Breast cancer brain metastasis: from etiology to state-of-the-art modeling.

Currently, breast carcinoma is the most common form of malignancy and the main cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide. The metastasis of cancer cells from the primary tumor site to other organs in the body, notably the lungs, bones, brain, and liver, is what causes breast cancer to ultimately be fatal. Brain metastases occur in as many as 30% of patients with advanced breast cancer, and the 1-year survival rate of these patients is around 20%. Many researchers have focused on brain metastasis, but due to its complexities, many aspects of this process are still relatively unclear. To develop and test novel therapies for this fatal condition, pre-clinical models are required that can mimic the biological processes involved in breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM). The application of many breakthroughs in the area of tissue engineering has resulted in the development of scaffold or matrix-based culture methods that more accurately imitate the original extracellular matrix (ECM) of metastatic tumors. Furthermore, specific cell lines are now being used to create three-dimensional (3D) cultures that can be used to model metastasis. These 3D cultures satisfy the requirement for in vitro methodologies that allow for a more accurate investigation of the molecular pathways as well as a more in-depth examination of the effects of the medication being tested. In this review, we talk about the latest advances in modeling BCBM using cell lines, animals, and tissue engineering methods.

Evaluation of anticancer effects of frankincense on breast cancer stem-like cells.

BACKGROUND: Relapse and metastasis in breast cancer are linked to cancer stem cells (CSCs) resistant to anticancer therapies. The presence of cancer stem-like cells (CSLCs) and their ability to self-renew is determined by in vitro spheroid formation. AIMS: Many studies have found that frankincense has anticancer impacts, although these effects on breast CSLCs have never been evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: A population of heterogeneous breast tumor cells was extracted from the tumor mass after generating an animal model of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Spheroid formation was used as an in vitro assay to determine the existence of CSLCs in these cells. MTT assay was used to determine frankincense's cytotoxic activity. An annexin V- propidium iodide (PI) staining and scratch test were used to assess the induction of apoptosis and antimetastatic effects of frankincense. The frankincense extract has significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on breast CSLCs. Although, the breast CSLCs are more resistant to these impacts than other breast cancer cells. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first report that indicates that frankincense extract has anticancer properties in breast CSLCs. Compared to many anticancer chemicals, which have limited potential to battle cancer stem cells, frankincense is an appropriate option to combat breast CSCs.

Exploring the Physicochemical, Electroactive, and Biodelivery Properties of Metal Nanoparticles on Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Despite the advances in the regeneration/rehabilitation field of damaged tissues, the functional recovery of peripheral nerves (PNs), especially in a long gap injury, is considered a great medical challenge. Recent progress in nanomedicine has provided great hope for PN regeneration through the strategy of controlling cell behavior by metal nanoparticles individually or loaded on scaffolds/conduits. Despite the confirmed toxicity of metal nanoparticles due to long-term accumulation in nontarget tissues, they play a role in the damaged PN regeneration based on the topography modification of scaffolds/conduits, enhancing neurotrophic factor secretion, the ion flow improvement, and the regulation of electrical signals. Determining the fate of neural progenitor cells would be a major achievement in PN regeneration, which seems to be achievable by metal nanoparticles through altering cell vital approaches and controlling their functions. Therefore, in this literature, an attempt was made to provide an overview of the effective activities of metal nanoparticles on the PN regeneration, until the vital clues of the PN regeneration and how they are changed by metal nanoparticles are revealed to the researcher.