BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to determine anti-cancer effect of Icariside II purified from the root of Epimedium koreanum Nakai on human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line U937. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Icariside II blocked the growth U937 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In this anti-proliferation process, this herb compound rendered the cells susceptible to apopt...

Angiotensin-converting enzyme, a dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase, catalyzes the conversion of angiotensin I to the vasoactive peptide angiotensin II. The finding of angiotensin-converting enzyme in dexamethasone-stimulated cultured monocytes and alveolar macrophages prompted the examination of a human monocyte-like cell line (U937) for angiotensin I-converting activity. Conversion of angiotensin I ...

Lapatinib is an oral-form dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR or ErbB/Her) superfamily members with anticancer activity. In this study, we examined the effects and mechanism of action of lapatinib on several human leukemia cells lines, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. We fou...

PURPOSE Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are key components of the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) niche. They control the process of hematopoiesis by secreting regulatory cytokines, growth factors and expression of important cell adhesion molecules for cell-tocell interactions. In this research, we have investigated the effect of bone marrow derived MSCs on monocytic differentiation of U937 cells...

Anthocyanins are a class of flavonoids, widely spread throughout the plant kingdom, that exhibit important anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions as well as chemotherapeutic effects. However, little is known concerning the molecular mechanisms by which these activities are exerted. In this study, we investigated the anthocyanins isolated from Vitis coignetiae Pulliat for their potential ant...

Effects of human fibroblast (beta) or leukocyte (alpha) interferon (IFN) on differentiations of a human histiocytic lymphoma-derived cell line (U937) or promyelocytic leukemia-derived cell line (HL-60) were studied. When cultured with beta-IFN (400-1,000 U/ml), U937 cells showed gross morphologic and microscopic changes consisting of clumping, increased cytoplasmic-to-nuclear ratio, enhanced pr...

Rosmarinus officinalis L., a medicinal herb from the labiates family, has been reported to be of potential benefit in the treatment and prevention of several diseases. In particular its phenolics have demonstrated protective effects on various types of cancer through several mechanisms. The present study aimed to determine the effects of rosemary phenolic extracts on human cell functions, with ...

Dehydroabietic acid (DHA) is an analog of abietic (AA) for cardiovascular disease prevention, known to act pharmacologically against aging, inflammation, bacterial infections and cancer. The current research investigated the molecular mechanisms DHA on adhesiveness endothelial leukocytes activation NF-κB in TNF-α treated HAEC ApoE−/− mice experimental atherosclerosis. HAECs were tested toxicity...

Differentiation-resistant U937 cells were derived from parental U937 human promonocytic leukemia cells by selecting for a nonadherent phenotype in cell cultures continuously exposed to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Subsequent analysis indicated no differences between wildtype (wt) and resistant U937 cells with respect to protein kinase C (PKC) isozyme expression, activation, or do...

Dendropanax morbifera Leveille is found throughout southwestern Korea, and has been used in traditional medicine for various diseases, such as migraine headache, infectious diseases, skin diseases and dysmenorrhea. However, the molecular mechanisms of D. morbifera concerning its biochemical actions in cancer have not yet been clearly elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the pro-apo...