Sara Elisa Herrera-Rodríguez

Randia monantha, commonly known as crucetillo, is a medicinal plant traditionally used in Mexico to treat conditions such as diabetes, venomous animal bites, and cancer; however, its effects on cancer cell viability remain underexplored. In this study, hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanolic extracts from the leaves and fruits of Randia monantha were phytochemically characterized and evaluated for their effects on cell viability in HeLa cervical cancer and DU-145 prostate cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. Phytochemical analyses revealed differences in metabolite composition across solvents of varying polarity and plant tissues. Methanolic leaf extracts contained higher levels of terpenoids and polyphenols and produced the greatest reduction in HeLa cell viability, with an estimated IC₅₀ of 4.87 µg/mL after 48 h of treatment. In contrast, DU-145 cells exhibited a different response pattern depending on the extract evaluated. Correlation analysis suggested that flavonoids were associated with reduced HeLa cell viability. Overall, leaf extracts produced greater reductions in cancer cell viability than fruit extracts, highlighting leaves as a promising but comparatively underexplored source of bioactive compounds in Randia monantha.

Desde tiempos antiguos, la miel ha sido utilizada como medicina natural por distintas culturas. Aunque la más conocida es la producida por Apis mellifera, existen otras menos comunes pero de gran valor, como la miel elaborada por las abejas sin aguijón, por ejemplo, la Melipona beecheii, conocida por los mayas como Xunan Kab. Esta miel es más líquida, de sabor ligeramente ácido y rica en compuestos bioactivos como flavonoides, ácidos fenólicos, enzimas, vitaminas y minerales. En regiones como América Latina, Asia y África, estas mieles no solo son valoradas por sus propiedades medicinales, sino también por su importancia cultural. Actualmente investigaciones científicas han comenzado a validar su uso tradicional, demostrando, inclusive, efectos antiproliferativos contra células tumorales sin dañar significativamente a las células sanas. Este potencial, sumado al legado ancestral y la creciente meliponicultura, posiciona a la miel de abejas sin aguijón como una fuente prometedora de compuestos para mejorar la salud, capaz de unir ciencia y tradición en beneficio de la humanidad.

Saponins are valuable health-promoting metabolites. The genus Sechium spp. is a valuable source of such metabolites. Unfortunately, there is no established method for the extraction of saponins from the fruits of this species. Therefore, this research aimed to compare three gravimetric extraction methods for saponins in two Sechium genotypes. The analysis included FT-MIR and HPTLC fingerprinting, as well as spectrophotometric quantification. Independent of the extraction method, bagasse produced higher extraction yields than juice. Among the gravimetric methods, M3 produced the highest yields, while M1 captured the most remarkable diversity and abundance of saponins. The spectrophotometric quantification corroborated the higher total saponin content in bagasse extracts. This data highlights the use of fruit bagasse as the primary source of saponin extraction in Sechium. In addition, we recommend extracting bagasse through M3 for scalable pre-enrichment, while M1 extraction must be used when preserving chemical diversity is critical.

Background: Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) remains one of the most important pathogens that infects swine, causing considerable economic losses worldwide. PCV2 vaccines are commercially available, and the development of experimental vaccines that could confer better protection against emerging genotypes is underway. The expression of virus-like particles (VLPs) carrying different PCV2 capsid (Cap) peptides in E. coli was recently reported. These chimeric particles were adjuvated with an oil-in-water emulsion with polymer and induced different titers of serum IgG in BALB/c mice after a single subcutaneous injection. The aim of this study was to assess the immune response and protective efficacy elicited by VLPs carrying the PCV2b Cap carboxy-terminal peptide in the target species. Methods: Domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) were immunized intramuscularly with 25 μg of adjuvated chimeric VLPs on days 0 and 14 and challenged on day 28 with a PCV2b Mexican isolate. PCV2 peptide-specific IgG seroconversion, serum cytokines, viral load in nasal swabs and organs, and histopathological score were determined. Results: IgG levels peaked 28 days post-immunization. Interleukin-12 and -18 and interferon-gamma increased 21 days after immunization. In addition, genomic material of PCV2 was detected in nasal swabs from one specimen on day 7, two specimens on day 14, and two specimens on day 21 following viral challenge. Finally, histological lesions were not less severe in immunized specimens compared to non-vaccinated/challenged specimens. Conclusions: These results suggest that immunization with chimeric VLPs could contribute to controlling viral shedding in pig herds where a PCV2b genotype is most prevalent.

