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Tarek A Ahmed,1,2 Ghada A Milibary,1 Alshaimaa M Almehmady,1 Amerh A Alahmadi,1 Ehab MM Ali,3 Khalid M El-Say1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 2Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Precision Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Alsulaymanyah, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Tarek A Ahmed, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia, Tel +96626400000 ext 22250, Email tabdelnapy@kau.edu.saBackground: This study investigates the influence of various formulation parameters on the characteristics of hinokitiol-loaded phytosomes and evaluates their anticancer potential against breast cancer cells.Materials and Methods: Phytosomal nanoparticles were prepared and characterized for size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency. Morphological analysis was conducted using optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The solubility of hinokitiol at different pH levels was determined, and the in vitro release profile of the optimized phytosomes was assessed. Cytotoxicity assays were performed to evaluate the anticancer efficacy against breast cancer cell lines, and apoptosis induction was examined using Annexin V/propidium iodide staining. Cell cycle analysis was conducted to assess the impact on cell cycle progression.Results: The optimized phytosomes demonstrated a size range of 138.4 ± 7.7 to 763.7 ± 15.4 nm, with zeta potentials ranging from − 10.2 ± 0.28 to − 53.2 ± 1.06 mV and entrapment efficiencies between 29.161 ± 1.163% and 92.77 ± 7.01%. Morphological characterization confirmed uniformity and spherical morphology. Hinokitiol solubility increased with pH, and the release from the optimized phytosomes exhibited sustained patterns. The formulated phytosomes showed superior cytotoxicity, with lower IC50 values compared to pure hinokitiol. Treatment induced significant apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M and S phases.Conclusion: Hinokitiol-loaded phytosomes demonstrate promising anticancer efficacy against breast cancer cells, highlighting their potential as targeted therapeutic agents for breast cancer therapy.Keywords: hinokitiol, phytosomes, cytotoxic activity, breast cancer, apoptosis, cell cycle

An abattoir survey to determine the prevalence of zoonotic diseases encountered at postmortem examination of organs and carcasses was conducted in Maiduguri municipality, Nigeria, between 2000 and 2009. A total of 1,378,066 animals were examined and slaughtered from which 403,560 were cattle, 381,601 goats, 373,567 sheep and 219,308 camels. Out of these numbers, a total of 14,944 bacterial and parasitic zoonotic diseases were diagnosed which included tuberculosis (67.6%), dermatophilosis (15.8%), mange (16.7%), fascioliasis (1.5%) and hydatidosis (4.3%). Occurrence of the diseases based on sex, species of animals and season of the year did not show any significant difference (P>0.05). It was not possible to get the exact records on breed and age for each slaughtered animal due to poor recording systems at the abattoir. With regards to the type of animals brought for slaughter, almost all animals come from the traditional sector and it was difficult to precisely trace back the geographical origins of all animals slaughtered due to lack of reliable animal identification method and so relating the finding of the study to a particular locality becomes difficult. Species-specific prevalence of tuberculosis was 1.6%, 0.4%, 0.3%, 0.3% for cattle, sheep, goats and camels respectively with a 0.7% crude prevalence. Analysis of the tuberculosis cases showed a high rate of occurrence in cattle (P

Polydatin (PD), a glucoside derivative of resveratrol, has been investigated for its potential to mitigate sorafenib (SOF) side effects and combat multidrug resistance in cancer treatment. The study evaluated its mechanism of action for inhibiting the protein kinase B/mTOR pathway in promoting breast cancer proliferation. The combined PD and SOF have synergistic effects with a combination index (CI) < 1 in the liver (HepG2) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines. Molecular docking studies were conducted to analyze interactions of PD& SOF with protein kinases as well as apoptotic and multidrug resistance proteins, including AKT1, PI3K, mTOR, Apaf-1, and ABCB1 in MCF-7 cells. Experimental validation through real-time PCR confirmed. PD has a strong binding affinity, particularly with AKT1 (-56 kcal/mol) and ABCB1 (-27.16 kcal/mol), a gene associated with multidrug resistance. These interactions were linked to anti-proliferative anti-angiogenic effects and reduced resistance to treatment, demonstrating PD has potential therapeutic benefits. Furthermore, PD combined with SOF induced apoptosis, inhibited cell growth, and arrested MCF-7 cells in the sub-G1 phase with increased intracellular ROS. This was accompanied by reduced expression of AKT1 and ABCB1 genes, reinforcing the anticancer efficacy of PD/SOF combination therapy. In conclusion, the findings suggest that PD/SOF could serve as a promising anticancer treatment strategy, warranting further investigation for potential clinical applications and mechanistic studies in vivo., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Abeer Abdel Hamid Khamis reports was provided by Tanta University Faculty of Science. Abeer Abdel Hamid Ahmed Khamis reports a relationship with Tanta University Faculty of Science that includes: employment. Abeer Abdel Hamid Khamis has patent #1 pending to 1111. The authors declare that they have agreed to the publication of this work., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Breast cancer remains a significant global health concern, necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic strategies. Despite advancements in cancer therapeutics, effective treatments with minimal side effects remain elusive. Natural sources, such as camel milk, harbor bioactive compounds such as lactoferrin peptides, which hold promise as anticancer agents. This study investigated the potential of camel milk-derived lactoferrin peptides against breast cancer cells through a combined in silico and in vitro approach. By integrating computational modeling with experimental assays, we aimed to elucidate the anticancer mechanisms of these peptides and provide insights for their optimization as anticancer therapeutics., Methods: In silico analysis involving pepetid design, and validation, then molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations was used to explore peptide-protein interactions and stability. Peptides were synthesized and tested for anticancer activity using MTT assays on MCF-7 cells, with HDFa normal cells used as controls., Results: Results of this study showed that camel milk-derived lactoferrin peptides, particularly PEP66, exhibited strong anticancer activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, with the lowest IC50 value (52.82 μg/mL) compared to other peptides. In silico molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed that PEP66 formed stable interactions with key residues in the HER2 catalytic site, indicating its potential as an effective anticancer agent. The selectivity index (SI) of PEP66 (3.19) also suggested lower toxicity to normal cells compared to cancer cells, reinforcing its therapeutic potential. Hydrogen bonding analysis highlighted key residues involved in stabilizing peptide-protein complexes, while molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated the stability of these interactions over time. Notably, PEP66 exhibited the highest stability and formed significant interactions with essential residues in the HER2 catalytic site, suggesting its potential as an effective anticancer agent., Conclusion: Camel milk-derived lactoferrin peptides show promise as anticancer agents against breast cancer cells. The multidisciplinary approach employed in this study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying their activity, paving the way for rational design strategies to enhance their efficacy. Further experimental validation is warranted to validate the anticancer potential of these peptides and advance their development as novel therapeutic agents for breast cancer treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Baothman, Ali, Alguridi, Hosawi, Konozy, Abu Zeid, Ahmad and Altayb.)

