Death receptor pathway genes (Caspase and BID) expression analysis in cancerous cells in response to extracts of amla and turmeric.

Plant extracts antiproliferative effects were determined by using mammalian cells along the expression profile of Caspases 3, 8 and the BID gene of the death receptor-induced pathway. Two medicinal plants viz., Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Amla (Emblica officinalis) extracts were examined for antiproliferative effect through Neutral Red-Dye uptake assay on Vero and MDA-MB 231 cell lines. A reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression of genes while GAPDH expression was used as an internal control. Expression of BID was up-regulated in methanolic turmeric extract-induced MDA-MB 231 cells while Caspases 3,8 expressions were the same in induced and uninduced MDA-MB 231 cells. Activated BID cleaved into tBID and activated the intrinsic pathway which caused death in methanolic turmeric extract-induced cancerous cells. Ethanolic extracts of turmeric exerted the strongest antiproliferative effects on Vero and methanolic extracts on MDA-MB 231 cells. The morphological studies of cell lines and gene expression analysis of turmeric methanolic extract-treated cells showed activation of apoptosis via converting BID into t-BID (intrinsic pathway) and activating Caspase-3 and Caspase-8 (extrinsic pathway). With the differential cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis in induced cancer cells in comparison to uninduced cancerous cells, hence turmeric is a natural source of new anti-cancerous compounds.

Association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with hematological profile and anthropometry in patients with glioma.

OBJECTIVE: Gliomas are immune system suppressive tumors, and the role of vitamin D is pivotal in the immune system. This study aimed to observe if there is any significant association between the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with hematological indices and anthropometric measurements. METHODS: A total of 75 glioma patients were included, and the information was collected on gender, age group, area, socioeconomic status, intake of vitamin D and calcium in food and supplements, skin color, sunlight exposure, body mass index, and muscle strength. A nonparametric Kendall's tau-b correlation test was performed to find a correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and blood counts, body mass index, and muscle strength. RESULTS: The majority of patients (72%) were having low lymphocytes followed by high granulocytes and high white blood cells. The majority were having low levels of both 25-hydroxyvitamin D (84%) and calcium (73%). Patients were mainly from urban areas, and the majority belonged to middle-class families having sedentary lifestyles. The majority of patients were not taking vitamin D supplements. An insufficient amount of sunlight exposure was found in most of them. The majority of the patients were although had normal weight but weak muscle strength (74.6%). An insignificant correlation was found between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with the hematological indices or anthropometric measurements in brain tumor patients. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D is a powerful immune modulator, and there is a great need for sufficient amounts of sunlight exposure and vitamin D-enriched diets to prevent cancer.

Association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with hematological profile and anthropometry in patients with glioma

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Gliomas are immune system suppressive tumors, and the role of vitamin D is pivotal in the immune system. This study aimed to observe if there is any significant association between the serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with hematological indices and anthropometric measurements. METHODS: A total of 75 glioma patients were included, and the information was collected on gender, age group, area, socioeconomic status, intake of vitamin D and calcium in food and supplements, skin color, sunlight exposure, body mass index, and muscle strength. A nonparametric Kendall's tau-b correlation test was performed to find a correlation between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and blood counts, body mass index, and muscle strength. RESULTS: The majority of patients (72%) were having low lymphocytes followed by high granulocytes and high white blood cells. The majority were having low levels of both 25-hydroxyvitamin D (84%) and calcium (73%). Patients were mainly from urban areas, and the majority belonged to middle-class families having sedentary lifestyles. The majority of patients were not taking vitamin D supplements. An insufficient amount of sunlight exposure was found in most of them. The majority of the patients were although had normal weight but weak muscle strength (74.6%). An insignificant correlation was found between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with the hematological indices or anthropometric measurements in brain tumor patients. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D is a powerful immune modulator, and there is a great need for sufficient amounts of sunlight exposure and vitamin D-enriched diets to prevent cancer.

Effects of plants extracts on the expression of major genes of JAK/STAT pathway.

This study analyzed the effects of the plant extracts (Citrus limon, Solanum lycopersicum, Zingiber officinale, Vitis vinifera and Allium sativum) on the growth of mammalian cells (Vero and MDA-MB-231) and evaluated the most effective plant extract for the expression of specific genes of the JAK/STAT pathway in human breast cancer cells. An antiproliferative bioassay involving neutral red-dye uptake was used to determine the anticancerous potential of plant extracts. In Vero cells, the ginger methanolic extract was least effective; whereas the lemon methanolic extract was more effective with 64 dilutions with IC50 51.42%. In MDA-MB-231 cells, the tomato and ginger methanolic, and grape water extracts were least effective, whereas lemon water extract was most effective with 32 dilutions with IC50 48.67%, by upregulating JAK1, JAK2, TYK2, IRF7 and IRF3 gene expressions of the JAK/STAT pathway. C. limon inhibited the growth of both Vero and MDA-MB 231 cells. It suggested that C. limon has anti-cancer potential by inducing the JAK/STAT pathway.