Exposure of androgen mimicking environmental chemicals enhances proliferation of prostate cancer (LNCaP) cells by inducing AR expression and epigenetic modifications

Exposure to environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is highly suspected in prostate carcinogenesis. Though, estrogenicity is the most studied behavior of EDCs, the androgenic potential of most of the EDCs remains elusive. This study investigates the androgen mimicking potential of some common EDCs and their effect in androgen-dependent prostate cancer (LNCaP) cells. Based on the In silico interaction study, all the 8 EDCs tested were found to interact with androgen receptor with different binding energies. Further, the luciferase reporter activity confirmed the androgen mimicking potential of 4 EDCs namely benzo[a]pyrene, dichlorvos, genistein and β-endosulfan. Whereas, aldrin, malathion, tebuconazole and DDT were reported as antiandrogenic in luciferase reporter activity assay. Next, the nanomolar concentration of androgen mimicking EDCs (benzo[a]pyrene, dichlorvos, genistein and β-endosulfan) significantly enhanced the expression of AR protein and subsequent nuclear translocation in LNCaP cells. Our In silico studies further demonstrated that androgenic EDCs also bind with epigenetic regulatory enzymes namely DNMT1 and HDAC1. Moreover, exposure to these EDCs enhanced the protein expression of DNMT1 and HDAC1 in LNCaP cells. These observations suggest that EDCs may regulate proliferation in androgen sensitive LNCaP cells by acting as androgen mimicking ligands for AR signaling as well as by regulating epigenetic machinery. Both androgenic potential and epigenetic modulatory effects of EDCs may underlie the development and growth of prostate cancer.

Correction to: Inhibitory effects of tea polyphenols by targeting cyclooxygenase-2 through regulation of nuclear factor kappa B, Akt and p53 in rat mammary tumors

The authors regret to inform that there were unknowing errors in figures. The corrected images are given below. These figures are not affecting the results and conclusion of the manuscript. Hence, the text in original paper remains unchanged.

Identification of Antineoplastic Targets with Systems Approaches, Using Resveratrol as an In-Depth Case Study

The identification and validation of novel drug-target combinations are key steps in the drug discovery processes. Cancer is a complex disease that involves several genetic and environmental factors. High-throughput omics technologies are now widely available, however the integration of multi-omics data to identify viable anticancer drug-target combinations, that allow for a better clinical outcome when considering the efficacy-toxicity spectrum, is challenging. This review article provides an overview of systems approaches which help to integrate a broad spectrum of technologies and data. We focus on network approaches and investigate anticancer mechanism and biological targets of resveratrol using reverse pharmacophore mapping as an in-depth case study. The results of this case study demonstrate the use of systems approaches for a better understanding of the behavior of small molecule inhibitors in receptor binding sites. The presented network analysis approach helps in formulating hypotheses and provides mechanistic insights of resveratrol in neoplastic transformations.

Metabolic fingerprinting in breast cancer stages through 1H NMR spectroscopy-based metabolomic analysis of plasma

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies among women worldwide, which is indeed associated with metabolic reprogramming. However, BC is a very complex and heterogeneous disease, which can relate with the changes in metabolic profiles during BC progression. Hence, investigating the metabolic alterations during BC stage progression may reveal the deregulated pathways and useful metabolic signatures of BC. To demonstrate the metabolic insights, we opted ¹H NMR spectroscopy based metabolomics of blood plasma of early and late stage BC (N = 72) with age and gender matched healthy subjects (N = 50). Further, the metabolic profiles were analyzed to delineate the potential signatures of BC by performing multivariate and nonparametric statistical analysis in early and late stages of BC in comparison with healthy subjects. Sixteen metabolites levels were differentially changed (p < 0.05) in the early and late stages of BC from healthy subjects. Among them, the levels of hydroxybutyrate, lysine, glutamate, glucose, N-acetyl glycoprotein, Lactate were highly distinguished in BC stages and showed a good biomarker potential using receiver-operating curves based diagnostic models. Furthermore, the significant modulation and good diagnostic performances of glutamate, N-acetyl glycoprotein and Lactate in LBC as compared to EBC give their significance in the BC progression. In general, our observations demonstrate that these panels of metabolites may act as vital component of the metabolism of early to late stage BC progression. Our results also open new avenue towards early and late stage BC diagnosis and intervention implying metabolomics approaches.

