. However, there is a lack of data on the anti-cancer activity of Sorghum in prostate cancer cells and immune activity in macrophages. This study aims to investigate the potential effects of an ethanol extract of S. bicolor L. (SE) on inducing apoptosis in RC-58T/h/SA#4 cells and immunomodulatory activity in RAW 264.7 cells. SE significantly inhibited the viability of RC-58T/h/SA#4 primary prostate cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. The morphology of RC-58T/h/SA#4 cells treated with SE was shrunken and involved the formation of an apoptotic body and nuclear condensation. In addition, SE markedly activated caspase-8, -9, and -3; increased the protein levels of Bax, p53, cleaved PARP, and cytosolic cytochrome c; and decreased Bcl-2 protein expression. Furthermore, the inhibition of caspases in RC-58T/h/SA#4 cells with z-VAD-fmk attenuated SE-induced cell growth inhibition. The production of nitric oxide (NO) was also elevated by SE treatment, as revealed by immune response parameters. These results suggest that SE inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in primary human prostate cancer cells in a caspase-dependent manner, and it modulates the immune functions in macrophages. Therefore, Sorghum bicolor L. may be used as a functional food to prevent prostate cancer and enhance immune activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.336-343
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• 2008

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) inhibitors have emerged as the accessory therapeutic agents for various human cancers, since they can block the activity of specific HDACs, restore the expression of some tumor suppressor genes and induce cell differentiation, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, we investigated that the effect of trichostatin A (TSA), an HDAC inhibitor, on the cell growth and apoptosis, and its effect on the nuclear factor-kappaB $(NF-{\kappa}B)$ activity in 267B1 human prostate epithelial cells. Exposure of 267B1 cells to TSA resulted in growth inhibition and apoptosis induction in and dose-dependent manners as measured by fluorescence microscopy, agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry analysis. TSA treatment inhibited the levels of IAP family members such as c-IAP-1 and c-IAP-2 and induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9, which were associated with concomitant degradation of poly (ADP-ribose)-polymerase, ${\beta}-catenin$ and laminin B proteins. The increase in apoptosis by TSA was connected with the translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ from cytosol to nucleus, increase of the DNA binding as well as promoter activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$, and degradation of cytosolic inhibitor of KappaB $(I{\kappa}B)-{\alpha}$ protein. We therefore concluded that TSA demonstrated anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing effects on 267B1 cells in vitro, and that the activation of caspases and $NF-{\kappa}B$ may play important roles in its mechanism of action. Although further studies are needed, these findings provided important insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer activity of TSA.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.4469-4475
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• 2015

Transient receptor potential melastain 7 (TRPM7) is a bifunctional protein with dual structure of both ion channel and protein kinase, participating in a wide variety of diseases including cancer. Recent researches have reported the mechanism of TRPM7 in human cancers. However, the correlation between TRPM7 and prostate cancer (PCa) has not been well studied. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential the role of TRPM7 in the apoptosis of PC-3 cells, which is the key cell of advanced metastatic PCa. In this study, we demonstrated the influence and potential function of TRPM7 on the PC-3 cells apoptosis induced by TNF-related apoptosis inducing-ligand (TRAIL). The study also found a novel up-regulated expression of TRPM7 in PC-3 cells after treating with TRAIL. Suppression of TRPM7 by TRPM7 non-specific inhibitors ($Gd^{3+}$ or 2-aminoethoxy diphenylborate (2-APB) ) not only markedly eliminated TRPM7 expression level, but also increased the apoptosis of TRAIL-treated PC-3 cells, which may be regulated by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway accompany with up-regulated expression of cleaved Caspase-3, (TRAIL-receptor 1, death receptors 4) DR4, and (TRAIL-receptor 2, death receptors 5) DR5. Taken together, our findings strongly suggested that TRPM7 was involved in the apoptosis of PC-3 cells induced by TRAIL, indicating that TRPM7 may be applied as a therapeutic target for PCa.