Human Carcinoma Cell Line Research Articles

Evaluation of antiproliferative activity of Naringin in Human epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431)

Evaluation of antiproliferative activity of Naringin in Human epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431)

Water soluble curcumin with alkyl sulfonate moiety: Synthesis, and anticancer efficacy

Curcumin is classified as a chemotherapeutic medication because of its potential against numerous cancer cell lines and ability to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Despite these findings, curcumin has yet to be commercialized as a drug due to its low water solubility, low absorption, and restricted bioavailability. As a result, there is a demand for water-soluble curcumin with improved solubility, bioavailability, and thus bioactivity. In this study we report the synthesis and the anticancer activities of water-soluble curcumins derivatives with alkyl sulfonate moiety. The target water-soluble curcumin with alkyl sulfonate moieties was created utilizing a straightforward technique that involved reacting curcumin with various sultones. The cytotoxic (24 h) and cytostatic (72 h) anticancer effect on breast carcinoma (MCF-7), liver carcinoma (HepG2), skin melanoma (B16–F110), colon human cancer and HeLa cervical carcinoma cell lines viability % via MTT assay were determined for the prepared derivatives. Results showed that curcumin-derived compounds have a pronounced cytostatic anticancer effect rather than cytotoxic one in relation to the compound type, cancer cell line type, and examined concentration compared to curcumin. The curcumin sulfonates outperformed curcumin activity against the tested cancer cells and showed to be powerful anticancer candidate drugs as supported by the theoretical calculations. This is evident by their high capacity to form H-bonding during docking with the amino acid side chains and the Vina docking score.

Synthesis, biological evaluation, and molecular docking of novel 1,3,4-substituted-thiadiazole derivatives as potential anticancer agent

In an attempt to develop potent anti-cancer agents, a new 1,3,4-substituted-thiadiazole derivatives (8b-g), starting from 4-substituted-thiazol-2-chloroacetamides (4b-g), were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic effects on multiple human cancer cell lines, including the hepatocellular carcinoma (HEPG-2), human lung carcinoma (A549), human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) and pseudo-normal human embryonic liver (L02) cancer cell lines by an MTT assay. Among all synthesized compounds, compound 8d showed the potent anti-cancer activities with GI50 values of 2.98, 2.85 and 2.53 μM against MCF-7, A549 and HepG-2 cell lines respectively as compared to standard drug Doxorubicin. Furthermore, molecular modelling studies have spotlighted the anchoring role of 1,3,4-substituted-thiadiazole moiety in bonding and hydrophobic interaction with the key amino acid residues. Therefore, these results can provide promising starting points for further development of best anti-cancer agents.Graphical

Cytotoxic effects of the cigarette smoke extract of heated tobacco products on human oral squamous cell carcinoma: the role of reactive oxygen species and CaMKK2

BackgroundThe increasing prevalence of heated tobacco products (HTPs) has heightened concerns regarding their potential health risks. Previous studies have demonstrated the toxicity of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) from traditional tobacco’s mainstream smoke, even after the removal of nicotine and tar. Our study aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity of CSE derived from HTPs and traditional tobacco, with a particular focus on the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and intracellular Ca2+.MethodsA human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell line, HSC-3 was utilized. To prepare CSE, aerosols from HTPs (IQOS) and traditional tobacco products (1R6F reference cigarette) were collected into cell culture media. A cell viability assay, apoptosis assay, western blotting, and Fluo-4 assay were conducted. Changes in ROS levels were measured using electron spin resonance spectroscopy and the high-sensitivity 2ʹ,7ʹ-dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay. We performed a knockdown of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) by shRNA lentivirus in OSCC cells.ResultsCSE from both HTPs and traditional tobacco exhibited cytotoxic effects in OSCC cells. Exposure to CSE from both sources led to an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and induced p38 phosphorylation. Additionally, these extracts prompted cell apoptosis and heightened ROS levels. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) mitigated the cytotoxic effects and p38 phosphorylation. Furthermore, the knockdown of CaMKK2 in HSC-3 cells reduced cytotoxicity, ROS production, and p38 phosphorylation in response to CSE.ConclusionOur findings suggest that the CSE from both HTPs and traditional tobacco induce cytotoxicity. This toxicity is mediated by ROS, which are regulated through Ca2+ signaling and CaMKK2 pathways.Graphical

