Human Hepatoma HepG2 Research Articles

Predicting anti-tumor efficacy of multi-functional nanomedicine on decellularized hepatocellular carcinoma-on-a-chip

Traditional hepatocellular carcinoma-chip models lack the cell structure and microenvironments necessary for high pathophysiological correlation, leading to low accuracy in predicting drug efficacy and high production costs. This study proposed a decellularized hepatocellular carcinoma-on-a-chip model to screen anti-tumor nanomedicine. In this model, human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and human normal liver cells (L02) were co-cultured on a three-dimensional (3D) decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) in vitro to mimic the tumor microenvironments of human hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo. Additionally, a smart nanomedicine was developed by encapsulating doxorubicin (DOX) into the ferric oxide (Fe3O4)-incorporated liposome nanovesicle (NLV/Fe+DOX). NLV/Fe+DOX selectively killed 78.59% ± 6.78% of HepG2 cells through targeted delivery and synergistic chemo-chemodynamic-photothermal therapies, while the viability of surrounding L02 cells on the chip model retained high, at over 90.0%. The drug efficacy tested using this unique chip model correlated well with the results of cellular and animal experiments. In summary, our proposed hepatocellular carcinoma-chip model is a low-cost yet accurate drug-testing platform with significant potential for drug screening.

Hepatoprotective effect of date fruit extract against ethanol-induced apoptosis in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells

Ethanol is a well-known hepatotoxic agent and date fruits have been associated with their biological actions. In current study, we have investigated the hepatoprotective potential of DFE on ethanol-induced cellular damages in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. The hepatoprotective potential was assessed by exposing the HepG2 cells to non-toxic concentrations (15, 30, and 60 μg/mL) of DFE for 24 h; then toxic concentration (500 μM) of ethanol. Our results demonstrated that pretreatment with DFE significantly prohibited ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells. We observed that DFE treatment increased cell viability, reduced LDH leakage, restored cellular morphology, and inhibited caspase-3 enzyme activity in a dose dependent way, induced by ethanol. Further DFE was also effective in restoring the LPO, GSH, and catalase levels towards normal altered by ethanol. Our results also revealed that ethanol-induced ROS generation was significantly inhibited by DFE. The ethanol-induced mRNA expression of apoptotic related genes (p53, caspase-3, caspase-7, Bax, and Bcl-2) were also normalized by pretreatment with DFE. The findings from this study indicated that DFE can significantly protect HepG2 cells against ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity. Our study also provides scientific validation for the traditional use of DFE, aiming to understand its hepatoprotective potential. Altogether, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrated that ethanol-induced hepatotoxicity can be prohibited by the DFE. Thus, DFE has a potential application in nutraceuticals as a therapeutic agent to prevent liver diseases.

Peroxiredoxin 1 modulates oxidative stress resistance and cell apoptosis through stemness in liver cancer under non-thermal plasma treatment

The role of peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1), a crucial enzyme that reduces reactive oxygen and nitrogen species levels in HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, in the regulation of HCC cell stemness under oxidative stress and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of non-thermal plasma in targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) in HCC, focusing on the mechanisms of resistance to oxidative stress and the role of PRDX1. By simulating oxidative stress conditions using the plasma-activated medium, we found that a reduction in PRDX1 levels resulted in a considerable increase in HepG2 cell apoptosis, suggesting that PRDX1 plays a key role in oxidative stress defense mechanisms in CSCs. Furthermore, we found that HepG2 cells had higher spheroid formation capability and increased levels of stem cell markers (CD133, c-Myc, and OCT-4), indicating strong stemness. Interestingly, PRDX1 expression was notably higher in HepG2 cells than in other HCC cell types such as Hep3B and Huh7 cells, whereas the expression levels of other PRDX family proteins (PRDX 2–6) were relatively consistent. The inhibition of PRDX1 expression and peroxidase activity by conoidin A resulted in markedly reduced stemness traits and increased cell death rate. Furthermore, in a xenograft mouse model, PRDX1 downregulation considerably inhibited the formation of solid tumors after plasma-activated medium (PAM) treatment. These findings underscore the critical role of PRDX 1 in regulating stemness and apoptosis in HCC cells under oxidative stress, highlighting PRDX1 as a promising therapeutic target for NTP-based treatment in HCC.

