Anticancer research
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Anticancer research · Nov 1999
Early effects of retinoic acid on proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines.
Retinoids represent a potentially useful class of drugs in the chemoprevention and treatment of cancer, due to their ability to regulate cell proliferation and differentiation. However, there is controversy in the literature about the effects of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in non- small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study we examined the effects of ATRA on apoptotic death in NSCLC. ⋯ These results indicate the possibility of the early growth-inhibitory and apoptotic effects of ATRA in NSCLC which may result in selection of ATRA-resistant cells.
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Anticancer research · Nov 1999
Cytotoxicity of L-cycloserine against human neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma cells is associated with the suppression of ganglioside expression.
Human neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma express abnormal ganglioside patterns especially GD2 and GM2 which are important for tumour growth. We tested the effects of L-cycloserine (L-CS), a potent inhibitor of synthesis of glycosphingolipids, on the growth, viability and expression of GD2 and GM2 in neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma cells. ⋯ L-CS is a selective antitumoral agent for neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma cells with the ability to reduce expression of tumour associated gangliosides. In vivo experiments suggest that L-CS may be effective drug for treatment of neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma.
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Anticancer research · Nov 1999
ReviewThe role of molecular discreteness in normal and cancerous growth.
The physicochemical events that underlie biological processes are inevitably either/or events. Either a growth factor molecule binds to a cell, or it doesn't. Either a site on a cyclin molecule is phosphorylated, or it isn't. ⋯ In fact, as will be outlined here, such discrete modeling may allow us to see how the normal cellular populations of the body can grow to predictable sizes, at predictable times, and to predictable shapes. Such modeling can also allow us to gain insight into how normal cellular populations may become cancerous cellular populations. Indeed, such an approach allows us do a sufficiently good job of imitating the growth and spread of tumors as to be able to make estimates the most effective ways to both detect and treat cancer.