Population dynamics of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and their harboring rates of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) virus in four landscapes of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

Population dynamics of hard ticks and their harboring rates of fatal severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) were monitored from 2021 to 2022 in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Hard ticks were surveyed monthly using CO2-bait traps in four vegetation types, including grassland, grave, mountain trail, and shrub. From the 2-year monitoring, totals of 5,737 and 14,298 hard ticks were collected in 2021 and 2022, respectively, all of which belonged to the genus Haemaphysalis. Of these collected ticks, 97.9 and 98.3% of adults and nymphs were identified as Haemaphysalis longicornis. Generally, density peaks of H. longicornis nymphs and adults were observed from April to May and from June to July, respectively. For Haemaphysalis flava, adults showed density peaks in September, whereas no obvious seasonal patterns were observed for nymphs. The density peak of Haemaphysalis larvae was observed in August and September, followed by a density peak of adults. There was a large variation in the number of hard ticks collected among the four vegetation types, yielding no significant difference among them over the 2-year monitoring. Half of the collected ticks from each vegetation type were pooled into groups by species and developmental stage and subjected to analysis of SFTS virus harboring rates, which yielded no SFTS positive pool detected over the 2-year monitoring.

Species diversity of environmentally-transmitted bacteria colonizing Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) and symbiotic effects of the most dominant bacteria.

Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) establish endosymbiosis with specific bacteria from extremely diverse microbiota in soil. To better understand ecology and evolution of the symbiosis, it is important to characterize bacterial species diversity colonizing R. pedestris and evaluate their symbiotic effects. Nonetheless, previous research was limited to a few bacteria strains such as Caballeronia insecticola. In this study, second-instar nymphs were provided with field soils and reared to adult. Then, bacteria colonizing the midgut M4 region of R. pedestris were analyzed for bacterial species identification based on the 16S rRNA gene. First, a total of 15 bacterial species were detected belonging to Burkholderiaceae. Most of R. pedestris were found to harbor single bacterial species, whereas several insects harbored at most two bacterial species simultaneously. Among the total insects harboring single bacterial species, 91.2% harbored genus Caballeronia. The most dominant species was C. jiangsuensis, not previously documented for symbiotic associations with R. pedestris. Second, in laboratory conditions, C. jiangsuensis significantly enhanced the development, body size, and reproductive potentials of R. pedestris, compared to individuals with no symbiotic bacteria. These results add novel information to better understand symbiotic bacteria community establishing in R. pedestris and symbiotic effects on the host insects.

Species-specific environmental DNA analysis of the index species in soil ecosystem, Allonychiurus kimi (Collembola: Onychiuridae).

Collembola are abundant and have significant roles in the soil ecosystem. Therefore, the phenotypic endpoints of Collembola population or community have been used as an effective bioindicator for assessing soil quality. Since the identification and counting the collembolans in the soil is a laborious and costly procedure, environmental DNA (eDNA)-based biomonitoring was proposed as an analysis tool of collembolan species found in the soil. In this study, standard primer sets for the species-specific eDNA analysis using Allonychiurus kimi, a soil bioindicator species was selected. Then, the primers were tested for specificity and sensitivity from the soil samples. Two different eDNA samples were tested: (1) eDNA samples were extracted from the soil with A. kimi individuals (intra-organismal eDNA). (2) The samples from the soil without A. kimi individuals (extra-organismal eDNA). The two primers were confirmed in their sensitivity and specificity to the two types of eDNA samples selected. C t-values from both intra- and extra-organismal eDNA showed the significant correlations to the number of inoculated A. kimi (adj. R 2 = 0.7453-0.9489). These results suggest that in excretion, egg, and other exuviae had a significant effect on eDNA analysis from soil samples taken. Furthermore, our results suggest that environmental factors should be considered when analyzing eDNA collected from soil.

Survey of overwintering Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in ports of export and natural landscapes surrounding the ports in Republic of Korea.

Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), an important agricultural and nuisance pest, is highly invasive with peculiar hiding behavior in human-made structures for overwintering. To evaluate the contamination risk of overwintering H. halys in non-agricultural export goods, we conducted a two-year field survey in Republic of Korea to locate overwintering H. halys in two major ports of export, Ulsan and Pyeongtaek ports, and monitored both active and overwintering H. halys population levels with varying distances from the ports ranging from 1 km to 48 km. First, we deployed wooden shelters in the two ports to catch dispersing H. halys for overwintering and conducted visual inspections for human-made structures in the ports to locate overwintering H. halys. In addition, we sampled dead trees to find overwintering H. halys in wooded areas. Second, we monitored active H. halys populations using pheromone traps with varying distances from the ports. From the survey of overwintering populations, no H. halys was collected from wooden shelters deployed in the two ports. However, we found four adults overwintering in human-made structures in Pyeongtaek port in the first year of survey. One dead adult was also found from a dead tree located in a wooded area adjacent to Pyeongtaek port in the second year. For active populations, results of pheromone trapping indicated that H. halys populations were present during autumn dispersal period not only in agricultural areas, but also in wooded areas adjacent to the two ports. This study reports for the first time that overwintering H. halys were found from the inside the port of export in its native areas with a low density. The results were discussed for evaluating contamination risk of overwintering H. halys in export goods shipping from the Republic of Korea.

Dispersal and oviposition patterns of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) during the oviposition period in Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae).

The spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae), has the potential to become a global pest and is currently expanding its range in the United States. In this study, we investigated the dispersal patterns of SLF in Ailanthus altissima during its oviposition period in South Korea using a fluorescent marking system. Oviposition patterns of SLF were then analyzed by surveying egg masses in A. altissima patches. The recapture rate of fluorescent-marked SLF rapidly decreased to 30% within the first two weeks. During the oviposition period, seven cases of among-patch dispersal of SLF adults were observed. The minimum distance that SLF could have traveled to achieve these among-patch dispersal events ranged from 10 to 1740 m, with most events spanning under 60 m. Also, the number of A. altissima trees on which fluorescent marked SLF were detected increased until September. Based on the egg mass survey, a total of 159 egg masses were detected from 38 out of 247 A. altissima trees. Furthermore, 79.2% of egg masses were located < 2.5 m above the ground. Finally, a generalized linear mixed model showed that tree height and diameter at root collar (DRC) of A. altissima trees had significant effects on the number of egg masses.

Seasonal activity of Haemaphysalis longicornis and Haemaphysalis flava (Acari: Ixodida), vectors of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus, and their SFTS virus harboring rates in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea.

Seasonal activity of ticks, including disease vectors of fatal severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus, was monitored using CO2-bait traps from April to November in 2019 and 2020 in a rural area in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Traps were deployed for 24 h once a month in four vegetation types: grassland, grave, mountain trail, and shrubs. A total of 4516 ticks were caught, all of which belong to the genus Haemaphysalis; larvae, nymphs, and adults were 41.9, 39.5, and 18.6%, respectively. The nymphs and adults belonged to two tick species, H. longicornis and H. flava, and H. longicornis was dominant, comprising 97.9% of the two stages collected. Larvae were identified only to the genus level due to difficulty of morphological distinction between species. For H. longicornis, nymph numbers peaked between April and June, followed by adults between June and July. Haemaphysalis larvae showed clear peaks in August. In general, H. longicornis nymphs and adults were most abundant in grassland, whereas larvae were so in the grave area. Collected ticks were pooled and subjected to PCR analysis to estimate SFTS virus harboring rate. In 2019, only one SFTS virus-positive sample was detected in June. However, a total of 18 SFTS-virus positive samples were detected from August to October in 2020.

Cell cycle regulation in human hair follicle dermal papilla cells using nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma-activated medium.

