Shikonin, which derives from Lithospermum erythrorhizon, has been traditionally used against a variety of diseases, including cancer, in Eastern Asia. Here we determined that shikonin inhibits proliferation of gastric cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. Shikonin's biological activity was validated by observing cell viability, caspase 3 activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and apoptotic marker expressions in AGS stomach cancer cells. The concentration range of shikonin was 35–250 nM with the incubation time of 6 h. Protein levels of Nrf2 and p53 were evaluated by western blotting and confirmed by real-time PCR. Our results revealed that shikonin induced the generation of ROS as well as caspase 3-dependent apoptosis. c-Jun-N-terminal kinases (JNK) activity was significantly elevated in shikonin-treated cells, thereby linking JNK to apoptosis. Furthermore, our results revealed that shikonin induced p53 expression but repressed Nrf2 expression. Moreover, our results suggested that there may be a co-regulation between p53 and Nrf2, in which transfection with siNrf2 induced the p53 expression. We demonstrated for the first time that shikonin activated cell apoptosis in AGS cells via caspase 3- and JNK-dependent pathways, as well as through the p53-Nrf2 mediated signal pathway. Our study validates in partly the contribution of shikonin as a new therapeutic approaches/ agent for cancer chemotherapy.
Apoptosis ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Death* ; Cell Survival ; Drug Therapy ; Far East ; Humans* ; Lithospermum ; Phosphotransferases ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Signal Transduction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; Stomach* ; Transfection

Angelica koreana is an important medicinal plant for some locals in East Asia including Korea. A few reports have shown the efficacy of its phytochemical constituents. We have isolated and purified one compound falcarindiol (FAL) from the methanolic extract of A. koreana roots. At concentrations from to 1 µM to 25 µM, the FAL isolated from the roots of A. koreana exerted no significant cytotoxicity and down-regulated LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-8 in colon epithelial cells, while up-regulating anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. In addition, the FAL decreased the expression of LPS-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 protein by Western blot analysis. Colon epithelial cells play pivotal roles in regulating the colon immune system and thus FAL is expected to be candidate agent as therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by modulating LPS-induced inflammation in colon epithelial cells.
Angelica* ; Blotting, Western ; Colon* ; Epithelial Cells* ; Far East ; Immune System ; Inflammation ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Interleukin-10* ; Interleukin-8* ; Korea ; Methanol ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II ; Plants, Medicinal ; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases

BACKGROUND: Sorbus rufopilosa, a tsema rowan, is a species of the small ornamental trees in the genus Sorbus and the family Rosaceae found in East Asia. The bioactivities of S. rufopilosa have not yet been fully determined. The objective of this study is to evaluate the antioxidant and anticancer effects of ethanol extract of S. rufopilosa (EESR) and to determine the molecular mechanism of its anticancer activity in human colon carcinoma HT29 cells. METHODS: To examine the antioxidant activity of EESR, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity assay was performed. Inhibitory effect of EESR on cancer cell growth and proliferation was determined by water-soluble tetrazolium salt assay. To investigate the mechanism of EESR-mediated cytotoxicity, HT29 cells were treated with various concentrations of EESR and the induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: EESR showed significant antioxidant activity and inhibitory effect on HT29 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. EESR induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in a dose-dependent manner by modulating cyclin B, cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), and CDK inhibitor p21 expression. EESR-induced apoptosis was associated with the upregulation of p53, a death receptor Fas, and a pro-apoptotic protein Bax and the activation of caspase 3, 8, and 9, resulting in the degradation of PARP. CONCLUSIONS: EESR possessing antioxidant activity efficiently inhibits proliferation of HT29 cells by inducing both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. EESR may be a possible candidate for the anticancer drug development.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Caspase 3 ; CDC2 Protein Kinase ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints* ; Cell Cycle* ; Colon* ; Cyclin B ; Ethanol ; Far East ; Flow Cytometry ; HT29 Cells* ; Humans* ; Rosacea ; Rosaceae ; Sorbus* ; Trees ; Up-Regulation