Chlorpyrifos induces cytotoxicity via oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in HepG2 cells

Chlorpyrifos (CPF), a widely used broad-spectrum organophosphate pesticide, has been associated with various adverse health effects in animals and humans. While its primary mechanism of action involves the irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, secondary mechanisms have also been suggested. The aim of the present study was to explore the secondary mechanisms of action involved in CPF-induced acute cytotoxicity using human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. In particular, we investigated oxidative stress and mitochondrial function by assessing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lipid peroxidation (LPO) and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) alteration. Results showed that 24-h exposure to CPF (78.125–2500 μM) decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 = 280.87 ± 26.63 μM). Sub-toxic CPF concentrations (17.5, 35 and 70 μM) induced increases in ROS generation (by 83%), mitochondrial superoxide (by 7.1%), LPO (by 11%), and decreased ΔΨm (by 20%). CPF also upregulated Nrf2 protein expression, indicating the role of the latter in modulating the cellular response to oxidative insults. Overall, our findings suggest that CPF caused hepatotoxicity through oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Given the re-emerging use of CPF, this study emphasizes the need for comprehensive analysis to elucidate its toxicity on non-target organs and associated mechanisms.

Synergistic biocomposites (HAp/AC) of rice husk-based activated carbon (AC) and turkey bone-derived hydroxyapatite (HAp) for degradation of toxic dyes, antibacterial efficacy, and in vitro evaluation of anticancer activity in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line

Synergistic biocomposites (HAp/AC) of rice husk-based activated carbon (AC) and turkey bone-derived hydroxyapatite (HAp) for degradation of toxic dyes, antibacterial efficacy, and in vitro evaluation of anticancer activity in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line

Novel hybrid motifs of 2-(2-pyridinyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-1,2,3-triazole: Synthesis, anticancer assessment, and in silico study

A new category of 1,2,3-triazole-pyridine-benzo[d]imidazole hybrids (12–21) were prepared by a Cu(I)-catalyzed Alkyne-Azide Cyclic-addition (CuAAC) procedure known as Click reaction. The terminal alkyne reaction of 1-(prop‑2-yn-1-yl)-2-(2-pyridinyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole 1 with aryl-bearing azide 2–12 afforded 1,2,3-triazole-pyridine-benzo[d]imidazole hybrids. The synthesized adducts were analyzed by NMR (1H and 13C), mass spectroscopy, and elemental analyses. As a result of the LDH assay, the desired adducts were examined for several cancer cells, such as breast (MCF7), human cell line (BJ1), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), and human colon (HCT116). Since the cytotoxicity of the desired compounds is mostly stronger than that of their cytotoxicity on normal cells, most of them are good anticancer candidate medications for the liver, colon, and breast compared to doxorubicin. Studies of molecular docking correlate hybrid activity with constant protein-ligand interactions with biological targets, it revealed that derivatives 18 & 19 could stand out with 3 new H-bonds, including Asp363, asn368 and Asp381, and low bind energy, including -9.4 and -9.0 kcal/mol, respectively.

Cost-efficient and ultrasensitive sensor for electrochemical detection and cytotoxicity assessment of tetracyclines

The uncontrolled overuse of tetracyclines (TCs) has contributed to a significant rise in the levels of not only antibiotic residues in the environmental but also drug- and multidrug-resistant bacteria, necessitating a convenient, sensitive, and rapid assay for the quantitative determination and health risk assessment of TCs. This study presents the development of a nanocomposite sensor which integrates hydroxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH), tungsten disulfide quantum dots (WS2QDs), and prussian blue (PB). This sensor was capable of measuring the concentrations of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DC), and tigecycline (TEC) at levels ranging from 0.10 to 125.00 μM, with detection limits of 0.010, 0.015, 0.020, and 0.060 μM, respectively (S/N = 3). The excellent electrochemical performance enabled the sensor to measure TC concentrations in real water samples. Importantly, the sensor was also used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of TCs on human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells. The 48 h half-inhibitory concentrations (IC50) for TC, OTC, DC, and TEC were 344.91 μM, 365.14 μM, 349.59 μM, and 604.66 μM, respectively, indicating that TC was the most cytotoxic. The sensing platform described herein not only facilitates the quantitative determination of TCs but also allows for the assessment of their cytotoxicity in the water environment, which greatly simplifies the comprehensive evaluation process and reduces the cost, thus holding great promise for TCs testing.

