Anti-Proliferative Activity of Nodosin, a Diterpenoid from Isodon serra, via Regulation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathways in Human Colon Cancer Cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most malignant type of cancers and its incidence is steadily increasing, due to life style factors that include western diet. Abnormal activation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays an important role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Therefore, targeting Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been considered a crucial strategy in the discovery of small molecules for CRC. In the present study, we found that Nodosin, an ent-kaurene diterpenoid isolated from Isodon serra, effectively inhibits the proliferation of human colon cancer HCT116 cells. Mechanistically, Nodosin effectively inhibited the overactivated transcriptional activity of β-catenin/T-cell factor (TCF) determined by Wnt/β-catenin reporter gene assay in HEK293 and HCT116 cells. The expression of Wnt/β-catenin target genes such as Axin2, cyclin D1, and survivin were also suppressed by Nodosin in HCT116 cells. Further study revealed that a longer exposure of Nodosin induced the G 2/M phase cell cycle arrest and subsequently apoptosis in HCT116 cells. These findings suggest that the anti-proliferative activity of Nodosin in colorectal cancer cells might in part be associated with the regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Comparative Study on the Content and Cytotoxicity of Pseudolaric Acid B in the Five Plant Parts of Pseudolarix kaempferi

Pseudolaric acids of Pseudolarix kaempferi (Pinaceae) have been known as diterpenoids with potent anti-fungal-, anti-microbial, and cytotoxic activities. In the present study, the five MeOH extracts were prepared from the five plant part (root bark, stem bark, leaf, the inner part of root, and cone) to find the relation between the concentration of pseudolaric acids and cytotoxicity. Pseudolaric acids B and C were isolated from the root bark of P. kaempferi to use them as standard compounds. The five extracts were tested on cytotoxicity against six cancer cell lines, A549 (lung), HCT116 (colon), MDA-MB-231 (breast), SNU638 (stomach), and SK-hep-1 (liver) by SRB assay, but against K562 (leukemia) by SRB- or MTT assay. HPLC quantification were performed on a Shisheido Capcell PAK C18 column (5 µm, 4.6 mm × 250 mm) using 254 nm wavelength. The cytotoxicity (IC₅₀, 0.36 µg/ml on K562 cell lines) of the root bark extract was potent and the content (101.1 mg/g extract) of pseudolaric acid B was very high in the root bark. These results suggest that the MeOH extract obtained from the root bark could be developed as the anti-cancer agent with a high quantity of pseudolaric acid B.

Effects of Mechanical Stimulation and Scaffolds for Nucleus Pulposus Replacement of Intervertebral Disc / 대한정형외과연구학회지

PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated the potential of injectable hydrogel scaffolds for the regeneration of nucleus pulposus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prepared injectable hydrogels [Chitosan-Pluronic (CP), CP/Osteogenic Protein-1 (CP/OP-1), CP/Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (CP/GRGDS), CP/GRGDS/OP-1] for this study. One of the four potential materials was selected through the cell viability tests. For each material, primary cultured nucleus pulposus (NP) cells from New Zealand rabbits were seeded onto each material. For the investigation of the effects of mechanical stimulation, the commercially available bioreactor was used. 0.2 MPa of intermittent hydrostatic pressure was imposed for 3 days after 7th day of seeding with the pattern of 2 min and 15 min for stimulating and resting, respectively. The specimens were harvested at 1, 10, 14 day after seeding for analyses. RESULTS: The MTT assay for 5 days revealed that CP/OP-1 group showed significant increase. The other two groups (CP/GRGDS and CP/GRGDS/OP-1) showed that the proliferation rate increased until 3 days after culture, while it decreased on day 5. The mechanical stimuli induced higher amounts of DNA measured in CP/OP- 1 on day 5 after culture. However, no significant difference was observed between two groups. CONCLUSION: We came to the conclusions that the biochemical environment as well as mechanical stimulation may play an important role in regenerating nucleus pulposus matrix, especially in CP/OP-1 in this study. However, further study are recommended in relation to mechanical effects as well as biochemical conditions.

Search for Genes Potentially Related to Germ Tube Formation in Candida albicans by Differential-Display Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction

Candida albicans exhibits the ability to grow in either a yeast or a mycelia form in response to different environmental factors. The mycelia form, found in infected tissues, is important as a virulence factor in the adherence of the organism to the host epithelium. In vitro, the morphological transition can be induced by environmental shifts in the growing conditions, or by a variety of exogenous factors, including ambient pH, nutritional status and temperature. The differential-display reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) is a powerful technique for comparing gene expression between cell types, stages of development or differentiation. Hyphae related genes were identified and characterized using a PCR-based differential display. Candida albicans formed a germ tube when cultured in rabbit serum, RPMI 1640 medium or 39degrees C-YPD medium. We gained 21 cDNA bands showing a different expression pattern from that of the uninduced culture. DNA was extracted from the same location of the isolated bands, and PCR was performed under the same conditions, which reamplified the PCR product, showing the specific expression patterns according to the culture conditions. We cloned 18 germ tube-related cDNA clones (inserts average size is 80 - 700 bp) and sequenced them. The nucleotide sequences of the 18 clones were identified through in the present study from GenBank, and were found to have the accession number (AF405213-AF405230). We could not find any nucleotide sequence having a high homology with these clones. This study could form a part of the projects in the search for genes related to the germ tube formation of C. albicans.

Ultrastructure of Fibrillar Layer of Candida albicans in Serum Culture

No abstract available.

Nonkaryophilic T Antigen of Simian Virus 40 does not have the Functions of Transcriptional Regulation and Transformation

No abstract available.

