• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제48권1호
• /
• pp.12-19
• /
• 2024

Skeletal muscle (SM) is the largest organ of the body and is largely responsible for the metabolism required to maintain body functions. Furthermore, the maintenance of SM is dependent on the activation of muscle satellite (stem) cells (MSCs) and the subsequent proliferation and fusion of differentiating myoblasts into mature myofibers (myogenesis). Natural compounds are being used as therapeutic options to promote SM regeneration during aging, muscle atrophy, sarcopenia, cachexia, or obesity. In particular, ginseng-derived compounds have been utilized in these contexts, though ginsenoside Rg1 is mostly used for SM mass management. These compounds primarily function by activating the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, upregulating myogenin and MyoD to induce muscle hypertrophy, downregulating atrophic factors (atrogin1, muscle ring-finger protein-1, myostatin, and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production), and suppressing the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in cachexia. Ginsenoside compounds are also used for obesity management, and their anti-obesity effects are attributed to peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) inhibition, AMPK activation, glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) translocation, and increased phosphorylations of insulin resistance (IR), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), and Akt. This review was undertaken to provide an overview of the use of ginseng-related compounds for the management of SM-related disorders.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• 제66권
• /
• pp.299-304
• /
• 2023

This study sought to evaluate the anticancer effects of Crataegus pinnatifida Bunge root extract (CPE) on murine Lewis lung carcinoma cells (LLC1) in vitro. CPE treatment (2.5, 5, 10 ㎍/mL, 24 h) of LLC cells led to a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability, while CPE treatment did not have a cytotoxic effect on non-cancer cells (NIH/3T3). CPE affects LLC by flipping the plasma membrane and making the membrane more permeable; by flow cytometry, CPE-induced annexin V and propidium iodide positivity, indicating induction of apoptosis in LLC cells. In addition, CPE enhanced the expression of apoptotic proteins caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). CPE upregulated the proapoptotic protein BCL-2-associated X while downregulating the anti-apoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), suggesting that CPE induces apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway. Furthermore, CPE upregulated the phosphorylation of the mitogen activated protein kinase p38. In conclusion, the results suggest that CPE has an anticancer effect in LLC cells by inducing apoptosis via p38.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• 제66권
• /
• pp.186-196
• /
• 2023

Dyglomera^® is an aqueous ethanol extract derived from the fruit and pods of Dichrostachys glomerata. A previous study has revealed that Dyglomera regulates adipogenesis and lipolysis by modulating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and increased expression levels of lipolysis-related proteins in white adipose tissue of high fat diet-induced mice and 3T3-L1 adipocyte cells. To further investigate mechanisms of Dyglomera, additional studies were performed using 3T3-L1 cells. Results revealed that Dyglomera downregulated adipogenesis by inhibiting the protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway and reconfirmed that it downregulated gene expression levels of proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, CCAAT enhancer binding protein α, sterol-regulation element-binding protein-1c. Dyglomera also reduced adipokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β, and interleukin 6 by regulating leptin expression. Moreover, Dyglomera promoted beige-and-brown adipocyte-related phenotypes and regulated metabolism by increasing mitochondrial number and expression levels of genes such as T-box protein 1, transmembrane protein 26, PR domain 16, and cluster of differentiation 40 as well as thermogenic factors such as uncoupling protein 1, proliferator-activated receptor-gamma co-activator-1α, Sirtuin 1, and PPARα through AMPK activation. Thus, Dyglomera not only can inhibit adipogenesis, but also can promote lipolysis and thermogenesis and regulate metabolism by affecting adipokine secretion from 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• 제20권4호
• /
• pp.367-374
• /
• 2002

