Selective Effects of Curcumin on CdSe/ZnS Quantum-dot-induced Phototoxicity Using UVA Irradiation in Normal Human Lymphocytes and Leukemia Cells

Quantum dots (QDs) have received considerable attention due to their potential role in photosensitization during photodynamic therapy. Although QDS are attractive nanomaterials due to their novel and unique physicochemical properties, concerns about their toxicity remain. We suggest a combination strategy, CdSe/ZnS QDs together with curcumin, a natural yellow pigment from turmeric, to reduce QD-induced cytotoxicity. The aim of this study was to explore a potentially effective cancer treatment: co-exposure of HL-60 cells and human normal lymphocytes to CdSe/ZnS QDs and curcumin. Cell viability, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and DNA damage induced by QDs and/or curcumin with or without ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation were evaluated in both HL-60 cells and normal lymphocytes. In HL-60 cells, cell death, apoptosis, ROS generation, and single/double DNA strand breaks induced by QDs were enhanced by treatment with curcumin and UVA irradiation. The protective effects of curcumin on cell viability, apoptosis, and ROS generation were observed in normal lymphocytes, but not leukemia cells. These results demonstrated that treatment with QD combined with curcumin increased cell death in HL-60 cells, which was mediated by ROS generation. However, curcumin acted as an antioxidant in cultured human normal lymphocytes.

Scanning Electron Microscopic Findings of Hair Anomalies

Scanning electron microscopic(SEM) examination of hair is an efficient and definite method for the diagnosis of hair anomaly. The Hair specimen is placed on a stub, gold coated, and directly viewed without prior fixation or treatment for identification. We have analyzed 25 cases of scalp hair and 2 cases of eyebrow that were sampled with the suspicion of hair anomalies at Seoul National University Hospital during the last 7 year period from January 1988 to June 1992. All 27 cases had certain abnormalities of the hair. They consisted of monilethrix(1 case), hair casts(4 cases), pili torti(1 case), uncombable hair syndrome(1 case), trichorrhexis nodosa(5 cases), woolly hair(5 cases) and other anomaly(1 case). Some cases of them were mixed with two or three anomalies in hairs. Their combinations were; hair casts and woolly hair(1 case), hair casts and pili torti and uncombabla hair syndrome(1 case), hair casts and uncombable hair syndrome and trichorrhexis nodosa(1 case), trichorrhexis nodosa and uncombable hair syndrome(3 cases). Most of these defects included brittleness of scales and distortion of the hair shaft.

Chromosome aberration and glutathio -S- transferase activitiy in peripheral lymphocytes of workers exposed to ethylene oxide / 한국역학회지

No abstract available.