ABSTRACT: Nonthermal atmospheric pressure (NAP) plasmas have recently been developed and have been used for wound healing, blood coagulation, and cancer therapy. NAP plasmas can induce either cell proliferation or cell death, depending on the dose. Due to their efficacy and application easily, plasma activated mediums (PAMs) have been used in human cells recently.In atmosphere, NAP plasmas react with molecular content of air such as N2, O2, H2O vapor, etc, and generate a variety of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. High reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels promote damage of cellular DNA, proteins, and lipids. Such damage can lead to cell-cycle arrest, and cellular death. However, low levels of ROS have been caused an increase in cell cycle progression.Human skin is arranged in 3 layers, including (from top to bottom) the epidermis (and its appendages), the dermis, and the hypodermis. Human dermal papilla cells (DPCs) are located in the middle or even deep part of the dermis. DPCs play a key role in hair regeneration, and a lot of effort have been made to promote DPC hair formation ability. DPC is increased proliferation, delayed senescence, and enhanced hair by depending on the amount of ROS through the NAP-PAM treatment.In this study, we used NAP plasmas to the human hair follicle DPCs exposed from 0 to 20 minutes, so we were investigated the effects of PAM on cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. After NAP-PAM treatment for 24 hours, cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 phase. The NAP-PAM-treated human hair follicle DPCs recovered gradually after 48 hours of the treatment compared to the untreated cells.Therefore, this approach offers promising results for further application of NAP-PAM in clinical dermatology. In future, it can be applied clinically in the form of active water that can delay the progression of baldness and alopecia areata.

Characterization of overwintering sites of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) and tick infection rate with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus from eight provinces in South Korea.

Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) is an important vector of pathogens causing tick-borne diseases such as severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in eastern Asia. Although an understanding of the overwintering ecology of ticks is fundamental to management of this vector, its winter biology remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted a field survey from eight provinces in South Korea to characterize overwintering sites of H. longicornis and investigate their SFTS virus infection rates. First, we conducted flagging which consists of horizontal sweeping of a 1 m2 cloth back-and-forth to collect ticks that may exhibit questing behaviors in four different landscapes: grassland, shrub, coniferous forest, and deciduous forest. From 640 sweeps of flagging (where each sweep covered 3.8 m2), we collected five unfed ixodid ticks. However, H. longicornis was not found. After the flagging, to locate overwintering ticks, we inspected a total of 679 samples consisting of three different structures: ground (leaf litter, soil surface, and topsoil layer), rocks, and dead trees. From the samples inspected, 85 unfed overwintering ixodid ticks were found. Haemaphysalis longicornis was the dominant species (88 %), and mostly nymphs were collected (94 %). This species was collected from ground samples, especially from the topsoil layer. Most H. longicornis were found in herbaceous landscapes such as grassland (46 %) and shrub (52 %). SFTS virus was found in 3 out of 38 pools of unfed nymphs (minimal infection rate: 4 %). Our results can serve as baseline information for the development of vector management programs.

Fisetin induces apoptosis in uterine leiomyomas through multiple pathways.

Although uterine leiomyomas are the most common benign uterine tumors in women, there is no effective therapy that can also preserve the uterus and maintain fertility. The work aimed to work was to discover a potential natural agent that has pharmacological activities on uterine leiomyomas with fewer adverse effects. We chose Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) as a candidate after primary cytotoxicity testing, and analyzed the RVS components that showed pharmacological activity. Leiomyoma cells and myometrium cells were cultured from uterine tissues obtained from patients, and were treated with RVS at varying concentrations. RVS was cytotoxic in both leiomyoma and myometrium cells; however, the effects were more prominent in the leiomyoma cells. Among the bioactive components of RVS, fisetin showed significant pharmacological effects on leiomyoma cells. Fisetin showed excellent leiomyoma cell cytotoxicity and induced apoptotic cell death with cell cycle arrest. The apoptotic cell death appeared to involve not one specific pathway but multichannel pathways (intrinsic, extrinsic, MARK, and p53-mediated pathways), and autophagy. The multichannel apoptosis pathways were activated with a low concentration of fisetin (IC50). This is the first demonstration to show the pharmacological activities of fisetin on leiomyoma cells. These findings suggest that fisetin may be used for the prevention and treatment of uterine leiomyomas. Since fisetin can be obtained from plants, it may be a safe and effective alternative treatment for uterine leiomyomas.

