• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.655-660
• /
• 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most high-risk cancers; however, it has been suggested that estrogen signaling in CRC could have a protective effect. Therefore, we focused on the function of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) among the estrogen receptors in CRC. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of resveratrol via GPER in CRC (RKO and WiDr) cells, CRC cell-derived xenograft models, and organoids (30T and 33T). Resveratrol significantly suppressed cell viability and proliferation in highly GPER-expressing RKO cells compared to that in low GPER-expressing WiDr cells. In xenograft models, resveratrol also delayed tumor growth and exhibited a high survival rate depending on GPER expression in RKO-derived tumors. Furthermore, resveratrol significantly inhibited the viability of organoids with high GPER expression. Additionally, the anticancer effect of resveratrol on CRC showed that resveratrol rapidly responded to GPER, while increasing the expression of p-ERK and Bax and cleaving PARP proteins.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.233-241
• /
• 2007

Purpose: We examined the effect of the dual EGFR/HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor, GW572016, on EGFR/HER2 receptor phosphorylation, inhibition of downstream signaling and radiosensitization in either an EGFR or HER2 overexpressing human breast cancer xenograft. Materials and Methods: We established SCID mice xenografts from 4 human breast cancer cell line that overexpressed EGFR or HER 2 (SUM 102, SUM 149, SUM 185, SUM 225). Two series of xenografts were established. One series was established for determining inhibition of the EGFR/HER2 receptor and downstream signaling activities by GW572016. The other series was established for determining the radiosensitization effect of GW572016. Inhibition of the receptor and downstream signaling proteins were measured by the use of immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. For determining the in vivo radiosensitization effect of GW572016, we compared tumor growth delay curves in the following four treatment arms: a) control; b) GW572016 alone; c) radiotherapy (RT) alone; d) GW572016 and RT. Results: GW572016 inhibited EGFR, HER2 receptor phosphorylation in SUM 149 and SUM 185 xenografts. In addition, the p44/42 MAPK (ERK 1/2) downstream signaling pathway was inactivated by GW572016 in the SUM 185 xenograft. In the SUM 225 xenograft, we could not observe inhibition of HER2 receptor phosphorylation by GW572016; both p44/42 MAPK (Erk1/2) and Akt downstream signal protein phosphorylation were inhibited by GW572016. GW572016 inhibited growth of the tumor xenograft of SUM 149 and SUM 185. The combination of GW572016 and RT enhanced growth inhibition greater than that with GW572016 alone or with RT alone in the SUM 149 xenograft. GW572016 appears to act as an in vivo radiosensitizer. Conclusion: GW572016 inhibited EGFR/HER2 receptor phosphorylation and downstream signaling pathway proteins. GW572016 modestly inhibited the growth of tumor in the SUM 185 xenograft and showed radiosensitization in the SUM 149 xenograft. Our results suggest that a better predictor of radiation response would be inhibition of a crucial signaling pathway than inhibition of a receptor.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.40-60
• /
• 2012

Objectives: The object of this study was to observe antitumor, anticachexia and immunomodulatory effects of Shipyeukmiyeugi-eum(SYM) on human breast cancer cell, MCF-7, xenograft Balb/c nu-nu nude mice. Methods: Three different dosages of SYM-125, 250 and 500 mg/kg were orally administered once a day for 28 days from 11 days after tumor cell inoculation, and the changes on the body weights, tumor volume and weights, weights of spleen and popliteal lymph node and epididymal fat, serum IL-6 and IFN-${\gamma}$ levels, NK cell and peritoneal macrophage activities, splenic TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-10 contents were observed. In addition, histopathological observations of apoptotic cell, spleen, popliteal lymph node and cervical brown adipose were also detected. The results were compared with a potent cytotoxic estrogen receptor antagonist, Tamoxifen 20 mg/kg treated mice. Results: Tumor volumes and weights were decreased without cytotoxic effects on the both MCF-7 and MCF-10A cells as results of all three different dosages of SYM treatment. And weights of body, spleen, popliteal lymph node, epididymal fat, serum IFN-${\gamma}$, NK cell, peritoneal macrophage activities, splenic TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-10 contents were increased with decrease of serum IL-6. At histopathological observations, apoptotic tumor cells, spleen, popliteal lymph node and cervical brown adipose tissue were increased. That means tumor-related immunosuppress and cachexia were markedly inhibited by SYM treatment as compared with tumor-bearing mice. On the other hand, Tamoxifen showed marked cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 and MCF-10A, decreases of tumor volume and weights, and increases of apoptotic tumor cells and related decreases of tumor cell volumes, but tamoxifen markedly deteriorated the tumor-related immune-suppress and cachexia. Conclusions: The results obtained in this study suggest that SYM showed favorable anticancer effects and anticachexic effects on the MCF-7 cell xenograft through immunomodulatory effects. SYM did not induce any cytotoxic effects against both normal and cancer cells.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.24-31
• /
• 2023

