RESUMO
Objective: To evaluate antitumor activities of Fritillaria imperialis and Eryngium caucasicum methanolic extracts on human hepatoma (HepG2) and colon cancer (HCT116) cell lines in comparison to human foreskin fibroblasts as the normal cells. Methods: Methanolic extracts of Fritillaria imperialis and Eryngium caucasicum were prepared by the maceration method. The effect of the extracts at various concentrations (100, 200, 400, 600, and 800 μg/mL) on cell survival was evaluated using the MTT method. Besides, fluorescence staining was used to evaluate death patterns of the cells. Results: MTT assay showed that Fritillaria imperialis significantly decreased the viability of all cell lines after 24 and 48 hours of treatments. However, Eryngium caucasicum extract did not show any significant cytotoxicity effect on the cell lines. Fluorescence staining revealed that Fritillaria imperialis induced apoptosis of HCT116 cells at 550 μg/mL. Conclusions: Fritillaria imperialis extract has antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on HCT116 and HepG2 cancer cells and therefore, may serve as an anticancer agent.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Environmental and genetic factors play a key role in the development of the disease. Interleukin-32 (IL-32) is a cytokine inducing crucial inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, and MIP-2. The present study was an attempt to reveal any association between IL-32 levels and C/T promoter SNP with susceptibility to MS. METHODS: This case control study recruited a total of 304 subjects including 132 MS patients and 172 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the RRMS, PPMS, and PPMS populations were assessed. Serum levels and C/T polymorphism of IL-32 were determined by ELISA and RFLP-PCR methods, respectively. RESULTS: Serum levels of IL-32 were significantly different between MS patients and controls. IL-32 was dramatically higher in the patients than that healthy controls (2297.4±280.2 ver. 712.9±90.2, p=0.001). C allele was prominent in MS patients than the controls and might increase the risk of MS up to 1.6 fold (95% CI; 1.02-2.4, p=0.038). In addition, the presence of C allele enhanced IL-32 production drastically. CONCLUSION: This is the first study in which IL-32 gene promoter C/T polymorphism and its serum levels were investigated. The increase in serum levels of IL-32 in accordance with additive effect of the presence of C allele in MS patients might introduce IL-32 as a key player in MS pathogenesis or immunedysregulation.
