Background:In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to examine the changes in morphology of red blood cells (RBCs) and to investigate the nanoparticles (NPs) found on their surface in cervical cancer (CC) patients undergoing radiation therapy (RT).Methods and Results: We obtained smears of venous blood from 12 CC patients at the start, midway and at the end of external beam RT and then midway and at the end of brachytherapy. It was found that in CC patients, the number of RBCs with abnormal morphology increased and NPs appeared on their surface. During RT, the total number of abnormally shaped RBCs and the number and size of NPs increased. The RBC diameter was 8.38±0.36 μm in the control group and 9.41±0.47 μm in CC patients. The average diameter of NPs on the RBC surface was 69.91±12.15 nm and their average height 23.75±3.70 nm. After RT, the morphology of RBCs was restored, and the formation of NPs decreased.
Conclusion:The changes observed could serve as the basis for developing efficacy indicators of cancer radiation therapy.
Halophyte plants are known for their resistance to harsh environmental conditions associated with excess salts in their habitats. Their resistance to salinization is due, among other things, to their high ability to detoxify free radicals, owing to the relatively high content of antioxidants. On the coast of the Baltic Sea and in the lagoons, there are several rare halophyte species included in the Red Book of the Kaliningrad Region (Russia) and the Baltic region, such as Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb. and Glaux maritima L. The aim of the research was to study the accumulation of certain groups of phenolic compounds in different parts of S. marina and G. maritima plants under conditions of weak and strong soil salinity, as well as to analyze the antioxidant, antibacterial, and fungicidal activity of extracts of the studied plant species. The present study showed an increase in total phenolic content in the roots and shoots of S. marina, and the shoots of G. maritima, in response to increased soil salinity. At the same time, the total content of flavonoids in all the studied parts of the two plant species remained unchanged. However, the content of individual flavonoids (hesperetin, epicatechin, apigenin derivative, luteolin derivative) in S. marina increased, for G. maritima there was a tendency to reduce the content of flavonoids in roots and shoots with an increase in soil salinity. There was an increase in the total content of hydroxycinnamic acids in the roots of Glaux maritima, as well as an increase in the content of protocatechuic acid in the roots and shoots of Spergularia marina. A positive relationship was established between the antioxidant activity of S. marina root extracts and the total content of phenolic compounds, as well as G. maritima shoots extracts and the total content of phenolic compounds. Extracts of S. marina showed no antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and weak fungicidal activity of stem extracts and inflorescences grown on soils, with high levels of salinities, was detected against Candida albicans. The extracts of roots and shoots from G. maritima showed weak antimicrobial and fungicidal activity.
Purpose of the study. Was to reveal the antitumor effect of 2‑(6,8‑dimethyl‑5‑nitro‑4‑chloroquinoline‑2‑yl)‑5,6,7‑trichloro‑1,3‑tropolone in subcutaneous PDX models of human lung cancer.Material and methods. The studied tropolone was synthesized using a method of expanding the o‑quinone cycle. Assess to it’s toxic effects was given by the survival and changes in the health status of female Balb/c Nude mice. Antitumor tropolone effects were studied in subcutaneous patient‑derived xenograft (PDX) models of human squamous cell lung cancer in Balb/c Nude mice. The average volumes of tumor nodes and tumor growth inhibition (TGI %) rate were taken into account. Biochemical blood tests and histological analysis of the tumor material were performed in recipient mice.Results. An analysis of acute tropolone toxic effects did not reveal the lethal dose. The maximal TGI was observed on day 36 of the experiment in group 5 which have received 2.75 mg/g tropolone and accounted 73.5 % for females and 74.4 % for males. The average tumor volumes in females of this group were 431.3 ± 1,1 mm3 on day 33 of the experiment, in males – 428.9 ± 1,7 mm3 on day 30, and then the tumor volumes declined. The biochemical analysis of blood and histological examination of the tumor tissue of recipient mice reflect the severity of the antitumor effect on the dose of the studied tropolone.Conclusion. The research demonstrated the antitumor activity of 2‑(6,8‑dimethyl‑5‑nitro‑4‑chloroquinoline‑2‑yl)‑5,6,7‑trichloro‑1,3‑tropolone against subcutaneous PDX models of human NSCLC. The revealed tendencies can be used to search for effective modes of the compound application in clinical practice.
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