Antitumor and antimetastatic effects of dietary sulforaphane in a triple-negative breast cancer models.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents aggressive phenotype with limited treatment options due to the lack of drug targets. Natural compounds are extensively studied regarding their potential to alter the efficacy of cancer treatment Among them sulforaphane - an isothiocyanate of natural origin, was shown to be a hormetic compound, that may exert divergent effects: cytoprotective or cytotoxic depending on its concentrations. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of its low, dietary concentrations on the proliferation and migration of the TNBC cells in the in vivo and in vitro 2D and 3D model. Results of the in vivo experiment showed up to 31% tumor growth inhibition after sulforaphane treatment associated with lowered proliferating potential of cancer cells, reduced areas of necrosis, and changed immune cell type infiltration, showing less malignant type of tumor in contrast to the non-treated group. Also, the study revealed that sulforaphane decreased the number of lung metastases. The in vitro study confirmed that SFN inhibited cell migration, but only in cells derived from 3D spheroids, not from 2D in vitro cultures. The results show a specific role of sulforaphane in the case of cells released from the TNBC primary tumor and its environment.

Effectiveness of CO2 laser in an experimental mammary gland adenocarcinoma model.

BACKGROUND: The important goal of modern research in the field of surgical oncology is the quest for a tool that could improve the outcomes of tumour excision. AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare the usefulness of the CO2 laser with flexible hollow waveguide and scalpel in mammary tumour excision. MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 112 female BALB/c mice with implanted orthotopically 4T1-luc2-tdTomato tumour cells were included in the research. Tumours were excised in 48 mice using the CO2 laser and in 48 through scalpel surgery. The control group consisted of 16 untreated mice. The evaluation of surgical outcome was obtained by in vivo bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging and post-mortem histopathological examination. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between recurrence rates, metastases and survival time in groups excised with the scalpel and CO2 laser. CONCLUSION: The CO2 laser has similar efficacy compared with conventional scalpel excision for local recurrence rates, incidence of distant metastases and survival time and can be safely applied in oncological surgery.

Immunomorphological studies and cytometric DNA ploidy in diagnostics of pheochromocytoma.

The aim of the study was to define features indicating malignancy in pheochromocytoma through analysis of clinical data, immunomorphological and nuclear DNA ploidy patterns with flow cytometry. The studied group consisted of 33 patients with hypertension and adrenal gland tumor. In all patients 24 hr measurements of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine and their metabolites were taken and the content of these substances in the tumor tissue was measured. Morphologically most pheochromocytomas displayed alveolar pattern with polyhedral cells with clear cytoplasm. Nuclear pleomorphism was infrequent and mitotic figures were rare. In 5 tumors areas of ganglioneuromatous differentiation were present with neurofilament expression. Morphological features indicating malignancy were noted--vascular emboli of tumor cells, capsular infiltration and foci of necrosis. However, in the patient with metastases evident during operation, none of those features was found in the tumor sample. All pheochromocytomas expressed neuroendocrine markers (chromogranin A, synaptophysin and NSE) and most also vimentin. Reactivity of other markers was negligible. In DNA ploidy studies in 22/33 cases there was DNA diploid (normal) pattern. The patient with metastases belonged to this group. In 3 cases there were aneuploid tumor cells on histograms and in 8 increased number of tetraploid cells. The follow-up period of our patients was 1-43 months.

Effect of exogenous ascorbic acid on experimental hypertension and mineral balance in rats fed low- and high-fat diets.

The effects of exogenous ascorbic acid on the development of experimental hypertension and on calcium, sodium, and potassium metabolism have been studied. The investigation was carried out in 90 4-mo-old male Wistar rats fed high- and low-fat diets. Hypertension was induced by administering a 1.5% solution of NaCl orally. Some rats received 0.1% ascorbic acid in distilled water orally for the first 7 wk of the experiment, then 0.3% for the next 5 wk. The results showed that the amount of fat, NaCl, and ascorbate in the diet may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of hypertension. A high-fat high-NaCl diet increased blood pressure more than a low-fat high-NaCl diet. Additional intake of 0.3% ascorbate solution reduced experimentally induced hypertension by 4% with a low-fat diet and by 14% with a high-fat diet. Also, 0.3% ascorbate solution had a blood-pressure-lowering effect in rats fed a high-fat diet without NaCl. Supplementation with ascorbate diminished urine calcium output with a high-fat diet and increased the urine PGE2/PGF2 ratio with both low- and high-fat diets.