Percentage Of Surviving Cells Research Articles

Investigating the effects of Thymus vulgaris essential oil, Allium cepa extract, and their active compounds (thymol and quercetin) on expression profile of genes related to Alzheimer's disease in PC12 model cell

Thymus vulgaris and Allium cepa are plants with great medicinal importance. Thymol monoterpene and quercetin, which are present in these plants, have anti-Alzheimer's and antioxidant effects. The objectives of this research were investigating the effects of these compounds on the pathogenesis and progress of Alzheimer's disease in cells modeled by formaldehyde. MTT, flow cytometry, and RT-PCR were used to investigate the toxicity, survival rate and apoptosis of the cells, and the expression level of PP2A, GSK3, NMDAR, BACE1, and APP genes, respectively. Also, the total antioxidant capacity of the modeled cells was measured. The results showed that the two compounds as well as the plants extract and essential oil were able to increase the percentage of cell survival; among them, Thymus vulgaris essential oil had the greatest effect (93.55316 % in 48 h exposure). In addition, quercetin was able to reduce the rate of apoptosis in Alzheimer's cells (4.73 %) which was greater than the effects of other compounds. In general, the essential oil of Thymus vulgaris compared to thymol; and quercetin compared to Allium cepa extract showed more improving effects on the expression of genes involved in the disease. All four compounds increased the antioxidant capacity of the modeled cells compared to the control group, and these effects were almost equal between the compounds. According to the obtained results, both plants, especially Thymus vulgaris can be proposed as candidates to be included in the diet of Alzheimer's patients. In addition, polyphenols thymol and quercetin as derivates from the studied plants can be used in new drugs development for Alzheimer's disease, with greater safety than currently used drugs. These results are significant because most of the drug for Alzheimer's treatments such as cholinesterases (e.g. rivastigmine and donepezil) and memantine are chemically based and have many side effects.

Comparative Study of Biosynthesizing Selenium Nanoparticles by Gum Arabic and Poly Anionic Cellulose to Prevent Radiation-Induced Death in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) Cells

Purpose: In premenopausal women, abdominopelvic radiotherapy may have a direct and profound effect on ovarian function. Stabilized selenium Nanoparticles (NPs) with some natural materials have been demonstrated to have high antioxidant activity and reduce radiation damage as a radioprotector. This study was done to compare the ability for the biosynthesis of selenium NPs by Gum Arabic (Se-GA) and Polyanionic Cellulose (Se-PAC) in the protection of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells against radiation damage.
 Materials and Methods: First, Selenium Nanoparticles (SeNPs) were synthesized in the presence of GA and PAC. Then, CHO cells were cultured in-vitro and were randomly divided into six groups in different concentrations of Se-GA and Se-PAC to measure the biocompatibility of NPs. Finally, cells were treated with NPs and radiation (6MV, 2Gy), and the percentage of cell survival was determined by MTT assay. Both NPs with an average size of 20-30 nm and an absorption absorbance peak at about 300 nm using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy.
 Results: According to the parametric t-test analysis, Se-GA nanoparticles with a concentration higher than 0.4 ppm significantly increased the radioprotective effect on CHO cells compared to the control group (P<0.05). However, Se-PAC showed no significant increase in radioprotection in contrast to the control group (P>0.05).
 Conclusion: Se-GA nanoparticles have antioxidant properties, and the radiation protection properties of Se-GA nanoparticles are significantly higher than control. Consequently, Se-GA nanoparticles showed promising results and may be able to play the role of a radioprotector.

