• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.886-894
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• 2015

Macrophages are divided into two subpopulations: classically activated macrophages (M1) and alternatively activated macrophages (M2). BCG (Bacilli Calmette-$Gu{\acute{e}}rin$) activates disabled $na{\ddot{i}}ve$ macrophages to M1 macrophages, which act as inflammatory, microbicidal and tumoricidal cells through cell-cell contact and/or the release of soluble factors. Various transcription factors and signaling pathways are involved in the regulation of macrophage activation and polarization. We discovered that BCG-activated macrophages (BAM) expressed a new molecule, and we named it Novel Macrophage Activated Associated Protein 1 (NMAAP1). 1 The current study found that the overexpression of NMAAP1 in macrophages results in M1 polarization with increased expression levels of M1 genes, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 12 (IL-12), Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and Interleukin-1 beta (IL-$1{\beta}$), and decreased expression of some M2 genes, such as Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), but not other M2 genes, including arginase-1 (Arg-1), Interleukin (IL-10), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-${\beta}$) and found in inflammatory zone 1 (Fizz1). Moreover, NMAAP1 overexpression in the RAW264.7 cell line increased cytotoxicity against MCA207 tumor cells, which depends on increased inflammatory cytokines rather than cell-cell contact. NMAAP1 also substantially enhanced the phagocytic ability of macrophages, which implies that NMAAP1 promoted macrophage adhesive and clearance activities. Our results indicate that NMAAP1 is an essential molecule that modulates macrophages phenotype and plays an important role in macrophage tumoricidal functions.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7929-7933
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• 2015

Background: The incidence of breast cancer in India is on the rise and is rapidly becoming the number one cancer in females, pushing the cervical cancer to the second position. Most of the predisposition to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer has been attributed to inherited defects in two tumor suppressor genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. Alterations in these genes have been reported in different populations, some of which are population-specific mutations showing founder effects. Two specific mutations in the BRCA1 (185delAG) and BRCA2 (6174delT) genes have been reported to be of high prevalence in different populations. The aim of this study was to estimate the carrier frequency of 185delAG and 6174delT mutations in eastern Indian breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We selected 231 histologically confirmed breast cancer patients from our tertiary cancer care center in eastern India. Family history was obtained by interview or a self-reported questionnaire. The presence of the mutation was investigated by allele specific duplex/multiplex-PCR on genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood. Results: A total of 231 patients (age range: 26-77 years), 130 with a family history and 101 without were screened. The two founder mutations 185delAG in BRCA1 and 6174delT in BRCA2 were not found in any of the subjects. This was confirmed by molecular analysis. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that these BRCA mutations may not have a strong recurrent effect on breast cancer among the eastern Indian population. The contribution of these founder mutations to breast cancer incidence is probably low and could be limited to specific subgroups. This may be particularly useful in establishing further pre-screening strategies.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2008

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC) still has poor outcome, and laryngeal cancer is the most frequent subtype of HNSCC. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel treatments to improve the outcome of patients with HNSCC. It is critical to gain further understanding on the molecular and chromosomal alteration of HNSCC to identify novel therapeutic targets but genetic etiology of squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx is so complex that target genes have not yet been clearly identified. Array based CGH(array-CGH) allows investigation of general changes in target oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, which should, in turn, lead to a better understanding of the cancer process. In this study, We used genomic wide array-CGH in tissue specimens to map genomic alterations found in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas. As results, gains of MAP2, EPHA3, EVI1, LOC389174, NAALADL2, USP47, CTDP1, MASP1, AHRR, and KCNQ5, with losses of SRRM1L, ANKRD19, FLJ39303, ZNF141, DSCAM, GPR27, PROK2, ARPP-21, and B3GAT1 were observed frequently in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma tissue specimens. These data about the patterns of genomic alterations could be a basic step for understanding more detailed genetic events in the carcinogenesis and also provide information for diagnosis and treatment in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The high resolution of array-CGH combined with human genome database would give a chance to find out possible target genes which were gained or lost clones.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2001