Antiproliferative activity of syringic acid-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers against MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cells

Syringic acid (SA) is a phenolic herbal compound known to exert antiproliferative properties. However, its poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability lead to limited therapeutic efficacy in treating breast cancer. Hence, to overcome the above problems, the current study aims to explore the quality by design (QbD) optimized syringic acid loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (SA-NLCs) to treat breast cancer. Here, SA-NLCs were formulated via the hot-melt emulsification method and optimized using the Box-Behnken design. The SA-NLCs exhibited spherical shapes with a particle size and zeta potential of 142.7 ± 4 nm and −14.5 ± 3.6 mV, respectively. The differential scanning calorimetry and powder XRD analyses showed the conversion of crystalline to amorphous form of SA after entrapping into NLCs. Also, the optimized SA-NLCs showed sustained drug release of 75.5 % and 97.6 % in pH 5.5 acetate buffer solution and pH 7.4 phosphate buffer saline respectively. The drug release kinetics study revealed that the optimized SA-NLCs exhibit the Weibull model with the Fickian drug release mechanism. Further, a significantly improved cytotoxicity of the optimized SA-NLCs (IC50: 3.8 ± 0.2 μg/mL) was observed as compared to free SA (IC50: 14.5 ± 1.2 μg/mL) on MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cell lines. Thus, the improved cytotoxicity of SA-NLCs on MCF-7 cell lines can be a suitable strategy for breast cancer treatment.

Arsenic Nanoparticles Trigger Apoptosis via Anoikis Induction in OECM-1 Cells.

Arsenic compounds have been used as therapeutic alternatives for several diseases including cancer. In the following work, we obtained arsenic nanoparticles (AsNPs) produced by an anaerobic bacterium from the Salar de Ascotán, in northern Chile, and evaluated their effects on the human oral squamous carcinoma cell line OECM-1. Resazurin reduction assays were carried out on these cells using 1-100 µM of AsNPs, finding a concentration-dependent reduction in cell viability that was not observed for the non-tumoral gastric mucosa-derived cell line GES-1. To establish if these effects were associated with apoptosis induction, markers like Bcl2, Bax, and cleaved caspase 3 were analyzed via Western blot, executor caspases 3/7 via luminometry, and DNA fragmentation was analyzed by TUNEL assay, using 100 µM cisplatin as a positive control. OECM-1 cells treated with AsNPs showed an induction of both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways, which can be explained by a significant decrease in P-Akt/Akt and P-ERK/ERK relative protein ratios, and an increase in both PTEN and p53 mRNA levels and Bit-1 relative protein levels. These results suggest a prospective mechanism of action for AsNPs that involves a potential interaction with extracellular matrix (ECM) components that reduces cell attachment and subsequently triggers anoikis, an anchorage-dependent type of apoptosis.

Cytotoxic Effect of Biosynthesized Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles on Human Skin Squamous Carcinoma Cell Line (HSSCC) in vitro

The current study intended to biosynthesis of manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO -NPs) depending on prodigiosin pigment as stabilizing and reducing agent. which produced from environmental isolate of Serratia marcescens . The study of the biosynthesis of MnO NPs was characterized by different techniques, such as ( UV-VIS, XRD, AFM, FE-SEM and FTIR). The results refer, the wavelength of biosynthesis of MnO NPs by using UV-VIS was (284 nm), the average volume was (45) nm). and image FE-SEM shows that the MnO- NPs mainly consists of nanosheets assembled in flower-like shape with different diameters. The cytotoxic effects of (MnO -NPs) on Human Skin Squamous Carcinoma Cell Line (HSSCC) was significant (p≤0.05) comparative with control viability 100%. Maximum effective concentration were 4000 μg/ml for 72hr exposure time which gave the highest inhibition rate 95% comparative with viability control 100%, but the minimum concentration was 3.9 μg/ml which induced proliferation of (HSSCC)cells. So when the exposure time and the concentration was increased, the inhibition rate was increased. Keywords:Serratia marcescens, Human skin squamous carcinoma cell line, cytotoxic effect, prodigiosin, MnO –NP.

