Bcr‑abl fusion transcripts, resulting from translocation t(9;22), are hallmarks of Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) leukemias. This translocation is detected in >90% of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia and ~20% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients, which predominantly express the p210 and p190 proteins, respectively. Although the occurrence of t(9;22) in healthy individuals has been previously demonstrated, the number of studies is limited and the results are inconsistent. The present study screened for the presence of bcr‑abl transcripts in the blood of a group of healthy individuals using a sensitive‑nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‑PCR) assay. Samples were collected from 189 healthy volunteers (145 adults and 44 children). RNA was reverse transcribed and amplified by two rounds of PCR, amplifying the two common variants of bcr‑abl transcripts, p190 and p210. While the bcr‑abl p190 transcript was not detected, the p210 transcript was detected in ~10% of samples. Notably, the incidence of p210 translocation was higher in males (12.2%) compared with females (7.7%) and males were 2.4 times more likely to have the translocation. A significant incidence was also observed in adults compared with children, where adults were 6 times more likely to have the translocation. The presence of bcr‑abl transcripts in the blood of a significant proportion of healthy individuals should be considered in long‑term investigations to establish its exact association with the risk of developing leukemia. Furthermore, the current assays should be revised to consider the proportion of normal samples carrying the p210 transcripts when making a differential diagnosis.

Combinatorial therapeutic strategies to eradicate tumors can be superior to a single therapeutic modality. Docetaxel (DT) has been approved for the treatment of local or metastasized breast cancer alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. Thymoquinone (TQ) originated from the seeds of Nigella Sativa plant has been reported to possess in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity against variety of tumors. In the current study, we have investigated the synergistic anticancer efficacy of a novel combination of DT and TQ on MCF7 breast cancer cell line using MTT cell viability assay. Moreover, this study describes for the first time the co-encapsulation of DT and TQ into PEGylated liposomes. The results showed that the combination of DT and TQ resulted in significant synergistic cytotoxicity compared to DT and TQ alone. Moreover, DT and TQ have been successfully co-encapsulated into PEGylated liposomes with higher encapsulation efficiency compared to DT and TQ alone. In conclusion, DT and TQ combination poses a synergistic effect and may aid in decreasing the required doses of DT. Also, the co-encapsulation of DT and TQ into PEGylated liposomes can provide a promising DT and TQ delivery system into cancer cells.

Background: The antiproliferative activity of Salvia species grown in Jordan has not been fully evaluated yet. The aim of this work was to study the antiproliferative activity of crude ethanol extracts from nine Salvia species grown in Jordan against a panel of breast cancer cell lines. Material and Methods: Cytotoxic activity was evaluated in human tumor models of breast cancer; MCF-7, T47D, ZR-75-1, and BT 474 by the sulforhodamine B assay. In addition, the extracts were evaluated using a non-transformed cell line (Vero) and normal fibroblast cells in order to demonstrate their selectivity and safety. Results: From the nice ethanol extracts under investigation, those of S. dominica and S. fruticosa showed an inhibitory concentration of 50% of cells (IC ₅₀ ) in concentrations less than 30μg/mL against the four cell lines under investigation. S. syriaca and S. hormium showed an IC ₅₀ below 30μg/ml for two out of the four cell lines. S. fruticosa, S. hormium and S. syriaca showed selectivity in their antiproliferative activity against estrogen receptor positive cell lines with minimal toxicity against normal human periodontal fibroblasts. Phytochemical screening using thin layer chromatography indicated the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids and coumarins in all examined extracts. Conclusion: Three of the plant extracts under investigation exhibited antiproliferative activity against breast cancer cells and were shown to be safe and selective. These could be considered as a potential source for novel anticancer therapy.

Angiogenesis is one of cancer hallmarks that are required for both cancer progression and metastasis. In this study we examined the antiangiogenic properties of the ethanolic crude extracts of four Salvia species grown in Jordan.