Project description:In the search of new symmetrical derivatives with anticancer activity, we have looked for novel compounds able to induce a selective proapoptotic mechanism in cancer cells. The potential antitumoral activity of several quinazoline derivatives was evaluated in vitro examining their cytotoxic effects against human breast (HTB26), colon (HT29) and bladder (T24) cancer cell lines. Non-tumoral human cell lines were used to test the selectivity of the cytotoxic compounds against cancer cells. Several compounds showed selectivity for cancer cell lines; among them, 2,4-dibencilaminoquinazoline was chosen as the best candidate and its mechanism of action was studied in more detail. This compound was tested for its ability to induce caspase-3 activation and nuclear chromatin degradation in the three cancer cell lines. A time dependent evaluation of apoptosis was performed in the three cancer cell lines, including an expression microarray study at the points of caspase activation and chromatin degradation. 2,4-dibencilaminoquinazoline treatment produces few changes in the expression of genes as evaluated by using microarrays and RT-PCR assays. In conclusion, 2,4-di-p-bromofenilaminoquinazoline is a promising anticancer drug showing cytostatic and apoptotic effects mainly in a transcription independent manner. Keywords: Apoptosis induction, time course
Project description:Gene expression profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells with hTERT/E6/E7 transfected MSCs. hTERT may change gene expression in MSCs. Goal was to determine the gene expressions of immortalized MSCs.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of human mesenchymal stem cells comparing normoxic MSCs cells with hypoxic MSCs cells. Hypoxia may inhibit senescence of MSCs during expansion. Goal was to determine the effects of hypoxia on global MSCs gene expression.
Project description:Gene methylation profiling of immortalized human mesenchymal stem cells comparing HPV E6/E7-transfected MSCs cells with human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)- and HPV E6/E7-transfected MSCs. hTERT may increase gene methylation in MSCs. Goal was to determine the effects of different transfected genes on global gene methylation in MSCs.