Numerical and Biological Modeling Approach in the Analysis of the Cancer Viability and Apoptosis

Biomedicine is a multidisciplinary branch of science that requires a clear approach to the study and analysis of various life processes necessary for a deeper understanding of human health. This research focuses on the use of numerical simulations with the aim of an improved comprehension of cancer viability and apoptosis during treatment with commercial chemotherapeutic agents. In recent times, the usage of numerical models was successfully applied to predict the behavior of tumors. This study includes a wide range of numerical results that have been obtained by examining cell viability in real-time, determining the type of cell death and the genetic factors that control these processes. The results of the in vitro test were used to develop a numerical model that provides a new perspective on the proposed problem. In this study, colon, and breast cancer cell lines (HCT-116 and MDA-MB-231), as well as healthy lung fibroblast cell line (MRC-5) were treated with commercial chemotherapeutic agents. The obtained results showed a decrease in viability and the occurrence of predominantly late apoptosis upon treatment, as well as a strong correlation between parameters. A mathematical model was developed and used to gain a better understanding of the investigated processes. This method can accurately simulate the behavior of cancer cells and reliably predict their growth.Book of abstract: 4th Belgrade Bioinformatics Conference, June 19-23, 202

Expression of β-Catenin Marker in Colorectal Cancer Cells after Treatment with Royal Jelly

The deregulation of a Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway is common in colorectal cancer, while β-catenin, its crucial component, is the target for the development of many anticancer therapies. Here, we showed that royal jelly, as a well-known beneficial natural product, can affect β-catenin at both the gene and protein level in HCT-116 colorectal cancer cell line. Our results indicate the effectiveness of royal jelly in targeting crucial markers responsible for the development and progression of cancer. Therefore, royal jelly presents a promising agent for the development of supplementary anticancer therapy

Expression of β-Catenin Marker in Colorectal Cancer Cells after Treatment with Royal Jelly

The deregulation of a Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway is common in colorectal cancer, while β-catenin, its crucial component, is the target for the development of many anticancer therapies. Here, we showed that royal jelly, as a well-known beneficial natural product, can affect β-catenin at both the gene and protein level in HCT-116 colorectal cancer cell line. Our results indicate the effectiveness of royal jelly in targeting crucial markers responsible for the development and progression of cancer. Therefore, royal jelly presents a promising agent for the development of supplementary anticancer therapy

Laetiporus sulphureus Affects Migration and Superoxide Anion Radical Levels in HeLa Cervical Cancer Cells

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common female malignancy worldwide. The treatment of cancer cells with metastatic potential is an important issue in cancer therapy. In this study, we investigate the edible and medicinal mushroom Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull.) Murrill, which has known biological properties for human health. Two selected concentrations (10 and 50 µg/mL) of L. sulphureus ethanolic extract were used to determine the levels of the superoxide anion radical (NBT test) and migratory potential (Wound healing test) on a cervical cancer cell line (HeLa). The effects were measured after 24 and 72 h. The extract induced an acute pro-oxidative effect on HeLa cells, with a significant reduction in the migratory potential of these cells in both tested concentrations. A higher concentration (50 µg/mL) had a slightly stronger antimigratory activity. Laetiporus sulphureus is a very important source of biologically active substances and should be reconsidered for the development of promising anticancer therapeutics

Extract of Edible Mushroom Laetiporus sulphureus Affects the Redox Status and Motility of Colorectal and Cervical Cancer Cell Lines

Colorectal and cervical cancer are major health problems worldwide, and adjuvant therapy, which uses fungi, is considered valuable in cancer treatment. Herein, we evaluated effects of edible mushroom species Laetiporus sulphureus on the viability, redox status, and motility of two different cancer cell lines. Treatment induced oxidative stress and inhibition of migratory potential in both tested cell lines, showing cell selective activity and affecting HCT-116 and HeLa cells in a different manner. However, the presented effects of this mushroom should not be neglected in future studies, especially detailed studies on drug development

Antimigratory Activity of Royal Jelly on HCT-116 Colorectal Cancer Cells

Royal jelly (RJ) is a natural product, consumed as a functional food and in the form of a food supplement with multiple biological potentials. Apitherapy presents a complementary medical approach using bee products in the treatment of diseases, including cancer. Cancer metastasis implies the acquisition of migratory potential of cancer cells, and RJ already showed remarkable antimetastatic effects. We aimed to investigate the effects of RJ on the migration of colorectal cancer cells and key proteins involved in this process, E- and N-cadherin. Experiments were done 24 h after treatment with two selected concentrations. RJ suppressed the migratory potential of colorectal cancer cell line HCT-116, and enhanced the expression of anti-migratory protein, E-cadherin, while significantly inhibiting the promigratory marker, N-cadherin

