Autophagy is conserved response to starvation by which cells catabolize their components to create an internal supply of essential nutrients. Ceramide is known to induce autophagy in many cells through down-regulation of amino acid and glucose transporters. The mechanism of starvation induced-autophagy in mouse embryo remains unclear. In order to understand the mechanism by which starvation regulates autophagy, in this study, we investigated nutrient transporters expression and the effect of c2-ceramide on the in vitro development, apoptosis and autophagy via starvation in mouse embryo. Glucose transporters (Glut1 and Glut 3), high levels of transcript were expressed from 1 to 2 cells and gradually decreased through the morula and blastocyst (BL) stages. Amino acid transporters (LAT-1 and 4F2hc) gradually decreased from the zygote to the BL stage. Furthermore, the expression of nutrient transporters (Glut1, 3, LAT-1 and 4F2hc) were significantly reduced at the BL stage after ceramide treatment. Especially, mTOR expression after ceramide treatment of embryos was significantly higher than controls. Ceramide treated embryos exhibited significantly reduced developmental rates and total cell numbers, and increased apoptotic cell death at the BL stage. Consequently, we next evaluated the effect of ceramide treatment on mitochondrial number and morphology. There was a significant decrease in the average mtDNA copy number and the mitochondrial area in ceramide treated BL stage embryos. Both the expression of autophagy-related genes, Lc3, Gabarap, Atg4A and Atg4B, and the synthesis of LC3 were significantly induced at the BL stage. These results suggest that autophagy under starvation condition influences the in vitro development and apoptosis and autophagy, and may play a role in early mouse embryogenesis.

Cruciferous vegetables including diindolylmethane (DIM) have been shown to have anticancer activity. Especially, DIM-pPhBr and DIM-pPhF used in this study was reported to have more effective and less toxic effects than DIM. However, there is no report presenting their anti-tumorigenic activity in oral cancer. In the present study, we examined the effects of DIM-pPhBr and DIM-pPhF on the cell proliferation and apoptosis in KB human oral cancer cells. DIM-pPhBr and DIM-pPhF decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis evidenced by western blot analysis, DAPI staining and sub-G1 population. This provides the first evidence that DIM-pPhBr and DIM-pPhF originating from cruciferous vegetables induce apoptotic cell death in human oral cancer cells to inhibit cancer cell proliferation.

본 연구에서는 효모에서 과 발현하는 Bax inhibior와 관련된 유전자를 동정하여 특성화 하였다. Yeast functional screening이라는 방법을 이용하여, 일반적은 환경에서 재배된 벼의 cDNA를 QX95001에 형질전 환하여 SD-galactose-Leu--Ura-배지에서 생성된 8개의 클론을 선발하였다. 그 중 AtBI-1과 같은 domain이 있는 D2-234를 포함하여 5개의 클론을 선발하였다. D2-243는 741bp의 염기서열과 247개의 아미노산으로 구성되었고 5 membrane-spanning 단편으로 되어 있음을 확인하였다. D2-234는 SD-galactose--배지에서 세포성장이 왕성하였다. 본 실험에서 얻어진 결과는 벼 식물에서 나타나는 세포예정사와 관련된 단백질을 선발하는데 유용하게 이용될 것으로 생각된다.

β-phenylethyl isothiocyanate(PEITC) is a component derived from cruciferous vegetables and has been demonstrated to fight many types of cancers through various molecular pathways. In the present study, we focused on its effect on the induction of apoptotic cell death to inhibit cell growth and its molecular mechanism in HSC-4 human oral cancer cells. A colorimetric MTS assay was used to examine cell viability. The apoptotic effect and was investigated using DAPI staining and the molecular target and mechanism of PEITC-mediated apoptosis were determined by Western blotting. The result showed that PEITC inhibited oral cancer cell growth and induced apoptosis via extrinsic signaling pathway evidenced by the activation of caspase 8, truncation of bid protein and induction of death receptor(DR) 5. DR5 protein level was increased through the activation of p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase(JNK). These results from this study strongly suggest that DR5 is a potential molecular target for PEITC-induced apoptosis in oral cancer via p38 and JNK.

