Depilatory creams increase the number of hair follicles, and dermal fibroblasts expressing interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and tumor necrosis factor-β in mouse skin.

Besides using for hair removal, depilatory agents have been considered to be used as a penetration enhancer for transepidermal drug delivery. To examine the effect in hair follicles (HFs), two commercially available depilatory creams were tested on the dorsal skin of mice to monitor the effect deep into the skin structure. Fifteen male BALB/c mice were used in this study.

Perspiration promotes the effect of sulphite on the shielding response of rodent skin.

Perspiration and environmental chemicals, such as air pollutants, are two of the complicating factors of skin disease. It has not been studied how perspiration affect the skin responding to air pollutants. We applied topically artificial eccrine perspiration, sulphite or both to the mouse skin for one and two weeks to examine the influence of both factors on the shielding ability of healthy skin.

Shielding response of rodent skin to water soluble ambient air pollutants.

Given the increasing levels of air pollution, understanding the direct shielding response of the skin to air pollutants as a whole under exclusion of the influence from the inside of body is important. We applied topically the water soluble ambient air pollutants to the mouse skin and observed the histological response using 0.3 mM of HSO as a positive control.

Induction of Mitotic Catastrophe via Inhibition of Aurora B by Ionizing Radiation With Additive of Mulberry Water Extract in Human Bladder Cancer Cells.

Mulberry fruit water extract (MWE) has been reported to synergistically enhance the cytotoxic effect of paclitaxel by promoting mitotic catastrophe to induce apoptosis in bladder cancer cells in our previous work. The aim of this study was to evaluate and to mechanistically explore the effects of MWE on bladder cancer responses to ionizing radiation (IR) by treating TSGH 8301 bladder carcinoma cells with MWE after exposing to IR. The results of MTT assay showed a synergistic cytotoxicity of IR with the co-treatment of MWE (IR/MWE) by inducing G2/M phase arrest as demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis in TSGH 8301, HT1367 and HT1197 bladder carcinoma cells lines.

Secreted gelsolin desensitizes and induces apoptosis of infiltrated lymphocytes in prostate cancer.

Loss of immunosurveillance is a major cause of cancer progression. Here, we demonstrate that gelsolin, a constituent of ejaculate, induces apoptosis of activated lymphocytes in prostate cancer. Gelsolin was highly expressed in prostate cancer cells, and was associated with tumor progression, recurrence, metastasis, and poor prognosis.

Promotion of mitotic catastrophe via activation of PTEN by paclitaxel with supplement of mulberry water extract in bladder cancer cells.

Paclitaxel is a mitotic inhibitor used in cancer chemotherapy. Mulberry fruit is rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids and exhibits chemopreventive activities. In this study, mulberry water extract (MWE) was used as a supplement to synergize with the effects of paclitaxel in the treatment of the TSGH 8301 human bladder cancer cell line.

Hibiscus sabdariffa Leaf Extract Inhibits Human Prostate Cancer Cell Invasion via Down-Regulation of Akt/NF-kB/MMP-9 Pathway.

Hibiscus sabdariffa leaf has been previously shown to possess hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant effects, and induce tumor cell apoptosis. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in the anticancer activity of H. sabdariffa leaf extract (HLE) are poorly understood.

The induction of apoptosis and autophagy by Wasabia japonica extract in colon cancer.

Purpose: Wasabia japonica (wasabi) has been shown to exhibit properties of detoxification, anti-inflammation and the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of the cytotoxicity of wasabi extract (WE) in colon cancer cells to evaluate the potential of wasabi as a functional food for chemoprevention.

Methods: Colo 205 cells were treated with different doses of WE, and the cytotoxicity was analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide.

Hibiscus sabdariffa leaf polyphenolic extract induces human melanoma cell death, apoptosis, and autophagy.

Melanoma is the least common but most fatal form of skin cancer. Previous studies have indicated that an aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa leaves possess hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant effects. In this study, we want to investigate the anticancer activity of Hibiscus leaf polyphenolic (HLP) extract in melanoma cells.

Id3 induces an Elk-1-caspase-8-dependent apoptotic pathway in squamous carcinoma cells.

Inhibitor of differentiation/DNA-binding (Id) proteins are helix-loop-helix (HLH) transcription factors. The Id protein family (Id1-Id4) mediates tissue homeostasis by regulating cellular processes including differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Ids typically function as dominant negative HLH proteins, which bind other HLH proteins and sequester them away from DNA promoter regions.

Piper betle leaf extracts induced human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cell death via MAPKs regulating the p73 pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Extracts of Piper betle leaf (PBLs) are rich in bioactive compounds with potential chemopreventive ability. In this study, Hep3B cells which are p53 null were used to investigate the anti-tumor effect of PBLs in the cell and in the xenograft model. The results revealed that PBLs (0.

Short and long-term impact of lipectomy on expression profile of hepatic anabolic genes in rats: a high fat and high cholesterol diet-induced obese model.

Objective: To understand the molecular basis of the short and long-term effects of an immediate shortage of energy storage caused by lipectomy on expression profile of genes involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in high fat and high cholesterol diet-induced obese rats.

Methods: The hepatic mRNA levels of enzymes, regulator and transcription factors involved in glucose and lipid metabolism were analyzed by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) ten days and eight weeks after lipectomy in obese rats. Body and liver weights and serum biochemical parameters, adiponectin, leptin and insulin were determined.

Malignant phyllodes tumors display mesenchymal stem cell features and aldehyde dehydrogenase/disialoganglioside identify their tumor stem cells.

