Paullinia cupana Mart var. sorbilis, guaraná, reduces cell proliferation and increases apoptosis of B16/F10 melanoma lung metastases in mice

We showed that guaraná (Paullinia cupana Mart var. sorbilis) had a chemopreventive effect on mouse hepatocarcinogenesis and reduced diethylnitrosamine-induced DNA damage. In the present experiment, we evaluated the effects of guaraná in an experimental metastasis model. Cultured B16/F10 melanoma cells (5 x 10(5) cells/animal) were injected into the tail vein of mice on the 7th day of guaraná treatment (2.0 mg P. cupana/g body weight, per gavage) and the animals were treated with guaraná daily up to 14 days until euthanasia (total treatment time: 21 days). Lung sections were obtained for morphometric analysis, apoptotic bodies were counted to calculate the apoptotic index and proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells were counted to determine the proliferation index. Guaraná-treated (GUA) animals presented a 68.6 percent reduction in tumor burden area compared to control (CO) animals which were not treated with guaraná (CO: 0.84 ± 0.26, N = 6; GUA: 0.27 ± 0.24, N = 6; P = 0.0043), a 57.9 percent reduction in tumor proliferation index (CO: 23.75 ± 20.54, N = 6; GUA: 9.99 ± 3.93, N = 6; P = 0.026) and a 4.85-fold increase in apoptotic index (CO: 66.95 ± 22.95, N = 6; GUA: 324.37 ± 266.74 AB/mm², N = 6; P = 0.0152). In this mouse model, guaraná treatment decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of tumor cells, consequently reducing the tumor burden area. We are currently investigating the molecular pathways of the effects of guaraná in cultured melanoma cells, regarding principally the cell cycle inhibitors and cyclins.

Radiological and Hormonal Responses of Functioning Pituitary Adenomas after Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

In this study, we examined patients with functioning pituitary adenoma that underwent Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKS). In particular, we assessed the effects of GKS on the growth and endocrinological response of the functioning pituitary adenoma. Forty-two cases of functioning pituitary adenoma treated with GKS were analyzed. The mean follow-up duration was 42.5 months (range 6 - 98), and the mean tumor volume was 1.4 cm3 (range 0.1 - 3.8). Multiple isocenters, ranging from 1 to 6 in number (mean 2.7), were used. The tumor margin was covered by an isodose ranging from 50 to 90%. The margin dose was 18 to 40 Gy (mean 28.5) and the maximum dose varied from 35 to 80 Gy (mean 54.1). Tumor growth was controlled in 96.9% of the cases and tumor shrinkage occurred in 40.6% of the cases. Hormonal response was observed in 35 of the 42 (83.3%) patients after GKS, with a mean duration of 6.8 months. Sixteen of the 42 (38.1%) patients showed hormonal normalization, with a mean duration of 21 months. In our multivariate analysis, high integral dosage (p=0.005) and maximum dosage (p=0.001) correlated significantly with hormonal normalization. For patients with functioning pituitary adenoma, GKS can be effective in controlling tumor growth and inducing hormonal normalization, especially if patients are reluctant to undergo surgical resection, or are not able to undergo microsurgery under general anesthesia. It appears that early hormonal normalization can be induced by high maximum dosage (at least 50 Gy) and broad coverage of the target volume within the isodose curve, while keeping the maximum dose to the visual pathways below 9 Gy.

INTERFERENCE OF OUABAIN IN CHICKENEMBRYO LENS GROWTH / 解剖学报

0.05).Microscopic morphology has also been observed, no visible damage could be found in the structure of lenses from eyes injected with ouabain (figs 3 and 4). Serial sections of paraffin-embedded lenses show that the number of fiber cells increased significantly in experimental samples treated with ouabain at a concentration of 0.1 ?M(table 4, P

OVERGROWTH OF EYE LENSES VIA INHIBITION OF GAP JUNCTION FORMATION AND ITS RELATION WITH LENS PROTEIN PHOSPHORYLATION IN CHICKEN EMBRYOS / 解剖学报

Objective In order to further study the role of gap junction(GJ) in growth control; and explore the possible mechanisms for the inhibition of GJ formation. Method A monoclonal antibody,called ND6, which is specific for MIP(major intrinsic protein)in the plasma membrane of eye lens fiber cells in chicken,was injected into the right eyes of chicken embryos at development stage 20, while the left eyes were not injected and served as controls. The size of the lenses was measured 24 hours after the ND6 treatment; the protein phosphorylation of the lenses, including intact and homogenized lenses was also analyzed 24 hours after the ND6 treatment. Results The size of the lenses from treated eyes was significantly larger than those of the control ones( P