Cytotoxicity and apoptotic cell death induced by Vitis vinifera peel and seed extracts in A431 skin cancer cells.

Vitis vinifera. L is one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world and are rich in antioxidant abundant polyphenols. The present study was carried out to assess the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of Vitis vinifera peel and seed extracts in an in vitro model using human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cell lines. Vitis vinifera peel and seed extracts were incubated with A431 cells to evaluate the antiproliferative, apoptotic effects and the morphological apoptotic changes induced by the extracts. Mitochondrial membrane potential was also measured after incubating the cells with extracts. At the inhibitory concentration (IC50), grape seed extract (111.11 µg/mL) and grape peel extract (319.14 µg/mL) were incubated for 24 h with A431 cells. Vitis vinifera peel and seed extracts were able to impart cytotoxic effects, induced apoptosis and apoptotic morphological changes in A431 cells significantly (p < 0.01) and this effect is associated with the interference with mitochondrial membrane potential. This reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential probably initiated the apoptotic cascade in the extracts treated cells. Vitis vinifera peel and seed phytochemicals can selectively target cancer cells and the phytochemicals that are occluded can serve as potential anticancer agents providing better efficacy in killing cancer cells.

Detection and genotyping of high-risk HPV and evaluation of anti-oxidant status in cervical carcinoma patients in Tamil Nadu State, India--a case control study.

Cervical cancer is the second common type of cancer among women worldwide, with the human papillomavirus (HPV) recognized as the major causative agent. The HPV 16/18 prevalance in cervical cancer patients from the Trichy and Coimbatore districts of Tamil Nadu state, India, was evaluated in addition to an assessment of oxidative stress and antioxidant status. MDA, GSH, GPx, GST, SOD, vitamin C and vitamin E were estimated in the plasma and erythrocytes of the twenty patients and an equal number of age matched normal subjects as controls. 119 paraffin embedded tissue samples were collected to perform DNA extraction and genotyping of HPV 16/18 using specific primers. Plasma and erythrocyte TBARS level was significantly elevated in the cervical cancer patients compared to normal. It was observed that SOD, GPx, GSH levels in the erythrocyte and plasma was significantly lower in cervical cancer patients, as well as GST and Vitamins E and C levels in the plasma and catalase enzyme levels in the erythrocytes. Genotyping showed 57% positive for HPV16 and 18% for HPV18, indicating that vaccination against these two will effectively reduce the burden associated with the disease. These findings suggest possible use of antioxidant supplementation as prophylactic agents for prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.