Effects of Curcuma longa L. and Piper nigrum L. Against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Infectious Angiogenesis

Methicillin drug resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a challenging microbe among bacteria borne infectious diseases and is extremely difficult to treat because of resistive nature of pathogen. Therefore, new agents are always needed to treat MRSA associated infections. Extracts from plants have been in medicinal practice since early ages of mankind. Current research is meant to discern the therapeutic aspects of Piper nigrum L. and Curcuma longa L. as solo or in combinatory medicinal agent against bacterial strains and associated infectious angiogenesis. The individual MICs of Curcuma longa and Piper nigrum calculated by agar well diffusion method were 1.56 mg/mL and 12.5 mg/mL respectively whereas the MIC of the combination of Curcuma longa and Piper nigrum was 0.062 mg/mL, indicating significant decrease in effective MIC in combination. FICI value was 0.034 ≤ 0.5 that confirmed the synergistic antibacterial activity of the combination extract. MTT assay showed that the cell survival percentage and IC50 values of Curcuma longa L., Piper nigrum L. and their combination were 69%, 41%, 80% and 38.3 ± 2.82, 9.92 ± 1.84, 62 ± 5.32 respectively indicating therapeutic doses were non-toxic. Further antibacterial activity of extracts showed promising antibacterial effects against MRSA. Effects on infectious angiogenesis were observed by CAM assay which revealed that when Curcuma longa L. and Piper nigrum L. were used in combination, inhibition of neovascularization was more promising as compared to individual effect which further testified the synergistic effect of Piper nigrum L. Present study accumulatively reports the novel potential utility of Curcuma longa L. and Piper nigrum L. extracts in a synergistic way against MRSA infection by interfering the mechanism of infectious angiogenesis and bactericidal action; suggesting further investigation to isolate active compounds for bactericidal and anti-infectious antiangiogenic activities that may serve as therapeutic agents in the modern field of medicine.

Sonochemical synthesis of gold nanoparticles mediated by potato starch: Its performance in the treatment of esophageal cancer

Abstract Economically viable and eco-friendly potato starch (PS) was employed to synthesize Au NPs under ultrasound irradiation. PS phytochemicals have the function of a green reductant as well as an efficient stabilizer template to cap and synthesize gold nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) were applied to investigate the structure of the synthesized PS-Au NPs nanocomposite. FESEM results showed that the obtained Au NPs were spherical and ∼30 nm in diameter; their crystalline nature was detected by XRD and TEM data. PS-Au NP nanocomposite shows high antioxidant effects against DPPH. The colorimetric MTT investigation was followed in the determination of anti-esophageal cancer properties of the PS-Au NP nanocomposite against KYSE-30 and FLO-1 cell lines. The findings indicate that in 3 days, the cancer cell survival percentage in various dilations reduced as much as the PS-Au NP nanocomposite concentration increased. The best anti-cancer effect of the PS-Au NP nanocomposite was reported at 1,000 μg/mL dilation. Through MTT cytotoxicity analysis the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of PS-Au nanocomposite or IC50 values against the KYSE-30 and FLO-1 esophageal carcinoma cells were found as 125 and 176 μg/mL, respectively. The data indicated that these PS-Au NP nanocomposites inhibited esophageal cancer cells more strongly than normal cells.

Green synthesis of AgNPs using plant extract and investigation of its anti-human colorectal cancer application

Abstract Recently, the plant extracts used to synthesize nanoparticles (NPs) have been considered an excellent alternative to physical and chemical ways. The applications of NPs in the fields of agriculture, industry, and medicine are so many and diverse that they cannot be counted. In recent years, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted the consideration of several scientists because of their special characteristics and many applications in various fields, including optoelectronic catalysts, biological markers, and pharmaceutical and medical applications. In the current experiment, the cytotoxic potential of the properties of AgNPs green formulation using green tea on human colorectal cancer cells were determined. The NPs characterization was done by field emission-scanning electron microscopes, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The average diameter of the particles was about 35 nm. The presence of (111), (200), (220), and (311) peaks at the positions of 38°, 44°, 63°, and 77° indicate the presence of AgNPs, which confirms the correct synthesis of AgNPs. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to measure anti-colorectal carcinoma (on HCT-8, HT-29, MDST8, HCA-7 Colony 29, HCT 116, and Ramos.2G6.4C10 cells) properties of AgNPs. The findings indicate that in 3 days, the cancer cell survival percentage in various dilations reduced as much as the NPs concentration increased. The best anticancer effect was reported at 1,000 μg/mL dilation. The IC50 was 141, 46, 149, 125, 125, and 44 µg/mL against HCT-8, HT-29, MDST8, HCA-7 Colony 29, HCT 116, and Ramos.2G6.4C10 colorectal cancer cells, respectively. The results indicated that these NPs could inhibit colorectal cancer cells more strongly than normal cells. After doing the clinical trial studies, the recent AgNPs are a suitable option for colorectal cancer treatment.

