Anticancer, anti-proliferative activity of Avicennia marina plant extracts.

PURPOSE: Medical halophytes plants are potent sources of bioactive secondary metabolite components used against different diseases. Avicenniamarina one of the typical halophytes plant species used in folk medicine to treat smallpox, rheumatism, and ulcer. Despite the richness of A.marina with polyphenolic, flavonoids, terpenoid, and terpene, contents remain poorly investigated against cancer types. Consequently, to explore the function-composition relationship of A.marina hexane leaves crude extract, the current study designed to investigate the cytotoxicity, apoptotic and antiproliferative impacts on the colon (HCT-116), liver (HepG2), and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Therefore, the cytotoxicity impact screening carried out by Sulforhodamine-B assay. While, the initiation of the apoptosis evaluated by chromatin condensing, early apoptosis, late apoptosis and the formation and appearance of apoptotic bodies. On the other hand, the flow cytometry used to identify the phase of inhibition where the determined IC50 value used. While, the chemical composition of the hexane extract was detected using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Revealed that hexane extract showed a weak induction of apoptosis despite the formation of apoptotic bodies and the high cell inhibitory effect on all tested cell lines with IC50 values (23.7 ± 0.7, 44.9 ± 0.93, 79.55 ± 0.57) µg/ml on HCT-116, HepG2, and MCF-7, respectively. Furthermore, it showed the ability to inhibit cell cycle in G0/G1 for HCT-116, S phase for HepG2, and MCF-7. CONCLUSION: In the light of these results, the current study suggests that A.marina leaves hexane extract may be considered as a candidate for further anticancer drug development investigations.

In vitro evaluation of electroporated gold nanoparticles and extremely-low frequency electromagnetic field anticancer activity against Hep-2 laryngeal cancer cells.

INTRODUCTION: The extremely-low frequency electromagnetic field (ELFEMF) has been proposed for use in cancer therapy since it was found that magnetic waves interfere with many biological processes. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have been widely used for drug delivery during cancer in vitro studies due to their low cytotoxity and high biocompatibility. The electroporation of cancer cells in a presence of Au-NPs (EP Au-NPs) can induce cell apoptosis, alterations of cell cycle profile and morphological changes. The impact of ELFEMF and EP Au-NPs on morphology, cell cycle and activation of apoptosis-associated genes on Hep-2 laryngeal cancer cell line has not been studied yet. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ELFEMF on Hep-2 cells were carried out using four different conditions: 25/50 mT at 15/30 min, while Au-NPs were used as direct contact (DC) or with electroporation (EP, 10 pulses at 200V, equal time intervals of 4 sec). MTT assay was used to check the toxicity of DC Au-NPs. Expression of CASP3, P53, BAX and BCL2 genes was quantified using qPCR. Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to observe cell morphology. RESULTS: Calculated IC50 of DC Au-NPs 24.36 µM (4.79 µg/ml) and such concentration was used for further DC and EP AuNPs experiments. The up-regulation of pro-apoptotic genes (CASP3, P53, BAX) and decreased expression of BCL2, respectively, was observed for all analyzed conditions with the highest differences for EP AuNPs and ELFEMF 50 mT/30 min in comparison to control cells. The highest content of cells arrested in G2/M phase was observed in ELFEMF-treated cells for 30 min both at 25 or 50 mT, while the cells treated with EP AuNPs or ELFEMF 50 mT/15 min showed highest ratios of apoptotic cells. HE staining of electroporated cells and cells exposed to ELFEMF's low and higher frequencies for different times showed nuclear pleomorphic cells. Numerous apoptotic bodies were observed in the irregular cell membrane of neoplastic and necrotic cells with mixed euchromatin and heterochromatin. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations indicate that treatment of Hep-2 laryngeal cancer cells with ELFEMF for 30 min at 25-50 mT and EP Au-NPs can cause cell damage inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

Utilization of lithium incorporated mesoporous silica for preventing necrosis and increase apoptosis in different cancer cells.

There are many molecules used as a drug carrier. TUD-1 is a newly synthesized mesoporous silica (SM) molecule possess two important features; consists of mesoporous so it is very suitable to be drug carrier in addition to that it has the ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, the effect of TUD-1 appears to act as cell death inducer, regardless of whether it is necrosis or apoptosis. Unfortunately, recent studies indicate that a proportion of cells undergo necrosis rather than apoptosis, which limits the use of TUD-1 as a secure treatment. On the other hand, lithium considered as necrosis inhibitor element. Hence, the current study based on the idea of producing a new Li-TUD-1 by incorporated mesoporous silica (TUD-1 type) with lithium in order to produce a new compound that has the ability to activate apoptosis by mesoporous silica (TUD-1 type) and at the same time can inhibit the activity of necrosis by lithium. Herein, lithium incorporated in TUD-1 mesoporous silica by using sol-gel technique in one-step synthesis procedure. Moreover, lithium incorporated in TUD-1 with different loading in order to form different active sites such as isolated lithium ions, nanoparticles of Li2O, and bulky crystals of Li2O. The ability of the new compounds to induce apoptosis and prevent necrosis was evaluated on three different types of cancer cell lines, which are; liver HepG-2, breast MCF-7, and colon HCT116. The obtained results show that Li-TUD-1 has the ability to control necrosis and thus reduce the side effects of treatments containing silica in the case of lithium added to them, especially in chronic cases. This opinion has demonstrated by the significant increase in the IC50 value and cell viability compared to control groups. Consequently, the idea is new, so it needs more develop and test with materials that have a more apoptotic impact than silica to induce apoptosis without induction of necrosis.

