Relationship between DNA damage and total antioxidant capacity in patients with transitional meningioma

Substituted Thiazole Derivatives Provide Corrective Anti-tumour and Anti-oxidant Activities against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma

Novel and effective treatments are urgently needed for cancer, which is still the leading cause of death in the world. Biological characteristics linked to thiazole derivatives span a wide range. Thiazole derivatives are used in the creation of medications for therapy as well. The aim of current study is to evaluate the anticancer and antioxidant properties of the newly synthesized thiazole derivatives, compounds 1 and 2, on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells in female mice. Our findings indicated that thiazole derivatives, compounds 1 and 2 have anticancer activity by elevating the p53 expression and cytochrome c levels in groups treated with compounds 1 and 2 compared to the positive control group. Furthermore, thiazole derivatives compounds 1 and 2 showed a potent antioxidant effect by increasing enzymatic antioxidants, catalase (CAT) activity, and non-enzymatic antioxidants, GSH, and lowering Malondialdehyde (MDA) in hepatic and renal tissues of treated groups. Additionally, the target compounds were capable of providing corrective effects against EAC-induced biochemical and histopathological changes without harmful side effects. CONCLUSION: The target studied thiazol derivatives compounds were capable of providing corrective effects against EAC-induced without harmful side effects.

Combination therapy with interferon-gamma as a potential therapeutic medicine in rat's glioblastoma: A multi-mechanism evaluation

BACKGROUND

This study assessed the effects of single or combined administration of temozolomide (TMZ) and interferon-gamma (IFN-ᵞ) on anxiety-like behaviors, balance disorders, learning and memory, TNF-α, IL-10, some oxidant and antioxidants factors with investigating the toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) and p-CREB signaling pathway in C6-induced glioblastoma of rats.

METHODS

40 male Sprague-Dawley rats bearing intra-caudate nucleus (CN) culture medium or C6 inoculation were randomly divided into five groups as follows: Sham, Tumor, TMZ, IFN-ᵞ and a TMZ + IFN-ᵞ combination. The open-field test (OFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), rotarod, and passive avoidance test (PAT) were done on days 14-17. On day 17 after tumor implantation, brain tissues were extracted for histopathological evaluation. TNF-α, IL-10, SOD, GPX, TAC, MDA, the protein level of TLR4 and p-CREB was measured.

RESULTS

Combination therapy inhibited the growth of the tumor. Treatment groups alleviated tumor-induced anxiety-like behaviors and improved imbalance and memory impairment. SOD, GPX, and TAC decreased in the tumor group. The combination group augmented GPX and TAC. MDA decreased in treatment groups. TMZ, IFN-ᵞ reduced tumor-increased TNF-α and IL-10 level. The combination group declined TNF-α level in serum and IL-10 level in serum and brain. Glioblastoma induced significant upregulation of TLR4 and p-CREB in the brain which inhibited by IFN-ᵞ and TMZ+ IFN-ᵞ.

CONCLUSION

The beneficial effects of TMZ, IFN-ᵞ, and TMZ+ IFN-ᵞ on neurocognitive functioning of rats with C6-induced glioblastoma may be mediated via modulating oxidative stress, reduced cytokines, and the downregulation of expression of TLR4 and p-CREB. Combination treatment appears to be more effective than single treatment.

The Association between Dietary Total Antioxidant Capacity and Glioma in Adults

OBJECTIVE

We assessed the relation between dietary total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and risk of glioma among Iranian adults. Design: A hospital-based case-control study. Setting: This case-control investigation was done in 2011. Usual dietary intakes of participants during the preceding year were examined using a food frequency questionnaire. Data on dietary TAC from foods was gathered from published databases that provided the antioxidant capacity for each food item, measured by ferric reducing antioxidant power. Participants: Cases were individuals with pathologically confirmed glioma that were diagnosed during the last month (n = 128). Controls were individuals, aged between 20 and 75 years, who were hospitalized or were outpatients referred to other wards of the same hospitals (n = 256). Results: Compared with participants in the lowest quartile, those in the highest quartile of dietary TAC had a lower odds of glioma (OR: 0.28, 95%CI: 0.15-0.45). This association was strengthened when potential confounders were taken into account (OR: 0.13; 95%CI: 0.05-0.35). Such inverse association was also seen for men (OR: 0.05, 95%CI: 0.01-0.19), but not for women. Furthermore, significant inverse associations were seen between dietary intakes of vitamin C (OR for Q₄ vs. Q₁: 0.14, 95%CI: 0.05-0.36; P-trend < 0.01), vitamin B6 (OR for Q₄ vs. Q₁: 0.35, 95%CI: 0.13-0.97; P-trend = 0.02) and β-carotene (OR for Q₃ vs. Q₁: 0.43, 95%CI: 0.19-0.98; P-trend = 0.57) and glioma, after controlling for potential covariates. Conclusions: We found that dietary TAC as well as dietary intake of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and β-carotene was inversely associated with odds of glioma in adults.

