Chemotherapy of breast cancer could be improved by bioactive natural substances, which may potentially sensitize the carcinoma cells' susceptibility to drugs. Numerous phytochemicals, including propolis, have been reported to interfere with the viability of carcinoma cells. We evaluated the in vitro cytotoxic activity of ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) and its derivative caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) towards two triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T, by implementation of the MTT and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays. The morphological changes of breast carcinoma cells were observed following exposure to EEP and CAPE. The IC50 of EEP was 48.35 µg·mL for Hs578T cells, whereas the CAPE IC50 was 14.08 µM and 8.01 µM for the MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T cell line, respectively. Here, we report that propolis and CAPE inhibited the growth of the MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T lines in a dose-dependent and exposure time-dependent manner. EEP showed less cytotoxic activity against both types of TNBC cells. EEP and, particularly, CAPE may markedly affect the viability of breast cancer cells, suggesting the potential role of bioactive compounds in chemoprevention/chemotherapy by potentiating the action of standard anti-cancer drugs.

IntroductionMatrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have repeatedly been shown to play a very active role in extracellular matrix degradation associated with tumor invasion and metastasis. Tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) are well-known for their ability to inhibit MMP activity thereby inhibiting malignant progression. Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6 phytic acid) has been recognized to have both preventive and therapeutic effects against various cancers including that of colon. In in vitro studies, IP6 has been demonstrated to inhibit cancer cell adhesion and migration. In the present study, the effect of IP6 on the expression of MMP and TIMP genes was evaluated in unstimulated and IL-1β-stimulated colon cancer cell line Caco-2.Materials and methodsReal-time QRT-PCR was used to validate the transcription level of selected MMP and TIMP genes in Caco-2 cells after treatment with 1 ng/ml of IL-1β, 2.5 mM of IP6, and both for 6, 12, and 24 h.ResultsStimulation of cells with IL-1β only resulted in an overexpression of MMP and their TIMP mRNAs. A significant decrease in MMP-13, MMP-3, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 basal expression was achieved by IP6. IP6 was also an efficient downregulator of MMP-1, MMP-9, and TIMP-2 genes transcription stimulated by IL-1β in 6 h lasting culture. After 12 h, IL-1β-induced MMP-2 mRNA expression was significantly reduced by IP6.ConclusionProinflammatory cytokine IL-1β upregulates MMP and TIMP mRNAs expression in colon cancer epithelial cells Caco-2. IP6 (2.5 mM) influences constitutive expression of both MMP and TIMP genes and downregulates IL-1β stimulated transcription of some of these genes. IP6 exerts its anti-metastatic activity through modulation of MMP and TIMP genes expression to prevent cancer cell migration and invasion.

Przegląd Dermatologiczny 2015/4 343 STRESZCZENIE Wrastający paznokieć jest chorobą dotyczącą zarówno osób młodych, jak i dojrzałych, powodującą dyskomfort lub ból o różnym nasileniu. W zależności od stadium zaawansowania staje się on często przyczyną znacznych utrudnień w życiu codziennym. Etiopatogeneza wrastają-cego paznokcia obejmuje ucisk zewnętrzny, ucisk wewnętrzny oraz występowanie czynników dodatkowych. Przebieg choroby jest na ogół przewlekły i dotyczy głównie palucha. W profilaktyce choroby i leczeniu zachowawczym ważne jest przede wszystkim odbarczenie wałów bocznych, otwarcie toru wzrostu płytce paznokciowej oraz prawidło-wa higiena. Pomimo istnienia różnych metod leczenia wrastającego paznokcia wiele spośród nich cechuje się małą efektywnością, co w konsekwencji staje się przyczyną dużego odsetka nawrotów. ABSTRACTIngrown toenail is a disease of both children and adults, causing discomfort or pain of varying degrees of severity. Depending on the stage of disease, it is often the cause of significant difficulties in daily life. Etiopathogenesis of ingrown nail covers external pressure, internal pressure and presence of additional factors. The course of the disease is usually chronic, and it affects mainly the big toe. Decompression shaft side, opening track nail growth and proper hygiene play the key role in prevention and treatment of the disease. Despite the existence of different treatments for ingrown nail, many of them have low efficacy, which is the reason for the high relapse rate.Wrastający paznokieć -etiopatogeneza, profilaktyka i leczenie zachowawcze Kontrowersyjna wydaje się już terminologia, ponieważ nazwa choroby wrastający paznokieć (ICD-10: L60.0) nie odpowiada typowemu mechanizmowi powstawania schorzenia. Unguis incarnatus, czyli wra-

10 H -1,9-diazaphenothiazine was obtained in the sulphurisation reaction of diphenylamine with elemental sulphur and transformed into new 10-substituted derivatives, containing alkyl and dialkylaminoalkyl groups at the thiazine nitrogen atom. The 1,9-diazaphenothiazine ring system was identified with advanced 1 H and 13 C NMR techniques (COSY, NOESY, HSQC and HMBC) and confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis of the methyl derivative. The compounds exhibited significant anticancer activities against the human glioblastoma SNB-19, melanoma C-32 and breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell lines. The most active 1,9-diazaphenothiazines were the derivatives with the propynyl and N , N -diethylaminoethyl groups being more potent than cisplatin. For those two compounds, the expression of H3 , TP53 , CDKN1A , BCL-2 and BAX genes was detected by the RT-QPCR method. The proteome profiling study showed the most probable compound action on SNB-19 cells through the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. The 1,9-diazaphenotiazine system seems to be more potent than known isomeric ones (1,6-diaza-, 1,8-diaza-, 2,7-diaza- and 3,6-diazaphenothiazine).

2014. Hepatic tissue changes in rats due to chronic invasion of Babesia microti. Folia Biologica (Kraków) $ : 353-359. The etiological agents of babesiosis are intraerythrocytic parasites of the genus Babesia, which are transmitted by ticks. The course of disease is characterized by variable severity. The risk of a complicated course of babesiosis occurs in premature infants, the elderly, splenectomized patients and other immunocompromised patients. Severe cases of this disease can lead to multiple organ dysfunction. The study focuses on the impact assessment of chronic Babesia microti invasion on the morphology and ultrastructure of rat liver. The analyzed material was comprised of liver samples collected from Wistar rats infected with a reference strain of B. microti (ATCC 30221). None of the livers collected from rats with babesiosis was enlarged. The histopathological analyses showed signs of intensive inflammatory processes, especially in the perivascular areas. The hepatic mononuclear phagocyte system was characterized by increased activity. The ultrastructral analyses confirmed disintegration of hepatocytes with vacuolization in the perivascular areas. In addition, the perisinusoidal space (space of Disse) had irregular structure. In some areas, the space of Disse was enlarged or compressed. The morphological and ultrastructural analyses of rat liver with chronic babesiosis caused by B. microti showed significant pathological changes in perivascular areas which may be the cause of hepatic dysfunction.