ASPIC

Researchers at the Centre of Agronomic and Agro-Industrial Biotechnology of Alentejo (CEBAL) in Beja identified, in a natural population of Cynara cardunculus, two allelic variants in GAS (Germacrene A Synthase) gene sequence with significant associations between the cynaropicrin content (a lactone sesquiterpene) and the antiproliferative activity of a breast cancer cell line (MDA-MD-231), in vitro.

Investigadores do Centro de Biotecnologia Agrícola e Agro-Alimentar do Alentejo (CEBAL) em Beja identificaram, numa população natural de Cynara cardunculus, duas alterações alélicas na sequência do gene GAS (Germacrene A Synthase) com associações significativas entre o conteúdo em cinaropicrina (uma lactona sesquiterpénica) e a atividade antiproliferativa in vitro de células de cancro de mama (MDA-MD-231).

The stem cell factor (SCF) and its tyrosine kinase receptor c-KIT have been implicated in the carcinogenesis of male and female reproductive tissues. Also, several studies have reported that the tissue expression levels of SCF/c-KIT system, which is involved in the control of biological processes, such as apoptosis, cell survival, differentiation, and migration, is controlled by hormones. In this scenario, it is reasonable to question if deregulated hormone actions disturbing the SCF/c-KIT expression can be a relevant step towards carcinogenesis.

O stem cell factor (SCF) e seu receptor tirosina quinase c-KIT têm vindo a ser implicados na carcinogénese de tecidos reprodutivos masculinos e femininos. Vários estudos têm igualmente descrito que a expressão do sistema SCF/c-KIT, o qual está envolvido no controle de processos biológicos, como a apoptose, sobrevivência celular, diferenciação e migração, é controlada por hormonas. Este cenário leva-nos a questionar se uma ação hormonal desregulada afetando a normal expressão do SCF/c-KIT pode representar um marco importante na carcinogénese.

Authors and Afilliations:
Luís Silva Monteiro ¹, Márcio Diniz-Freitas ², Saman Warnakulasuriya ³, Tomás Garcia-Caballero ⁴, Jerónimo Forteza ⁵, Máximo Fraga ⁶

¹ Medicine and Oral Surgery Department, Instituto Universitario de Ciências da Saúde Norte, Paredes, C.P. 4585-116, Portugal

iBET researchers developed a new 3D cell culture model to study the impact of the immune microenvironment of solid tumours in tumour progression and therapeutic response. Cancer drug discovery has been limited by high rates of failure in clinical trials, despite positive laboratory tests suggesting good drug activity. Several types of tumour cell models are used in research labs and by the pharmaceutical industry for discovery and pre-clinical testing of new anti-cancer drugs.

Authors and Affiliations:

Faleiro I^1,2,3, Apolónio JD^1,2,3, Price AJ⁴, De Mello RA^1,3, Roberto VP^1,2,3, Tabori U⁵, Castelo-Branco P^1,2,3.

1. Department of Biomedical Sciences & Medicine, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Edifício 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.

2. Centre for Biomedical Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.

3. Algarve Biomedical Center, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal.