Effects of Mangaba (Hancornia speciosa) Fruit Extract Adsorbed onto PEG Microspheres in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells Co-Cultured with Blood Cells.

Objective: To evaluate the antitumor effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres with adsorbed Hancornia speciosa ethanolic extract (HSEE) on blood mononuclear (MN) cells co-cultured with MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Methods: PEG microspheres were adsorbed with HSEE and examined by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. MCF-7 and MN cells obtained from volunteer donors were pre-incubated alone or co-cultured (MN and MCF-7 cells) for 24 h with or without HSEE, PEG microspheres or PEG adsorbed with HSEE (PEG-HSEE). Cell viability, superoxide release and superoxide dismutase were determined. Results: Fluorescence microscopy showed that PEG microspheres were able to absorb HSEE throughout their surface. Irrespective of the treatment, the viability index of MN cells, MCF-7 and their co-culture was not affected. Superoxide release increased in co-cultured cells treated with HSEE, adsorbed or not onto PEG microspheres. In co-cultured cells, SOD levels in culture supernatant increased in the treatment with HSEE, adsorbed onto PEG microspheres or not. Conclusion: HSEE has direct effects on MN cells co-cultured with MCF-7 cells. The results suggest the benefits of Hancornia speciosa fruit consumption by women at risk of breast cancer. In addition, because PEG-HSEE maintained oxidative balance in co-cultured cells, it is a promising alternative for the treatment of tumor cells.

Relationship between Proinflammatory Cytokines/Chemokines and Adipokines in Serum of Young Adults with Obesity.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The adipose tissue has been recognized as an important endocrine organ, which is metabolically active and expresses and secretes various inflammatory cytokines. Inflammation is involved in obesity-related complications. As such, the present study investigated the correlation between biochemical parameters, serum proinflammatory cytokines and adipokines in individuals with obesity. METHODS: Based on the body mass index (BMI), 30 subjects were divided into 3 groups: eutrophic (GC, n = 10), overweight (GOW, n = 10) and obese (GOB, n = 10). Serum glucose, cholesterol (total-C, HDLC and LDL-C), triglycerides, total proteins, uric acid and insulin were determined, as well as cytokines IL-8, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6, leptin and adiponectin. RESULTS: GOB showed the highest glucose, total and LDL-C, triglycerides, uric acid, insulin, leptin, IL- 8, IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α and lowest adiponectin levels. In general, adiponectin exhibited an inverse correlation with BMI, abdominal circumference, LDL-C, IL-6, TNF-α, leptin and leptin-adiponectin ratio (LAR) and a positive correlation with HDL-C. Leptin was positively correlated with BMI, abdominal circumference, insulin, IL-6, TNF-α and LAR and negatively correlated with HDL-C and adiponectin. The LAR was positively correlated with BMI, waist circumference, insulin, TNF-α and negatively associated with HDL-C. CONCLUSION: The results confirm that obesity changes the lipid and glycemic profiles of individuals, increases the proinflammatory adipokine levels and reduces those of anti-inflammatory adipokines, promoting a state of chronic inflammation.

Herbal Mixture Adsorbed to Polyethylene Glycol Microspheres Induces Apoptotic Effects on Breast Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND: The combination of medicinal plants and polymeric matrices raised the possibility of obtaining new drugs to treat a number of diseases, including cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most frequent diseases among women, but the effective treatments is still a challenge. METHODS: Thus, this study investigated the effect of herbal mixture adsorbed to PEG microspheres on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and these cells in co-culture of blood MN cells. The MCF-7 cells and the blood mononuclear [MN] cells from volunteer donors. MN cells, MCF-7 cells and co-culture [MN and MCF-7 cells] were pre-incubated for 24 h with or without herbal mixture [HM], polyethylene glycol [PEG] microspheres or herbal mixture adsorbed in PEG microspheres [PEG-HM]. Viability, intracellular calcium and apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry. The herbal mixture adsorbed in PEG microspheres reduces the viability of MCF-7 cells. RESULTS: The lowest viability índex was observed in co-culture incubated with herbal mixture adsorbed to PEG microspheres. MN cells, MCF-7 cells and co-culture showed higher intracellular Ca2+ release when incubated with herbal mixture adsorbed to PEG microspheres. The apoptosis index was higher in MCF-7 cells that were treated with herbal mixture. The highest apoptosis index was observed in coculture of these cells incubated with herbal mixture adsorbed to PEG microspheres. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that herbal mixture adsorbed by PEG microspheres has apoptotic effects on human MCF-7 breast cancer cells and is therefore a possible therapeutic alternative.

Effects of barium chloride adsorbed to polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres on co-culture of human blood mononuclear cell and breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7).

This study investigated the effects of BaCl2 adsorbed to polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres on human blood mononuclear cells (MN) co-cultured with breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7). The MCF-7 cells were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection and the blood mononuclear (MN) cells from volunteer donors. MN cells, MCF-7 cells and their co-culture (MN and MCF-7 cells) were pre-incubated for 24 h with or without 25 and 1000 pg L-1 BaCl2 (Ba25 and Ba1000), PEG microspheres or 25 and 1000 pg L-1 BaCl2 adsorbed to PEG microspheres (PEG-Ba25 and PEG-Ba1000). Rheological parameters and apoptosis were determined. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed that BaCl2 was able to adsorb the PEG microspheres. The blood flow and viscosity curves were similar among the treatments. In general, apoptosis rates increased in co-cultured cells, co-cultured cells incubated with Ba25 and with PEG-Ba25, but the highest rates were observed in co-cultured cells incubated with PEG-Ba1000. In conclusion, BaCl2 adsorbed to PEG microspheres exhibited dose-dependent antitumor effects against human MCF-7 breast cancer cells co-cultured with MN cells, thereby offering a possible therapeutic alternative for treating this disease provided they are administered at very low concentrations.