Phytochemical analysis and high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography guided quantification of Boeravinone B from Boerhaavia diffusa root extracts: Assessment of in vitro safety analysis

AbstractAn Indian traditional medicinal plant, Boerhaavia diffusa (Punarnava), is reported for its diuretic activity and helps in impaired kidney function. The present study indicates that alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, phytosterols, flavonoids, and glycosides are absent in the petroleum ether extract and present chiefly in the methanolic extract of roots. The phytosterols were found to be present in the ethyl acetate extract, while other phytochemical constituents, that is, alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, flavonoids, and glycosides, were absent. From high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography, the results indicated that out of all the three extracts and two marketed formulations, ethyl acetate root extract (LEA) has the highest amount of Boeravinone B content. Further, different root extracts of B. diffusa and two marketed formulations were evaluated on the human embryonic kidney cell line to understand pharmacological safety. From the results, it was observed that LEA and petroleum ether root extracts showed a higher percentage of cell survival and a better safety profile up to the dose of 1 mg/mL. The overall results indicated that further preclinical evaluation of B. diffusa is needed to understand the mechanism behind nephroprotective potential which can further expedite the drug discovery process of nephroprotective molecules.

Development and Characterization of Symbiotic Buffalo Petit Suisse Cheese Utilizing Whey Retention and Inulin Incorporation.

This study presents the development and characterization of a novel buffalo Petit Suisse cheese, enhanced with symbiotic properties through an innovative whey retention method and incorporating inulin and xanthan gum. The research focused on assessing the cheese's physicochemical properties, shelf life, lactic acid bacteria viability, syneresis behavior, and the impact of varying concentrations of functional ingredients. The addition of inulin and xanthan gum, following a design of experiments, significantly influenced the cheese's texture and consistency. Higher inulin concentrations were associated with increased fermentation activity, as indicated by total titratable acidity, which showed an increase from 1.22% to 1.50% over a 28-day period, and pH levels that decreased from 3.33 to 2.96. The syneresis index varied across trials, with the highest reduction observed in trials with increased xanthan gum concentrations, effectively reducing syneresis to 0%. Lactic acid bacteria viability also showed notable variations, with the highest cell survival percentage reaching 107.89% in formulations with higher inulin and xanthan gum concentrations. These results underscore the importance of inulin and xanthan gum in enhancing the cheese's microbial stability and textural quality. The study concludes that the strategic use of inulin and xanthan gum improves the nutritional profile of buffalo Petit Suisse cheese and optimizes its textural and sensory attributes.

Investigating PM2.5 toxicity in highly polluted urban and industrial areas in the Middle East: human health risk assessment and spatial distribution

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) can be considered as a factor affecting human health. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of PM2.5 and heavy metals and their influence on survival of A549 human lung cells in exposure to PM2.5 breathing air of Ahvaz city. In order to assess the levels of PM2.5 and heavy metals, air samples were collected from 14 sampling stations positioned across Ahvaz city during both winter and summer seasons. The concentration of heavy metals was determined using ICP OES. Next, the MTT assay [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] was employed to ascertain the survival rate of A549 cells. The findings from this research demonstrated that average PM2.5 of the study period was (149.5 μg/m3). Also, the average concentration of PM2.5 in the urban area in winter and summer was (153.3- and 106.9 μg/m3) and in the industrial area this parameter was (191.6 and 158.3 μg/m3). The average concentration of metals (ng/m3) of urban areas against industrial, Al (493 vs. 485), Fe (536 vs. 612), Cu (198 vs. 212), Ni (128 vs. 129), Cr (48.5 vs. 54), Cd (118 vs. 124), Mn (120 vs. 119), As (51 vs. 67), Hg (37 vs. 50), Zn (302 vs. 332) and Pb (266 vs. 351) were obtained. The results of the MTT assay showed that the highest percentage of cell survival according to the exposure concentration was 25 > 50 > 100 > 200. Also, the lowest percentage of survival (58.8%) was observed in the winter season and in industrial areas with a concentration of 200 μg/ml. The carcinogenic risk assessment of heavy metals indicated that except for Cr, whose carcinogenicity was 1.32E−03, other metals were in the safe range (10–4–10–6) for human health. The high concentration of PM2.5 and heavy metals can increase respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and reduce the public health level of Ahvaz citizens.

