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Mariano Bizzarri

Publications and source records attributed to Mariano Bizzarri.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

NMR-based metabolic profiling of human hepatoma cells in relation to cell growth by culture media analysis.

Metabolic profiling is a metabolomic approach that allows the characterization of metabolic phenotypes under specific set of conditions. In the present paper we investigated the metabolism of sparse and high density cultures in relation to different cell growth phases. Changes in the metabolome were evaluated by using 1H-NMR spectroscopy, correlation map and Multivariate Data Analysis on the net balances of metabolites in the medium. This approach allowed us to identify two different metabolic profiles in relation to the cell growth phases in subconfluence and confluence cultures. The results have been interpreted on the basis of patterns of correlations obtained in the two physiological cell states. Cells almost arrested in G0/G1 phase by contact dependent growth inhibition underwent changes in the channeling of amino acids utilization from synthetic to energetic purpose and in anaplerosis/cataplerosis regulation of the TCA cycle.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed2006

Zebrafish embryo proteins induce apoptosis in human colon cancer cells (Caco2).

Previous studies have shown that proteins extracted from Zebrafish embryo share some cytostatic characteristics in cancer cells. Our study was conducted to ascertain the biological properties of this protein network. Cancer cell growth and apoptosis were studied in Caco2 cells treated with embryonic extracts. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Cell-cycle analysis in treated cells revealed a marked accumulation in the G(2)/M phase preceding induction of apoptosis. Embryo proteins induced a significant reduction in FLIP levels, and increased caspase-3 and caspase-8 activity as well as the apoptotic rate. Increased phosphorylated pRb values were obtained in treated Caco2 cells: the modified balance in pRb phosphorylation was associated with an increase in E2F1 values and c-Myc over-expression. Our data support previous reports of an apoptotic enhancing effect displayed by embryo extracts, mainly through the pRb/E2F1 apoptotic pathway, which thus suggests that Zebrafish embryo proteins have complex anti-cancer properties.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

NMR-based metabonomic study of transgenic maize.

The aim of this research was to verify the possibility of identifying and classifying maize seeds obtained from transgenic plants, in different classes according to the modification, on the basis of the concerted variation in metabolite levels detected by NMR spectra. It was possible to recognise the discriminant metabolites of transgenic samples as well as to classify non-a priori defined samples of maize. It is important to underline that the obtained results are useful to point out the metabolic consequences of a specific genic modification on a plant, without using a targeted analysis of the different metabolites, in fact it was possible to classify the seeds also without the complete assignment of the spectra. The analysis was performed by applying multivariate techniques (principal component analysis and partial least squares-discriminant analysis) to NMR data.

Gene Expression↗
PubMed2003

Melatonin and vitamin D3 increase TGF-beta1 release and induce growth inhibition in breast cancer cell cultures.

BACKGROUND: Evidence has accumulated that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1,25-(OH)(2)D(3)] is involved in the regulation of the proliferation of breast tumor cells. For complete tumor suppression high hypercalcemic doses of 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) are needed. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of combined treatment of 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) at low doses and melatonin (MEL) on the proliferation of estrogen-responsive rat breast cancer cell line RM4. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RM4 cell proliferation was assessed by [3H]thymidine uptake. The presence of TGF-beta(1) in serum-free conditioned medium was determined by inhibition antibody binding assay. RESULTS: In 17-betaE cultured RM4 cells both MEL and 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) alone and in combination significantly reduced [3H]thymidine incorporation in a dose-related fashion. MEL by itself was ineffective in inhibiting the FCS-cultured RM4 cells, while 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) strongly inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation. Meanwhile, MEL increased the sensitivity of the FCS-cultured RM4 cells to 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) in the combined regimen, from 20- to 100-fold. MEL significantly enhanced the TGF-beta(1) secretion from RM4 cells and vitamin D(3) increased the TGF-beta(1) secretion in a dose-dependent manner, from 2- to 7-fold. Moreover, a further enhancement of the TGF-beta(1) release was obtained with the combined treatment, but only for low 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) concentrations. The addition of monoclonal anti-TGF-beta(1) antibody to the medium of RM4 cells exposed to vitamin D(3) alone or in combination with MEL increased the [3H]thymidine uptake compared to the correspondent cells cultured without antibody. CONCLUSIONS: Our data point to a potential benefit of combination therapy with 1,25-(OH)(2)D(3) and MEL in the treatment of breast cancer and suggest that the growth inhibition could be related, at least in part, to the enhanced TGF-beta(1) secretion.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2002

Release of transforming growth factor beta-1 in a vestibular schwannoma cell line.

Vestibular schwannoma (VS) often displays an irregular growth pattern due to factors which remain unknown. In this study, VS cell lines from tissue removed during surgery were cultured in order to assess the presence of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFbeta-1) a multifunctional polypeptide that has different pleiotropic effects on various tissues. The antibody-binding inhibition assay technique was used. The proliferation rate of VS cell lines in vitro was assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation, with determinations carried out on days 0, 1, 2 and 4 after removal of fetal calf serum (FCS) from the medium. After 48 h of FCS deprivation, cell growth decreased. TGFbeta-1 release also decreased progressively 24 h after removing FCS from the medium, reaching an overall decrease of 50% after 3 days. The cell culturing procedure appeared suitable for VS cells, in that VS cultures were viable for at least 4 months. TGFbeta-1 was initially shown to be released in significant amounts, but also to decrease progressively to values five times lower after 4 days. These data thus support the possibility of a significant association between TGFbeta-1 release and VS cell replication.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