Dynamic thiol-disulphide homeostasis in low-grade gliomas: Preliminary results in serum

OBJECTIVE

Maintaining of precise balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation is important in both physiological and pathological states. Knowledge about this balance may give an idea about the process of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate dynamic thiol-disulfide homeostasis in patients with low-grade gliomas.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Serial serum samples were collected in 13 patients operated on low-grade gliomas before and after surgery. Control serum samples were obtained from venous cord blood from 13 healthy women during cesarean section. Total thiol, native thiol, and disulfide bond formation were measured and compared with the controls.

RESULTS

Total thiols, native thiols, and disulfide bond formation were significantly elevated in patients before the surgery compared to the controls (p<0.05). Even after the surgery, these three parameters were still high in patients, and the differences were significant (p<0.05). Although no significant difference was found between patients and controls regarding the ratios of disulfide/total thiol, disulfide/native thiol, and native thiol/total thiol (p>0.05), the balance seemed to shift to oxidative side.

CONCLUSIONS

Thiol-disulfide homeostasis was disrupted in patients with low-grade gliomas, and oxidation may play a role in the process of this disease. Supplementation with antioxidants before and after surgery may be taken into consideration.

Total antioxidant capacity is significantly lower in cocaine-dependent and methamphetamine-dependent patients relative to normal controls: results from a preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Oxidative stress can result in damage to the brain and other organs. To protect from oxidative damage, the human body possesses molecular defense systems, based on the activity of antioxidants, and enzymatic defense systems, including the enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Although pre-clinical research has shown that stimulant use is associated with oxidative damage, oxidative stress and the antioxidant defense systems have not been evaluated in clinical samples of stimulant-dependent patients.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the link between stimulant dependence and oxidative stress.

METHODS

Peripheral blood samples from 174 methamphetamine (n = 48) and/or cocaine-dependent (n = 126) participants as well as 30 normal control participants were analyzed for the enzyme activities of CAT, SOD, and GSH-Px in the erythrocytes and the total antioxidant capacity and the malondialdehyde concentration in the plasma.

RESULTS

We could show an association of stimulant dependence with a depletion of total antioxidant capacity to 54.6 ± 4.7%, which correlates with a reduced activity of the SOD to 71.3 ± 0.03% compared with healthy control participants (100%).

CONCLUSION

Stimulant-dependent patients had significantly lower antioxidant capacity relative to controls, suggesting that they may be at greater risk for oxidative damage to the brain and other organs.

Copper and resveratrol attenuates serum catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and element values in rats with DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis

In this paper, a hypothesis was assessed whether or not the intoxication with copper and supplementation with copper plus resveratrol would result in changes in the activities of catalase and glutathione peroxidase and moreover if the characteristic changes would appear in concentrations of copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc in the serum of rats with chemically induced carcinogenesis. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into study groups which, apart from the standard diet, were treated with copper (42.6 mg Cu/kg food as CuSO4·5H2O) or copper plus resveratrol (0.2 mg/kg body) via gavage for a period from 40 days until 20 weeks of age. In cancer groups, the rats were treated with a dose of 80 mg/body weight of 7,12-dimethyl-1,2-benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) given in rapeseed oil at 50 and 80 days of age to induce mammary carcinogenesis. The control groups included the rats kept in the same conditions and fed with the same diet as the animals from the study groups, but not DMBA-treated. The activity of catalase significantly decreased in groups of rats with mammary carcinogenesis that were supplemented with copper (p < 0.05) or copper plus resveratrol (p < 0.001) in comparison with the control groups that received the same diets. In cancer groups of nonsupplemented rats, the increase of glutathione peroxidase activity was observed. The process of carcinogenesis and the applied supplementation significantly altered the concentrations of trace elements in serum, in particular as concerns iron and copper. The mean serum iron levels in rats with breast cancer were significantly lower than those in the control groups (p < 0.001). The mean serum copper levels significantly decreased in the groups of rats with mammary carcinogenesis that were supplemented with copper or copper plus resveratrol in comparison with the control groups that received the same diets (p < 0.001). The characteristic changes in iron content and the zinc/copper and zinc/iron ratios in blood may be used as one of the prognostic factors in breast cancer research.

Introducing Cichorium Pumilum as a potential therapeutical agent against drug-induced benign breast tumor in rats

Cichorium Pumilum (chicory) is could be a promising cancer treatment in which a photosensitizing drug concentrates in benign tumor cells and activated by quanta at certain wavelength. Such activated extracts could lead to cell death and tumor ablation. Previous studies have shown that Cichorium Pumilum (chicory) contains photosensitive compounds such as cichoriin, anthocyanins, lactucin, and Lactucopicrin. In the present study, the protective effect of sun light-activated Cichorium against the dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) induced benign breast tumors to female Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated. Chicory's extract has significantly increase P.carbonyl (PC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreases the hepatic levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in benign breast tumors-induced group compared to control. It also significantly decrease the number of estrogen receptors ER-positive cells in tumor masses. These results suggest that chicory extracts could be used as herbal photosensitizing agent in treating benign breast tumor in rats.