Background: Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes is believed to be important in the development of many human malignancies. Recently, several lines of evidence have indicated that the wild type p53 gene located at 17p13.3, may function as a tumor suppressor gene and that a mutant p53 gene could promote transformation by inactivating normal p53 function in a dominant negative fashion. These broad spectrum of p53 mutation in human cancers provide that mutant p53 and their protein may be potential targets of tumor diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Method: Colony formation was performed to investigate growth suppressional ability. p53 expression pattern was examined by western blot and p53-mediated transactivation ability was assessed by CAT activity. SNU C2A cells were observed in apoptotic aspects induced by etoposide and $H_2O_2$ treatment, detecting sensitivity on agent, DNA fragmentation through agarose gel, chromatin condensation by fluorescence microscope, and cell cycle distribution by FACS. Result: 1) p53 mutant his179arg ($histidine{\rightarrow}arginine$) detected in SNU C2A cells lost transcriptional activity and growth suppression ability, showing dominant negative effect on its wild type p53. 2) Etoposide-treated SNU C2A cells induced apoptosis, exhibiting dramatic reduction of cell growth, DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation formation of apoptotic body and increment of sub-G1 cell fraction. 3) Etoposide and $H_2O_2$-treated SNU C2A cells have no high increase of p53 expression and overexpressed p53 protein changed localization, from cytoplasm to nucleus. Also, p53-mediated transcriptional activity was increased by agents-treatment. Conclusion: SNU C2A cells coexpress wild-type and mutant p53 protein induced apoptosis in the condition on DNA damage, through localizational shift from cytoplasm to nucleus of p53 protein rather than the induction of p53 protein. SNU C2A cells derived mutant p53 his179arg abrogated both the growth supression ability and transactivational activity, showing inhibition effect on transcriptional activity of wild type p53, but did not repress the activity of wild type p53 in SNU C2A cells owing to dominant activity of wild type. These cell condition may provide new gene therapeutic implications leading effective antiproliferation of cell when mutant and wild-type p53 protein were co-expressed in cell.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1843-1849
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• 2004

Conventional medicines have usually sorted to a number of treatments such asoperation, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The existing anti-cancer agents, designed to eradicate cancer cells, have strong toxicities, also with leading to harmful side effects. Recently, a number of researches on natural products have been actively carried out in efforts to develop new treatments that can decrease side effects or increase anti-cancer effects. We performed this study to understand the molecular basis underlying the antitumor effects of Pharbitis nil, and Plantago asiatica, which have been used for herbal medicinal treatments against cancers in East Asia. We analyzed the effects of these medicinal herbs on proliferation and on expression of cell growth/apoptosis related molecules, with using an AGS gastric cancer cell line. The treatment of Pharbitis nil dramatically reduced cell viabilities in a dose and time-dependent manner, but Plantago asiatica didn't. FACS analysis and Annexin V staining assay also showed that Pharbitis nil induce apoptotic cell death of AGS. Expression analyses via RT-PCR and Western blots revealed that Pharbitis nil didn't increase expression of the p53 and its downstream effector p21/sup wafl/, and that the both increased expression of apoptosis related Sax and cleavage of active caspase-3 protein. We also confirmed the translocation of Sax to mitochondria. Collectively, our data demonstrate that Pharbitis nilinduce growth inhibition and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells, and these effects are correlated with down- and up-regulation of growth-regulating apoptotic and tumor suppressor genes, respectively.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5925-5928
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• 2013

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between expression of mammal target of rapamycin (mTOR) and phosphorylation of mTOR (p-mTOR) protein in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in gastrointestinal stromal tumors and relatiuonships with clinical factors. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the associated proteins mTOR, p-mTOR, and phosphorylation of the tumor suppressor genes PTEN, P27, VEGF, and EGFR in 40 cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, with division into a very low and low risk group as well as a moderate and high risk group. Results: The positive rate of mTOR and p-mTOR was significantly increased in the moderate and high risk group compared with the very low and low risk group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). When grouped according to size, the positive mTOR expression rate exhibited a statistical difference (P<0.05), which was significantly increased in the group of tumors larger than 5 cm. The difference in the positive mTOR and p-mTOR expression rate exhibit no statistical significance among the PTEN, P27, VEGF, and EGFR expression subgroups (P>0.05). Conclusion: The different expressions of mTOR and p-mTOR in the signal transduction pathway of gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the different degree-of-risk groups suggested that the mTOR and p-mTOR of the signal transduction pathway serve an important function in the occurrence and development of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

