METHODS: A total of 24 seven-week-old female Balb/C mice were randomly categorised into four groups, including two control groups comprising the N-nitroso-trischloroethylurea (NTCU)-induced lung SCC and vehicle control (VC) groups and two treatment groups comprising the 10mg/kg PS (PS10) and 50mg/kg PS (PS50) groups. All lung organs were harvested at week 26 for histopathological analysis.
RESULTS: All PS treatment groups showed chemopreventive activity by inhibiting the progression of lung SCC formation with PS10, resulting in mild hyperplasia, and PS50 was completely reversed in the normal bronchial epithelium layer compared with the VC group. PS treatment also reduced the expression of cytokeratin 5/6 in the bronchial epithelium layer. Both PS10 and PS50 significantly reduced the epithelium thickness compared to the NTCU group (p<0.05). PS is a potential chemopreventive agent against lung SCC growth by suppressing the progression of pre-malignant lesions and reducing the thickness of the bronchial epithelium.
CONCLUSIONS: The underlying molecular mechanisms of PS in lung SCC should be further studied.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the inhibitory effects of PEITC against benzo[a]pyrene-induced rise in rat liver CYP1A1 mRNA and apoprotein levels.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Precision cut rat liver slices were treated with benzo[a]pyrene at 1 and 5 μM in the presence of PEITC (1-25 μM) for 24 hours, followed by determination of CYP1A1 mRNA and apoprotein levels using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting.
RESULTS: Findings revealed that PEITC inhibited benzo[a]pyrene-induced rise in rat liver CYP1A1 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner as well as the apoprotein levels of CYP1A.
CONCLUSIONS: It was demonstrated that PEITC can directly inhibit the bioactivation of benzo[a]pyrene, indicating chemopreventive potential.
METHODS: Mice were initiated with single dose of 7,12-dimethylbenz[α]anthracene (DMBA) (390 nmol/100 μL) followed by, in subsequent week, repeated promotion (twice weekly; 22 weeks) with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) (1.7 nmol/100 μL). Annonacin (85 nM) and curcumin (10 mg/kg; reference) were, respectively, applied topically to DMBA/TPA-induced mice 30 min before each TPA application for 22 weeks. Upon termination, histopathological examination of skin, liver and kidney as well as genes and proteins expression analysis were conducted to elucidate the potential mechanism of annonacin.
RESULTS: With comparison to the carcinogen control, Annonacin significantly increased the tumor latency period and reduced the tumor incidence, tumor burden and tumor volume, respectively. In addition, it also suppressed tumorigenesis manifested by significant reduction of hyperkeratosis, dermal papillae and number of keratin pearls on skin tissues. Annonacin also appeared to be non-toxic to liver and kidney. Significant modulation of both AKT, ERK, mTOR, p38, PTEN and Src genes and proteins were also observed in annonacin-targeted signaling pathway(s) against tumorigenesis.
CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, results of this study indicate that annonacin is a potential therapeutic compound targeting tumor promoting stage in skin tumorigenesis by modulating multiple gene and protein in cancer signaling pathways without apparent toxicity.