Phytochemicals in cancer prevention: modulating epigenetic alterations of DNA methylation

Phytochemistry Reviews - Cancer can take many years to develop from initiation to progression. The long period of development might represent an opportunity to use multi-functional, multi-targeted...     

Long non‐coding RNAs in brain tumours: Focus on recent epigenetic findings in glioma

Glioma biology is a major focus in tumour research, primarily due to the aggressiveness and high mortality rate of its most aggressive form, glioblastoma. Progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind poor prognosis of glioblastoma, regardless of treatment approaches, has changed the classification of brain tumours after nearly 100 years of relying on anatomopathological criteria. Expanding knowledge in genetic, epigenetic and translational medicine is also beginning to contribute to further elucidating molecular dysregulation in glioma. Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and their main representatives, large intergenic non‐coding RNAs (lincRNAs), have recently been under scrutiny in glioma research, revealing novel mechanisms of pathogenesis and reinforcing others. Among those confirmed was the reactivation of events significant for foetal brain development and neuronal commitment. Novel mechanisms of tumour suppression and activation of stem‐like behaviour in tumour cells have also been examined. Interestingly, these processes involve lncRNAs that are present both during normal brain development and in brain malignancies and their reactivation might be explained by epigenetic mechanisms, which we discuss in detail in the present review. In addition, the review discusses the lncRNAs‐induced changes, as well as epigenetic changes that are consequential for tumour formation, affecting, in turn, the expression of various types of lncRNAs.     

Unveiling Ga(III) phthalocyanine—a different photosensitizer in neuroblastoma cellular model

Phthalocyanines (Pc) and their metallated derivatives are strongly considered for photodynamic therapy (PDT) possessing unique properties as possible new photosensitizers (PS). We have used toxicological assessments, real‐time monitoring of cellular impedance, and imagistic measurements for assessing the in vitro dark toxicity and PDT efficacy of Ga(III)‐Pc in SHSy5Y neuroblastoma cells. We have established the non‐toxic concentration range of Ga(III)‐Pc, a compound which shows a high intracellular accumulation, with perinuclear distribution in confocal microscopy. By choosing Ga(III)Pc non‐toxic dose, we performed in vitro experimental PDT hampering cellular proliferation. Our proposed Ga(III)‐Pc could complete a future PS panel for neuroblastoma alternate therapy.