Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits photocarcinogenesis through inhibition of angiogenic factors and activation of CD8+ T cells in tumors

There has been considerable interest in the use of botanical supplements to protect skin from the adverse effects of solar UV radiation, including photocarcinogenesis. We and others have shown that topical application of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) from green tea prevents photocarcinogenesis in mice; however, the chemopreventive mechanism of EGCG in an in vivo tumor model is not clearly understood. In this study, UV-B-induced skin tumors with and without treatment of EGCG ( approximately 1 mg/cm(2)) and age-matched skin biopsies from SKH-1 hairless mice were used to identify potential molecular targets of skin cancer prevention by EGCG. These biopsies were analyzed for various biomarkers of angiogenesis and antitumor immune response using immunostaining, Western blotting and gelatinolytic zymography. We report that compared to non-EGCG-treated tumors, topical application of EGCG in UV-induced tumors resulted in inhibition of protein expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, which play crucial roles in tumor growth and metastasis. In contrast, tissue inhibitor of MMP-1 (TIMP-1), which inhibits MMP activity, was increased in tumors. With respect to the tumor vasculature, EGCG decreased the expression of CD31, a cell surface marker of vascular endothelial cells, and inhibited the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in tumors, which are essential for angiogenesis. EGCG inhibited proliferating cell nuclear antigen in UV-B-induced tumors as well. Additionally, higher numbers of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD8(+) T cells) were detected in EGCG-treated tumors compared with non-EGCG-treated tumors. Together, these in vivo tumor data suggested that inhibition of photocarcinogenesis in mice by EGCG is associated with inhibition of angiogenic factors and induction of antitumor immune reactivity.     

Highly reactive and enantioselective kinetic resolution of terminal epoxides with H2O and HCl catalyzed by new chiral (salen)Co complex linked with Al

The asymmetric hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR) of racemic terminal epoxides by new easily synthesized dimeric chiral (salen)Co bearing Al, provides a practical and straightforward method for the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched terminal epoxides (>99% ee) and diols. An inorganic acid, HCl is applied first time for the asymmetric ring opening reaction of terminal epoxides. Reactions are conveniently carried out at room temperature under an air atmosphere.     

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in murine and human nonmelanoma skin cancers: implications for therapeutic approaches

Inflammatory stimuli result in the production of cutaneous eicosanoids, which are known to contribute to the process of tumor promotion. Cyclooxygenase (COX), the rate-limiting enzyme for the production of prostaglandins (PG) from arachidonic acid, exists in at least two isoforms, COX-1 and COX-2. COX-1 is constitutively expressed in most tissues and plays various physiological roles, whereas increased COX-2 expression is known to occur in several types of epithelial neoplasms. Enhanced PG synthesis is a potential contributing factor in UVB-induced nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC). Increased COX-2 staining occurs in murine skin neoplasms after chronic exposure to carcinogenic doses of UVB. In this study, immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses were employed to assess longitudinally COX-2 expression in a standard mouse UVB complete carcinogenesis protocol and in human basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). During UVB irradiation of mice, COX-2 expression consistently increased in the hyperplastic skin, the benign papillomas and the SCC. COX-2 expression was also increased in human actinic keratoses, SCC and BCC as well as in murine SCC and BCC. The pattern of COX-2 expression was quite variable, occurring in a patchy distribution in some lesions with staining confined mainly to suprabasal cell layers. In general, COX-2 expression progressively became more extensive in benign papillomas and well-differentiated murine SCC. The staining was predominantly cytoplasmic and perinuclear in some focal areas in tissue stroma around both murine and human tumors. Western blot analysis confirmed negative COX-2 expression in normal skin, whereas acute UVB exposure resulted in increased enzyme expression, which continued to increase in developing papillomas and SCC. Because of the evidence indicating a pathogenic role for eicosanoids in murine and human skin neoplasms, we performed studies to assess the anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic effects of green tea extracts, which are potent antioxidants. Acute exposure of the human skin to UVB (minimum erythema dose x 4) caused a transient enhancement of the COX-2 expression, which reverted to baseline within hours; however, in murine skin the expression persisted for several days. Pretreatment with the topically applied green tea extract (1 mg/cm2) largely abrogated the acute COX-2 response to UVB in mice or humans. In summary, enhanced COX-2 expression serves as a marker of epidermal UVB exposure for murine and human NMSC. These results suggest that COX-2 inhibitors could have potent anticarcinogenic effects in UVB-induced skin cancer.     

Photoactivatable prodrug for simultaneous release of mertansine and CO along with a BODIPY derivative as a luminescent marker in mitochondria: a proof of concept for NIR image-guided cancer therapy