Fabrication and characterization of unique sustain modified chitosan nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Chitosan (CS) is a biopolymer that offers a wide range in biomedical applications due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity and antimicrobial activity. Syringaldehyde (1) is a naturally occurring organic compound characterized by its use in multiple fields such as pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, textiles and biological applications. Herein, development of chitosan derivative with physicochemical and anticancer properties via Schiff base formation from the reaction of chitosan with sustainable eco-friendly syringaldehyde yielded the (CS-1) derivative. Moreover, in the presence of polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) or sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) as crosslinkers gave chitosan derivatives (CS-2) and (CS-3NPs) respectively. The chemical structures of the new chitosan derivatives were confirmed using different tools. (CS-3NPs) nanoparticle showed improvement in crystallinity, and (CS-2) derivative revealed the highest thermal stability compared to virgin chitosan. The cytotoxicity activity of chitosan and its derivatives were evaluated against HeLa (human cervical carcinoma) and HEp-2 (Human Larynx carcinoma) cell lines. The highest cytotoxicity activity was exhibited by (CS-3NPs) compared to virgin chitosan against HeLa cell growth inhibition and apoptosis of 90.38 ± 1.46% and 30.3% respectively and IC50 of 108.01 ± 3.94 µg/ml. From the above results, it can be concluded that chitosan nanoparticle (CS-3NPs) has good therapeutic value as a potential antitumor agent against the HeLa cancer cell line.

MEK inhibitors and DA-Raf, a dominant-negative antagonist of the Ras-ERK pathway, prevent the migration and invasion of KRAS-mutant cancer cells.

The Ras-induced ERK pathway (Raf-MEK-ERK signaling cascade) regulates a variety of cellular responses including cell proliferation, survival, and migration. Activating mutations in RAS genes, particularly in the KRAS gene, constitutively activate the ERK pathway, resulting in tumorigenesis, cancer cell invasion, and metastasis. DA-Raf1 (DA-Raf) is a splicing isoform of A-Raf and contains the Ras-binding domain but lacks the kinase domain. Consequently, DA-Raf antagonizes the Ras-ERK pathway in a dominant-negative manner and can serve as a tumor suppressor that targets mutant Ras protein-induced tumorigenesis. We show here that MEK inhibitors and DA-Raf interfere with the in vitro collective cell migration and invasion of human KRAS-mutant carcinoma cell lines, the lung adenocarcinoma A549, colorectal carcinoma HCT116, and pancreatic carcinoma MIA PaCa-2 cells. DA-Raf expression was silenced in these cancer cell lines. All these cell lines had high collective migration abilities and invasion properties in Matrigel, compared with nontumor cells. Their migration and invasion abilities were impaired by suppressing the ERK pathway with the MEK inhibitors U0126 and trametinib, an approved anticancer drug. Expression of DA-Raf in MIA PaCa-2 cells reduced the ERK activity and hindered the migration and invasion abilities. Therefore, DA-Raf may function as an invasion suppressor protein in the KRAS-mutant cancer cells by blocking the Ras-ERK pathway when DA-Raf expression is induced in invasive cancer cells.

Establishment and characterization of cMYB-expressing human salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma cell lines (UM-HACC-14, UM-HACC-6) and matching patient-derived xenograft model (UM-PDX-HACC-14)

Limited availability of authentic human adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) cell lines has hindered progress in understanding mechanisms underpinning the biology of this disease and the development of safe and effective therapies. Surgical human ACC specimens (UM-HACC-6, UM-HACC-14) were dissociated into single cell suspensions and cultured in fibronectin-coated flasks. Alternatively, tumor fragments were transplanted subcutaneously into female immunodeficient (SCID) mice to establish patient-derived xenograft tumors (PDX; UM-PDX-HACC-14). Both ACC cell lines showed continuous growth in monolayers for over 100 passages. Total RNA-Seq, RT-PCR, and FISH analysis revealed that both are MYB-NFIB fusion negative. Western blots revealed passage-dependent expression of E-Cadherin, PCNA, p63, phospho-c-MYB, and NFIB. Both, UM-HACC-14 and UM-HACC-6 cells exhibited tumorigenic potential when injected orthotopically into mouse submandibular glands. UM-HACC-14, patient-matching UM-PDX-HACC-14, and the UM-HACC-6 cell line are new, authenticated preclinical models of ACC that are well suited for mechanistic and developmental therapeutics studies.

