The anticancer potential of Leea indica, a Chinese medicinal plant was investigated for the first time. The crude ethanol extract and fractions (ethyl acetate, hexane, and water) of Leea indica were evaluated their cytotoxicity on various cell lines (Ca Ski, MCF 7, MDA-MB-435, KB, HEP G2, WRL 68, and Vero) by MTT assay. Leea indica ethyl acetate fraction (LIEAF) was found showing the greatest cytotoxic effect against Ca Ski cervical cancer cells. Typical apoptotic morphological changes such as DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation were observed in LIEAF-treated cells. Early signs of apoptosis such as externalization of phosphatidylserine and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential indicated apoptosis induction. This was further substantiated by dose- and time-dependent accumulation of sub-G(1) cells, depletion of intracellular glutathione, and activation of caspase-3. In conclusion, these results suggested that LIEAF inhibited cervical cancer cells growth by inducing apoptosis and could be developed as potential anticancer drugs.
Ameloblastoma is a benign but locally infiltrative odontogenic epithelial neoplasm with a high risk for recurrence. Podoplanin, a lymphatic endothelium marker, putatively promotes collective cell migration and invasiveness in this neoplasm. However, its role in the recurrent ameloblastoma (RA) remains unclear. As morphological, signaling, and genetic differences may exist between primary and recurrent tumors, clarification of their distribution patterns is of relevance.
Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via the mechanism of transcription repression is a crucial process for the induction of invasiveness in many human tumors. Ameloblastoma is a benign odontogenic epithelial neoplasm with a locally infiltrative behavior. Twist, an EMT promoter, has been implicated in its invasiveness. The roles of the other transcription factors remain unclarified.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression and localization of tight junction proteins (TJPs) or claudins in the keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT) and to correlate with its biological behavior.
In mammals, the Notch gene family encodes four receptors (Notch1-4), and all of them are important for cell fate decisions. Notch signaling pathway plays an essential role in tooth development. The ameloblastoma, a benign odontogenic epithelial neoplasm, histologically recapitulates the enamel organ at bell stage. Notch has been detected in the plexiform and follicular ameloblastoma. Its activity in the desmoplastic ameloblastoma is unknown.
Candidiasis is the most common fungal infection associated with high morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised patients. The ability to form biofilm is essential for Candida albicans pathogenesis and drug resistance. In this study, the planktonic cell and biofilm proteomes of C. albicans SC5314 strain analyzed using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) were compared. In total, 280 and 449 proteins are annotated from the planktonic cell and biofilm proteomes, respectively. The biofilm proteome demonstrated significantly higher proportion of proteins associated with the endomembrane system, mitochondrion and cytoplasm than planktonic proteome. Among proteins detected, 143 and 207 biological processes are annotated, of which, 38 and 102 are specific to the planktonic cell and biofilm proteomes, respectively, while 105 are common biological processes. The specific biological processes of C. albicans planktonic cell proteome are associated with cell polarity, energy metabolism and nucleotide (purine) metabolism, oxido-reduction coenzyme metabolic process, monosaccharide and amino acid (methionine) biosynthesis, regulation of anatomical structure morphogenesis and cell cycling, and single organism reproduction. Meanwhile, regulation of cellular macromolecule biosynthesis and metabolism, transcription and gene expression are major biological processes specifically associated with C. albicans biofilm proteome. Biosynthesis of leucine, isoleucine, and thiocysteine are highlighted as planktonic-related pathways, whereas folate metabolism, fatty acid metabolism and biosynthesis of amino acids (lysine, serine and glycine) are highlighted as biofilm-related pathways. In summary, LC-MS-based proteomic analysis reveals different adaptative strategies of C. albicans via specific biological and metabolic processes for planktonic cell and biofilm lifestyles. The mass spectrometry data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifiers PXD007830 (for biofilm proteome) and PXD007831 (for planktonic cell proteome).