Ternary Copper(II) Coordination Compounds with Nonpolar Amino Acids and 2,2′-Bipyridine: Monomers vs. Polymers

Reactions of copper(II) sulfate with 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) and amino acids with nonpolar side chains (l-alanine (HAla), l-valine (HVal), or l-phenylalanine (HPhe)) were investigated under different solution-based and mechanochemical methods. Five new ternary coordination compounds were obtained by a solution-based synthesis and three of them additionally by the liquid-assisted mechanochemical method: {[Cu(μ-l-Ala)(H2O)(bipy)]2SO4·2H2O}n (1a·2H2O), {[Cu(μ-l-Ala)(H2O)(bipy)][Cu(l-Ala)(H2O)(bipy)]SO4·2.5H2O}n (1b·2.5H2O), {[Cu(μ-l-Val)(H2O)(bipy)][Cu(l-Val)(H2O)(bipy)]3(SO4)2·4H2O}n (2·4H2O), [Cu(l-Phe)(H2O)(bipy)][Cu(l-Phe)(SO4)(bipy)]∙8H2O (3·8H2O), and [Cu(l-Phe)(H2O)(bipy)][Cu(l-Phe)(SO4)(bipy)]∙9H2O (3·9H2O). The compounds were characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and a thermal analysis. Structural studies revealed two structural types, monomeric in 3·8H2O and 3·9H2O, polymeric architectures in 1a·2H2O, and mixed structures (monomeric and polymeric) in 1b·2.5H2O and 2·4H2O. The copper(II) ion is either pentacoordinated or hexacoordinated, with an observed Jahn–Teller effect. The crystal structures are based on an intensive network of hydrogen bonds and π interactions. 1a·2H2O and 2·4H2O showed substantial in vitro antiproliferative activity toward human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and moderate activity toward human acute monocytic leukemia cell lines (THP-1).

Citrinin Provoke DNA Damage and Cell-Cycle Arrest Related to Chk2 and FANCD2 Checkpoint Proteins in Hepatocellular and Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines.

Citrinin (CIT), a polyketide mycotoxin produced by Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Monascus species, is a contaminant that has been found in various food commodities and was also detected in house dust. Several studies showed that CIT can impair the kidney, liver, heart, immune, and reproductive systems in animals by mechanisms so far not completely elucidated. In this study, we investigated the CIT mode of action on two human tumor cell lines, HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) and A549 (lung adenocarcinoma). Cytotoxic concentrations were determined using an MTT proliferation assay. The genotoxic effect of sub-IC50 concentrations was investigated using the alkaline comet assay and the impact on the cell cycle using flow cytometry. Additionally, the CIT effect on the total amount and phosphorylation of two cell-cycle-checkpoint proteins, the serine/threonine kinase Chk2 and Fanconi anemia (FA) group D2 (FANCD2), was determined by the cell-based ELISA. The data were analyzed using GraphPad Prism statistical software. The CIT IC50 for HepG2 was 107.3 µM, and for A549, it was >250 µM. The results showed that sensitivity to CIT is cell-type dependent and that CIT in sub-IC50 and near IC50 induces significant DNA damage and cell-cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, which is related to the increase in total and phosphorylated Chk2 and FANCD2 checkpoint proteins in HepG2 and A549 cells.

Separation and purification of antioxidant peptides from Idesia polycarpa Maxim. cake meal and study of conformational relationship between them

AbstractIn this study, peptides were isolated and purified from Idesia polycarpa Maxim. cake meal for the first time, with the aim of discovering peptides with excellent antioxidant properties. Peptides were isolated and purified from the cake meal using ultrafiltration and dextran gel chromatography. Fractions with significant antioxidant activity were identified by mass spectrometry (MS) and the peptides were screened and characterized using techniques, such as network pharmacology and molecular docking. The results showed that the CIPs‐I‐F2 fractions possessed excellent antioxidant activities, and a total of seven peptides were screened, with the main targets of action including serine/threonine‐protein kinase AKT (AKT1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), among which ISKPTWADF had the highest total binding energy to the target. ISKPTWADF was synthesized in vitro by solid‐phase synthesis and showed a dose‐dependent protective effect against the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)‐induced oxidative damage model in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, with its main active site on the tryptophan indole ring at position 52N‐127H.

