Cyclophosphamide and ascorbic acid-mediated ultrastructural and biochemical changes in Dalton's lymphoma cells in vivo

Epirubicin Treatment Induces Neurobehavioral, Oxido-Inflammatory and Neurohistology Alterations in Rats: Protective Effect of the Endogenous Metabolite of Tryptophan - 3-Indolepropionic Acid

Epirubicin's (EPI) efficacy as a chemotherapeutic agent against breast cancer is limited by EPI's neurotoxicity associated with increased oxidative and inflammatory stressors. 3-Indolepropionic acid (3-IPA) derived from in vivo metabolism of tryptophan is reported to possess antioxidative properties devoid of pro-oxidant activity. In this regard, we investigated the effect of 3-IPA on EPI-mediated neurotoxicity in forty female rats (180-200 g; five cohorts (n = 6) treated as follows: Untreated control; EPI alone (2.5 mg/Kg); 3-IPA alone (40 mg/Kg body weight); EPI (2.5 mg/Kg) + 3-IPA (20 mg/Kg) and EPI (2.5 mg/Kg) + 3-IPA (40 mg/Kg) for 28 days. Experimental rats were treated with EPI via intraperitoneal injection thrice weekly or co-treated with 3-IPA daily by gavage. Subsequently, the rat's locomotor activities were measured as endpoints of neurobehavioural status. After sacrifice, inflammation, oxidative stress and DNA damage biomarkers were assessed in rats' cerebrum and cerebellum alongside histopathology. Our results demonstrated that locomotor and exploratory deficits were pronounced in EPI-alone treated rats and improved in the presence of 3-IPA co-treatment. EPI-mediated decreases in tissue antioxidant status, increases in reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), as well as in lipid peroxidation (LPO) and xanthine oxidase (XO) were lessened in the cerebrum and cerebellum of 3-IPA co-treated rats. Increases in nitric oxide (NO) and 8-hydroxydeguanosin (8-OHdG) levels and myeloperoxidase MPO activity were also abated by 3-IPA. Light microscopic examination of the cerebrum and cerebellum revealed EPI-precipitated histopathological lesions were subsequently alleviated in rats co-treated with 3-IPA. Our findings demonstrate that supplementing endogenously derived 3-IPA from tryptophan metabolism enhances tissue antioxidant status, protects against EPI-mediated neuronal toxicity, and improves neurobehavioural and cognitive levels in experimental rats. These findings may benefit breast cancer patients undergoing Epirubicin chemotherapy.

Cyclophosphamide and epirubicin induce high apoptosis in microglia cells while epirubicin provokes DNA damage and microglial activation at sub-lethal concentrations

Chemotherapy Related Cognitive Impairment (CRCI), also called chemobrain, diminishes cancer patient's life quality. Breast cancer (BC) patients have been described to be importantly affected, however, the mechanism leading to CRCI has not been fully elucidated. Recent research proposes microglia as the main architect of CRCI, thus dysregulations in these cells could trigger CRCI. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of two drugs commonly used against breast cancer, cyclophosphamide (CTX) and epirubicin (EPI), on the microglia cell line SIM-A9, using the BC cell line, 4T1, as a control. Our results show that CTX and EPI decrease microglia-cell viability and increase cell death on a concentration-dependent manner, being 5 and 2 times more cytotoxic to microglia cell line than to breast cancer 4T1cells, respectively. Both chemotherapies induce cell cycle arrest and a significant increase in p53, p16 and γ-H2AX in breast cancer and microglia cells. Furthermore, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) diminishes as cell death increases, and both chemotherapies induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production on SIM-A9 and 4T1. Moreover, caspase activation increases with treatments and its pharmacological blockade inhibits CTX and EPI induced-cell death. Finally, low concentrations of CTX and EPI induce γ-H2AX, and EPI induces cytokine release, NO production and Iba-1 overexpression. These findings indicate that microglia cells are more sensitive to CTX and EPI than BC cells and undergo DNA damage and cell cycle arrest at very low concentrations, moreover EPI induces microglia activation and a pro-inflammatory profile.