New hybrid radio-fluorescent probes [131I]-BPF-01 and [131I]-BPF-02 for visualisation of cancer cells: Synthesis and preliminary in vitro and ex vivo evaluations

We synthesised and biologically evaluated two new hybrid probes [131I]BPF-01 and [131I]BPF-02 which were built from three structural entities: benzothiazole-phenyl, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), and iodine-131. These probes were designed for potential applications in assisting surgical procedures of solid cancers. The cytotoxicity study demonstrated that fluorescent probes BPF-01 (31.23 μg/mL) and BPF-02 (250 μg/mL) were relatively not toxic to normal immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells, as indicated by the percentage of cell survival above 50 %. Furthermore, both probes displayed low to moderate anticancer activity against the breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and prostate cancer cells (LNCaP and DU-145). The probe BPF-01 apparently showed an accumulation in the tumour tissues, as suggested by ex vivo fluorescence examinations. In addition, the cellular uptake study suggests that hybrid probe [131I]-BPF-01 was potentially accumulated in the MCF-7 cell line with the highest uptake of 16.11 ± 1.52 % after 2 h of incubation, approximately 50-fold higher than the accumulation of iodine-131 (control). The magnetic bead assay suggests that [131I]-BPF-02 and [131I]-BPF-02 showed a promising capability to interact with translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO). Moreover, the computational data showed that the binding scores for ligands 7–8, BPF-01 and BPF-02, and [131I]-BPF-01 and [131I]-BPF-02 in the TSPO were considerably high. Accordingly, fluorescent probes BPF-01 and BPF-02, and hybrid probes [131I]BPF-01 and [131I]BPF-02 can be further developed for targeting cancer cells during intraoperative tumour surgery.

Fabrication of porous polymeric-based scaffold for dental tissue repair in fracture healing: RVE simulation and ANN optimization

In this study, a porous scaffold composed of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and alginate containing titanium nanoparticles (Ti-NPs or TiO2 nanoparticles) layer by layer was produced using biodegradable polymers and a freeze-drying technique. The prepared porous scaffold was evaluated for its mechanical and biological behavior, such as swelling, porosity, and biodegradability in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and simulated body fluid (SBF), through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The incorporation of hydrophilic polymers increased the amount of water absorption, reaching 811 ± 214% in the layer-by-layer scaffold, which was significantly different from pure PVP. Cell culture of rat bone marrow stem cells (rMSC) on the scaffold showed a cell survival percentage above 80% after 3, 5, and 7 days, and the morphology of the cells indicated optimal biocompatibility. Furthermore, multi-scale finite element modeling (FEM) was used to predict the mechanical properties of the fabricated scaffold with different porosity percentages. Four types of representative volume elements (RVEs) were generated with randomly distributed 74%, 79%, 81%, and 84% porosity. The tensile strength and stress–strain curves of the specimens were obtained using an ABAQUS/Explicit solver attached with VUSDFLD subroutines to evaluate the elastic modulus of simulation results. The numerical results demonstrated good agreement with experimental results, indicating the reliability of the developed FEM for predicting the tensile properties of the fabricated porous scaffold. Finally, an artificial neural network (ANN) was developed to determine the effect of weight percentages (wt. %) of loaded TiO2 nanoparticles into bone scaffolds on the porosity and elastic modulus. The predicted results from the ANN showed an increase in the porosity and elastic modulus with an increase in wt. % of TiO2. The generated ANN can be used to determine the optimal amount of nanoparticles for various applications of dental scaffolds.