Usnic acid alleviates inflammatory responses and induces apoptotic signaling through inhibiting NF-ĸB expressions in human oral carcinoma cells.

Usnic acid (UA) is a unique bioactive substance in lichen with potential anticancer properties. Recently, we have reported that UA can reduce 7,12-dimethylbenz[a] anthracene-induced oral carcinogenesis by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell proliferation in a male golden Syrian hamster in vivo model. The present study aims to explore the relevant mechanism of cell death induced by UA on human oral carcinoma (KB) cell line in an in vitro model. We found that UA can induce apoptosis (cell death) in KB cells by decreasing cell viability, increasing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), depolarizing mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) levels, causing nuclear fragmentation, altering apoptotic morphology, and causing excessive DNA damage. Additionally, UA inhibits the expression of Bcl-2, a protein that promotes cell survival, while increasing the expression of p53, Bax, Cytochrome-c, Caspase-9, and 3 proteins in KB cells. UA also inhibits the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), a protein that mediates the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6, in KB cells. Furthermore, UA promotes apoptosis by enhancing the mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic mechanism through oxidative stress, depletion of cellular antioxidants, and an inflammatory response. Ultimately, the findings of this study suggest that UA may have potential as an anticancer therapeutic agent for oral cancer treatments.

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9 ssDNA-Binding Activity and Cytotoxic Effects on H838, H1975, and A549 Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells: Exploring the Potential of Nepenthes miranda Leaf Extract for Pulmonary Disease Treatment.

Carnivorous pitcher plants from the genus Nepenthes are renowned for their ethnobotanical uses. This research explores the therapeutic potential of Nepenthes miranda leaf extract against nonstructural protein 9 (Nsp9) of SARS-CoV-2 and in treating human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell lines. Nsp9, essential for SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication, was expressed and purified, and its interaction with ssDNA was assessed. Initial tests with myricetin and oridonin, known for targeting ssDNA-binding proteins and Nsp9, respectively, did not inhibit the ssDNA-binding activity of Nsp9. Subsequent screenings of various N. miranda extracts identified those using acetone, methanol, and ethanol as particularly effective in disrupting Nsp9's ssDNA-binding activity, as evidenced by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. Molecular docking studies highlighted stigmast-5-en-3-ol and lupenone, major components in the leaf extract of N. miranda, as potential inhibitors. The cytotoxic properties of N. miranda leaf extract were examined across NSCLC lines H1975, A549, and H838, focusing on cell survival, apoptosis, and migration. Results showed a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect in the following order: H1975 > A549 > H838 cells, indicating specificity. Enhanced anticancer effects were observed when the extract was combined with afatinib, suggesting synergistic interactions. Flow cytometry indicated that N. miranda leaf extract could induce G2 cell cycle arrest in H1975 cells, potentially inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) enabled the tentative identification of the 19 most abundant compounds in the leaf extract of N. miranda. These outcomes underscore the dual utility of N. miranda leaf extract in potentially managing SARS-CoV-2 infection through Nsp9 inhibition and offering anticancer benefits against lung carcinoma. These results significantly broaden the potential medical applications of N. miranda leaf extract, suggesting its use not only in traditional remedies but also as a prospective treatment for pulmonary diseases. Overall, our findings position the leaf extract of N. miranda as a promising source of natural compounds for anticancer therapeutics and antiviral therapies, warranting further investigation into its molecular mechanisms and potential clinical applications.

Antimicrobial efficacy of select medicinal plant extracts from Bangladesh against food‐borne bacterial pathogens

