Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been recognized as an innovated therapeutic modality for the treatment of various cancers. In this study, we evaluated the anticancer effect of a new photosensitizer 3B in breast cancer, which was considered one of the most common cancers in women worldwide. Here, we determined the effect of 3B not only on the cell growth, apoptosis, and Bcl-2 signal pathway in vitro but also on the anti-cancer effect in nude mice in vivo. Our results showed that 3B was primarily accumulated in mitochondria, increased the level of ROS, induced apoptotic cells death via Bcl-2 family, and its activity could be blocked by the caspase inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK). In vivo study, 3B made a significant opening inhibition of tumor growth and showed drug toxicity hardly. TUNEL assay indicated that PDT group showed more positive cells (green) than other groups. These data supported that 3B might develop as potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of breast cancer.
Abstract. The present study was performed to investigate the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in the resorption of herniated intervertebral discs in 30 rats. In the non-contained and p38 MAPK inhibition (p38i) groups, two coccygeal intervertebral discs (IVDs) were removed and wounded prior to relocation into the subcutaneous space of the skin of the back. In the contained group, the cartilage endplates maintained their integrity. Furthermore, SB203580 was injected intraperitoneally into the p38i group, whereas saline was injected into the other two groups. In the non-contained group, the weight of the relocated IVDs decreased to a greater extent over time when compared with the contained and p38i groups. Phosphorylated p38, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β were observed to exhibit higher expression levels in the non-contained group compared with the contained and p38i groups, at weeks 1 and 4 post-surgery. The expression level of caspase-3 and the densities of apoptotic disc cells were significantly higher in the non-contained group compared with the contained and p38i groups at 4 weeks post-surgery. In conclusion, p38 MAPK induces apoptosis in IVDs, while also accelerating the resorption of the relocated IVDs. Thus, p38 MAPK may be important in spontaneous resorption of IVDs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.