• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.11
• /
• pp.6557-6562
• /
• 2013

Objective: Specific promoters could improve efficiency and ensure the safety of gene therapy. The aim of our study was to screen examples for lung cancer. Methods: The firefly luciferase gene was used as a reporter, and promoters based on serum markers of lung cancer were cloned. The activity and specificity of seven promoters, comprising CEACAM5 (carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA), GRP (Gastrin-Releasing Peptide), KRT19 (cytokeratin 19, KRT), SFTPB (surfactant protein B, SP-B), SERPINB3 (Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen, SCCA), SELP (Selectin P, Granule Membrane Protein 140kDa, Antigen CD62, GMP) and DKK1 (Dickkopf-1) promoters were compared in lung cancer cells to obtain cancer-specific examples with strong activity. Results: The CEACAM5, DKK1, GRP, SELP, KRT19, SERPINB3 and SFTPB promoters were cloned. Furthermore, we successfully constructed recombinant vector pGL-CEACAM5 (DKK1, GRP, SELP, KRT19, SERPINB3 and SFTPB) contained the target gene. After cells were transfectedwith recombinant plasmids, we found that the order of promoter activity from high to low was SERPINB3, DKK1, SFTPB, KRT19, CEACAM5, SELP and GRP and the order for promoters regarding specificity and high potential were SERPINB3, DKK1, SELP, SFTPB, CEACAM5, KRT19 and GRP. Conclusion: The approach adopted is feasible to screen for new tumour specific promoters with biomarkers. In addition, the screened lung-specific promoters might have potential for use in lung cancer targeted gene therapy research.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
• /
• 2002.11a
• /
• pp.90-90
• /
• 2002

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.66-70
• /
• 2005

Telomerase, a specialized RNA-directed DNA polymerase that extends telomeres of eukaryotic chromosomes, has activity in most malignant tumors and provides a mechanism for the unlimited potential for division of neoplastic cells. Although telomerase is known to be a regulated enzyme, the factors and mechanisms involved in telomerase regulation are not well understood. In the present study, we compared the effect of 12-O­tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and non-phorbol ester tumor promoters such as okadaic acid, anthralin and benzoyl peroxide on the expression of telomerase in the mouse skin carcinogenesis system, a well characterized model for studying pre-malignant and malignant progression. We found that most early papillomas harvested after 10 weeks of TPA promotion showed telomerase activity. Other papillomas harvested after 10 weeks of okadaic acid, anthralin and benzoyl peroxide promotion and after single treatment of DMBA only also showed telomerase activity, respectively. On the other hand, normal and all skins surrounded by papillomas harvested after 10 weeks of these promoters has no telomerase activity. Taken together these results, there appears to be no clear association between the level of telomerase activity and protein phosphorylation in mouse skin papillomas and telomerase may be useful as bio-markers in early detection of tumors.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2003.10b
• /
• pp.188-188
• /
• 2003

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a prototype of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, is a persistent environmental contaminant and one of the most powerful tumor promoters. The molecular mechanism underlying induction of tumor promotion by TCDD has not been elucidated.(omitted)

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.25-29
• /
• 2006

This study was carried out to isolate the possible anti-tumor promoters from the citrus peel (Citrus natsudaidai Hayata). We fractionated the cold-pressed oil of citrus peel by column chromatography, HPLC and TLC. The analysis on column chromate-graphy yielded seven peaks $(F-I{\sim}F-VII)$, all of which showed single spot on TLC analysis ($R_f$ for $F-I{\sim}VIII$; 0.31, 0.13, 0.13, 0.78, 0.79, 0.69 and 0.84). Among the seven fractions, three fractions (F-I, -II and F-IV) were re-analyzed on HPLC, also showing single peak except for one fraction (F-IV) which was divided two peaks. The retention times $(R_f)$ of F-I and F-II was 3 min. and 2.5 min., respectively, but these of two peaks from F-IV were 2 min. and 4.5 min., respectively. Since the area of the latter peak (4.5 min.) was very smaller than that of the former one (2 min.), it is considered that the latter one did not appear on TLC analysis. The inhibitory effect on tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate(TPA)-induced Epstein-Barr virus activation in Raji cells was tested for the seven fraction obtained. It decreased in order of F-VI (82.3+1.3%) > F-I (80.4+1.6%) > F-II (77.2+0.9%) > F-III (75.0+1.2%) > F-IV (74.1=1.0%) > F-V (71.0+1.1%) > F-VII (70.2+1.2%). These results imply that some constiuents contained in citrus peels have the inhibitory activity of TPA-induced tumor promotion.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.587-593
• /
• 1998

