The role of GAPDH in the selective toxicity of CNP in melanoma cells.

Background: Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer with a rather poor prognosis. Standard chemotherapy often results in severe side effects on normal (healthy) cells finally being difficult to tolerate for the patients. Shown by us earlier, cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNP, nanoceria) selectively killed A375 melanoma cells while not being cytotoxic at identical concentrations on non-cancerous cells.

The natural chalcone cardamonin selectively induces apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells.

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial malignant tumor in childhood. Approximately 60% of all patients are classified as high-risk and require intensive treatment including non-selective chemotherapeutic agents leading to severe side effects. Recently, phytochemicals like the natural chalcone cardamonin (CD) have gained attention in cancer research.