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α-Solanine suppresses glioblastoma multiforme growth and metastatic properties by modulating the apoptosis-autophagy axis

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Title: α-Solanine suppresses glioblastoma multiforme growth and metastatic properties by modulating the apoptosis-autophagy axis Authors: Cuschieri, Andrea; Baron, Byron Abstract: Introduction: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) has a poor prognosis despite optimal treatment. Recent studies have shown the potential of phytochemicals as anti-cancer agents. α-solanine, derived from plants of the Solanum genus, is a promising molecule in this regard. This study investigated the efficacy of α-solanine compared to temozolomide (TMZ) against GBM cell lines (U87MG, U251, and T98G) in vitro.; Methods: In-vitro assays were conducted to assess the viability, migration, invasion, and mode of cell death of U87MG, U251 and T98G GBM cell lines following α-solanine treatment in comparison to TMZ. Rt-qPCR and proteome profiling were conducted to investigate the changes induced by α-solanine on a molecular level.; Results: α-solanine demonstrated potent cytotoxicity on all GBM lines, with IC50 values ranging from 19.66 μM to 22.87 μM between cell lines tested, and significantly inhibited GBM cell migration compared to TMZ treatment. RNA and protein level assays indicated upregulation of both apoptotic and autophagy proteins, suggesting the involvement of BECN1 and BNIP3L in α-solanine-induced cell death.; Discussion and Conclusion: These findings contribute to the search for effective GBM treatments. Future studies should increase the number of biological replicates, employ alternative methods to strengthen the findings, and conduct in vivo experiments and testing using patient-derived GBM tissue to better evaluate any therapeutic suitability of and fully understand the mode of action of α-solanine on GBM.

Secondary Takotsubo syndrome : an updated literature review and case report

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Secondary Takotsubo syndrome : an updated literature review and case report Authors: Farrugia Bonnici, Georgiana; Cuschieri, Andrea Abstract: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), also commonly referred to as “stress cardiomyopathy”, “transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome”, “neurogenic stunned myocardium”, “broken heart syndrome” or “ampulla-shaped cardiomyopathy”, has steadily increased in prevalence since its primary identification circa 32 years ago (Sato, et al., 2020). This rare condition is characterised by an apical myocardial contractile dysfunction, without the presence of coronary artery obstruction (Prokudina et al., 2020). Despite increasing awareness among researchers and medical professionals, the precise mechanisms governing the pathophysiology of this disease are somewhat unclear (Lyon et al., 2008). Nevertheless, the association between TTS and a preceding immense, stressful trigger has been longe-stablished (Wittstein et al., 2005). Similarly, recent evidence has shown that the connection between the heart and the nervous system plays a role in the development of this disease (Klein et al., 2017; Silva et al., 2019; Templin et al., 2019; X. Wang et al., 2020).; This article presents an updated literature review on TTS with an emphasis on secondary TSS, followed by a case report on the presentation, investigation and management of an 87 year old Caucasian male with secondary TTS, occurring in the setting of a post-mechanical fall, and a right basi-cervical hip fracture. His secondary TTS is also believed to have been precipitated by the patient receiving the news of the passing away of his wife.

The impact of cannabinoids on breast cancer cell lines : a meta analysis and systematic review of antitumoral effects

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Title: The impact of cannabinoids on breast cancer cell lines : a meta analysis and systematic review of antitumoral effects Authors: Salazar, Lorena Larios; Gil-Quiñones, Sebastián; Bonnici, Lian; Tovar Parra, David Abstract: Breast cancer remains a major global health concern with limited treatment options. Metastasis and resistance to conventional therapies contribute to the poor prognosis associated with this disease. In recent years, interest has grown in exploring the potential of photochemical, such as cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol derived from Cannabis sativa, as alternative anticancer agents. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to investigate the ant proliferative effects of cannabidiol on breast cancer cell lines, particularly triple-negative and receptor-positive cells. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published in English and Spanish. Eligible studies were assessed for quality using the Cell Culture Study Quality Evaluation Guide (CCSQEG) and data extraction was performed. Nineteen studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and ten studies were thoroughly analyzed for quantitative assessments. The results demonstrated that cannabidiol exhibited significant ant proliferative effects on breast cancer cells, irrespective of receptor status. The weighted average of the logarithms of odds ratios revealed a strong association between cannabidiol administration and inhibition of tumour growth in breast cancer cells (OR = 0.531, 95% CI: 0.429-0.656, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that cannabidiol has the potential to be a therapeutic agent for breast cancer. However, more comprehensive studies are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and optimize treatment strategies involving CBD in breast cancer.

Methylation analysis of products of conception with features of partial hydatidiform moles

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Methylation analysis of products of conception with features of partial hydatidiform moles Abstract: Background: A hydatidiform molar (HM) pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants in the uterus and develops into an abnormal embryonic mass with hydropic degeneration of chorionic villi. Partial hydatidifom molar pregnancies (PHM) are more commonly triploid and occasionally tetraploid, with an additonal paternal chromosmal complement.; Materials and Methods: Nineteen POC samples with features of PHM were assessed for their methylation status in 20 germline differentially methylated regions (gDMRs) that reflect the parent-of-origin methylation within these tissues. The Implicon method was used to obtain bisulfite-converted DNA amplicons that could be sequenced on Illumina MiSeq. Sequencing data was processed using Illumina base-calling pipelines, and then trimmed, aligned to Human GRCh38 and de-duplicated using Bismark tools. Finally, CpG methylation calls were extracted and the representation of methylation for each gene and sample could be visualised. [excerpt]