Controlled and efficient activation is the crucial aspect of designing an effective prodrug. Herein we demonstrate a proof of concept for a light activatable prodrug with desired organelle specificity. Mertansine, a benzoansamacrolide, is an efficient microtubule-targeting compound that binds at or near the vinblastine-binding site in the mitochondrial region to induce mitotic arrest and cell death through apoptosis. Despite its efficacy even in the nanomolar level, this has failed in stage 2 of human clinical trials owing to the lack of drug specificity and the deleterious systemic toxicity. To get around this problem, a recent trend is to develop an antibody-conjugatable maytansinoid with improved tumor/organelle-specificity and lesser systematic toxicity. Endogenous CO is recognized as a regulator of cellular function and for its obligatory role in cell apoptosis. CO blocks the proliferation of cancer cells and effector T cells, and the primary target is reported to be the mitochondria. We report herein a new mitochondria-specific prodrug conjugate (Pro-DC) that undergoes a photocleavage reaction on irradiation with a 400 nm source (1.0 mW cm⁻²) to induce a simultaneous release of the therapeutic components mertansine and CO along with a BODIPY derivative (BODIPY(PPH₃)₂) as a luminescent marker in the mitochondrial matrix. The efficacy of the process is demonstrated using MCF-7 cells and could effectively be visualized by probing the intracellular luminescence of BODIPY(PPH₃)₂. This provides a proof-of-concept for designing a prodrug for image-guided combination therapy for mainstream treatment of cancer.

Simultaneous release of two therapeutic reagents, mertansine and CO through photo-induced cleavage of a mitochondria-specific prodrug with improved drug efficacy.     

Kinetics and mechanism of palladium(II) catalysed oxidation of amines and aminoalcohols by N-bromosuccinimide in perchloric acid

Summary The kinetics of oxidation of amines (EtNH₂, Et₂NH, Et₃N) and aminoalcohols [H₂NCH₂CH₂OH, H₂N(CH₂)₃OH, (CH₂CH₂OH)₂NH, (CH₂CH₂OH)₃N] by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) have been studied in aqueous HClO₄ with PdCl₂ as catalyst, and in the presence of Hg(OAc)₂ to ensure oxidation by pure NBS. The order of reaction with respect to NBS was unity, however, an increase in [NBS]₀ resulted in a decrease in the rate constant. The rate was directly proportional to [Pd^II] for the aminoalcohols while for EtNH₂ the rate was proportional to k + k[Pd^II] (where k and k are rate constants for the uncatalysed and catalysed paths, respectively). Retarding effects for HClO₄, succinimide, Cl^– and AcOH on the rate of oxidation were observed. The kinetic data support the formation of [Pd^II-A] and [Pd^II-(A)₂] complexes (where A represents amine or aminoalcohol). A mechanism, consistent with the observed kinetic data, is proposed.     

Extraction and spectrophotometric determination of cobalt(ii) with 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone

The rapid extraction and simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of mg amounts of cobalt(II) by means of 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone is described. The yellow cobalt(II)-TTA chelate solution in acetone-benzene obeys Beer's law at 430 mμ over the range 12 to 51 μg of cobalt(II) per ml. At pH 5.1–6.8 a single extraction with 0.15 M TTA in acetone is satisfactory. The system is stable for 96 h. Silver, zirconium, strontium, thorium, zinc, lead(II) and mercury(II) do not interfere.     

Energy considerations of plane and cylindrical hydromagnetic variable energy blast waves

Numerical results describing the propagation of plane and cylindrical blast waves with time dependent energy inputs in an ideal gas in presence of an axial magnetic field have been obtained by modified similarity method. These results are in agreement with Patrick's [6] experimental observations of non-existence of ordinary shock waves. For strong shocks the hottest region is located near the piston, whereas for weaker shocks the front becomes the hottest. The presence of magnetic field, however, reduces the temperature in the shocked region, except near the piston where it increases. An increase in magnetic field leads to an increase in shock velocity. Predicted variations of the percentages of magnetic, internal and kinetic energies with shock strength support the experimental observations of Kolb [3]. With increase in, equipartition between kinetic and internal energies is seen to shift towards higher shock strength.

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Zusammenfassung Für die Ausbreitung von ebenen und zylindrischen Stoßwellen mit zeitabhängiger Energiezugabe in einem idealen Gas in Gegenwart eines achsialen Magnetfeldes sind numerische Resultate mit Hilfe einer modifizierten Ähnlichkeitsmethode erhalten worden. Die Ergebnisse sind in Übereinstimmung mit den experimentellen Beobachtungen von Patrick [6] über die Nicht-Existenz von gewöhnlichen Stoßwellen. Für starke Stöße liegt das heißeste Gebiet in der Nähe des Kolbens, bei schwächeren Stößen nahe zur Stoßfront. Die Gegenwart des Magnetfeldes vermindert die Temperatur in der Stoßzone mit Ausnahme der Region in Kolbennähe, wo die Temperatur steigt Erhöhung des Magnetfeldes erhöht die Stoßgeschwindigkeit. Die berechneten Änderungen der Anteile der magnetischen, inneren und kinetischen Energien mit der Stoßstärke unterstützen die Beobachtungen von Kolb [3]. Mit der Zunahme von wird die Gleichverteilung der kinetischen und der inneren Energie gegen höhere Stoßstärken verschoben.

     

Revisiting Impossible Quantum Operations Using Principles of No-Signaling and Nonincrease of Entanglement Under LOCC

In this letter, we show the impossibility of the general operation introduced by Pati (Phys. Rev. A 66:062319, 2002) using two different but consistent principles (i) no-signaling (ii) non increase of entanglement under LOCC.     

Phase transition properties of 3D Potts models

Using multicanonical Metropolis simulations we estimate phase transition properties of 3D Potts models for q=4 to 10: The transition temperatures, latent heats, entropy gaps, normalized entropies at the disordered and ordered endpoints, interfacial tensions, and spinodal endpoints.