Diethylaminoethyl chitosan induces apoptosis in HeLa cells via activation of caspase-3 and p53 expression

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.

Beetroot extract@chitosan nanocomposite as a promising approach towards cancer therapy

The exceptional antioxidant properties of beetroot (BR) and the cancer antiproliferative effects of chitosan nanoparticles (CS NP) have led to the synthesis of a BR@CS nanocomposite (NC) in this study. The novel BR@CS NC was applied to human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), human epithelial ductal breast carcinoma (T-47D), and human epithelial lung carcinoma (A549) cells. SEM characterization of CS NP revealed a variety of particle shapes ranging from 20 to 58 nm in diameter. UV-VIS analysis confirmed the formation of the BR@CS NC, while FTIR analysis demonstrated strong hydrogen bonds between CS NP and BR. These bonds reduced the positive surface charge of CS NP, as indicated by zeta potential analysis. When applied to cancer cell lines at a concentration of 250 μg/mL, the BR@CS NC successfully eradicated 89 % of A549, 88 % of T-47D, and 83 % of Caco-2 cell lines. The cell death mode exhibited extensive, apoptotic, and massive necrotic changes in all cell lines treated with BR@CS NC. Caspase 3 (CasP3) and P53 levels were elevated in BR@CS NC-treated cells. This study merges BR's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties with the antiangiogenic mechanism and inhibition of tumors by CS NP, resulting in a unique and innovative strategy for cancer treatment.

Chitosan inhibits Penicillium expansum possibly by binding to DNA and triggering apoptosis

Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide that is abundant, biocompatible and exhibits effective antifungal activity against various pathogenic fungi. However, the potential intracellular targets of chitosan in pathogenic fungi and the way of activity of chitosan are far from well known. The present work demonstrated that chitosan could inhibit Penicillium expansum, the principal causal agent of postharvest blue mold decay on apple fruits, by binding to DNA and triggering apoptosis. UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and electrophoretic mobility assay proved the interaction between chitosan and DNA, while atomic force microscope (AFM) observation revealed the binding morphology of chitosan to DNA. Chitosan could inhibit in vitro DNA replication, and cell cycle analysis employing flow cytometry demonstrated that cell cycle was retarded by chitosan treatment. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay and membrane potential analysis showed that apoptosis was induced in P. expansum cells after exposure to chitosan. In conclusion, our results confirmed that chitosan interacts with DNA and induces apoptosis. These findings are expected to provide a feasible theoretical basis and practical direction for the promoting and implementing of chitosan in plant protection and further illuminate the possible antifungal mechanisms of chitosan against fungal pathogens.

Psidium guajava induces cytotoxicity in human malignant glioblastoma cell line: Role of reactive oxygen species

One of the deadliest types of CNS primary brain cancers is glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), and the survival rate of patients is about 7.2%. The standard treatment for GBM is surgical interventions followed by temozolomide. We investigated for the first time, the cytotoxic impacts of Psidium guajava (P. guajava) on the U87 GBM cell line. We measured cell toxicity through the MTT test following 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h treatment with different concentrations of fruit and seed hydroalcoholic extracts of P. guajava (25-400 μg/ml). Lipid peroxidation assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and apoptosis rate were evaluated 24 h after treatment by extracts of P. guajava. Moreover, to determine the Bax/Bcl-2 and NF-κB genes expression, we performed a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Our finding demonstrated that 50-400 μg/ml of P. guajava extracts dose-dependently decreased the viability of U87 cells. Also, treatment by extracts increased lipid peroxidation, ROS production, and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the RT-PCR demonstrated an up-regulation in Bax\Bcl-2 and NF-κB. Thus, P. guajava inhibited the proliferation of U87 GBM cells and increased apoptosis probably through Bax/Bcl-2 and NF-κB regulation.