목적 : 인체 대장암 세포주인 HT-29에 새로운 CDCA 합성유도체인 HS-1200을 처치하여 암세포의 증식에 미치는 영향과 아포토시스 유도 활성을 관찰하고 기전을 연구하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법 : 지수증식기의 HT-29 세포에 다양한 농도의 CDCA 합성유도체인 HS-1200을 투약하여 $IC_{50}$를 구하였다. $IC_{50}$의 농도를 참조하여, 세포 생존능의 실험은 frypan blue exclusion assay를 이용하였고, 아포토시스 유도에 관한 관찰 실험은 agarose gel electrophoresis, TUNEL assay 및 Hoechst staining을 이용하였다. Western blotting을 통한 PARP [poly (ADP-ribose) polymerasel, caspase-3 및 DFF (DNA fragmentation factor)의 degradation 및 cleavage 등을 관찰하였다. Immunofluorescent method를 통한 cytochrome c 방출 측정 및 미토콘드리아 막전위 측정을 실시하였다. 결과 : HS-1200은 agarose gel electrophoresis 실험에서 DNA ladder의 관찰, TUNEL assay 및 Hoechst staining 에서 아포토시스 세포들이 대량으로 관찰되는 결과로 미루어 아포토시스에 의한 세포 사망을 유도하는 것으로 사료되었다. 아포토시스에 의한 세포 사망을 검증하기 위한 Western blotting을 통한 PARP cleavage, caspase-3 및 DFF 발현 관찰에서 공히 HS-1200 처치 후 4시간 째부터 PARP, caspase-3 및 DFF의 degradation 및 cleavage가 관찰되었다. HS-1200의 아포토시스 유도에 이르는 기전연구에서 미토콘드리아의 역할에 주목하고 시행한 cytochrome c 방출 측정 및 미토콘드리아막 전위 $(\Delta\Psi_m)$ 측정에서 공히 cytochrome c 방출 및 미토콘드리아막 전위 $(\Delta\Psi_m)$의 감소가 관찰되었다. 결론 : 인체 대장암 세포주(HT-29)에서 CDCA 합성유도체인 HS-1200을 이용한 세포 증식억제 및 세포사망 기전 연구에서, 아포토시스의 유도가 HS-1200의 세포 사망 기전에 중요한 역할을 하는 것을 확인하였다. 이러한 아포토시스의 유도에는 미토콘드리아의 역할이 중요하게 관련되는 것으로 관찰되었다. 상기 결과를 토대로 HS-1200의 항암 치료제로서의 역할에 관한 기초 자료로 서의 유용성을 제시할 수 있었다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제25권9호
• /
• pp.984-992
• /
• 2015

혈근초(Sanguinaria canadensis)에서 처음 분리된 sanguinarine은 항산화, 항암 및 면역 증강 등의 효능이 있는 것으로 알려진 alkaloid 계열 물질 중의 하나이다. 본 연구에서는 인체간암 HepG2 세포를 대상으로 sanguinarine의 apoptosis 유도 효능 및 관련 기전 해석을 시도하였다. 본 연구의 결과에 의하면 sanguinarine은 HepG2 간암세포의 증식을 처리 농도 의존적으로 억제하였으며, 이는 apoptosis 유도와 연관성이 있었다. Sanguinarine에 의한 apoptosis 유도에는 Fas 및 Bax의 발현 증가, 미토콘드리아에서 세포질로의 cytochrome c 유리 및 MMPl (Δψm)의 소실을 동반하였다. Sanguinarine은 intrinsic 및 extrinsic apoptosis pathway의 활성에 관여하는 initiator caspase인 caspase-9와 -8의 활성과 effector caspase인 caspase-3의 활성 및 PARP 단백질의 단편화를 유발하였다. Sanguinarine은 또한 ROS의 생성을 촉진시켰으며, N-acetylcysteine 처리에 의한 ROS의 생성을 차단하였을 경우, sanguinarine에 의한 apoptosis 효능이 완벽하게 차단되었다. 아울러 sanguinarine은 Akt의 인산화를 억제한 반면, MAPKs의 인산화를 촉진시켰으며, 특히 PI3K와 ERK의 선택적 억제제는 sanguinarine에 의한 HepG2 간암세포의 증식을 더욱 억제시켰다. 따라서 sanguinarine에 의한 HepG2 간암세포의 apoptosis 유발에는 ROS 생성 의존적인 intrinsic 및 extrinsic signaling pathway가 동시에 활성화되며, PI3K/Akt 및 ERK 신호계가 관여함을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
• /
• 제40권5호
• /
• pp.649-659
• /
• 2011

