Currently used in clinical practice beam rate changes have no significant effect on the reduction of clonogenic capacity of PNT1A cells in vitro

Background: Due to the lack of selectivity of ionizing radiation between normal and cancer cells, it is important to improve the existing radiation patterns. Lowering the risk of cancer recurrence and comfort during treatment are priorities in radiotherapy. Materials and methods: In the experiment we used dose verification to determine the irradiation time calculated by a treatment planning system for 6XFFF and 10XFFF beams. Cells cultured under standard conditions were irradiated with a dose of 2 Gy at different beam rates 400 MU/min, 600 MU/min, 800 MU/min, 1000 MU/min, 1400 MU/min,  1600 MU/min and 2400 MU/min using 6XFFF, 10XFFF and 6XFF beams. Results: The experiment was aimed at comparing the biological response of normal prostate cells after clinically applied radiation patterns. No statistically significant differences in the cellular response were observed. The wide range of beam rates as well as the beam profiles did not significantly affect cell proliferation. Conclusions: High beam rates, without significantly affecting the clonogenic capacity of cells, have an impact on the quality of patient's treatment. With the increasing beam rate the irradiation time is shortened, which has an important impact on patients’ health. This experiment can have a practical significance

Primary cancer-associated fibroblasts exhibit high heterogeneity among breast cancer subtypes

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a diverse subset of cells, that is recently gaining in popularity and have the potential to become a new target for breast cancer therapy; however, broader research is required to understand their mechanisms and interactions with breast cancer cells. The goal of the study was to isolate CAFs from breast cancer tumour and characterise isolated cell lines. We concentrated on numerous CAF biomarkers that would enable their differentiation.  Materials and methods: Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to phenotype the primary CAFs. Conclusions: According to our findings, there was no significant pattern in the classification of cancer-associated fibroblasts. The results of biomarkers expression were heterogeneous, thus no specific subtypes were identified. Furthermore, a comparison of cancer-associated fibroblasts derived from different BC subtypes (luminal A and B, triple-negative, HER2 positive) did not  reveal any clear trend of expression

The Role of Gold Nanorods in the Response of Prostate Cancer and Normal Prostate Cells to Ionizing Radiation—In Vitro Model

To increase the efficiency of therapy via enhancing its selectivity, the usage of gold nanorods (GNR) as a factor sensitizing cancer cells to radiation was proposed. Due to gold nanoparticles’ characteristics, the smaller doses of radiation would be sufficient in the treatment, protecting the healthy tissue around the tumor. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gold nanorods on cancer and normal prostate cells and the role of nanorods in the cell response to ionizing radiation. The effect was evaluated by measuring the toxicity, cell cycle, cell granularity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and survival fractions. Nanorods showed a strong toxicity dependent on the concentration and incubation time toward all used cell lines. A slight effect of nanorods on the cycle distribution was observed. The results demonstrated that the administration of nanorods at higher concentrations resulted in an increased level of generated radicals. The results of cellular proliferation after irradiation are ambiguous; however, there are noticeable differences after the application of nanorods before irradiation. The obtained results lead to the conclusion that nanorods affect the physiology of both normal and cancer cells. Nanorods might become a potential tool used to increase the effectiveness of radiation treatmen

Napoje energetyczne wśród młodzieży — tendencja i mechanizmy farmakologiczne niekorzystnego wpływu na układ sercowo-naczyniowy. Przegląd literatury

