Apoptosis induction by Pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.) Singer extracts on colorectal cancer cell lines

Pleurotus sajor-caju (PSC) is an edible mushroom used in food supplements, presenting antitumor properties through induction of cell death pathways. The PSC potential against colorectal cancer was analyzed by exposing HCT116wt cells to different PSC extracts. The PSC n-hexane extract (PSC-hex) showed the highest cytotoxicity effect (IC50 value 0.05 mg/mL). The observed cytotoxicity was then associated to apoptosis-promoting and cell cycle-arrest pathways. PSC-hex was able to induce apoptosis related to breakdown of mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS generation. The absence of cytotoxicity in HTC116-p53 and HTC116-Bax cells, alongside with an increase in p53, Bax and Caspase-3 expression, and decrease in Bcl-2 expression, supports that the proapoptotic effect is probably induced through a p53 associated pathway. PSC-hex induced cell cycle arrest at G2/ M in HCT116wt without cytotoxicity in HTC116-p21 cells. These findings suggest that a p21/p53 cell cycle regulation pathway is probably disrupted by compounds present on PSC-hex. Identification of the major components was then performed with ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol representing 30.6% of total weight. In silico docking studies of ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β against Bcl-2 were performed and results show a credible interaction with the Bcl-2 hydrophobic cleft. The results show that PSC-hex can be used as supplementary food for adjuvant therapy in colorectal carcinoma.The authors thank Dr. Larsen (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale) for the gift of HCT116-Bax, HCT116-p21 and HCT116-p53 cells. The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013) and L. Barros contract. T.C. Finimundy thanks CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil (CAPES fellow, process number 88881.134581/ 2016–01). This work is supported by a grant from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Fundaçãoinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adipose tissue-derived stem cell autologous grafts: a new approach to application in the treatment of burn victims and reconstructive plastic surgery

In Brazil, 1 million burn accidents occur annually, and subsequent wound infections account for 75% cases of deaths among these patients, in addition to inducing deformities in the affected areas. Therefore, the aim of this study was to discuss the current status of mesenchymal stem cells, with an emphasis on adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), in combination with plasma gel, glue fibrin, and membranes (scaffold). The use of gels and membranes supports cell growth, and aims at potential application in reconstructive plastic surgery for the treatment of burn patients or individuals requiring skin grafts. This study explores and discusses the role of mesenchymal stem cells, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells, glue fibrin, plasma gel, and the scaffold. This research collected information from the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and PubMed. A considerable number of articles have been published on burn treatment. However, there is little research on burn treatment with ADSCs, glue fibrin, plasma gel, and scaffold. An ADSC autograft combined with a biological dressing is promising in reconstructive plastic surgery for the treatment and recovery of burn patients or individuals with other injuries that require skin grafts. These features can reduce pain and aid in drying of the lesion, thus promoting neovascularization and wound reepithelialization

Multifunctions of Pleurotus sajor-caju (Fr.) Singer: a highly nutritious food and a source for bioactive compounds

A study with Pleurotus sajor-caju was conducted to: evaluate the nutritional and chemical composition of the fruiting bodies; optimize the preparation of bioactive phenolic extracts; and characterize the optimized extract in terms of bioactive compounds and properties. P. sajor-caju revealed an equilibrated nutritional composition with the presence of hydrophilic (sugars and organic acids) and lipophilic (tocopherols and PUFA) compounds. p-Hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric and cinnamic acids were identified in the extract obtained with ethanol (30 g/l ratio) at 55 °C for 85 min. This extract showed antioxidant properties (mainly reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibition), antibacterial activity against MRSA and MSSA and cytotoxicity against NCI-H460, MCF-7 and HeLa. Furthermore, as the extract showed capacity to inhibit NO production in Raw 264.7 macrophages, molecular docking studies were performed to provide insights into the anti-inflammatory mechanism of action, through COX-2 inhibition by the phenolic acids identified.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Program PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013) and for L. Barros and R. Calhelha contracts. T.C. Finimundy thanks CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil (CAPES fellow, process number 88881.134581/2016-01). To Xunta de Galicia for financial support for the post-doctoral researcher of M.A. Prieto.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Overview of sterilization methods for UHMWPE through surface analysis

The sterilization process is essential for the use of biomaterials in the human body in order to avoid contamination. However, the effect of such required pretreatment on the surface must be also evaluated since some modifications may cause a shortened lifespan of this material or changes in properties of interest. Moreover, improvements in sterilization techniques may even enhance properties while the surface is cleaned. The thorough understanding of the effect that the sterilization processes have on the surface of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), widely used biomaterial in orthopedic joint prosthesis, is, therefore, a key study since some modifications during traditional sterilization could be a major problem for patients who have undergone arthroplasty surgery. This work brings a comprehensive study on sterilization techniques already available and extensively used (hydrogen peroxide plasma, ethylene oxide, steam autoclave) and a comparison with results obtained for recently developed cold plasma-based sterilization technique. The effects of the processes have been extensively compiled by data obtained for thermal analysis, nanoscale wear and friction, physicochemical, topographical, wettability, and in vitro cytotoxicity experiments. An overall outlook on the set of samples points out to cold plasma oxidation (CPO) being an adequate and potential candidate for improving wear resistance, while maintaining thermal stability and a restrained adhesion of L929 cells, provoked by its hydrophilicity and larger surface area

Human papillomavirus and infections of the lower genital tract in women with abnormal cervical cytological examination = Papilomavírus humano e infecções do trato genital inferior em mulheres com exame colpocitológico anormal

Objetivos: Estudar as associações da positividade para o DNA de papilomavírus humano (HPV) no trato genital inferior feminino com as vaginites por Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida sp. e Trichomonas vaginalis e com a presença de possíveis fatores de risco para infecção por HPV. Métodos: O estudo foi realizado com 208 pacientes com exame colpocitológico anormal atendidas no Serviço de Ginecologia do Ambulatório Central da Universidade de Caxias do Sul analisando a presença do DNA de HPV através de reação em cadeia da polimerase e associando os resultados aos diagnósticos de infecção vaginal obtidos nos prontuários das pacientes. Resultados: Foi detectado DNA de HPV em 60,1% de todos os casos analisados, sendo que 93% apresentaram infecções simples e 6,9% apresentaram infecções múltiplas. Dezessete tipos virais foram identificados, sendo HPV16 o mais frequente (38,8%). Pelo menos uma das vaginites investigadas foi observada em 57,2% dos pacientes. Gardnerella vaginalis foi encontrada em 45,7%, Candida sp. em 20,2%, e Trichomonas vaginalis em 3,8% das pacientes examinadas. Não foi observada nenhuma associação estatística entre a presença do DNA de HPV e outras infecções do trato genital inferior ou fatores sociodemográficos de risco. Conclusões: Não houve associação da infecção pelo HPV com outras infecções do trato genital feminino nem com características sociodemográficas. Múltiplas infecções com até cinco tipos de HPV foram observadas em uma pequena parcela das mulheres. É difícil definir claramente um grupo de risco para a infecção por HPV. Todas as mulheres com exame colpocitológico anormal são possíveis portadoras do HPV e de outras infecções do trato genital inferio