Evaluation of Angiogenesis in an Acellular Porous Biomaterial Based on Polyhydroxybutyrate and Chitosan Using the Chicken Ex Ovo Chorioallantoic Membrane Model

Simple Summary

The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is an avian extraembryonic membrane widely used as an experimental assay to study angiogenesis and its inhibition in response to tissues, cells, or soluble factors. In recent years, the CAM has become popular in scientific studies focused on the use of its potential for the study of biocompatibility of materials for regenerative strategies and tissue engineering applications. Great research efforts are being made to develop innovative biomaterials able to treat hard tissue defects, including diseases such as a bone cancer. In this article, we describe an approach to detect the formation of blood vessels inside the porous acellular biopolymer polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan (PHB/CHIT) scaffold using the CAM assay as an in vivo alternative animal model, including macroscopic, histological, immunohistochemical, and molecular evaluation of the biocompatibility.

Abstract

The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is a highly vascularized avian extraembryonic membrane widely used as an in vivo model to study angiogenesis and its inhibition in response to tissues, cells, or soluble factors. In recent years, the use of CAM has become an integral part of the biocompatibility testing process for developing biomaterials intended for regenerative strategies and tissue engineering applications. In this study, we used the chicken ex ovo CAM assay to investigate the angiogenic potential of innovative acellular biopolymer polyhydroxybutyrate/chitosan (PHB/CHIT) scaffold, which is intended for the treatment of hard tissue defects, depending on treatment with pro- and anti-angiogenic substances. On embryonic day (ED) 7, the experimental biomaterials were placed on the CAM alone or soaked in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A), saline solution (PHY), or tyrosine kinase inhibitor (SU5402). After 72 h, the formation of vessels was analyzed in the surrounding area of the scaffold and inside the pores of the implants, using markers of embryonic endothelium (WGA, SNA), myofibroblasts (α-SMA), and macrophages (KUL-01). The morphological and histochemical analysis showed strong angiogenic potential of untreated scaffolds without additional effect of the angiogenic factor, VEGF-A. The lowest angiogenic potential was observed in scaffolds soaked with SU5402. Gene expression of pro-angiogenic growth factors, i.e., VEGF-A, ANG-2, and VE-CAD, was upregulated in untreated scaffolds after 72 h, indicating a pro-angiogenic environment. We concluded that the PHB/CHIT has a strong endogenous angiogenic potential and could be promising biomaterial for the treatment of hard tissue defects.

Natural Bioactives: Back to the Future in the Fight against Human Papillomavirus? A Narrative Review

Human papillomavirus (HPV) still represents an important threat to health worldwide. Better therapy in terms of further improvement of outcomes and attenuation of related side-effects is desirable. The pharmaceutical industry has always targeted natural substances-phytochemicals in particular-to identify lead compounds to be clinically validated and industrially produced as antiviral and anticancer drugs. In the field of HPV, numerous naturally occurring bioactives and dietary phytochemicals have been investigated as potentially valuable in vitro and in vivo. Interference with several pathways and improvement of the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents have been demonstrated. Notably, some clinical trials have been conducted. Despite being endowed with general safety, these natural substances are in urgent need of further assessment to foresee their clinical exploitation. This review summarizes the basic research efforts conducted so far in the study of anti-HPV properties of bio-actives with insights into their mechanisms of action and highlights the variety of their natural origin in order to provide comprehensive mapping throughout the different sources. The clinical studies available are reported, as well, to highlight the need of uniformity and consistency of studies in the future to select those natural compounds that may be suited to clinical application.

Modification of Proliferation and Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells by Exposure of Antioxidant Nanoparticles Due to Modulation of the Cellular Redox State Induced by Doxorubicin Exposure

