• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제20권3호
• /
• pp.253-259
• /
• 2016

Previously, we found that KTH-13 isolated from the butanol fraction of Cordyceps bassiana (Cb-BF) displayed anti-cancer activity. To improve its antiproliferative activity and production yield, we employed a total synthetic approach and derivatized KTH-13 to obtain chemical analogs. In this study, one KTH-13 derivative, 4-(tert-butyl)-2,6-bis(1-phenylethyl)phenol (KTH-13-t-Bu), was selected to test its anti-cancer activity. KTH-13-t-Bu diminished the proliferation of C6 glioma, MDA-MB-231, LoVo, and HCT-15 cells. KTH-13-t-Bu induced morphological changes in C6 glioma cells in a dose-dependent manner. KTH-13-t-Bu also increased the level of early apoptotic cells stained with annexin V-FITC. Furthermore, KTH-13-t-Bu increased the levels of cleaved caspase-3 and -9. In contrast, KTH-13-t-Bu upregulated the levels of pro- and cleaved forms of caspase-3, -8, and -9 and Bcl- 2. Phospho-STAT3, phospho-Src, and phospho-AKT levels were also diminished by KTH13-t-Bu treatment. Therefore, these results strongly suggest that KTH-13-t-Bu can be considered a novel anti-cancer drug displaying pro-apoptotic activity.

• 한국자원식물학회지
• /
• 제31권1호
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2018

백작약 물 추출물과 유기용매 분획물들의 항산화 활성, 트롬빈 억제 및 구강암세포주에서의 암전이 억제 및 암세포 사멸능을 확인하였다. 에틸아세테이트 분획물이 85.13%의 높은 항산화 활성과 87.54%의 높은 트롬빈저해 효과를 나타냈으며, 또한 구강암세포주에서도 트롬빈 처리에 의해 활성화된 MMP-2/pro-MMP-2이 높은 암전이 억제 활성을 나타냈다. 그리고 구강암세포주에 대한 세포사멸 효과는 물 추출물이 5배 이상의 높은 능력을 보였다. 이와 같은 연구 결과를 바탕으로 백작약 에틸아세테이트 분획물은 새로운 항산화제, 트롬빈억제제 및 암전이억제제의 개발을 위한 우수한 천연물 소재 후보 물질로서의 가능성을 제시하고 있다.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제21권1호
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2006

Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) is a mitochondrial pro-apoptotic protein that has a single Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3) domain and a COOH-terminal transmembrane (TM) domain. Although it belongs to the Bcl-2 family and can heterodimerize with Bcl-2, its pro-apoptotic activity is distinct from those of other members of the Bcl-2 family. For example, cell death mediated by BNIP3 is independent of caspases and shows several characteristics of necrosis. Furthermore, the TM domain, but not the BH3 domain, is required for dimerization, mitochondrial targeting and pro-apoptotic activity. BNIP3 plays an important role in hypoxia-induced death of normal and malignant cells. Its expression is markedly increased in the hypoxic regions of some solid tumors and appears to be regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), which binds to a site on the BNIP3 promoter. Silencing, followed by methylation, of the BNIP3 gene occurs in a significant proportion of cancer cases, especially in pancreatic cancers. BNIP3 also has a role in the death of cardiac myocytes in ischemia. Further studies of BNIP3 should provide insight into hypoxic cell death and may contribute to improved treatment of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제31권10호
• /
• pp.1343-1349
• /
• 2021

Cockroaches live in places where various pathogens exist and thus are more likely to use antimicrobial compounds to defend against pathogen intrusions. We previously performed an in silico analysis of the Periplaneta americana transcriptome and detected periplanetasin-5 using an in silico antimicrobial peptide prediction method. In this study, we investigated whether periplanetasin-5 has anticancer activity against the human leukemia cell line K562. Cell growth and survival of K562 cells treated with periplanetasin-5 were decreased in a dose-dependent manner. By using flow cytometric analysis, acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining and DNA fragmentation, we found that periplanetasin-5 induced apoptotic and necrotic cell death in leukemia cells. In addition, these events were associated with increased levels of the pro-apoptotic proteins Fas and cytochrome c and reduced levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Periplanetasin-5 induces the cleavage of pro-caspase-9, pro-caspase-8, pro-caspase-3, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). The above data suggest that periplanetasin-5 induces apoptosis via both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Moreover, caspase-related apoptosis was further confirmed by using the caspase inhibitor carbobenzoxy-valyl-alanyl-aspartyl-[O-methyl]-fluoromethylketone (Z-VAD-FMK), which reversed the periplanetasin-5-induced reduction in cell viability. In conclusion, periplanetasin-5 caused apoptosis in leukemia cells, suggesting its potential utility as an anticancer therapeutic agent.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• 제22권1호
• /
• pp.31-37
• /
• 2006

