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“Purpose The goal of this study was to investigate whether daily administration of green tea is able to protect the liver injury induced by cholesterol.\n\nMethods Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were distributed into four groups: group 1, negative control; group 2, cholesterol at 1% (w/w) in the diet treated for 5 weeks; group 3, cholesterol at 1% treated for 5 weeks and green tea at 1% (w/v) in drinking water in the last week only and group 4, cholesterol and green tea at 1% in drinking water for 5 weeks.\n\nResults The results pointed out Bucladesine mouse that treatment with green tea in the last week (group 3) showed mild degenerative changes of liver tissue in

cholesterol exposed group when compared to group 2. Green tea aqueous extract was not able to reduce cholesterol levels, that is, no significant statistical differences (p > 0.05) were noticed when compared to positive control group. Nevertheless, green tea was able to decrease oxidative deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage either to peripheral blood or to liver cells as depicted by significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) in the mean tail moment between groups treated

with green tea and cholesterol and cholesterol only. Furthermore, histomorphometric analysis of COX-2 expression revealed that in groups exposed to green tea they were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), regardless of time exposure adopted.\n\nConclusion Taken together, our results suggest that daily administration PKC412 supplier of green tea for at least

7 days displays some preventive properties as indicated by COX-2 downregulation and decreased oxidative DNA damage.”
“All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) was found to inhibit cell growth, induce differentiation and enhance apoptosis in a variety of malignant solid tumors. Retinoic acid is effective in inhibiting the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in some cancer. In this study, we investigated the effect of ATRA on the expression of VEGF and its receptors in LoVo cells, and its possible mechanisms. LoVo cells were treated with ATRA at different concentrations for different time, and with exogenous recombinant human VEGF(165) or VEGF(165) + ATRA. Cell viability was measured by microtitration (MTT) assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry BMS-777607 concentration (FCM). The expression of VEGF in LoVo cells were detected by ELISA technique and Western blot, and its receptors by flow cytometry. ATRA greatly inhibited the proliferation of LoVo cells in dose-and time-dependent manners; inhibition rate of the cells decreased significantly after treatment with ATRA. ATRA could dose-dependently block the VEGF(165)-induced cell growth. FCM results show that ATRA induced apoptosis of LoVo cells with concomitant decrease of expressed VEGF and its receptors. The mechanism involved in down regulation of VEGF and its receptors may be related to apoptosis. ATRA could also disturb the stimulating effect of VEGF(165) on the growth of LoVo cells.