Phytochemical characterization and biological activity evaluation of ethanolic extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

India being a multicultural nation, every region of the country offers a distinct culinary flavor and taste. These flavors are attributed to spices and condiments which form the mainstay of Indian cuisine. Most of these spices and condiments are derived from various biodiversity hotspots in India and form the crux of India's multidiverse and multicultural cuisine. Apart from their varying aromas, flavors and tastes, these spices and condiments are known to possess several medicinal properties also. Most of these spices find considerable mention in Ayurveda, the indigenous system of medicine, as panaceas for several aliments. Cinnamomum zeylanicum (CZ), belonging to family Lauraceae and commonly known as cinnamon is one such spice known to have diverse medicinal properties since time immemorial.

AIM OF THE STUDY

In the present study, apoptotic and anti-microbial activity of ethanolic extract of CZ was evaluated against human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and compared for its effect on normal kidney epithelial cell line Vero.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethanolic extract of tree bark of CZ was used to determine the cytotoxic effect on MDA-MB-231 using Trypan blue dye exclusion method and cytometry. The tested dose of the extract was 10-100 µg/mL. Antibacterial activity was determined using disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in the range 2-10 mg/mL. Apoptotic activity was determined using DNA fragmentation assay.

RESULTS

Ethanolic extract of CZ was found to have an IC₅₀ value of 25 µg/mL against MDA cell line. On the other hand, CZ extract did not have any significant effect on Vero cells even at 100 µg/mL (IC₅₀ > 100 µg/mL). The ethanolic extract of CZ bark showed significant antibacterial activity against S. aureus at 10 mg/mL while no appreciable activity was detected against E. coli. DNA isolated from extract treated cancer cells showed a fragmentation pattern characteristic of apoptosis. However, no DNA fragmentation was observed in DNA isolated from extract treated Vero cells.

CONCLUSION

Ethanolic bark extract of CZ could be potentially beneficial in treating breast cancer and may be of interest for future studies in developing integrative cancer therapy against proliferation, metastasis, and migration of breast cancer cells.

Curcumin loading potentiates the chemotherapeutic efficacy of selenium nanoparticles in HCT116 cells and Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma bearing mice

The anticancer properties of selenium (Se) and curcumin nanoparticles in solo formulations as well as in combination with other therapeutic agents have been proved time and again. Exploiting this facet of the two, we clubbed their tumoricidal characteristics and designed curcumin loaded Se nanoparticles (Se-CurNPs) to achieve an enhanced therapeutic effect. We evaluated their therapeutic effects on different cancer cell lines and Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma mouse model. In vitro results showed that Se-CurNPs were most effective on colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT116) compared to the other cancer cell lines used and possessed pleiotropic anticancer effects. The therapeutic effect on HCT116 was primarily attributed to an elevated level of autophagy and apoptosis as evident from significant up-regulation of autophagy associated (LC3B-II) and pro-apoptotic (Bax) proteins, down-regulation of anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) protein and Cytochrome c (cyt c) release from mitochondria along with reduced NFκB signaling and EMT based machineries marked by downregulation of inflammation (NFκB, phospho-NFκB) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (CD44, N-cadherin) associated proteins. In vivo studies on Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) mice model indicated that Se-CurNPs significantly reduced the tumor load and enhanced the mean survival time (days) of tumor-bearing EAC mice.