Palladium and platinum complexes, especially those that include cisplatin, can be useful chemotherapeutic drugs. Alternatives that have less adverse effects and require lower dosages of treatment could be provided by complexes containing pyridine bases. The complexes [Pd(SCN) 2 (4-Acpy) 2 ] (1), [Pd(N 3 ) 2 (4-Acpy) 2 ] (2) [Pd(paOH) 2 ].2Cl (3) and [Pt(SCN) 2 (paO) 2 ] (4) were prepared by self-assembly method at ambient temperature; (4-Acpy = 4-acetylpyridine and paOH = pyridine-2-carbaldehyde-oxime). The structure of complexes 1-4 was confirmed using spectroscopic and X-ray crystallography methods. Complexes 1-4 have similar features in isomerism that include the trans coordination geometry of pyridine ligands with Pd or Pt ion. The 3D network structure of complexes 1-4 was constructed by an infinite number of discrete mononuclear molecules extending via H-bonds. The Pd and Pt complexes 1-4 with pyridine ligands were assessed on MCF-7, T47D breast cancer cells and HCT116 colon cancer cells. The study evaluated cell death through apoptosis and cell cycle phases in MCF-7 cells treated with palladium or platinum conjugated with pyridine base. Upon treatment of MCF-7 with these complexes, the expression of apoptotic signals (Bcl2, p53, Bax and c-Myc) and cell cycle signals (p16, CDK1A, CDK1B) were evaluated. Compared to other complexes and cisplatin, IC 50 of complex 1 was lowest in MCF-7 cells and complex 2 in T47D cells. Complex 4 has the highest effectiveness on HCT116. The selective index (SI) of complexes 1-4 has a value of more than two for all cancer cell lines, indicating that the complexes were less toxic to normal cells when given the same dose. MCF-7 cells treated with complex 2 and platinum complex 4 exhibited the highest level of early apoptosis. p16 may be signal arrest cells in Sub G, which was observed in cells treated with palladium complexes that suppress excessive cell proliferation. High c-Myc expression of treated cells with four complexes 1-4 and cisplatin could induce p53. All complexes 1-4 elevated the expression of Bax and triggered by the tumor suppressor gene p53. p53 was downregulating the expression of Bcl2., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background and aims: Cancer continues to be a significant source of both illness and death on a global scale, traditional medicinal plants continue to serve as a fundamental resource of natural bioactive compounds as an alternative source of remedies. Although there have been numerous studies on the therapeutic role of Phoenix dactylifera , the study of the role of peptides has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of lectin peptides from P. dactylifera using in silico and in vivo analysis. Methods: Different computational tools were used to extract and predict anticancer peptides from the true lectins of P. dactylifera . Nine peptides that are bioactive substances have been investigated for their anticancer activity against MCF-7 and T47D (two forms of breast cancer). To counteract the unfavorable effects of mitotane, the most potent peptides (U3 and U7) were combined with it and assessed for anticancer activity against MCF-7 and HepG2. Results: In silico analysis revealed that nine peptides were predicted with anticancer activity. In cell lines, the lowest IC 50 values were measured in U3 and U7 against MCF-7 and T47D cells. U3 or U7 in combination with mitotane demonstrated the lowest IC 50 against MCF-7 and HepG2. The maximum level of cell proliferation inhibition was 22% when U3 (500 µg/mL) and 25 µg/mL mitotane were combined, compared to 41% when 25 µg/mL mitotane was used alone. When mitotane and U3 or U7 were combined, it was shown that these bioactive substances worked synergistically with mitotane to lessen its negative effects. The combination of peptides and mitotane could be regarded as an efficient chemotherapeutic medication having these bioactive properties for treating a variety of tumors while enhancing the reduction of side effects., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Baothman, Ali, Hosawi, Hassan E. Konozy, Abu Zeid, Ahmad and Altayb.)

