Collagen hydrolysate is a well-known nutritional supplement for the improvement of healthy skin. Here, collagen peptide NS (CPNS) from fish scale was prepared, and its physicochemical properties were investigated. Gly-Pro was revealed as a representative low molecular weight peptide of CPNS, by performing prep-HPLC and LC-MS/MS. CPNS treatment attenuated matrix metalloproteinase-1 production and increased the synthesis of type 1 procollagen in HDF cells. After orally administering CPNS to rats, the plasma concentrations of Gly-Pro and Pro-Hyp increased dramatically. To examine the protective effects of CPNS against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced photoaging in vivo, the dorsal skins of hairless mice were exposed to UVB and supplemented with CPNS for 12 weeks. The CPNS consumption significantly attenuated UVB-induced wrinkle formation, transepidermal water loss, and epidermis thickness, and increased skin hydration. Collectively, these results suggest that bioactive peptides of CPNS, Gly-Pro and Pro-Hyp, exert beneficial effects on skin health.

This study was conducted to investigate the changes in the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activities of 80% methanol and water extracts from mustard leaf kimchi during different fermentation periods. The methanol extract exhibited higher TPC and TFC than the water extract. Both extracts from kimchi fermented for two months showed the highest antioxidant effects against the scavenging activities of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and 2,2-azino-bis diammonium salt (ABTS) radicals. Moreover, the methanol extract from kimchi fermented for two months showed the highest nitrite scavenging activity. The highest metal (Fe) chelating effect of the methanol extract and water extract was observed after three months and one month, respectively. Caffeic acid showed the highest increase with fermentation. These findings suggest that the antioxidant activities of kimchi depend on the fermentation period. Accordingly, this study provides basic data for improving the antioxidant activity of mustard leaf kimchi through the establishment of their fermentation period.

Background: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are rare and heterogeneous group of tumors classified anatomically into intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts and gallbladder adenocarcinomas. Patient-derived tumor cell (PDC) models with genome analysis can be a valuable platform to develop a method to overcome the clinical barrier on BTCs. Material and Methods: Between January 2012 and June 2015, 40 BTC patients’ samples were collected. PDCs were isolated and cultured from surgical specimens, biopsy tissues, or malignant effusions including ascites and pleural fluid. Genome analysis using targeted panel sequencing as well as digital multiplexed gene analysis was applied to PDCs as well as primary tumors. Results: Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (N = 15, 37.5%), intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (N = 10, 25.0%), gallbladder cancer (N = 14, 35.0%), and ampulla of Vater cancer (N = 1, 2.5%) were included. We identified 15 mutations with diverse genetic alterations in 19 cases of BTC from primary tumor specimens. The most common molecular alterations were in TP53 (8/19, 42.1%), including missense mutations such as C242Y, E285K, G112S, P19T, R148T, R248Q, and R273L. We also detected two NRAS mutations (G12C and Q61L), two KRAS mutations (G12A and G12S), two ERBB2 mutations (V777L and pM774delinsMA) and amplification, and three PIK3CA mutations (N345K, E545K, and E521K). PDC models were successfully established in 27 of 40 samples (67.5%), including 22/24 from body fluids (91.7%) and 5/16 from tissue specimens (31.3%). Conclusions: PDC models are promising tools for uncovering driver mutations and identifying rational therapeutic strategies in BTC. Application of this model is expected to inform clinical trials of drugs for molecular-based targeted therapy.

We investigated the patients with solid cancers harboring Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) amplification using targeted sequencing of tumor tissue specimen and FISH assay. Simultaneously, FLT3-amplified patient-derived cells (PDCs) were generated to evaluate the sensitivity to FLT3 inhibition. A patient with metastatic colon cancer who was previously treated with more than 3rd line cytotoxic chemotherapy was found to have FLT3 amplification and then received regorafenib showing partial response. In two PDC cell lines with FLT3 amplification, FLT3 mRNA expression was increased, however, the growth of tumor cells was not significantly inhibited by either regorafenib or sorafenib which is known to block the activity FLT3. Additional drug combinations with mTOR inhibitor did not affect the cell proliferation of PDC. FLT3 amplification in solid cancers is infrequently observed using targeted genomic profile, as yet, FLT3 amplification does not seem to be an actionable target or a proper biomarker for FLT3 inhibitor sensitivity.

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Pawpaw (Asimina triloba [L.] Dunal) possesses antioxidant compounds and strong inhibitors of cancer cells, and is widely cultivated in North America, Canada, and Korea. We analyzed the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC, respectively) of pawpaw plants grown in Korea and the antioxidant activities of their roots, twigs, leaves, and fruit with respect to 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, 2,2'-azino-bis diammonium salt (ABTS) radical scavenging activity, ferrous (Fe ) chelating ability, and nitrite scavenging activity. Pearson's correlation analyses revealed a linear correlation between TPC and antioxidant activities (r >0.69). Root methanol extracts had higher TPC and antioxidant activities than other extracts, which was also consistent with those from the phenolic compounds found in those extracts. Therefore, antioxidant activities seem to depend on the TPC of each pawpaw tissue and pawpaw roots might be useful as a natural source of natural antioxidants.

a b s t r a c tPrevious studies have shown that testisin promotes malignant transformation in cancer cells. To define the mechanism of testisin-induced carcinogenesis, we performed yeast two-hybrid analysis and identified maspin, a tumor suppressor protein, as a testisin-interacting molecule. The direct interaction and cytoplasmic co-localization of testisin with maspin was confirmed by immunoprecipitation and confocal analysis, respectively. In cervical cancer cells, maspin modulated cell death and invasion; however, these effects were inhibited by testisin in parallel experiments. Of interest, the doxorubicin resistance was dramatically reduced by testisin knockdown (P = 0.016). Moreover, testisin was found to be over-expressed in cervical cancer samples as compared to matched normal cervical tissues. Thus, we postulate that testisin may promote carcinogenesis by inhibiting tumor suppressor activity of maspin.

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