The effect of iron- gold core shell magnetic nanoparticles on the sensitization of breast cancer cells to irradiation

Herein, iron-gold core shell magnetic nanoparticles Fe@Au NPs was investigated as contrasting agent in radiation therapy in the breast cancer. Assessment of cytotoxic and radio sensitizing potential was done by MTT method and Flow cytometry. Radiation was done using Co 60 source. The response of cells to treatment with radiation alone and radiation with nanoparticles was assessed. The study demonstrates that Fe@Au nanoparticles do not have considerable cytotoxic effects, but they increase the effectiveness of radiation that means the survival of the group without nanoparticles exposed to 5 Gy radiations is 75%while the group with nanoparticles is 33%. With 2 Gy radiations the survival of the two groups are 87% and 80% respectively.                                                                               

D, L-Sulforaphane loaded Fe3O4@ gold core shell nanoparticles: A potential sulforaphane delivery system

A novel design of gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles was fabricated as a potential delivery system to improve the efficiency and stability of d, l-sulforaphane as an anticancer drug. To this purpose, the surface of gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles was modified for sulforaphane delivery via furnishing its surface with thiolated polyethylene glycol-folic acid and thiolated polyethylene glycol-FITC. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by different techniques such as FTIR, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The average diameters of the synthesized nanoparticles before and after sulforaphane loading were obtained ∼ 33 nm and ∼ 38 nm, respectively, when ∼ 2.8 mmol/g of sulforaphane was loaded. The result of cell viability assay which was confirmed by apoptosis assay on the human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 line) as a model of in vitro-cancerous cells, proved that the bare nanoparticles showed little inherent cytotoxicity, whereas the sulforaphane-loaded nanoparticles were cytotoxic. The expression rate of the anti-apoptotic genes (bcl-2 and bcl-xL), and the pro-apoptotic genes (bax and bak) were quantified, and it was found that the expression rate of bcl-2 and bcl-xL genes significantly were decreased when MCF-7 cells were incubated by sulforaphane-loaded nanoparticles. The sulforaphane-loaded into the designed gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles, acceptably induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells

The Role of TIMP-2 Gene in Skin Cancer

Background and purpose: Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. Several studies suggest a high incidence of skin cancer in most countries. TIMP-2 is the tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase and exist in both cancer and normal cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of TIMP-2 gene in patients with skin cancer and evaluating the association between the expression of this gene and the disease progression. Materials and methods: In this study 60 FFPE samples of skin cancer (n=30) and noncarcinoma cases (n=30) were collected from Tehran Milad Hospital. The cancer patients aged 30 to 80 years old. RNA was extracted using RNX solution, and then cDNA synthesis was carried out by Oligo dT and Random Hexamer primers and MMulV enzyme. The gene expression was evaluated by Real-time PCR. Results: The TIMP-2 gene expression in carcinoma samples increased 1.13 folds compared to normal tissue samples. Also a direct correlation was seen between tumor size and TIMP-2 gene expression. In fact the gene expression in tumors= 2 cm was more than 6.72 compared with normal samples (P<0.0005). The mean expression levels of TIMP-2 gene in tumors<1 cm and 1-2 cm were 0.57 and 1.003, respectively (P< 0.001). Moreover, the TIMP-2 gene expression was found to be higher in male. Conclusion: According to current findings, expression of TIMP-2 gene has a considerable role in skin cancer development. In other words, the gene expression increases by increase in tumor size and patients age. So, it seems that TIMP-2 gene expression could be a reliable biomarker for evaluation of skin cancer in early stages

Evaluation of NAT1 gene expression and methylation in the blood of people with breast cancer

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the biggest health problems of women all over the world. Today, with the dramatic advancements made in this regard, we can see the increase in the life expectancy of women with this cancer. The current study aimed at investigating the NAT1 gene expression and methylation in the blood of people with breast cancer. This gene and its family, namely the group of NATs, especially NAT2 and NAT3, are one of the few genes that participate in the interaction of cancers such as breast by producing enzymes that carry factors such as oxygen and nitrogen, and their effect on carcinogens. Methods and Materials: In the current study, the rate of NAT1 gene expression is investigated by the use of the Real-time PCR technique. The methylation of NAT1 gene promoter is also evaluated by the use of MS PCR technique and blood samples of people with breast cancer and normal people among the Iranian population.&nbsp

Antiplasmodial Property of Glycyrrhiza glabra Traditionally Used for Malaria in Iran: Promising Activity with High Selectivity Index for Malaria

Background: Development of resistance against the frontline anti-malarial drugs has created an alarming situation, which requires intensive drug discovery to develop new, more effective, affordable and accessible anti-malarial agents. The aim of this study was to assess antiplasmodial activity of the different fractions of root extract of Glycyr­rhiza glabra.Methods: Roots of G. glabra were collected from Tarom district of Zanjan Province in 2016 and then dried root ma­terial was chopped and consecutively extracted by the percolation method using solvents of different polarity. Result­ing extracts were assessed for in vitro and in vivo anti-malarial and cell cytotoxicity activities.Results: Among the three different solvent fractions studied, water-methanol and ethyl acetate fractions showed promising in vitro antiplasmodial activity against CQ-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain (IC50= 9.95 and 13µg/ml, respectively). Further, the selectivity indices (HeLa cells versus P. falciparum) for the promising water-methanol fraction showed selectivity for P. falciparum and potential safer therapy for human. Interestingly, water-methanol and ethyl acetate fractions showed a significant suppression of parasite growth (72.2% and 65%, respec­tively) in comparison with control group in mice infected with P. berghei (P&lt; 0.05).Conclusion: The promising antiplasmodial activity of the aqueous fraction of G. glabra obtained in our study war­rant bioassay-guided fractionation of this fraction to identify active principles responsible for antiplasmodial activity.</p

Simple and Sensitive High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) Method for the Determination of the Apigenin from Dried Powder of Cosmos Bipinnatus, Apium Graveolens and Petroselinum Crispum: Determination of Apigenin in dried powder of plants

Apigenin is best known as an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO), an intracellular enzyme associated with the outer membrane of mitochondria. The purpose of this study is to establish a reliable and quick method for the assignment of apigenin in Cosmos bipinnatus, Apium graveolens, and Petroselinum crispum by HPLC. A rapid and sensitive HPLC method has been developed for determination of apigenin. Mobile phase was composed water-acetonitrile (55:45 v/v) with a flow rate of 1 ml/min and the eluted peaks were detected by a UV detector set at wavelength of 340 nm. The method was validated in the range of apigenin concentrations from 0.01 to 500 μg/ml and the limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) of the method were 0.005 and 0.01 μg/ml, respectively. The average recovery throughout the linear concentration range was 97.28 percent and the averages for within-run and between-run accuracy values were 99.32 and 96.79 respectively. The method is quick, simple, sensitive, and precise for the screen, assignment, and evaluation of apigenin in plants by HPLC