Preparation and Characterization of a Nano-Inclusion Complex of Quercetin with β-Cyclodextrin and Its Potential Activity on Cancer Cells.

Quercetin (QRC), a flavonoid found in foods and plants such as red wine, onions, green tea, apples, and berries, possesses remarkable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These properties make it effective in combating cancer cells, reducing inflammation, protecting against heart disease, and regulating blood sugar levels. To enhance the potential of inclusion complexes (ICs) containing β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) in cancer therapy, they were transformed into nano-inclusion complexes (NICs). In this research, NICs were synthesized using ethanol as a reducing agent in the nanoprecipitation process. By employing FT-IR analysis, it was observed that hydrogen bonds were formed between QRC and β-CD. Moreover, the IC molecules formed NICs through the aggregation facilitated by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Proton NMR results further confirmed the occurrence of proton shielding and deshielding subsequent to the formation of NICs. The introduction of β-CDs led to the development of a distinctive feather-like structure within the NICs. The particle sizes were consistently measured around 200 nm, and both SAED and XRD patterns indicated the absence of crystalline NICs, providing supporting evidence. Through cytotoxicity and fluorescence-assisted cell-sorting analysis, the synthesized NICs showed no significant damage in the cell line of MCF-7. In comparison to QRC alone, the presence of high concentrations of NICs exhibited a lesser degree of toxicity in normal human lung fibroblast MRC-5 cells. Moreover, the individual and combined administration of both low and high concentrations of NICs effectively suppressed the growth of cancer cells (MDA-MB-231). The solubility improvement resulting from the formation of QRC-NICs with β-CD enhanced the percentage of cell survival for MCF-7 cell types.

Vessel-Derived Decellularized Extracellular Matrices (VdECM): Novel Bio-Engineered Materials for the Wound Healing.

Decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) is a non-cellular scaffold with various functions in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Elastin is related to tissue elasticity and scarless wound healing, abundantly found in lung and blood vessel tissues. We studied the characteristics of blood vessel-derived dECM (VdECM) and its effect in wound healing. VdECM was prepared from porcine blood vessel tissue. Weight percentages of elastin of VdECM and atelocollagen were analyzed. Migratory potential of VdECM was tested by scratch assay. VdECM in hydrogel form was microscopically examined, tested for fibroblast proliferation, and examined for L/D staining. Cytokine array of various growth factors in adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ASC) media with VdECM was done. Animal wound model showed the wound healing effect of VdECM hydrogel in comparison to other topical agents. VdECM contained 6.7 times more elastin than atelocollagen per unit weight. Microscopic view of 0.35% VdECM hydrogel showed consistent distribution. Compared to 3% atelocollagen, 0.35% VdECM showed superior results in fibroblast migration. Fluorescent microscopic findings of L/D assay had highest percentage of cell survival in 1% VdECM compared to atelocollagen. Growth factor expression was drastically amplified when VdECM was added to ASC media. In the animal study model, epithelialization rate in the VdECM group was higher than that of control, oxytetracycline, and epidermal growth factor ointments. VdECM contains a high ratio of elastin to collagen and amplifies expressions of many growth factors. It promotes fibroblast migration, proliferation, and survival, and epithelialization comparable to other topical agents.

ANTVIRAL ACTIVITY OF OLEA EUROPAEA L. AGAINST FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS


 
 
 This research had been conducted to analyze the natural agents for the antiviral activity that utilized essentially and simply in the field or it had the objective to lessen the animals’ carrier condition as well as to decrease infection during an outbreak of disease or infected animals’ quantity. The antiviral and cytotoxic effects of Olea europaea L. against foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) were observed by using the cell culture technique. FMD virus is considered as the causal agent of the disease which influences domesticated livestock and became a cause of intense sickness that is characterized by low morality, high dismalness of teats, tongue, and nose, fever, vesicular sores on feet, and weakness. It was predicted that the Olea europaea L.’s alcohol leaf extracts had antiviral potent activity at 31.25Hg/mL-250Hg/mL concentration range along with a range of CSP that was fifty-one percent (51%) to sixty-three percent (63%) which followed by chloroforms extract activity in which percentage of cell survival was analyzed fifty-four percent (54%) or fifty-seven (57%) at concentration 31.25 Hg/mL or 62.5 Hg/mL respectively. So, the antiviral activity of Olea europaea L. observed in this research might be due to the presence of oleuropein which inhibited the in vitro infectivity of the Foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV).
 
