Piceatannol, a hydroxylated analog of the chemopreventive agent resveratrol, is a potent inducer of apoptosis in the lymphoma cell line BJAB and in primary, leukemic lymphoblasts.

The stilbene phytochemicals resveratrol and piceatannol have been reported to possess substantial antitumorigenic and antileukemic activities, respectively. Although recent experimental data revealed the proapoptotic potency of resveratrol, the molecular mechanisms underlying the antileukemic activity have not yet been studied in detail. In the present study, we show that resveratrol, as well as the hydroxylated analog piceatannol, are potent inducers of apoptotic cell death in BJAB Burkitt-like lymphoma cells with an ED50 concentration of 25 microM. Further experiments revealed that treatment of BJAB cells with both substances led to a concentration-dependent activation of caspase-3 and mitochondrial permeability transition. Using BJAB cells overexpressing a dominant-negative mutant of the Fas-associated death domain (FADD) adaptor protein to block death receptor-mediated apoptosis, we demonstrate that resveratrol- and piceatannol-induced cell death in these cells is independent of the CD95/Fas signaling pathway. To explore the antileukemic properties of both compounds in more detail, we extended our study to primary, leukemic lymphoblasts. Interestingly, piceatannol but not resveratrol is a very efficient inducer of apoptosis in this ex vivo assay with leukemic lymphoblasts of 21 patients suffering from childhood lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Lack of furcal bone loss following the tunneling procedure.

Treatment of molar teeth with severe furcation involvement allows for differing therapies of which the tunneling procedure has been least studied. While subsequent root caries in furcal exposed teeth was believed a major shortcoming, successful periodontal therapy is primarily dependent upon the stability of the attachment and intrafurcal and interproximal bone. We evaluated in each of 18 subjects (10 female, 8 male) a molar tooth with deep grade II/III furcation involvement at time of presentation (T-0), to 1st post-surgical recall following a tunneling procedure (T-1), to most immediate last recall (T-2; mean time T-0 to T-2, 5.80 +/- 0.83 years). Assessments included O'Leary's plaque index (P1-I), attachment levels (AL), root caries and radiographic bone loss. The mean P1-I from T-0 to T-2 decreased 56.8% with some plaque at T-2 detected in furcations of 7/18 teeth. AL across all time periods were not significantly difference except for palatal/lingual AL which from T-0 to T-2 were significantly different. Root caries was found in only 3 teeth at T-2. Adequate radiographs were available for 8 surgically tunneled mandibular molars for analysis of 5 measurements of osseous levels i.e., the mesial and distal levels of the intrafurcal and the interproximal osseous crests, and the distal interproximal osseous crest of a mesial adjacent single-rooted reference tooth which received osseous surgery at the same time. Mean time change values (T-1 to last radiograph taken, T-2a; mean time 3.0 +/- 0.7 years) showed no significant difference among the 5 points measured.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Periodontal changes in furcations resulting from orthodontic uprighting of mandibular molars.

Periodontal examinations were carried out preorthodontically and again 2 to 28 months after orthodontic uprighting of 20 molars (40 furcation areas) in 16 patients. Preorthodontically, patients presented with generalized periodontitis. Postorthodontically, nine of 20 buccal furcations had become more severe, one had improved, and ten remained unchanged. Lingually, nine worsened, and 11 had no change. Furcation area pocket depths increased in 35.0% of furcations, but did not change in 57.5%. Furcation root form was not associated with the degree of change. Possible mesial root extrusion was found in 60.0% of the uprighted molars. The molars showing root extrusion had furcations that increased in severity. Heavy uprighting forces contributed to extrusion, and some effect may have been due to periodontal inflammation and bone loss. Mandibular molars can be uprighted in patients with moderate periodontitis, but light intrusive forces in an inflammation-free environment are recommended.