제주조릿대(Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai)는 한라산에 넓게 분포되어 자생하는 식물로 최근 연구에서 항염증, 항당뇨, 항산화, 항암 효능을 가지는 것으로 알려져 있으나 대장암에서의 항암 효능 및 그에 따른 mechanism에 대해서는 명확히 밝혀지지 않았다. 본 연구에서는 인간 대장암 HT-29 세포를 대상으로 제주조릿대에 의한 항암작용과 기전에 대해 조사하였다. 제주조릿대에 의한 HT-29 세포의 증식 억제가 apoptosis 유도와 연관성이 있음을 DNA fragmentation와 flow cytometry 분석에 의한 sub-G1기의 세포빈도의 증가로 확인하였다. 제주조릿대에 의한 apoptosis 유발은 HT-29 세포의 S arrest 현상을 동반하였을 뿐만 아니라 발생한 산화질소의 증가와 anti-apoptotic factor인 IAP family (survivin , XIAP, cIAP-1, cIAP-2) 발현이 감소함으로써 촉진되었음을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 결과들은 제주조릿대가 대장암에 대한 치료제로서의 사용 가능성을 확인할 수 있었지만 이를 입증하기 위해서는 더 자세한 항암기전에 관한 연구가 진행되어야 한다고 사료된다.
Sasa quelpaertensis Nakai (Korean name, Jeju-Joritdae) is one of the most abundant plants on Mt. Halla Jeju Island, and it has long been used in traditional medicines. Recent studies have reported it as possessing various beneficial functions, including anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertension, anti-gastritis, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer effects. However, the molecular mechanisms of its anti-cancer activity have not been clearly elucidated. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer effects and mechanism of S. quelpaertensis on human colon cancer HT-29 cells. Cell growth inhibition by S. quelpaertensis was determined by MTT assay. Apoptosis was performed by DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry with propidium iodide staining (PI), and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to confirm the anti-apoptotic factors, such as inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) family members. NO· production was determined by Griess assay. S. quelpaertensis treatment resulted in the time- and dose-dependent inhibition of the cell viability of HT-29 cells by inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by the accumulation of the sub-G1 cell population stained by PI, as well as the ladder-like DNA fragmentation in a dose-dependent manner. S. quelpaertensis-inducing apoptosis was accompanied by the induction of S cell cycle arrests, increasing NO· concentrations, and the down-regulation of IAPs, including X-chromosome-linked IAP (XIAP), cellular IAP-1 (cIAP-1), cIAP-2, and survivin. Taken together, these findings have important implications for future clinical developments of S. quelpaertensis in colon cancer treatment.