Elimination of Deleterious Effects of DMBA-Induced Skin Carcinogenesis in Mice by Syzygium cumini Seed Extract

The inhibition of tumor incidence by hydro-alcoholic extract of S.cumini seed was evaluated in mice on two stage process of skin carcinogenesis induced by single application of 7, 12-dimethyl benz(a)anthracene (100 µg/100µl of acetone), and 2 weeks later promoted by repeated application of croton oil (1% acetone/thrice in a week) till the end of the experiment (i.e. 16 weeks). Oral administration of extract at a dose of 250mg/kg b.wt./day at the peri-initiational stage (i.e. 7 days before and 7 days after DMBA application), promotional stage (i.e. from the time of croton oil application) and at both the stages (i.e. 7 days prior to DMBA application & continued till the end of experiment) to the mice, recorded a significant reduction in tumor incidence to 37.5, 50 & 25% respectively in comparison to the carcinogen treated control, where tumor incidence was found as 100%. Tumor yield and Tumor burden were also significantly reduced by SCE. Similarly, the cumulative number of papillomas after 16 weeks was 68 in the control group, which was reduced to 15, 21 & 8 in the animals treated with the SCE continuously at peri-, post- and peri- & post- initiation stage respectively. A significant impairment was noticed in the levels of reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase & protein and enhancement in LPO in liver and skin of carcinogen treated control mice as compared with vehicle treated mice. All such parameters were returned to near normal value by administration of SCE to DMBA treated mice. These results suggest a possible chemopreventive property of S.cumini against DMBA induced skin carcinogenesis in mice.

Salivary analysis of oral cancer biomarkers

BACKGROUND

Oral cancer is a common and lethal malignancy. Direct contact between saliva and the oral cancer lesion makes measurement of tumour markers in saliva an attractive alternative to serum testing.

METHODS

We tested 19 tongue cancer patients, measuring the levels of 8 salivary markers related to oxidative stress, DNA repair, carcinogenesis, metastasis and cellular proliferation and death.

RESULTS

Five markers increased in cancer patients by 39-246%: carbonyls, lactate dehydrogenase, metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), Ki67 and Cyclin D1 (CycD1) (P< or =0.01). Three markers decreased by 16-29%: 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase, phosphorylated-Src and mammary serine protease inhibitor (Maspin) (P< or =0.01). Increase in salivary carbonyls was profound (by 246%, P=0.012); alterations in CycD1 (87% increase, P=0.000006) and Maspin (29% decrease, P=0.007) were especially significant. Sensitivity values of these eight analysed markers ranged from 58% to 100%; specificity values ranged from 42% to 100%. Both values were especially high for the CycD1 and Maspin markers, 100% for each value of each marker. These were also high for carbonyls, 90% and 80%, respectively, and for MMP-9, 100% and 79%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The significance of each salivary alteration is discussed. As all alterations correlated with each other, they may belong to a single carcinogenetic network. Cancer-related changes in salivary tumour markers may be used as a diagnostic tool for diagnosis, prognosis and post-operative monitoring.

The inhibitory effect of a novel organoselenium compound BBSKE on the tongue cancer Tca8113 in vitro and in vivo

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-cancer effect of a novel organoselenium compound BBSKE (1,2-[bis(1,2-Benzisoselenazolone-3(2H)-ketone)]ethane, BBSKE, PCT: CN02/00412) on cell growth and apoptosis, focusing on the protein activity of Thioredoxin Reductase (TrxR) and Caspase-3, in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in vitro and in vivo. Oral squamous cancer cell line Tca8113 was treated with various concentrations of BBSKE. Growth and apoptosis as well as the protein activities were analyzed. Morphologic changes of Tca8113 cells after 24h treatment of BBSKE were determined by fluorescence microscopy. The increase of Caspase-3 activity and decrease of Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) activity were also measured. BBSKE induced a significant cell growth inhibition and elicited typical apoptotic morphologic changes (chromatic condensation, nucleus fragmentation). This phenomenon was accompanied by a change in protein activity of Thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and Caspase-3. The anti-cancer effect of BBSKE was then studied in well-established Tca8113 xenografts in nude mice. In those tumors, anti-cancer effects were observed and significantly higher than the controls. Together, these results indicate that BBSKE can inhibit tongue cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and induce apoptosis in Tca8113 cell lines partially via inhibiting the activity of TrxR and promoting the activity of Caspase-3.