In this report, we investigated whether the use of chitosan-carrying-glutathione nanoparticles (CH-GSH NPs) can modify proliferation and apoptosis, and reduce cell damage induced by doxorubicin on breast cancer cells. Doxorubicin is a widely used antineoplasic agent for the treatment of various types of cancer. However, it is also a highly toxic drug because it induces oxidative stress. Thus, the use of antioxidant molecules has been considered to reduce the toxicity of doxorubicin. CH-GSH NPs were characterized in size, zeta potential, concentration, and shape. When breast cancer cells were treated with CH-GSH nanoparticles, they were localized in the cellular cytoplasm. Combined doxorubicin exposure with nanoparticles increased intracellular GSH levels. At the same time, decreasing levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde were observed and modified antioxidant enzyme activity. Levels of the Ki67 protein were evaluated as a marker of cell proliferation and the activity of the Casp-3 protein related to cell apoptosis was measured. Our data suggests that CH-GSH NPs can modify cell proliferation by decreasing Ki67 levels, induce apoptosis by increasing caspase-3 activity, and reduce the oxidative stress induced by doxorubicin in breast cancer cells by modulating molecules associated with the cellular redox state. CH-GSH NPs could be used to reduce the toxic effects of this antineoplastic. Considering these results, CH-GSH NPs represent a novel delivery system offering new opportunities in pharmacy, material science, and biomedicine.

Synergistic hepatoprotective effect of combined administration of Lachnum polysaccharide with silymarin

In recent years, combination therapy has gradually become one of the hot spots. As a new therapy strategy, we investigated the combination treatment of polysaccharide from Lachnum sp. (LEP-2b) with silymarin and compared the effects with mono-therapy. In this study, combining high-dose LEP-2b with silymarin (CH) significantly reduced serum biochemistry indexes (ALT, AST, AKP, LDH), hepatic inflammation (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) and improved the antioxidant status (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, GSH, MDA and T-AOC), in which its effect on TNF-α was very significant (P < 0.001). Therefore, the expressions of related proteins in the JNK/p38 signaling pathway associated with TNF-α were examined. The result showed that CH treatment markedly increased the expression of p-p38 and inhibited the JNK phosphorylation. TUNEL staining, immunohistochemical staining and western blot assays demonstrated that the hepatoprotective effect of CH treatment was probably related with inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis. In summary, combination of high dose LEP-2b with silymarin would be a more effective method to protect liver injury than mono-therapy.

Physcion and Physcion 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside: Natural Anthraquinones with Potential Anticancer Activities

Nature has provided prodigious reservoirs of pharmacologically active compounds for drug development since times. Physcion and physcion 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (PG) are bioactive natural anthraquinones which exert anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties with minimum or no adverse effects. Moreover, physcion also exhibits anti-microbial and hepatoprotective properties, while PG is known to have anti-sepsis as well as ameliorative activities against dementia. This review aims to highlight the natural sources and anticancer activities of physcion and PG, along with associated mechanisms of actions. On the basis of the literature, physcion and PG regulate multitudinous cell signaling pathways through the modulation of various regulators of cell cycle, protein kinases, microRNAs, transcriptional factors, and apoptosis linked proteins resulting in the effective killing of cancerous cells in vitro as well as in vivo. Both compounds effectively suppress metastasis, furthermore, physcion acts as an inhibitor of 6PGD and also plays an important role in chemosensitization. This review article suggests that physcion and PG are potent anticancer drug candidates, but further investigations on their mechanism of action and pre-clinical trials are mandatory in order to comprehend the full potential of these natural cancer killers in anticancer remedies.

Antioxidant Properties and Redox-Modulating Activity of Chitosan and Its Derivatives: Biomaterials with Application in Cancer Therapy

Many studies have shown that mitochondrial metabolism has a fundamental role in induction of carcinogenesis due to the influence of increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in all steps of oncogene transformation and cancer progression. It is widely accepted that the anticancer effect of conventional anticancer drugs is due to induction of oxidative stress and elevated intracellular levels of ROS, which alter the redox homeostasis of cancer cells. On the other hand, the harmful side effects of conventional anticancer chemotherapeutics are also due to increased production of ROS and disruption of redox homeostasis of normal cells and tissues. Therefore, there is a growing interest toward the development of natural antioxidant compounds from various sources, which could impact the redox state of cancer and normal cells by different pathways and could prevent damage from oxidant-mediated reactions. It is known that chitosan exhibits versatile biological properties, including biodegradability, biocompatibility, and a less toxic nature. Because of its antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulatory activities, the biopolymer has been used in a wide variety of pharmaceutical, biomedical, food industry, health, and agricultural applications and has been classified as a new physiologically bioactive material.

