BACKGROUND: Hydatid cyst is an infection with global distribution that is caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm of Echinococcus. The long-term survival of the hydatid in the host shows the parasite has advanced highly effective strategies for escaping the host defense. Deaths are caused by parasitic infections which are often due to tissue damages that result in host cell death, this is known as apoptosis. So it is important to know the process and the role of apoptosis that is created or controlled by a parasite. OBJECTIVES: Investigation of cytotoxicity effect, induction of apoptosis and mechanism of induction of apoptosis of cattle hydatid fluid on bovine lymphocyte cells as efficient cells of immunity were studied. METHODS: In this study, the cytotoxicity effect of bovine hydatid fluid (HF) on lymphocyte cells was investigated as effective immune cells against Echinococcus granulosus by MTS method. Then the mean of the expression of caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 genes in bovine lymphocytes treated/untreated was determined with fertile and infertile hydatid cyst fluid using Real Time PCR method. RESULTS: The viability mean of lymphocytes was significantly lower in the fertile HF treated lymphocytes compared to both infertile HF-treated lymphocytes and cell control. Bax gene expression was significantly (P=0.046) higher in the fertile HF-treated lymphocytes compared to both infertile HF-treated lymphocytes and cell control. Although Caspase 3 was higher in this group, the difference was not significant. Also, expression of Bcl-2 gene in fertile fluid treated lymphocytes was found to be lower than that of infertile and control. CONCLUSIONS: Present study indicates that hydatid cyst fluid molecules can probably induce apoptosis in immune cells in vitro and the parasite’s ability to stay alive for a long time in the host by controlling the host immune response from the apoptosis pathway.

Introduction: Iron and molybdenum are essential trace elements for cell metabolism. They are involved in maintaining proper functions of enzymes, cell proliferation, and metabolism of DNA. Material and Methods: BALB/3T3 and HepG2 cells were incubated with iron chloride or molybdenum trioxide at concentrations from 100 to 1,400 µM. The cells were also incubated in mixtures of iron chloride at 200 μM plus molybdenum trioxide at 1,000 μM or iron chloride at 1,000 μM plus molybdenum trioxide at 200 μM. Cell viability was determined with MTT reduction, LHD release, and NRU tests. Results: A decrease in cell viability was observed after incubating both cell lines with iron chloride or molybdenum trioxide. In cells incubated with mixtures of these trace elements, a decrease in cell viability was observed, assessed by all the used assays. Conclusions: Iron (III) and molybdenum (III) decrease cell viability in normal and cancer cells. A synergistic effect of the mixture of these elements was observed.

Introduction: Iron and molybdenum are essential trace elements for cell metabolism. They are involved in maintaining proper functions of enzymes, cell proliferation, and metabolism of DNA.

Inosine pranobex (Isoprinosine) stimulates cell-mediated immune responses to viral infections in humans and might have also therapeutic use in animals. The aim of this study was to compare three in vitro cytotoxicity assays on mouse embryo fibroblasts and liver cancer cells and determine their ability to detect early cytotoxic effects for inosine pranobex.

Introduction: The effects of Jin-Ying-Tang (JYT) on Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) signalling transduction of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse mammary epithelial cells (MECs) in vitro were examined. Material and Methods: The cytotoxicity of JYT (0.06-62.50 mg/mL) on mouse MECs was determined by MTT assay. The MECs were co-cultured with LPS in the presence or absence of JYT (39.10 μg/mL, 391 μg/mL, 3910 μg/mL). The concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the culture supernatants were detected by ELISA. The mRNA expression of TLR4 and downstream TLR4 signalling molecules such as myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), tumour necrosis factor receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF-6), inhibitor κB (IκB), and nuclear factor κB inducing kinase (NIK) were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: The results showed that the IC₅₀ of JYT on MECs was 12.25 mg/mL and JYT could significantly decrease the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated MECs (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF-6, IκB, and NIK was also significantly decreased when the LPS-stimulated MECs were cocultured at appropriate concentrations of JYT (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Conclusion: These observations indicate a potential mechanism through which JYT attenuates the systemic inflammatory response to LPS-stimulated mouse mammary epithelial cells by inhibiting the activation of TLR4/MyD88/ TRAF-6/NIK pathway at the mRNA level.

Introduction: The cytotoxicity of anthelmintic agent, albendazole (ABZ) and its two major metabolites, sulfoxide (ABZSO) and sulfone (ABZ-SO2), on non-hepatic Balb/c 3T3 line, two hepatoma cell lines (FaO, HepG2), and isolated rat hepatocytes was investigated. Material and Methods: Cell cultures were exposed for 24, 48, and 72 h to eight concentrations of the compounds ranging from 0.05 to 100 μg/mL (ABZ) and from 0.78 to 100 μg/mL (ABZ-SO and ABZ-SO2). Three different assays were applied in which various biochemical endpoints were assessed: lysosomal activity - neutral red uptake (NRU) assay, proliferation - total protein contents (TPC) assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage assay. Results: The most toxic was albendazole whose EC50 values calculated from the concentration effect curves ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 μg/mL (Balb/c 3T3 ) and from 0.4 to 73.3 μg/mL (HepG2). Rat hepatoma line and isolated rat hepatocytes were less sensitive to the impact of ABZ. Toxic action expressed as EC50 was recorded after 72 h exposure only in LDH release assay at 0.8 μg/mL and 9.7 μg/mL respectively. The toxicity of metabolites was much lower. The most sensitive to ABZ-SO were fibroblasts and EC50-72h values were similar in all three assays used, i.e. NRU (14.1 μg/mL), TPC (15.8 μg/mL), and LDH (20.9 μg/mL). In the case of ABZ-SO2 the mean effective concentrations were the highest, and could be reached only in one LDH assay. These values (μg/mL) were as follows: 65.3 (FaO), 65.4 (HepG2), 75.8 (hepatocytes), and 77.4 (Balb/c 3T3). Conclusion: The differences in in vitro toxicity of albendazole depend on metabolic ability of the cellular models. Primary cultured rat hepatocytes represent a valuable tool to study the impact of biotransformation on the cytotoxicity of drugs.

