Browsing by Author "Shyur, LF"

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Induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by phytochemicals from Anoectochilus formosanus
(2004-01-01)
Shyur, LF
;
Chen, CH
;
Lo, CP
;
Wang, SY
;
Kang, PL
The antitumor activity of Anoectochilus formosanus Hayata (Orchidaceae), a popularly used folk medicine in the treatment of cancers in Asia, was investigated in MCF-7 human mammary carcinoma cells. Plant extracts of A. formosanus were observed to induce apoptosis of MCF-7 cells as evidenced by cell-morphological changes, an early redistribution of plasma membrane phosphatidylserine, and DNA content distribution studies. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of A. formosanus extracts produced a specific ethyl acetate (EA)-partitioned fraction in which apoptotic activity was enriched. The chemical profile and candidate index compounds of the active EA fraction were obtained using HPLC and various spectral analyses. Western blot analysis showed that upon treatment of MCF-7 cells with the EA fraction, cleavage of pro-caspases-8, -9, and -7, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase as well as significant release of mitochondrial cytochrome c into the cytosol were readily observed. Flow cytometry showed that the Fas ligand protein was overexpressed in EA-treated MCF-7 cells. Functional genomic studies indicated that specific genes related to cytoskeleton rearrangement, apoptotic signal transduction, and various transcription factors were differentially regulated in EA-treated MCF-7 cells. Putative apoptotic signaling pathways of MCF-7 cells in response to the EA extract of A. formosanus are proposed. Copyright (C) 2004 National Science Council, ROC and S. Karger AG, Basel.
Medicinal herb extract and a single-compound drug confer similar complex pharmacogenomic activities in MCF-7 cells
(2004-01-01)
Yang, NS
;
Shyur, LF
;
Chen, CH
;
Wang, SY
;
Tzeng, CM
Metabolite profiling and DNA microarray analysis of global gene expression profiles were employed to characterize the bioactivities of the herbal extract of Anoectochilus formosanus (AF), a popular folk medicine with anticancer activity, in MCF-7 cancer cells. The pharmacogenomic activities of this plant extract as a crude phytocompound mixture were compared to those conferred by the single-compound drug, plumbagin. A similar level of complexity in transcriptional regulation at the genomic level was observed for both AF extract- and plumbagin-treated MCF-7 cells, as revealed by the number of up- or downregulated genes as well as by the specific but distinct patterns found in the gene-clustering analysis. This finding offers evidence to support the search for fractionated medicinal herb extracts or phytocompound mixtures, in addition to single-compound drugs, as defined therapeutic agents. Copyright (C) 2004 National Science Council, ROC and S. Karger AG, Basel.
Polyacetylenic compounds and butanol fraction from Bidens pilosa can modulate the differentiation of helper T cells and prevent autoimmune diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice
(2004-11-01)
Chang, SL
;
Chang, CLT
;
Chiang, YM
;
Hsieh, RH
;
Tzeng, CR
\Compelling evidence suggests that infiltrating CD4(+) type I helper T (Th1) cells in the pancreatic islets play a pivotal role in the progression of diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. We demonstrate in the present report that a butanol fraction of B. pilosa suppressed the development of diabetes, helped maintain levels of blood sugar and insulin in NOD mice in a dose-dependent manner and elevated the serum IgE levels regulated by Th2 cytokines in NOD mice. Moreover, the butanol fraction inhibited the differentiation of naive helper T (Th0) cells into Th1 cells but enhanced their transition into type II helper T (Th2) cells using an in vitro T cell differentiation assay. Two polyacetylenic compounds, 2-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-1-hydroxy-5(E)-tridecene-7,9,11-triyne and 3-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-1-hydroxy-6(E)-tetradecene-8,10,12-triyne, identified from the butanol fraction also prevented the onset of diabetes like the butanol fraction. The latter compound showed a stronger activity for T cell differentiation than the former. In summary, the butanol fraction of B. pilosa and its polyacetylenes can prevent diabetes plausibly via suppressing the differentiation of Th0 cells into Th1 cells and promoting that of Th0 cells into Th2 cells.
The distinct effects of a butanol fraction of Bidens pilosa plant extract on the development of Th1-mediated diabetes and Th2-mediated airway inflammation in mice
(2005)
Chang, CLT
;
Kuo, HK
;
Chang, SL
;
Chiang, YM
;
Lee, TH
Bidens pilosa is claimed to be useful for immune or anti-inflammatory disorders; however, little scientific evidence has been published concerning its function. In this paper., immune disease mouse models were used to study the function of a butanol fraction of B. pilosa. We demonstrated treatment with the butanol fraction of B. pilosa ameliorated Th1 cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice but caused deterioration of Th2 cell-mediated airway inflammation induced by ovalbumin (OVA) in BALB/c mice. We next showed that Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and/or IL-5) increased but Th1 cytokine (IFN-gamma) decreased following injections with the butanol fraction of B. pilosa in both mouse strains. Accordingly, Th2 cytokine-regulated IgE production in mouse serum increased following treatment with this fraction. Finally, we found that the butanol fraction of B. pilosa inhibited Th1 cell differentiation but promoted Th2 cell differentiation. Taken together, the butanol fraction of B. pilosa has a dichotomous effect on helper T cell-mediated immune disorders, plausibly via modulation of T cell differentiation.