Synergistic effect of all-trans-ret inoic acid and arsenic trioxide on growth inhibition and apoptosis in human hepatoma, breast cancer, and lung cancer cells in vitro

AIM: To investigate the effect of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on arsenic trioxide (As2O3)-induced apoptosis of human hepatoma, breast cancer, and lung cancer cells in an attempt to find a better combination therapy for solid tumors.METHODS: Human hepatoma cell lines HepG2, Hep3B,human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, and human lung adenocarcinoma cell line AGZY-83-a were treated with As2O3 together with ATRA. Cell survival fraction was determined by MTT assay, cell viability and apoptosis were measured by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and PI staining, and intracellular glutathione (GSH)and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were determined using commercial kits.RESULTS: Cytotoxicity of ATRA was low. ATRA (0.1, 1,and 10 μmol/L) could synergistically potentiate As2O3 to exert a dose-dependent inhibition of growth and to induce apoptosis in each of the cell lines. HepG2 and Hep3B with low intracellular GSH or GST activities were remarkably sensitive to As2O3 or As2O3+ATRA, while AGZY-83-a with higher GSH or GST activities was less sensitive to As2O3or As2O3+ATRA. Treatment with 2 μmol/L As2O3 for 72 h significantly decreased intracellular GSH and GST levels in each of the cell lines, and 1 μmol/L ATRA alone reduced minimal intracellular GSH and GST levels. ATRA potentiated the effect of As2O3 on intracellular GSH levels, but intracellular GST levels were not significantly affected by the combination of As2O3 and ATRA for 72 h as compared to As2O3 alone.CONCLUSION: ATRA can strongly potentiate As2O3-induced growth-inhibition and apoptosis in each of the cell lines, and two drugs can produce a significant synergic effect. The sensitivity to As2O3 or As2O3+ATRA is inversely proportional to intracellular GSH or GST levels in each of the cell lines. The GSH redox system may be the possible mechanism by which ATRA synergistically potentiates As2O3 to exert a dose-dependent inhibition of growth and to induce apoptosis.

Association between anesthesia technique and complications after hip surgery in the elderly population

BACKGROUND Spinal anesthesia is superior to general anesthesia for postoperative recovery in older patients(≥65 age).However,evidence for this is lacking.AIM To evaluate the effect of anesthesia on postoperative complications in older patients undergoing hip surgery.METHODS This is a retrospective,propensity score-matched,cohort study.Patients≥65-years-old who underwent hip surgery at the Traditional Chinese Medicine of Guangdong Provincial Hospital in China from October 2016 to June 2020 were included.The operative methods were femoral fracture’s internal fixation and hip replacement.The orthopedic doctors in different hospitals of our group have varied requirements for patients’out-of-bed time after surgery.Therefore,spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia was selected according to the requirements of the orthopedic doctors.The primary outcome of this study was complications during the hospitalization of the postoperative patient.The length of hospital stay,postoperative blood transfusion,routine blood analysis,renal function,coagulation function,and inflammatory correlations were secondary outcomes.Propensity score matching(PSM)was performed utilizing logistic regression.RESULTS Among the 864 patients identified from the electronic medical record data database,we screened out those with incomplete medical record data.After PSM of the baseline values of the two groups of patients,data of 309 patients(206 patients in spinal anesthesia group and 103 patients in general anesthesia)were utilized in this study.67/309 patients had complications,including postoperative limb dysfunction,pulmonary infection,delirium,lower extremity venous thrombosis,and shock.The incidence of complications was not related to anesthesia methods(P>0.05),but the levels of D-Dimer(P=0.017),fibrinogen(P=0.005),and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs CRP)(P=0.002)in the spinal anesthesia group were significantly higher than those in the general anesthesia group.CONCLUSION Anesthesia technology is not a risk factor for postoperative complications of hip surgery.The levels of D-Dimer and hs CRP were higher in the spinal anesthesia group.