BACKGROUND: Asian dust storms can be transported across eastern Asia. In vitro, Asian dust particle-induced inflammation and enhancement of the allergic reaction have been observed. However, the fibrotic effects of Asian dust particles are not clear. Production of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) and fibronectin were investigated in the bronchial epithelial cells after exposure to Asian dust particulate matter (AD-PM10). METHODS: During Asian dust storm periods, air samples were collected. The bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to AD-PM10 with and without the antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Then TGF-beta1 and fibronectin were detected by Western blotting. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by the measurement of dicholorodihydrofluorescin (DCF), using a FACScan, and visualized by a confocal microscopy. RESULTS: The expression of TGF-beta1, fibronectin and ROS was high after being exposed to AD-PM10, compared to the control. NAC attenuated both TGF-beta1 and fibronectin expression in the AD-PM10-exposed the bronchial epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: AD-PM10 may have fibrotic potential in the bronchial epithelial cells and the possible mechanism is AD-PM10-induced intracellular ROS.
Acetylcysteine ; Air Pollutants ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blotting, Western ; Dust ; Epithelial Cells ; Far East ; Fibronectins ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Inflammation ; Particulate Matter ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Transforming Growth Factor beta ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1

BACKGROUND: Osmanthus matsumuranus, a species of Oleaceae, is found in East Asia and Southeast Asia. The bioactivities of O. matsumuranus have not yet been fully understood. Here, we studied on the molecular mechanisms underlying anti-cancer effect of ethanol extract of O. matsumuranus (EEOM). METHODS: Inhibitory effect of EEOM on cell growth and proliferation was determined by WST assay in various cancer cells. To investigate the mechanisms of EEOM-mediated cytotoxicity, HepG2 cells were treated with various concentration of EEOM and analyzed the cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction by flow cytometry, Western blot analysis, 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and DNA fragmentation. RESULTS: EEOM showed the cytotoxic activities in a dose-dependent manner in various cancer cell lines but not in normal cells, and HepG2 cells were most susceptible to EEOM-induced cytotoxicity. EEOM induced G2/M arrest in HepG2 cells associated with decreased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), cyclin A and cylcin B, and increased expression of phospho-checkpoint kinase 2, p53 and CDK inhibitor p21. Immunofluorescence staining showed that EEOM-treated HepG2 increased doublet nuclei and condensed actin, resulting in cell rounding. Furthermore, EEOM-mediated apoptosis was determined by Annexin V staining, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. EEOM caused upregulation of FAS and Bax, activation of caspase-3, -8, -9, and fragmentation of poly ADP ribose polymerase. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that EEOM efficiently inhibits proliferation of HepG2 cells by inducing both G2/M arrest and apoptosis via intrinsic and extrinsic pathways, and EEOM may be used as a cancer chemopreventive agent in the food or nutraceutical industry.
Actins ; Annexin A5 ; Apoptosis* ; Asia, Southeastern ; Blotting, Western ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Caspase 3 ; CDC2 Protein Kinase ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Line ; Chromatin ; Cyclin A ; Dietary Supplements ; DNA Fragmentation ; Ethanol ; Far East ; Flow Cytometry ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique ; Hep G2 Cells* ; Humans* ; Oleaceae ; Phosphotransferases ; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases ; Up-Regulation

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) has two pleckstrin homology (PH) domains: an amino-terminal domain (PH1) and a split PH domain (PH2). Here, we show that overlay assay of bovine brain tubulin pool with glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-PLC-gamma1 PH domain fusion proteins, followed by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), identified 68-kDa neurofilament light chain (NF-L) as a binding protein of amino-terminal PH domain of PLC-gamma1. NF-L is known as a component of neuronal intermediate filaments, which are responsible for supporting the structure of myelinated axons in neuron. PLC-gamma1 and NF-L colocalized in the neurite in PC12 cells upon nerve growth factor stimulation. In vitro binding assay and immunoprecipitation analysis also showed a specific interaction of both proteins in differentiated PC12 cells. The phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2] hydrolyzing activity of PLC-gamma1 was slightly decreased in the presence of purified NF-L in vitro, suggesting that NF-L inhibits PLC-gamma1. Our results suggest that PLC-gamma1-associated NF-L sequesters the phospholipid from the PH domain of PLC-gamma1.
Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; Rats ; Protein Interaction Mapping ; Protein Biosynthesis/drug effects ; Protein Binding/drug effects ; Phosphoproteins/chemistry/*metabolism ; Phospholipase C gamma/antagonists & inhibitors/chemistry/*metabolism ; Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-Diphosphate/metabolism ; Peptides/chemistry/metabolism ; PC12 Cells ; Neurofilament Proteins/chemistry/*metabolism ; Nerve Growth Factor/pharmacology ; Molecular Weight ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Microtubules/metabolism ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Isoenzymes/metabolism/pharmacology/physiology ; Glutathione Transferase/metabolism ; Blotting, Far-Western ; Blood Proteins/chemistry/*metabolism ; Binding Sites ; Animals ; Amino Acid Sequence