Necroptosis: Modules and molecular switches with therapeutic implications

Among the various programmed cell death (PCD) pathways, "Necroptosis" has gained much importance as a novel paradigm of cell death. This pathway has emerged as a backup mechanism when physiologically conserved PCD (apoptosis) is non-functional either genetically or pathogenically. The expanding spectrum of necroptosis from physiological development to diverse patho-physiological disorders, including xenobiotics-mediated toxicity has now grabbed the attention worldwide. The efficient role of necroptosis regulators in disease development and management are under constant examination. In fact, few regulators (e.g. MLKL) have already paved their way towards clinical trials and others are in queue. In this review, emphasis has been paid to the various contributing factors and molecular switches that can regulate necroptosis. Here we linked the overview of current knowledge of this enigmatic signaling with magnitude of therapeutics that may underpin the opportunities for novel therapeutic approaches to suppress the pathogenesis of necroptosis-driven disorders.

Deltamethrin induced RIPK3-mediated caspase-independent non-apoptotic cell death in rat primary hepatocytes

Deltamethrin (DLM), a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, is used all over the world for indoor and field pest management. In the present study, we investigated the elicited pathogenesis of DLM-induced hepatotoxicity in rat primary hepatocytes. DLM-induced cell death was accompanied with increased ROS generation, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and G2/M arrest. Pre-treatment with N-acetyl cysteine/butylated hydroxyanisole/IM54 could partly rescue hepatocytes suggesting that ROS might play a role in DLM-induced toxicity. Interestingly, DLM treatment resulted in a caspase-independent but non-apoptotic cell death. Pre-treatment with pan-caspase inhibitor (ZVAD-FMK) could not rescue hepatocytes. Unaltered caspase-3 activity and absence of cleaved caspase-3 also corroborated our findings. Further, LDH release and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis demonstrated that DLM incites membrane disintegrity and necrotic damage. Immunochemical staining revealed an increased expression of inflammatory markers (TNFα, NFκB, iNOS, COX-2) following DLM treatment. Moreover, the enhanced RIPK3 expression in DLM treated groups and prominent rescue from cell death by GSK-872 indicated that DLM exposure could induce programmed necrosis in hepatocytes. The present study demonstrates that DLM could induce hepatotoxicity via non-apoptotic mode of cell death.

Protective effects of indole-3-carbinol on cyclophosphamide-induced clastogenecity in mouse bone marrow cells

Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is present in many cruciferous vegetables and is known to possess protective properties against chemically induced toxicity and carcinogenesis. In the present study, the antimutagenic potential of I3C has been evaluated using in vivo chromosomal aberration (CA) assay as a cytogenetic end point. Chromosomal analysis was carried out in mouse bone marrow cells following administration of I3C (5 mg/kg; i.p.) for 5 consecutive days. Cyclophosphamide (CP), a well known mutagen, was given at two dose levels of 25 mg/kg b.wt. and 100 mg/kg b.wt., respectively, 24 hours prior to the last dose of I3C. Two groups of five mice each were also injected with CP (25 or 100 mg/kg b.wt.) alone whereas for the vehicle control a group of mice was injected with normal saline only. The results revealed a significant inhibition in the frequencies of CP-induced CAs and aberrant cells in bone marrow cells of I3C-supplemented Swiss albino mice. The antimutagenic potential of I3C towards CP was also evident as the status of mitotic index (MI) was found to show an increment. This study revealed the antigenotoxic potential of I3C against CP- induced chromosomal mutations.