(‐)‐Epigallocatechin 3‐gallate (EGCG) is a potent antioxidant polyphenol in green tea that acts as an anticancer agent via both direct and indirect pathways. Although the relationship between EGCG’s anticancer effects and its antioxidant activity is not fully understood, it is known that EGCG stimulates production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which induce oxidative stress leading to cell death. In IM9 multiple myeloma cells, EGCG acted in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner to induce apoptotic cell death. Among the antioxidant enzymes expressed in IM9 cells, levels of peroxiredoxin (Prdx) V were selectively and significantly reduced by EGCG. Moreover, the ROS scavenger NAC completely inhibited EGCG‐induced apoptosis and PrdxV reduction, while overexpression of PrdxV, but not a PrdxVC48S mutant, protected IM9 cells from EGCG‐induced apoptosis. EGCG‐induced reductions in cell viability and PrdxV levels were also observed in primary CD138+ multiple myeloma cells from patients. These results suggest that PrdxV is a key target via which EGCG mediates its anticancer effects.

In this study, we analyzed expression patterns of apoptotic and autophagic gene products in culture follicular cells of normal and miniature pigs to assess the effect of hormones on the choice for programmed cell death. Autophagic activity progressively increased from control cultures to luteinizing hormone (LH)-treated cultures of follicular cells of normal pigs, but decreased from the LH to follicle stimulating hormone (FHS) +LH-treated cultures. Expression of Casp-3 protein in follicular cells was highest in LHtreated cultures, but the activity of Casp-3 decreased in the control, FSH-treated, and FSH+LH-treated cultures. The activity of the apoptosis protein was highly expressed in the control, LH-treated, and FSH+LH-treated follicular cells of miniature pigs, but autophagy- associated proteins were expressed at low levels in all treatments groups of the miniature pig. The expression of autophagy and apoptosis proteins appeared similar in control and rapamycin-treated cells. In addition, stimulation with FSH triggered the activation of autophagy in the follicular cells of normal pigs, but induced apoptosis in the follicular cells of miniature pigs. A similar effect was obtained when LH was applied. These results suggest that the autophagy process and FSH stimulation is more effective for stable and innovative follicular cell development.

Betulinic acid (BA), a naturally occurring triterpene found in the bark of the white birch tree, has been investigated to induce apoptosis in various cancer cells and animal models. However, there is no report of the chemopreventive effect of BA in cervical cancer cells. Using KB human cervical cancer cells as a model, we currently show that BA decreases cell viability and induces apoptotic cell death. The mechanism of the BA-induced anti-growth response in KB cells is due to the down-regulation of specificity protein 1 (Sp1) and its downstream targets, myeloid cell leukemia-1(Mcl-1) and survivin. Thus, BA acts as a novel chemopreventive agent through the regulation of Sp1that is highly expressed in tumors.

Chios gum mastic (CGM) is produced from Pistiacia lentiscus L var chia, which grows only on Chios Island in Greece. CGM is a kind of resin extracted from the stem and leaves, has been used for many centuries in many Mediterranean countries as a dietary supplement and folk medicine for stomach and duodenal ulcers. CGM is known to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in some cancer cells. This study was undertaken to investigate the alteration of the cell cycle and induction of apoptosis following CGM treatment of HL-60 cells. The viability of the HL-60 cells was assessed using the MTT assay. Hoechst staining and DNA electrophoresis were employed to detect HL-60 cells undergoing apoptosis. Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, FACScan flow cytometry, MMP activity and proteasome activity analyses were also employed. CGM treatment of HL-60 cells was found to result in a dose- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability and apoptotic cell death. Tested HL-60 cells showed a variety of apoptotic manifestations and induced the downregulation of G1 cell cycle-related proteins. Taken collectively, our present findings demonstrate that CGM strongly induces G1 cell cycle arrest via the modulation of cell cycle-related proteins, and also apoptosis via proteasome, mitochondrial and caspase cascades in HL-60 cells. Hence, we provide evidence that a natural product, CGM could be considered as a novel therapeutic for human leukemia.