Background: Androgen receptor mutations, particularly T877A and W741L, promote prostate cancer (PCa). The main therapies against PCa use androgen receptor (AR) antagonists, including Bicalutamide; but these drugs lose their effectiveness over time. Chrysin is a flavonoid with several biological activities, including antitumoral properties; however, its potential as an antiandrogen must be explored. Objective: The present study aimed to characterize and compare the molecular interactions of chrysin with wild-type and mutated ARs and their cytotoxic effect in an in vitro model of PCa. Methods: The affinities and molecular interactions of Bicalutamide and chrysin for the wild-type and mutated forms of AR were assessed by molecular docking. The MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of these ligands on the DU-145 (T877A) and PC3 (W741L) PCa cell lines and on non-tumoral RWPE-1 cells. Results: The molecular dockings predicted a higher affinity of chrysin for the mutated AR than the wild-type AR (WT-AR); meanwhile, Bicalutamide presented a higher affinity for WT-AR. The amino acid residues involved in molecular interactions within the binding site of these receptors changed according to the ligands and AR variants, affecting their affinity scores. Chrysin exerted a specific cytotoxic effect against the PCa tumoral cells but none against the non-tumoral cells. In contrast, Bicalutamide showed potent cytotoxicity against all cell lines. Thus, the cytotoxic effect of chrysin against the DU-145 and PC3 cell line may be related to its strong and specific molecular interaction with the mutated ARs. Conclusion: This study evidences the potential antiandrogen effect of chrysin on mutated AR and specific cytotoxicity against PCa cells, suggesting that this flavonoid should be further studied in vivo to confirm its potential for therapy of advanced PCa.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common hematological cancer in the adult population worldwide. Approximately 35% of patients with AML present internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutations in the FMS‑like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) receptor associated with poor prognosis, and thus, this receptor is a relevant target for potential therapeutics. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are used to treat AML; however, their molecular interactions and effects on leukemic cells are poorly understood. The present study aimed to gain insights into the molecular interactions and affinity forces of four TKI drugs (sorafenib, midostaurin, gilteritinib and quizartinib) with the wild‑type (WT)‑FLT3 and ITD‑mutated (ITD‑FLT3) structural models of FLT3, in its inactive aspartic acid‑phenylalanine‑glycine motif (DFG‑out) and active aspartic acid‑phenylalanine‑glycine motif (DFG‑in) conformations. Furthermore, the present study evaluated the effects of the second‑generation TKIs gilteritinib and quizartinib on cancer cell viability, apoptosis and proliferation in the MV4‑11 (ITD‑FLT3) and HL60 (WT‑FLT3) AML cell lines. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a healthy volunteer were included as an FLT3‑negative group. Molecular docking analysis indicated higher affinities of second‑generation TKIs for WT‑FLT3/DFG‑out and WT‑FLT3/DFG‑in compared with those of the first‑generation TKIs. However, the ITD mutation changed the affinity of all TKIs. The in vitro data supported the in silico predictions: MV4‑11 cells presented high selective sensibility to gilteritinib and quizartinib compared with the HL60 cells, whereas the drugs had no effect on PBMCs. Thus, the current study presented novel information about molecular interactions between the FLT3 receptors (WT or ITD‑mutated) and some of their inhibitors. It also paves the way for the search for novel inhibitory molecules with potential use against AML.

Prostate cancer is a significant global health problem, being the second most common cancer and the fifth leading cause of death in men worldwide. Standard chemotherapy, though effective, often lacks selectivity for tumor cells, resulting in dose-limiting side effects. To address this, innovative biomedical approaches such as electrochemotherapy and electromagnetic hyperthermia have emerged. Electrochemotherapy improves drug delivery by facilitating electroporation, thereby increasing intracellular concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents. This approach reduces dosages and associated adverse effects. Meanwhile, electromagnetic hyperthermia raises the temperature of tumor cells, enhancing their sensitivity to chemotherapy. While previous research has demonstrated the inhibitory effects of magnetic hyperthermia on prostate cancer cell growth both in vitro and in vivo, and its synergy with chemotherapy has shown enhanced tumor remission, limited studies have focused on electrochemotherapy alone or in combination with hyperthermia in prostate cancer models. This study aims to assess the synergistic effects of electromagnetic hyperthermia, with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) and electrochemotherapy, with electroporation and the chemotherapeutic drugs bleomycin and cisplatin, on the prostate cancer-derived cell line DU-145/GFP and prostate-derived cell line RWPE-1. Results indicate enhanced cytotoxicity with both treatments (bleomycin and cisplatin) by adding electroporation, demonstrating a particularly pronounced effect with bleomycin. Combining electroporation with hyperthermia significantly augments cytotoxicity. Moreover, electroporation effectively reduced the time of exposure to electromagnetic hyperthermia while magnifying its cytotoxic effects. Future research in in vivo trials may reveal additional insights into the combined effects of these therapies.

Ionic calcium can help in the prevention of the process of osseous decalcification. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties and toxic effects of ionic calcium-fiber supplement (ICa⁺) and its impact on bone health preservation in mice C57/BL6 fed a calcium-deficient diet. Physicochemical properties include FTIR, apparent calcium solubility estimated by the calcium ratio obtained by ionization chromatography and atomic absorption. In vitro genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the ICa⁺ were assessed. Twenty-five 7-week-old C57/BL6 mice were fed calcium-free diet (CFD) or CFD plus CaCO₃ (1.33 mg Ca) or CFD plus ICa⁺ (1.33–6.66 mg Ca) for six weeks. After that, bone mass and microstructure parameters were assessed. Histological staining was performed to determine calcium deposits. ICa⁺ (100%) exhibited an apparent calcium solubility higher than CaCO₃ (12.3%). ICa⁺ showed no cytotoxic and genotoxic in vitro activities. Histomorphometry analysis showed that the ICa⁺ treated group displayed a higher trabecular number than the trabecular space. Also, the ratio BV/TV was increased compared with all treatments. Ionic calcium-fiber supplementation prevents bone deterioration compared to mice fed a calcium-deficient diet.