[Introduction of new didactic methods and student-oriented teaching in the small course "Biochemistry with elements of chemistry"].

Medical students’ active involvement in the process of learning and acquiring the knowledge allow to develop passions and skills. The aim of learning should be to increase the number of students involved and satisfied with the learning process. Positive results can be achieved by creating attractive and accessible conditions for students to learn.

Effect of S-Allyl -L-Cysteine on MCF-7 Cell Line 3-Mercaptopyruvate Sulfurtransferase/Sulfane Sulfur System, Viability and Apoptosis.

The S-Allyl-L-cysteine ​​(SAC) component of aged garlic extract (AGE) is proven to have anticancer, antihepatotoxic, neuroprotective and neurotrophic properties. -Cystathionase (CTH), cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST) are involved in HS/sulfane sulfur endogenous formation from L-cysteine. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of SAC on MCF-7 cells survival and apoptosis, which is a widely known approach to reduce the number of cancer cells.

Hydrogen sulfide generation from l-cysteine in the human glioblastoma-astrocytoma U-87 MG and neuroblastoma SHSY5Y cell lines.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is endogenously synthesized from l-cysteine in reactions catalyzed by cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS, EC 4.2.1.

Tanespimycin and tipifarnib exhibit synergism in inducing apoptosis in melanoma cell lines from later stages of tumor progression.

Many anticancer strategies rely on efficient induction of apoptosis. The need for development of drug combinations with a strong pro-apoptotic activity is of particular interest in melanoma resistant to currently available chemotherapeutic regimes. We studied the pro-apoptotic properties of combination of tanespimycin+tipifarnib in five melanoma cell lines representing various stages of tumor progression.

Tipifarnib and tanespimycin show synergic proapoptotic activity in U937 cells.

Background: Farnesyltransferase inhibitor tipifarnib (R115777) has been used for treatment of hematological malignancies; however, its observed anticancer effect was limited. This prompted us to search for inhibitors that would show synergic, proapoptotic effect when combined with R115777. We decided to study LY294002, which inhibits PI-3 kinase, and tanespimycin (17AAG), which inhibits Hsp90--a chaperone for a number of proteins, including Akt kinase.

Cytochalasin D, LY294002 and olomoucine synergize in promoting death of melanoma cells through activation of caspase-3 and apoptosis.

Many of the current anticancer therapies rely on the induction of apoptosis, and several mechanisms that protect cells against apoptosis may be upregulated in tumors. A growing body of evidence suggests that single drugs with a clearly defined intracellular target may be less efficient in arresting tumor growth and induction of apoptosis than multitargeted strategies. To prove that this is also the case for melanoma, we studied five cell lines, which represent different stages of tumor progression.