Induction of preneoplastic altered hepatic foci following dietary sulphur supplementation

Sulphur is an essential micronutrient required by the body in low concentrations, but its high intake can lead to a serious health hazard. Sulphur compounds are reported to induce several toxic responses in animals, but so far no reports are available on the toxic effects of elemental sulphur, following dietary supplementation. The present investigation was carried out with the aim of providing an insight into the role of dietary supplementation of sulphur on the induction of altered hepatic foci (AHF) using medium term liver bioassay in Wistar rats. Induction of AHF are early neoplastic changes in rat liver in diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-initiated and 2-acetylamino fluorene (2-AAF)-promoted hepatocarcinogenesis. The role of sulphur on induction of AHF was evaluated by the development of negative enzymatic foci for alkaline phosphatase (AlkPase), adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) and positive foci for marker enzymes, glutamyl transferase (GGT), placental isozyme of glutathione-S transferase (GST-P). A significant dose-dependent decrease in the relative and absolute liver weight of sulphur-administered rats was recorded. Dietary supplementation of 2% and 4% sulphur significantly induces both negative and positive focal areas in terms of area and counts for AHF. However, 1% sulphur administration failed to induce AHF up to significant levels. The results thus revealed the possible tumorigenic risk associated with the high sulphur-containing diet.

RETRACTED: Erratum to "Resveratrol induces apoptosis involving mitochondrial pathways in mouse skin tumorigenesis" [Life Sciences (2008) 348-358]

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Multiple figures in this article appear to be falsified/fabricated, and can not be verified as the corresponding author does not have the original data. Figure 2. It appears that data has been duplicated in panels V and VI. Figure 3A. Lanes II and VI in the p53 wild band appear to be duplicated. Figure 4A. Lanes I, II, V and VI of the Beta-actin blot appear to be the same data replicated. Figure 4B. The representative blots in the Bcl-2 band, lanes V and VI are identical, as are all lanes in the Beta-actin band. Figure 5B. Lanes III and IV of the Apaf 1 band, when rotated and vertically stretched, are duplicated and appear in Figure 3D as lanes III and IV of the Cytochrome C blot in "Chemopreventive potential of resveratrol in mouse skin tumors through regulation of mitochondrial and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways." Pharmaceutical Research (2009). Doi: 10.1007/s11095-008-9723-z. Figure 5C. Lanes II and V of the Caspase 9 band appear to be duplicated. Figure 5E. The bands in lane V and VI of the Beta-actin blot are duplicated. Figure 5B and 5C. The Beta-actin lane IV band in 5B and lane IV in 5C appear to be duplicated from Figure 6B in "Hepatoprotective effects of lupeol and mango pulp extract of carcinogen induced alteration in Swiss albino mice." Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2007). Doi: 10.1002/mnfr.200600113.

Protective effects of lupeol against mancozeb-induced genotoxicity in cultured human lymphocytes

BACKGROUND

Lup-20(29)-en-3H-ol (Lupeol), a dietary pentacyclic triterpenoid has been shown to possess multiple medicinal activities including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogenic effects. Mancozeb is a widely used broad-spectrum fungicide with well-known carcinogenic hazards in rodents.

PURPOSE

The present study has been designed to investigate the protective effects of lupeol against mancozeb-induced genotoxicity and apoptosis in cultured human lymphocytes (CHLs).

METHODS

The genotoxic effect of mancozeb was evaluated by chromosomal aberration and micronucleus assays. The cell cycle kinetics and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was measured by flow cytometry. The levels of anti-oxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation (LPO) were estimated by enzymatic assays. The localization of p65NF-κB was measured by immunocytochemical analysis. The differential expression of genes associated with genotoxicity was measured by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

Mancozeb exposure (5µg/ml) for 24h caused significant induction of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and micronuclei (MN) formation in CHLs. Pre-and post-treatment (25 and 50µg/ml) of lupeol for 24h significantly (p<0.05) reduced the frequency of CAs and MN induction, in a dose-dependent manner in mancozeb treated CHLs. Concomitantly, lupeol pre-treatment for 24h significantly increased the levels of anti-oxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase and decreased ROS generation and LPO. Additionally, lupeol pre-treatment significantly reduced mancozeb-induced apoptosis as shown by Sub-G1 peak analysis and annexin V-PI assay, in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, pre-treatment with lupeol attenuated mancozeb-induced NF-κB activation in CHLs. Furthermore, the results of qRT-PCR showed that lupeol pre-treatment significantly (p<0.05) decreased mancozeb-induced expression of DNA damage (p53, MDM2, COX-2, GADD45α and p21) and increased expression of DNA repair responsive genes (hOGG1 and XRCC1) in CHLs.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our findings suggest that lupeol could attenuate mancozeb-induced oxidative stress, which in turn could inhibit NF-κB activation and thus provide protection against mancozeb-induced genotoxicity and apoptosis. So, lupeol could be used as a potent anti-oxidant regimen against pesticide induced genotoxicity in agricultural farm workers.

