Publications by authors named "Asha Nair Sivakumari"

Osmotin, a plant defense protein, has functional similarity to adiponectin, an insulin sensitizingsensitising hormone secreted by adipocytes. We speculated that Osmotin (PcOSM) could have functional roles in obesity-related cancers, especially breast cancer. Immunofluorescence assays, flow cytometry, cell cycle analysis and a senescence assay were employed to delineate the activity in MDAMB231 breast cancer cell line.

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Oestrogen-progesterone signalling is highly versatile and critical for the maintenance of healthy endometrium in humans. The genomic and nongenomic signalling cascades initiated by these hormones in differentiated cells of endometrium have been the primary focus of research since 1920s. However, last decade of research has shown a significant role of stem cells in the maintenance of a healthy endometrium and the modulatory effects of hormones on these cells.

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The study shows that RADA-F6 peptide with pH-responsive self-assembling nature can be effectively used as a drug delivery system for the sustained release of a potent anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) at basic pH. As 5-FU contains the aromatic pyrimidine ring, RADA-F6 system is suitable for entrapping an aromatic drug due to effective π-π stacking with phenylalanine and be able to show better controlled release behavior. The stability and controlled release nature of RADA-F6 in different conditions followed by 5-FU entrapment at in silico conditions was confirmed by molecular dynamics simulation taking RADA-16 as control.

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All-trans-retinoic acid reverses malignant cell growth and induces cell differentiation and apoptosis. Poor aqueous solubility and uncertain bioavailability are the limiting factors for using all-trans-retinoic acid for tumor therapy. The objective of present study was to encapsulate the hydrophobic drug all-trans-retinoic acid in the polymer poly (lactide-coglycolide).

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