Biogen (India)

o‐Aminoazotoluene (OAT), capable of photoisomerization, and o‐vanillin, a potent comutagen, have been used to synthesize a new ligand, HL, [C6H4(CH3)N=NC6H3(CH3)N=CHC6H3(OH)(OCH3)], which, upon complexation with copper(II), results in a new copper(II) complex‐Cu(L)2, [Cu{C6H4(CH3)N=NC6H3(CH3)N=CHC6H3(OCH3)O}2]. Both HL and Cu(L)2 have been characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction measurements along with other analytical techniques, for example, IR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, elemental analysis and mass spectrometry. These compounds were tested with different in vitro anticancer assay as well as with in silico studies. A comparative study has been demonstrated on anticancer activity of HL and Cu(L)2 with the ligand HAZ, {C6H5N=NC6H4N=CHC6H3(OH)(OCH3)} and its Cu‐complex, [Cu(AZ)2, Cu{C6H5N=NC6H4N=CHC6H3(OCH3)O}2]. The sensing properties of HAZ, along with the synthesis and structural properties of both HAZ and Cu(AZ)2, have been reported by our group earlier. Cytotoxicity measurements on MCF7 cell lines show that Cu(L)2 and Cu(AZ)2 have higher anticancer activity than their corresponding ligands. The apoptotic effect of Cu‐complex was studied through nuclear fragmentation assay and AO/EB dual‐staining assay on MCF7 cell line. The IC50 value of Cu(L)2 in 0.01% DMSO/water after 24‐h treatment was found 4.2 μM, which is one of the lowest values with this response time compared to the other analogous anticancer compounds. Finally, we have evaluated the expression of hERα protein with respect to Cu‐complexes, and it was observed that Cu(L)2 caused more down‐regulation of hERα as compared to Cu(AZ)2.

A new coumarin based fluorescent switch PCEH is fabricated which displays high selective sensing towards Al3+ among other metal cations at physiological pH. On gradual addition of Al3+, PCEH shows a brilliant "turn-on" emission enhancement in MeOH/H2O (4/1, v/v) solution. This new fluorescent switch is proven to be a reversible probe by gradual addition of F- into the PCEH-Al3+ solution. Detection limit as well as binding constant values are calculated to be in the order of 10-9M and 104M-1 respectively. We have also explored its potential as a biomarker in the application of live cell imaging using breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 cell).

The catalytic and biological activities of a new benzoate bridged NNO tethered homo-binuclear copper(ii) complex have been explored.

New Ru(ii) cyclometallated complexes have been synthesizedviaC(aryl)–S bond activation having potent antiproliferative activity.

Abstract A phenylazo appended ortho‐vanillin Schiff base scaffold (HAZ) has been used for selective colorimetric sensing of Cu2+ in semi‐aqueous medium (methanol–water, 1:1, v/v) in the presence of 16 cations and 20 anions, and the limit of detection is 1.8 × 10−7 M. The structures of HAZ and Cu (II) complex, [Cu(AZ)2], have been characterised by spectroscopic data (UV–Vis, Fourier transform infrared and electron paramagnetic resonance) and established by the single crystal X‐ray diffraction measurement. The Job's plot from the absorption studies has also confirmed the 1:2 stoichiometry of Cu2+:HAZ. The absorption spectrum of [Cu (AZ)2] has returned to the spectrum of HAZ on the addition of Na2EDTA solution which is again recovered upon the addition of Cu2+ solution. Discrete Fourier transform computations were carried out using the coordinates of the X‐ray structures of the compounds, and the molecular functions were used to correlate the solution spectroscopic properties. In addition to this, the probe is treated on MDA‐MB 231 breast cancer cells to check the cytotoxicity. The probe is used for the detection of trace quantity of Cu2+ in the cancer cell.

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), an endothelial cell-independent alternative mechanism of blood supply to the malignant tumour, has long been considered as an adverse prognostic factor in many cancers. The correlation of VM with laminin-5γ2 and the assessment of their harmonized expression as an independent risk factor have not been elucidated yet in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). CD31/PAS staining stratified 116 clinically diagnosed OSCC specimens into VM+ and VM- cohorts. The expression pattern of laminin-5γ2 and its upstream modulator MMP2 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the survival and prognostic implications. The presence of VM demonstrated a significant correlation with the expression of laminin-5γ2 (p<.001) and MMP2 (p<.001). This pattern was mirrored by the significant upregulation of laminin-5γ2 and MMP2 in VM+ cohorts compared with the VM- ones. Furthermore, co-expression of VM and laminin-5γ2 was significantly associated with tumour grade (p=.010), primary tumour size (p<.001), lymph node metastasis (p=.001) and TNM stages (p<.001) but not with patients' age, gender, tobacco and alcohol consumption habit. Vasculogenic mimicry and laminin-5γ2 double-positive cohort displayed a significantly poorer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Vasculogenic mimicry, laminin-5γ2 and their subsequent dual expression underlie a significant prognostic value for DFS [hazard ratio (HR)=9.896, p=.028] and OS [HR=21.401, p=.033] in OSCC patients. Together, our findings imply that VM along with laminin-5γ2 is strongly linked to the malignant progression in OSCC and VM and laminin-5γ2 coordination emerges as a critical prognostic biomarker for OSCC.

Stem cell therapy is an evolving treatment strategy in regenerative medicine. Recent studies report stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth could complement the traditional mesenchymal stem cell sources. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth exhibit mesenchymal characteristics with multilineage differentiation potential. Mesenchymal stem cells are widely investigated for cell therapy and disease modeling. Although many research are being conducted to address the challenges of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in clinics, most of the studies are still in infancy. Host cell microenvironment is one of the major factors affecting the homing of transplanted stem cell and understanding the factors affecting the fate of stem cells of prime important. In this study we aimed to understand the effects of serum deprivation in stem cells derived from human deciduous tooth. Our study aimed to understand the morphological, transcriptional, cell cycle and stemness based changes of stem cells in nutrient deprived medium. Our results suggest that stem cells in nutrient deprived media undergo low proliferation, high apoptosis and changed the differentiation potential of the stem cells. Serum deprived mesenchymal stem cells exhibited enhanced chondrogenic differentiation potential and reduced osteogenic differentiation potential. Moreover, the activation of key metabolic sensor AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) leads to activation of transcription factors such as FOXO3, which leads to an S phase quiescence. Serum deprivation also enhanced the expression of stemness related genes Sox2 and c-Myc.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stands second among deaths due to cancer. Although chemotherapeutic agents are being tried by clinicians to extend the survival rate of HCC patients, patient longevity is restricted because of the detrimental side effects of chemotherapeutic drugs. Rosmarinic acid (Ra), a natural phenolic compound, possesses numerous biological properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, anti-fibrosis, hepatoprotective and anticancer activities. Rosmarinic acid fraction isolated from Mentha arvensis extract (RaMa) was subjected to study the molecular mechanism of anticancer activity in vitro. HPLC analysis of RaMa has conferred an appreciable amount of Ra present in the extract. Apart from the antioxidant and antibacterial activity, RaMa induced dose-dependent cell death in cultured HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma) cells with an LD50 of 27.622 µg mL−1 and was found to induce apoptosis. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis has shown distinct cell cycle arrest at Go/G1 phase in cells treated with RaMa and mRNA expression studies affirmed downregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene, Bcl-2 along with upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes Bax and ERK2 by Ra administration.