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Apigenin (4',5,7-trihydroxyfiavone) is one of the leading components supporting targeted treatment options. We explored the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of various doses of apigenin administered alone and together with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)--a chemotherapeutic agent with high cytotoxicity--for different incubation periods, on morphologic, DNA, RNA (messenger RNA [mRNA]), and protein levels on the p53 mutant HT29 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line. Treatment with apigenin alone for a 72-hour incubation at 90-µM dose resulted in an apoptotic percentage of 24.92% (P = .001). A higher percentage (29.13%) was observed after treatment with the same dose of apigenin plus 5-FU for the same incubation period (P=.001). These results were confirmed as mRNA and protein expression levels of caspase-3 increased 2.567-fold and mRNA expression levels of caspase-8 increased 3.689-fold compared with the control group. On the other hand, mRNA expression levels of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and cyclin D1 (CCND1) decreased by 0.423-fold and 0.231-fold, respectively. To our knowledge this is the first study showing that treatment with apigenin alone results in cell cycle arrest through activation of caspase cascade and stimulation of apoptosis in HT29 cells. It also shows that use of apigenin plus 5-FU further increases this effect. This study draws attention to the probable clinical effectiveness of apigenin plus a chemotherapeutic agent with high cytotoxicity. It also highlights the induction of desirable apoptotic effects by targeting the caspase cascade pathway through administration of reduced doses for shorter incubation periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to biochemically measure the production of nitric oxide in gingival crevicular fluid and immunohistochemically measure the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the gingiva of patients with sickle cell disease. Additionally, we aimed to obtain insight into the immunopathology of sickle cell disease by comparing inducible nitric oxide synthase levels in patients with sickle cell disease and controls using gingiva and gingival crevicular fluid. Materials and Methods: The study included 20 sickle cell disease patients and 20 healthy controls. Immunohistochemical analysis was used to measure inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in gingiva and nitric oxide levels in gingival crevicular fluid were spectrophotometrically measured. Results: Nitric oxide levels in the patients and controls did not differ significantly (21.2±4.5 and 23.1±2.3 μM L-1, respectively, p>0.05). There weren't any statistically significant differences in infiltrated inflammatory cells, density of inflammatory cells that stained with inducible nitric oxide synthase, or nitric oxide expression in gingiva between the patient and control groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge this is the first study to examine the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the gingiva and gingival crevicular fluid in patients with sickle cell disease. Using the gingiva and gingival crevicular fluid we were unable to observe sickle cell disease-associated inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and a difference in nitric oxide levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]