Phytol shows anti-angiogenic activity and induces apoptosis in A549 cells by depolarizing the mitochondrial membrane potential

In the present study, the antiproliferative activity of phytol and its mechanism of action against human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 were studied in detail. Results showed that phytol exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against A549 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner with an IC₅₀ value of 70.81 ± 0.32 μM and 60.7 ± 0.47 μM at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Phytol showed no adverse toxic effect in normal human lung cells (L-132), but mild toxic effect was observed when treated with maximum dose (67 and 84 μM). No membrane-damaging effect was evidenced by PI staining and SEM analysis. The results of mitochondrial membrane potential analysis, cell cycle analysis, FT-IR and Western blotting analysis clearly demonstrated the molecular mechanism of phytol as induction of apoptosis in A549 cells, as evidenced by formation of shrinked cell morphology with membrane blebbing, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, increased cell population in the sub-G0 phase, band variation in the DNA and lipid region, downregulation of Bcl-2, upregulation of Bax and the activation of caspase-9 and -3. In addition, phytol inhibited the CAM vascular growth as evidenced by CAM assay, which positively suggests that phytol has anti-angiogenic potential. Taken together, these findings clearly demonstrate the mode of action by which phytol induces cell death in A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells.

Antitumor activity of chitosan from mayfly with comparison to commercially available low, medium and high molecular weight chitosans

Insects' cuticles have a potential to be evaluated as a chitin source. Especially adults of aquatic insects like mayflies (order Ephemeroptera) swarm in enormous numbers in artificially lit areas while mating in spring and then die by leaving huge amounts of dead insects' bodies. Here in this study, mayfly corpses were harvested and used for production of low MW chitosan. Dried mayfly bodies had 10.21% chitin content; mayfly chitin was converted into chitosan with efficiency rate of 78.43% (deacetylation degree, 84.3%; MW, 3.69 kDa). Cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative activity of mayfly and commercially available shrimp chitosans (low, medium, and high MW) were determined on L929 fibroblast and three different cancer types including HeLa, A549, and WiDr. Apoptosis and necrosis stimulating potential of mayfly and commercial chitosans were also evaluated on A549 and WiDr cells using acridine orange and propidium iodide dual staining to observe morphological changes in nuclei and thus to reveal the predominant cell death mechanism. The effects of chitosans have varied depending on cell types, concentration, and chitosan derivatives. Mayfly and low MW chitosans had a cytotoxic effect at a concentration of 500 μg mL^-1 on non-cancer cells. At concentrations below this value (250 μg mL^-1), mayfly and commercial chitosans except high MW one exhibited strong inhibitory activity on cancer cells especially A549 and WiDr cells. Mayfly chitosan induced early and late apoptosis in A549 cells, but late apoptosis and necrosis in WiDr cells. This study suggests that dead bodies of mayflies can be used for production of low MW chitosan with anti-proliferative activity.

Synergistic effect of quercetin and pH-responsive DEAE-chitosan carriers as drug delivery system for breast cancer treatment

Amphiphilic chitosans, which may self-assemble in aqueous solution to form nanoaggregates with different conformations depending to the environmental pH, can be used as drug transport and delivery agents, when the target pH differs from the delivery medium pH. In this study, quercetin, a bioactive flavonoid, was encapsulated in a pH-responsive system based on amphiphilic chitosan. The hydrophilic reagent 2-chloro-N,N-diethylethylamine hydrochloride (DEAE), also known to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, was used as a grafting agent. Drug loading experiments (DL ∼5%) showed a quercetin entrapment efficiency of 73 and 78% for the aggregates. The sizes of blank aggregates measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) varied from 169 to 263nm and increased to ∼410nm when loaded with quercetin. The critical aggregation concentration, zeta potential and morphology of the aggregates were determined. pH had a dominant role in the release process and Fickian diffusion was the controlling factor in drug release according to the Korsmeyer-Peppas mathematical model. In vitro studies indicated that the DEAE-modified chitosan nanoaggregates showed a synergistic effect with quercetin on the control of the viability of MCF-7 cells. Therefore, DEAE-modified chitosan nanoaggregates with pH-sensibility can be used as optimized nanocarriers in cancer therapy.

