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Background: Pancreatic cancer does not show any symptoms in the early period and metastatic process is already passed when the diagnosis is done. Therefore, in the battle with pancreatic cancer, novel treatment strategies, particularly antiinvasive and antimetastatic strategies, are needed. The cytotoxic and anticancer effects of juglone and sodium selenite (NaSe) have been showed in various cancer cells. Objectives: In this study, it is aimed to investigate the synergistic effects of juglone and selenium on PANC-1 and BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells. Methods: Antimetastatic effects of juglone-NaSe were carried out by adhesion and invasion assays and the genes and protein expressions. Expression analysis of the CDH1, ITGB3 and COL4A3 genes and their proteins E-cadherin, β3 integrin and tumstatin which play role in metastasis and angiogenesis processes, were done by qPCR and immunohistochemical analysis, respectively. Results: Study findings have provided evidences that the juglone-selenium has a cytotoxic and dose dependent suppressive effect on invasion and metastasis in PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells. Conclusion: The juglone-NaSe has the potential to be a promising agent especially to inhibit invasion and metastasis in pancreatic cancer treatment. However, more in depth studies are needed to more clearly demonstrate the effects of juglone-selenium. Keywords: Pancreatic cancer cell lines; juglone-selenium; invasion; metastasis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Ginnalin A (GA) is one of the most important phenolic compounds of maple syrup and its anticancer effect has been shown that in several cancer cell lines. In this study, objective was to investigate the apoptotic effect of GA in Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Cell viability was determined by using XTT method after the treatment with GA. Total RNA was isolated with TRIzol Reagent in control and dose group. Expressions of important genes in apoptosis including CASP3, CASP8, CASP9, CYCS, FAS and P53 were evaluated by qPCR. IC50 dose of GA was found as 155 μM for 72h in Hep3B cells. According to the qPCR results, a significant increase in the expression of CASP3, CASP8, CASP9, CYCS and P53 genes was observed as 12.09, 10.14, 3.37, 16.15 and 4.15 folds, respectively. In conclusion, it is thought that GA demonstrates the apoptotic effect on Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. GA can be evaluated as an effective anticancer agent in hepatocellular carcinoma after further molecular and functional analysis.

Prostate cancer is an important type of cancer in males with the highest mortality rate after the lung cancer, especially in industrialized countries. RAS oncogenes, originating from proto-oncogenes with point mutations, play an important role in cancer cell proliferation. The RAS proto-oncogene mutations occur in 25% of human cancers. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential mutation of KRAS gene at exon 2 (codons 12/13), exon 3 (codon 61) and exon 4 (codon 117/146) in Turkish patients with prostate cancer. The case group was comprised of 45 paraffin-embedded prostate cancer tissues. The control group was comprised of 20 healthy samples. The mutation analysis was performed by using PCR-based High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis. The DNA samples of case and control groups were isolated and evaluated by HRM. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to evaluate the relationship between mutations in KRAS gene and prostate cancer. p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. There were mutations in exon 2 (1 patient) and exon 3 (3 patients) of KRAS. In exon 4, no mutations were determined. The results of this study suggest that exon 2 and exon 3 mutations in KRAS gene may be effective in the development of prostate cancer. In addition, the results of this study may provide insight into the efficacy of anti-EGFR treatment on cases without KRAS mutation.