On-off switching of cell cycle and melanogenesis regulation of melanocytes by non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma-activated medium.

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure (NAP) plasma has demonstrated potential in biomedical applications, such as cancer treatment, bactericidal sterilization, and cell growth promotion or inhibition. In this study, for the first time, we demonstrated on-off switching of cell cycle progression and regulated melanogenesis in normal human skin melanocytes by NAP plasma-activated medium (PAM). The melanocytes were exposed to NAP plasma at durations varying from 0 to 20 min, and the effects of PAM on cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and melanogenesis were investigated. Although PAM showed no cytotoxicity, the proliferation of melanocytes was inhibited. The melanocyte cell cycle was arrested by PAM for a relatively short period (48 h), after which it recovered slowly. PAM promoted melanogenesis through the activation of the enzymes tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein-1, and tyrosinase-related protein-2. These effects seem to be related to reactive oxygen species induced by PAM. Our finding that PAM modulates the cell cycle may provide insight into the recurrence of cancer. The regulation of the melanogenesis of melanocytes may facilitate the control of skin tone without incurring negative side effects.

Abundance and diversity of gut-symbiotic bacteria, the genus Burkholderia in overwintering Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) populations and soil in South Korea.

Riptortus pedestris is a major agricultural pest on leguminous plants in South Korea and Japan. Recent studies have revealed that R. pedestris can form beneficial symbiosis with bacteria belonging to genus Burkholderia acquired from soil newly for every generation. Although their physiological interactions are relatively well-understood, infection rate and abundance of the Burkholderia in overwintering natural populations of R. pedestris remain unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize Burkholderia infection ratio and clade composition of overwintering R. pedestris populations as well as prevalence and diversity of the genus Burkholderia in soil by conducting a two-year field survey. From the field survey, we found 29 overwintering R. pedestris adults in forested areas nearby soybean fields. Diagnostic PCR analysis revealed that overall infection rate of the symbiotic Burkholderia was 93.1% from overwintering adults. Among the Burkholderia-infected R. pedestris, 70.4% of individuals harbored unclassified Burkholderia clades whereas 22.2% and 7.4% of R. pedestris harbor stinkbug-associated beneficial and environmental (SBE) group and Burkholderia cepacia and complex (BCC), respectively. All R. pedestris were infected with a single clade of Burkholderia. In soil, 56.2% of soil samples were Burkholderia positive, and unlike R. pedestris, multiple Burkholderia clades were detected from 62.2% of those samples. Clade composition of the genus Burkholderia in the samples with the bacteria was 91.1%, 60.0%, 31.1% and 8.8% for plant-associated beneficial and environment (PBE), BCC, SBE and unclassified clade, respectively.

Apoptotic effect of Gyejibokryunghwan on uterine sarcoma cells (SK-UT-1B).

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of uterine sarcomais is a challenging task for clinicians because its position is not easily accessible by current conventional techniques. In addition, standardized treatment for uterine sarcoma has not yet been established due to its rarity and heterogeneity. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE: We investigated the apoptotic cell death of uterine sarcoma cells (SK-UT-1B) induced by Gyejibokryunghwan (GBH). GBH, an herbal medicine, has been widely used for gynecological diseases in Koean medicine. METHODS: SK-UT-1B cells were treated with GBH of varying concentrations from 0 to 500 µg/ml. The mechanism of cell death was investigated through multiple analysis methods, including flow cytometry, cell cycle, and western blotting. RESULTS: Flow cytometric analysis revealed that the number of apoptotic cells increased in a GBH dose-dependent manner. The cell populations of sub-G1 and G0/G1 phases were increased by GBH treatment, indicating apoptosisand cell arrest, while the population of S and G2/M phases decreased. With GBH, the expression levels of cleaved caspase-3, -6, and -9 were upregulated, while the expression levels of pro-caspase-3, -6, and -9 were down-regulated in SK-UT-1B cells. CONCLUSION: These results are the first observation of uterine sarcoma cell death induced by GBH and confirmation of the mechanism of cell death, which occurred through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Clinically, uterine sarcoma has a poor prognosis with no appropriate treatment. GBH may become a new treatment modality for uterine sarcoma.