Oligochitosan as a potential anti-acne vulgaris agent: combined antibacterial effects against Propionibacterium acnes

To develop an antibacterial treatment for acne vulgaris using natural substance with few side effects, we investigated the antibacterial activities of oligochitosan against acne-related bacteria, particularly Propionibacterium acnes. Oligochitosan showed potent antibacterial effect on P. acnes. Especially, 10 kDa oligochitosan presented the highest antimicrobial effect with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 32-64 μg/mL on P. acnes. In addition, oligochitosan clearly reversed the antibacterial effect of tetracycline and erythromycin on P. acnes in the combination mode. The combination of tetracycline- or erythromycine-10 kDa oligochitosan resulted in a median ΣFIC range of 0.02-0.56, suggesting that the antibiotics-oligochitosan combination resulted in an antibacterial synergy against P. acnes. Thus, the results obtained in this research strongly supported that erythromycin and tetracycline will restore the antibacterial activity against P. acnes in the combination mode with 10 kDa oligochitosan.

Synergistic Antibacterial Effects of Chitosan-Caffeic Acid Conjugate against Antibiotic-Resistant Acne-Related Bacteria

The object of this study was to discover an alternative therapeutic agent with fewer side effects against acne vulgaris, one of the most common skin diseases. Acne vulgaris is often associated with acne-related bacteria such as Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Some of these bacteria exhibit a resistance against commercial antibiotics that have been used in the treatment of acne vulgaris (tetracycline, erythromycin, and lincomycin). In the current study, we tested in vitro antibacterial effect of chitosan-phytochemical conjugates on acne-related bacteria. Three chitosan-phytochemical conjugates used in this study exhibited stronger antibacterial activity than that of chitosan (unmodified control). Chitosan-caffeic acid conjugate (CCA) showed the highest antibacterial effect on acne-related bacteria along with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC; 8 to 256 μg/mL). Additionally, the MIC values of antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant P. acnes and P. aeruginosa strains were dramatically reduced in combination with CCA, suggesting that CCA would restore the antibacterial activity of the antibiotics. The analysis of fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices clearly revealed a synergistic antibacterial effect of CCA with antibiotics. Thus, the median sum of FIC (∑FIC) values against the antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains ranged from 0.375 to 0.533 in the combination mode of CCA and antibiotics. The results of the present study suggested a potential possibility of chitosan-phytochemical conjugates in the control of infections related to acne vulgaris.

Characterization of the in vitro effects of gallic acid-grafted-chitooligosaccharides in the suppression of AGS human gastric cancer cell proliferation

G-COS was compared with COS for its influence on the proliferation of AGS human gastric cancer cells, showing an increase in the accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase and early apoptosis.

Anticancer Activity of a Hexapeptide from Skate (Raja porosa) Cartilage Protein Hydrolysate in HeLa Cells

In this study, the hexapeptide Phe-Ile-Met-Gly-Pro-Tyr (FIMGPY), which has a molecular weight of 726.9 Da, was separated from skate (Raja porosa) cartilage protein hydrolysate using ultrafiltration and chromatographic methods, and its anticancer activity was evaluated in HeLa cells. Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that FIMGPY exhibited high, dose-dependent anti-proliferation activities in HeLa cells with an IC₅₀ of 4.81 mg/mL. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) fluorescence staining and flow cytometry methods confirmed that FIMGPY could inhibit HeLa cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. Western blot assay revealed that the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and relative intensity of caspase-3 in HeLa cells treated with 7-mg/mL FIMGPY were 2.63 and 1.83, respectively, significantly higher than those of the blank control (p < 0.01). Thus, FIMGPY could induce apoptosis by upregulating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-3 activation. Using a DNA ladder method further confirmed that the anti-proliferation activity of FIMGPY was attributable to its role in inducing apoptosis. These results suggest that FIMGPY from skate cartilage protein hydrolysate may have applications as functional foods and nutraceuticals for the treatment and prevention of cancer.

