Leishmanicidal, trypanocidal, and cytotoxic activities of endophytic fungi associated with bioactive plants in Brazil

One hundred and twenty-one isolates of endophytic fungi were recovered from leaves of the bioactive Brazilian plant species Ageratum myriadenia, Palicourea tetraphylla, Piptadenia adiantoides, and Trixis vauthieri. All fungal isolates were cultivated in liquid media and crude extracts were obtained with ethyl acetate. The crude extracts were tested in bioassay panels using Leishmania amazonensis, Trypanosoma cruzi, the enzyme trypanothione reductase (TryR) from Trypanosoma cruzi, and three human cancer cell lines. Thirty-three extracts (27.2 percent) exhibited at least one biological activity. Seventeen extracts (14 percent) were cytotoxic against one or more human cancer cell line with the IC50 values ranged of >0.2 to 25 µg/mL. Twenty-four extracts (19.8 percent) inhibited the activity of TryR, and three showed ability to inhibit the growth of T. cruzi above 60 percent and their IC50 values ranged among 1 to 10 µg/mL. Eleven extracts (9 percent) were able to inhibit the growth of L. amazonensis and showed with IC50 values ranged among 4.6 to 24.4 µg/mL. The endophytic fungi were identified as belonging to the genera Alternaria, Arthrinium, Cochliobolus, Colletotrichum, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Gibberella. An interesting result was obtained for the bioactive isolates UFMGCB 508, 537, 899 and 903, which were related to fungi associated with medicinal plants native to Asia, Australia, Africa, and Polynesia. These results indicate that bioactive plants living in Brazilian ecosystems are a potential host of endophytic fungi able to produce bioactive prototype molecules for drug development against neglected tropical diseases.

Toxicity mechanisms of onion (Allium cepa) extracts and compounds in multidrug resistant erythroleukemic cell line

Onion (Allium cepa) is being studied as a potential anticancer agent, but little is known regarding its effect in multidrug resistance (MDR) cells. In this work, the cytotoxicity of crude onion extract (OE) and fractioned extract (aqueous, methanolic and ethyl acetate), as well as some onion compounds (quercetin and propyl disulfide) were evaluated in Lucena MDR human erythroleukemic and its K562 parental cell line. The capacity of OE to induce apoptosis and/or necrosis in these cells, the possible participation of oxidative stress and DNA damage were also assessed. Similar sensitivities were obtained for both tumoral cells, however only OE caused significant effects in the cells. In K562 cells, a significant increase of apoptosis was verified while the Lucena cells experienced a significant increase of necrosis. An antioxidant capacity was verified for OE discarding oxidative damage. However, OE provoked similar significant DNA damage in both cell lines. Thus, the OE capacity to overcome the MDR phenotype suggests anti-MDR action of OE.

Estudio de alteraciones cromosómicas y su relación con el crecimiento in vitro en células de meningiomas / Chromosomal alterations of meningioma cells and its relation to growth in vitro

Objetivos: Demostrar la frecuencia de alteraciones cromosómicas y su relación con la velocidad de crecimiento in vitro en cultivos de células de meningiomas. Los datos obtenidos en estudios previos han enseñado que existe una asociación entre las alteraciones cromosómicas con el riesgo de recurrencia y el estadío del tumor. Materiales y métodos: Se sometieron a cultivo muestras tomadas durante la cirugía de resecciones de meningiomas de cualquier localización, en enfermos del HUV, Clínica Rafael Uribe y clínicas particulares, previo consentimiento firmado de los pacientes o familiares. Se realizaron cultivos celulares, se determinó la velocidad de crecimiento y se obtuvo el cariotipo para definir las alteraciones cromosómicas en cada tumor. Resultados: El 47% de los meningiomas que fue posible estudiar, presentan alteraciones cromosómicas diferentes o además de monosomía del cromosoma 22 que según publicaciones previas se asocian con progresión tumoral, y representan un riesgo de recurrencia mayor a 10%. Conclusiones: Los estudios citogenéticos y la velocidad de crecimiento in vitro de las células tumorales, pueden ser un excelente complemento del resultado quirúrgico, del estudio patológico, que contribuirían a establecer el riesgo de recurrencia y así ayudar a definir el pronóstico para el paciente intervenido.

Objectives: To demonstrate the frequency of chromosomic alterations and their relationship to the growth velocity of in vitro meningioma cells cultures. Data obtained in previous studies have shown that there is a kinship between chromosomic alterations, the risk of recurrence and tumor stage. Materials and methods: Samples taken during meningioma resection surgery from any location were cultured. The samples were obtained from patients at the University Hospital, the Rafael Uribe Clinic and private clinics, previous informed consent either from patients or their relatives. Cell cultures were performed, speed of growth was measured, and the karyotype was obtained in order to define the chromosomic alterations present in each tumor. Results: 47% of the meningiomas studied showed different chromosomic alterations or besides monosomy of the chromosome 22 that according to previous publications are associated to tumoral progression and represent a recurrence risk greater than 10%. Conclusions: The cytogenetic studies and the in vitro cellular growth velocity of the tumoral cells could be excellent complements of the surgical result and the pathology study, contributing to establish the risk of recurrence, so helping to define the patient’s prognosis.