Seasonal Occurrence of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) and Haemaphysalis flava, Vectors of Severe Fever With Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) in South Korea.

The seasonal abundance of Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann and H. flava Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae) was monitored from 2015 through 2017 in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The hard ticks were surveyed monthly using CO2 bait traps from April to November and flagging from July to September in a coniferous forest, a deciduous forest, shrubs, and a grassland vegetation types. Haemaphysalis longicornis and H. flava were most abundant in the grassland and shrubs, which yielded over 50% of the total number of ticks in all 3 yr. Furthermore, H. longicornis comprised up to 90% of the ticks collected. Generally, peaks of nymph, adult, and larva numbers were observed from April to June, from June to July, and from August to September, respectively. Half of the ticks were pooled and tested for the presence of the SFTS virus with negative results.

Assessment of potential effects and detection efficacy of a fluorescent marking system on a medically important hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae).

BACKGROUND: Although Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) is an important disease vector, its small size restricts the tracking methods applicable. Recently, fluorescent marking as a conventional detection method for small arthropods has been improved by combining it with an ultraviolet laser. We examined the application potential of this new fluorescent marking system (FMS) for tracking H. longicornis by evaluating the effect of fluorescent marking on the ticks and detection efficacy. RESULTS: Under laboratory conditions, fluorescent marking did not significantly affect the survivorship, movement patterns, and CO2 response of H. longicornis at all three developmental stages. Fluorescent-marked individuals could be detected at distances ranging from 12 to 29 m under dark, increasing with the body size. Finally, in grassland, >90% of fluorescent-marked individuals were retrieved at night regardless of developmental stage. However, the overall detection rate (<42%) was substantially reduced during the day. CONCLUSIOIN: Our results show that FMS can reliably detect H. longicornis at night. Nevertheless, fluorescent-marked individuals are not as conspicuous under sunlight when they are illuminated with ultraviolet lasers, limiting the use of FMS during the day. Therefore, the development of an alternative tracking method is warranted for an effective detection of ticks during the day. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluating the efficacy of two insect detection methods with Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae): portable harmonic radar system and fluorescent marking system.

BACKGROUND: Although portable harmonic radar system and fluorescent marking system are two widely used detection methods, their comparative effectiveness has not been studied. Therefore, we first tested the applicability of fluorescent marking system on Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae). Then, we evaluated the efficacy of the two methods used either alone or combined in a grass field and bean field, varying with complexity, during day and night. RESULTS: Fluorescent marking did not affect the behavior or fitness of Riptortus pedestris except for vertical walking, while allowing the detection from >25 m when paired with a handheld laser. Generally, the portable harmonic radar system and both methods combined were more successful in sample detection, although the fluorescent marking system in the bean field at night was as competitive as the two. Combining both methods made sample retrieval easier at night than the portable harmonic radar system. Nevertheless, the total detection time showed a large variance across the methods. CONCLUSION: The portable harmonic radar system can be an effective detection method in either landscape during both day and night. Furthermore, the fluorescent marking system can be a reliable tool at night as well. Lastly, combining both methods can improve the night detection. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Retraction Note: Umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells induce apoptosis in PC-3 prostate cancer cells through activation of JNK and downregulation of PI3K/AKT signaling.

This article [1] has been retracted by the authors because, contrary to the statement in the article, ethical approval was not obtained to conduct this study.

Characterization of Overwintering Behaviors and Sites of Bean Bug, Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae), Under Laboratory and Field Conditions.