To elucidate anti-tumor promoter from seaweed, the anti-tumor promoting activity of Ecklonia stolonifera, Undaria pinnatifida and Laminaria japonica extracts were determined by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-early antigen (EA) induction caused by a tumor promoter, teleocidin B-4. The methanol extracts of seaweed were subsequently fractionated with diethyl ether, distilled water, chloroform and ethyl acetate. Among the solvent fractions tested, chloroform and ethyl acetate fraction of E. stolonifera showed a high anti-tumor promoting activity at the levels of 88.0 and $85.9\%$ by the addition of 20 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively. To characterize anti-tumor promoters from solvent fractions of E. stolonifera, the effects of phenols, chlorophyll derivatives and carotenoids on the anti-tumor promoting activity were investigated. Phenols, such as bromophenol and phloroglucinol showed anti-tumor promoting activity of $57\~66\%$ at 20 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$. Pigments, such as chlorophylls and carotenoids exerted high anti-tumor promoting activities. Chlorophyll a and pheophorbide a exhibited the activity of $77.4\%$ and $66.6\%$ at 5${\mu}M/m{\ell}$, respectively. The active compounds of carotenoids were tentatively identified as lutein and $\alpha-cryptoxanthin$ from the profiles of visible spectra and R_f value of their authentic compounds, and showed anti-tumor promoting activities of $76.9\%$ and $84.4\%$ at dose of 20 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
• /
• 2000.11a
• /
• pp.61-68
• /
• 2000

Now that the complete genomes of numerous organisms have been ascertained, key problems in molecular biology include determining the functions of the genes in each organism, the relationships that exist among these genes, and the regulatory mechanisms that control their operation. These problems can be partially addressed by using machine learning methods to induce predictive models from available data. My group is applying and developing machine learning methods for several tasks that involve characterizing gene regulation. In one project, for example, we are using machine learning methods to identify transcriptional control elements such as promoters, terminators and operons. In another project, we are using learning methods to identify and characterize sets of genes that are affected by tumor promoters in mammals. Our approach to these tasks involves learning multiple models for inter-related tasks, and applying learning algorithms to rich and diverse data sources including sequence data, microarray data, and text from the scientific literature.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.189-193
• /
• 2009

Hypoxia inducible factor $1\alpha$ (HIF-$1\alpha$) is a potential marker of carcicnogenesis since it is overexpresssed in many human cancers such as brain, breast, and uterus, and its role has implicated in tumor cell growth and metastasis. In this study, we established a stable cell line that express green fluorescence protein (GFP)-fused hypoxia inducible factor $1\alpha$ (HIF-$1\alpha$) and evaluated the potential use of this cell line for assessment of carcinogenicity of chemical toxicants. Western blot analysis as well as fluorescence measurements showed that protein-level of GFP-HIF-$1\alpha$ was significantly enhanced in a dose-dependent manner upon treatment of hypoxia mimicking agents such as dexferrioxamine and $CoCl_2$. Well-Known tumor promoters such as mitomycin and methyl methanesulfonate. significantly induced the fluorescence intensity of GFP-HIF-$1\alpha$, whereas the known negative controls such as o-anthranilic acid and benzethonium chloride, did not. These results indicate that HIF-$1\alpha$ could be a biological parameter for detection of tumor initiators/promoters and suggest that the GFP-HIF-$1\alpha$ cell line is a useful system for screening of carcinogenic toxicants.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.231-238
• /
• 2007

Evaluation of potentials of chemicals to alter expression of genes that are involved in carcinogenesis may serve useful tools in toxicological research. In this investigation, we developed reporter cell lines that expressed luciferase in response to transactivation of hypoxia inducible factor-1, P53 tumor suppressor and Nur77 of which roles have been well established in cancer development and progression. Whereas these reporter cell lines displayed low constitutive backgrounds, the reporter activities were significantly enhanced in response to $desferriosamine/CoCl_2$, adriamycin or 6-mercaptopurine, which are hypoxia mimicking chemicals, P53 activator or Nur77 inducer, respectively. The activation of the reporter was time- and dose-dependent. Known tumor initiators and promoters, such as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and phorbol 12, 13-dicaprinate induced the reporter activity at as low as 10nM in these stable cell lines. Further, known anti-tumor promoters, such as ascorbic acid and ${\beta}-carotene$ repressed the reporter activities. These results indicate that our stable reporter cell lines could serve as a useful system for rapid assessment of carcinogenicity of toxic chemicals.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
• /
• 2001.10a
• /
• pp.29-30
• /
• 2001

MAP kinase/ AP-1 signal transduction components are rapidly initiated by many extracellular stimuli, especially environmental carcinogens. We have investigated the role of MAP kinases (Erks, JNKs, and p38 kinases) and AP-1 signal transduction pathways in the process of cell transformation and carcinogenesis. Incubation of Cl 41 cells with tumor promoters such as TPA, EGF, arsenic, or TNF-$\alpha$ led to cell transformation and activation of MAP kinases.(omitted)