Photosensitizing effects of hypericin on head neck squamous cell carcinoma in vitro.

Clinical outcome of patients suffering from head neck squamous cell carcinomas is still poor due to recurrent disease and surgical limitations. There is still a demand for multimodality approaches and new therapeutic options. Hypericin is a promising phototoxic drug which was investigated for its effects on head neck squamous cell carcinoma cells in vitro.

Loss of collagen-receptor DDR1 delays renal fibrosis in hereditary type IV collagen disease.

Alport syndrome is a hereditary type IV collagen disease leading to progressive renal fibrosis, hearing loss and ocular changes. End stage renal failure usually develops during adolescence. COL4A3-/- mice serve as an animal model for progressive renal scarring in Alport syndrome.

Photosensitizing and radiosensitizing effects of hypericin on human renal carcinoma cells in vitro.

The renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is extremely resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The prognosis of patients with metastatic RCC still remains poor, the median survival is less than 12 months. Therefore, new therapeutic options are desirable.