Effects of fetal bovine serum deprivation in cell cultures on the production of Anticarsia gemmatalis multinucleopolyhedrovirus.

BACKGROUND: Anticarsia gemmatalis is a pest in South America's soybean crops, which could be controlled by the Multinucleopolyhedrovirus of A. gemmatalis (AgMNPV). Currently, its commercial production is based on infected larvae. However, the possibility of using modified baculoviruses in Integrated Pest Management programs has stimulated an interest to develop alternative multiplication processes. This study evaluated the AgMNPV production in UFL-Ag-286 cells previously deprived Fetal Bovine Serum. RESULTS: Culture media containing 1% FBS during the previous 48 hours achieved a synchronized condition where 90% of cells were found in G0/G1 stage, showing the presence of non-filamentous actin. All characteristics were estimated from cellular viability tests, cell actin detection trials and flow cytometer cell cycle analysis. AgMNPV production was tested by transcript studies and budded viruses (BVs) and occlusion bodies (OBs) yield quantitation. Results showed that the productivity in FBS deprived cells was 9.8 times more in BVs and 3.8 times more in OBs with respect to non-treated cells. CONCLUSIONS: UFL-Ag-286 cells previously deprived in FBS shown to be a better host for AgMNPV propagation, increasing the useful for both in vitro bioinsecticide production and applications such as recombinant protein expression or gene delivery.

Reduction of tumor progression and paraneoplastic syndrome development in murine lung adenocarcinoma by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

Mice bearing LP07 lung adenocarcinoma show some characteristics that are similar to those present in patients with NSCLC. LP07 tumor-bearing mice develop the paraneoplastic syndromes of cachexia, leukocytosis and hypercalcemia. These symptoms may be partly due to a systemic inflammatory response. Our aim was to determine if treatment with NSAIDs would lower tumor and metastasis growth and their accompanying syndromes. The nonselective COX inhibitor indomethacin and the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib reduced tumor growth and metastasis outcome in s.c. LP07 tumor-bearing mice. Both drugs also inhibited the development of leukocytosis and the weight loss associated with LP07 progression. Serum levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and IL-6, mediators of cachexia, were modulated by NSAIDs. Inhibition of in vitro migration and invasion and reduction in angiogenesis were attained when cells were treated with either indomethacin or celecoxib. MMP-9 activity was also reduced in conditioned media from LP07 cells treated with celecoxib. These data suggest that several processes implicated in tumor progression can be modulated with NSAID treatment. Improvement in performance status through modulation of cachexia may offer a possibility for combining anti-inflammatory treatments with more aggressive therapies.