 

ANTVIRAL ACTIVITY OF JASMINUM SAMBAC (L.) AITON AGAINST FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS


 
 
 Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton, a plant used in this study to exploit its virucidal as well as cytoxic potential against Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) by using cell culture technique. FMD virus considered as causal agent of the disease which influences the domesticated livestock and became a cause of intense sickness. Analysis was done with the help of extract that collected from the stem and leaf of plant. Extract taken with different solvents such as n-hexane, chloroform and aqueous stem and leaf extract. Results of analysis revealed that extract of n-hexane leaf did not have any virucidal ability against Food and Mouth Disease Virus and this extract against cells of Baby Hamster Kidney (BHK-21) was non-toxic at concentration range of 3.9 μg/mL-250 μg/mL while extract of alcohol and aqueous showed potential of antiviral at 1000 μg/mL-2000 μg/mL concentration range. Meanwhile, chloroform extract showed toxic at 1000 μg/mL and 2000 μg/mL against cells of BHK-21 while antiviral ability of chloroform extract was showed at 125 μg/mL well as at 250 μg/mL. Aqueous and alcohol leaf extract at 125 μg/mL with Cell Survival Percentage (CSP) fifty two percent (52%) revealed their antiviral ability, both of the extracts confirmed their toxicity at 250 μg/mL-2000 μg/mL. Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton showed antiviral potential that is due to oleuropein, a chemical constituent, which is a constituent of flowers and inhibits efficiently excretion of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in human hepatic cells (HepG2).
 
 

Ultrasonically Enhanced ZD2767P-Carboxypeptidase G2 Deactivates Cisplatin-Resistant Human Lung Cancer Cells.

The prodrug-enzyme regimen ZD2767P+CPG2 is limited by low efficacy. Here, ultrasound was used to modulate ZD2767P+CPG2 (i.e., ZD2767P+CPG2+US) against cisplatin-resistant human lung cancer cells. A549 and A549/DDP (resistant subline) cells received ZD2767P+CPG2 or ZD2767P+CPG2+US. Either ZD2767P+CPG2 or ZD2767P+CPG2+US led to cell death and apoptosis, and ZD2767P+CPG2+US produced stronger effects; comet assays revealed that these two means directly caused DNA double-strand break. Z-VAD-fmk and/or ferrostatin-1 increased the cell survival percentage, and Z-VAD-fmk decreased the apoptosis percentage. The level of transferrin was increased in treated cells, but those of ferroportin and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were reduced, with higher intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and of iron. Intracellular pharmacokinetics of ZD2767D (activated drug) indicated that the peak level, area under the drug level vs. time curve, and mean residence time in ZD2767P+CPG2+US were higher than those in ZD2767P+CPG2. Both ZD2767P+CPG2 and ZD2767P+CPG2+US were effective on xenograft tumors in nude mice; inhibitory rates were 39.7% and 63.5% in A549 tumors and 50.0% and 70.1% in A549/DDP tumors, respectively. A higher apoptosis level and a lower GPX4 level were noted in tumors receiving treatments. No severe adverse events were observed. These data demonstrated that ZD2767P+CPG2+US deactivated cancer cells via apoptosis and ferroptosis pathways, being a candidate therapy for cisplatin-resistant lung cancer.

Salvianolic acid B combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells piggybacked on HAMA hydrogel re-transplantation improves intervertebral disc degeneration.

