Search NEL Online

Evaluation Studies 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 53-56 PubMed PMID: 17159779 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antimutagenic Agents:pharmacology, Antineoplastic Agents:pharmacology, Cell Proliferation:drug effects, Cell Survival:drug effects, Cisplatin:pharmacology, Cynara scolymus:chemistry, Drosophila melanogaster, Drug Synergism, Female, Male, Mice, Mu.   

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the extract isolated from the artichoke Cynara cardunculus L. (ECC) had antimutagenic effect and was able to enhance the therapeutic effect of cytostatic drug cis-platinum (cis-Pt).

METHODS: The potential antimutagenic activity of ECC was assayed by a test on sex-linked recessive lethal mutations detection in Drosophila melanogaster males treated with ethylmethane sulfonate (EMS). The possible enhancement of cytostatic/cytotoxic effect of cis-Pt by ECC was evaluated in the cell revitalization assay by measuring cell viability via Trypan blue exclusive assay using mouse leukemia cells L1210.

RESULTS: EMS was both toxic and genotoxic in D. melanogaster males. It statistically significantly increased the frequency of sex-linked recessive lethal mutations in comparison to the negative control. Furthermore, ECC statistically significantly reduced the genotoxic effect of EMS. It acted in a desmutagenic manner via EMS inactivation. In the cell revitalization assay, ECC enhanced the cytotoxic/cytostatic effect of cis-Pt. The therapeutic potential of ECC was established on the basis of statistically significantly lowered recovery of cis-Pt pre-treated mouse leukemia cells in the presence of ECC.

CONCLUSIONS: The results imply that the extract isolated from artichoke C. cardunculus L. has marked beneficial activities antimutagenic and therapeutic effect enhancing) and its potential biomedical application in the combination therapy of cancer and some neurodegenerative diseases may be suggested....

Read abstract

Comparative Study 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 48-52 PubMed PMID: 17159778 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antineoplastic Agents:pharmacology, Apoptosis:drug effects, Cell Cycle:drug effects, Cell Proliferation:drug effects, Female, Guinea Pigs, HeLa Cells, Humans, Mice, Mice, Inbred ICR, Rabbits, Salivary Glands:chemistry, Ticks:chemistry, Tissue Ext.   

OBJECTIVES: The anti-proliferative and apoptotic potential of salivary gland extracts (SGE) of unfed and partially fed adult ixodid ticks were screened using human HeLa cells.

METHODS: Cell growth inhibition activity of SGE was measured by the MTT assay. Cell cycle analysis and quantification of DNA fragmentation was performed by DNA staining with propidium iodide. Annexin V-FITC was used to detect apoptotic cells.

RESULTS: SGE of all ticks examined suppressed HeLa cell proliferation in a dose dependent manner. Extracts from 2-day fed R. appendiculatus females (IC(50) 0.22 mg/ml SGE soluble protein) and 9-day fed A. variegatum females (IC(50) 0.30 mg/ml) were most potent. Species-specific differences in the anti-proliferative effects of SGE were revealed, suggesting that the amount of active compounds in tick salivary glands change during feeding. Total apoptosis (about 12%) and no significant alteration in cell cycle were confirmed for SGE of A. variegatum and R. appendiculatus, and additionally SGE of 5-day fed I. ricinus females (IC(50) 0.64 mg/ml).

CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that tumour cell growth suppressant(s) and/or apoptotic triggers are present in tick salivary glands, however, further research into the characteristics and mode of action of such natural substances is necessary....

Read abstract

Journal Article 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 40-43 PubMed PMID: 17159776 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antioxidants:analysis, Asbestos:toxicity, Cell Survival:drug effects, Chemokine CCL2:metabolism, Chemokine CCL4, Chemokines:metabolism, Glutathione Peroxidase:analysis, Glutathione Reductase:analysis, Inhalation Exposure, Lung:chemistry, Macropha.   

OBJECTIVES: Activity of cytoplasmatic superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase,- and reductase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and expression of macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 and macrophage inhibitory protein-1alpha was determined in primary culture of rat alveolar macrophages and type II pneumocytes after exposure to stone-wool, wollastonite and crocidolite (blue asbestos).

METHODS: The activity of redox enzymes was examined by RANDOX kits, chemokines were studied by ELISA.