It was previously found that melittin inhibited $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity by reacting with signal molecules of $NF-{\kappa}B$ which is critical contributor in cancer cell growth by induction of apoptotic cell death. We here investigated whether melittin inhibits cell growth of human prostate cancer cells through induction of apoptotic cell death, and the possible signal pathways. Melittin ($0{\sim}1\;{\mu}g/ml$) inhibited prostate cancer cell growth in a dose dependent manner. Conversely related to the growth inhibitory effect, melittin increased the induction of apoptotic cell death in a dose dependent manner. Melittin also inhibited DNA binding activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$, an anti-apoptotic transcriptional factor. Consistent with the induction of apoptotic cell death and inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$, melittin increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins caspase-3, and Bax but down-regulated anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. These findings suggest that melittin could inhibit prostate cancer cell growth, and this effect may be related with the induction of apoptotic cell death via inactivation of $NF-{\kappa}B$.

• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제29권1호
• /
• pp.42-66
• /
• 2008

Aconiti Tuber is a traditional medicinal plant generally used in Oriental medicine therapy. In this study, we investigated the biochemical mechanisms of anti-proliferative effects by the methanol extract of Aconiti tuber (MEBJ) in Caki-1 human renal cell carcinoma cells. It was found that MEBJ could inhibit, in a dose-dependent manner, cell growth which was associated with apoptotic cell death such as formation of apoptotic bodies, DNA fragmentation and increased populations of apoptotic-sub G1 phase. Apoptosis of Caki-1 cells by MEBJ was associated with an up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax expression, and a down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 in a dose-dependent manner; however, the levels of IAP family were not affected. MEBJ treatment also induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and -8, and a inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and $PLC{\gamma}1$ protein. Furthermore, MEBJ treatment caused a dose-dependent inhibition of iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2). Though further studies will be needed to identify the active compounds that confer the anti-cancer activity of MEBJ, the present findings provide important new insights into the possible molecular mechanisms of the apoptotic activity of MEBJ in cancer cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권2호
• /
• pp.617-622
• /
• 2014

Voacanga globosa (Blanco), a plant endemic to the Philippines, is traditionally used especially by indigenous people of Bataan in the treatment of ulcers, wounds and tumorous growths. This study aimed to provide scientific evidence to therapeutic properties by determining cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activity of HPLC fractions from leaves on HCT116 human colon carcinoma and A549 human lung carcinoma cell lines. Ethanolic extraction was performed on V globosa leaves followed by hexane and ethyl acetate partitioning. Silica gel column chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) produced MP1, MP2 and MP3 fractions. Cytotoxic activity of the fractions was determined through MTT assay against the cancer cell lines HCT116 and A549 and the non-cancer AA8 Chinese hamster ovarian cell line. Pro-apoptotic activities of the most active fractions were further assessed through DAPI staining, TUNEL assay and JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential assay with HCT116 cells. While the MPI fraction exerted no significant activity against all cell lines tested, MP2 and MP3 fractions demonstrated high toxicity against HCT116 and A549 cells. The MP3 fraction induced formation of apoptotic bodies, condensed DNA and other morphological changes consistent with apoptosis of HCT116 cells and TUNEL assay showed significant increase in DNA fragmentation over time. In these cells, the MP3 fraction also induced mitochondrial membrane destabilization, which is generally associated with the beginning of apoptosis. Phytochemical analysis demonstrated the presence only of saponins and terpenoids in the MP3 fraction. The results indicate that the MP3 fraction exerts cytotoxic activity on HCT116 cells via induction of apoptosis triggered by loss of mitochondrial membrane potential crucial for cell survival.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
• /
• 제23권2호
• /
• pp.47-59
• /
• 2006

