Genotoxicity of irinotecan and its modulation by vitamins A, C and E in human lymphocytes from healthy individuals and cancer patients.

Many patients being treated for cancer use dietary supplements, particularly antioxidants, in the hope of reducing the toxicity of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. However, clinicians should advise their patients against using antioxidant dietary supplements during chemotherapy. Irinotecan (CPT-11) is a common chemotherapeutic agent, but it causes side effects, including genotoxicity with damages the DNA of blood cells. The aim of this work was to evaluate the modulating effect of A, C and E vitamins on genotoxic activity of irinotecan (CPT-11) and to analyse the efficacy of DNA repair in lymphocytes of both patients with diagnosed colorectal carcinoma and healthy individuals in vitro. In healthy donors' cells CPT-11 did not exert a strong, genotoxic effect, both in the presence of vitamins and without them. In turn, a statistically significant increase of DNA migration in the comet tails was noted in patients' lymphocytes. The presence of vitamins A, C and E in incubation solutions acted synergistically, increasing the level of DNA lesions in cells caused by the exposure of the material on tested irinotecan concentrations. Analysis of the efficacy of DNA repair, performed after 2h of postincubation, showed the decrease of DNA percentage in comet tails in all experimental samples.

Degradation of collagen by metalloproteinase 2 in patients with abdominal hernias.

BACKGROUND: The groin hernia is a significant social and economic problem of our times. The pathogenesis of the disease is not clear. The metalloproteinases (MMP) are the group of proteolytic enzymes responsible for the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins and the basic membrane of blood vessels. THE AIMS OF OUR STUDY WERE: (1) to estimate the MMP-2 levels in the blood and tissues of patients with a groin hernia; (2) to answer the question of whether changes in MMP-2 activity correlate with the occurrence of inguinal hernias. METHOD: The study was performed on a group of 90 male patients suffering from inguinal hernias, aged 28-70 years (mean: 49 years). The control group was made up of 10 healthy (free from hernia) males, aged 30-68 years (mean: 46 years). RESULTS: We noticed increased levels of MMP-2 in patients with all types of hernia and across all age groups. The MMP-2 mean serum levels were statistically higher in patients with a groin hernia when compared to the control group. The highest blood levels of MMP-2 were observed in young men with a direct hernia. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed the important role of MMP-2 in the pathogenesis of inguinal hernia. The increased activity may lead to dysfunctions in collagen fiber, which is responsible for forming fascial structures, and as a result weaken their durability.

[Vitamin C in treatment of certain cardiovascular diseases]. / Witamina C w leczeniu niektórych chorób ukladu krazenia.

The human organism is incapable of producing vitamin C by biosynthesis. We are therefore totally dependent on the presence of this vitamin in our diet. Vitamin C is capable of essentially influencing the course of many metabolic processes, and it is therefore used in the treatment and prophylaxis of many diseases, including those that are a consequence of the activity of the so-called reactive forms of oxygen. The presence of vitamin C in the anti-oxidant protective system is believed to be very important, since it can react with the free radicals of oxygen and other oxidants, and "sweep" them away. Therefore, attention is more and more frequently focused on the possibility of using vitamin C in the treatment of those circulatory diseases that are believed to be associated with the action of free radicals. Routine administration of vitamin C should be therefore recommended in the treatment of patients with coronary arterial disease, treatment of patients after cardiac infarction or cerebral stroke, or in the treatment of arterial hypertension.