연구에서는 콩다닥냉이 추출물의 항암활성을 조사하기 위하여 잎 및 뿌리의 열수 추출물(WELVL 및 WELVR)이 HCT116 대장암세포의 증식 억제와 연관된 apoptosis 유도 기전에 관한 연구를 시도하였다. 본 연구의 결과에 의하면 HCT116 세포에 WELVL 및 WELVR을 처리하였을 경우에 유발되는 증식 억제 및 형태 변화는 apoptosis 유발과 밀접한 연관이 있었으며, 증식억제 및 apoptosis 유도 효과는 WELVL에 비하여 WELVR에서 높게 나타났다. 특히 WELVR에 의한 apoptosis 유발에는 FasL의 발현 증가를 통한 caspase-8의 활성화와 이로 인한 Bid 단백질의 단편화와 함께 Bcl-2 family의 발현 변화를 통한 mitochondria의 기능 이상과 이로 인한 caspase-9 및 -3의 활성화, 그리고 기질단백질들의 분해가 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 IAP family의 발현 감소로 인한 caspase의 활성 증가도 어느 정도 관여하는 것으로 생각되어진다. 따라서 WELVR 처리에 의하여 유발되는 apoptosis는 extrinsic pathway 및 intrinsic pathway를 모두 경유하는 multiple apoptotic pathway에 의하여 조절되는 것으로 생각되며, 이러한 결과들은 인체 암세포에서 콩다닥냉이의 항암작용을 이해하는데 중요한 자료가 될 것이고 나아가 콩다닥냉이 추출물을 포함한 그와 유사한 항암제 후보물질들의 연구 기초자료로서 사용될 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• 대한약침학회지
• /
• 제18권2호
• /
• pp.26-32
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Rheum undulatum L. has traditionally been used for the treatment of many diseases in Asia. However, its anti-proliferative activity in cancer has still not been studied. In the present study, we investigated the anti-cancer effects of methanol extract of Rheum undulatum L. (MERL) on human adenocarcinoma gastric cell lines (AGS). Methods: To investigate the anti-cancer effect of MERL on AGS cells, we treated the AGS cells with varying concentrations of MERL and performed 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Cell cycle analyses, measurements of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), caspase activity assays and Western blots were conducted to determine whether AGS cell death occurred by apoptosis. Results: Treatment with MERL significantly inhibited growth of AGS cells in a concentration dependent manner. MERL treatment in AGS cells leaded to increased accumulation of apoptotic sub G1 phase cells in a concentration dependent manner. In control cultures, 5.38% of the cells were in the sub G1 phase. In MERL treated cells, however, this percentage was significantly increased (9.95% at $70{\mu}g/mL$, 15.94% at $140{\mu}g/mL$, 26.56% at $210{\mu}g/mL$ and 38.08% at $280{\mu}g/mL$). MERL treatment induced the decreased expression of pro-caspase-8 and -9 in a concentration dependent manner, whereas the expression of the active form of caspase-3 was increased. A subsequent Western blot analysis revealed increased cleaved levels of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein. Also, treatment with MERL increased the activities of caspase-3 and -9 compared with the control. MERL treatment increased the levels of the pro-apoptotic truncated Bid (tBid) and Bcl2 Antagonist X (Bax) proteins and decreased the levels of the anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) protein, whose is the stabilization of mitochondria. However, inhibitions of p38, extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERKs) and C-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) by MERL treatment did not affect cell death. Conclusion: These results suggest that MERL mediated cell death is associated with an intrinsic apoptotic pathway in AGS cells.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• 제28권5호
• /
• pp.443-455
• /
• 2020

The thioredoxin (Trx) system plays critical roles in regulating intracellular redox levels and defending organisms against oxidative stress. Recent studies indicated that Trx reductase (TrxR) was overexpressed in various types of human cancer cells indicating that the Trx-TrxR system may be a potential target for anti-cancer drug development. This study investigated the synergistic effect of auranofin, a TrxR-specific inhibitor, on sulforaphane-mediated apoptotic cell death using Hep3B cells. The results showed that sulforaphane significantly enhanced auranofin-induced apoptosis by inhibiting TrxR activity and cell proliferation compared to either single treatment. The synergistic effect of sulforaphane and auranofin on apoptosis was evidenced by an increased annexin-V-positive cells and Sub-G1 cells. The induction of apoptosis by the combined treatment caused the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and upregulation of Bax. In addition, the proteolytic activities of caspases (-3, -8, and -9) and the degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, a substrate protein of activated caspase-3, were also higher in the combined treatment. Moreover, combined treatment induced excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a ROS scavenger, reduced combined treatment-induced ROS production and apoptosis. Thereby, these results deduce that ROS played a pivotal role in apoptosis induced by auranofin and sulforaphane. Furthermore, apoptosis induced by auranofin and sulforaphane was significantly increased through inhibition of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that down-regulation of TrxR activity contributed to the synergistic effect of auranofin and sulforaphane on apoptosis through ROS production and inhibition of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제45권2호
• /
• pp.295-304
• /
• 2021

