Establishment and Characterization of Brain Cancer Primary Cell Cultures From Patients to Enable Phenotypic Screening for New Drugs.

Desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma (DIG), is a rare tumor arising mainly during the first 2 years of life. Molecular characterization of these benign yet rapidly proliferating tumors has been limited to evaluating a few mutations in few genes. Our aim was to establish a live cell culture to enable the understanding of the cellular processes driving the non-malignant growth of these tumors.

Retraction notice to "Differential effects of valproic acid on growth, proliferation and metastasis in HTB-5 and HTB-9 bladder cancer cell lines" [Canc. Lett. 281/2 (2009) 196-202].

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal).

Giloy Ghanvati ( (Willd.) Hook. f. and Thomson) Reversed SARS-CoV-2 Viral Spike-Protein Induced Disease Phenotype in the Xenotransplant Model of Humanized Zebrafish.

The current Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome disease caused by Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been a serious strain on the healthcare infrastructure mainly due to the lack of a reliable treatment option. Alternate therapies aimed at symptomatic relief are currently prescribed along with artificial ventilation to relieve distress. Traditional medicine in the form of Ayurveda has been used since ancient times as a holistic treatment option rather than targeted therapy.

Supercritical Fluid Extract of Wall. Seeds Mitigates Fertility Impairment in a Zebrafish Model.

Putrajeevak ( Wall.; synonym (Wall.) Hurus) seeds have been used since ancient times in the treatment of infertility in the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India.

Calcio-Herbal Medicine Divya-Swasari-Vati Ameliorates SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein-Induced Pathological Features and Inflammation in Humanized Zebrafish Model by Moderating IL-6 and TNF-α Cytokines.

Purpose: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has grown into a pandemic and without a specific cure, disease management is the need of the hour through symptomatic interventions. Studies with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) have highlighted the role of herbal medicines either in combination with antiviral drugs or by themselves in curtailing the severity of infection and associated inflammation. Divya-Swasari-Vati is an Indian ayurvedic formulation used in the treatment of chronic cough and lung inflammation, which is one of the first symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Epidemiological and survival analysis of triple-negative breast cancer cases in a retrospective multicenter study.

Introduction: This is a retrospective study with data collected from breast cancer cases from five major Apollo Hospitals across India, as part of a biobanking process. One aspect of our study focused specifically on data from triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cases. The aim of this study was to analyze epidemiology, treatment options, and survival of the patients with TNBC.

A study on the impact of CYP2C19 genotype and platelet reactivity assay on patients undergoing PCI.

Background: A thorough understanding of the patient's genotype and their functional response to a medication is necessary for improving event free survival. Several outcome studies support this view particularly if the patient is to be started on clopidogrel due to the prevalence of clopidogrel resistance. Such guided therapy has reduced the incidence of Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) after stent implantation.

Oxalate upregulates expression of IL-2Rβ and activates IL-2R signaling in HK-2 cells, a line of human renal epithelial cells.

The role of inflammation in oxalate-induced nephrolithiasis is debated. Our gene expression study indicated an increase in interleukin-2 receptor β (IL-2Rβ) mRNA in response to oxalate (Koul S, Khandrika L, Meacham RB, Koul HK. PLoS ONE 7: e43886, 2012).

Genome wide analysis of differentially expressed genes in HK-2 cells, a line of human kidney epithelial cells in response to oxalate.

Nephrolithiasis is a multi-factorial disease which, in the majority of cases, involves the renal deposition of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a metabolic end product excreted primarily by the kidney. Previous studies have shown that elevated levels of oxalate are detrimental to the renal epithelial cells; however, oxalate renal epithelial cell interactions are not completely understood.

Kidney injury molecule-1 is up-regulated in renal epithelial cells in response to oxalate in vitro and in renal tissues in response to hyperoxaluria in vivo.

Oxalate is a metabolic end product excreted by the kidney. Mild increases in urinary oxalate are most commonly associated with Nephrolithiasis. Chronically high levels of urinary oxalate, as seen in patients with primary hyperoxaluria, are driving factor for recurrent renal stones, and ultimately lead to renal failure, calcification of soft tissue and premature death.

Genome sequence of a novel actinophage PIS136 isolated from a strain of Saccharomonospora sp.

A wide-host-range bacteriophage (phage) PIS136 was isolated from PA136, a strain of Saccharomonospora belonging to the group actinomycetes. Here, we present the genome sequence of the PIS136 phage, which is 94,870 bp long and contains 132 putative coding sequences and one tRNA gene. An IS element-like region with two genes for putative transposases was identified in the genome.

Loss of PDEF, a prostate-derived Ets factor is associated with aggressive phenotype of prostate cancer: regulation of MMP 9 by PDEF.

