• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.283-289
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• 2009

Curcumin, a natural compound extracted from rhizomes of curcuma Curcuma species, has been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-oxidative properties. However, the mechanism of action of the compound remains poorly understood. In this report, we have analyzed the effects of curcumin on the cell proliferation of Burkitt's lymphoma Raji cells. The results demonstrated that curcumin could effectively inhibit the growth of Raji cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further studies indicated that curcumin treatment resulted in apoptosis of cells. Biochemical analysis showed that the expression of Bax, Bid and cytochrome C were up-regulated, while the expression of oncogene c-Myc was down regulated after curcumin treatment. Furthermore, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage was induced by the compound. Interestingly, the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression was not significantly changed in Raji cells after curcumin treatment. These results suggested that the mechanism of action of curcumin was to induce mitochondrial damage and therefore led to Raji cell apoptosis. We further investigated the in vivo effects of curcumin on the growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice. The results showed that curcumin could effectively inhibit tumor growth in the xenograft mouse model. The overall results showed that curcumin could suppress the growth of Burkitt's lymphoma cells in both in vitro and in vivo systems.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.267-272
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• 2011

Human NK cells, identified 30 years ago based on their ability to spontaneously kill tumor cells, constitute a subset of lymphocytes, which play an important role in the first line of immune defense and the effective function of these cells are enhanced by cytokines. Lung carcinoma has been one of the most commonly diagonosed cancer as well as the leading cause of cancer death in male. Here we provide the evidence that human natural killer cells has inhibitory effects on tumor growth of human lung cancer cell NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer). Enriched NK cell population was obtained by 2 weeks cultivation in interleukin-2(IL-2)-containing medium. The resulting population comprised 26% CD3$^+$ cells, 9% CD3$^+$CD4$^+$ cells, 16% CD3$^+$CD8$^+$ cells, 76% CD56$^+$ cells, 6% CD3$^+$CD56$^+$ cells and 70% CD3$^-$CD56$^+$ cells. Activated NK cells at doese of 2.5, 5, and 10 million cells per mouse inhibited 2%, 12% and 45% of NCI-H460-induced tumor growth in nude mouse xenograft assays, repectively. This result suggests that NK cell-based immunotherapy may be used as an adoptive immunotherapy for lung cancer patients.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.192-199
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• 2010

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common alimentary malignancies. In this study, the antitumor activity of activated human natural killer (NK) cells against human colorectal cancer was evaluated in vivo. Human NK cells are the key contributors of innate immune response and the effective functions of these cells are enhanced by cytokines. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were cultured with interleukin-2 (IL-2)-containing medium for 14 days and resulted in enriched NK cell population. The resulting populations of the cells comprised 7% $CD3^+CD4^+$ cells, 25% $CD3^+CD8^+$ cells, 13% $CD3^-CD8^+$ cells, 4% $CD3^+$CD16/$CD56^+$ cells, 39% $CD3^+$CD16/$CD56^-$ cells, and 52% $CD3^-$CD16/$CD56^+$ cells. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-$\alpha$), interferon gamma (IFN-$\gamma$), IL-2, IL-4, and IL-5 transcripts of the activated NK cells were confirmed by RT-PCR. In addition, activated NK cells at doses of 2.5, 5 and 10 million cells per mouse inhibited 10%, 34% and 47% of SW620-induced tumor growth in nude mouse xenograft assays, respectively. This study suggests that NK cell-based immunotherapy may be used as an adoptive immunotherapy for colorectal cancer patients.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2015

Background: Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death, and inflammatory bowel disease is a risk factor for this malignancy. We previously reported colon cancer chemoprevention potential using American ginseng (AG) in a xenograft mice model. However, the nude mouse model is not a gut-specific colon carcinogenesis animal model. Methods: In this study, an experimental colitis and colitis-associated colorectal carcinogenesis mouse model, chemically induced by azoxymethane/dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) was established and the effects of oral AG were evaluated. The contents of representative ginseng saponins in the extract were determined. Results: AG significantly reduced experimental colitis measured by the disease activity index scores. This suppression of the experimental colitis was not only evident during DSS treatment, but also very obvious after the cessation of DSS, suggesting that the ginseng significantly promoted recovery from the colitis. Consistent with the anti-inflammation data, we showed that ginseng very significantly attenuated azoxymethane/DSS-induced colon carcinogenesis by reducing the colon tumor number and tumor load. The ginseng also effectively suppressed DSS-induced proinflammatory cytokines activation using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay array, in which 12 proinflammatory cytokine levels were assessed, and this effect was supported subsequently by real-time polymerase chain reaction data. Conclusion: AG, as a candidate of botanical-based colon cancer chemoprevention, should be further investigated for its potential clinical utility.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.3397-3401
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• 2014

Determining cell quantity is a common problem in cytology research and anti-tumor drug development. A simple and low-cost method was developed to determine monolayer and adherent-growth cell quantities. The cell nucleus is located in the cytoplasm, and is independent. Thus, the nucleus cannot make contact even if the cell density is heavy. This phenomenon is the foundation of accurate cell-nucleus recognition. The cell nucleus is easily recognizable in images after fluorescent staining because it is independent. A one-to-one relationship exists between the nucleus and the cell; therefore, this method can be used to determine the quantity of proliferating cells. Results indicated that the activity of the histone deacetylase inhibitor Z1 was effective after this method was used. The nude-mouse xenograft model also revealed the potent anti-tumor activity of Z1. This research presents a new anti-tumor-drug evaluation method.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4615-4619
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• 2013

