Anti-Tumor Effect of Curcumin on Human Cervical Carcinoma HeLa Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Objective: To investigate the anti-tumor effect of curcumin on human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells in vitro and in vivo. Methods: (1) Human cervical carcinoma cell line HeLa was cultured in vitro. HeLa cells were treated with 5-50 μmol/L curcumin for 24. 48, 72 h and the growth inhibition rates of HeLa cells were measured by MTT method. Cell apoptosis was inspected by electron microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM). (2) A transplanted tumor model by injecting HeLa cells into subcutaneous tissue of BABL/C mice was established and its growth curve was measured. 30 BABL/C mice with tumors were divided into 2 groups at random and 0.2 ml saline or 0.2 ml 250 μmol/L curcumin was injected into abdominal cavity respectively once everyday and lasted for ten days. The changes of tumor volume were measured continuously and tumor inhibition rate was calculated. At last the expressions of caspase-3 and bax protein in transplanted tumors were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results: (1) Curcumin inhibited the proliferation of Lela cells on a dose-depending manner. Apoptosis of cells could be observed by FCM. Partial cells presented the characteristic morphological changes of apoptosis under electron microseope. (2) When 1×107 HeLa cells were inoculated for each mouse, 100% of the mice developed growing tumors after seven days. An inhibition effect was observed in treatment group, and the inhibition rate of curcumin was 74.33%. The expressions of caspase-3 and bax in the transplanted tumors were increased in curcumin group. Conclusion: Curcumin is effective as an anti-cancer drug not only in vitro but also in vivo.     

Triphala inhibits both <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> xenograft growth of pancreatic tumor cells by inducing apoptosis

Background  

Triphala is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat variety of diseases; however its mechanism of action remains unexplored. This study elucidates the molecular mechanism of Triphala against human pancreatic cancer in the cellular and in vivo model.     

Mutations in context: implications of <Emphasis Type="Italic">BRCA</Emphasis> testing in diverse populations

Cancer is a common non-communicable disease worldwide, although it exhibits differential population trends in incidence and mortality rates. The differences relate to population structure, environmental risk factors as well as health system organization. This article discusses the potential impact of genetic testing on population health, focusing in particular on the mutational spectrum of breast cancer susceptibility genes in diverse populations. We identify the need for improved access to, and increased investment in, comprehensive cancer risk assessment and genetic testing as well as cancer control measures that take into account lifestyle, environmental, and social factors in understudied minority groups.     

Cathepsin B inhibition interferes with metastatic potential of human melanoma: an <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> study

Background  

Cathepsins represent a group of proteases involved in determining the metastatic potential of cancer cells. Among these are cysteinyl- (e.g. cathepsin B and cathepsin L) and aspartyl-proteases (e.g. cathepsin D), normally present inside the lysosomes as inactive proenzymes. Once released in the extracellular space, cathepsins contribute to metastatic potential by facilitating cell migration and invasiveness.     

The Biology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">K-Ras</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">B-Raf</Emphasis> Mutations in Colorectal Cancer

Ras and Raf proteins are two major players in the MAP kinase pathway. They are crucial downstream regulators of multiple receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated cell growth, transformation, and maintenance of the malignant phenotype in human cancers. Mutations have been identified in K-Ras and B-Raf in patients with colorectal cancer. Clinical studies in colorectal cancers demonstrate that the therapeutic efficacy of cetuximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against epidermal growth factor receptor, depends on the presence of wild-type K-Ras. However, mutations in B-Raf do not predict cetuximab resistance. These observations have led to the use of K-Ras as a predictive biomarker, allowing clinicians to direct the therapy of cancer patients based on their K-Ras mutational status.     

Mikrosporon canis — Familienepidemie — in Mecklenburg

Es wird über eine seit 30 Jahren erstmalig in Deutschland sicher wieder nach-gewiesene Mikrosporon canis-Infektion am Kopf von vier Kindern berichtet. Die isolierte Kultur wird kurz beschrieben.
Die Familieninfektion blieb auf den Ursprung selbst beschränkt. Reihenunter-suchungen der Kinder des kleinen mecklenburgischen Dorfes ergaben keinen weiteren positiven Befund. Es handelt sich um den ersten Befund eines Mikrosporon canis Bodin 1902 in Mecklenburg.
Während der Drucklegung berichtete H. Koch (Derm. Wschr. 136 [1957], 741) über 6 Fälle von Mikrosporon canis-Erkrankungen im Hamburger Raum aus den Jahren 1951–1955. Wir halten diese Fälle nicht für sichere Mikrosporon canis-Erkrankungen, da keine Tierversuche zur Sicherung der Diagnose durch-geführt wurden und nur diese letzten Endes jeden diagnostischen Zweifel beseitigen können.     

Wachstumsabhängigkeit der Sproßpilze im Sputum von der Peroxidase-Aktivität in den Mundhöhle-Zellen

Mundhöhle-Zellen aus Sputen von 175 lungenkranken Patienten und 50 gesunden Probanden wurden auf ihre Peroxidase-Aktivität untersucht. Die Befunde von gleichzeitig angesetzten Pilzkulturen aus diesen Sputen zeigten eine negative Korrelation zwischen der Peroxidase-Aktivität und dem Wachstum von Sproßpilzen. Die Ergebnisse stimmen mit den Angaben aus der Literatur über die antifungische Wirkung des Peroxidase-Systems überein.

Summary

Macrophages of the sputum of 175 patients with lung diseases and 50 healthy person were tested for peroxidase activity. The findings from fungus cultures grown at the same time showed a clear negative correlation between peroxidase activity and the growth rate of the fungus. The results correspond the previously published findings on antifungal activity of the peroxidase system.     