We previously found that cobrotoxin inhibited $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity by reacting with signal molecules of $NF-{\kappa}B$ which is critical contributor in cancer cell growth by induction of apoptotic cell death. We here investigated whether cobrotoxin inhibits cell growth of human prostate cancer cells through induction of apoptotic cell death, which is related with the suppression of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity. Cobrotoxin $(0{\sim}8\;nM)$ inhibited prostate cancer cell growth through increased apoptosis in a dose dependent manner. Cobrotoxin inhibited DNA binding activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$, an anti-apoptotic transcriptional factor. Consistent with the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$, cobrotoxin increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins caspase 3. Cobrotoxin, a venom of Vipera lebetina turanica, is a group of basicpeptides composed of 233 amino acids with six disulfide bonds formed by twelve cysteins. NF-kB is activated by subsequent release of inhibitory IkB and translocation of p50. Since sulfhydryl group is present in kinase domain of p50 subunit of NF-kB, cobrotoxin could modify NF-kB activity by protein-protein interaction. And Cobrotoxin down regulated Akt signals. Salicylic acid as a reducing agent of Sulf-hydryl group and LY294002 as a Akt inhibitor abrogated cobrotoxin-induced cell growth and DNA binding activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$. These findings suggest that nano to pico molar range of cobrotoxin could inhibit prostate cancer cell growth, and the effect may be related with the induction of apoptotic cell death through Akt dependent inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ signal.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
• /
• 제45권6호
• /
• pp.911-917
• /
• 2016

본 연구에서는 야관문 에탄올 추출물의 인체 대장암세포 성장억제 효능 및 그 기전을 연구하였다. 야관문 에탄올 추출물을 0, 200, 400, $600{\mu}g/mL$ 농도로 48시간 처리하여 암세포 증식억제 효과를 측정한 결과 농도 의존적으로 감소하는 것으로 확인하였다. HT-29 세포에 대한 야관문 추출물의 $IC_{50}$ 값은 $554.26{\pm}8.81{\mu}g/mL$로 확인되었다. 또한 야관문 에탄올 추출물을 처리한 HT-29 세포에 대한 세포 성장 억제 기전을 확인한 결과 pro-caspase 3의 발현이 감소함에 따라 PARP의 분절 및 DNA 분절을 확인하고 anti-apoptotic단백질인 Bcl-2를 감소시켰으며 pro-apoptotic 단백질인 Bax의 수준을 증가시키는 것으로 확인하였다. 염증 관련 유전자 $TNF-{\alpha}$, IL-6 그리고 그의 전사인자인 $NF-{\kappa}B$는 야관문 에탄올 추출물 처리농도에 의존적으로 감소하는 것으로 확인하였고 유전자 SIRT1의 발현량도 증가하는 것으로 확인하였다. 그 결과 야관문 에탄올 추출물 처리에 따라서 HT-29의 세포 성장억제가 확인되어 apoptosis를 유도하는 것으로 확인되었고, 이러한 연구 결과는 야관문이 기능성 소재로서 기초적 데이터베이스로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 생각되며 앞으로 더욱더 야관문의 질병에 대한 효능 및 기전연구가 지속하여야 할 것으로 생각된다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제14권11호
• /
• pp.6791-6795
• /
• 2013

Apoptotic and cytotoxic activity of plant extracts obtaining from naturally growing Cynara syriaca in Turkey and cultivated C cardunculus against DLD1 colorectal cancer cells was determined. Extracts from wild and cultivated Cynara species were obtained from their vegetative parts and receptacles using hexane and applied with five different dose (0.1-1 mg/ml) as well as apigenin for MTT tests for three time periods (24, 48 and 72 hours). After cells were treated with $IC_{50}$ doses for each extract total DNA and RNA were isolated for determination of the cause of cell death. From isolated RNAs, cDNA were synthesized and amplification of p21, BCL-2 and BAX gene regions was carried out. Consequently, we found that pro-apoptotic (BAX) gene expression and a cell cycle inhibitor (p21) were induced in the presence of our artichoke extracts. In contrast, anti-apoptotic BCL-2 gene expression was reduced compared to the control group. In addition DNA fragmentation results demonstrated DLD1 cell death via apoptosis.