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The study aimed to test the effect of probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactis (BAL) on the HCT-116 cell line viability and to compare its effect with co-treatment BAL/Laetiporus sulphureus (EALS). The trypan blue staining method was used to estimate HCT-116 viability. The levels of NO2− were determined using 0.1% N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine, as well as 1% sulfanilic acid. The determination of H2O2 was based on the oxidation of phenol red. Our results showed the significant cytotoxicity of the BAL on the HCT-116 cells in a co-culture system, while the BAL/EALS co-treatment further enhanced the cytotoxicity on the HCT-116 cells. We detected higher H2O2 and NO2− values in treatments with BAL, especially in the BAL/EALS co-treatment. The death of the HCT-116 cells may be due to elevated levels of H2O2 and NO2− and their products (peroxynitrites). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Royal jelly (RJ), as an exclusive bee product, showed beneficial effects on various human pathological conditions, including cancer. Therefore, we examined the effects of RJ on the suppression of invasiveness of SW-480 cells and protein expression of Vimentin and Snail, markers of cancer cell invasive properties. This natural treatment suppressed the aggressive behavior of tested cells by inhibiting the expression of transcription factor Snail, and consequently the expression of cytoskeletal protein Vimentin with a key role in supporting invasive potential. In conclusion, our report indicates the possible molecular mechanism of anti-invasive activity of RJ on the colorectal carcinoma cell line via the inhibition of Vimentin and Snail protein expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GSH (glutathione) is crucial for the removal and detoxification of carcinogens in healthy cells, while in cancer cells, GSH is associated with cancer expansion and increased resistance to drugs. O2•− acts as a secondary messenger and plays a major role in the cell signalling pathways of normal and cancer cells. Herein, the levels of O2•− and GSH were measured in MRC-5 and HCT-116 cells after incubation with BAL (Bifidobacterium animalis spp. lactis) and BAL/EALS (ethyl acetate extract of Laetiporus sulphureus) in co-culture systems, and for the first time, sensitivity was compared between these cell lines. The O2•− and GSH parameters were measured spectrophotometrically after 12 and 24 h. The levels of the O2•− were slightly increased in the MRC-5 cells after the effect of BAL and BAL/EALS (10 µg/mL), while the highest concentration of O2•− was recorded in treatment with BAL/EALS (50 µg/mL). On the other hand, the GSH values were elevated already after 12 h of incubation, and then further increased after 24 h in the MRC-5 cells. In the HCT-116 cells, the concentration of O2•− was not enhanced at 12 and 24 h of incubation compared to that of the control. The GSH level also remained relatively low. We observed a positive dose-dependent effect on the GSH levels in the MRC-5 and a negative dose-dependent effect in the HCT-116 cells. Generally, high GSH levels in the MRC-5 after 12 and 24 h indicate a strong reaction to oxidative stress and more sensitivity compared with the HCT-116 cells, where GSH stayed at a low concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most frequent type of cancer, colorectal cancer (CRC), is widely recognized as the most common cause of death worldwide, due to the high invasive potential of cancer cells enabling metastasis. Cancer cells owe these properties to the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), which requires the overexpressed markers Snail and vimentin. Considering that natural products have been intensively investigated from an anticancer point of view, we aimed to investigate the effects of royal jelly, a natural bee product, on the invasiveness of the colorectal cancer cell line HCT-116 and the expression of these two proinvasive/EMT markers. Our study reports on the inhibited expression of Snail and vimentin in tested cells, due to which suppressed aforementioned potential was detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]