Remarkable enhancement of cytotoxicity of onconase and cepharanthine when used in combination on various tumor cell lines.

Onconase (Onc), a ribonuclease from oocytes or early embryos of Northern Leopard frog (Rana pipiens), is cytostatic and cytotoxic to a variety of tumor lines in vitro, inhibits growth of tumors in animal in vivo models and is currently in Phase IIIb clinical trials for malignant mesothelioma where it displays antitumor activity with minor overall toxicity to the patient. One of the characteristic features of Onc is a synergism with a variety of other antitumor modalities. Cepharanthine (Cep), a biscoclaurine alkaloid from Stephania cepharantha Hayata, is widely used in Japan to treat variety of ailments.

Biscoclaurine alkaloid cepharanthine protects DNA in TK6 lymphoblastoid cells from constitutive oxidative damage.

Cepharanthine (CEP), a biscoclaurine (bisbenzylisoquinoline) alkaloid isolated from Stephania cepharantha Hayata, is widely used in Japan to treat variety of diseases. Among a plethora of its biological activities CEP was reported to be able to scavenge radicals and prevent lipid peroxidation. We have recently described the phenomenon of constitutive ATM activation (CAA) and histone H2AX phosphorylation (CHP), the events that report DNA damage induced by endogenously generated radicals, the product of oxidative metabolism in otherwise healthy, untreated cells.

Gingival metastasis as initial presentation of small cell carcinoma of the lung.

We describe an 84-year-old man with small cell carcinoma of the lung (SCLC) initially manifesting as gingival metastasis. Although SCLC is well known for early and widespread dissemination, metastasis to the gingiva is extremely rare. We know of only two case reports describing gingival metastasis from SCLC and in these cases gingival metastasis was not the presenting occurrence.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with new platinum compound nedaplatin in oral cancer.

Eleven patients with oral cancer were treated with the new platinum agent, nedaplatin, and 5-fluorouracil and simultaneous radiation therapy. The regimen was of 5 days' duration: 5-fluorouracil 400-500 mg/m(2) (days 1-5), nedaplatin 80-90 mg/m(2) (day 4), and a total radiation dose of 8-10 Gy (days 1-5). Of the 11 patients, 4 (36.

A signaling pathway by a new synthetic lipid A analog, ONO-4007, in RAW264.7 cells.

ONO-4007 is a new synthetic lipid A derivative with low endotoxic activities. We have reported that ONO-4007 could be a new bio-logical response modifier for the treatment of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-sensitive tumors. In this study, we confirmed that ONO-4007 activated a murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.