Amorphous silica nanoparticles exhibit antitumor activity in triple-negative breast cancer cells.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer that is mainly treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, this treatment is not always effective, and an important percentage of patients develop recurrence. Nanomaterials are emerging as alternative treatment options for various diseases, including cancer.

Hemoxygenase-1 Promotes Head and Neck Cancer Cell Viability.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a remarkably heterogeneous disease with around 50% mortality, a fact that has prompted researchers to try new approaches to improve patient survival. Hemoxygenase-1 (HO-1) is the rate-limiting step for heme degradation into carbon monoxide, free iron and biliverdin. We have previously reported that HO-1 protein is upregulated in human HNSCC samples and that it is localized in the cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments; additionally, we have demonstrated that HO-1 nuclear localization is associated with malignant progression.

Nuclear Localization of Heme Oxygenase-1 in Pathophysiological Conditions: Does It Explain the Dual Role in Cancer?

Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a type II detoxifying enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in heme degradation leading to the formation of equimolar quantities of carbon monoxide (CO), free iron and biliverdin. HO-1 was originally shown to localize at the smooth endoplasmic reticulum membrane (sER), although increasing evidence demonstrates that the protein translocates to other subcellular compartments including the nucleus. The nuclear translocation occurs after proteolytic cleavage by proteases including signal peptide peptidase and some cysteine proteases.

Structure-Activity Relationship Study of an Alkynylphosphonate and Vynilphosphonate Analogues of Calcitriol.

Background: 1α,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (calcitriol) shows potent growth-inhibitory properties on different cancer cell lines, but its hypercalcemic effects have severely hampered its therapeutic application. Therefore, it is important to develop synthetic calcitriol analogues that retain or even increase its antitumoral effects and lack hypercalcemic activity. Based on previous evidence of the potent antitumor effects of the synthetic alkynylphosphonate EM1 analogue, we have now synthesized a derivative called SG.

Novel calcitriol analogue with an oxolane group: In vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies.

The active form of vitamin D , calcitriol, is a potent antiproliferative compound. However, when effective antitumor doses of calcitriol are used, hypercalcemic effects are observed, thus blocking its therapeutic application. To overcome this problem, structural analogues have been designed with the aim of retaining or even increasing the antitumor effects while decreasing its calcemic activity.

Heme Oxygenase-1 Has an Antitumor Role in Breast Cancer.

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an enzyme involved in cellular responses to oxidative stress and has also been shown to regulate processes related to cancer progression. In this regard, HO-1 has been shown to display a dual effect with either antitumor or protumor activity, which is also true for breast cancer (BC). In this work, we address this discrepancy regarding the role of HO-1 in BC.

Synthesis of a novel analog of calcitriol and its biological evaluation as antitumor agent.

Calcitriol analogs have shown promising potential as compounds to be used in cancer chemotherapy. This report presents the synthesis of a novel vitamin D derivative with an amide and a carboxyl group in its side chain, called ML-344. In addition, we report its in vitro antitumor activity and its in vivo calcemic effects.

Antitumoral and antimetastatic activity of Maitake D-Fraction in triple-negative breast cancer cells.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with poor prognosis, high local recurrence rate and high rate of metastasis compared with other breast cancer subtypes. In addition, TNBC lacks a targeted therapy. This scenario highlights the need for novel compounds with high potential for TNBC treatment.

Antitumoral effects of the alkynylphosphonate analogue of calcitriol EM1 on glioblastoma multiforme cells.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the worst and most common brain tumor, characterized by high proliferation and invasion rates. The current standard treatment is mainly based on chemoradiotherapy and this approach has slightly improved patient survival. Thus, novel strategies aimed at prolonging the survival and ensuring a better quality of life are necessary.

Antitumoral Effects of D-Fraction from Grifola Frondosa (Maitake) Mushroom in Breast Cancer.