Electrospun Poly(Lactic Acid)-Chitosan Nanofibers for Wound Healing Application

Electrospun polymer-based nanofibers are of increasing interest in contemporary applied biomedicine. The challenge regarding modern surgery and tissue engineering is to discover a variety of manufactured scaffolds with improved properties that can replace and regenerate damaged skin and organs. The unique properties of polymer nanofibers, such as submicron and nanoscale diameters, large surface area, flexibility, etc., make them attractive objects for a wide range of applications. In this study, a combination of chitosan as a natural polymer and poly(lactic) acid as a synthetic polymer is studied with the aim of improving and accelerating the healing of skin wounds. Chitosan (Chi) is one of the most promising polymers for scaffold design, due to its high biodegradability, non-toxic, and antibacterial properties. On the other hand, poly(lactic) acid (PLA) possesses enhanced electrospinability potential and desirable mechanical strength. Therefore, the combination of Chi and PLA enhances the mutually superior properties of both. After optimizing the process parameters, imaging, and determining the diameter of the nanofibers, the scaffold potential for wound healing was investigated by in vitro scratch test on a healthy fibroblast cell line. The study concludes that ultrafine Chi:PLA nanofiber scaffolds have significant potential to regenerate and restore damaged tissue under in vitro conditions

Bis(triazinyl)pyridine complexes of Pt(II) and Pd(II): studies of the nucleophilic substitution reactions, DNA/HSA interactions, molecular docking and biological activity

Four new complexes of Pt(II) and Pd(II), [Pd(L1)Cl]Cl 1, [Pd(L2)Cl]Cl 2, [Pt(L1)Cl]Cl 3 and [Pt(L2)Cl]Cl 4 (where L1 = 2,6-bis(5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine and L2 = 2,6-bis(5,6-dipropyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine), were synthesized. Characterization of the complexes was performed using elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The substitution reactions of 1-4 complexes with L-methionine (L-met), L-cysteine (L-cys) and guanosine-5'-monophosphate (5'-GMP), were studied spectrophotometrically at physiological conditions. Complexes with ligand L1 (1 or 3) were more reactive than those with ligand L2 (2 or 4) by a factor ranging up to 1.57 and 3.71, respectively. The order of reactivity of the nucleophiles was: L-met > L-cys > 5'-GMP. The interactions of complexes with calf thymus-DNA (CT-DNA) and human serum albumin (HSA) were studied by Uv-Vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Competitive binding studies with intercalative agent ethidium bromide (EB) and minor groove binder Hoechst 33258 were performed as well. All studied complexes can interact with DNA through the intercalation and minor groove binding, where the latter was preferred. The binding constants (103 and 104 M-1) for the interaction of complexes with HSA indicate the moderate binding affinity of complexes 1-4 to protein. The trends in the experimental results of binding studies between complexes 3 and 4 with DNA and HSA were compared to those obtained from the molecular docking study. Biological evaluation of cytotoxicity of 1 and 2 on HCT-116 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines showed significant cytotoxic and prooxidative character, while 2 also exerted extraordinary selectivity towards colon cancer in comparison to breast cancer cells. The nucleophilic substitution reactions, DNA/HSA interactions, molecular docking and biological activity of bis(triazinyl)pyridine complexes of Pt(II) and Pd(II) were studied

AI-Driven Optimization of PCL/PEG Electrospun Scaffolds for Enhanced In Vivo Wound Healing

Here, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach was employed to optimize the production of electrospun scaffolds for in vivo wound healing applications. By combining polycaprolactone (PCL) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in various concentration ratios, dissolved in chloroform (CHCl3) and dimethylformamide (DMF), 125 different polymer combinations were created. From these polymer combinations, electrospun nanofiber meshes were produced and characterized structurally and mechanically via microscopic techniques, including chemical composition and fiber diameter determination. Subsequently, these data were used to train a neural network, creating an AI model to predict the optimal scaffold production solution. Guided by the predictions and experimental outcomes of the AI model, the most promising scaffold for further in vitro analyses was identified. Moreover, we enriched this selected polymer combination by incorporating antibiotics, aiming to develop electrospun nanofiber scaffolds tailored for in vivo wound healing applications. Our study underscores three noteworthy conclusions: (i) the application of AI is pivotal in the fields of material and biomedical sciences, (ii) our methodology provides an effective blueprint for the initial screening of biomedical materials, and (iii) electrospun PCL/PEG antibiotic-bearing scaffolds exhibit outstanding results in promoting neoangiogenesis and facilitating in vivo wound treatment