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

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1225-1231
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• 2017

Disruptive expression patterns of the circadian clock genes are highly associated with many human diseases, including cancer. Cell cycle and proliferation is linked to a circadian rhythm; therefore, abnormal clock gene expression could result in tumorigenesis and malignant development. The molecular network of the circadian clock is based on transcriptional and translational feedback loops orchestrated by a variety of clock activators and clock repressors. The expression of 10~15% of the genome is controlled by the overall balance of circadian oscillation. Among the many clock genes, Period 1 (Per1) and Period 2 (Per2) are clock repressor genes that play an important role in the regulation of normal physiological rhythms. It has been reported that PER1 and PER2 are involved in the expression of cell cycle regulators including cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and CDK inhibitors. In addition, correlation of the down-regulation of PER1 and PER2 with development of many cancer types has been revealed. In this review, we focused on the molecular function of PER1 and PER2 in the circadian clock network and the transcriptional and translational targets of PER1 and PER2 involved in cell cycle and tumorigenesis. Moreover, we provide information suggesting that PER1 and PER2 could be promising therapeutic targets for cancer therapies and serve as potential prognostic markers for certain types of human cancers.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.139-148
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• 1999

Oral cancer is a common neoplasm in humans and etiologic mechanism is not well known, so treatment and evaluation of oral cancer is difficult problem. Traditional TNM classification between prognosis of tumors and classification of histopathologic differentiation has problem like lack of objectivity through operators. In molecular biology, cancer is developed by alteration of activation of oncogene and/or inactivation of tumor suppressor gene. The p53 gene, one of the tumor suppresor genes, is believed to play an important role through mutation and overexpression in the progression of human cancers. The p53 mutation is most frequent genetic disorder in humans. The Cyclin D1 has tumor suppresion activity by regulation of cell cycle. The Cyclin D1 regulate activity of Rb tumor suppresor gene by stimulation of CDK4 The purpose of this study was to observe the expression of p53 protein and Cyclin D1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma, and to get expectation of the malignancy and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Using the 15 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and the microscopic H&E and immunohistochemical stain. We divided it into 3 groups according to the stain extent, clinical stage and histologic differentiation. The results were as follows1.In the features of immunohistochemical stain of 15 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, positive reaction of p53 was identified in 8 cases (53.3%) and positive reaction of cyclin D1 was identified in 3 cases (20%). Both positive reaction of p53 protein and Cyclin D1 was show in only one case. 2.8 of p53 positive cases were linked in 87.5% of the end stage tumor, 62.5% of neck node involvement, 87.5% of poorly and moderately histopathplogic differentiation. 3. All 3 of Cyclin D1 positive cases were linked in the end stage tumor, neck node involvement, poorly and moderately histopathologic differentiation. From above results, expression of p53 protein was identified in 53.3% of 15 cases and these results mean oral squamous cell carcinoma was drived by mutation of p53 protein. Especially, highly positive reaction of p53 protein and Cyclin D1 was identified in cases that involvement of neck lymph node and the end stage tumors and it means that the evaluation of p53 protein and Cyclin D1 was useful for evaluation of malignant tumor as specific tumor marker.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.3681-3684
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• 2013

Deregulated miRNAs participate in osteosarcoma genesis. In this study, the expression of miRNA-218 in human osteosarcomas, adjacent normal tissues and Saos-2 human osteosarcoma cells was first assessed. Then the precise role of miRNA-218 in osteosarcoma cells was investigated. Upon transfection with a miR-218 expression vector, the proliferation of Saos-2 human osteosarcoma cells determined using the ATPlite assay was significantly suppressed, whilw migration of Saos-2 cells detected by wound healing and invasion determined using transwells were dramatically inhibited. Potential target genes of miR-218 were predicted and T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1 (TIAM1) and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and 9 (MMP9) were identified. This was confirmed by western blotting, which showed that miR-218 expression inhibited TIAM1, MMP2 and MMP9 protein expression. Collectively, these data suggest that miR-218 acts as a tumor suppressor in osteosarcomas by down-regulating TIAM1, MMP2 and MMP9 expression.