Hyaluronic acid grafted PLGA copolymer nanoparticles enhance the targeted delivery of Bromelain in Ehrlich's Ascites Carcinoma

Rapidly increasing malignant neoplastic disease demands immediate attention. Several dietary compounds have recently emerged as strong anti-cancerous agents. Among, Bromelain (BL), a protease from pineapple plant, was used to enhance its anti-cancerous efficacy using nanotechnology. In lieu of this, hyaluronic acid (HA) grafted PLGA copolymer, having tumor targeting ability, was developed. BL was encapsulated in copolymer to obtain BL-copolymer nanoparticles (NPs) that ranged between 140 to 281nm in size. NPs exhibited higher cellular uptake and cytotoxicity in cells with high CD44 expression as compared with non-targeted NPs. In vivo results on tumor bearing mice showed that NPs were efficient in suppressing the tumor growth. Hence, the formulation could be used as a self-targeting drug delivery cargo for the remission of cancer.

Resveratrol improves the anticancer effects of doxorubicin in vitro and in vivo models: A mechanistic insight

BACKGROUND

Resveratrol (RSVL), a well known dietary compound and in combination with doxorubicin (DOX) has gained a global importance for cancer prevention. However, mechanism of action by this combination is not well understood till date.

HYPOTHESIS

The synergistic combination of RSVL and DOX might be more effective in anti-cancer activity by modulating the diverse cancer signaling pathways as compared to their alone treatments.

METHODS

The cytotoxicity of alone and combination doses of RSVL and DOX were analyzed by colorimetric MTT(3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) cell proliferation assay. The migration and colony forming abilities were evaluated by wound healing and clonogenic assays. Apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/PI and DAPI stainings. The cell cycle and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were measured by flow cytometry. The differential expression of genes and proteins were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting analyses. Finally, in-vivo studies were performed in Ehrlich ascitic carcinoma (EAC) mouse model.

RESULTS

The synergistic combination of DOX (IC20) and RSVL (IC30) was selected based on the combination index values in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. This combination showed potent growth inhibition with ∼2.5 fold of dose advantage and also significantly decreased the wound healing and clonogenic potential of breast cancer cells. The combination treatment was also found to inhibit the inflammatory response (NF-kB, COX-2), autophagic flux (LC3, Beclin-1), redox regulation (Nrf2) and induces apoptosis (BAX: BCL-2 ratio and Caspase-9) in breast cancer cells. Further, combined dosages of DOX (5 mg/kg b.wt) and RSVL (10 mg/kg b.wt) inhibited tumor volume with increased life span (139%, p value<0.05) in Ehrlich ascitic carcinoma (EAC) cells bearing mice.

CONCLUSION

In brief, our results suggested that resveratrol chemosensitizes doxorubicin in combination, through inhibiting breast cancer cells proliferation and invasion, and inducing apoptosis via suppression of chronic inflammation and autophagy.

