Betulin is a pentacyclic triterpene found in many plant species, among others, in white birch bark. The aim of the study was in vitro characterization of the anticancer activity of betulin in a range of human tumour cell lines (neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma-medulloblastoma, glioma, thyroid, breast, lung and colon carcinoma, leukaemia and multiple myeloma), and in primary tumour cultures isolated from patients (ovarian carcinoma, cervical carcinoma and glioblastoma multiforme).In this study, we demonstrated a remarkable anti-proliferative effect of betulin in all tested tumour cell cultures. Neuroblastoma (SK-N-AS) and colon carcinoma (HT-29) were the most sensitive to the anti-proliferative effect of betulin. Furthermore, betulin altered tumour cells morphology, decreased their motility and induced apoptotic cell death. These findings demonstrate the anti-cancer potential of betulin and suggest that they may be applied as an adjunctive measure in cancer treatment.

2-Oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH) of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is often implied to be inactive in cancer, but this was not experimentally tested. We addressed the question through specific inhibition of OGDH by succinyl phosphonate (SP). SP action on different cancer cells was investigated using indicators of cellular viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS), metabolic profiling and transcriptomics. Relative sensitivity of various cancer cells to SP changed with increasing SP exposure and could differ in the ATP- and NAD(P)H-based assays. Glioblastoma responses to SP revealed metabolic sub-types increasing or decreasing cellular ATP/NAD(P)H ratio under OGDH inhibition. Cancer cell homeostasis was perturbed also when viability indicators were SP-resistant, e.g. in U87 and N2A cells. The transcriptomics database analysis showed that the SP-sensitive cells, such as A549 and T98G, exhibit the lowest expression of OGDH compared to other TCA cycle enzymes, associated with higher expression of affiliated pathways utilizing 2-oxoglutarate. Metabolic profiling confirmed the dependence of cellular SP reactivity on cell-specific expression of the pathways. Thus, oxidative decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate is significant for the interdependent homeostasis of NAD(P)H, ATP, ROS and key metabolites in various cancer cells. Assessment of cell-specific responses to OGDH inhibition is of diagnostic value for anticancer strategies.

Our previous in vivo studies showed that chlorpyrifos (CPF) and cypermethrin (CM) in a mixture dermally administered, strongly inhibited cholinesterase activity in plasma and the brain and were very toxic to the rat central nervous system. In this work, the mechanisms of neurotoxicity have not been elucidated. We used human undifferentiated SH-SY5Y cells to study mechanisms of pesticide-induced neuronal cell death. It was found that chlorpyrifos (CPF) and its mixture with cypermethrin (CPF+CM) induced cell death of SH-SY5Y cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner, as shown by MTT assays. Pesticideinduced SH-SY5Y cell death was characterized by concentration-dependent down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL as well as an increase in the caspase 3 activation. Pan-caspase inhibitor Q-VD-OPh produced a slight but significant reversal effect of pesticide-induced toxicity indicating that the major caspase pathways are not integral to CPF-and CPF+CM-induced cell death. Furthermore, signal transduction inhibitors PD98059, SL-327, SB202190, SP600125 and mecamylamine failed to attenuate pesticides effect. Atropine exhibited minimal ability to reverse toxicity. Finally, it was shown that inhibition of TNF-a by pomalidomide attenuated CPF-/CPF+CM-induced apoptosis. Overall, our data suggest that FAS/TNF signalling pathways may participate in CPF and CPF+CM toxicity.

In this study for the first time, the antiproliferative activity of AKG on colon adenocarcinoma Caco-2, HT-29, and LS-180 cells in normoxic conditions was revealed. Taking into consideration an anticancer activity both in hypoxic and normoxic conditions, AKG may be considered as a new potent chemopreventive agent.

No abstract

Two 2-(monohalogenophenylamino)-5-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles were synthesized by reaction of sulfinyl bis(2,4-dihydroxythiobenzoyl) with 4-substituted 3-thiosemicarbazides and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity in tumor cells and for cytotoxicity in normal cells. Both derivatives in micromolar concentrations elicited a prominent antiproliferative effect in tumor cells derived from cancers of the nervous system (rhabdomyosarcoma/medulloblastoma, glioma) and peripheral cancers, including breast adenocarcinoma and lung carcinoma. The anticancer effect was attributed to decreased DNA synthesis and was not connected with apoptosis induction. Both compounds were not toxic to normal human skin fibroblasts.

In the paper we have reported the synthesis and spectroscopic analysis of new condensed tricyclic derivatives of the pyrazolo[4,3-e]triazolo[4,5-b][1,2,4]triazine. MTT analysis revealed concentration-dependent decrease in lung A549 and colon LS180 cancer cells proliferation. In order to explain the molecular mechanisms involved in anticancer activity of pyrazolo[4,3- e]triazolo[4,5-b][1,2,4]triazine derivatives, our research will be continued.

The activity of a new 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole The activity of a new 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole The activity of a new 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole The activity of a new 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole The activity of a new 2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivative 4ClABT , and T-cell leukemia (Jurkat E6.1), as well as cancers of the nervous system including rhabdomyosarcoma/medulloblastoma (TE671), brain astrocytoma (MOGGCCM) and glioma (C6) was studied by means of MTT assay. DNA synthesis level was determined in BrdU ELISA test. Wound assay model was applied for tumor cell motility assessment. Morphological changes induced by 4ClABT in cancer and normal cells were analyzed in HE staining specimens. Moreover, the influence of 4ClABT on normal cells including skin fibroblasts (HSF), hepatocytes (Fao), astroglia and neurons was studied by means of LDH assay. The tested compound inhibited the proliferation of tumor cells in dose-dependent fashion. The anti-cancer effect was attributed to decreased DNA synthesis, prominent changes in tumor cell morphology as well as reduced cell motility. In antiproliferative concentrations, 4ClABT was not toxic to normal cells. Our study showed prominent anti-cancer effects of the tested aminothiadiazole derivative in the absence of toxicity in normal cells. The obtained results confirmed the promising anti-cancer profile of previously tested 2-(monohalogenphenylamino)--5-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives (ClABT -chlorophenyl derivative, FABT and 3FABT -fluorophenyl derivatives and 4BrABT -bromophenyl derivative). The molecular mechanisms and the in vivo activity of aminothiadiazole derivatives will be the subject of further studies.