Production of Nanocellulose from Sugarcane Bagasse and Development of Nanocellulose Conjugated with Polylysine for Fumonisin B1 Toxicity Absorption.

The present study aimed to extract nanocellulose (NC) from sugarcane bagasse agricultural waste through a chemical method (sulfuric acid hydrolysis and ultrasonication). Subsequently, the nanocellulose product was conjugated with polylysine (NC-PL) and assessed for its efficacy in reducing the toxicity of Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a mycotoxin produced by fungi commonly found in corn, wheat, and other grains. Experimental results confirmed the successful conjugation of NC and PL, as evidenced by FTIR peaks at 1635 and 1625 cm-1 indicating amide I and amide II vibrations in polylysine (PL). SEM analysis revealed a larger size due to PL coating, consistent with DLS results showing the increased size and positive charge (38.0 mV) on the NC-PL surface. Moreover, the effect of FB1 adsorption by NC and NC-PL was evaluated at various concentrations (0-200,000 μg/mL). NC-PL demonstrated the ability to adsorb FB1 at concentrations of 2000, 20,000, and 200,000 μg/mL, with adsorption efficiencies of 94.4-100%. Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells were utilized to assess NC and NC-PL cytotoxic effects. This result is a preliminary step towards standardizing results for future studies on their application as novel FB1 binders in food, food packaging, and functional feeds.

Xylatolides A and B, new 10-membered macrolides from the endophytic fungus Xylaria sp.

Chemical investigation of the fungal endophyte Xylaria sp. isolated from leaves of Moringa oleifera, collected in Cameroon, resulted in the previously undescribed 10-membered macrolide, and two known naturalproducts. The structures of the xylatolides A and B were unambiguously identified by their mass spectra and by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, featuring a 10-membered lactone core structure with oxygenated substituents and an unsubstituted 10-alkyl chain presenting seven carbon atoms. Compounds were screened for their cytotoxic potential against the human HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells and HCT-116 cells (human colon carcinoma cell line). Moreover, the isolated compounds were also assayed against a small panel ofsensitive strains including the bacterial species Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis as well as against the fungal species Candida albicans. However, no significant activities were found.

Unraveling the Drug Response Heterogeneity with Single-Cell Vibrational Phenomics.

Drug responses heterogeneity is often highlighted to justify the need for precision medicine. However, due to the highly complex nature of cell phenotypes in many diseases, one of key challenges is how to obtain the high content features in a cellular population. Here we present a single-cell vibrational phenomics approach, integrating synchrotron infrared microspectroscopy and multivariate calculation, for quantitatively evaluating the cellular responses to drug perturbation with single cell resolution. In a human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell model, the phenotypic changes induced by two types of drugs, taxol (TAX) and protopanaxadiol (PPD), were analyzed and revealed the response heterogeneity in drug concentration and chemical components. These findings not only provide a label-free strategy for determining the drug response at the single cell level, but also demonstrate the great potential of vibrational phenomics as a drug discovery platform.

Phytotherapeutic potential against MRSA: mechanisms, synergy, and therapeutic prospects