Urological cancers such as kidney, bladder, prostate, and testicular cancers are the most common types of cancers worldwide with high mortality and morbidity. To date, traditional cell lines and animal models have been broadly used to study pre-clinical applications and underlying molecular mechanisms of urological cancers. However, they cannot reflect biological phenotypes of real tissues and clinical diversities of urological cancers in vitro system. In vitro models cannot be utilized to reflect the tumor microenvironment or heterogeneity. Cancer organoids in three-dimensional culture have emerged as a promising platform for simulating tumor microenvironment and revealing heterogeneity. In this review, we summarize recent advances in prostate and kidney cancer organoids regarding culture conditions, advantages, and applications of these cancer organoids.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.11
• /
• pp.1738-1741
• /
• 2010

Caliper measurements of tumor volume have been widely used in the assessment of tumors in animal models. However, experiments based on caliper data have resulted in unreliable estimates of tumor growth, due to necrotic areas of tumor mass. To overcome this systematic bias, we engineered a new luciferase-expressing rat prostate cancer cell line (MLL-Luc) that produces bioluminescence from viable cancer cells. MLL-Luc cells showed a strong correlation between bioluminescence intensity and cell number ($R^2$=0.99) and also accurately quantified tumor growth, with reduced bioluminescence signals caused by necrotic cells in a subcutaneous MLL-Luc xenograft model. The accurate quantification of tumor growth with bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was confirmed by a better antitumor effect of combination chemotherapy, compared to that based on caliper measurements with a correlation between the bioluminescence signal and tumor volume ($R^2$=0.84). These data suggest that bioluminescent MLL xenografts are a powerful and quantitative tool for monitoring tumor growth and are useful in evaluating the efficacy of anticancer drugs, with less systematic bias.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.561-567
• /
• 2015

This study aims to evaluate the antitumor effect of Adonis multiflora, one of the plants in the Ranunculaceae, on mice to which hepatoma cells were transplanted and to suggest its possibility as a candidate natural substance to replace antitumor drugs. We performed the MTT assay to assess the extract had a decrease in the growth rate of hepatoma cells depending on concentration. In particular, 100 ㎍/㎖ of the extract showed 40% of growth retardation rate. We assessed the autophagy activity to identify the inhibitory autophagy mechanism of tumor cells in the extract. This proved that the activity increases more as the concentration of the extract is higher. We conducted the Western blot test to confirmed the expression of two proteins LC3 and p62. The expression of p62 was in inverse proportion to the concentration of the extract whereas LC3-Ⅱ increased more as the concentration of the extract was higher. This showed that an increase in the autophagy relies on the conentration of the extract. We performed a test to discover the influence of the extracts on hepatoma cells transplanted to mice. The test proved that the extract triggers a significant decrease in the growth rate of tumor cells. Compared to the start of the test, the size of tumor cells with 50, 100 and 200 ㎎/㎏ of the extract respectively increased by 4, 3.7 and 3.5 times whereas in the controlling group by 6.3 times. The size of tumor cells in benign tumor controlling group increased by 3.1 times. This showed a significant decrease in the growth rate of tumor cells compared to the controlling group. We carried out the experiment of influence of the extract on the expression of two proteins LC3 and p62 in the tumor tissue transplanted into mice. The experiment showed that LC3-II increases more as the concentration of the extract is higher. However, there was a rapid decrease in p62 with 200 ㎎/㎏ of the extract compared to the controlling group. In this study, we proved that the autophagy activity of Adonis multiflora extract inhibits the growth of hepatoma cells by in vitro and in vivo experiments. In conclusion, the inhibitory autophagy mechanism of tumor cells in the extract can be used as a new treatment of antitumor.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.581-590
• /
• 1998

