Anti-cancer effect of metformin on the metastasis and invasion of primary breast cancer cells through mediating NF-kB activity

Current evidence strongly suggests that aberrant activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) signaling cascade is connected to carcinogenesis. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) which are also the key agents for tumor metastasis may be potent candidates for tumor diagnosis in clinics. In this in vitro study, we hypothesized that metformin with an effective dose can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and metastasis by modulating the expressions of MMP-2 and -9 and interfering with NF-kB signaling in primary breast cancer cells (PBCCs). 300 000 cells per ml were obtained from biopsies of breast tumors from five human donors. The cell viability and proliferation were tested. Immunocytochemistry was performed for MMP-2, MMP-9, and NF-kB, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for NF-kB activity, quantitative real-time PCR for RELA/p65, IkBα, MMP-2, and MMP-9. Three different doses of metformin (5, 10, and 25 mM) (Met) reduced the viability and proliferation of PBCCs in a dose-dependent manner, maximum inhibition was observed at 25 mM Met. The expression of RELA/p65 was not affected by 25 mM Met. Nuclear immunoreactivity and activity of NF-kB reduced while cytoplasmic NF-kB (p65) elevated by 25 mM Met compared to non-treatment (P < 0.05). The expression and immunoreactivity of MMP-9 but not MMP-2 were decreased by 25 mM Met treatment, compared with the non-treatment (P < 0.05). Metformin may have an essential antitumor role in the invasion and metastasis pathways of PBCCs by downregulating the MMP-9 expression blocking both the activity and nuclear translocation of NF-kB.     

Left–right asymmetry in neck lymph nodes distribution in patients with bilateral laryngeal cancer

Objective

We aimed to examine left–right asymmetry in involved and total neck lymph nodes distribution in patients with bilateral laryngeal cancer in the present study.

Methods

Forty-six patients with bilateral laryngeal cancer was included the study. The oncologic database of our otorhinolaryngology department was used. The right and left lymph node with and without involvement by cancer cells counts were retrieved from pathological reports.

Results

The numbers of both involved and total neck lymph nodes were significantly higher on right side than on left side for all neck levels in laryngeal malignancies.

Conclusions

The results of the present study suggest the existence of a left–right asymmetry in neck lymph node distribution and in the neck lymph node distribution involved by laryngeal cancer cells. The stronger cell-mediated immune activity in the left side of humans may be associated with the blocking of the metastatic invasion of cancer cells from laryngeal malignancies in the left body side.     

Efficacy and safety of adalimumab in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis on peritoneal dialysis

The most commonly used treatments in patients with ankylosing spondylitis include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), but most of these have nephrotoxic effects. In patients who undergo chronic hemodialysis, DMARDs are not widely preferred due to the chance of increased adverse effect incidence and the risk on patient survival, in addition to already present immunosuppression. The efficacy and safety of anti-TNF alpha drugs for the treatment of renal dysfunction that develops associated to secondary amyloidosis in inflammatory rheumatic diseases have been reported in various studies. In this report, the efficacy and safety of adalimumab was shown in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis who undergo peritoneal dialysis because of chronic renal failure.     

The formation of cataract is earlier in the dominant eye

Relations among handedness, eye dominance, and lateralisation in the formation of cataract were investigated in 35 male and 21 female patients with cataract. In right-handed patients, cataracts formed earlier in the right eyes than in the left eye; this was reversed in left-handed patients. For both right- and left-eye dominant patients, cataracts formed earlier in the dominant eye.     

The Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Colonic Anastomosis in Rats With Peritonitis

The aim of this study is to investigate the healing effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on colonic anastomoses in the presence of experimentally induced peritonitis. Thirty-two rats were allocated randomly into short-term anastomosis (STA), short-term anastomosis + HBO treatment (STA+HBO), long-term anastomosis (LTA), and long-term anastomosis + HBO (LTA+HBO) treatment groups. The STA and LTA groups were administered fluid resuscitation and antibiotics for 3 and 7 days, respectively, whereas the HBO treatment groups received additional HBO therapy for 3 and 7 days, respectively. The rats were reoperated on the third and the seventh days of anostomoses for evaluation. The bursting pressures in STA+HBO and LTA+HBO therapy groups were significantly higher than those in groups with anastomoses alone (p <. 001 and p <. 01). HBO therapy did not affect the fibrotic index neither in STA nor in LTA groups (p >. 05 for both); however, it was significantly higher in LTA+HBO group than that in STA+HBO group (p <. 05). The hydroxyproline level was significantly higher in LTA group than in STA group (p <. 05), yet HBO therapy did not affect the hydroxyproline levels in STA or LTA groups (p >. 05 for both). It is concluded that hyperbaric oxygen treatment has positive effects on colonic anastomotic healing in case of peritonitis.     

A rare cause of deep peroneal nerve palsy due to compression of synovial cyst – Case report

INTRODUCTIONSynovial cyst is a rare cause of compression neuropathy and its differential diagnosis can be misleading.PRESENTATION OF CASEThis article presents clinical, radiological, and histological findings of deep peroneal nerve palsy due to compression of a synovial cyst in a 30-year-old patient admitted with sudden drop foot.DISCUSSIONFocal nerve entrapment in lower extremity due to synovial cystis a rare entity. Differential diagnosis is important. Surgical excision is the main treatment method with high success rate.CONCLUSIONSynovial cyst compression which can be treated easily with surgical excision should be considered in rapidly progressed drop foot.     

Prospective neurobiological effects of the aerial and root extracts and some pure compounds of randomly selected Scorzonera species

Context: Scorzonera L. species (Asteraceae) are edible and as medicinal plants are used for various purposed in folk medicine.

Objective: The methanol extracts of the aerial parts and roots from 27 Scorzonera taxa were investigated for their possible neurobiological effects.

Materials and methods: Inhibitory potential of the Scorzonera species was tested against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and tyrosinase (TYRO) at 100?µg?mL^?1 using ELISA microtiter assay. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was tested with radical scavenging activity, metal-chelation capacity, ferric- (FRAP), and phosphomolibdenum-reducing antioxidant power (PRAP) assays. Chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, rutin, and scorzotomentosin-4-O-β-glucoside were also screened in the same manner. Total phenol and flavonoid quantification in the extracts were determined spectrophotometrically.

Results: The aerial parts of Scorzonera pisidica (40.25?±?0.74%) and chlorogenic acid (46.97?±?0.82%) displayed the highest TYRO inhibition, while the remaining samples showed only trivial inhibition against cholinesterases (2.08?±?1.35%–25.32?±?1.37%). The same extract of S. pisidica was revealed to be the most potent in scavenging of all three radicals and FRAP assay.

Discussion and conclusion: Out of 27 taxa, S. pisidica, in particular, may deserve further investigation for its neuroprotective potential.