Energy drinks contain several ingredients with primarily stimulating effects. Consumption of these drinks greatly increased in the last several years, especially among young people. Recently, scientists focused on investigating their safety. Apart from its desirable effects like boosted mental and physical performance, studies show that energy drinks can also cause adverse effects, which currently remain not well described. The purpose of this article was to present current trends in energy drink consumption among young adults and to describe the mechanisms of adverse effects, which might be caused by it. The ingredients of energy drinks, like caffeine, consumed in high doses ( > 200 mg/day), were shown to cause shaking, dizziness, heart palpitations, and sleep disorders. The excessive consumption of energy drinks can also lead to electrolyte imbalance, and heart-related diseases, e.g. myocardial infarction. It is essential to familiarise oneself with the composition of the energy drinks and follow the recommendations for maximum daily intake of substances contained in these drinks. In addition, it is necessary to raise awareness of pharmacological mechanisms of possible side effects and to further the research on the consumption of energy drinks, especially among young people.Napoje energetyczne zawierają wiele różnych składników o działaniu przede wszystkim pobudzającym. Spożycie tego rodzaju napojów znacznie się zwiększyło w ostatnich kilku latach, zwłaszcza wśród młodzieży. Ostatnio naukowcy skupili się na zbadaniu bezpieczeństwa spożywania tych napojów. W badaniach wykazuje się, że oprócz pozytywnych efektów, takich jak zwiększenie wydolności psychicznej i fizycznej, napoje energetyczne mogą również powodować działania niepożądane, które obecnie nie są dobrze opisane. Celem niniejszego artykułu było przedstawienie aktualnych trendów w konsumpcji napojów energetycznych wśród młodych dorosłych oraz opisanie mechanizmów działań niepożądanych, które mogą być przez nie wywoływane. Wykazano, że składniki napojów energetycznych, takie jak kofeina, spożywane w dużych dawkach (> 200 mg/d.) powodują drżenia, zawroty głowy, kołatanie serca i zaburzenia snu. Nadmierne spożycie napojów energetycznych może również prowadzić do zaburzeń równowagi elektrolitowej, a także chorób związanych z układem sercowo-naczyniowym, np. zawału serca. Niezbędne jest zapoznanie się ze składem napojów energetycznych i przestrzeganie zaleceń dotyczących maksymalnego dziennego spożycia substancji zawartych w tych napojach. Ponadto konieczne są zrozumienie mechanizmów farmakologicznych oraz dalsze badania nad możliwymi niepożądanymi skutkami spożywania napojów energetycznych, zwłaszcza wśród młodych osób

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as a multifunctional tool in various cancer therapies

Over the past two decades nanotechnology has become an important part of novel medical research. Researchers have made great progress in developing nanotechnology applications used for detecting and treating oncological diseases. Recently, many research groups have focused on the use of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) in cancer treatment. Due to the range of therapeutic properties and possibilities of various modifications, SPIONs are a promising and multifunctional tool in various cancer therapies and may help to overcome the limitations of conventional therapies. Moreover, it is still necessary to develop new methods of treatment with expected properties, such as lower toxicity, long-lasting effectiveness and higher selectivity. Analyzing the literature data, we found that currently SPIONs are used in the transport of drugs, immunotherapy and hyperthermia. The main aim of this review is to present various cancer treatment therapies utilizing SPIONs, the importance of the experiments carried out by research groups and further perspectives in the nanotechnological use of SPIONs

Additional file 1 of Navigating challenges: optimising methods for primary cell culture isolation

Supplementary Material

Gallic Acid-Functionalized, TiO2-Based Nanomaterial—Preparation, Physicochemical and Biological Properties

Wound healing and skin tissue regeneration remain the most critical challenges faced by medical professionals. Titanium(IV) oxide-based materials were proposed as components of pharmaceutical formulations for the treatment of difficult-to-heal wounds and unsightly scarring. A gallic acid-functionalized TiO2 nanomaterial (TiO2-GA) was obtained using the self-assembly technique and characterized using the following methods: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetry (TG). Additionally, physicochemical and biological tests (DPPH assay, Microtox® acute toxicity test, MTT assay) were performed to assess antioxidant properties as well as to determine the cytotoxicity of the novel material against eukaryotic (MRC-5 pd19 fibroblasts) and prokaryotic (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Aliivibrio fischeri) cells. To determine the photocytotoxicity of the material, specific tests were carried out with and without exposure to visible light lamps (425 nm). Following the results, the TiO2-GA material could be considered an additive to dressings and rinsing suspensions for the treatment of difficult-to-heal wounds that are at risk of bacterial infections