RESULTS: The UICC crocidolite (positive control) decreased the activity of all redox enzymes and increased the expression of chemokines, whereas the two asbestos substituents did not alter the activity of redox enzymes either in the alveolar macrophages or pneumocytes. Stone-wool and wollastonite moderately increased the expression of chemokines in both cells.

CONCLUSIONS: The redox status and production of chemokines changed in the opposite direction, presumably owing to stronger toxic effect of asbestos. These data suggest that stone-wool and wollastonite, as potential substituents for asbestos, are less toxic than the human carcinogenic and fibrogenic crocidolite....

Read abstract

Comparative Study 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 31-34 PubMed PMID: 17159774 Citation  Keywords:  Hyaluronic Acid:chemistry, Hydrogen Peroxide:pharmacology, Manganese Compounds:pharmacology, Models, Biological, Molecular Weight, Oxides:pharmacology, Peroxynitrous Acid:chemical synthesis, Viscosity,.   

OBJECTIVES: This contribution presents the results of the kinetics of HA degradation by peroxynitrite, which represents one of the main reactive oxygen species degrading various biomacromolecules under inflammatory conditions.

METHODS: Two simple procedures have been adapted to prepare sodium peroxynitrite: the first containing an excess of H(2)O(2), and the second in which the H(2)O(2) excess had been decomposed by MnO(2) treatment. The kinetics of hyaluronan degradation by action of peroxynitrite was monitored by rotational viscometry.

RESULTS: High-molecular-weight hyaluronan was degraded by peroxynitrite. The degradation was increased in the presence of ONOO(-) previously treated by MnO(2) in order to remove residual hydrogen peroxide. One of the reasons of this finding could be that by the action of the residual metal the pathway of ONOO(-) decomposition starts to be manifested immediately on mixing traces of metals originally present in the HA sample with the ions of manganese.

CONCLUSIONS: Trace amounts of transition metal(s) should be taken into consideration on evaluating the experimental results. Purchase of the marketed peroxynitrite product appears to be the appropriate approach to simplify and standardize the quality of ONOONa....

Read abstract

Evaluation Studies 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 23-26 PubMed PMID: 17159772 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antioxidants:analysis, Body Weight:drug effects, Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid:chemistry, Ceramics:toxicity, Glutathione Peroxidase:analysis, Inhalation Exposure:analysis, Lung:chemistry, Lung Diseases:chemically induced, Male, Mineral Fibers:toxi.   

OBJECTIVES: The programmes of asbestos replacement brought the need to use other fibres for insulation or reinforcement of material. The aim of the presented study was to follow the effect of refractory ceramic fibres (RCF3) alone or in combination with cigarette smoke (CS) on antioxidant status of the lung in experiment on animals. As free radicals are supposed to play a role in pathogenesis of lung diseases and the toxicity of particles has been associated with production of reactive oxygen species, the antioxidant status may serve as marker of lung injury. Our hypothesis was that the effect of combined exposure to RCF3 and CS will be additive or synergic.

DESIGN: Scheme of experiment: Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups per 6 animals: control, intratracheal exposure to 4 mg of RCF3, inhalatory exposure to mainstream of cigarette smoke from 8 standard research 1R1 cigarettes per day, and both intratracheal exposure to RCF3 and inhalatory to CS. The exposure lasted 6 months, the inhalatory exposure was performed 5 times per week. After finishing the exposure bronchoalveolar lavage of lungs was performed and ascorbic acid, superoxide dismutase, glutathione and glutathione peroxidase were determined in lung tissue and cell free fraction of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).

RESULTS: The results showed that the most sensitive indicator of changes in antioxidant status was glutathione, which was changed in all groups both in BALF and lung tissue homogenate....

Read abstract

Evaluation Studies 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 18-22 PubMed PMID: 17159771 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Antineoplastic Agents:pharmacokinetics, Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System:chemistry, DNA Adducts:metabolism, Ellipticines:pharmacokinetics, Metabolic Detoxication, Phase I, Microsomes, Liver:chemistry, Models, Biological, NADP:chemistry, NADPH-Ferri.   

OBJECTIVES: Ellipticine is a potent antineoplastic agent exhibiting multiple action mechanisms. Recently, we found that after cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated oxidation ellipticine forms covalent DNA adducts. Ellipticine oxidation by isolated CYP and its binding to DNA is the target of this study.

METHODS: High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed for separation and characterization of ellipticine metabolites generated by CYPs. The (32)P-postlabeling technique was utilized to determine ellipticine-DNA adducts.

