Binding of Proflavine to Deoxyribonucleic Acid and Ribonucleic Acid and its Biological Significance

Proflavin suppresses the growth of human osteosarcoma MG63 cells through apoptosis and autophagy

Proflavin is one of the novel acridine derivatives that possess various pharmacological effects. Although numerous studies have been performed to investigate proflavin, its effects have not been investigated on the human osteosarcoma MG63 cell line. The core aim of the present study was to test the effects of proflavin on the viability of MG63 cells and the induction of apoptosis and autophagy in MG63 cells. The induction of apoptosis was examined by measuring the changes in the expression of the B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein mRNA and proteins. Apoptotic cell death was identified by the proteolytic cleavage of poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase and caspase-3 and caspase-9. In addition, the autophagic effects of proflavin were examined by the quantitation of the mRNA expression of autophagy protein 5 and Beclin 1, in addition to the identification of the accumulation of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II. The present results revealed that proflavin inhibited the proliferation of MG63 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Proflavin-induced cell death was attributed to apoptosis and autophagy. Overall, the present results indicated that the antiseptic agent proflavin exerts anticancer potential through the synergistic activity of apoptosis and autophagy.

Genetic effects of acridine compounds

Acridines and a very large number of acridine derivatives are used in enormous quantities both in medicine and industry. The mutagenic action of these compounds has been demonstrated in a wide variety of organisms and is known to occur both in the dark as well as in the presence of light (photodynamic action). At the molecular level, acridines have been shown to cause frameshift mutations of both the addition and deletion types, a characteristic which has been of tremendous help in elucidating the nature of the genetic code. These and various other biological effects of acridines, such as inhibition of DNA repair, curing of plasmids and cell-growth inhibition, are examined in this review.

Topography and dynamics of synthesis of structural proteins of Newcastle disease virus

Zhdanov, Victor M. (The D. I. Ivanovsky Institute of Virology, Moscow, USSR), Nonna B. Azadova, and Leonid V. Uryvayev. Topography and dynamics of synthesis of structural proteins of Newcastle disease virus. J. Bacteriol. 91:1902-1906. 1966.-Newcastle disease virus S and V antigens are synthesized in the cytoplasm, as revealed by the immunofluorescence method. In some experiments, S antigen was found also in the nucleoli. Actinomycin D moderately decreased the titer of infectious virus and V antigen and accelerated the time of appearance of mature virus. Proflavine sharply decreased the synthesis of both antigens and the release of mature virus.