Comparison of UVA vs UVB Photoaging Rat Models in Short-term Exposure.

Background: Prolonged exposure to sunlight is known to induce photoaging of the skin, leading to various skin changes and disorders, such as dryness, wrinkles, irregular pigmentation, and even cancer. Ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation are particularly responsible for causing photoaging. Objective: This study aims to identify and compare photoaging rat models exposed to UVA and UVB. Methods: This research method compared macroscopic (scoring degree of wrinkling) and microscopic (histology) signs and symptoms on skin samples of rat exposed to UVA and UVB for 4 weeks at a radiation dose of 840mJ/cm2. Results: The results of this study indicated that the degree of wrinkling was highest in rat skin exposed to UVB rays by 51% (p<0.05). UVB histological results showed that the epidermis layer (40 µm, p<0.05) was thickened and the dermis layer (283 µm, p<0.05) was thinned in the skin of mice exposed to UVB light. The UVB group, showed the density of collagen in the dermis with a mean value of 55% (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that short-term exposure to UVB radiation (in the acute, subacute or subchronic phase) induces more rapid and pronounced damage to rat skin when compared to UVA radiation exposure.

Heavy Metal Concentrations in Malaysian Adults' Hair and Associated Variables in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia.

The presence of heavy metals in human hair is being tracked to predict health risk, forensics, and environmental monitoring. Heavy metals are typically non-biodegradable and have a lengthy half-life, allowing them to linger in humans and the environment for many years. Heavy metal exposure in hair has been attributed to multiple sources from the environment and food intake. In this study, copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) levels were measured in the scalp hair of 50 individuals in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia. In conjunction with sampling, subjects' age, gender, lifestyle, diet, and working environment were also obtained through the questionnaire. The Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) method was used to extract all the metals in the hair samples. The mean concentrations of heavy metals were found to be in the following order (unit of mg/kg): Cr > Zn > Pb > Ni > Cd > Cu. Manganese was detected below the limit of quantitation among the elements (< LOQ). All elements except Mn were higher and comparable to the previous studies' international limit values. Cadmium prevalence was substantially associated with age, smoking habit, dyed hair, and working environment in Pearson's correlation analysis (p ≤ 0.05). Zinc was also found to be related to the working environment. Some elements were observed to be statistically related between heavy metals, Cd/Zn, Cd/Ni, Cr/Ni, and Pb/Ni, whereas smoking habit/dyed hair and dyed hair/working environment were the associated factors for metal distribution that were statistically correlated (p ≤ 0.05). To recapitulate, this study found that the distribution of heavy metals in hair was influenced by associated factors and between heavy metals. It has been indicated that heavy metal exposure to humans is influenced by factors such as geographical location, lifestyle, and working environment.

Cytotoxicity of targeted PLGA nanoparticles: a systematic review.

Recent advances in nanotechnology have contributed tremendously to the development and revolutionizing of drug delivery systems in the field of nanomedicine. In particular, targeting nanoparticles based on biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymers have gained much interest. However, PLGA nanoparticles remain of concern for their effectiveness against cancer cells and their toxicity to normal cells. The aim of this systematic review is to identify a promising targeting PLGA nanoformulation based on the comparison study of their cytotoxicity potency in different cell lines. A literature search was conducted through the databases of Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and SpringerLink. The sources studied were published between 2009 and 2019, and a variety of keywords were utilized. In total, 81 manuscripts that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for analysis based on their cytotoxicity, size, zeta potential, year of publication, type of ligand, active compounds and cell line used. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) for cytotoxicity was the main measurement in this data extraction, and the SI units were standardized to µg mL-1 for a better view of comparison. This systematic review also identified that cytotoxicity potency was inversely proportional to nanoparticle size. The PLGA nanoparticles predominantly exhibited a size of less than 300 nm and absolute zeta potential ∼20 mV. In conclusion, more comprehensive and critical appraisals of pharmacokinetic, pharmacokinetic, toxicokinetic, in vivo and in vitro tests are required for the investigation of the full value of targeting PLGA nanoparticles for cancer treatment.

