The present study was undertaken to evaluate the synergistic effect of combining hyperthermia with irradiation and calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CC NPs) on proliferation of MCF-7 cells. The cells were randomly allocated to 19 groups: one negative control, three positive controls and 15 treatment groups. MCF-7 cells were treated with three concentrations of CC NPs (50, 100 and 150 μg/mL), gamma radiation (200 cGy), hyperthermia (41 °C for 1 h) and three concentrations of doxorubicin (200, 400 and 800 nm) and incubated at 37 °C for 24 h. Then the cell viability, the percentage of apoptosis and the levels of caspase-3, -8 and -9 proteins were measured. The results indicated that the combination group (150 µg/mL CC NPs + thermoradiotherapy) had a significant (p < .001) decrease in cell viability (48.65 ± 4.8%) and a significant (p < .001) increase in apoptosis percentage (45 ± 1.63%) of MCF-7 cells, as compared with the negative control and most of the other treatment groups. Moreover, a significant (p < .05) increase was observed in the activity of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Our findings revealed that CC NPs in combination with irradiation and hyperthermia could significantly reduce the cell viability and enhance the apoptosis of the MCF-7 breast cancer cells, the same as doxorubicin anti-cancer drug.

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The aim of this paper was examining the combined impacts of CuO nanoparticles (CuO NPs), hyperthermia (H), and irradiation (R) on an increment of MCF-7 cells. The MTT assay was employed to assess the antiproliferative effects of CuO NPs (25, 50, and 100 lg/ml), hyperthermia (41 C for 1 h), and irradiation (200 cGy). Moreover, the perniciousness was estimated through the survival capability of cells, and apoptosis, ROS production, and levels of caspase-3,-8 and-9 proteins were determined. A significant (p < .01) decrease in proliferation index (0.124 ± 0.021), a significant (p < .01) increase in apoptosis (42% ± 1.54) of MCF7 cells, a significant (p < .03) increase in ROS formation (32.16 ± 1.9) and a significant (p < .01) increase in LDH release (33.28 ± 1.56) were recorded in the adjacency of MCF-7 cells by a combination of CuO NPs (100 mg/ml) and R þ H compared to control and other treatments. The activities of caspase-3 (0.33 ± 0.014) and caspase-9 (0.389 ± 0.019) also increased significantly (p < .05). However, caspase-8 showed no significant changes in its activity (p ¼ .065). Based on these observations, a combination of CuO NPs, hyperthermia, and irradiation could suppress the growth of MCF-7 cells and evoke cell apoptosis via mitochondrial membrane potential.

Objective — Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease usually affecting the innermost lining of the colon and rectum. Both corticosteroids and anti-inflammatory drugs are administrated as medical treatment for UC. However, these drugs, in addition to chemical side effects, impose exorbitant costs on patients. Therefore, extensive studies are underway to find new treatment approaches. This study aims to determine the effect of calcitriol-treated mesenchymal stem cells in the UC treatment. Material and Methods — This experimental study was performed on 50 Wistar rats with inducing ulcerative colitis model by 4% acetic acid. MSCs were isolated from rat bone marrow and proliferated in an appropriate medium. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells were injected intraperitoneally. Symptom severity of this disease was evaluated using the factors, such as stool consistency, fecal blood and histopathological study of colon tissue. Furthermore, the levels of myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines like IL1, IL6 and TNF-α were measured using ELISA technique. Results — The results showed that calcitriol-treated MSCs, significantly reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines including IL-1 (150.22±29.04)(P<0.01), IL-6 (681±56.20)(P<0.01), TNF-α (53.07±11.30)(P<0.01) and significantly decrease in level of NO (12.86±5.65)(P<0.01), MPO (0.175±0.024)(P<0.01) and the destruction of intestinal crypts compared to the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions — It seems that using calcitriol with MSCs has reduced the symptoms of UC in our experimental model. Due to their ease of isolation and expansion, MSCs can be used as an adjunctive therapy to improve the condition of patients with UC colitis.