Anticancer property of gallic acid in A549, a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, and possible mechanisms

Gallic acid is widely distributed in plants, fruits and foods with a range of biological activities. In the present study the possible mechanisms of gallic acid anticancer properties were explored in A549, a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line. Our study shows that it inhibited the A549 cell growth and decreased cell viability monitored at 24 h. It also inhibited cell proliferation in dose- and time-dependent manner as measured by 3-[4,5-methylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay at 24 and 48 h. Morphological examination of the cells after gallic acid treatment showed the typical feature of cell death such as cell shrinkage and rounding up of the cells. Clonogenic assay indicated that gallic acid treatments inhibited the colony formation. DNA fragmentation assay indicated the disappearance of the genomic DNA in dose-dependent manner. To find out possible mechanisms, mitochondrial potential and intracellular reactive oxygen species were measured. It was observed that gallic acid treatment decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased intracellular reactive oxygen species. Further caspases activity was measured and it was found that gallic acid activated the caspase-3 but not caspase-8 indicating the involvement of intrinsic pathway of cell apoptosis

Therapy with un-engineered naïve rat umbilical cord matrix stem cells markedly inhibits growth of murine lung adenocarcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality despite continuous efforts to find effective treatments. Data from the American Cancer Society indicate that while the overall incidence of lung cancer is declining, it continues to rise in women. Stem cell-based therapy has been an emerging strategy to treat various diseases. The purpose of this paper is to determine the efficacy of an intrinsic anti-cancer effect of rat umbilical cord matrix stem cells (UCMSCs) on lung cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A mouse syngeneic lung carcinoma model was used to test the basic ability of UCMSCs to control the growth of lung cancer. Lung tumors were experimentally induced by tail vein administration of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells derived from the lung of C57BL/6 mouse. Rat UCMSCs were then administered intratracheally five days later or intravenously on days 5 and 7. The tumor burdens were determined by measuring lung weight three weeks after the treatment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Co-culture of rat UCMSCs with LLC significantly attenuated the proliferation of LLC cells as monitored by MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide), a tetrazole cell proliferation assay, thymidine uptake, and direct cell counts. <it>In vitro </it>colony assays with rat UCMSCs as feeder layers markedly reduced LLC colony size and number. Co-culture of rat UCMSCs with LLCs causes G0/G1 arrest of cancer cells. This is evident in the decrease of cyclin A and CDK2 expression. The <it>in vivo </it>studies showed that rat UCMSC treatment significantly decreased tumor weight and the total tumor mass. Histological study revealed that intratracheally or systemically administered rat UCMSCs homed to tumor areas and survived for at least 3 weeks without any evidence of differentiation or adverse effects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results indicate that rat UCMSCs alone remarkably attenuate the growth of lung carcinoma cells <it>in vitro </it>and in a mouse syngeneic lung carcinoma graft model and could be used for targeted cytotherapy for lung cancer.</p

Some novel approaches for radioprotection and the beneficial effect of natural products

93-114Due to the increased use of ionizing radiation in various aspects of human life especially in areas pertaining to radiotherapy of cancer, food preservation, agriculture, industry and power generation, there is a need to develop an effective and non-toxic radioprotector. The currently available ones have many drawbacks including high cost, side effects and toxicity. Several novel approaches are on to locate a potent radioprotector. These include mimics of antioxidant enzymes, nitroxides, melatonin, growth factors, gene therapy, hyperthermia apart from natural products. The latter has several advantages since they are non-toxic with proven therapeutic benefits. These can be classified as natural compounds and plant extracts; polyherbal formulations; besides natural and semi-natural compounds of plant origin. A review of the above agents, their efficacy in radioprotection and possible mechanisms responsible has been carried out. As India and many Eastern countries have an enormous heritage of vast natural dietary and time tested medicinal resources it is worth exploring the possibility of developing efficient, economically viable and clinically acceptable radioprotectors for human application from these resources

Radiation-induced oxidative stress regulates protein synthesis by modulating the expression of heme-regulated eIF2α kinase in human K562 cells