This study investigated potential relationship between fetal deaths and plasma progesterone concentrations of bitches. Serial ultrasonographic examinations were performed on small-pet 23 dogs from gestation day (GD) 15 through parturition. The dogs were 3 non-pregnant bitches, 9 spontaneous delivery bitches, 6 partial early embryonic death bitches, 2 whole early embryonic death bitches, and 3 aborted bitches. The late pregnancy (GD 51-54) appeared in 2 of the 3 aborted bitches and the hypoluteoidism appeared in 1 of the 3 aborted bitches. The plasma progesterone concentrations of partial early embryonic death bitches (n=6) showed no significant difference when compared with the spontaneous delivery bitches. We observed that plasma progesterone concentrations were dramatic decrease before the onset of embryonic death in whole early embryonic death bitches that plasma progesterone concentrations of aborted bitches at late pregnancy were significantly decreased when compared with those of spontaneous delivery bitches. The plasma progesterone concentrations of the hypoluteoidism bitch were lower than those of spontaneous delivery bitches. At the hypoluteoidism bitch, fetuses were resorbed in early pregnancy and aborted in late pregnancy. On the basis of the results, the diagnosis of partial early embryonic death could not be confirmed without ultrasonographic examination. The partial early embryonic death was considered a spontaneous phenomenon and uncorrelated with plasma progesterone concentration. However, aborted bitches and whole early embryonic death bitches were related to plasma progesterone concentrations and that of bitches gradually decreased before fetal death. These findings suggest that administration of progesterone may be a useful preventing agent against fetal death.

21세기 노령화와 함께 다양한 의료 현장에서 팀 접근을 할 사회복지 학생들의 개인적 특성과 죽음태도를 알아봄은 앞으로 사회복지학생들의 영적 사회복지 프로그램의 개발과 이를 통한 클라이언트에 대한 서비스 질 향상을 위해 중요하다. 이에 본 연구결과로 첫째, 사회복지학과 학생들의 일반적 특성 간 죽음태도에 있어서는 유의한 차이를 보이고 있지 않는 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 대학생들의 죽음태도를 5개 하위차원으로 분석한 결과, 탈출적 수용과 죽음회피에서 성에 따른 차이가 나타났으며, 죽음공포와 탈출적 수용에서 연령에 따른 차이를, 접근적 수용과 죽음공포에서 종교에 따른 차이를, 탈출적 수용과 죽음회피에서 건강수준에 따른 차이를 보였으며 대학생들의 죽음태도에 있어서 생활수준과 죽음경험에 따른 차이는 나타나지 않았다. 이에 대한 요인탐색을 통해 학생들의 태도 변화와 나아가 클라이언트에 대한 서비스 질 향상을 제언한다.

본 연구의 목적은 죽음에 대한 두려움을 가지고 있는 어르신들이 죽음을 긍정적으로 인식하고 받아들임으로서 삶에 대한 바른 의미를 찾고 남은 인생을 건강하고 즐겁게 유지하도록 함에 있다. 본 프로그램은 60세 이상 17명의 어르신들을 대상으로 2010년 4월부터 17회기로 진행되었고 사전사후 조사를 통하여 프로그램의 효과성을 검증하였다. 본 프로그램을 통하여 어르신들의 죽음불안은 유의미하게 감소하는 것으로 나타났으며, 삶의 만족도 또한 유의미하게 향상된 것을 볼 수 있다. 특히 죽음에 대한 슬픔, 죽음에 대한 두려움, 죽음수용의 자세 등 세 가지 하위항목이 모두 통계적으로 유의미하게 나타나, 본 프로그램이 노년기 죽음불안감 감소 및 생활만족도 향상에 효과가 있었음을 알 수 있다.

일본 후생노동성은 종말기의료에 관한 검토회보고서에 제시된 바와 같이 자신이 고통을 수반하는 말기 상태가 된 경우, 일본국민은 연명치료를 중지하는 것에 긍정적이며, 과거에 비해 최적기에 죽음을 맞이 하는 것에 관한 의식이 향상되고 있다. 그러나, 일본에서 편안한 죽음, 존엄사에 관해서 아직 법적으로 확립되어 있지 않으며, 회복불가능한 종말기에 이루어지는 무익한 치료의 중단의 판단이나 환자 스스로의 희망에 의한 생명유지장치의 중단의 문제가 의사에 의한 살인죄와의 관계에의 논의 뿐만 아니라, 환자의 자기결정권의 의미, 가족에 의한 대리의사결정의 가능성과 한계에 대해서 논의를 전개하고 있다. 존엄사의 법제화를 희망하는 목소리도 높지만, 여전히 일본에서는 법제정에는 신중을 기하고 있으며, 법적 해석이전에 국민성, 의료체제, 의료에서 환자의 자기결정권의 많은 문제가 있으며, 앞으로 계속해서 논의가 진행되고 있는 상황이다.