D-Fraction is protein-bound β-1,6 and β-1,3 glucans (proteoglucan) extracted from the edible and medicinal mushroom Grifola frondosa (Maitake). The antitumoral effect of D-Fraction has long been exclusively attributed to their immunostimulatory capacity. However, in recent years increasing evidence showed that D-Fraction directly affects the viability of canine and human tumor cells, independent of the immune system.

Maitake Pro4X has anti-cancer activity and prevents oncogenesis in BALBc mice.

The understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the immune tolerance induced by the tumoral microenvironment is fundamental to prevent cancer development or to treat cancer patients using immunotherapy. Actually, there are investigations about "addressed-drugs" against cancer cells without affecting normal cells. It could be ideal to find selective and specific compounds that only recognize and destroy tumor cells without damaging the host normal cells.

The UVB1 Vitamin D analogue inhibits colorectal carcinoma progression.

Vitamin D has been shown to display a wide variety of antitumour effects, but their therapeutic use is limited by its severe side effects. We have designed and synthesized a Gemini vitamin D analogue of calcitriol (UVB1) which has shown to display antineoplastic effects on different cancer cell lines without causing hypercalcemia. The aim of this work has been to investigate, by employing in silico, in vitro, and in vivo assays, whether UVB1 inhibits human colorectal carcinoma progression.

The alkynylphosphonate analogue of calcitriol EM1 has potent anti-metastatic effects in breast cancer.

The active form of vitamin D3, calcitriol, plays a major role in maintaining calcium/phosphate homeostasis. In addition, it is a potent antiproliferative and prodifferentiating agent. However, when effective antitumor doses of calcitriol are employed, hypercalcemic effects are observed, thus precluding its therapeutic application.

BRCA1 polymorphism in breast cancer patients from Argentina.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in females in Argentina, with an incidence rate similar to that in the USA. However, the contribution of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation in breast cancer incidence has not yet been investigated in Argentina. In order to evaluate which BRCA1 polymorphisms or mutations characterize female breast cancer in Argentina, the current study enrolled 206 females with breast cancer from several hospitals from the southeast of Argentina.

Validation of the Test Your Memory (F-TYM Test) in a French memory clinic population.

The Test Your Memory (TYM) test has been proposed for screening dementia. We present a French version and its validation in memory clinics. F-TYM was administered to 201 patients with memory complaints visiting five secondary referral hospital centers.

Genes related to suppression of malignant phenotype induced by Maitake D-Fraction in breast cancer cells.

It is already known that the Maitake (D-Fraction) mushroom is involved in stimulating the immune system and activating certain cells that attack cancer, including macrophages, T-cells, and natural killer cells. According to the U.S.

Structure-anti-leukemic activity relationship study of ortho-dihydroxycoumarins in U-937 cells: key role of the δ-lactone ring in determining differentiation-inducing potency and selective pro-apoptotic action.

Previous studies indicated the need of at least one phenolic hydroxyl group in the coumarin core for induction of cytotoxicity in different cell lines. Herein, we present an exhaustive structure-activity relationship study including ortho-dihydroxycoumarins (o-DHC) derivatives, cinnamic acid derivatives (as open-chain coumarin analogues) and 1,2-pyrones (representative of the δ-lactone ring of the coumarin core), carried out to further identify the structural features of o-DHC required to induce leukemic cell differentiation and apoptosis in U-937 cells. Our results show for the first time that the δ-lactone ring positively influences the aforementioned biological effects, by conferring greater potency to compounds with an intact coumarin nucleus.

Risk and prognostic factors of status epilepticus in the elderly: a case-control study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the risk and prognostic factors of status epilepticus (SE) among elderly inpatients.

Methods: From May 2003 to April 2005, 63 consecutive patients aged 70 years or older with SE were included. Each patient was matched to three controls without SE seen during the same period.

Maitake (D fraction) mushroom extract induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells by BAK-1 gene activation.

For many years mushrooms have been used empirically in traditional medicine to treat several diseases. Study of the maitake mushroom, with its immunomodulatory and antitumoral properties, has led to the isolation of several bioactive compounds. One of these, D fraction, is known to reduce tumor cell viability.