The antitumor immune response in HER-2 positive, metastatic breast cancer patients

The aim of this study was to determine the basis for anti-tumor immune reactivity observed in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) (3+) breast carcinoma using an in vitro model in which the role of the HER-2-specific monoclonal antibody Herceptin was also investigated. Patients with metastatic breast cancer who had their primary tumor resected were included in this study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-dependent cytotoxicity in the presence or absence of Herceptin were assessed using the survival of target breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-361 cells as a parameter in a (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. We observed a significant increase in PBMC-dependent cytotoxicity when autologous serum was introduced in the assay. Furthermore, the addition of Herceptin significantly increases their cytotoxicity. These data suggest that autologous serum constitutively contains factors that might affect PBMC-dependent cytotoxic activity against HER-2 positive cancer cells

Phytochemical study and antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer activities of Melanelia subaurifera and Melanelia fuliginosa lichens

© 2016, Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India). The aim of this study was to investigate antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancerous activity of Melanelia subaurifera and Melanelia fuliginosa. The phytochemical analysis was determined by HPLC–UV method. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH and reducing power assay while antimicrobial activity was determined by minimal inhibitory concentration. The cytotoxic activity was tested using MTT method. The method for quantification of 2′-O-methyl anziaic acid and lecanoric acid in these lichens using RF-HPLC was also developed and validated. The depsides (lecanoric acid, gyrophoric acid, atranorin, anziaic acid and 2′-O-methyl anziaic acid), and dibenzofurane (usnic acid) were identified in these lichens. The antioxidant activity (IC50) of lichens extracts ranged from 121.52 to 424.51 μg/ml. 2′-O-Methyl anziaic acid showed the highest antimicrobial activity with MIC ranging from 0.0625 to 1 mg/ml. M. subaurifera extract showed the highest cytotoxic activity against the tested cell lines (IC50 = 9.88 to 31.64 μg/ml)

Novel azo pyridone dyes based on dihydropyrimidinone skeleton: Synthesis, DFT study and anticancer activity

Seven novel azo dyes with 2-pyridone and dihydropyrimidinone moieties have been synthesized and thoroughly characterized. The azo-hydrazone tautomerism has been investigated by experimental and theoretical approaches. The optimizations of geometries have been performed with density functional theory (DFT). The vibrational and NMR spectra were calculated and correlated with experimental ones. Furthermore, quantum chemical descriptors were calculated and MEP maps were plotted to determine biological reactivity of dyes. The antioxidant assay evinced that 5, 6 and 7 are promising antioxidant candidates. In vitro cytotoxic activity was studied against three malignant cell lines: prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3), lung carcinoma (A549) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (K562), as well as against human normal lung fibroblasts (MRC-5), using MTT assay. Examination of cytotoxic effects on human cancer cell lines showed the concentration dependent cytotoxicity of all investigated compounds. The K562 cells were the most sensitive to the cytotoxicity of the compounds 3, 5 and 6, wherein compound 5 was particularly prominent and selective in cytotoxic action between K562 (24.97 mu M) and PC-3 (48.98 mu M) cancer cells, and normal MRC-5 (91.11 mu M) cells. Moreover, the cell cycle analysis of compound 5 was examined in K562 cells, by flow cytometry, to study its mechanism of anticancer action. Finally, in silico evaluation of physicochemical parameters, druglikeness and ADME properties showed that investigated compounds are orally bioavailable with no permeation to the blood brain barrier

Evaluation of In Vitro Cytotoxic Potential of Avarol towards Human Cancer Cell Lines and In Vivo Antitumor Activity in Solid Tumor Models

The goal of this study was to determine the activity in vitro and in vivo of avarol, a sesquiterpene hydroquinone originating from the Dysidea avara sponge from the south Adriatic Sea, against different cancer cell lines and two types of mouse carcinoma. To investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity, a human cervix adenocarcinoma cell line (HeLa), human colon adenocarcinoma (LS174), human non-small-cell lung carcinoma (A549), and a normal human fetal lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5) were used. The in vivo antitumor activity was investigated against two transplantable mouse tumors, the Ehrlich carcinoma (EC) and cervical cancer (CC-5). The effect of avarol on cancer cell survival, which was determined by the microculture tetrazolium test, confirmed a significant in vitro potency of avarol against the investigated cell lines, without selectivity towards MRC-5. The highest cytotoxicity was exhibited against HeLa cancer cells (10.22 ± 0.28 μg/mL). Moreover, potent antitumor activity against two tumor models was determined, as the intraperitoneal administration of avarol at a dose of 50 mg/kg resulted in a significant inhibition of tumor growth in mice. After three administrations of avarol, a 29% inhibition of the EC growth was achieved, while in the case of CC-5, a 36% inhibition of the tumor growth was achieved after the second administration of avarol. Therefore, the results indicate that this marine sesquiterpenoid hydroquinone could be a promising bioactive compound in the development of new anticancer medicine