AbstractWe assessed the antimicrobial activity of extracts prepared with four solvents (hexane, acetone, ethanol, water) from 45 medicinal plants used in Bangladesh. Food pathogenic bacteria (Gram‐positive: Bacillus cereus, Listeria innocua, Streptococcus faecalis, and Gram‐negative: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, and Shigella sonnei) were tested using a broth microdilution method. The extraction yield was highest (26%) for the water extract of Carica papaya and lowest (0.4%) for the acetone extract of Cynodon dactylon. In general, acetone extracts exhibited much more antibacterial activity than those obtained with the other three solvents (hexane, ethanol, and water). Gram‐positive bacteria were more sensitive than Gram‐negatives. Streptococcus faecalis was the most susceptible to inhibition by examined extracts, whereas E. coli and P. aeruginosa were the most resistant. Most inhibitory concentration‐50 (IC50) values ranged between 101 and 500 μg/mL (64 extracts, 35.5%), followed by the range of 501–1000 μg/mL (40 extracts, 22.2%). Based on IC50, the most effective plants were three species of Piper (Piper nigrum, Piper betle, and Piper chaba), followed by Nigella sativa, Psidium guajava, Syzygium cumini, C. dactylon, and Phyllanthus emblica. In addition, the toxicity of chosen extracts against normal and malignant cell lines was tested; the most effective extracts were toxic against the human lung carcinoma cell line A549, but less toxic against the human Caucasian foetal lung cell line WI26VA4. These findings suggest that some plant extracts could be employed to treat food‐borne bacterial infections, or as herbal preservatives in the food sector.

PAS-004: A novel macrocyclic MEK inhibitor to inhibit cancer cell growth in vitro and tumor growth in mouse xenograft studies.

3126 Background: Three MEK inhibitors have been approved to date to treat melanomas driven by RAS pathway mutations and a 4th compound (selumetinib) is approved to treat Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) in pediatric patients. PAS-004 is the first macrocyclic MEK inhibitor in development for solid tumors and NF1. Methods: Ten NRAS mutant cancer cell lines were cultured for 48 hrs in the presence of the MEK inhibitor PAS-004, trametinib, binimetinib (bini) and selumetinib (selu) and cell proliferation was assayed using a Cell Titer Glo luminescence assay. The anti-tumor activity of PAS-004 was compared with selu and bini in two mouse xenograft studies using NRAS mutant human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and lung carcinoma cell lines. Dose response was assessed with treatment initiated when the tumor reached a volume of 150 mm3 and mice treated for 20 days. Body weights and tumor volumes were measured twice weekly. Tumors were excised at the end of the study and pERK inhibition was assessed by Western blot. Terminal plasma was collected for PK analysis. Results: PAS-004 strongly inhibited 5/10 NRAS mutant cancer lines with IC50 values ranging from 0.024 to 0.306 µM. Maximal growth inhibition of >50% was achieved by PAS-004 in 8 cell lines and PAS-004 achieved greater maximal inhibition in 7/10 lines vs selu and bini. PAS-004 inhibition was comparable to trametinib in 5/10 cell lines tested. However, in contrast to trametinib PAS-004 did not reach a plateau at the highest dose tested in three of these lines. In the HCC xenograft study the highest dose of PAS-004 completely prevented tumor growth and the same dose caused a 69% reduction in tumor volume in the lung carcinoma xenograft study. The anti-tumor efficacy of PAS-004, when taken at equivalent doses, was shown to be superior to that of bini and selu. Specifically, PAS-004 at dose levels of 10 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg, once daily, exhibited higher efficacy compared to bini and selu at dose levels of 5 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg, when administered twice daily, respectively. No significant differences in body weight loss were seen between the compounds. Conclusions: The novel macrocyclic MEK inhibitorPAS-004 inhibited NRAS mutant tumor growth in mouse xenograft studies with similar activity as the approved MEK inhibitors selu and bini. In vitro, PAS-004 provided greater maximal growth inhibition of NRAS lines than selu and bini. These results support investigating PAS-004 further and a clinical trial in patients with advanced solid tumors carrying RAS pathway mutations, including NRAS variants, is ongoing.

Comparative In Vitro Study: Assessing Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Anticancer Properties of Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton and Vaccinium oxycoccos L. Fruit Extracts.