<Emphasis Type="Bold">The role of stem cells in benign tumors</Emphasis>

As stem cells contribute to the development and homeostasis of normal adult tissues, malfunction of stem cells in self-renewal and differentiation has been associated with tumorigenesis. A growing number of evidences indicating that tumor initiating cells play a crucial role, not only in malignancies, but also in generation and development of benign tumors. Here we offer an overview of the identification and functional characterization of benign tumor initiating cells in several tissues and organs, which typically show capacities of uncontrolled self-renewal to fuel the tumor growth and abnormal differentiation to give rise to tumor heterogeneity. They may originate from alteration of normal stem cells, which confer the benign tumor initiating cells with different repertoire of “stemness”. The plastic functions of benign tumor initiating cells are determined by niche regulation mediated via several signaling and epigenetic cues. Therefore, targeting stem cell function represents an important strategy for understanding the biology and management of benign tumors.     

Comprehensive analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">NuMA</Emphasis>variation in breast cancer

Background  

A recent genome wide case-control association study identified NuMA region on 11q13 as a candidate locus for breast cancer susceptibility. Specifically, the variant Ala794Gly was suggested to be associated with increased risk of breast cancer.     

O<Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">6</Emphasis></Superscript>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase</Emphasis> is downregulated in transformed astrocyte cells: implications for anti-glioma therapies

Background  

A novel alkylating agent, temozolomide, has proven efficacious in the treatment of malignant gliomas. However, expression of O ⁶ -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) renders glioma cells resistant to the treatment, indicating that identification of mechanisms underlying the gene regulation of MGMT is highly required. Although glioma-derived cell lines have been widely employed to understand such mechanisms, those models harbor numerous unidentified genetic lesions specific for individual cell lines, which complicates the study of specific molecules and pathways.     

MicroRNA-34a is a potent tumor suppressor molecule <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> in neuroblastoma

Background  

Neuroblastoma is a paediatric cancer which originates from precursor cells of the sympathetic nervous system and accounts for 15% of childhood cancer mortalities. With regards to the role of miRNAs in neuroblastoma, miR-34a, mapping to a chromosome 1p36 region that is commonly deleted, has been found to act as a tumor suppressor through targeting of numerous genes associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis.     

Association of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> infection and environmental factors in non-cardia gastric cancer in Japan

Background Although Helicobacter pylori infection is a major risk factor for gastric cancer, it does not explain the full picture of stomach carcinogenesis. There have been few epidemiological studies, however, which examined both H. pylori and environmental factors simultaneously. The aims of this study were to estimate the association of environmental factors (smoking and dietary factors) with gastric cancer in consideration of H. pylori infection, and to investigate the effects of the interaction between environmental factors and H. pylori infection.Methods A multicenter, hospital-based, case-control study of gastric cancer was conducted at four hospitals in Nagano prefecture, Japan, between October 1998 and March 2002. For 153 newly diagnosed gastric cancer cases, two controls matched by age (within 3 years), sex, and residence area were randomly selected from the participants of a health check-up program during the same period in the same hospitals. We conducted a questionnaire survey and obtained blood samples. Consequently, 122 non-cardia gastric cancer cases and 235 controls were available for this analysis.Results Results. H. pylori infection was strongly associated with non-cardia gastric cancer after adjustment for possible confounding factors (odds ratio [OR], 8.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.7–18.2). Cigarette smoking (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2–6.5) and frequent intake of miso (fermented soy bean) soup (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 0.9–5.1) and rice (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.0–6.1) were determined to be risk factors even after adjusting for possible confounding factors, including H. pylori infection. However, no statistically significant interaction between environmental factors and H. pylori infection was detected.Conclusion This finding suggests that although H. pylori infection is clearly an important risk factor for gastric cancer, smoking cessation and dietary modification may be practical strategies for the prevention of non-cardia gastric cancer among both H. pylori-positive and -negative subjects in Japan.     

The immunomodulator PSK induces <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> cytotoxic activity in tumour cell lines <Emphasis Type="Italic">via</Emphasis> arrest of cell cycle and induction of apoptosis

Background  

Protein-bound polysaccharide (PSK) is derived from the CM-101 strain of the fungus Coriolus versicolor and has shown anticancer activity in vitro and in in vivo experimental models and human cancers. Several randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that PSK has great potential in adjuvant cancer therapy, with positive results in the adjuvant treatment of gastric, esophageal, colorectal, breast and lung cancers. These studies have suggested the efficacy of PSK as an immunomodulator of biological responses. The precise molecular mechanisms responsible for its biological activity have yet to be fully elucidated.     

A novel circular invasion assay mimics <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis> invasive behavior of cancer cell lines and distinguishes single-cell motility <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Background  

Classical in vitro wound-healing assays and other techniques designed to study cell migration and invasion have been used for many years to elucidate the various mechanisms associated with metastasis. However, many of these methods are limited in their ability to achieve reproducible, quantitative results that translate well in vivo. Such techniques are also commonly unable to elucidate single-cell motility mechanisms, an important factor to be considered when studying dissemination. Therefore, we developed and applied a novel in vitro circular invasion assay (CIA) in order to bridge the translational gap between in vitro and in vivo findings, and to distinguish between different modes of invasion.     

Identification of biomarkers in ductal carcinoma <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> of the breast with microinvasion

Background  

Widespread use of mammography in breast cancer screening has led to the identification of increasing numbers of patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). DCIS of the breast with an area of focal invasion 1 mm or less in diameter is defined as DCIS with microinvasion, DCIS-Mi. Identification of biological differences between DCIS and DCIS-Mi may aid in understanding of the nature and causes of the progression of DCIS to invasiveness.