Ursodeoxycholic Acid Induces Death Receptor-mediated Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND: Bile acids have anti-cancer properties in a certain types of cancers. We determined anticancer activity and its underlying molecular mechanism of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in human DU145 prostate cancer cells. METHODS: Cell viability was measured with an MTT assay. UDCA-induced apoptosis was determined with flow cytometric analysis. The expression levels of apoptosis-related signaling proteins were examined with Western blotting. RESULTS: UDCA treatment significantly inhibited cell growth of DU145 in a dose-dependent manner. It induced cellular shrinkage and cytoplasmic blebs and accumulated the cells with sub-G1 DNA contents. Moreover, UDCA activated caspase 8, suggesting that UDCA-induced apoptosis is associated with extrinsic pathway. Consistent to this finding, UDCA increased the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor, death receptor 4 (DR4) and death receptor 5 (DR5), and TRAIL augmented the UDCA-induced cell death in DU145 cells. In addition, UDCA also increased the expressions of Bax and cytochrome c and decreased the expression of Bcl-xL in DU145 cells. This finding suggests that UDCA-induced apoptosis may be involved in intrinsic pathway. CONCLUSIONS: UDCA induces apoptosis via extrinsic pathway as well as intrinsic pathway in DU145 prostate cancer cells. UDCA may be a promising anti-cancer agent against prostate cancer.

Anthocyanins From the Fruit of Vitis coignetiae Pulliat Potentiate the Cisplatin Activity by Inhibiting PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathways in Human Gastric Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin (cis-diaminedichloroplatinum, CDDP) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of many cancers. However, initial resistance to CDDP is a serious problem in treating these cancers. Vitis coignetiae Pulliat (Meoru in Korea) have shown anti-nuclear factor kappa B and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor activities in cancer cells. METHODS: In this study, in order to seeking an approach to increase the anti-cancer effects of CDDP with natural products. Here, we investigated anthocyanins isolated from Vitis coignetiae Pulliat (anthocyanidins isolated from meoru, AIMs) can enhance anti-cancer effects of cisplatin (CDDP) in stomach cancer cells. The cell viability of SNU-1 and SNU-16 cells after treated with AIMs and CDDP were analyzed by MTT assay. The expressions of Akt and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) proteins were examined by western blot in AIMs- and CDDP-treated cells. RESULTS: We found that AIMs enhanced anticancer effects of CDDP, which activity was additive but not synergistic. AIMs suppressed Akt activity of the cancer cells activated by CDDP. AIMs also suppressed in XIAP an anti-apoptotic protein. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the anthocyanins isolated from fruits of Vitis coignetiae Pulliat enhanced anti-cancer effects of CDDP by inhibiting Akt activity activated by CDDP.

Evaluating the Allergenicity of Soybean by the Fermentation / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the allergenicity of soybean by fermentation. METHODS: Non-fermented soybean, fermented soybean by Bacillus subtilis KFCC 11293 and 3-step fermented soybean by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis IFO 12007 and Aspergillus oryzae and B. subtilis KFCC 11293 were extracted with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In order to detect soybean-specific IgE, we performed SDS-PAGE and IgE immunoblot analysis by using 3 kinds of soybean extracts and sera from 9 patients with atopic dermatitis. All patients were sensitive to soybean, which were confirmed by CAP-FEIA. RESULTS: SDS-PAGE of non-fermented soybeans showed many bands, whereas only peptides of less than 15 kDa were found in fermented soybeans. IgE immunoblot analysis of fermented soybeans failed to detect specific IgE which were seen in non-fermented soybeans. CONCLUSION: Fermentation could reduce the allergenicity of soybeans by efficiently degrading antigenic proteins in soybeans. However, there was no significant difference between fermentation by B. subtilis and 3-step fermentation.

Gait Analysis Related to the Level of Lumbosacral Radiculopathy in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain

OBJECTIVE: To study gait patterns of patients with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy, and to investigate whether gait parameters can reflect functional deficit in relation to the level of lumbosacral radiculopathy. METHOD: Conventional physical examinations and three- dimensional gait analysis were performed on 24 patients with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy (twelves with L5 and twelves with S1 radiculopathy) who were diagnosed by electrophysiologic study and magnetic resonance imaging study, and 12 healthy control subjects. Temporospatial, kine matic and kinetic parameters of patients were compared with those of the control group. RESULTS: In patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy, walking velocity, stride length, ratio of single support time to double support time and range of pelvic obliquity were less than control group. Increased double support time, decreased maximal hip extension angle, decreased ankle plantar flexion angle during preswing phase and decreased maximal ankle plantar flexion moment were noted in S1 radiculopathy patients compared with control group. Decreased pelvic rotational range and decreased ankle dorsiflexion moment were specific in L5 radiculopathy patients compared with control group. CONCLUSION: Using three-dimensional gait analysis, we could identify specific gait parameters to reflect functional deficit related to the level of lumbosacral radiculopathy.

Correlations of the Clinical Factors and Gait Parameters in Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship of clinical factors and gait parameters of patients with failed back surgery syndrome. METHOD: We investigated 25 male patients with back and /or lower limb pain who underwent lumbar spine operation. The following data were evaluated: clinical symptoms, physical examination, duration from operation to the gait analysis, number and level of operation, Visual Analogue Scales (VAS), modified Dallas pain questionnaire, psychological evaluations (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) and gait parameters through 3 dimensional gait analysis. RESULTS: Walking velocity was inversely correlated with scores of modified Dallas pain questionnaire and BDI. Stride length was inversely correlated with scores of return to work, neurogenic claudication, VAS, modified Dallas pain questionnaire and BDI. Range of pelvic obliquity was inversely correlated with scores of modified Dallas pain questionnaire and BDI. There was no significant differences between findings of physical exam and gait parameters. CONCLUSION: Results of the gait analysis of patients with failed back surgery syndrome showed significant relationship with clinical factors reflecting psychosocial background of patients.

Kinematic and Kinetic Characteristics of Gait in Unilateral Below-Knee Amputees

OBJECTIVE: To quantify characteristic gait pattern in below-knee amputees using kinematic and kinetic parameters and to compare those with sound limbs and control group. METHOD: Three dimensional gait analysis was performed in 19 unilateral below-knee amputees and 20 controls. Measured gait parameters were temporal parameters and kinematic and kinetic parameters at hip, knee and ankle joints. Gait parameters obtained from amputated limbs were compared with those of sound limbs and control group. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in temporal parameters among 3 limbs. In amputated limbs, degree of knee flexion and knee extension moment in stance phasewere less than sound limbs and control group. In addition, timing of peak knee extension moment occurred later. Also, timing of ankle plantar flexion in loading response and preswing phase occured later, and degree of ankle plantar flexion in preswing phase were less in amputated limbs compared to other limbs. Peak plantar flexion moment in amputated limbs were less than sound limbs, but not than control group. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that most significant gait abnormalities in unilateral below-knee amputees were observed at the knee and ankle joint in amputated limbs.