Microbiota of the Mammary Gland in Wistar Rats with Chemically Induced Breast Cancer after Treatment.

We conducted a comparative study of the mammary gland microbiota in female Wistar rats and the microbiota associated with breast cancer (BC) induced by the administration of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, after surgical treatment, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and chemotherapy (CT). Selective nutrient media and a smear-fingerprint technique were used to study the microbiota. Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Lactobacillus were found in the mammary glands of intact rats.

Influence of Fragmented Human DNA on the Relationship between MicroRNA (miR-21, -221, -222, and -429) of the Lymph and the Structure of the Thymus after Surgical Treatment and Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer.

In female Wistar rats, we studied the relationship between the levels of miR-21, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-429 in the lymph and morphometric parameters of the thymus after surgical treatment of breast cancer, chemotherapy, and administration of fragmented human DNA. The levels of pro-oncogenic miR-221 and miR-222 in the lymph decreased after surgical treatment and chemotherapy in comparison with the pathological controls. Positive correlations of miR-221 and miR-429 with small lymphocytes in the cortical substance and miR-21 and miR-429 with small lymphocytes of the medullary substance of the thymus were revealed.

Influence of Photodynamic Therapy with Subsequent Surgical Treatment of Experimental Breast Cancer on Quantitative Changes in miRNAs in a Mesenteric Lymph Node.

In female Wistar rats with breast cancer, quantitative changes of pro-oncogenic miRNAs (miR-21, -27a, and -221) and tumor-suppressive miR-429 in the mesenteric lymph node were assessed after photodynamic therapy for breast cancer and after photodynamic therapy followed surgical treatment. The level of pro-oncogenic miR-221 in the mesenteric lymph node decreased, and the level of pro-oncogenic miR-21 increased after photodynamic therapy for breast cancer followed by surgical treatment in comparison with the corresponding parameters after photodynamic therapy alone. The content of tumor-suppressive miR-429 remained reduced, as in the group of animals receiving photodynamic therapy alone.

Quantitative Changes in Pro-Oncogenic and Tumor-Suppressing MicroRNA in the Regional Lymph Node during Photodynamic Therapy of Experimental Breast Cancer.

We studied quantitative changes in microRNAs in the axillary lymph node (regional lymph node of the mammary gland) and in the breast tumor tissue. The quantity of pro-oncogenic microRNAs (miR-21 and miR-221) in the regional lymph node decreased in the group after photodynamic therapy of the breast cancer. At the same time, the quantity of pro-oncogenic miR-27a remained decreased in this group, as well as in the group with breast cancer without treatment.

Tetramethylalloxazines as efficient singlet oxygen photosensitizers and potential redox-sensitive agents.

Tetramethylalloxazines (TMeAll) have been found to have a high quantum yield of singlet oxygen generation when used as photosensitizers. Their electronic structure and transition energies (S → S, S → T, T → T) were calculated using DFT and TD-DFT methods and compared to experimental absorption spectra. Generally, TMeAll display an energy diagram similar to other derivatives belonging to the alloxazine class of compounds, namely π,π* transitions are accompanied by closely located n,π* transitions.