RESULTS: Purified CYP enzymes reconstituted with NADPH:CYP reductase oxidized ellipticine to up to five metabolites, 7-hydroxy-, 9-hydroxy-, 12-hydroxy-, 13-hydroxyellipticine and ellipticine N(2)-oxide. However, only CYP1A1 was capable to form all metabolites. Using the reconstituted enzymatic system, we demonstrated that the detoxication ellipticine metabolites, 7-hydroxyellipticine and 9-hydroxyellipticine, are mainly generated by CYP1A1 and 1A2, while those responsible for DNA binding, 13-hydroxy-, 12-hydroxyellipticine and ellipticine N(2)-oxide, by CYP3A1 and 2C3. Likewise, the most efficient CYPs forming DNA adducts from ellipticine were CYP3A1 and 2C3.

CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that the system of purified CYPs reconstituted with NADPH: CYP reductase proved for ellipticine oxidation provide a true reflection of the situation in the microsomal membrane....

Read abstract

Journal Article 2006; 27(Suppl 2): 14-17 PubMed PMID: 17159770 Citation  Keywords:  Adenine:metabolism, Animals, Colon:drug effects, Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1:metabolism, DNA, Single-Stranded:metabolism, Electrochemistry, Enzyme Activation:drug effects, Flavonoids:metabolism, Guanidine:metabolism, Male, Microsomes, Liver:drug effects, Mode.   

OBJECTIVES: Flavonoids are widely accepted as health promoting phytochemicals, however, some flavonoids show ability of direct interaction with DNA and/or enhance carcinogen activation into DNA modifying agents. Thus, their potential harmful effect on the human body should be examined in detail.

METHODS: Direct interaction of flavonoids (quercetin, rutin) with DNA was examined using square wave voltammetry on carbon paste electrode. Induction effect of selected flavonoids on content of cytochrome P450 1A1, carcinogens activating enzyme, in colon and liver microsomal samples of animals exposed to flavonoids was determined by Western blotting, using anti-cytochrome P450 1A1 specific antibody.

RESULTS: Of the natural flavonoids tested, induction of CYP1A1 was elicited by the typical citrus flavonoid naringenin in the colon, as well as by flavone in the liver. Moreover, synthetic beta-naphthoflavone and naturally occurring chrysin, quercetin and diosmin induced CYP1A1 in both tissues. The oxidation signals of guanine and adenine in the DNA molecule were decreased in the presence of flavonoids.

CONCLUSIONS: Although flavonoids are often considered to be safe because of their "plant origin", ingestion of flavonoids should be taken with caution. Enhanced expression of CYP1A1 in colon tissue might be responsible for increasing incidence of colorectal carcinoma in humans. Electrochemistry can be used to study the interactions of flavonoids and DNA....

Read abstract

Journal Article 2006; 27(Suppl 1): 36-39 PubMed PMID: 16804515 Citation  Keywords:  Biopsy, Breast Neoplasms:chemistry, Case-Control Studies, Female, Humans, Metals:pharmacokinetics,.   

OBJECTIVES: High levels of transition metals such as iron, nickel, chromium, copper, and lead are closely related to free radical generation, lipid peroxidation, formation of DNA strand breaks, and tumor growth in cellular systems. In order to determine the correlation to malignant growth in humans, we investigated the accumulation of heavy metals in 20 breast cancer biopsies and compared the findings to the levels found in 8 healthy biopsies.

METHODS: The concentration of transition metals in breast cancer and control biopsies was assessed by a standardized Atomic Absorption Spectrofotometry technique with acidic hydrolysis for sample preparation. Additionally, heavy metal analysis in control biopsies was also performed with an Inductive Coupled Plasma--Mass Spectroscopy technique. For statistical analysis of the results, the Mann-Whitney U Test was applied.

RESULTS: A highly significant accumulation of iron (p<0.0001), nickel (p<0.00005), chromium (p<0.00005), zinc (p<0.00001), cadmium (p<0.005), mercury (p<0.005), and lead (p< 0.05) was found in the cancer samples when compared to the control group. Copper and silver showed no significant differences to the control group, whereas tin, gold, and palladium were not detectable in any biopsies.

CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that pathological accumulation of transition metals in breast tissue may be closely related to the malignant growth process....

Read abstract  Full text PDF