Apigenin Induces Apoptosis through a Mitochondria/Caspase-Pathway in Human Breast Cancer MDA-MB-453 Cells

In this study, we investigated the mechanistic role of the caspase cascade in extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis induced by apigenin, which has been targeted as a candidate in the development of noncytotoxic anticancer medicines. Treatment with apigenin (1–100 µM) significantly inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-453 human breast cancer cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner with IC50 values of 59.44 and 35.15 µM at 24 and 72 h, respectively. This inhibition resulted in the induction of apoptosis and the release of cytochrome c in cells exposed to apigenin at its 72 h IC50. Subsequently, caspase-9, which acts in mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, was cleaved by apigenin. In addition, apigenin activated caspase-3, which functions downstream of caspase-9. The apigenin-induced activation of caspase-3 was accompanied by the cleavage of capases-6, -7, and -8. These results are supported by evidence showing that the activity patterns of caspases-3, -8, and -9 were similar. The present study supports the hypothesis that apigenin-induced apoptosis involves the activation of both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways

Inquiry into the Australian Government’s role in the Development of Cities

This is a response to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Australian Government’s role in the Development of Cities

Comparisons of ELISA and Western blot assays for detection of autophagy flux

We analyzed autophagy/mitophagy flux in vitro (C2C12 myotubes) and in vivo (mouse skeletal muscle) following the treatments of autophagy inducers (starvation, rapamycin) and a mitophagy inducer (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, CCCP) using two immunodetection methods, ELISA and Western blotting, and compared their working range, accuracy, and reliability. The ELISAs showed a broader working range than that of the LC3 Western blots (Table 1). Table 2 showed that data value distribution was tighter and the average standard error from the ELISA was much smaller than those of the Western blot, directly relating to the accuracy of the assay. Test-retest reliability analysis showed good reliability for three individual ELISAs (interclass correlation, ≥ 0.7), but poor reliability for three individual Western blots (interclass correlation, ≤ 0.4) (Table 3). Keywords: Autophagy, Mitophagy, ELISA, Western blot, Skeletal muscl

Malakoplakia of the Kidney Extending to the Descending Colon in a Patient with Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency: A Case Report

Malakoplakia is an uncommon but distinctive type of chronic granulomatous inflammation that occurs most commonly in the genitourinary tract, especially the urinary bladder. Most patients have associated conditions characterized by some degree of immunosuppression, as seen in solid-organ transplants, autoimmune diseases requiring steroid use, chemotherapy, chronic systemic diseases, alcohol abuse and poorly controlled diabetes. We report an unusual case of the renal malakoplakia that involved the perirenal space, extending to the descending colon in a 65-year-old Korean woman with secondary adrenal insufficiency and diabetes mellitus

Audit market concentration and audit fees: an international investigation

Several large auditor consolidations in the late 1980s-early 1990s, along with Arthur Andersen’s collapse in 2001, facilitated global audit market concentration. Subsequently, regulators have expressed serious concern over the potential detrimental effects of this concentration, including cartel pricing. This study investigates the association between audit market concentration and audit fees. Using a large sample from 17 countries, our study yields three principal findings. First, consistent with regulators’ concern, a significantly positive association exists between market concentration and fees. Second, the country-level legal regime changes this association dramatically: while significant and positive in countries with a weak legal regime, the association weakens and eventually becomes negative as the legal regime strengthens. Third, these associations are more pronounced among clients of non-Big 4 auditors than those of Big 4 auditors. These findings provide regulators and other stakeholders with important insights into the effects of audit market structure on audit pricing