The majority of strokes are caused by ischemia and result in brain tissue damage, leading to problems of the central nervous system including hemiparesis, dysfunction of language and consciousness, and dysfunction of perception. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase(PARP) on necrosis in neuronal cells that have undergone needle electrode electrical stimulation(NEES) prior to induction of ischemia. Ischemia was induced in male SD rats(body weight 300g) by occlusion of the common carotid artery for 5 min, after which the blood was reperfused. After induction of brain ischemia, NEES was applied to Zusanli(ST 36), at 12, 24 and 48 hours. Protein expression was investigated using immuno-reactive cells, which react to PARP antibodies in cerebral nerve cells, and Western blotting. The results were as follows: In the cerebral cortex, the number of PARP reactive cells after 24 hours significantly decreased(p<.05) in the NEES group compared to the GI group. PARP expression after 24 hours significantly decreased(p<.05) in the NEES group compared to the GI group. As a result, NEES showed the greatest effect on necrosis- related PARP immuno-reactive cells 24 hours after ischemia, indicating necrosis inhibition, blocking of neural cell death, and protection of neural cells. Based on the results of this study, NEES can be an effective method of treating dysfunction and improving function of neuronal cells in brain damage caused by ischemia.

The use of bacteria in the treatment of cancer has a long and interesting history. The use of live bacteria in this way however has a number of potential problems including toxicity. Purified low molecular weight bacterial proteins have therefore been tested as anticancer agents to avoid such complications. Oral cancer is a widely occurring disease around the world and these lesions are typically very resistant to anticancer agents. In our present study we investigated the effects of purified recombinant azurin from Pseudomonas (P.) aeruginosa against YD-9 (p53-positive) human oral squamous carcinoma cells. Azurin showed cytotoxic effects against these cells in a dose dependent manner. The cell death accompanied by this treatment was found to be characterized by chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies. Azurin treatment was further found to increase the expression of p53 The stabilization of p53 and induction of apoptosis in YD-9 cells by azurin suggests that it has potentially very strong anticancer properties in oral squamous carcinoma.

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is the major neurohormone secreted during the night by the vertebrate pineal gland. The circadian pattern of pineal melatonin secretion is related to the biological clock within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus in mammals. The SCN coordinates the body's rhythms to the environmental light-dark cycle in response to light perceived by the retina, which acts mainly on retinal ganglion cells that contain the photopigment melanopsin. Calbindin-D9k (CaBP-9k) is a member of the S100 family of intracellular calcium- binding proteins, and in this review, we discuss the involvement of melatonin and CaBP-9k with respect to calcium homeostasis and apoptotic cell death. In future studies, we hope to provide important information on the roles played by CaBP-9k in cell signal transduction, cell proliferation, and homeostasis in vivo and in vitro.

캐릭터는 전통적 서사체에서와 마찬가지로 디지털 게임에서 중요한 서사적 역할을 담당한다. 그러나 캐릭터가 죽음과 부활을 반복적으로 경험할 수 있다는 점은 전통적 서사체에서는 나타나지 않았던 것이다. 이러한 특성이 게임캐릭터가 전통 서사체에서 수행하지 않았던 서사적 기능을 수행하도록 한다. 본 연구에서는 MMORPG인 <월드 오브워크래프트>에 나타난 캐릭터의 죽음과 부활이 어떠한 서사적 기능을 수행하는지, 이를 통해 형성되는 서사구조는 전통적 서사체와 어떤 차이가 있는지 살펴보기 위하여 그레마스의 서사 행로 모델을 활용하였다. 이를 통해 MMORPG의 표면서사는 캐릭터의 삶과 죽음이 순환하며, 이는 불안과 안정이 순환하는 심층 서사를 토대로 한다는 점을 알 수 있었다. 죽음과 부활에 의해 순환되는 안정과 불안의 서사는 전통적 서사체에 비해 훨씬 긴 시간동안 지속될 수 있는 MORPG만의 특별한 서사라고 볼 수 있다.