Introduction: Although breast phyllodes tumors are rare, there is no effective therapy other than surgery. Little is known about their tumor biology. A malignant phyllodes tumor contains heterologous stromal elements, and can transform into rhabdomyosarcoma, liposarcoma and osteosarcoma.

Inhibitory effect of Piper betel leaf extracts on copper-mediated LDL oxidation and oxLDL-induced lipid accumulation via inducing reverse cholesterol transport in macrophages.

Piper betel leaf (PBL) has the biological capabilities of detoxification and can work as an anti-inflammatory agent and an anti-oxidant. In this study, we evaluated the anti-oxidative activity of the extract of Piper betel leaves (PBLs) on the basis of Cu(2+)-mediated oxidation, and its ability to prevent foam cell formation in a model for oxidised low density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-induced lipid accumulation in macrophages. Our data demonstrated that PBLs were able to inhibit LDL oxidation in vitro and are able to reduce the lipid accumulation in macrophages.

Sensitizing effect of 3-methyladenine on radiation-induced cytotoxicity in radio-resistant HepG2 cells in vitro and in tumor xenografts.

Many recent efforts have focused on targeting cell death pathways for discovering new cancer therapies. The relative resistance of liver cancer cells to ionizing radiation (IR) and chemotherapeutic agents due to autophagic response limits the available treatment options for this type of cancer. In this study, 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an autophagy inhibitor, was investigated for its potential to enhance radio-sensitivity under radio-resistant conditions both in vitro and in vivo.

Andrographolide down-regulates hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in human non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells.

Andrographolide (Andro), a diterpenoid lactone isolated from a traditional herbal medicine Andrographis paniculata, is known to possess multiple pharmacological activities. In our previous study, Andro had been shown to inhibit non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cell migration and invasion via down-regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. Here we demonstrated that Andro inhibited the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in A549 cells.

Relative down-regulation of apoptosis and autophagy genes in colorectal cancer.

Background: Cancer is often caused by disturbance in the regulation and/or execution of programmed cell death (PCD, including apoptosis and autophagy). Our aim was to investigate these two pathways simultaneously in the same samples to understand further the pathological roles of PCDs in colorectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Real time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) array was used to analyse the mRNA levels of 22 apoptosis and autophagy-related genes involved in pro- and anti-action of the pathways in 15 paired (tumour and non-cancerous part) colorectal samples using Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as the reference gene.

Protocatechuic acid inhibits cancer cell metastasis involving the down-regulation of Ras/Akt/NF-κB pathway and MMP-2 production by targeting RhoB activation.

Background And Purpose: Protocatechuic acid (PCA) is plentiful in edible fruits and vegetables and is thus one anti-oxidative component of normal human diets. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in the chemopreventive activity of PCA are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the mechanism(s) underlying the anti-metastatic potential of PCA.

Analysing the expression of protein kinase C eta in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aims: Protein kinase Cs (PKCs) play important roles in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, migration and tumorigenesis. In this report, we investigated the expression of PKCeta in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and explored its role in the development of HCC.

Methods: We used real-time quantitative RT-PCR, mutation analysis, and immunohistochemical staining to analyse the expression of PKCeta in 50 pairs of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues.

Expression of protein kinase C family in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Protein kinase Cs (PKCs) play important roles in signal transduction, cell regulation, and tumor formation. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of PKCs in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and explored their roles in the development of HCC. Real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that PKCbeta and PKCtheta were down-regulated in HCC tissues.

Effects of mulberry (Morus alba L.) extracts on lipid homeostasis in vitro and in vivo.

The objective of this study was to investigate the lipid-lowering effects of mulberry water extracts (MWEs). To evaluate the hypolipidemic effect of MWEs, hamsters were fed with either high fat/cholesterol diets (HFCD) or HFCD supplemented with 1 and 2% MWEs for 12 weeks. Plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels of hamsters fed HFCD with MWEs were significantly reduced by about 30-37% and 16-35%, respectively, as compared to those without MWEs.

Determination of carotenoids in Dunaliella salina cultivated in Taiwan and antioxidant capacity of the algal carotenoid extract.

A simple HPLC method with good separation efficiency was developed to determine all-trans and cis forms of carotenoids in Dunaliella salina cultivated in Taiwan. The analysis used a C30 column (250×4.6mm, 5μm) and an isocratic solvent system (flow rate=1mL/min) mixing methanol-acetonitrile-water (84/14/2, v/v/v) and methylene chloride, (75/25, v/v).

Berberine enhances inhibition of glioma tumor cell migration and invasiveness mediated by arsenic trioxide.

Background: Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) exhibits promising anticarcinogenic activity in acute promyelocytic leukemic patients and induces apoptosis in various tumor cells in vitro. Here, we investigated the effect of the natural alkaloid berberine on As2O3-mediated inhibition of cancer cell migration using rat and human glioma cell lines.

Methods: The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to determine the viability of rat C6 and human U-87 glioma cells after treatment with As2O3 or berberine, and after co-treatment with As2O3 and berberine.

Synergistic tumor-killing effect of radiation and berberine combined treatment in lung cancer: the contribution of autophagic cell death.

Purpose: Radiotherapy is the most efficacious strategies for lung cancer. The radiation-enhancing effects and the underlying mechanisms of berberine were investigated both in vitro and in vivo.

Methods And Materials: Clonogenic survival assays were used to evaluate the radio-sensitivity of berberine on non-small-cell lung cancer.

Hepatoprotective effects of Solanum nigrum Linn extract against CCl(4)-induced oxidative damage in rats.

Solanum nigrum L. (SN) is an herbal plant that has been used as hepatoprotective and anti-inflammation agent in Chinese medicine. In this study, the protective effects of water extract of SN (SNE) against liver damage were evaluated in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced chronic hepatotoxicity in rats.