Breast cancer ranks as the second leading most significant of mortality for women. Studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of natural compounds in cancer treatment and prevention, either in isolation or in conjunction with chemotherapy. In order to improve Tamoxifen's therapeutic efficacy in in-vivo studies, our research sought to determine the effects of hesperidin, piperine, and bee venom as natural compounds, as well as their combination effect with or without Tamoxifen. First, 132 female albino rats were equally divided into six groups and five subgroups, and breast cancer was induced in the selected groups by xenografting of MCF7 cells. Second, the effect of single and best ratio combinations treatment from previous in vitro studies were selected. Next, tumorous mammary glands were collected for apoptotic and antiapoptotic biomarkers and cell cycle analysis. Single or combined natural products with or without Tamoxifen revealed a significant up-regulation in apoptotic genes Bax and Casp3 and a downregulation of antiapoptotic and angiogenesis genes Bcl-2 and VEGF genes. We found that cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase was exclusively caused by Tamoxifen and/ or hesperidin. However, the cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase is a result of the combination of piperine and bee venom, with or without Tamoxifen by using the flow cytometric technique. Our research concludes that bee venom, hesperidin, and piperine can synergistically enhance to increase Tamoxifen's efficiency in the management of breast cancer., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Ezetimibe, initially recognized as a cholesterol-lowering agent, has recently attracted attention due to its potential anticancer properties. We aimed to explore an innovative approach of enhancing the drug anticancer activity through the development of drug nano-formulations., Materials and Methods: Fifteen different nano-micelles formulations were prepared utilizing D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) and pluronic F127. The prepared formulations were characterized for size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency (EE). The formulations were morphologically characterized using light and transmission electron microscopies and the drug-binding mode with the active site was investigated using the molecular docking. Cell viability against MCF-7 and T47D was studied. Apoptosis and cell cycle were assessed., Results: The prepared formulations were in the nano-size range (34.01 ± 2.00-278.34 ± 9.11 nm), zeta potential values were very close to zero, and the TPGS-based micelles formulations showed the highest ezetimibe EE (94.03 ± 1.71%). Morphological study illustrated a well-defined, spherical nanoparticles with a uniform size distribution. Molecular docking demonstrated good interaction of ezetimibe with Interleukin-1 Beta Convertase through multiple hydrogen bonding, covalent bond, and hydrophobic interaction. TPGS-based nano-micelle formulation (F5) demonstrated the lowest IC 50 against MCF-7 (4.51 µg/mL) and T47D (8.22 µg/mL) cancer cells. When T47D cells were treated with IC 50 concentrations of F5, it exhibited significant inhibition with late apoptosis (43.9%), a response comparable to T47D cells treated with an IC 50 dose of ezetimibe. Cell cycle analysis revealed that both ezetimibe and F5-treated T47D cells exhibited an increase in the subG1 phase, indicating reduced DNA content and cell death., Conclusion: These findings suggest that F5 could serve as a proficient drug delivery system in augmenting the cytotoxic activity of ezetimibe against breast cancer., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2023 Ahmed et al.)

Metformin and paclitaxel therapy offer promising outcomes in the treatment of liver cancer. Combining paclitaxel with metformin enhances treatment effectiveness and mitigates the adverse effects associated with paclitaxel alone. This study explored the anticancer properties of metformin and paclitaxel in HepG2 liver cancer cells, MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and HCT116 colon cancer cells. The results demonstrated that the combination of these agents exhibited a lower IC50 in the tested cell lines compared to paclitaxel monotherapy. Notably, treating the HepG2 cell line with this combination led to a reduction in the G0/G1 phase and an increase in the S and G2/M phases, ultimately triggering early apoptosis. To further investigate the interaction between the cellular proteins with paclitaxel and metformin, an in silico study was conducted using proteins chosen from a protein data bank (PDB). Among the proteins studied, AMPK-α, EGFRK, and FKBP12-mTOR exhibited the highest binding free energy, with values of -11.01, -10.59, and -15.63 kcal/mol, respectively, indicating strong inhibitory or enhancing effects on these proteins. When HepG2 cells were exposed to both paclitaxel and metformin, there was an upregulation in the gene expression of AMPK-α , a key regulator of the energy balance in cancer growth, as well as apoptotic markers such as p53 and caspase-3 , along with autophagic markers including beclin1 and ATG4A . This combination therapy of metformin and paclitaxel exhibited significant potential as a treatment option for HepG2 liver cancer. In summary, the combination of metformin and paclitaxel not only enhances treatment efficacy but also reduces side effects. It induces cell cycle alterations and apoptosis and modulates key cellular proteins involved in cancer growth, making it a promising therapy for HepG2 liver cancer.