We developed a novel water-soluble camptothecin analobue, CKD602, and evaluated the inhibition of topoisomerase I and the antitumor activities against mammalian tumor cells and human tumor xenografts. CKD602 was a nanomolar inhibitor of the topoisomerase I enzyme in the cleavable complex assay. CKD602 was found to be 3 times and slightly more potent than topotecan and camptothecin as inhibitors of topoisomerase, respecitively. In tumor cell cytotoxicity, CKD602 was more potent than topotecan in 14 out of 26 human cancer cell lines tested, while it was comparable to camptothecin. CKD602 was tested for the in vivo antitumor activity against the human tumor xenograft models. CKD602 was able to imduce regression of established HT-29, WIDR and CX-1 colon tumors, LX-1 lung tumor, MX-1 breast tumor and SKOV-3 ovarian tumor as much as 80, 94, 76, 67, 87% and 88%, respectively, with comparable body weight changes to those of topotecan. Also the therapeutic margin (R/Emax: maximum tolerance dose/$ED-{58}$) of CKD602 was significantly higher than that of topotecan by 4 times. Efficacy was determined at the maximal tolerated dose levels using schedule dependent i.p. administration in mice bearing L1210 leukemia. On a Q4dx4 (every 4 day for 4 doses) schedule, the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was 25 mg/kg per administration, which caused great weight loss and lethality in <5% tumor bearing mouse. this schedule brought significant increase in life span (ILS), 212%, with 33% of long-term survivals. The ex vivo antitumor activity of CKD602 was compared with that of topotecan and the mean antitumor index (ATI) values recorded for CKD602 were significantly higher than that noted for topotecan. From these results, CKD602 warrants further clinical investigations as a potent inhibitor of topoisomerase I.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.161-172
• /
• 2022

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and has a high recurrence rate, which is associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs). β-carotene (BC) possesses antioxidant activity and several anticancer mechanisms. However, no investigation has examined its effect on colon cancer stemness. MATERIALS/METHODS: CD133⁺CD44⁺ HCT116 and CD133⁺CD44⁺ HT-29 cells were isolated and analyzed their self-renewal capacity by clonogenic and sphere formation assays. Expressions of several CSCs markers and Wnt/β-catenin signaling were examined. In addition, CD133⁺CD44⁺ HCT116 cells were subcutaneously injected in xenograft mice and analyzed the effect of BC on tumor formation, tumor volume, and CSCs markers in tumors. RESULTS: BC inhibited self-renewal capacity and CSC markers, including CD44, CD133, ALDH1A1, NOTCH1, Sox2, and β-catenin in vitro. The effects of BC on CSC markers were confirmed in primary cells isolated from human CRC tumors. BC supplementation decreased the number and size of tumors and delayed the tumor-onset time in xenograft mice injected with CD133⁺CD44⁺ HCT116 cells. The inhibitory effect of BC on CSC markers and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in tumors was confirmed in vivo as well. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that BC may be a potential therapeutic agent for colon cancer by targeting colon CSCs.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.126-133
• /
• 2021

Background: 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (20(S)-PPD), one of the aglycone derivatives of major ginsenosides, has been shown to have an anticancer activity toward a variety of cancers. This study was initiated with an attempt to evaluate its anti-cancer activity toward human endometrial cancer by cell and xenograft mouse models. Methods: Human endometrial cancer (HEC)-1A cells were incubated with different 20(S)-PPD concentrations. 20(S)-PPD cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTT assay. Apoptosis was detected using the annexin V binding assay and cell cycle analysis. Cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and activated caspase-9 were assessed using western blotting. HEC-1A cell tumor xenografts in athymic mice were generated by inoculating HEC-1A cells into the flank of BALB/c female mice and explored to validate 20(S)-PPD anti-endometrial cancer toxicity. Results: 20(S)-PPD inhibited HEC-1A cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 3.5 μM at 24 h. HEC-1A cells morphologically changed after 20(S)-PPD treatment, bearing resemblance to Taxol-treated cells. Annexin V-positive cell percentages were 0%, 10.8%, and 58.1% in HEC-1A cells when treated with 0, 2.5, and 5 μM of 20(S)-PPD, respectively, for 24 h. 20(S)-PPD subcutaneously injected into the HEC-1A cell xenograft-bearing mice three times a week for 17 days manifested tumor growth inhibition by as much as 18% at a dose of 80 mg/kg, which sharply contrasted to controls that showed an approximately 2.4-fold tumor volume increase. These events paralleled caspase-9 activation and PARP cleavage. Conclusion: 20(S)-PPD inhibits endometrial cancer cell proliferation by inducing cell death via a caspase-mediated apoptosis pathway. Therefore, the 20(S)-PPD-like ginsenosides are endowed with ample structural information that could be utilized to develop other ginsenoside-based anticancer agents.

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