Cytotoxicity of arsenic trioxide to transitional carcinoma cells.

Objectives: To explore the therapeutic efficacy of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) in human transitional cell carcinomas, we investigated the potential use of the compound as a chemotherapeutic agent and the possible cross-resistance with cisplatin in this malignancy.

Methods: Three bladder transitional carcinoma cell lines, NTUB1, NTUB1/P (cisplatin-resistant), and NTUB1/As (As2O3-resistant), were used. The chemosensitivity of the three cell lines to cisplatin and As2O3 was determined by the microculture tetrazolium assay.

Arsenic trioxide as a novel anticancer agent against human transitional carcinoma--characterizing its apoptotic pathway.

Arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) has been shown to be an active agent against acute promyelocytic leukemia. Little is known about its therapeutic efficacy in human transitional carcinomas. In this study, the arsenic-mediated apoptotic pathway in transitional carcinoma cells was investigated.

Curcumin enhances cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents in prostate cancer cells by inducing p21(WAF1/CIP1) and C/EBPbeta expressions and suppressing NF-kappaB activation.

Background: The modulatory effects and molecular mechanisms of curcumin (CCM) on the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents to prostate cancer cells were explored.

Methods: The combined effects of CCM and chemotherapeutic agents were examined by three different administration schedules (one concurrent and two sequential treatments) in two androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) cells (PC-3 and DU145). Alteration of cell cycle progression, protein levels, and transcriptional activation in PC-3 cells were assayed by flow cytometry, Western blotting, and gel shift assay, respectively.