Cell-based tissue engineering approaches have emerged as a realistic alternative for regenerative disc tissue repair. The multidirectional differentiation potential of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to treat disc degeneration intervertebral disc degeneration has also become a viable option. We used 1% HAMA hydrogel as a carrier and co-encapsulated BMSCs and Salvianolic acid B (SalB) into the hydrogel to reduce the apoptosis of the transplanted cells. The protective effect of SalB on BMSCs was first verified in vitro using the CCK8 method, flow cytometry, and Western-Blotting, and the physical properties and biocompatibility of HAMA hydrogels were verified in vitro. The rat model was then established using the pinprick method and taken at 4 and 8 W, to examine the extent of disc degeneration by histology and immunohistochemistry, respectively. It was found that SalB could effectively reduce the apoptosis of BMSCs in vitro by activating the JAK2-STAT3 pathway. 1% HAMA hydrogels had larger pore size and better water retention, and the percentage of cell survival within the hydrogels was significantly higher after the addition of SalB to the HAMA hydrogels. In the in vivo setting, the HAMA + SalB + BMSCs group had a more pronounced delaying effect on the progression of disc degeneration compared to the other treatment groups. The method used in this study to encapsulate protective drugs with stem cells in a hydrogel for injection into the lesion has potential research value in the field of regenerative medicine.

In vitro evaluation of the intensifying photodynamic effect due to the presence of plasmonic hollow gold nanoshells loaded with methylene blue on breast and melanoma cancer cells

BackgroundHypoxia is one of the most important limiting factors in photodynamic therapy that can reduce the effectiveness of this treatment. By designing a nanocomplex of plasmonic nanoparticles and photosensitizers with similar optical properties, the rate of free oxygen radical production can be increased and the efficiency of photodynamic therapy can be improved. in this study, we tried to use the outstanding capacities of hollow gold nanoshells (HGNSs) as a plasmonic nanocarrier of methylene blue (MB) to improve the performance of photodynamic therapy. Methods and materialAfter synthesis and optimization of hollow gold nanoshells loaded with Methylene blue (HGNSs-PEG-MB), the characteristics of MB, HGNSs, HGNSs-PEG, HGNSs-PEG-MB, and their toxicity at different concentrations on the cell lines was determined. After determining of optimum concentration of nano agents, irradiation of cell was performed with non-coherent of light source with 670 nm wavelength and an intensity of 14.9 mW/cm2. Twenty-four hours after irradiation, an MTT assay was used to determine cell survival percentage. To compare the results, we defined different indexes such as treatment efficiency (TE), synergism ratio (SYN), and the amount of exposure required for 50% cell death (ED50). All the tests were repeated at least four times on the DFW and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. ResultsFor combination therapies with Lumacare irradiated HGNSs-PEG-MB, the UC index was less than one for all concentrations (P < 0.05). Also, the IC50 index for this nanostructure in non-irradiated conditions and less than 9 min irradiation time was lower than other treatment groups (P < 0.05). ED50 amounts for HGNSs-PEG-MB in all concentrations were greater than the other groups. TE Index was also reported to be greater than 1 in all irradiation conditions and concentrations. ConclusionIn this study, HGNSs-PEG in the role of nanocarriers for methylene Blue was used. The results showed that irradiated HGNSs-PEG-MB by 670 nm light severely induced cell death and greatly improved the efficiency of photodynamic therapy in melanoma and breast cancer cells.

Chemical Composition, Antifungal, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potential of Apium graveolens L. (Celery) Leaves Essential Oil Collected from Nainital, Uttarakhand