Ozone is not harmful itself; however, it directly oxidises biomolecules and produces radical-dependent cytotoxicity. Exposure to ozone is by inhalation and therefore the lungs develop the main anti-inflammatory response, while ozone has an indirect impact on the other organs. This study investigated the local and systemic effects of the ozone-associated inflammatory response. Three groups each of 5 Wistar Han rats aged 6 months were exposed for 2h to airborne ozone at 0.5 ppm and a fourth identical group were unexposed controls. Sacrifice was at 3h after exposure for control rats and one experimental group and at 24 h and 48 h for the others. Lung and liver samples were evaluated for changes in expression of transforming growth factor beta 1, anti-inflammatory interleukin 10, pro-inflammatory tumour necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta and two nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of B cells subunit genes. Total RNA was isolated from the samples in spin columns and cDNA was synthesised in an RT-PCR. Expression levels were compared to those of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and analysed statistically. All variables changed non-linearly over time comparing experimental groups to the control. Conspicuous expression changes in the subunit genes and cytokines were observed in both evaluated organs. Locally and systemically, inflammation responses to ozone inhalation include regulation of certain genes’ expression. The mechanisms are unalike in lungs and liver but ozone exerts a similar effect in both organs. A broader range of variables influential on ozone response should be studied in the future.

Clinoptilolite has antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties due to its biological activities. In various cancer cell culture studies, it has been reported effective against tumour cells and gave positive results in treatment of various tumours in dogs. No study was found on the effects of the nanoparticulate form, nanoclinoptilolite, on cancer cells. The aim of this study was to determine its cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in canine osteosarcoma (OSA) cell culture. Doses at 50% inhibitory concentration were determined by measuring the dose- and duration-dependent cytotoxicity of nanoclinoptilolite on canine D-17 osteosarcoma cells by methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) test for 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h. Murine caspase-3 and -7 activity and expression levels of the BAX and BCL2 genes were measured using RT-PCR to investigate the apoptotic effect. Nanoclinoptilolite decreased cell viability and induced caspase-3- and -7-mediated apoptosis in treated canine OSA cells. Furthermore, its application to canine OSA cells downregulated the expression of BCL2 and upregulated the expression of proapoptotic BAX. Clinoptilolite, which was previously demonstrated to have anticancer properties, decreased cell viability effectively and rapidly and increased the apoptotic cell ratio in a novel use in nanoparticle form, exhibiting this effect by increasing the BAX/BCL2 ratio.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used in veterinary medicine. They are used in pain control and in anti-inflammatory and antipyretic therapies. Some NSAIDs, e.g piroxicam, also have a documented anticancer effect. The objective of this study was to evaluate which of the commonly used NSAIDs (etodolac, flunixin, tolfenamic acid, carprofen, and ketoprofen) are cytotoxic to the D-17 cell line of canine osteosarcoma. The viability of the cells was evaluated using the MTT assay. Four independent repetitions were performed and the results are given as the average of these values; EC₅₀ values (half maximal effective concentration) were also calculated. The analysis of results showed that carprofen and tolfenamic acid displayed the highest cytotoxicity. Other drugs either did not provide such effects or they were very poor. For carprofen, it was possible to determine an EC₅₀ which fell within the limits of concentrations obtainable in canine serum after the administration of routinely used doses. The results are promising but further studies should be conducted to confirm them, since this study is only preliminary. The possibility of introducing carprofen and tolfenamic acid into the routine treatment of osteosarcoma in dogs should be considered.

Introduction: Nickel and iron are very commonly occurring metals. Nickel is used in industry, but nowadays it is also used in medical biomaterials. Iron is an element necessary for cell metabolism and is used in diet supplements and biomaterials, whence it may be released along with nickel. Material and Methods: BALB/3T3 and HepG2 cells were incubated with iron chloride or nickel chloride at concentrations ranging from 100 to 1,400 µM. The following mixtures were used: iron chloride 200 µM plus nickel chloride 1,000 µM, or iron chloride 1,000 µM plus nickel chloride 200 µM. The cell viability was determined with MTT, LHD, and NRU tests. Results: A decrease in cell viability was observed after incubating the BALB/3T3 and HepG2 cells with iron chloride or nickel chloride. A synergistic effect was observed after iron chloride 1,000 μM plus nickel chloride 200 μM treatment in all assays. Moreover, the same effect was observed in the pair iron chloride 200 μM plus nickel chloride 1,000 μM in the LDH and NRU assays. Conclusions: Iron (III) and nickel (II) decrease cell viability. Iron chloride at a concentration of 200 µM protects mitochondria from nickel chloride toxicity.