6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) is a chemotherapeutic agent with inadequate efficacy due to its poor aqueous solubility and limited bioavailability. Turmeric oil is a naturally occurring bioactive substance obtained from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa Linn that has well-known antiproliferative activities. The aim of this study was to develop a 6-MP-loaded turmeric oil-based self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) to improve the anticancer activity of 6-MP. Turmeric oil was extracted and used in a range of 15-25% to develop SNEDDS formulations utilizing tween 80 and dimethyl sulfoxide as the surfactant and cosurfactant, respectively. The size, charge, and effect of the formulations on the viability against HepG2 and MCF-7 cell models, as well as the apoptosis and cell cycle, were analyzed. The prepared SNEDDS formulations were in the size range of 425.7 ± 7.4-303.6 ± 19.3 nm, using a polydispersity index of 0.429-0.692 and electronegative surface charges. Moreover, 6-MP-loaded SNEDDS with 15% turmeric oil content (F1) showed smaller particle sizes and a noticeable antiproliferative activity against both cell line models. Also, F1 showed a higher rate of late apoptosis than the pure drug and the corresponding non-medicated formulation. A morphological study revealed significant changes in the HepG2 cells compared to untreated cells. More cells halted in the S phase, and a marked decrease in the proportions of cells in the G1/G0 phase was observed when using SNEDDS formulation compared to pure drug. Thus, SNEDDS formulation is a promising drug delivery system for improving the antiproliferative activity of 6-MP, especially when turmeric oil is incorporated.

The synthesis, characterization, and anticancer properties of three imine-type compounds 1 - 3 and an unexpected oxazine derivative 4 are presented. The reaction of p -dimethylaminobenzaldehyde or m -nitrobenzaldehyde with hydroxylamine hydrochloride afforded the corresponding oximes 1 - 2 in good yields. Additionally, the treatment of benzil with 4-aminoantipyrine or o -aminophenol was investigated. Routinely, the Schiff base (4 E )-4-(2-oxo-1,2-diphenylethylideneamino)-1,2-dihydro-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenylpyrazol-3-one 3 was obtained in the case of 4-aminoantipyrine. Unexpectedly, the reaction of benzil with o -aminophenol proceeded with cyclization to produce the 2,3-diphenyl-2 H -benzo[ b ][1,4]oxazin-2-ol 4 . The structures of compounds 3 and 4 were unambiguously determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Hirshfeld analysis of molecular packing revealed the importance of the O…H (11.1%), N…H (3.4%), C…H (29.4%), and C…C (1.6) interactions in the crystal stability of 3 . In the case of 4 , the O…H (8.8%), N…H (5.7%), and C…H (30.3%) interactions are the most important. DFT calculations predicted that both compounds have a polar nature, and 3 (3.4489 Debye) has higher polarity than 4 (2.1554 Debye). Different reactivity descriptors were calculated for both systems based on the HOMO and LUMO energies. The NMR chemical shifts were calculated and were found well correlated with the experimental data. HepG2 growth was suppressed by the four compounds more than MCF-7. The IC 50 values of 1 against HepG2 and MCF-7 cell lines were the lowest, and it is considered the most promising candidate as an anticancer agent.

Nine tridentate Schiff base ligands of the type (N^N^O) were synthesized from reactions of primary amines {2-picolylamine (Py), N -phenyl-1,2-diaminobenzene (PhN), and N -phenyl-1,2-diaminoethane(EtN)} and salicylaldehyde derivatives {3-ethoxy (OEt), 4-diethylamine (NEt 2 ) and 4-hydroxy (OH)}. Complexes with the general formula Pt(N^N^O)Cl were synthesized by reacting K 2 PtCl 4 with the ligands in DMSO/ethanol mixtures. The ligands and their complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The DNA-binding behaviours of the platinum(ii) complexes were investigated by two techniques, indicating good binding affinities and a two-stage binding process for seven complexes: intercalation followed by switching to a covalent binding mode over time. The other two complexes covalently bond to ct-DNA without intercalation. Theoretical calculations were used to shed light on the electronic and steric factors that lead to the difference in DNA-binding behavior. The reactions of some platinum complexes with guanine were investigated experimentally and theoretically. The binding of the complexes with bovine serum albumin (BSA) indicated a static interaction with higher binding affinities for the ethoxy-containing complexes. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) values against MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines suggest that platinum complexes with tridentate ligands of N -phenyl- o -phenylenediamine or pyridyl with 3-ethoxysalicylimine are good chemotherapeutic candidates. Pt-Py-OEt and Pt-PhN-OEt have IC 50 values against MCF-7 of 13.27 and 10.97 μM, respectively, compared to 18.36 μM for cisplatin, while they have IC 50 values against HepG2 of 6.99 and 10.15 μM, respectively, compared to 19.73 μM for cisplatin. The cell cycle interference behaviour with HepG2 of selected complexes is similar to that of cisplatin, suggesting apoptotic cell death. The current work highlights the impact of the tridentate ligand on the biological properties of platinum complexes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this publication., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Medicinal plants provide a wide range of active compounds that can be exploited to create novel medicines with minimal side effects. The current study aimed to identify the anticancer properties of Juniperus procera ( J. procera ) leaves. Here, we demonstrate that J. procera leaves' methanolic extract suppresses cancer cells in colon (HCT 116 ), liver (HepG2), breast (MCF-7), and erythroid (JK-1) cell lines. By applying GC/MS, we were able to determine the components of the J. procera extract that might contribute to cytotoxicity. Molecular docking modules were created that used active components against cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in colon cancer, aromatase cytochrome P450 in the breast cancer receptor protein, the -N terminal domain in the erythroid cancer receptor of the erythroid spectrin, and topoisomerase in liver cancer. The results demonstrate that, out of the 12 bioactive compounds generated by GC/MS analysis, the active ingredient 2-imino-6-nitro-2 H -1-benzopyran-3-carbothiamide proved to be the best-docked chemical with the chosen proteins impacted by DNA conformational changes, cell membrane integrity, and proliferation in molecular docking studies. Notably, we uncovered the capacity of J. procera to induce apoptosis and inhibit cell growth in the HCT 116 cell line. Collectively, our data propose that J. procera leaves' methanolic extract has an anticancer role with the potential to guide future mechanistic studies.