The phytochemical diversity and potential health benefits of V. oxycoccos and V. macrocarpon fruits call for further scientific inquiry. Our study aimed to determine the phytochemical composition of extracts from these fruits and assess their antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer properties in vitro. It was found that the ethanolic extracts of V. oxycoccos and V. macrocarpon fruits, which contained more lipophilic compounds, had 2-14 times lower antioxidant activity compared to the dry aqueous extracts of cranberry fruit, which contained more hydrophilic compounds. All tested cranberry fruit extracts (OE, OW, ME, and MW) significantly inhibited the growth of bacterial strains S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae in vitro compared to the control. Cytotoxic activity against the human prostate carcinoma PPC-1 cell line, human renal carcinoma cell line (CaKi-1), and human foreskin fibroblasts (HF) was determined using an MTT assay. Furthermore, the effect of the cranberry fruit extract samples on cell migration activity, cancer spheroid growth, and viability was examined. The ethanolic extract from V. macrocarpon fruits (ME) showed higher selectivity in inhibiting the viability of prostate and renal cancer cell lines compared to fibroblasts. It also effectively hindered the migration of these cancer cell lines. Additionally, the V. macrocarpon fruit extract (ME) demonstrated potent cytotoxicity against PPC-1 and CaKi-1 spheroids, significantly reducing the size of PPC-1 spheroids compared to the control. These findings suggest that cranberry fruit extracts, particularly the ethanolic extract from V. macrocarpon fruits, have promising potential as natural remedies for bacterial infections and cancer therapy.

A Microfluidic, Multi-Antibody Cell Capture Method to Evaluate Tumor Cells in Cerebrospinal Fluid in Patients With Suspected Leptomeningeal Metastases.

Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is a clinical sequela of central nervous system metastasis involving the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), often seen in late-stage solid tumors. It has a grave prognosis without urgent treatment. Standard of care methodologies to diagnose LMD include CSF cytology, magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical evaluation. These methods offer limited sensitivity and specificity for the evaluation of LMD. Here, we describe the analytic performance characteristics of a microfluidic-based tumor cell enrichment and detection assay optimized to detect epithelial cells in CSF using both contrived samples as well as CSF from patients having suspected or confirmed LMD from carcinomas. To demonstrate the feasibility of using a microfluidic, multi-antibody cell capture assay to identify and quantify tumor cells in CSF. An artificial CSF solution was spiked with 34 different human carcinoma cell lines at different concentrations and assayed for the ability to detect tumor cells to assess analytic accuracy. Two cell lines were selected to assess linearity, intra-assay precision, interinstrument precision, and sample stability. Clinical verification was performed on 65 CSF specimens from patients. Parameters assessed included the number of tumor cells, coefficient of variation percentage, and percentage of tumor cell capture (TCC). Among contrived samples, average tumor cell capture ranged from 50% to 82% (261 of 522; 436 of 531), and coefficients of variation ranged from 7% to 67%. The cell capture assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 95% among clinical samples. This assay demonstrated the ability to detect and enumerate epithelial cells in contrived and clinical specimens in an accurate and reproducible fashion. The use of cell capture assays in CSF may be useful as a sensitive test for the diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring of LMD from solid tumors.

Antitumour effects of artesunate via cell cycle checkpoint controls in human oesophageal squamous carcinoma cells

Artesunate (ART), an effective antimalarial semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin, exhibits antitumour properties, but the mechanism(s) involved remain elusive. In this study, we investigated the antitumour effects of ART on human oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cell lines. Treatment of ESCC cell lines with ART resulted in the production of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) that induced DNA damage, reduced cell proliferation and inhibited clonogenicity via G1-S cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis in vitro. The administration of ART to nude mice with ESCC cell xenografts inhibited tumour formation in vivo. However, the cytotoxicity of ART strongly differed among the ESCC cell lines tested. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that although the expression of large numbers of genes in ESCC cell lines was affected by ART treatment, these genes could be functionally clustered into pathways involved in regulating cell cycle progression, DNA metabolism and apoptosis. We revealed that p53 and Cdk4/6-p16-Rb cell cycle checkpoint controls were critical determinants required for mediating ART cytotoxicity in ESCC cell lines. Specifically, KYSE30 cells with p53Mut/p16Mut were the most sensitive to ART, KYSE150 and KYSE180 cells with p53Mut/p16Nor exhibited intermediate responses to ART, and Eca109 cells with p53Nor/p16Nor exhibited the most resistance to ATR. Consistently, perturbation of p53 expression using RNA interference (RNAi) and/or Cdk4/6 activity using the inhibitor palbociclib altered ART cytotoxicity in KYSE30 cells. Given that the p53 and Cdk4/6-cyclin D1-p16-Rb genes are commonly mutated in ESCC, our results potentially shed new light on neoadjuvant chemotherapy strategies for ESCC.

