Reprograming cancer cells by a BODIPY G-quadruplex stabiliser.

A cationic BODIPY-based G-quadruplex-selective stabiliser is developed and shown to decrease cancer cell migration-invasion up to 90%. The expression of critical genes (HIF1α, VIM, CDH1) related to metastasis is modulated. The stabiliser reprograms hypoxia-adaptive metabolism and an 1.82-fold increase in O2 consumption, enabling back-to-normal switching of energy metabolism, is observed. Stabilisers with a strong G-quadruplex affinity (0.38 µM Kd) significantly contribute to small molecule anti-cancer approaches.

Lysates from the probiotic bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus enhances the survival of T cells and triggers programmed cell death in neuroblastoma cells.

Neuroblastoma is the most common brain solid tumor in infancy. Despite the availability of numerous approaches like immunotherapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, neuroblastoma frequently develops resistance and recurs. Immunotherapy is one of the most promising approaches and PD-L1 antibody blocking is the phenomena used to inhibit PD-1 receptors to increase and improve cytotoxic T cells toward cancer. Numerous studies underlined the critical role of probiotics on immune system development and modulation in addition to possible role in inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. In this study, a Streptococcus thermophilus strain, isolated from a local yogurt, was used as it is considered a potential probiotic due to its tolerance lower pH, bile acid, antibiotic suitability, and blood hemolysis. Our results showed that S. thermophilus lysates played as an immune checkpoint modulator at 25 µg/ml dose boosting PD-L1 transcripts and protein levels in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line. Interestingly, co-culture between SH-SY5Y and Jurkat T cells in the presence of blocking PD-L1 antibodies increased Jurkat T-cell viability compering to control without lysate. On the other hand, annexin-V/7-AAD, qPCR and western blot results showed that S. thermophilus lysates at 200 and 400 µg/ml decreased SH-SY5Y cell viability and increased apoptotic marker genes transcription and caspase-3 and caspase-9 protein expression.

Interaction of the microbiota with the human body in health and diseases.

The human body contains many microorganisms, including a large number of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa, which are referred to as the microbiota. Compared with the number of cells comprising the human body, that of the microbiota has been found to be much larger. The microbiome is defined as microorganisms and their genomes have been shown to contain about 100 times more genes than the human genome. The microbiota affects many vital functions in the human body. It contributes to regulation of the immune system, digestion of food, production of vitamins such as B12 and K, metabolization of xenobiotic materials, and many other tasks. Many factors affect the microbiota biodiversity, such as diet, medicines including antibiotics, relationships with the environment, pregnancy, and age. Studies have shown that the lack of microbiota diversity leads to many diseases like autoimmune diseases such as diabetes type I, rheumatism, muscular dystrophy, problems in blood coagulation due to lack of vitamin K, and disturbances in the transfer of nerve cells due to lack of vitamin B12, in addition to its involvement in a number of conditions such as cancer, memory disorders, depression, stress, autism, and Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this review is to summarize the latest studies discussing the relationship between the microbiota and the human body in health and diseases.