6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) is a well-known immunosuppressive medication with proven anti-proliferative activities. 6-MP possesses incomplete and highly variable oral absorption due to its poor water solubility, which might reduce its anti-cancer properties. To overcome these negative effects, we developed neutral and positively charged drug-loaded liposomal formulations utilizing the thin-film hydration technique. The prepared liposomal formulations were characterized for their size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency. The average size of the prepared liposomes was between 574.67 ± 37.29 and 660.47 ± 44.32 nm. Positively charged liposomes (F1 and F3) exhibited a lower PDI than the corresponding neutrally charged ones (F2 and F4). Entrapment efficiency was higher in the neutral liposomes when compared to the charged formulation. F1 showed the lowest IC 50 against HepG2, HCT116, and MCF-7 cancer cells. HepG2 cells treated with F1 showed the highest level of inhibition of cell proliferation with no evidence of apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis showed an increase in the G1/G0 and S phases, along with a decrease in the G2/M phases in the cell lines treated with drug loaded positively charged liposomes when compared to free positive liposomes, indicating arrest of cells in the S phase due to the stoppage of priming and DNA synthesis outside the mitotic phase. As a result, liposomes could be considered as an effective drug delivery system for treatment of a variety of cancers; they provide a chance that a nanoformulation of 6-MP will boost the cytotoxicity of the drug in a small pharmacological dose which provides a dosage advantage.

Three tridentate Schiff base ligands were synthesized from the reactions between 2-picolylamine and salicylaldehyde derivatives (3-ethoxy (OEt), 4-diethylamino (NEt 2 ) and 4-hydroxy (OH)). Complexes with the general formula Pt(N^N^O)Cl were obtained from reactions between the ligands and K 2 PtCl 4 . The ligands and their complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Further confirmation of the structure of Pt-OEt was achieved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The DMSO/chlorido exchange process at Pt-OEt was investigated by monitoring the change in conductivity, revealing very slow dissociation in DMSO. Moreover, solvent/chlorido exchange for Pt-OEt and Pt-NEt 2 were investigated by NMR spectroscopy in DMSO and DMSO/D 2 O; Pt-NEt 2 forms an adduct with DMSO while Pt-OEt forms adducts with DMSO and water. The DNA-binding behaviour of the platinum(ii) complexes was investigated by two techniques. Pt-NEt 2 has the best apparent binding constant. The intercalation mode of interaction with ct-DNA was suggested by molecular docking studies and the increase in the relative viscosity of ct-DNA with increasing concentrations of the platinum(ii) complexes. However, the gradual decrease in the relative viscosity over time at constant concentration of platinum(ii) complexes indicated a shift from intercalation to a covalent binding mode. Anticancer activities of the ligands and their platinum(ii) complexes were examined against two cell lines. The platinum(ii) complexes exhibit superior cytotoxicity to that of their ligands. Among the platinum(ii) complexes, Pt-OEt possesses the best IC 50 against both cell lines, its cytotoxicity being comparable to that observed for cisplatin. Cell cycle arrest in the HepG2 cell line upon treatment with Pt-OEt and Pt-NEt 2 was investigated and compared to that of cisplatin; the change in the cell accumulation patterns supports the presumption of an apoptotic cell death pathway. The optimized structures of the B-DNA trimer adducts with the platinum complexes showed hydrogen-bonding interactions between the ligands and nucleobases, affecting the inter-strand hydrogen bonding within the DNA, and highlighting the strong ability of the complexes to induce conformational changes in the DNA, leading to the activation of apoptotic cell death. In summary, the current study demonstrates promising new anticancer platinum(ii) complexes with highly flexible tridentate ligands; the functional groups on the ligands are important in tuning their DNA binding/anticancer properties., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this publication., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Gemcitabine was loaded in albumin nanoparticles then coated with chitosan. The diameter of GEM-ANPs/CS was 200 ± 4 nm. Gemcitabine was loaded in GEM-ANPs/CS with an efficacy of 75%. The IC 50 of GEM-ANPs/CS was found to be 12.98 and 6.08 μg/ml after incubation for 48 and 72 h with MCF-7 cells, respectively. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with IC 50 of GEM-ANPS, and GEM-ANP S /CS resulted in membrane damage which led to elevated LDH activity of 4 and 3.4, and increasing GSH level of 4.6 and 9.3, respectively, when compared with untreated cells. DNA fragmentation and up-regulated of caspase-3 and p53 had illustrated the apoptotic effect of MCF-7 treated with GEM-ANP S /CS. The tumour suppressor RRM1 gene expression was down-regulated in MCF-7 cells treated with GEM-ANP S /CS. The modified ANPs coated with chitosan may be used as a promising nanomatrix for gemcitabine delivery and targeting to improve its therapeutic index against MCF-7 cells.