95-103Inhibition of protein synthesis executed at the initiation step is the overall response of cells during stress. Here, we evaluated the effect of gamma radiation induced oxidative stress on protein synthesis in human K562 cells. In erythroid cells such as K562, the heme-regulated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) kinase, also called the heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI), is abundant and is instrumental in regulating protein synthesis. We, therefore, examined the modulation of expression and activity of HRI in K562 cells at various time points following their exposure to 6 Gy of gamma radiation. Radiation-induced oxidative stress was reflected by a dose-dependent increase in the intracellular reactive oxygen species with time up to 6 h. Further, cell membrane damage in terms of lipid peroxidation and lipid hydroperoxide formation was also observed. Interestingly, radiation induced oxidative stress led to a significant decrease in the rate of protein synthesis caused due to induced activation as well as expression of HRI within 1 h. Furthermore, radiation exposure also caused increased expression of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) in 1 h. These results have demonstrated shutdown of global protein synthesis in K562 cells during radiation induced oxidative stress, mediated by overexpression and activation of HRI possibly caused by Hsp90

Blue Light-Emitting Si Quantum Dots with Mesoporous and Amorphous Features: Origin of Photoluminescence and Potential Applications

Recently, Si quantum dots (QDs) with porous and amorphous characteristics have shown tremendous potential applications in photovoltaics and biomedical fields. However, in general, their preparation involves meticulous synthetic procedures. Herein, we present the first report of the synthesis of Si QDs in aqueous solution with amorphous and porous features using γ-ray irradiation, which is a facile, one-pot, and reproducible approach. Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated the formation of a shell of Si oxides (SiO_<i>x</i>, 0 < <i>x</i> < 2) surrounding the Si core. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method confirmed the formation of mesoporous structure with a specific surface area of ∼53 m²/g. The average size of the QDs was <2 nm, as determined from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, the size of the QDs could be tuned by varying the dose, as was indicated from the shift in their absorption peaks. The QDs displayed bright blue emission under ultraviolet light. Detailed and systematic investigations involving various sets of experiments such as aging, annealing, acid treatment, and temperature-dependent PL studies of the QDs indicate the origin of the blue photoluminescence (PL) is the radiative processes originating from the defects located in the oxide shell as well as at/or near the Si/SiO_<i>x</i> interface. This has been further substantiated from the size-independent emission spectra at various absorbed doses and short PL lifetime (in nanoseconds). Nonetheless, these QDs showed highly sensitive and robust thermosensing properties, as their PL intensity varied linearly and reproducibly with temperature, ranging from 278 to 338 K. In addition, the QDs were found to be noncytotoxic and therefore can be utilized in cell imaging. Furthermore, the blue PL and the nontoxic aspects of these QDs can be utilized in anticounterfeiting measures, the potential application of which is also demonstrated in this work. The possible mechanism behind the formation of Si QDs and the role of the total dose in the introduction of mesoporous and amorphous features are proposed and explained in this paper

Effect of Temporal Variation in Mineralization of Nutrients through Sewage Sludge, Farm Yard Manure and Vermicompost in Soil

Soil amendment by organic matter (O.M.) has been widely accepted as an efficient nutrient-management technique in agriculture. The study was conducted as pot culture experiment at the Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Barkachha Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U.) Mirzapur, which is located in the Vindhyan zone of Mirzapur district at 25º 10” latitude, 82º 37” longitude with an altitude of 427 meters above the sea level. The soils of the study region are mostly having poor fertility and shallow depth. Different sources of organic manures Sewage Sludge (S.S), Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and Vermi-Compost (V.C.) with different doses (10, 20 and 30 grams) were applied in pot along with soil and were incubated for 90 days. Required amount of water was added to soil in order to keep it moist as and when required. pH, electrical conductivity(E.C) , O.M. and nutrient content (N, P, K and S) had shown significant changes due to different treatments applied in soil. Applications of organic amendments in this study indicated considerable changes in the basic soil physio-chemical properties, different levels of available nutrient and their release pattern. With increase in doses of S.S and V.C. soil pH also increased but, it was decreased with increase in doses of FYM. Increase in the dose of S.S., F.Y.M. and V.C. had increased the E.C. and O.M. of soil. The available N content decreased with increase in the incubation interval. The available P increased from 30 Days After Incubation (DAI) to 60 DAI but it decreased at 90 DAI. Availability of S content increased with increase in duration of incubation period