BackgroundRising resistance to antimicrobials, particularly in the case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), represents a formidable global health challenge. Consequently, it is imperative to develop new antimicrobial solutions. This study evaluated 68 Chinese medicinal plants renowned for their historical applications in treating infectious diseases.MethodsThe antimicrobial efficacy of medicinal plants were evaluated by determining their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against MRSA. Safety profiles were assessed on human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Mechanistic insights were obtained through fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (FM and TEM). Synergistic effects with vancomycin were investigated using the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI).ResultsRheum palmatum L., Arctium lappa L. and Paeonia suffructicosaas Andr. have emerged as potential candidates with potent anti-MRSA properties, with an impressive low MIC of 7.8 µg/mL, comparable to the 2 µg/mL MIC of vancomycin served as the antibiotic control. Crucially, these candidates demonstrated significant safety profiles when evaluated on Caco-2 and HepG2 cells. Even at 16 times the MIC, the cell viability ranged from 83.3% to 95.7%, highlighting their potential safety. FM and TEM revealed a diverse array of actions against MRSA, such as disrupting the cell wall and membrane, interference with nucleoids, and inducing morphological alterations resembling pseudo-multicellular structures in MRSA. Additionally, the synergy between vancomycin and these three plant extracts was evident against MRSA (FICI < 0.5). Notably, aqueous extract of R. palmatum at 1/4 MIC significantly reduced the vancomycin MIC from 2 µg/mL to 0.03 µg/mL, making a remarkable 67-fold decrease.ConclusionsThis study unveil new insights into the mechanistic actions and pleiotropic antibacterial effectiveness of these medicinal plants against resistant bacteria, providing robust evidence for their potential use as standalone or in conjunction with antibiotics, to effectively combat antimicrobial resistance, particularly against MRSA.

Marine-Derived Phosphoeleganin and Its Semisynthetic Derivative Decrease IL6 Levels and Improve Insulin Signaling in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Marine natural products constitute a great source of potential new antidiabetic drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of phosphoeleganin (PE), a polyketide purified from the Mediterranean ascidian Sidnyum elegans, and its derivatives PE/2 and PE/3 on insulin sensitivity in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. In our experiments, insulin stimulates the phosphorylation of its receptor (INSR) and AKT by 1.5- and 3.5-fold, respectively, whereas in the presence of PE, PE/2, and PE/3, the insulin induced INSR phosphorylation is increased by 2.1-, 2-, and 1.5-fold and AKT phosphorylation by 7.1-, 6.0-, and 5.1-fold, respectively. Interestingly, PE and PE/2 have an additive effect on insulin-mediated reduction of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) expression. Finally, PE and PE/2, but not PE/3, decrease interleukin 6 (IL6) secretion and expression before and after palmitic acid incubation, while in the presence of high glucose (HG), only PE reduces IL6. Levels of other cytokines are not significantly affected by PE and its derivates. All these data suggest that PE and its synthetic-derived compound, PE/2, significantly decrease IL6 and improve hepatic insulin signaling. As IL6 impairs insulin action, it could be hypothesized that PE and PE/2, by inhibiting IL6, may improve the hepatic insulin pathway.

Role of sulfane sulfur species in elemental tellurium nanorod formation in mammalian cells

Tellurium (Te) is an industrially useful element but its oxyanions, such as tellurite and tellurate, are naturally occurring chemical forms that can become a potential source of toxicity to humans and animals. As a means of mitigating the toxicity of Te oxyanions, the formation of less toxic zero-valent elemental Te (Te0) nanostructures has been observed in various species including bacteria, fungi, green algae, and higher plants. In this study, we investigated the formation of Te0 nanorods in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. We detected electron-dense Te nanorods in lysosomes after exposure to potassium tellurite. The amount of Te nanorods in the cells gradually increased with the exposure period. Interestingly, the amount of Te in the insoluble fraction of the culture supernatant was approximately 10 times higher than that in HepG2 cells, suggesting that extracellular reducing agents originating from HepG2 cells transformed tetravalent Te (TeO32−) into Te0 in the culture medium. As an extracellular reducing agent, sulfane sulfur species were considered responsible for the reduction of Te(IV). Then, by inhibiting cystathionine γ-lyase with propargylglycine (PPG), we were able to reduce the amount of sulfane sulfur species generated in the cells. In the presence of PPG, the amount of insoluble Te in the culture supernatant, which was possibly composed of Te0 nanorods, was significantly decreased. The results suggest that sulfane sulfur species are involved in the formation of Te0 nanorods from tellurite in mammalian cells and play a critical role in the amelioration of Te oxyanion toxicity.