Diallyl Sulfide and Its Role in Chronic Diseases Prevention

Diallyl sulfide (C₆H₁₀S, DAS) is one of the novel natural organosulfur compounds, which is mostly obtained from the genus Allium plants. Numerous studies have revealed several unique properties of DAS in terms of its health-promoting effects. DAS has proved to be anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-angiogenic, and immunomodulatory like unique functions as demonstrated by the multiple investigations. Diallyl sulfide can also impede oxidative stress and chronic inflammation as suggested by the literature. Studies also explored that DAS could thwart the development of chronic diseases like cancer, neuronal, cardiovascular disease through modulating mechanistic pathways involved in pathogenesis. In this book chapter, we have attempted to give the comprehensive view on DAS about the physiochemical and biological properties, and its preventive role in chronic diseases with a mechanistic overview.

PLGA-encapsulated tea polyphenols enhance the chemotherapeutic efficacy of cisplatin against human cancer cells and mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma

The clinical success of the applicability of tea polyphenols awaits efficient systemic delivery and bioavailability. Herein, following the concept of nanochemoprevention, which uses nanotechnology for enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs, we employed tea polyphenols, namely theaflavin (TF) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) encapsulated in a biodegradable nanoparticulate formulation based on poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) with approximately 26% and 18% encapsulation efficiency, respectively. It was observed that TF/EGCG encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) offered an up to ~7-fold dose advantage when compared with bulk TF/EGCG in terms of exerting its antiproliferative effects and also enhanced the anticancer potential of cisplatin (CDDP) in A549 (lung carcinoma), HeLa (cervical carcinoma), and THP-1 (acute monocytic leukemia) cells. Cell cycle analysis revealed that TF/EGCG-NPs were more efficient than bulk TF/EGCG in sensitizing A549 cells to CDDP-induced apoptosis, with a dose advantage of up to 20-fold. Further, TF/EGCG-NPs, alone or in combination with CDDP, were more effective in inhibiting NF-κB activation and in suppressing the expression of cyclin D1, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and vascular endothelial growth factor, involved in cell proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis, respectively. EGCG and TF-NPs were also found to be more effective than bulk TF/EGCG in inducing the cleavage of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and Bax/Bcl2 ratio in favor of apoptosis. Further, in vivo evaluation of these NPs in combination with CDDP showed an increase in life span (P<0.05) in mice bearing Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma cells, with apparent regression of tumor volume in comparison with mice treated with bulk doses with CDDP. These results indicate that EGCG and TF-NPs have superior cancer chemosensitization activity when compared with bulk TF/EGCG.

Current perspectives of molecular pathways involved in chronic inflammation-mediated breast cancer

Inflammation has multifaceted role in cancer progression including initiation, promotion and invasion by affecting the immune surveillance and associated signaling pathways. Inflammation facilitates the over-expression of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors involved in progression of different cancers including breast cancer progression. Deregulation of biological processes such as oxidative stress, angiogenesis, and autophagy elicit favorable immune response towards chronic inflammation. Apart from the role in carcinogenesis, chronic inflammation also favors the emergence of drug resistance clones by inducing the growth of breast cancer stem-like cells. Immunomodulation mediated by cytokines, chemokines and several other growth factors present in the tumor microenvironment regulate chronic inflammatory response and alter crosstalk among various signaling pathways such as NF-κB, Nrf-2, JAK-STAT, Akt and MAPKs involved in the progression of breast cancer. In this review, we focused on cellular and molecular processes involved in chronic inflammation, crosstalk among different signaling pathways and their association in breast cancer pathogenesis.