Formulation development, stability and anticancer efficacy of core-shell cyclodextrin nanocapsules for oral chemotherapy with camptothecin

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to design and evaluate hybrid cyclodextrin (CD) nanocapsules intended for the oral delivery of the anticancer agent camptothecin (CPT) in order to maintain drug stability in the body and to improve its eventual bioavailability. For this reason, an amphiphilic cyclodextrin (CD) derivative per-modified on the primary face 6OCAPRO was used as core molecule to form nanocapsules with the nanoprecipitation technique. Nanocapsules were further coated with the cationic polymer chitosan to improve the cellular uptake and interaction with biological membranes through positive surface charge. Nanocapsules were evaluated for their in vitro characteristics such as particle size, zeta potential, drug loading and release profiles followed by cell culture studies with the MCF-7 and Caco-2 cell line evaluating their anticancer efficacy and permeability. The CD nanocapsules were imaged by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The concentration of CPT entrapped in nanocapsules was determined by reversed phase HPLC. The in vitro release study of CPT was performed with a dialysis bag method under sink conditions mimicking the gastric and intestinal pH. The hydrolytic stability of CPT in nanocapsules was investigated in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids (SGF, SIF).

RESULTS

The mean particle sizes of both anionic and cationic CPT-loaded nanocapsules were in the range of 180-200 nm with polydispersity indices lower than 0.400 indicating monodisperse size distribution of nanocapsules with favourable potential for intracellular drug delivery to tumour cells. Surface charges of anionic and cationic nanocapsules were demonstrated as -21 mV and +18 mV, respectively. The stability of CPT in simulated release media, SGF and SIF were maintained suggesting the improved protection of the drug molecule from rapid hydrolysis degradation or gastrointestinal pH in nanocapsule oily core. Furthermore CD nanocapsules showed higher anticancer efficacy than CPT solution against the MCF-7 cell line. Permeation of CPT across Caco-2 cells was found to be 3 fold higher when incorporated in hybrid CD nanocapsules compared with a DMSO solution.

CONCLUSION

Oral CD nanocapsules indicating increased oral bioavailability might be a promising strategy to maintain the physiological stability and to improve the oral bioavailability of problematic anticancer drugs such as CPT which may contribute to patient quality of life and drug efficacy in cancer therapy.

Potential anti-HPV and related cancer agents from marine resources: an overview

Recently, the studies on the prevention and treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV) which is closely related to the cervical cancer and other genital diseases are attracting more and more attention all over the world. Marine-derived polysaccharides and other bioactive compounds have been shown to possess a variety of anti-HPV and related cancer activities. This paper will review the recent progress in research on the potential anti-HPV and related cancer agents from marine resources. In particular, it will provide an update on the anti-HPV actions of heparinoid polysaccharides and bioactive compounds present in marine organisms, as well as the therapeutic vaccines relating to marine organisms. In addition, the possible mechanisms of anti-HPV actions of marine bioactive compounds and their potential for therapeutic application will also be summarized in detail.

Marine invertebrate natural products for anti-inflammatory and chronic diseases

The marine environment represents a relatively available source of functional ingredients that can be applied to various aspects of food processing, storage, and fortification. Moreover, numerous marine invertebrates based compounds have biological activities and also interfere with the pathogenesis of diseases. Isolated compounds from marine invertebrates have been shown to pharmacological activities and are helpful for the invention and discovery of bioactive compounds, primarily for deadly diseases like cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), osteoporosis, and so forth. Extensive research within the last decade has revealed that most chronic illnesses such as cancer, neurological diseases, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases exhibit dysregulation of multiple cell signaling pathways that have been linked to inflammation. On the basis of their bioactive properties, this review focuses on the potential use of marine invertebrate derived compounds on anti-inflammatory and some chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, HIV, and cancer.