Riptortus pedestris (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is a major agricultural pest on leguminous plants and tree fruit in South Korea and Japan. Only anecdotal information is currently available about its overwintering behavior and ecology. Therefore, we conducted laboratory experiments and field sampling to characterize overwintering structures and landscapes that R. pedestris use and prefer in South Korea. Under laboratory conditions, we identified the overwintering structure preference of R. pedestris adults and analyzed their spatial distributions. Among tested structures including pile of rocks, rotten wood, and leaf litter, R. pedestris was almost exclusively found in leaf litter. Spatial analysis using Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE) indicated that most overwintering R. pedestris showed no spatial-aggregation behavior in the test arena. Field surveys were also conducted to characterize overwintering landscapes during the two winter seasons between 2014 and 2016. We selected two distinct landscapes: mountain areas and agricultural areas. Mountain areas were high-elevation mountains remote from agricultural practice, whereas agricultural areas were low-elevation forested landscapes adjacent to agricultural fields, including soybeans. From the 2-yr field survey, 92% (11 out of 12 individuals) of overwintering R. pedestris were found in the agricultural area without a significant aggregation pattern.

Risk factors for malignant transformation of mature cystic teratoma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the preoperative characteristics of benign mature cystic teratoma (MCT) and struma ovarii and their risk factors associated malignancies, and determine the appropriate treatment options for these tumors. METHODS: This was a retrospective study on 248 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with ovarian MCT, struma ovarii, or malignant transformations of these tumors at Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital from March 2010 to January 2015. Routinely evaluated results of adnexal masses before surgery were compared. RESULTS: A total of six patients (2.4%) were confirmed to have malignant tumors. Of the struma ovarii patients, two out of five patients (40%) were confirmed to have malignancy. The mean age at the diagnosis of patients with malignant transformation of teratomas was 43.0 years (range, 27 to 67 years), which was higher than that of patients with benign teratomas (36.5 years). The mean diameter of the tumor before surgery in the malignant tumor group was 11.4 cm and larger than 6.5 cm of benign group (P=0.003). The mean CA-125 level in the malignant tumor group was higher than that in the benign tumor group (P=0.01). CONCLUSION: Risk factors for malignant transformation of MCT include elevated CA-125 levels, older age, large tumor masses, and postmenopausal status.

Umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells induce apoptosis in PC-3 prostate cancer cells through activation of JNK and downregulation of PI3K/AKT signaling.

INTRODUCTION: Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have antitumor potential in hepatocellular carcinoma and breast cancer cells, the antitumor mechanism of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) in prostate cancer cells still remains unclear. Thus, in the present study, we elucidated the antitumor activity of hUCMSCs in PC-3 prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: hUCMSCs were isolated from Wharton jelly of umbilical cord and characterized via induction of differentiations, osteogenesis, and adipogenesis. Antitumor effects of UCMSCs on tumor growth were evaluated in a co-culture condition with PC-3 prostate cancer cells. PC-3 cells were subcutaneously (sc) injected into the left flank of nude mice, and UCMSCs were sc injected into the right flank of the same mouse. RESULTS: We found that hUCMSCs inhibited the proliferation of PC-3 cells in the co-culture condition. Furthermore, co-culture of hUCMSCs induced the cleavage of caspase 9/3 and PARP, activated c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK), and Bax, and attenuated the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/ AKT, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and the expression of survival genes such as Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Survivin, Mcl-1, and cIAP-1 in PC-3 cells in Western blotting assay. Conversely, we found that treatment of specific JNK inhibitor SP600125 suppressed the cleavages of caspase 9/3 and PARP induced by hUCMSCs in PC-3 cells by Western blotting and immunofluorescence assay. The homing of hUCMSCs to, and TUNEL-positive cells on, the K562 xenograft tumor region were detected in Nu/nu-BALB/c mouse. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that UCMSCs inhibit tumor growth and have the antitumor potential for PC-3 prostate cancer treatment.