Background: Artesunate, extracted from Artemisia annua, has been proven to have anti-cancer potential. Allicin, diallyl thiosulfinate, the main biologically active compound derived from garlic, is also of interest in cancer treatment research. This object of this report was to document synergistic effects of artesunate combined with allicin on osteosarcoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Methods: After treatment with artesunate and allicin at various concentrations, the viability of osteosarcoma cells was analyzed by MTT method, with assessment of invasion and motility, colony formation and apoptosis. Western Blotting was performed to determine the expression of caspase-3/9, and activity was also detected after drug treatment. Moreover, in a nude mouse model established with orthotopic xenograft tumors, tumor weight and volume were monitored after drug administration via the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. Results: The viability of osteosarcoma cells in the combination group was significantly decreased in a concentration and time dependent manner; moreover, invasion, motility and colony formation ability were significantly suppressed and the apoptotic rate was significantly increased through caspase-3/9 expression and activity enhancement in the combination group. Furthermore, suppression of tumor growth was evident in vivo. Conclusion: Our results indicated that artesunate and allicin in combination exert synergistic effects on osteosarcoma cell proliferation and apoptosis.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2005

Previous sucessful results of neocartilage formation using tissue engineering technique in immunocompromised nude mouse xenograft model were reported. For clinical application, autogenous cell is preferrable to allogenic or xenogenic cell for circumvention of immune rejection. This study evaluates the feasibility of producing a engineered cartilage using autogenous chondrocytes. Chondrocytes were isolated from the auricular catilage of New Zealand White rabbit and seeded onto PGA polymer coated with polylactic acid in round pattern(diameter 0.7 cm, thickness 0.1 cm) at a concentration $7{\times}10^7$ chondrocytes per $cm^3$. Each Autogenous Cell-polymer constructs were implanted subcutaneously into the left side of dorsum of twelve Rabbits. Polymer templates not containg cells were implanted into the right side as a control. Fifteen rabbits were sacrificed at the following intervals: 5 rabbits at nine weeks, 7 rabbits at twelve weeksNew autogenous cartilage formation which retained the approximate dimensions of origianl round polymer template in 11 of 12 cell seeded implants. Histological examination using hematoxyline and eosin stain revealed vast majority of implants developed into mature cartilage. This study opens up the possibility of autologus cell transplant to construct autogenous cartilge.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-24
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• 2003

Objectives: In this report, we confirmed the distributed pattern of ALA and ALA-methylester in normal and tumor-bearing region. Materials and Methods: ALA and ALA-methylester were administered to nude mouse by intratumoral, subcutaneous and intravenous injection. After injection, the fluorescence in normal and tumor region was measured by LESA (laser electronic spectrum analyzer). Results: The tumor-specificity of ALA and ALA-methylester was shown in the case of intratumoral injection. In all case, the fluorescence caused by ALA and ALA-methylester was maximally increased in 2 hours after injection. Then while the fluorescence level was rapidly decreased to control level in normal region, it was still remained in tumor region. Conclusion: According to this result, The intratumoral injection was more efficient administration method for PDT/PDD than subcutaneous and intravenous injection.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.54-65
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• 2019

To develop a biomarker predicting tumor treatment efficacy is helpful to reduce time, medical expenditure, and efforts in oncology therapy. In clinics, microvessel density using immunohistochemistry has been proposed as an indicator that correlates with both tumor size and metastasis of cancer. In the preclinical study, we hypothesized that vascular morphometrics using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) could be potential indicators to estimate the treatment efficacy of breast cancer. To verify this hypothesis, a 13762-MAT-B-III rat breast tumor was grown in a dorsal skinfold window chamber which was applied to a nude mouse, and the change in vascular morphology was longitudinally monitored during tumor growth and metronomic cyclophosphamide treatment. Based on the daily OCTA maximum intensity projection map, multiple vessel parameters (vessel skeleton density, vessel diameter index, fractal dimension, and lacunarity) were compared with the tumor size in no tumor, treated tumor, and untreated tumor cases. Although each case has only one animal, we found that the vessel skeleton density (VSD), vessel diameter index and fractal dimension (FD) tended to be positively correlated with tumor size while lacunarity showed a partially negative correlation. Moreover, we observed that the changes in the VSD and FD are prior to the morphological change of the tumor. This feasibility study would be helpful in evaluating the tumor vascular response to treatment in preclinical settings.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.123-131
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• 2021

Optical imaging modalities with properties of real-time, non-invasive, in vivo, and high resolution for image-guided surgery have been widely studied. In this review, we introduce two optical imaging systems, that could be the core of image-guided surgery and introduce the system configuration, implementation, and operation methods. First, we introduce the optical coherence tomography (OCT) system implemented by our research group. This system is implemented based on a swept-source, and the system has an axial resolution of 11 ㎛ and a lateral resolution of 22 ㎛. Second, we introduce a fluorescence imaging system. The fluorescence imaging system was implemented based on the absorption and fluorescence wavelength of indocyanine green (ICG), with a light-emitting diode (LED) light source. To confirm the performance of the two imaging systems, human malignant melanoma cells were injected into BALB/c nude mice to create a xenograft model and using this, OCT images of cancer and pathological slide images were compared. In addition, in a mouse model, an intravenous injection of indocyanine green was used with a fluorescence imaging system to detect real-time images moving along blood vessels and to detect sentinel lymph nodes, which could be very important for cancer staging. Finally, polarization-sensitive OCT to find the boundaries of cancer in real-time and real-time image-guided surgery using a developed contrast agent and fluorescence imaging system were introduced.