Background: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a hematopoietic malignancy driven by promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor A (PML-RARA) fusion gene. The therapeutic drugs currently used to treat APL have adverse effects. 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is an anticancer medicine with high effectiveness and low toxicity. However, the underlying anticancer mechanisms of GRh2-induced PML-RARA degradation and apoptosis in human APL cell line (NB4 cells) remain unclear. Methods: Apoptosis-related indicators and PML-RARA expression were determined to investigate the effect of GRh2 on NB4 cells. Z-VAD-FMK, LY294002, and C 87, as inhibitors of caspase, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) pathways were used to clarify the relationship between GRh2-induced apoptosis and PML-RARA degradation. Results: GRh2 dose- and time-dependently decreased NB4 cell viability. GRh2-induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and caspase3, caspase8, and caspase9 activation in NB4 cells after a 12-hour treatment. GRh2-induced apoptosis in NB4 cells was accompanied by massive production of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage and upregulated Bax/Bcl-2 expression. GRh2 also induced PML/PML-RARA degradation, PML nuclear bodies formation, and activation of the downstream p53 pathway in NB4 cells. Z-VAD-FMK inhibited caspase activation and significantly reversed GRh2-induced apoptosis and PML-RARA degradation. GRh2 also upregulated TNF-α expression and inhibited Akt phosphorylation. LY294002, an inhibitor of the PI3K pathway, enhanced the antitumor effects of GRh2, and C 87, an inhibitor of the TNF-α pathway, reversed NB4 cell viability, and GRh2-mediated apoptosis in a caspase-8-dependent manner. Conclusion: GRh2 induced caspase-dependent PML-RARA degradation and apoptosis in NB4 cells via the Akt/Bax/caspase9 and TNF-α/caspase8 pathways.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제25권12호
• /
• pp.1384-1392
• /
• 2015

적작약, 사간, 치자, 적복령, 승마 및 백출 등 6가지의 한약재로 구성된 사간탕은 동의보감에서 위완옹(胃脘癰)을 치료하는 처방으로 알려져 있으나, 항암 효능에 대한 구체적인 연구는 전혀 이루어진 바 없다. 본 연구에서는 사간탕의 항암활성 연구의 일환으로 AGS 인체 위암세포의 증식에 미치는 영향을 조사하였다. 본 연구의 결과에 의하면 사간탕 추출물 처리 농도의 증가에 따라 AGS 위암세포의 증식 및 생존율이 억제되었으며, 이는 apoptosis 유발에 의한 것임을 염색질 응축, DNA 단편화 및 annexin-V 염색 등을 통하여 확인하였다. 사간탕 추출물 처리에 의한 apoptosis 유발에는 pro-apoptotic Fas 단백질의 발현 증가 및 anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 발현의 감소와 mitochondrial membrane potential의 소실이 동반되었다. 아울러 사간탕 추출물이 처리된 AGS 위암세포에서 extrinsic 및 intrinsic apoptosis 경로 활성의 개시에 중요한 caspase-8 및 -9 뿐만 아니라 effector caspase인 caspase-3의 활성도 증가하였으며, 활성화된 caspase-3의 기질 단백질인 PARP의 단편화도 관찰되었다. 그러나 pan-caspase inhibitor의 선처리에 의한 caspase 활성을 차단하였을 경우, 사간탕 추출물 처리에 의한 염색질 응축 및 DNA 단편화 현상이 관찰되지 않았으며, apoptosis 유발 및 증식억제 효과도 유의적으로 억제되었다. 따라서 사간탕 추출물 처리에 의한 AGS 위암세포의 apoptosis 유발은 extrinsic 및 intrinsic apoptosis 경로가 동시 활성을 통한 caspase 의존적인 과정을 통하여 이루어지고 있음을 알 수 있었으며, 그 과정은 아마도 pro-apoptotic Bid의 truncation이 관여할 것으로 추정된다. 이상의 결과는 향후 in vivo 모델을 이용한 사간탕 추출물의 항암활성 조사 및 사간탕 추출물 내 주요 생리활성 물질의 탐색 등을 위한 유용한 자료로 사용될 것이다.