Impaired mitochondrial activity explains platelet dysfunction in thrombocytopenic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Severe thrombocytopenia (≤50×10⁹ platelets/L) due to hematological malignancy and intensive chemotherapy is associated with an increased risk of clinically significant bleeding. Since the bleeding risk is not linked to the platelet count only, other hemostatic factors must be involved. We studied platelet function in 77 patients with acute leukemia, multiple myeloma or malignant lymphoma, who experienced chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. Platelets from all patients - independent of disease or treatment type - were to a variable extent compromised in Ca²⁺ flux, integrin a β activation and P-selectin expression when stimulated with a panel^IIbof³ agonists. The patients' platelets were also impaired in spreading on fibrinogen. Whereas the Ca²⁺ store content was unaffected, the patients' platelets showed ongoing phosphatidylserine exposure, which was not due to apoptotic caspase activity. Interestingly, mitochondrial function was markedly reduced in platelets from a representative subset of patients, as evidenced by a low mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.001) and low oxygen consumption (P<0.05), while the mitochondrial content was normal. Moreover, the mitochondrial impairments coincided with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (Spearman's rho=-0.459, P=0.012). Markedly, the impairment of platelet function only appeared after two days of chemotherapy, suggesting origination in the megakaryocytes. In patients with bone marrow recovery, platelet function improved. In conclusion, our findings disclose defective receptor signaling related to impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics, independent of apoptosis, in platelets from cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, explaining the low hemostatic potential of these patients.

Protective Effect of Zingiber officinale Against Dalton's Lymphoma Ascites Tumour by Regulating Inflammatory Mediator and Cytokines

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate Zingiber officinale paste against Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA)-induced tumours in Swiss albino mice. Experimental animals received Z. officinale paste (low dose 100 mg/kg bw and high dose 500 mg/kg bw) orally for eight alternative days. Treatment with Z. officinale paste showed significant increase in haemoglobin level and decrease in aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) level. Z. officinale paste reduced the inflammatory mediators and cytokine levels, such as inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), tumour necrosis factor level (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Treatment with Z. officinale paste also significantly increased the antioxidant enzyme level, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathione transferase (GST), and decreased the lipid peroxidation. Treatment also increased the vitamin C and E levels in treated animals compared with the DLA-bearing host. Histopathological studies also confirmed the protective influence of Z. officinale paste against DLA. The present study suggested that Z. officinale paste could be used as natural spice and a potent antitumour agent.

Impacto da suplementação de vitamina C sobre níveis de peroxidação lipídica e glutationa reduzida em tecido hepático de camundongos com imunossupressão induzida por ciclofosfamida

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar os efeitos da vitamina C sobre níveis de peroxidação lipídica e glutationa reduzida em tecido hepático de camundongos imunossuprimidos por ciclofosfamida. Métodos: O estudo foi realizado em camundongos Swiss, fêmeas, com 45 dias de idade, separados em quatro grupos com oito animais cada. Grupos: controle (água destilada), vitamina C (50 mg/kg), ciclofosfamida (100 + 150 mg/kg) e tratamento (vitamina C 50 mg/kg + ciclofosfamida 100 +150 mg/kg). Todas as aplicações foram via intraperitoneal. O ensaio biológico teve duração de seis dias, sendo o sétimo a eutanásia dos animais. As análises bioquímicas de peroxidação lipídica (quantificação de substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico) e glutationa reduzida (estimativa de tiois não proteicos) foram realizadas em tecido hepático. Resultados: A ciclofosfamida causou aumento significativo (p<0,0001) nos níveis de peroxidação lipídica. Não foram observadas alterações significativas nos grupos tratados com vitamina C. A ciclofosfamida por si só, não alterou níveis de glutationa reduzida. A vitamina C causou a redução do nível de glutationa reduzida em relação ao controle tanto nos animais que receberam ciclofosfamida quanto nos que não receberam. No entanto, nos grupos tratados com o quimioterápico houve uma interação entre a droga e a vitamina, ou seja, o quimioterápico intensificou a diminuição da glutationa reduzida provocada pela vitamina C. Conclusão: A ciclofosfamida, na dose e período utilizados, foi capaz de induzir o dano oxidativo verificado pelo aumento da peroxidação lipídica. A vitamina C, na dose de 50 mg/kg de peso, não apresentou potencial para proteger contra o dano oxidativo provocado pelo quimioterápico.

Anti-tumor effects of Astragalus on hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo

Objective:

The objective of the present study is to investigate the anti-proliferation activity of Astragalus on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells and its mechanism.

Materials and Methods:

Hepatic cancer H22 bearing mice were used to study the anti-hepatocarcinoma activity of Astragalus in vivo. The growth curve and inhibitory rate of tumor growth were measured. Cell apoptosis of each group was measured by flow cytometry (FCM). Protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 13.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL) was used for standard statistical analysis including one-way ANOVA and Student's t-test. A value of P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

Results:

Astragalus significantly inhibited the growth of H22 carcinoma, with an inhibitory rate of 17.28-52.36%. FCM and immunohistochemical assay show that the cell apoptosis rate and protein expression of Bax and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio of H22 transplanted tumor in Astragalus treated group were significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). The protein expression of Bcl-2 was significantly lower than control (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

The results of the present study suggest that Astragalus has significant anti-tumor effect in vivo in inducing apoptosis of H22 tumor cells by promoting protein expression of Bax, decreasing protein expression of Bcl-2 gene, and markedly increasing the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.