Nuclear Factor-kappa B as a Resistance Factor to Platinum-Based Antineoplasic Drugs

Platinum drugs continue to be major chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment. Nevertheless, acquired or intrinsic resistance to these compounds is common in human tumors. One important mechanism for this resistance is the avoidance of cells entering the apoptotic pathway. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B, NF-κB) is a pleiotropic transcription factor key in determining the death threshold of human cells. This factor is important in the final response of cells to platinum drugs, as exemplified by in vitro and in vivo models showing that inhibition of NF-κB sensitizes cancer cells to the effects of these drugs. New approaches focusing on the inhibition of NF-κB could help to minimize or even eliminate intrinsic or acquired resistance to platinum drugs

Tumor Microenvironment Role in Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy with a majority of patients presenting with unresectable or metastatic disease, resulting in a poor 5-year survival rate. This, in turn, is due to a highly complex tumor microenvironment and the presence of cancer stem cells, both of which induce therapy resistance and tumor relapse. Therefore, understanding and targeting the tumor microenvironment and cancer stem cells may be key strategies for designing effective PDAC therapies. In the present review, we summarized recent advances in the role of tumor microenvironment in pancreatic neoplastic progression

Citotoxicidad en células hela de extractos de tres especies de plantas medicinales de Hidalgo, México

Ethanolic extracts of three medicinal plants, Juniperus deppeana, Solanum rostratum and Bidens odorata, which are used in folk medicine in Hidalgo, Mexico, for the treatment of wounds, ulcers, tumors and cancer, were tested in a HeLa cell line to evaluate their cytotoxic activity. The highest cytotoxicity was found in the extract of J. deppeana (IC = 4.63 µg/ml); hence, this extract was separated via chromatography on a silica gel plate, from which the main fraction (Rf = 0.28) showed strong cyto-toxic activity (IC50 = 0.79 µg/ml). Whereas the extract of S. rostratum also exhibited cytotoxicity (IC50 = 127.5 µg/ml), that of B. odorata was inactive.Se evaluó la citotoxicidad en cultivos de células HeLa de los extractos etanólicos de tres especies de plantas, Juniperus dep-peana, Solanum rostratum y Bidens odorata, que se utilizan tradicionalmente en dos regiones del estado de Hidalgo, México, para el tratamiento de heridas, úlceras, tumores y cáncer de matriz. La citotoxicidad más elevada la presentó el extracto de J. deppeana (CI50 = 4.63 µg/ml), el cual fue separado por cromatografía en placa de gel de sílice y la fracción principal (Rf = 0.28 ) mostró actividad citotóxica (CI50 = 0.79 µg/ ml). Aunque menor, el extracto de S. rostratum también presentó citotoxicidad (CI50 = 127.5 µg/ml). B. odorata fue inactiva