The treatment of an aqueous acetonitrile solution of chloroplatinic acid hydrate H 2 PtCl 6 .xH 2 O and pyridine-2-carbaldehyde-oxime (paOH) in the presence of potassium thiocyanate at room temperature (25°) led to the formation of a new Pt(IV) complex with the formula [Pt(SCN) 2 (paO) 2 ], (1). Complex 1 was fully characterized by FT-IR, UV-vis and NMR spectroscopic techniques as well as elemental analysis. The crystallographic structure of complex 1 was obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure of complex 1 consists of a distorted octahedral geometrical environment around the platinum center in which the coordination sites are occupied by two terminal thiocyanate ligands in trans arrangement and two bidentate paO ligands through four nitrogen atoms. In addition, the in vitro evaluation of the cytotoxicity of platinum complex 1 against four different cancer cell lines was performed. The IC 50 values for colon (HCT116), liver (HepG2), breast (MCF-7) and erythroid (JK-1) treated with complex 1 are 19 ± 6, 21 ± 5, 22 ± 6, and 13 ± 3 μM, respectively. In HCT116 cells treated with the IC50 dose of our title compound, apoptosis and necrosis were increased by 34% and 27.8%, respectively. Cells halted in the proliferative phase (S phase) to 21.7 % and 29.8% in HCT116 and HepG2 cells treated with complex 1 have anti-proliferative actions. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of synthesized complex 1 was examined in the oxidation reaction of benzyl alcohols in the presence of an oxidant. Finally, the luminescence behavior of complex 1 was investigated.

Objective: (-) Epicatechin (EP) is a naturally occurring antioxidant flavonoid found in some green plants. The current study was designed to evaluate the potential role of antioxidant mechanisms in the hepatoprotective properties of EP using the carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced acute liver injury model., Materials and Methods: Rats ( n  = 7 per group) were divided into five groups including control group, (-) epicatechin group (20 mg·kg -1 body weight), CCl 4 group (1 mL -1 body weight), CCl 4 -EP treatment group, and CCl 4 -silymarin (SILY) group. The levels of enzymes including hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and cytochrome P450 (CYP450) were analyzed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histological studies were performed on all groups to assess the regenerative effects of test sample and compare it with the control group., Results: Test compound EP and standard drug silymarin (SILY) considerably reduced liver function enzyme levels in the blood, which were raised by CCl 4 administration, and increased serum albumin and total protein (TP) concentrations. The hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) level was considerably declined, whereas glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione S-transferase (GST), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and cytochrome P450 (CYP450) levels were upregulated in the EC-treated groups. The hepatoprotective results of the study were further confirmed via the histological assessments, which indicated a regeneration of the damaged hepatic tissue in treated rats., Conclusions: The results of this study revealed a significant protective efficacy of EP against CCl 4 -induced liver injury, which was potentially mediated via upregulation of antioxidant enzymes and direct scavenging effects of the compound against free radicals., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Khadijah B. Alkinani et al.)

Objective: miRNA considers a small non-coding RNA molecule that has tumor suppressor or oncogenic functions and regulates gene expression. miRNA may be involved in the pathogenesis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).  miRNA was evaluated in patients with ALL to correlate their importance in the clinical prediction and the response to chemotherapy., Subject and Methods: The study population included 30 healthy control and 71 children with ALL is divided into 4 groups: healthy, newly diagnosed, remitted, and relapsed groups. We quantify miRNA 92a, miRNA 638 expression using real-time PCR in childhood ALL., Results: plasma miRNA 92a and miRNA 638 expressions were elevated in ALL cases at the time of diagnosis (2.51 and 2.19 folds), and relapsed (2.1 and 1.61 folds) than that of patients with remitted ALL. There was a positive correlation between miRNA 92a and miRNA 638 patients with ALL. Also, total leukocyte and blast correlated with miRNA 92a and miRNA 638 unlike hemoglobin, and platelets didn't correlate with miRNA 92a and miRNA 638. The sensitivity of miRNA 92a and miRNA 638 were 41.5% and 54.7% respectively while the specificity was 100 % of miRNA 92a and miRNA 638., Conclusion: miRNA 92a and miRNA 638 are recommended to be used as potential predictive and follow-up markers in children with ALL remitted and relapsed cases.

