| 1. |
- Hu, Kefei, et al.
(författare)
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Nanoparticulate Quillaja saponin induces apoptosis in human leukemia cell lines with a high therapeutic index
- 2010
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Ingår i: International Journal of Nanomedicine. - 1176-9114 .- 1178-2013. ; 5:1, s. 51-62
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Saponin fractions of Quillaja saponaria Molina (QS) have cytotoxic activity against cancer cells in vitro, but are too toxic to be useful in the clinic. The toxic effect was abolished by converting QS fractions into stable nanoparticles through the binding of QS to cholesterol. Two fractions of QS were selected for particle formation, one with an acyl-chain (ASAP) was used to form killing and growth-inhibiting (KGI) particles, and the other without the acyl-chain (DSAP) was used to formulate blocking and balancing effect (BBE) particles. KGI showed significant growth inhibiting and cancer cell-killing activities in nine of 10 cell lines while BBE showed that on one cell line. The monoblastoid lymphoma cell line U937 was selected for analyzing the mode of action. Low concentrations of KGI (0.5 and 2 microg/mL) induced irreversible exit from the cell cycle, differentiation measured by cytokine production, and eventually programmed cell death (apoptosis). Compared to normal human monocytes, the U937 cells were 30-fold more sensitive to KGI. The nontoxic BBE blocked the cell killing effect of KGI in a concentration-dependent manner. In conclusion, the formulation of QS into nanoparticles has the potential of becoming a new class of anticancer agents.
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| 2. |
- Thysell, Elin, et al.
(författare)
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Metabolomic characterization of human prostate cancer bone metastases reveals increased levels of cholesterol
- 2010
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Ingår i: PLoS One. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 5:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Metastasis to the bone is one clinically important features of prostate cancer (PCa). Current diagnostic methods cannot predict metastatic PCa at a curable stage of the disease. Identification of metabolic pathways involved in the growth of bone metastases therefore has the potential to improve PCa prognostication as well as therapy.Methodology/Principal Findings: Metabolomics was applied for the study of PCa bone metastases (n = 20) in comparison with corresponding normal bone (n = 14), and furthermore of malignant (n = 13) and benign (n = 17) prostate tissue and corresponding plasma samples obtained from patients with (n = 15) and without (n = 13) diagnosed metastases and from men with benign prostate disease (n = 30). This was done using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for sample characterization, and chemometric bioinformatics for data analysis. Results were verified in a separate test set including metastatic and normal bone tissue from patients with other cancers (n = 7). Significant differences were found between PCa bone metastases, bone metastases of other cancers, and normal bone. Furthermore, we identified metabolites in primary tumor tissue and in plasma which were significantly associated with metastatic disease. Among the metabolites in PCa bone metastases especially cholesterol was noted. In a test set the mean cholesterol level in PCa bone metastases was 127.30 mg/g as compared to 81.06 and 35.85 mg/g in bone metastases of different origin and normal bone, respectively (P = 0.0002 and 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining of PCa bone metastases showed intense staining of the low density lipoprotein receptor and variable levels of the scavenger receptor class B type 1 and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme reductase in tumor epithelial cells, indicating possibilities for influx and de novo synthesis of cholesterol.Conclusions/Significance: We have identified metabolites associated with PCa metastasis and specifically identified high levels of cholesterol in PCa bone metastases. Based on our findings and the previous literature, this makes cholesterol a possible therapeutic target for advanced PCa.
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