Essential oils (EOs) extracted from aromatic plants are a potential source of several bioactive compounds. In the present study, hydro-distillation of Apium graveolens essential oil (AG-EO) was carried out and its chemical constituents were analyzed using Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC/MS) followed by examination of its antifungal, antioxidant, and cytotoxic potential against human breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231. Analysis of EO resulted in the identification of nineteen (19) compounds majorly in 1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethanediol (65.2%), 3-butyl phthalide (9.1%), limonene (6.4%), 1,1-dimethyl-1,2,3,5,7,8,9,9a-octahydro-benzocyclohepten-6-one (5.6%). Further, antifungal activity of A. graveolens EO (AG-EO) against three soil borne phytopathogenic fungal strains namely Fusarium oxysporum, Curvularia lunata, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum showed significant mycelial growth inhibition at a concentration of 500 μg/mL with IC50 value ranging between 966-220.76 μg/mL. The antioxidant potential of EO was evaluated using dedicated spectrophotometric assays such as FRAP and DPPH. Results revealed the free radical scavenging potential of AG-EO with the value of 7.71±0.04 mM AAE/100g (for DPPH assay) and 8.31±0.03 mM AAE/100g (for FRAP assay). Additionally, the percentage of cell survival of MDA-MD-231 human breast cancer cells after treatment with EO was about 68% at 24h showing the cytotoxic effect of AG-EO against breast cancer cells whereas for non-malignant control HEK 293T cells it was about 83%. The present study indicated that the antioxidant, antifungal, and cytotoxic potential of AG-EO, a natural source of bioactive compounds, could be employed in the food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and cosmetics industries. However, further evaluations on animal models and clinical studies are warranted.

Abstract 1559: Repurposing of pimavanserin tartrate for the treatment of glioblastoma

Abstract Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive brain tumor that has a median survival of 15 months. We aim to give a substitute to the current chemotherapeutic drug temozolomide by using the FDA-approved anti-psychotic pimavanserin tartrate (PVT). To uncover the effectiveness of PVT, we did cytotoxicity assays using SRB to determine the percentage of cell survival in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The apoptotic effects were measured using Annexin-V/APC assay. The mechanism of action was determined utilizing Western Blotting. In different glioblastoma tumor cell lines, the IC50 for 24 hours was between 6 µM and 10 µM. 48 and 72 hours had an IC50 between 4 µM and 6 µM. SF188 glioblastoma cell line had approximately 70% to 80% more apoptotic cells in 10 µM PVT when compared to control in Annexin-V/APC assay. PVT causes a strong modulation of the PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways when given in increasing concentration at 48 hours. The level of apoptosis was confirmed through Western Blot as well using apoptotic markers. The preliminary data show the ability of PVT to cause apoptosis of glioblastoma tumor cells in vitro through the AKT and MAPK signaling. Citation Format: Carson Zabel, Sharavan Ramachandran, Sanjay Srivastava. Repurposing of pimavanserin tartrate for the treatment of glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1559.

Fabrication of neuroprotective silk-sericin hydrogel: potential neuronal carrier for the treatment and care of ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke results in severe disabilities due to extensive cellular loss and the resulting impairment of brain functions. Current methods for regenerating brain tissue are ineffective. Stroke treatment requires innovative therapeutic techniques that are both safe and effective. For neuronal repair, a promising alternative is using a hydrogel-based tissue engineering technique that delivers neurotrophic cytokines and cells to injured sites. However, the limited encapsulation effectiveness, less in vivo cell survival ratio and cytokine loss make this strategy difficult to implement. We aim to design a biomaterial that can efficiently construct a matrix enriching the survival of cells and minimizing loss in vivo cytokines to overcome these constraints. We report the development of genipin conjugated sericin hydrogels (Gen-SH) with a high porous morphology and a moderate swelling rate utilizing sericin, a natural silk protein. In vitro, Gen-SH aids in the attachment and development of neurons. Our results indicate that sericin is inherently neuroprotective and neurotrophic, branching and publicizing axon extension and avoiding hypoxia-induced cell death in primary neurons. Notably, the breakdown products of Gen-SH inherit these capabilities, saving the expense of cytokines. Furthermore, we show that the Lkb1–Nuak1 pathway is required for this neurotrophic impact, whereas the Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio is necessary for the neuroprotective effect. Transplanted in vivo, Gen-SH has a high percentage of cell survival and promotes cell proliferation. Taking all this information into account, it's clear that Gen-SH can serve as a viable carrier for treatment and care for ischemic stroke healing, both in terms of delivering neuronal cells and protecting them from oxidative damage.