Combination of selol nanocapsules and magnetic hyperthermia hinders breast tumor growth in aged mice after a short-time treatment.

Short time treatment with reduced dosages of selol-loaded PLGA nanocapsules (NcSel) combined with magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) is evaluated in aged Erhlich tumor-bearing mice. Clinical, hematological, biochemical, genotoxic and histopathological parameters are assessed during 7 d treatment with NcSel and MHT, separately or combined. The time evolution of the tumor volume is successfully modeled using the logistic mathematical model. The combined therapy comprising NcSel and MHT is able to hinder primary tumor growth and a case of complete tumor remission is recorded. Moreover, no metastasis was diagnosed and the adverse effects are negligible. NcSel plus MHT may represent an effective and safe alternative to cancer control in aged patients. Future clinical trials are encouraged.

Nanographene oxide-methylene blue as phototherapies platform for breast tumor ablation and metastasis prevention in a syngeneic orthotopic murine model.

BACKGROUND: In the photodynamic therapy (PDT), the photosensitizer absorbs light and transfers the energy of the excited state to the oxygen in the cell environment producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), that in its turn, may cause cell damage. In the photothermal therapy (PTT), light also is responsible for activating the photothermal agent, which converts the absorbed energy in heat. Graphene oxide is a carbon-based material that presents photothermal activity. Its physical properties allow the association with the photosensitizer methylene blue and consequently the production of ROS when submitted to light irradiation. Therefore, the association between nanographene oxide and methylene blue could represent a strategy to enhance therapeutic actions. In this work, we report the nanographene oxide-methylene blue platform (NanoGO-MB) used to promote tumor ablation in combination with photodynamic and photothermal therapies against a syngeneic orthotopic murine breast cancer model. RESULTS: In vitro, NanoGO-MB presented 50% of the reactive oxygen species production compared to the free MB after LED light irradiation, and a temperature increase of ~ 40 °C followed by laser irradiation. On cells, the ROS production by the nanoplatform displayed higher values in tumor than normal cells. In vivo assays demonstrated a synergistic effect obtained by the combined PDT/PTT therapies using NanoGO-MB, which promoted complete tumor ablation in 5/5 animals. Up to 30 days after the last treatment, there was no tumor regrowth compared with only PDT or PTT groups, which displayed tumoral bioluminescence 63-fold higher than the combined treatment group. Histological studies confirmed that the combined therapies were able to prevent tumor regrowth and liver, lung and spleen metastasis. In addition, low systemic toxicity was observed in pathologic examinations of liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment with combined PDT/PTT therapies using NanoGO-MB induced more toxicity on breast carcinoma cells than on normal cells. In vivo, the combined therapies promoted complete tumor ablation and metastasis prevention while only PDT or PTT were unable to stop tumor development. The results show the potential of NanoGO-MB in combination with the phototherapies in the treatment of the breast cancer and metastasis prevention.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Brasilia periphery: a diagnostic challenge.

BACKGROUND: Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an emerging rodent-borne disease in the American continent, characterized by acute respiratory distress and a high case-fatality ratio. The present work describes a case of HPS, with favorable outcome, whose initial features were mistaken for leptospirosis or other less severe acute infections. METHODOLOGY: The case of a 32-year-old male with an uneventful course of HPS is reported. He was inadvertently infected at work by exposure to a rodent-contaminated environment in Brasília, Federal District vicinity, during May 2008. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Fever, headache and myalgia after exposure to a rodent-contaminated environment raised clinical suspicion. Non-cardiac pulmonary edema, hydrothorax, neutrophilia with band forms 26%, high hematocrit, thrombocytopenia, and elevated liver enzymes were observed. Leptospirosis and dengue were the main differential diagnoses because both pathogens are endemic in the area. Hantavirus IgM antibody-capture ELISA was positive, while tests for dengue, leptospirosis and yellow fever were negative. The prognosis for HPS is ominous and misdiagnoses may increase mortality. Better chances of survival depend on prompt intensive care support. Reports of moderate or less typical cases can raise the suspicion index among primary care and hospital-based physicians about this uncommon but severe condition that often affects previously healthy young individuals from developing countries, and subjects who interact with rodent-infested environments in North America. High awareness of HPS allowed successful management of the patient, even before establishing the diagnosis, by serological tests at the reference laboratory of the Ministry of Health. Clinical suspicion favored warning local health authorities about a new case of HPS.