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Astaxanthin, a Xanthophyll carotenoid, has strong antioxidant properties. Some studies have shown the effectiveness of this compound on the prevention and treatment of cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of astaxanthin on induction of apoptosis and antioxidant activity in the LS-180 cell line. In this experimental study, after the treatment of LS-180 50, 100 and 150 lm of Astaxanthin for 24 h, the expression levels of Bax, Bcl2 and Caspase3 genes were investigated by Realtime PCR. Also, the level of malondialdehyde, as an indicator of oxidative stress and activity of antisuperoxide dismutase enzymes, catalase and glutathione peroxidase was investigated by colorimetric methods. The results showed that astaxanthin increases the expression of Bax and Caspase3 genes and decreases that of Bcl2, thereby, inducing apoptosis and inhibiting growth and proliferation of the cells. Additionally, reduction in the levels of malondialdehyde was evident with a significant elevation in antioxidant activity mediated by the action of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. These results suggest that astaxanthin has the potency to induce apoptosis in LS-180 cells by increasing the expression of apoptotic genes and activity of antioxidant enzymes. Thus, astaxanthin has potential in the prevention and treatment of cancer. ARTICLE HISTORY

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Health system reform must take into account the concomitant increasing workload and its negative impact in order to ensure that reform does not lead to unintentional detrimental outcomes of increased moral distress, decreased satisfaction and increased turnover rates among nursing personnel.

Purpose: Colorectal cancer is the third-most commonly occurring cancer in developed countries. Hydroxytyrosol is a potent antioxidant that has several activities, such as oxidative-stress control, inhibition of cell proliferation, and induction of apoptosis. In this study, the effect of hydroxytyrosol on the expression of genes effective in apoptosis-BAX, BCL2, CASP3, P53, PPARG, and NFE2L2-and antioxidant-enzyme activity in LS180 cells of human colorectal cancer was investigated. Methods: The human colorectal cancer cell line LS180 was treated with different concentrations of hydroxytyrosol for 24 hours. Expression of BAX, BCL2, CASP3, NFE2L2, PPARG, and P53 was investigated using real-time PCR. The activity of antioxidant and malondialdehyde enzymes was measured by calorimetric methods. Results: Analysis of gene expression showed that hydroxytyrosol significantly increased the expression of CASP3 and the BAX:BCL2 ratio in treatment groups compared to the control (P<0.05). Also, hydroxytyrosol significantly reduced the expression of the NFE2L2 gene (P<0.05). Calorimetric analysis showed that hydroxytyrosol increased activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase in treatment groups significantly more than the control group and reduced thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances on an oxidative stress index (P<0.05). Conclusion: Hydroxytyrosol may induce apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells by increasing the expression of CASP3 gene and increasing the BAX:BCL2 ratio. Also, hydroxytyrosol may increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and reduce the proliferation of LS180 cells by changing the antioxidant-defense system in cancer cells.

Background One of the major problems in wound healing is scar formation; however, there are few ways to prevent or treat it. Different species of Achillea are used to treat wounds in folk medicine from the past but there are few studies on the effect of it on wound healing and inhibition of scar formation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Achillea biebersteinii Afan hydroethanolic extract on the expression of TGFβ1 and bFGF as effective growth factors of wound healing in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. Methods Mouse embryonic fibroblast cells were exposed to different concentrations of Achillea extract at two different time (12 and 24 hr); the expression of TGFβ1 and bFGF was performed by real‐time‐PCR and ELISA at the level of gene and protein. Results It was observed that the plant extract at 5 and 10 µg/ml downregulated the expression of TGFβ1 and upregulated the expression of bFGF at the level of gene and protein. Conclusion The results showed that the pattern of changes in the expression of TGFβ1 and bFGF by Achillea biebersteinni Afan extract may inhibit scar formation.

MicroRNAs appear as small molecule modifiers, which improve many new findings and mechanical illustrations for critically important biological phenomena and pathologic events. The best-characterized non‐coding RNA family consists of about 2600 human microRNAs. Rich evidence has revealed their crucial importance in maintaining normal development, differentiation, growth control, aging, modulation of cell survival or apoptosis, as well as migration and metastasis as microRNAs dysregulation leads to cancer incidence and progression. By far, microRNAs have recently emerged as attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. The rationale for developing microRNA therapeutics is based on the premise that aberrantly expressed microRNAs play a significant role in the emergence of a variety of human diseases ranging from cardiovascular defects to cancer, and that repairing these microRNA deficiencies by either antagonizing or restoring microRNA function may yield a therapeutic benefit. Although microRNA antagonists are conceptually similar to other inhibitory therapies, improving the performance of microRNAs by microRNA replacement or inhibition that is a less well- described attitude. In this assay, we have condensed the last global knowledge and concepts regarding the involvement of microRNAs in cancer emergence, which has been achieved from the previous studies, consisting of the regulation of key cancer‐related pathways, such as cell cycle control and the DNA damage response and the disruption of profile expression in human cancer. Here, we have reviewed the special characteristics of microRNA replacement and inhibition therapies and discussed explorations linked with the delivery of microRNA mimics in turmeric cells. Besides, the achievement of biomarkers based on microRNAs in clinics is considered as novel non-invasive biomarkers in diagnostic and prognostic assessments.