TSU-68 (SU6668) inhibits local tumor growth and liver metastasis of human colon cancer xenografts via anti-angiogenesis.

A number of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are involved in angiogenesis. TSU-68 (SU-6668) was developed as an inhibitor of RTKs involved in VEGF, bFGF and PDGF signaling, which then inhibits endothelial cell proliferation. We investigated the antitumor effects of TSU-68 against human colon cancer xenografts in male SCID mice and its anti-angiogenic activity using a dorsal air-sac (DAS) assay.

Effects of A23187 and CaCl(2) on tri-n-butyltin-induced cell death in rat thymocytes.

As tri-n-butyltin (TBT), one of the environmental pollutants, is accumulated in wild animals, concern regarding the toxicity of TBT in both wildlife and human is increasing. TBT has been reported to increase intracellular Ca(2+) concentration in several types of cells. In order to examine how Ca(2+) is involved in TBT-induced cell death, the effect of TBT on rat thymocytes has been compared with that of A23187, a calcium ionophore, under various concentrations of external Ca(2+) using a flow cytometer and fluorescent probes.

Flow cytometric estimation on cytotoxic activity of leaf extracts from seashore plants in subtropical Japan: isolation, quantification and cytotoxic action of (-)-deoxypodophyllotoxin.

The cytotoxic activity of methanol extracts of leaves collected from 39 seashore plants in Iriomote Island, subtropical Japan was examined on human leukaemia cells (K562 cells) using a flow cytometer with two fluorescent probes, ethidium bromide and annexin V-FITC. Five extracts (10 microg/mL) from Hernandia nymphaeaefolia, Cerbera manghas, Pongamia pinnata, Morus australis var. glabra and Thespesia populnea greatly inhibited the growth of K562 cells.

Estimation of increased concentration of intracellular Cd(2+) by fluo-3 in rat thymocytes exposed to CdCl(2).

Cadmium, an environmental pollutant, has been reported to induce apoptosis in murine lymphocytes. To reveal the mechanism of cadmium-induced apoptosis, one of important questions is whether cadmium increases intracellular concentration of Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)), Cd(2+) ([Cd(2+)](i)) or both. It is difficult to detect the increase in [Ca(2+)](i) using Ca(2+)-chelator-based fluorescent Ca(2+) indicators in the presence of Cd(2+) because of their sensitivity to Cd(2+).

[Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, a metabolite of UFT, shows anti-angiogenic activities and antitumor effect].

We investigated the antitumor vasculogenesis and antitumor activity of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a metabolite of UFT. In a mouse dorsal air sac (DAS) assay, UFT demonstrated a wide spectrum of anti-tumor vasculogenesis except for AZ-521 tumor. Although the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was detected in almost all tumor cell lines used in the DAS assays, expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was only detected in the AZ-521 tumor.