Background: Prostate-derived Ets factor (PDEF) is expressed in tissues of high epithelial content including prostate, although its precise function has not been fully established. Conventional therapies produce a high rate of cure for patients with localized prostate cancer, but there is, at present, no effective treatment for intervention in metastatic prostate cancer. These facts underline the need to develop new approaches for early diagnosis of aggressive prostate cancer patients, and mechanism based anti-metastasis therapies that will improve the outlook for hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-driven MAPKAPK2 regulates invasion of bladder cancer by modulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity.

In transitional cell carcinoma, the most common form of bladder cancer, overexpression of the matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 offers prognostic value as markers of disease-specific survival. These molecules have been implicated in metastasis of bladder cancer, but the underlying mechanisms through which they are controlled are poorly defined. In this study, we investigated a role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in this process, using bladder cancer cell lines HTB9 and HTB5 that were derived from different tumor stages.

Differential effects of MAPKs signaling on the growth of invasive bladder cancer cells.

Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is the most common form of bladder cancer. In bladder cancer, which in terms of its origins and genetics, is a representative of invasive tumors, the differing clinical course and the limited value of established prognostic markers compelled many researchers to look for new molecular parameters in predicting the prognosis and treatment of patients with bladder cancer. Activation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a frequent event in tumor progression and metastasis.

Differential effects of valproic acid on growth, proliferation and metastasis in HTB5 and HTB9 bladder cancer cell lines.

High grade invasive bladder cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths and treatment options are limited for this type of cancer. Recent studies have reported anticancer effects of valproic acid in many cancers and also in superficial bladder cancer. Acute valproic acid administration suppressed cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner in two muscle-invasive human bladder cancer cell lines (HTB5 and HTB9), with accompanying G1 phase cell cycle arrest.

Biochemical alterations in partial bladder outlet obstruction in mice: up-regulation of the mitogen activated protein kinase pathway.

Purpose: We evaluated the effect of partial bladder outlet obstruction on bladder weight, protein synthesis, mitotic markers and the mitogen activated protein kinase pathway in a mouse model.

Materials And Methods: Mice were divided into 3 groups, including control, sham treated and partially obstructed. Bladders were harvested from the mice in the partially obstructed group 12, 24, 48, 72 and 168 hours after surgical partial outlet obstruction, respectively.

Oxidative stress in prostate cancer.

As prostate cancer and aberrant changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) become more common with aging, ROS signaling may play an important role in the development and progression of this malignancy. Increased ROS, otherwise known as oxidative stress, is a result of either increased ROS generation or a loss of antioxidant defense mechanisms. Oxidative stress is associated with several pathological conditions including inflammation and infection.

Hypoxia-associated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-mediated androgen receptor activation and increased HIF-1alpha levels contribute to emergence of an aggressive phenotype in prostate cancer.

Androgen receptor (AR) signaling is involved in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Tumor microvasculature contributes to continual exposure of prostate cancer cells to hypoxia-reoxygenation, however, the role of hypoxia-reoxygenation in prostate cancer progression and modulation of AR signaling is not understood. In this study, we evaluated the effects of hypoxia-reoxygenation in LNCaP cells, a line of hormone responsive human prostate cancer cells.

Individualized medicine for renal cell carcinoma: establishment of primary cell line culture from surgical specimens.

Background: The lack of effective "in vivo" and "in vitro" models to predict success of pharmacological therapy for patients with renal cell carcinoma, as well as, the variety of cancer cell types demands the development of better experimental models to understand the pathophysiology of the disease and evaluate drug sensitivity in vitro.

Purpose: To develop primary renal cancer cell culture irrespective of tumor grade and tumor type, harvested from the patient's pathological specimen immediately after the laparoscopic radical nephrectomy to study potential "in vivo" pharmacological sensitivity.

Materials And Methods: A total of 24 patients (17 males and 7 females).

Focal adhesion kinase controls aggressive phenotype of androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Overexpression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) has been well correlated with tumor development and/or the maintenance of tumor phenotype. In addition, inappropriate activation of the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway is common to many human cancers. In the present study, we investigated the interplay between FAK and ERK in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells (PC3 and DU145 cells).

Primary culture and characterization of human renal inner medullary collecting duct epithelial cells.

Purpose: Our understanding of physiological and pathophysiological events associated with inner medullary collecting duct epithelium is based on studies in cells isolated from mice and rats. We established primary cultures of hIMCD (human papillary collecting duct epithelial) cells.

Materials And Methods: Normal papillary tissues were dissected from the surgical waste of consenting patients undergoing renal surgery.

Oxidative stress is inherent in prostate cancer cells and is required for aggressive phenotype.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the coupled oxidative stress have been associated with tumor formation. Several studies suggested that ROS can act as secondary messengers and control various signaling cascades. In the present studies, we characterized the oxidative stress status in three different prostate cancer cells (PC3, DU145, and LNCaP) exhibiting various degree of aggressiveness and normal prostate cells in culture (WPMY1, RWPE1, and primary cultures of normal epithelial cells).