Concentration- Dependent Effects of Curcumin on 5-Fluorouracil Efficacy in Bladder Cancer Cells

Purpose: Curcumin (Cur), a herbal ingredient with anticancer properties, has been shown to inhibit growth of malignant cells in vivo and in vitro. However, studies on combination therapy of Cur with chemotherapeutic drugs have been limited. Here, effects of Cur on the cytotoxicity of 5-Fluorouracil (FU) were investigated with epithelial bladder cancer cells (EJ138) in vitro. Methods: EJ138 cells were treated with 5 and 15 µM of Cur and/ or 100 µM of FU. Cell viability was measured by sulforhodamine B colorimetric assay. The glucose concentration as an index of cell metabolism was evaluated by an enzymatic method. Total oxidant and antioxidant capacities were estimated by the ferrous oxidation-xylenol (FOX1) method and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP), respectively. Results: Combination of 5 µM Cur with FU significantly reduced its cytotoxicity in EJ138 cells, while 15 µM Cur caused an opposite increase. Significant increase in glucose concentration at 24 h and decrease in the FRAP value at 48 h incubation was observed in cells treated with FU in combination with Cur. There were no significant changes in total oxidant capacity with the combination therapy. Conclusion: Our findings suggest a crucial role of Cur concentration in regulating chemotherapeutic agent-induced cytotoxicity. Further investigations are needed to understand the precise mechanisms of action of Cur and determine appropriate doses with combination therapy for clinical application against human cancers.

Inflammatory cells' role in acetic acid-induced colitis.

BACKGROUND: FREE RADICALS ARE THE KNOWN MECHANISMS RESPONSIBLE FOR INDUCING COLITIS WITH TWO ORIGINS: Inflammatory cells and tissues. Only the inflammatory cells can be controlled by corticosteroids. Our aim was to assess the importance of neutrophils as one of the inflammatory cells in inducing colitis and to evaluate the efficacy of corticosteroids in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six mice were divided into six groups of six mice each. Colitis was induced in three groups by exposing them to acetic acid through enema (group 1), ex vivo (group 3), and enema after immune suppression (group 5). Each group had one control group that was exposed to water injection instead of acetic acid. Tissue samples were evaluated and compared based on macroscopic damages and biochemical and pathological results. RESULTS: Considering neutrophilic infiltration, there were significant differences between groups 1, 3, 5, and the control of group 1. Groups 3, 5, and their controls, and group 1 and the control of group 3 had significant differences in terms of goblet depletion. Based on tissue originated H2O2, we found significant differences between group 1 and its control and group 3, and also between groups 5 and the control of group 3. All the three groups were significantly different from their controls based on Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma (FRAP) and such differences were also seen between group 1 with two other groups. CONCLUSION: Neutrophils may not be the only cause of oxidation process in colitis, and also makes the effectiveness of corticosteroids in the treatment of this disease doubtful.

Evaluation of agar films in the prevention of postoperative peritoneal adhesions in an animal model.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal adhesions cause significant long-term postoperative morbidity. This study evaluates the efficacy of agar plates as the physical barrier in reducing adhesion formation after abdominal surgery in an animal model. METHODS: Adhesions were induced, by cecum abrasion, in 20 C57/BL6 mice during a laparotomy procedure. Agar plates were used in 10 mice as the experimental group. At a second operation, 28 days later, the adhesions were graded, in two groups. Data were analyzed by using Student t test. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in weight gain of the two groups during the study period. A comparison of the morphological appearances of the adhesions demonstrated that there was no evident difference between the two groups. There was also no significant difference in the incidence ratio of adhesions or postoperative adhesion scores between the two groups (p value >0.05). CONCLUSION: Despite the hydrogel properties of agar, it was not successful in practice in the reduction of adhesion formation after peritoneal surgery. Since agar is a biological product, it may cause a hyperreactivity induced by the innate immune system in peritoneum. Therefore, agar does not appear to be useful in clinical practice for the reduction of adhesion formation after peritoneal surgery.

Standard oral rehydration solution as a new storage medium for avulsed teeth.

OBJECTIVES: Immediate tooth replantation is the choice of treatment in tooth avulsion. When it is impossible to replant immediately an appropriate medium must be used to maintain periodontal ligament (PDL) cell viability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of standard Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) as a new storage medium for the preservation of PDL cell viability. METHODS: 75 young adult premolar teeth without periodontal disease were used (25 teeth for each medium). Teeth were placed in the experimental media including standard ORS, HBSS and tap water for intended incubation periods. After that, PDL cells were separated and cell viability was determined by Trypan blue staining. The results were analysed by one way ANOVA. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between HBSS and Standard ORS in supporting the maintenance of PDL cell viability. A significant difference between the effect of Standard ORS and water and HBSS and water was observed in maintaining PDL cell viability. CONCLUSIONS: Standard ORS is a suitable transport medium to support the maintenance of PDL cell viability. Regarding its inexpensiveness and availability, standard ORS has preference over some other approved transport media like HBSS.

A new storage medium for an avulsed tooth.

AIM: The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of egg white in maintaining the viability of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells on avulsed teeth. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The experimental media were: egg white, milk, Hanks' Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) as the positive control, and tap water as the negative control. The storage times were 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 hours. Extracted premolar teeth of healthy individuals were rinsed in the media. After trypsinization and subsequent treatment in collagenase, cell viability was determined using trypan blue staining. The two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical test was used to compare the results among different media. RESULTS: There was no difference in the cell viability between egg white and HBSS media, but there was a statistically significant difference between the viability of PDL cells in egg white medium in comparison with milk (P<0.05) and water (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Egg white could be suggested as a suitable storage medium. Its principle advantage is its availability.