We report on a facile method to synthesize carbon dots (CDs) using glycerol solvent as a single precursor via a pyrolysis process free from catalysts. This method is extremely simple and economical, and provides a feasible route for mass production of highly emissive CDs. For rationalization, a mechanism incorporating dehydration of glycerol, followed by acrylaldehyde formation is tentatively proposed for CD production. Further systematic improvement of particle homogeneity is made by harnessing the growth of CDs inside the mesoporous silica nanoparticles that act as a nano-reactor to regulate the size distribution. Simultaneously capping a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-derived reactant onto the CDs@SiO 2 enhances their luminescence, stability and bio-compatibility. The as-prepared CDs@mSiO 2 -PEG nanocomposites are then loaded with the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX), so that the controlled release of DOX could be monitored by both time-dependent and spatially resolved ratiometric fluorescence intensity for CDs versus DOX in HeLa cells, successfully demonstrating that the CDs@mSiO 2 -PEG nanocomposites are suitable for cell imaging and drug release.

Tea is the most popular flavored and functional drink worldwide. The nutritional value of tea is mostly from the tea polyphenols that are reported to possess a broad spectrum of biological activities, including anti-oxidant properties, reduction of various cancers, inhibition of inflammation, and protective effects against diabetes, hyperlipidemia and obesity. Tea polyphenols include catechins and gallic acid in green and white teas, and theaflavins and thearubigins as well as other catechin polymers in black and oolong teas. Accurate analysis of black tea polyphenols plays a significant role in the identification of black tea contents, quality control of commercial tea beverages and extracts, differentiation of various contents of theaflavins and catechins and correlations of black tea identity and quality with biological activity, and most importantly, the establishment of the relationship between quantitative tea polyphenol content and its efficacy in animal or human studies. Global research in tea polyphenols has generated much in vitro and in vivo data rationally correlating tea polyphenols with their preventive and therapeutic properties in human diseases such as cancer, and metabolic and cardiovascular diseases etc. Based on these scientific findings, numerous tea products have been developed including flavored tea drinks, tea-based functional drinks, tea extracts and concentrates, and dietary supplements and food ingredients, demonstrating the broad applications of tea and its extracts, particularly in the field of functional food.

Several epidemiologic studies have shown that chronic inflammation predisposes individuals to various types of cancer. Many cancers arise from sites of infection, chronic irritation, and inflammation. Conversely, an oncogenic change induces an inflammatory microenvironment that promotes the development of tumors. Natural bioactive compounds in dietary plant products including fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, tea, and wine are claimed to help prevent cancer, degenerative diseases, and chronic and acute inflammation. Modern methods in cell and molecular biology allow us to understand the interactions of different natural bioactive compounds with basic mechanisms of inflammatory response. The molecular pathways of this cancer-related inflammation are now unraveled. Natural bioactive compounds exert anti-inflammatory activity by modulating pro-inflammatory gene expressions have shown promising chemopreventive activity. This review summarizes current knowledge on natural bioactive compounds that act through the signaling pathways and modulate inflammatory gene expressions, thus providing evidence for these substances in cancer chemopreventive action.

Ein Cluster für alle Fälle: Insulin‐Au‐Nanocluster (NCs) zeigen eine intensive rote Fluoreszenz und exzellente Biokompatibilität, und sie behalten die natürliche Bioaktivität des Insulins zur Senkung des Blutglucosespiegels bei. Mehrere Anwendungen werden demonstriert: in der Fluoreszenzbildgebung, der Röntgen‐Computertomographie und zur Untersuchung von Insulin‐Inhibitor‐Wechselwirkungen (siehe Bild; IDE=Insulin abbauendes Enzym).

Ginger, the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, is a traditional medicine with anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties. This study examined the growth inhibitory effects of the structurally related compounds 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol on human cancer cells. 6-Shogaol [1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-4-decen-3-one] inhibits the growth of human cancer cells and induces apoptosis in COLO 205 cells through modulation of mitochondrial functions regulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS generation occurs in the early stages of 6-shogaol-induced apoptosis, preceding cytochrome c release, caspase activation, and DNA fragmentation. Up-regulation of Bax, Fas, and FasL, as well as down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L )were observed in 6-shogaol-treated COLO 205 cells. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), but not by other antioxidants, suppress 6-shogaol-induced apoptosis. The growth arrest and DNA damage (GADD)-inducible transcription factor 153 (GADD153) mRNA and protein is markedly induced in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in response to 6-shogaol.

No abstract

Pterostilbene, an active constituent of blueberries, is known to possess anti-inflammatory activity and also to induce apoptosis in various types of cancer cells. Here, we investigated the inhibitory effects of pterostilbene on the induction of NO synthase (NOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in murine RAW 264.7 cells activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses demonstrated that pterostilbene significantly blocked the protein and mRNA expression of iNOS and COX-2 in LPS-induced macrophages. Treatment with pterostilbene resulted in the reduction of LPS-induced nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor-kappaB (NFkappaB) subunit and the dependent transcriptional activity of NFkappaB by blocking phosphorylation of inhibitor kappaB (IkappaB)alpha and p65 and subsequent degradation of IkappaB alpha. Transient transfection experiments using NFkappaB reporter constructs indicated that pterostilbene inhibits the transcriptional activity of NFkappaB in LPS-stimulated mouse macrophages. We found that pterostilbene also inhibited LPS-induced activation of PI3K/Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 MAPK. Taken together, these results show that pterostilbene down regulates inflammatory iNOS and COX-2 gene expression in macrophages by inhibiting the activation of NFkappaB by interfering with the activation of PI3K/Akt/IKK and MAPK. These results have an important implication for using pterostilbene toward the development of an effective anti-inflammatory agent.

5-Hydroxy-3,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethoxyflavone (5-OH-HxMF), a polymethoxyflavone, is found exclusively in the Citrus genus, particularly in the peels of sweet orange. Herein, we report the first investigation of the inhibitory effects of 5-OH-HxMF on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in mouse skin. We found that the topical application of 5-OH-HxMF can effectively inhibit the transcriptional activation of iNOS and COX-2 mRNA and protein in mouse skin stimulated by TPA. Pre-treatment with 5-OH-HxMF resulted in the reduction of TPA-induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) subunit and DNA binding by blocking phosphorylation of inhibitor kappaB (IkappaB) alpha and p65 and subsequent degradation of IkappaBalpha. In addition, 5-OH-HxMF can inhibit TPA-induced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3. Moreover, 5-OH-HxMF can suppress TPA-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt, which are upstream of NF-kappaB. We also found that 5-OH-HxMF significantly inhibited TPA-induced mouse skin inflammation by decreasing inflammatory parameters. Furthermore, 5-OH-HxMF significantly inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene/TPA-induced skin tumor formation by reducing the tumor incidence and tumor multiplicity of papillomas at 20 weeks. Therefore, all these results revealed for the first time that 5-OH-HxMF is an effective antitumor agent and its inhibitory effect is through the down-regulation of inflammatory iNOS and COX-2 gene expression in mouse skin, suggesting that 5-OH-HxMF is a novel functional agent capable of preventing inflammation-associated tumorigenesis.