Cancer is a complex devastating disease with enormous treatment challenges, including chemo- and radiotherapeutic resistance. Combination therapy demonstrated a promising strategy to target hard-to-treat cancers and sensitize cancer cells to conventional anti-cancer drugs such as doxorubicin. This study aimed to establish molecular profiling and therapeutic efficacy assessment of chloroquine and/or tioconazole (TIC) combination with doxorubicin (DOX) as anew combination model in MCF-7 breast cancer. The drugs are tested against apoptotic/autophagic pathways and related redox status. Molecular docking revealed that chloroquine (CQ) and TIC could be potential PI3K and ATG4B pathway inhibitors. Combination therapy significantly inhibited cancer cell viability, PI3K/AkT/mTOR pathway, and tumor-supporting autophagic flux, however, induced apoptotic pathways and altered nuclear genotoxic feature. Our data revealed that the combination cocktail therapy markedly inhibited tumor proliferation marker (KI-67) and cell growth, along with the accumulation of autophagosomes and elevation of LC3-II and p62 levels indicated autophagic flux blockage and increased apoptosis. Additionally, CQ and/or TIC combination therapy with DOX exerts its activity on the redox balance of cancer cells mediated ROS-dependent apoptosis induction achieved by GPX3 suppression. Besides, Autophagy inhibition causes moderately upregulation in ATGs 5,7 redundant proteins strengthened combinations induced apoptosis, whereas inhibition of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway with Beclin-1 upregulation leading to cytodestructive autophagy with overcome drug resistance effectively in curing cancer. Notably, the tumor growth inhibition and various antioxidant effects were observed in vivo. These results suggest CQ and/or TIC combination with DOX could act as effective cocktail therapy targeting autophagy and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and hence, sensitizes cancer cells to doxorubicin treatment and combat its toxicity.

Background: Several studies addressed the contribution of fat mass and obesity-associated ( FTO ) and leptin receptor ( LEPR ) polymorphisms for the susceptibility to obesity among different ethnic subjects. The main purpose of this work is to evaluate the association of these polymorph\isms with obesity among Egyptian subjects., Subjects and Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 110 unrelated obese Egyptian subjects who were compared with 122 controls. Their genomic DNA was genotyped using the PCR technique., Results: The allelic frequencies of FTO rs9939609 (A) and LEPR rs1137101 (223R) were significantly higher in obese subjects compared with non-obese controls ( p < .001). Comparing different phenotype frequencies including clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters in obese subjects revealed no significant difference in relation to their genotype frequencies ( p > .05)., Conclusions: This study designates a strong association for FTO and LEPR variants with the risk of obesity among Egyptian subjects.

Background: The relationship of leptin (LEP) and polymorphism of leptin receptor (LEPR) were studied in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and compared with those with liver cirrhosis to find out the extent of the risk of LEPR on patients with HCC., Methods: Serum LEP level and LEPR Q223R gene polymorphism were determined in 300 patients with liver disease categorized equally into five groups' healthy volunteers, patients with hepatitis C (HCV), patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH),  liver cirrhosis and HCC. LEPR gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) then digested by the MSP1 restriction enzyme., Results: The isolated 212 bp of LEPR was sequenced. The serum LEP level was reduced in patients with cirrhotic and HCC. Serum LEP level had negatively correlated with both tumor grade and size in HCC patients. The data obtained from restriction fragment length polymorphism‑PCR and sequencing revealed the existence of a novel synonymous Q223R single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 223 of LEPR gene (1137101). LEPR Gln223Arg, GG and GA genotypes were found in all studied groups. LEPR Gln223Arg, AA genotype was found in NASH, HCC, and control. LEPR Gln223Arg GA genotype is associated with some patients with HCC., Conclusion: GA genotype of LEPR Gln223Arg may be regarded as a probable genetic risk factor for Egyptian patients with HCC.

Egyptian propolis is a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger produced by bees. The current study was designed to characterize Egyptian propolis, investigate its anticancer effect in vitro and its protective role against methotrexate (MTX) toxicity in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) experimental model. Our results revealed a high content of total phenolics, flavonoids and dihydroflavonols in propolis ethanolic extract (PEE). PEE prompted cytotoxic effects in cancer cell lines and antitumor effects against EAC mice model by reducing tumor volume, count of viable tumor cells with a significant elevation in the life span as well as the mean survival time of mice. The hepatic and renal biochemical and toxicity parameters of EAC-bearing mice treated with MTX were improved by PEE. Also, it elevates the expression of Bax, caspase-3 and cytochrome-C and reduces the Bcl 2 expression in EAC cells. Moreover, PEE with MTX induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Interestingly, the combination of PEE with MTX showed potent apoptosis as shown by DNA fragmentation gel, comet assay and dihydrofolate reductase level (DHFR). These findings demonstrate that Egyptian propolis extract had high chemical diversity and different antioxidant effects. Also, it optimizes the antitumor potential of MTX and declined its toxic effects.

