Potential diagnostic role of circulating MiRNAs in colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common and fourth most deadly cancer worldwide despite its various screening method. Thus, the search for novel and better markers is continuous. This study aimed to assess the combined expression levels of miR-133a, miR-574-3p, and miR-27a in early diagnosis of colorectal cancer in comparison to traditional tumor markers (CEA and CA19.9). METHODS: miR-133a, miR-574-3p, and miR-27a were assessed in sera of 120 participants categorized into healthy control group (n = 20), benign group (n = 30) and malignant group (n = 70) using real-time PCR. RESULTS: miR-133a, miR-574-3p, and miR-27a expressions showed significant difference among different staging, grading and tumor size of CRC. The sensitivities of the three miRNAs whether combined or individually used were better than routinely used tumor markers (CEA and CA19.9) leading to more accurate and faster diagnosis of CRC. CONCLUSION: Synergetic detection of miRNA-133a, miRNA-574-3p, and miRNA-27a may serve as better noninvasive biomarkers with higher combined sensitivity for early diagnosis of CRC than individual detection of miRNAs.

Curative role of mesenchymal stromal cells in chronic pancreatitis: Modulation of MAPK and TGF-ß1/SMAD factors.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Living organisms respond to physical, chemical, and biological threats with a potent inflammatory response which alters organ cell signaling and leads to dysfunction. We evaluated the therapeutic effect of bone marrow-based mesenchymal stromal cell (BM-MSC) transplanted in rats to preserve tissue integrity and to restore homeostasis and function in the pancreatitis experimental pattern. METHODS: This study involved 40 adult male Wister rats. Repeated L-arginine injections caused chronic pancreatitis (CP), leading to the development of pancreatic damage and shifting the intracellular signaling pathways. Rats were then infused with BM-MSC labeled with PKH26 fluorescent linker dye for 12 weeks. RESULTS: Cell-surface indicators of BM-MSCs such as CD 90 and CD29 were expressed with the lack of CD34 expression. BM-MSC treatment considerably improved the alterations induced in a series of inflammatory markers, including IL-18, TNF-α, CRP, PGE2, and MCP-1. Furthermore, improvement was found in digestive enzymes and lipid profile with amelioration in myeloperoxidase activity. BM-MSC treatment also regulated the (TGF-/p-38MPAK/SMAD2/3) signaling factors that enhances repair of damaged pancreatic tissue, confirmed by reversed alteration of histopathological examination. CONCLUSION: our results further bring to light the promise of cell transplant therapy for chronic pancreatitis.

Evaluation of cytotoxic and anticancer effect of Orobanche crenata methanolic extract on cancer cell lines.

We aimed to assess the antitumor activity of Orobanche crenata methanolic extract and evaluate its cytotoxic effect on different cancer cell lines to develop an effective natural anticancer drug. Components of O. crenata methanolic extract were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The extract's antioxidant activity was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power procedures and cytotoxicity of the extract was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase assays. Caspase-3 activity was also estimated. O. crenata methanolic extract shows powerful antioxidant activity. The extract inhibited the propagation of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), human prostate cancer (PC3), human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), and human colon carcinoma (HCT-116) in a dose-dependent manner. O. crenata-treated cells displayed obvious morphological structures distinctive of apoptosis. MTT assay exposed that the extract presented prevention of cell persistence in a dose-dependent means and revealed extremely cytotoxic activity against HepG2, PC3, MCF-7, and HCT-116 with 50% inhibitory concentration values 30.3, 111, 89.6, and 28.6 µg/mL, respectively, after 24 h of incubation. In addition, treatment of HCT-116 with various concentrations of the extract caused the release of lactate dehydrogenase and induction of caspase-3 activity in a dose-dependent way. In conclusion, our findings suggested that the O. crenata extract possesses potent antioxidant, cytotoxic activity, and anticancer properties which are possibly due to the principal bioactive phytochemical composites existing in this plant. These results can be used to develop new drugs for cancer treatment.

Assessment of anticancer activity of Pulicaria undulata on hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line.

Searching for new sources of safe nutraceuticals antitumor drugs is an important issue. Consequentially, this study designed to assess the antitumor activity of Pulicaria undulata extract in vitro in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cell line. Aerial parts of P. undulata plants were collected, used for phytochemical analysis, and assessed for anticancer activity. The antitumor activity was evaluated through studying the cell viability and apoptotic pathway. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry phytochemical analysis revealed that P. undulata is a promising new source of several known antioxidant and antitumor compounds which could participate in drug development and exploration of alternative strategies to the harmful synthetic antitumor drugs. P. undulata stifled HepG2 cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile, P. undulata tempted substantial apoptosis in HepG2 cells and enhanced the expression of miR-34a. However, the mRNA expression level of antiapoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 was markedly decreased by P. undulata treatment. Moreover, P. undulata increased the protein expression of proapoptotic p53 and caspase 3/9 with reducing B-cell lymphoma-2 protein expression level. Thus, P. undulata induced apoptosis in the HepG2 cells by overexpression of miR-34a which regulates p53/B-cell lymphoma-2/caspases signaling pathway. These findings were well appreciated with morphological studies of cells treated with P. undulata. In conclusion, P. undulata could be a probable candidate agent for the initiation of cell apoptosis in HepG2 and thereby can serve as promising therapeutic agent for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma which should attract further studies.