Th1 immune response induction by biogenic selenium nanoparticles in mice with breast cancer: preliminary vaccine model

Background: tumor associated antigens can be viably used to enhance host immune response

Objectives: the immunomodulatory effect of biogenic selenium nanoparticles [SeNPs] was compared between treated and untreated mice with crude antigens of 4T1 cells

Materials and Methods: female inbred BALB/c mice [60] were injected by cancinogenic 4T1 cells causing breast cancer. After 10 days, all tumor bearing mice were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 was daily provided oral PBS and injected by the same buffer after tumor induction and was considered as control. Group 2 received only 100 [micro]g/day SeNPs as an oral supplement for 30 days. Group 3 was only injected with 4T1 cells crude antigens with nil supplementation of SeNPs. Group 4 animals were supplemented 100 [micro]g/day SeNPs for 30 days and simultaneously injected with crude antigens of 4T1 cells. All antigens or PBS injections were introduced at 7, 14 and 28 days following tumor induction. Oral PBS and SeNPs supplementation initiated from the first day of tumor induction and continued up to 30 days. During tumor growth, animal weights and survival rates were monitored and at the end of the study the concentrations of different cytokines and DTH responses were measured

Results: data clearly showed that the levels of cellular immunomodulatory components [granzyme B, IL-12, IFN-[lambada], and IL-2] significantly increased [P < 0.05] in mice treated with both SeNPs and crude antigens of 4T1 cells in comparison to the other groups. In contrast, the levels of TGF-[beta] in these mice decreased

Conclusions: although SeNPs showed a noticeable boosting effect for the immune response in mice bearing tumor exposed to crude antigens of 4T1 cells, further complementary studies seem to be inevitable

comprehensive review of clinical trials on EGFR inhibitors such as cetuximab and panitumumab as monotherapy and in combination for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer

Metastatic colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cause of death due to cancer after those of lung, stomach, and liver. Anti epidermal growth factor receptor drugs as a targeting therapy seem to be good candidates for curing metastatic colorectal cancer. Two available anti epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies are cetuximab and panitumumab which have been approved for metastatic colorectal cancer treatment. Through the available literature on NCBI and clinical trials, 31 clinical trials in which cetuximab or panitumumab as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy were used for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer patients in different line settings and 12 clinical trials in which bevacizumab was used for being compared with anti epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies or chemotherapy were chosen for reviewing and comparing the results of overall survival, progression free survival and adverse effects. Cetuximab and panitumumab are well accepted for the treatment of mCRC patients at all stages in different line settings. Although cetuximab administration in metastatic colorectal cancer patients is mostly associated with better overall survival and panitumumab results in better progression free survival, to confirm the superiority of each of them in the treatment protocol of epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies, more clinical trials with larger sample size are needed. Through current available data from clinical studies, it can be concluded that the best treatment outcome is achieved by a combination of anti epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies with conventional chemotherapy

Effect of oral supplementation of biogenic selenium nanoparticles on white blood cell profile of BALB/c mice and mice exposed to X-ray radiation

Radiation therapy is an effective method used for treatment of many types of cancers. However, this method can cause unwanted side effects such as bone marrow suppression. In this study, the effect of oral administration of biogenic selenium nanoparticles [SeNPs] on total and differentiated white cells profile of BALB/c mice exposed to X-ray radiation was investigated and compared with non-irradiated mice. Sixty female BALB/c mice between six to eight weeks olds were divided into 4 test and control groups in two categories of normal and irradiated mice. In normal mice SeNPs administration was started from the day 0 and followed for a month. Irradiated mice were divided into three groups and were exposed to doses of 2, 4 and 8 Gy. After 72 hr of irradiation, the SeNPs treatment was started and continued for a month. Total and differentiated blood cells counts of both irradiated and non-irradiated groups were monitored during 30 days and the obtained results were compared. Also, the deposition of Se in different tissues and blood serum of normal mice was determined in normal mice after 30 days period of supplementation. In normal mice an increase in the count of neutrophils was observed after 30 days of supplementation. In irradiated mice, SeNPs supplementation led to increase in both lymphocytes and neutrophils counts especially in mice exposed to 2 and 4 Gys radiation. Radiotherapy is categorized as an invasive method which can cause tissue damage and suppress the host immune defense. A restore of lymphocytes which was observed after SeNPs supplementation in irradiated mice can be highly interesting and provide cellular immunity against malignant diseases or other bacterial or fungal infections after radiotherapy

Sub-Inhibitory concentration of biogenic selenium nanoparticles lacks post antifungal effect for Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans and stimulates the growth of Aspergillus niger

The antifungal activity of selenium nanoparticles [Se NPs] prepared by Klebsiella pneumoniae has been reported previously for different fungi. In the present study, freshly prepared Se NPs produced by K. pneumoniae were purified and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy [EDS] and its post antifungal effects for two fungi were evaluated. The minimum inhibitory concentrations [MICs] ofSe NPs, determined by serial dilution were 250 microg/ml for Aspergillus niger and 2,000 microg/ml for Candida albicans. The effect of exposure of A. niger and C. albicans to Se NPs on later growth was evaluated by incubating the fungi for 1 hour at 25°C in media containing 0, 1, 2 and 4 x MIC of Se NPs and diluting the cultures 100 times with Se free medium. The kinetics of growth of the fungi in control cultures and in non-toxic Se NPs concentration of, 0.01 x MIC, 0.02 x MIC or 0.04 x MIC were measured. The exposure of A niger and C. albicans to 2 and 4 x MIC of Se NPs stimulated the growth of both fungi in the absence of toxic concentrations of Se. The strongest stimulation was observed for A. niger. It is concluded that exposure to high concentration of the Se NPs did not have any post-inhibitory effect on A. niger and C. albicans and that trace amounts of this element promoted growth of both fungi in a dose- dependent-manner. The role of nanoparticles serving as needed trace elements and development of microorganism tolerance to nanoparticles should not be dismissed while considering therapeutic potential