Protease-producing Staphylococcus sciuri was isolated from poultry soil samples and culture conditions for protease production were optimized. The isolated protease showed a maximum activity of 235.1 U/ml. Enzyme purification procedure involved ammonium sulphate precipitation and Sephacryl S-200 HR gel filtration chromatography (GFC). The purification process resulted in the production of three protease fractions namely protease І (metallo-alkaline protease), II, and IІІ. The metallo-alkaline protease was purified to 25.49-fold with specific activity of 982.22 U/mg and 3.76% recovery. The partially purified metallo-protease was optimally active at pH 10.0 and 70 °C and exhibited thermal stability up to 50 °C. The protease activity was enhanced by Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ , completely inhibited by Hg 2+ and Cu 2+ , and significantly reduced by EDTA. The protease showed significant stability towards various surfactants, including SDS. The K m and V max values were 0.68 mg/ml and 166.66 nmol of azocasein/ml/h, respectively, while the activation energy (E a ) was 3.07 Kcal/mol. Hence, it is evident that the produced protease possesses unique characteristics and could be a plausible candidate for various industrial and biotechnological applications.

Methotrexate (MTX) is effective therapeutic agent treated many tumors and autoimmune diseases. The aim of our study was to design an effective delivery nanocarrier for methotrexate to improve stability and biodistribution, reduce adverse effects and maximize clinical efficacy. Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 -NPs) were synthesized using Pterocladiella. The size of Fe 3 O 4 -NPs, CS-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs and MTX/CS-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs were 37.6, 61.4 and 150 nm respectively. Methotrexate loading efficiency was 74.15% of total amount of MTX loaded on CS-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs and 39.8% of the loaded drug was initially released and the remaining amount was released through 120 h. The IC 50 of MTX and MTX/CS-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs was 51.4 and 9.7 μg/ml respectively after 72 h. MTX/CS-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs caused remarkable damage to the membrane of MCF-7 cells led to increasing the LDH activity 5 fold in MCF-7 cells as compared with MTX treated once. DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activity were higher in MCF-7 cells treated with MTX/CS-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs than that of MTX. Up-regulation of caspase3 and DHFR genes expression was observed in the treatment with MTX/CS-Fe 3 O 4 -NPs. The loading of MTX on chitosan coated Fe 3 O 4 -NPs improves the release and anticancer efficacy of MTX for effective cancer treatment., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mesoporous silicate, SBA-16 is one of the most promising supports for horseradish peroxidase. In this study, SBA-16 was synthesized, and the anchored HRP enzyme in the organized porous networks, SBA-16. The mesoporous material, SBA-16 and the anchored HRP enzyme were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, low-angle XRD and thermogravimetric analysis. The percentage of immobilized HRP was 57%. The enzyme affinity constant, K m values of soluble and immobilized enzyme were 5.27 and 3.9 mM for hydrogen peroxide and 12 and 10.4 mM for guiacol, respectively, indicating that the immobilized enzyme had more affinity to the substrate than free HRP. Also, the free and immobilized enzyme had pH and temperature optima at 5.6, and 40 °C, respectively. The free enzyme was stable at 40 °C but that for the immobilized enzyme was detected up to 60 °C. Reusability of immobilized enzyme was found to be 10 cycles; the immobilized enzyme can only retain 50% of its activity after 5 cycles. The results indicate the higher efficiency, stability, and reusability of the immobilized enzyme than free enzyme. The HRP immobilized to SBA-16 due to the large surface area, and narrow pore size distribution of SBA-16., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite advances in cancer treatment, breast cancer remains one of the main life threatening diseases in women. Most anti-breast cancer drugs cause severe health complications and multidrug resistance. Although, some natural products, such as hesperidin (Hes), piperine (Pip) and bee venom (BV), showed anti-breast cancer effect when used separately, their combined effect together or with the anti-cancer drug tamoxifen (Tam) has not yet been studied. Herein, we hypothesized that these three natural products could potentiate the therapeutic effect of Tam when used together. First, we studied the cytotoxic effect of Hes, Pip, and BV on MCF7 and T47D cells using MTT assay and found reasonable IC 50 comparable to that of Tam. Second, we checked the effect of all combinations (n = 67 for each cell line, prepared as non-constant ratio from fractions of IC 50 of the four compounds) and found enhanced anti-proliferative effects on MCF7 and T47D and synergistic effect, revealed by combination index (CI) values below one. Next, the best 5 combinations with lowest Tam doses and CI but with highest cell death were selected for further molecular analysis in comparison to single-drug treatment. All single- and combined-treated groups showed a significant increase in apoptosis (indicated by upregulated mRNA level of the pro-apoptotic marker Bax and downregulated mRNA level of the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl2) and a significant decrease in mRNA level of the two breast cancer related receptors EGFR and ERα, with the best effect in combined groups especially that contained the 4 compounds, as compared to vehicle-treated group. Moreover, Pip, BV and all combinations, except Tam + Hes group, arrested MCF7 and T47D in G2/M phase of cell cycle, while Tam and/or Hes caused G0/G1 phase arrest. These results indicate that Hes, Pip and BV synergistically enhance the anti-cancer effect of Tam and could be used as safe adjuvant/vehicle to Tam in treatment of breast cancer after further confirmatory in vivo investigations., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)