Copper complexes with quinoline-thiosemicarbazone hybrid ligand promoting apoptosis by causing DNA and mitochondria dual lesions

The copper ion and thiosemicarbazone group are well known for their biological activity, endowing the thiosemicarbazone copper complexes with medicinal perspectives. In this work, two copper complexes [Cu(qcpt)(PPh3)2Br]·2CH3CN (1) and [Cu2(qcapt)(Ac)2(CH3O)] (2) derived from the bioactive quinoline-thiosemicarbazone conjugate (qcpt = quinoline-2- carboxaldehyde-4-pyridine-3-thiosemicarbazone; qcapt = quinoline-2-carboxaldehyde acid-4- pyridine-3-thiosemicarbazone) were rationally synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and etc. In vitro antitumor studies suggested that complexes 1 and 2 showed effective anti-proliferative activity against malignant tumor cells, especially for complex 1 that exhibited the most sensitive against SMMC7721 cells (human liver carcinoma cell lines). Further, mechanistic studies showed that complex 1 could readily enter the cells, block the cell cycle, cause mitochondrial dysfunction and ATP depletion, enhance the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and eventually trigger cell death via apoptosis. Additionally, complex 1 bound to CT-DNA via an intercalation mode as evidenced by spectroscopic experiments, molecular docking study and cleaved pBR322 DNA efficiently in the presence of H2O2.

Effect of 3D and 2D cell culture systems on trophoblast extracellular vesicle physico-chemical characteristics and potency.

The growing understanding of the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in embryo-maternal communication has sparked considerable interest in their therapeutic potential within assisted reproductive technology, particularly in enhancing implantation success. However, the major obstacle remains the large-scale production of EVs, and there is still a gap in understanding how different culture systems affect the characteristics of the EVs. In the current study, trophoblast analogue human chorionic carcinoma cell line was cultivated in both conventional monolayer culture (2D) and as spheroids in suspension culture (3D) and how the cell growth environment affects the physical, biochemical and cellular signalling properties of EVs produced by them was studied. Interestingly, the 3D system was more active in secreting EVs compared to the 2D system, while no significant differences were observed in terms of morphology, size, and classical EV protein marker expression between EVs derived from the two culture systems. There were substantial differences in the proteomic cargo profile and cellular signalling potency of EVs derived from the two culture systems. Notably, 2D EVs were more potent in inducing a cellular response in endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) compared to 3D EVs. Therefore, it is essential to recognize that the biological activity of EVs depends not only on the cell of origin but also on the cellular microenvironment of the parent cell. In conclusion, caution is warranted when selecting an EV production platform, especially for assessing the functional and therapeutic potential of EVs through in vitro studies.

Dissimilar effect of organometallic ruthenium complexes on the viability of MDR and non-MDR experimental models

Ruthenium complexes containing triphenylphosphine diamide ligands were prepared, characterized, and tested for their biological activity against various cancer cell lines and the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. The effect of M (mono-substituted) and B (bis-substituted) complexes on the human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cell line was investigated using the MTT assay. Five (B2, B3, B5, B6, and B13) of the 24 synthesized ruthenium complexes showed significant effects with IC50 values ranging between 0.3 and 2.3 μM. Evaluation of the potential biomolecular targets of B2 and B13 by fluorescence spectroscopy revealed relevant interactions with BSA and only a weak affinity for ctDNA. Complexes M2, B2, M13 and B13 were selected for further biological characterization. Their effect on the viability of two ovarian cancer cell lines was compared to normal cell lines, denoting their selectivity. Upon treatment of four different drug-resistant gynaecological cancer cell lines, differing in their multidrug-resistant phenotypes, the efficacy of the bis-substituted complexes was shown to be greater than their mono-substituted counterparts. The non-MDR cells are sensitive to all the tested complexes, compared to MDR cells which are less sensitive. Upon investigation of complexes M2, M13, B2, and B13 against sensitive and multidrug-resistant parasite strains of P. falciparum, the bis-substituted complexes were again shown to be the most potent, with submicromolar activity against both strains. Furthermore, the resistance indexes for the complexes were approximately equal to 1, which is at least 5-fold lower than chloroquine diphosphate, suggesting the ability of these complexes to retain their activity in resistant forms of the parasite.