Adherent cells, such as those found in epithelial tissues, must be physically associated with extracellular matrix (ECM)components to survive. Though stimulation by growth factors is an essential factor in cell survival, normal cells also requires cell adhesion to ECM proteins. The cessation of these anchorage-mediated signals seems to be a common mechanism to physiolog ically t erminate t he l ife cycle of t hese c ells b y apoptosis. This form o f cell death has been termed anoikis.In cancer, resistance to anoikis of cancer cell is important in invasion and metastasis. The present study investigated the intracellular mechanism involved in anoikis, especially in cells treated with epigallocatechin- 3-gallate(EGCG). To induce anoikis, cell culture plates were coated with 10 ㎍/ml poly-HEMA. A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells were grown in RPMI 1640 medium with/without 10% fetal bovine serum, and then cells were replated on cell culture dishes coated with poly-HEMA in the presence or absence of serum. On the other hand, EGFR inhibitor, PI3K inhibitor, and EGCG were treated to the anoikis status cells, in order to evaluate the factors of anoikis. The result revealed that growth factors or loss of adhesion can increase phosphorylate Akt. In addition, lack of cell adhesion fails to activate pro-apoptotic factors directly. Activity of Erk kinase depends on not only EGFR signaling but also cell adhesion. Akt activation is mainly affected by EGCG whereas Raf-1 activation is controlled by the presence of cell contact. In addition, EGCG increased the level of NFkB, whereas phophroylated PTEN and total PTEN were not different. In this report,increase of NFkB was correlated with Akt phosphorylation, suggesting that EGCG can protect cells from detachment–induced cell death through Akt activation and subsequent NFkB

Green tea, derived from the plant Camellia sinensis, is one of the most common beverages consumed worldwide. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant and bioactive polyphenolic constituent in green tea. Understanding how intracellular signaling pathways respond to EGCG may provide a clue to the difference of cell responses and basis for usefulness of EGCG as a chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent. In the present study, we tried to check whether EGCG could be a useful agent in chemotherapeutic treatment of oral squamous carcinoma. Furthermore, we investigated which signaling pathway is involved in biologic activities of EGCG. EGCG induced the cell death of oral squamous carcinoma cells. Furthermore, it increased phosphorylation of Akt in serum-strarved oral squamous carcinoma cells. But, initial increase of Akt activation did not affect cell survival. Activities of Raf-1 and Erk showed inconsistent response to EGCG treatment, but Erk phosphorylation is consistent with Raf-1 activity in YD 10B cells. These changes of Raf-1 and Erk activity in EGCG treated cells were different depending on cell line type. Supposedly, the difference of cell component may affect the Raf-1 and Erk reactivity to EGCG treatment. Akt activation by EGCG is independent on activities of PDK1 and PTEN, and expression of bax and bcl-2 proteins were not changed by EGCG treatment. Therefore, EGCG treatment did not induce the apoptosis of YD 10B cell. On the other hand, vascular adhesion molecule (VCAM) was decreased by EGCG treatment, so it is possible that decrease of VCAM can play certain role in survival and/or cell death in EGCG treated cells

L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate (PDC) is a potent inhibitor of glutamate transporters. In our current study, we investigated whether the neuronal death induced by PDC involves mechanisms other than excitotoxicity in mixed mouse cortical cultures. Cortical cultures at 13-14 days in vitro were used and cell death was assessed by measuring the lactate dehydrogenase efflux into bathing media. Glutamate and PDC both induced neuronal death in a concentration-dependent manner but the neurotoxic effects of glutamate were found to be more potent than those of PDC. Treatment with 10, 100 and 200 M PDC equally potentiated 50 M glutamate-induced neuronal death. The neuronal death induced by 75 M glutamate was almost abolished by treatment with the NMDA antagonists, MK-801 and AP-5, but was unaffected by NBQX (an AMPA antagonist), trolox (antioxidant), BDNF or ZVAD-FMK (a pan-caspase inhibitor). However, the neuronal death induced by 200 M PDC was partially but significantly attenuated by single treatments with MK-801, AP-5, trolox, BDNF or ZVAD-FMK but not NBQX. Combined treatments with MK-801 plus trolox, MK-801 plus ZVAD-FMK or MK-801 plus BDNF almost abolished neuronal death, whereas combined treatments with trolox plus ZVADFMK, trolox plus BDNF or ZVAD-FMK plus BDNF did not enhance the inhibitory action of any single treatment with these drugs. These results demonstrate that the neuronal death induced by PDC involves not only in the excitotoxicity induced by the accumulation of glutamate but also the oxidative stress induced by free radical generation. This suggests that apoptotic neuronal death plays a role in PDCinduced oxidative neuronal injury.