Studies on the supramolecular complex of a guanosine with beta-cyclodextrin and evaluation of its anti-proliferative activity.

The behavior of the inclusion behavior of guanosine (GU) with beta-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) in the liquid, solid and virtual state were investigated. The absorption and fluorescence spectral were used to determine the inclusion behavior in liquid state. FT-IR, NMR, TGA, DSC, PXRD and FESEM techniques were used to investigate the inclusion behavior in solid-state, meanwhile the virtual state studies are done by molecular docking. The solid inclusion complex (GU: ß-CD) was prepared by using the co-precipitation method. The binding constant (K) of (GU: ß-CD) was calculated by using Benesi-Hildebrand. Besides that, the 1:1 stoichiometric ratio of inclusion complex was confirmed by using the Benesi-Hildebrand plot and Job's plot of continuous variation method. The most preferable model of GU: ß-CD that suggested via molecular docking studies was in good agreement with experimental results. The inclusion complex of GU: ß-CD exerted its toxicity effects towards HepG2 cell lines based on the reduced number of cell viability and lowest IC50 value compared to the GU and ß-CD viability.

Zerumbone Suppresses Angiogenesis in HepG2 Cells through Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor Expressions.

CONTEXT: Due to increase in the number of patients with impaired immunity, the incidence of liver cancer has increased considerably. AIMS: The aim of this study is the investigation the in vitro anticancer effect of zerumbone (ZER) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The anticancer mechanism of ZER was determined by the rat aortic ring, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) proliferation, chorioallantoic membrane, cell migration, and proliferation inhibition assays. RESULTS: Our results showed that ZER reduced tube formation by HUVECs effectively inhibits new blood vessel and tissue matrix formation. Western blot analysis revealed that ZER significantly (P < 0.05) decreased expression of molecular effectors of angiogenesis, the matrix metalloproteinase-9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and VEGF receptor proteins. We found that ZER inhibited the proliferation and suppressed migration of HepG2 cell in dose-dependent manner. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Statistical analyses were performed according to the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 17.0. The data were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation and analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The study for the first time showed that ZER is an inhibitor angiogenesis, tumor growth, and spread, which is suggested to be the mechanisms for its anti-HCC effect. SUMMARY: Tumor angiogenesis has currently become an important research area for the control of cancer growth and metastasis. The current study determined the effect of zerumbone on factors associated with angiogenesis that occurs in tumor formation. Abbreviations used: ZER: Zerumbone, MMP-9: Matrix metalloproteinase-9, VEGF: Vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGFR: Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, HUVECs: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma, HIFCS: Heat inactivated fetal calf serum, DMSO: Dimethyl sulfoxide, EDTA: Ethyldiaminetetraacetic acid, Ig: Immunoglobulin, CAM: Chorioallantoic membrane, HRP: Horseradish peroxidase, NIH: National Institutes of Health, MTT: Microtetrazolium, SPSS: Statistical Package for Social Science.

Dentatin from Clausena excavata Induces Apoptosis in HepG2 Cells via Mitochondrial Mediated Signaling.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary liver cancer with high global incidence and mortality rates. Current candidate drugs to treat HCC remain lacking and those in use possess undesirable side effects. In this investigation, the antiproliferative effects of dentatin (DTN), a natural coumarin, were evaluated on HepG2 cells and DTN's probable preliminary molecular mechanisms in apoptosis induction were further investigated. DTN significantly (p<0.05) suppressed proliferation of HepG2 cells with an IC50 value of 12.0 µg/mL, without affecting human normal liver cells, WRL-68 (IC50>50 µg/mL) causing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest via apoptosis induction. Caspase colorimetric assays showed markedly increased levels of caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities throughout the treatment period. Western blotting of treated HepG2 cells revealed inhibition of NF-κB that triggers the mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic signaling pathway by up-regulating cytoplasmic cytochrome c and Bax, and down-regulating Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL. The current findings suggest DTN has the potential to be developed further as an anticancer compound targeting human HCC.