Cell Survival

Publication Title: 
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

The effect of artesunate and its metabolite dihydroartemisinin against the cerebral cysts of Toxoplasma gondii was studied. In vitro experiments were performed with the THP-1 cell line and showed an inhibition of parasite growth of approximately 70% with 0.1-0.5 microg/ml of dihydroartemisinin for 96 hr. However, with artesunate, dihydroartemisinin, or a combination (50:50) of them, the number of tachyzoites decreased approximately 40-50% and they appeared motionless. Fifty-eight to 72 hr after washing of the tachyzoites and THP-1 cells in culture, parasitized cells reappeared.

Author(s): 
Sarciron, M. E.
Saccharin, C.
Petavy, A. F.
Peyron, F.
Publication Title: 
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy

We recently described a screening system designed to detect neurotoxicity of artemisinin derivatives based on primary neuronal brain stem cell cultures (G. Schmuck and R. K. Haynes, Neurotoxicity Res. 2:37-49, 2000). Here, we probe possible mechanisms of this brain stem-specific neurodegeneration, in which artemisinin-sensitive neuronal brain stem cell cultures are compared with nonsensitive cultures (cortical neurons, astrocytes). Effects on the cytoskeleton of brain stem cell cultures, but not that of cortical cell cultures, were visible after 7 days.

Author(s): 
Schmuck, Gabriele
Roehrdanz, Elke
Haynes, Richard K.
Kahl, Regine
Publication Title: 
British Journal of Pharmacology

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Artemisinin and its derivatives exhibit potent immunosuppressive activity. The purpose of the current study was to examine the immunosuppressive activity of artemether directly on T lymphocytes and to explore its potential mode of action. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: In vitro, T-cell proliferation was measured using [(3)H]-thymidine incorporation assay in cells stimulated with ConA, alloantigen and anti-CD3 antibody. CFSE-labeled cell division and cell cycle distribution were monitored by flow cytometry.

Author(s): 
Wang, J.-X.
Tang, W.
Shi, L.-P.
Wan, J.
Zhou, R.
Ni, J.
Fu, Y.-F.
Yang, Y.-F.
Li, Y.
Zuo, J.-P.
Publication Title: 
Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine

The present study was designed to determine the effects of artemisinin (ARS) and its derivatives on human ovarian cancer cells, to evaluate their potential as novel chemotherapeutic agents used alone or in combination with a conventional cancer chemotherapeutic agent, and to investigate their underlying mechanisms of action. Human ovarian cancer cells (A2780 and OVCAR-3), and immortalized non-tumourigenic human ovarian surface epithelial cells (IOSE144), were exposed to four ARS compounds for cytotoxicity testing.

Author(s): 
Chen, Tao
Li, Mian
Zhang, Ruiwen
Wang, Hui
Publication Title: 
Journal of Biomedical Science

BACKGROUND: Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin, isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Artemisia annua, is recommended as the first-line anti-malarial drug with low toxicity. DHA has been shown to possess promising anticancer activities and induce cancer cell death through apoptotic pathways, although the molecular mechanisms are not well understood. METHODS: In this study, cell counting kit (CCK-8) assay was employed to evaluate the survival of DHA-treated ASTC-a-1 cells.

Author(s): 
Lu, Ying-Ying
Chen, Tong-Sheng
Qu, Jun-Le
Pan, Wen-Liang
Sun, Lei
Wei, Xun-Bin
Publication Title: 
PloS One

Heme (Fe2+ protoporphyrin IX) is an essential molecule that has been implicated the potent antimalarial action of artemisinin and its derivatives, although the source and nature of the heme remain controversial. Artemisinins also exhibit selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that intracellular heme is the physiologically relevant mediator of the cytotoxic effects of artemisinins.

Author(s): 
Zhang, Shiming
Gerhard, Glenn S.
Publication Title: 
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Novel dicationic triazoles 1-60 were synthesized by the Pinner method from the corresponding dinitriles, prepared via the copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The type and the placement of cationic moieties as well as the nature of aromatic substituents influenced in vitro antiprotozoal activities of compounds 1-60 against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, Plasmodium falciparum, and Leishmania donovani and their cytotoxicity for mammalian cells. Eight congeners displayed antitrypanosomal IC(50) values below 10 nM. Thirty-nine dications were more potent against P.

Author(s): 
Bakunov, Stanislav A.
Bakunova, Svetlana M.
Wenzler, Tanja
Ghebru, Maedot
Werbovetz, Karl A.
Brun, Reto
Tidwell, Richard R.
Publication Title: 
Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology

Efforts to move from malaria control to eradication will require new approaches to block malaria transmission, such as the development of anti-malarial drugs with gametocytocidal activity. Here fluorescent oxidoreduction indicator alamarBlue is used to develop a screen for gametocyte viability. The fluorescent signal increases linearly with gametocyte number (R(2)=0.99) and determination of the IC(50) of epoxomicin demonstrated the assay was reproducible and sensitive (IC(50) 2.16±0.57 nM, Z'-factor 0.81±0.01).

Author(s): 
Tanaka, Takeshi Q.
Williamson, Kim C.
Publication Title: 
Food and Chemical Toxicology: An International Journal Published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Artesunate is a derivate of artemisinin that is both an antimalarial agent and acts cytotoxically on tumor cells. Despite its therapeutic use, its in vivo genotoxic potential has still not been evaluated. This study, therefore, was an investigation into the effects of a single oral administration of artesunate with an in vivo comet assay that analyzed leukocytes from peripheral blood and liver cells, and a micronucleus (MN) assay of bone marrow cells from male Swiss mice. The artesunate was administered by oral gavage at doses of 5, 50 and 100 mg/kg.

Author(s): 
Aquino, Ivani
Perazzo, Fábio Ferreira
Maistro, Edson Luis
Publication Title: 
Malaria Journal

BACKGROUND: To overcome the problem of increasing drug resistance, traditional medicines are an important source for potential new anti-malarials. Caesalpinia pluviosa, commonly named "sibipiruna", originates from Brazil and possess multiple therapeutic properties, including anti-malarial activity. METHODS: Crude extract (CE) was obtained from stem bark by purification using different solvents, resulting in seven fractions. An MTT assay was performed to evaluate cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells.

Author(s): 
Kayano, Ana Carolina A. V.
Lopes, Stefanie C. P.
Bueno, Fernanda G.
Cabral, Elaine C.
Souza-Neiras, Wanessa C.
Yamauchi, Lucy M.
Foglio, Mary A.
Eberlin, Marcos N.
Mello, João Carlos P.
Costa, Fabio T. M.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Cell Survival