Crystal Structures, Molecular Docking and In Vitro Investigations of Two 4-Substituted 2-(5,5-dimethyl-3-styrylcyclohex-2-enylidene)malononitrile Derivatives as Potential Topoisomerase II Inhibitors

Type II topoisomerases (TOP2s) play a key role in altering the DNA topology by transiently cleaving both strands of a DNA duplex. Therefore, increased TOP2 activity is associated with many cancers. Herein, we present the synthesis, structural characterization, virtual screening, and structural exploration, as well as evaluation of the antiproliferative effects of two new 4-substituted 2-(5,5-dimethyl-3-styrylcyclohex-2-enylidene)malononitrile derivatives with potential application in the drug design of isoform-specific TOP2 inhibitors. Both compounds 1 and 2 were verified by ESI-TOF-MS, NMR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis. Furthermore, we applied our recently proposed SCXRD/HYdrogen DEsolvation (HYDE) technology platform in order to perform molecular modeling, virtual screening, and structural exploration with 1 and 2. For this purpose, we used the crystal structure of human TOP2β complexed to DNA and the anticancer drug etoposide. Moreover, we further evaluated the antiproliferative activity of 1 and 2 on human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells and compared the observed effects with those of the reference hTOP2β inhibitor etoposide. Based on the obtained results, compounds 1 and 2 showed a virtually higher binding affinity (Ki HYDE values) over etoposide towards hTOP2β but lower antiproliferative activity compared to those of etoposide.

Assessment of Anticancer Properties of Argemone mexicana L. and Berberine: A Comparative Study.

Argemone mexicana L. has been used in traditional Mexican medicine. Among its bioactive constituents, berberine (BER) has garnered attention for its cytotoxic properties against different tumor cell lines. This study investigates the in vitro toxicity against HEP-G2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma) and murine lymphoma (L5178Y-R) cells using the MTT assay of the methanol extract (AmexM), sub-partitions of A. mexicana, and BER. Selectivity indices (SIs) were determined by comparing their cytotoxic effects on VERO (monkey kidney epithelial) and PBMC (human peripheral blood mononuclear) non-tumoral cells. Additionally, the anti-hemolytic effect of these treatments was assessed using the AAPH method. The treatment with the most promising activity against tumor cells and anti-hemolytic efficacy underwent further evaluation for toxicity in Artemia salina and antioxidant activities using DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays. BER demonstrated an IC50 = 56.86 µg/mL in HEP-G2 cells and IC50 < 5.0 µg/mL in L5178Y-R cells, with SI values of 15.97 and >5.40 in VERO and PBMC cells, respectively. No significant hemolytic effects were observed, although AmexM and BER exhibited the highest anti-hemolytic activity. BER also demonstrated superior antioxidant efficacy, with lower toxicity in A. salina nauplii compared to the control. Additionally, BER significantly attenuated nitric oxide production. This study highlights the antiproliferative effects of A. mexicana, particularly BER, against HEP-G2 and L5178Y-R tumor cell lines, along with its selectivity towards normal cells. Furthermore, its anti-hemolytic and antioxidant potentials were demonstrated, suggesting that BER is a promising candidate for potent chemotherapeutic agents.

Hepatotoxicity assessment of innovative nutritional supplements based on olive-oil formulations enriched with natural antioxidants.

This study focuses on the assessment of extra virgin olive-oil and olive fruit-based formulations enriched with natural antioxidants as potential nutritional supplements for alleviating symptoms and long-term consequences of illnesses whose molecular pathophysiology is affected by oxidative stress and inflammation, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Besides evaluating cell viability and proliferation capacity of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells exposed to formulations in culture, hepatotoxicity was also considered as an additional safety measure using quantitative real-time PCR on RNA samples isolated from the cell cultures and applying approaches of targeted molecular analysis to uncover potential pathway effects through gene expression profiling. Furthermore, the formulations investigated in this work contrast the addition of natural extract with chemical forms and evaluate the antioxidant delivery mode on cell toxicity. The results indicate minimal cellular toxicity and a significant beneficial impact on metabolic molecular pathways in HepG2 cell cultures, thus paving the way for innovative therapeutic strategies using olive-oil and antioxidants in dietary supplements to minimize the long-term effects of oxidative stress and inflammatory signals in individuals being suffered by disorders like AD. Overall, the experimental design and the data obtained support the notion of applying innovative molecular methodologies and research techniques to evidently advance the delivery, as well as the scientific impact and validation of nutritional supplements and dietary products to improve public health and healthcare outcomes.

Selective apoptotic and genotoxic effects of pomegranate peel extract against human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line

Selective apoptotic and genotoxic effects of pomegranate peel extract against human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line