Anti-fibrotic effects of curcumin and some of its analogues in the heart.

Cardiac fibrosis stems from the changes in the expression of fibrotic genes in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) in response to the tissue damage induced by various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) leading to their transformation into active myofibroblasts, which produce high amounts of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins leading, in turn, to excessive deposition of ECM in cardiac tissue. The excessive accumulation of ECM elements causes heart stiffness, tissue scarring, electrical conduction disruption and finally cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. Curcumin (Cur; also known as diferuloylmethane) is a polyphenol compound extracted from rhizomes of Curcuma longa with an influence on an extensive spectrum of biological phenomena including cell proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, pathogenesis, chemoprevention, apoptosis, angiogenesis and cardiac pathological changes. Cumulative evidence has suggested a beneficial role for Cur in improving disrupted cardiac function developed by cardiac fibrosis by establishing a balance between degradation and synthesis of ECM components. There are various molecular mechanisms contributing to the development of cardiac fibrosis. We presented a review of Cur effects on cardiac fibrosis and the discovered underlying mechanisms by them Cur interact to establish its cardio-protective effects

Analysis of effects of Omega-3, -6 and -9 fatty acids on expression of ErK protein relating to MAPK signaling pathway in SK-OV-3 cell line, relating to ovarian cancer

Despite recent progress in cancer treatment, cancer still remains as a major public health problem in many parts of the world. Epithelial ovarian cancer is one of the most mortal and treat-resistant cancers among gynecological cancers. A novel approach to chemotherapy has the potential to yield novel dietary-drug, dietary-dietary and/or drug-drug combinations that can provide additive or even synergistic protection against the progression of cancers. There is considerable evidence that unsaturated fatty acids, in addition to their role as an energy source, might affect both cancer development and progression. In this study we investigated cytotoxic effects of n-3, n-6 and n-9 unsaturated fatty acids on SKOV-3 (human ovarian adenocarcinoma) cell line by MTT assay. Using an Annexin-V-FLOUS staining kit, we evaluated apoptosis induction in these cells. Finally, we performed western blotting for ErK and phospho-ErK in order to investigate the impact of unsaturated fatty acids on MAPK signaling pathway. The MTT results showed that Linoleic acid (LA, n-6) and Oleic acid (OA, n-9) at concentrations lower than 500 µM promoted cell proliferation and were cytotoxic at higher concentrations. On the other hand, Alpha-linolenic (ALA, n-3) acid and Arachidonic acid (AA, n-6) had no effect on SKOV-3 cell proliferation at concentrations used. Also, it has been clarified cytotoxic effects of LA and OA is due to their ability to induce apoptosis. Following western blotting it has been determined that LA and OA reduced ErK activation

The Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Atherosclerosis: Prospects for Therapy via the Modulation of Inflammatory Milieu

Atherosclerosis is a chronic, inflammatory disease that mainly affects the arterial intima. The disease is more prevalent in middle-age and older individuals with one or more cardiovascular risk factors, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and others. The beginning and development of atherosclerosis has been associated with several immune components, including infiltration of inflammatory cells, monocyte/macrophage-derived foam cells, and inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) originate from several tissue sources of the body and have self-renewal and multipotent differentiation characteristics. They also have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, it was shown that MSCs have a regulatory role in plasma lipid levels. In addition, MSCs have shown to have promising potential in terms of treatment strategies for several diseases, including those with an inflammatory component. In this regard, transplantation of MSCs to patients with atherosclerosis has been proposed as a novel strategy in the treatment of this disease. In this review, we summarize the current advancements regarding MSCs for the treatment of atherosclerosis