Effects of Vasodilators on Coronary Vasospasm Induced by Endothelin in the Isolated Perfused Rat Heart / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: An endothelium derived vasoconstrictor peptide, endothelin, has been shown to be a potent coronary vascular constrictor. In the clinical settings of angina or myocardial ischemia, the endothelial injury of coronary artery can stimulate the endothelin production. In this study, the authors assessed the response to endothelin of the coronary artery in isolated rat heart and compared the relative effects of three vasodilators (nifedipine, adenosine, nitroprusside) on coronary vasospasm which was induced by endothelin. METHODS: The isolated rat heart preparations (Langendorff model) were obtained from fourty male Sprague-Dawley rats (350-400 gm). Preparations were perfusated with Krebs-Hanseleit solution of (mM): NaCl 115, NaHCO3 25, KCl 4.7, CaCl2 2H2O 2.5, MgCl2 6H2O 1.2, KH2PO4 1.2, glucose 10. The perfusate was maintained at 37oC and aerated with carbogen (oxygen 95% and carbon dioxide 5%). The coronary perfusion was maintained at 80 cmH20 pressure and Latex balloon was positioned in left ventricle. After the preparations were stabilized, endothelin (10(-9) M) was added to perfusate for 5 minutes and followed the perfusion without vasodilators (control, n = 10) or with vasodilators (nifedipine, adenosine and nitroprusside 10(-7) M to 10(-6) M, n = 10 each) for 45 minutes. The left ventricular developed pressure (LDP) and heart rate (HR) was recorded and the coronary effluent (VOL) was collected to measure the unit volume and the CPK isoenzyme (CK-MB). Effects of the interventions were assessed using analysis of variance. All values are presented as means +/- SE. RESULTS: VOL, HR and VDP were significantly reduced after infusion of 10(-9) M endothelin in 3 and 5 minutes. VOL was recovered efficiently after infusion of three vasodilators. Adenosine and nitroprusside groups showed superior recovery in the changes of rate pressure product (RPP) than in nifedipine group, which was significant reduced in VDP. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that in the situation of endothelin induced severe coronary vasospasm, adenosine and nitroprusside effectively reversed the coronary vasospasm without severe myocardial depression.

Treatment Experiences of High Dose Lorazepam Dependence: Two Case Reports / 대한정신약물학회지

Drugs of the benzodiazepine family pharmacologically have superior anti-anxiety, sedative, anti-convulsant, and muscle relaxant effect resulting in its popular use not only in psychiatry but in other field of medicine. However, the long term use of benzodiazepines may cause to question the efficacy and may amount to dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms thus leading to sociologic problems. The treatment strategies of benzodiazepine dependence consist of gradual dosage reduction, the substitution to a long half-life benzodiazepine, and providing psychological support. We present two treatment experiences of high dose lorazepam dependence along with the review of corresponding literature.

Relationship between Religious Conversion Experience and Narcissistic Personality Trend / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: Although there have been many studies in the academic fields outside theology about religious conversion experience, only a few objective methodological research efforts have been possible because of difficulties in scientific approach due to the subjective's individual and diverse characteristics. Recently, research from a psychological and psychiatric point of view has begun. There are many different viewpoints toward religious conversion: from a psychoanalytic perspective, regarding it as a projection of the father figure; to negative attitudes such as sexual repression, exhibitionism, neurosis, psychosis, dissociation, organic brain disease, aphasia and compensation for deprivation; and also to positive viewpoints that there is no psychopathology, that the experience of religious conversion exert an adaptive effect, and that it is a phenomenon which happens to persons who have a well-integrated personality. From the viewpoint of psychoanalytic self-psychology, religious conversion is self-object seeking behavior in people who have a narcissistic personality trend. In this study we tried to demonstrate the association between religious conversion and narcissistic personality trend. Particularly, we attempted to show the hypothesis that the crisis conversion group has a higher association with the narcissistic personality trend. METHOD: We divided the subjects into 3 groups (crisis conversion group, progressive conversion group, non-conversion group) and analyzed the differences in the scales of narcissistic personality according to the diagnostic criteria (diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder based on prototypicality rating and narcissistic personality inventory). RESULT: The results showed that the crisis conversion group had a significantly higher value than the other 2 groups for narcissistic personality inventory and factor II (Leadership/Authority) and factor III (Superiority/Arrogance), showing that the crisis conversion group had a higher narcissistic personality trend. CONCLUSION: The crisis conversion group has more narcissistic personality trend than other 2 groups and the narcissistic personality trend which was found in the crisis conversion group may have a more adaptive and functioning dimension in contrast to a pathological and maladaptive one.

Serum Indeces Protein Fibrils Expression in Candida albicans

The fibrillar coat of Candida albicans is of interest as its significance in antigenicity, antiphagocytosis, and adherence to host tissues. The partial biochemical properties and ultrastructure of fibrillar coat induced by rabbit sera were examined. The induced fibrillar layer was destroyed by treatments of lyticase, proteinase K and dithiothreitol. The total protein concentration of fibrillar cell wall lysate was higher than that of non-fibrillar cell wall lysate, but the total sugar concentration was similar. On SDS-PAGE analysis, the protein profiles between in fibrillar cells and in non-fibrillar cells were shown to be different. In fibrillar cells, the major bands of cell wall lysate were 83, 66, 54, 47, 33, and 26 kDa in dithiothreitol-treated lysate. The proteins of 26 and 19 kDa were predominant in lyticase-treated lysate. Although the fibrillar thickness and protein amount of cell wall lysate were increased in according to the incubation time, the protein profiles did not changed. These results suggest that the proteins of 83, 66, 54, 47, 33, 26, and 19 kDa may be major constituents of fibrillar coat in C. albicans.