Cell Cycle Arrest in Different Cancer Cell Lines (Liver, Breast, and Colon) Induces Apoptosis under the Influence of the Chemical Content of Aeluropus lagopoides Leaf Extracts.

Natural products, especially secondary metabolites produced by plants under stressed conditions, are shown to have different pharmacological impacts from one to another. Aeluropus lagopoides is one of the common halophyte plants that survive under stressed conditions, and has been used for healing wounds and as a painkiller. The bioactivity and the chemical composition of this plant have been poorly investigated. Consequently, the chemical components of A. lagopoides leaves were extracted using hexane (nonpolar), ethyl acetate (semi-polar), and n-butanol (polar) to extract the most extensive variety of metabolites. The cytotoxicity and anticancer impact of extracted secondary metabolites were evaluated against breast (MCF-7), colon (HCT-116), and liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines using a SulphoRhodamine-B (SRB) test. Their mechanisms of action were verified by observing the appearance of apoptotic bodies using the fluorescent microscope, while their antiproliferative impacts were evaluated using a flow cytometer. Results revealed that secondary metabolites extracted using hexane and ethyl acetate had the highest cytotoxicity and thus the greatest anticancer activity effect on HepG2 with IC50 (24.29 ± 0.85 and 11.22 ± 0.679 µg/mL, respectively). On the other hand, flow cytometer results showed that secondary metabolites could inhibit the cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase. To ascertain the chemical composition⁻function relationship, the extracts were analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Accordingly, A. lagopoides hexane and ethyl acetate extracts may contain agents with anticancer potential.

Synthesis of Novel VO(II)-Perimidine Complexes: Spectral, Computational, and Antitumor Studies.

A series of perimidine derivatives (L1-5) were prepared and characterized by IR, 1H·NMR, mass spectroscopy, UV-Vis, XRD, thermal, and SEM analysis. Five VO(II) complexes were synthesized and investigated by most previous tools besides the theoretical usage. A neutral tetradentate mode of bonding is the general approach for all binding ligands towards bi-vanadyl atoms. A square-pyramidal is the configuration proposed for all complexes. XRD analysis introduces the nanocrystalline nature of the ligand while the amorphous appearance of its metal ion complexes. The rocky shape is the observable surface morphology from SEM images. Thermal analysis verifies the presence of water of crystallization with all coordination spheres. The optimization process was accomplished using the Gaussian 09 software by different methods. The most stable configurations were extracted and displayed. Essential parameters were computed based on frontier energy gaps with all compounds. QSAR parameters were also obtained to give another side of view about the biological approach with the priority of the L3 ligand. Applying AutoDockTools 4.2 program over all perimidine derivatives introduces efficiency against 4c3p protein of breast cancer. Antitumor activity was screened for all compounds by a comparative view over breast, colon, and liver carcinoma cell lines. IC50 values represent promising efficiency of the L4-VO(II) complex against breast, colon, and liver carcinoma cell lines. The binding efficiency of ligands towards CT-DNA was tested. Binding constant (K b) values are in agreement with the electron-drawing character of the p-substituent which offers high K b values. Also, variable Hammett's relations were drawn.

Microbial production of four biodegradable siderophores under submerged fermentation.

Four siderophore analogues were isolated and purified from Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp. ST13, and Streptomyces pilosus microorganisms under some specific submerged fermentation conditions. In order to evaluate the highest production of this siderophore analogues through the growth, a rapid spectrophotometric screening semi-quantitative method was used, in which interestingly the analogues were isolated in its own form not its iron chelate. After chromatographic separation, the chemical structures of the isolated and purified siderophores were illustrated using detailed spectroscopic techniques. The biodegradation studies were done on that four novel isolated and purified siderophores following OECD protocols. In addition, the bioactivities of these siderophores and their iron complexes were examined and evaluated.

Distribution of ABO blood groups and rhesus factor in Southwest Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To document the distribution of the ABO and rhesus (Rh) blood groups in a random sample of Saudi students from the King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to compare our results from that of other studies in the Kingdom and elsewhere. METHODS: The subjects included in this study were 944 males from the southwest region of Saudi Arabia including Aseer, Jizan, and Najran regions. The ABO blood groups and Rh factor from 944 Saudi males were determined. The frequency of ABO blood groups and Rh status were calculated separately. This study was carried out at King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January to March 2008, and the ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethical Committee, College of Science, King Khalid University. RESULTS: The frequencies of ABO groups showed 56.8% for group O, 33.4% group A, 6% group B and 3.8% group AB trend. Only 7.2% of them were found to be Rh-negative. CONCLUSION: The frequencies of ABO and Rh phenotypes in the southwest population of Saudi Arabia are similar to those reported in most areas of the Arabian Gulf region.