Anti-cancer activity of bromelain nanoparticles by oral administration

Oral administration of anti-cancer drugs is an effective alternative to improve their efficacy and reduce undesired toxicity. Bromelain (BL) is known as an effective anti-cancer phyto-therapeutic agent, however, its activity is reduced upon oral administration. In addressing the issue, BL was encapsulated in Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) to formulate nanoparticles (NPs). Further, the NPs were coated with Eudragit L30D polymer to introduce stability against the gastric acidic conditions. The resultant coated NPs were characterized for BL entrapment, proteolytic activity and mean particle size. The stability and release pattern of NPs were evaluated under simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) pH conditions. Cytotoxicity studies carried out in human cell lines of diverse origin have shown significant dose advantage (-7-10 folds) with NPs in reducing the IC50 values compared with free BL. The cellular uptake of NPs in MCF-7, HeLa and Caco-2 cells monolayer was significantly enhanced several folds as compared to free BL. Altered expression of marker proteins associated with apoptosis and cell death (P53, P21, Bcl2, Bax) also confirmed the enhanced anti-carcinogenic potential of formulated NPs. Oral administration of NPs reduced the tumor burden of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice and also increased their life-span (160.0 ± 5.8%) when compared with free BL (24 ± 3.2%). The generation of reactive oxygen species, induction of apoptosis and impaired mitochondrial membrane potential in EAC cells treated with NPs confirmed the suitability of Eudragit coated BL-NPs as a promising candidate for oral chemotherapy.

Synthesis of PLGA nanoparticles of tea polyphenols and their strong in vivo protective effect against chemically induced DNA damage

In spite of proficient results of several phytochemicals in preclinical settings, the conversion rate from bench to bedside is not very encouraging. Many reasons are attributed to this limited success, including inefficient systemic delivery and bioavailability under in vivo conditions. To achieve improved efficacy, polyphenolic constituents of black (theaflavin [TF]) and green (epigallocatechin-3-gallate [EGCG]) tea in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles (PLGA-NPs) were entrapped with entrapment efficacy of ~18% and 26%, respectively. Further, their preventive potential against 7,12-dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA)-induced DNA damage in mouse skin using DNA alkaline unwinding assay was evaluated. Pretreatment (topically) of mouse skin with either TF or EGCG (100 μg/mouse) doses exhibits protection of 45.34% and 28.32%, respectively, against DMBA-induced DNA damage. However, pretreatment with TF-loaded PLGA-NPs protects against DNA damage 64.41% by 1/20th dose of bulk, 71.79% by 1/10th dose of bulk, and 72.46% by 1/5th dose of bulk. Similarly, 51.28% (1/20th of bulk), 57.63% (1/10th of bulk), and 63.14% (1/5th of bulk) prevention was noted using EGCG-loaded PLGA-NP doses. These results showed that tea polyphenol-loaded PLGA-NPs have ~30-fold dose-advantage than bulk TF or EGCG doses. Additionally, TF- or EGCG-loaded PLGA-NPs showed significant potential for induction of DNA repair genes (XRCC1, XRCC3, and ERCC3) and suppression of DNA damage responsive genes (p53, p21, MDM2, GADD45α, and COX-2) as compared with respective bulk TF or EGCG doses. Taken together, TF- or EGCG-loaded PLGA-NPs showed a superior ability to prevent DMBA-induced DNA damage at much lower concentrations, thus opening a new dimension in chemoprevention research.

RETRACTED: Tea polyphenols enhance cisplatin chemosensitivity in cervical cancer cells via induction of apoptosis

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Multiple figures in this article appear to be falsified/fabricated. Figure 2A and C. The representative dot plots from the EGCG (15ug/ml)+CDDP (10ug/ml) and TF (15ug/ml) groups appear to be duplicated. Figures 3, 4 and 6. Multiple Western blot bands appear to be rotated and reused throughout Figure 3 (A and B); 4 (A and B) and 6 (A, B, C). In particular, the Cytochrome-c blot in Figure 3B is duplicated and flipped in Figure 6B as p-NFKB. The p53 blot in Figure 3B is duplicated in Figure 6C as p-NFKB. The B-actin blot in Figure 3B is shown as an unmarked control lane (flipped in Figure 6B. The p53 band in Figure 3C is very similar to the Caspase 9 blot in Figure 4B and is cropped and duplicated in Figure 6A as p-NFKB by cisplatin in SiHa cells. The Caspase 3 blot in Figure 4A is rotated and flipped and appears in Figure 6B as p-IKBa.