Gliotoxin isolated from marine fungus Aspergillus sp. induces apoptosis of human cervical cancer and chondrosarcoma cells

Gliotoxin, a secondary metabolite produced by marine fungus Aspergillus sp., possesses various biological activities including anticancer activity. However, the mechanism underlying gliotoxin-induced cytotoxicity on human cervical cancer (Hela) and human chondrosarcoma (SW1353) cells remains unclear. In this study, we focused on the effect of gliotoxin induction on apoptosis, the activating expressions of caspase family enzymes in the cells. Apoptotic cell levels were measured through DAPI and Annexin V/Propidium Iodide (PI) double staining analysis. The apoptotic protein expression of Bcl-2 and caspase family was detected by Western blot in Hela and SW1353 cells. Our results showed that gliotoxin treatment inhibited cell proliferation and induced significant morphological changes. Gliotoxin induced apoptosis was further confirmed by DNA fragmentation, chromatin condensation and disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential. Gliotoxin-induced activation of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9, down-regulation of Bcl-2, up-regulation of Bax and cytochromec (cyt c) release showed evidence for the gliotoxin activity on apoptosis. These findings suggest that gliotoxin isolated from marine fungus Aspergillus sp. induced apoptosis in Hela and SW1353 cells via the mitochondrial pathway followed by downstream events leading to apoptotic mode of cell death.

Chitosan-hydroxycinnamic acid conjugates: preparation, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity

In this study, the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of chitosan-caffeic acid, chitosan-ferulic acid, and chitosan-sinapic acid conjugates with different grafting ratios were investigated. The synthesized chitosan-hydroxycinnamic acid conjugates were verified by performing (1)H NMR and differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The antioxidant activities of the conjugates were increased compared to the unmodified chitosan, by 1.79-fold to 5.05-fold (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay), 2.44-fold to 4.12-fold (hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay), 1.34-fold to 3.35-fold (ABTS(+) radical scavenging assay), and also exhibited an increased reducing power. The conjugates also showed excellent lipid peroxidation inhibition abilities in a linoleic acid emulsion system. The conjugates exhibited antimicrobial activity against 15 clinical isolates, two standard methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and three standard methicillin-susceptible S. aureus strains, as well as eight foodborne pathogens. Additionally, the conjugates showed no cytotoxic activity towards human Chang liver and mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells.

Physcion from marine-derived fungus Microsporum sp. induces apoptosis in human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells

Recently, the relationship between apoptosis and cancer has been emphasized and the induction of apoptosis is recognized as one of the key mechanisms of anti-cancer agents. Marine-derived fungi are valuable sources of structurally diverse bioactive anticancer agents. In the present study, a marine-derived fungus, Microsporum sp. was cultured and an anthraquinone derivative, physcion (11.8 mg) was isolated from the culture broth extract (1710 mg). Physcion has shown cytotoxic effect on human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and its apoptosis induction in HeLa cells was investigated by the expressions of p53, p21, Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-9, and caspase-3 proteins. The Western blot analysis has revealed that physcion could significantly induce cell apoptosis through down-regulating of Bcl-2 expression, up-regulating of Bax expression, and activating the caspase-3 pathway. Furthermore, physcion induced the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HeLa cells. Collectively, these results suggest that physcion could be a potential candidate in the field of anticancer drug discovery against human cervical cancer.

Cell survival and apoptosis signaling as therapeutic target for cancer: marine bioactive compounds

Inhibition of apoptosis leads to activation of cell survival factors (e.g., AKT) causes continuous cell proliferation in cancer. Apoptosis, the major form of cellular suicide, is central to various physiological processes and the maintenance of homeostasis in multicellular organisms. A number of discoveries have clarified the molecular mechanism of apoptosis, thus clarifying the link between apoptosis and cell survival factors, which has a therapeutic outcome. Induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell survival by anticancer agents has been shown to correlate with tumor response. Cellular damage induces growth arrest and tumor suppression by inducing apoptosis, necrosis and senescence; the mechanism of cell death depends on the magnitude of DNA damage following exposure to various anticancer agents. Apoptosis is mainly regulated by cell survival and proliferating signaling molecules. As a new therapeutic strategy, alternative types of cell death might be exploited to control and eradicate cancer cells. This review discusses the signaling of apoptosis and cell survival, as well as the potential contribution of marine bioactive compounds, suggesting that new therapeutic strategies might follow.