The recently developed iCELLigence™ real‑time cell analyzer (RTCA) can be used for the label‑free real‑time monitoring of cancer cell proliferation, viability, invasion and cytotoxicity. The RTCA system uses 16‑well microtiter plates with a gold microelectrode biosensor array that measures impedance when cells adhere to the microelectrodes causing an alternating current. By measuring the electric field generated in this process, the RTCA system can be used for the analysis of cell proliferation, viability, morphology and migration. The present review aimed to summarize the working method of the RTCA system, in addition to discussing the research performed using the system for various applications, including cancer drug discovery via measuring cytotoxicity.

Surface antigen CD38 which is a multifunctional protein with enzymatic and receptorial properties is involved in many processes of cell proliferation and activation. It is widely expressed within the hematopoetic system, and its expression is stimulated by proinflammatory cytokines. CD38-associated enzymatic activities in erythrocytes from cancer patients were investigated in this context. Erythrocyte NAD glycohydrolase and ADP-ribosyl cyclase activities in normal individuals and cancer patients were compared and correlation of these activities to CEA values and anemia were determined. Changes in CD38-expression were followed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis of erythrocyte membrane proteins. Erythrocyte NAD glycohydrolase and ADP-ribosyl cyclase activities were significantly increased in cancer, in parallel to enhancement of CD38 expression and in correlation with CEA values and anemia. An increased expression of CD38 which may be due to action of proinflammatory cytokines produced in tumor-host reactions appears to account for the elevations in erythrocyte CD38-associated enzyme activities in cancer patients. The changes in these enzyme activities may provide a prognostic outlook in view of their apparently close correlation to tumor progressions.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play an important role in embryonic development and tissue regeneration in adult life owing to their high competency and self-renewal features. MSCs represent an important stem cell population with multipotent capabilities that may have high utility for translational clinical applications. MSCs can differentiate into a variety of cell types, especially fascia originated cells, and provide soluble factors for regeneration of tissues and organs. In in vitro environments, stem cells are capable of reproducing while preserving their properties; therefore, assuming stem cells could be reproduced in sufficient quantity, they would be appropriate for genetic operations. Stem cells can be used in tissue engineering, preventing rejection of bone marrow/ stem cell grafts by supporting hematopoiesis and recovery of autoimmune diseases, and cell therapy through their immunosuppressive properties. Mesenchymal stem cells have the potential capability to renew deformed organs and assist in tissue repair. In the field of wound healing, use of BM-MSCs is effective through modulating inflammation, extracellular matrix production, migration of keratinocytes, and angiogenesis for cell therapies. A significant complication of diabetes is diabetic foot ulcers, which affect quality of life and threaten life. In this article, we review recent studies with favorable results related to MSCs, which have become an important area of study in terms of tissue regeneration and regenerative medicine with diabetic foot ulcers.

We investigated the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of a methanol extract of Centaurea nerimaniae, a plant endemic in Turkey, on HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells. Eight concentrations of C. nerimaniae extract were applied to cells, and cytotoxic effects were measured using the xCELLigence system. The TUNEL assay was used to assess apoptotic cell death and immunohistochemistry was used to determine active caspase-3 using the effective cytotoxic doses of the extract. Doses of 1.42 mg/ml C. nerimaniae inhibited the growth of HeLa cells and 3.67 mg/ml C. nerimaniae inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The apoptotic indexes for HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells were increased significantly compared to control groups. Immunohistochemistry showed that the number of caspase-3 immunostained cells increased in the extract treatment groups for both HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells. In the MDA-MB-231 cell line, caspase-3 immunostaining was observed in nuclei and/or cytoplasm in the extract treated group. Caspase-3 activation was greater in HeLa cells than in MDA-MB-231 cells. We found that the extract of C. nerimaniae had a strong antiproliferative effect and induced apoptosis via caspase-3; MDA-MB-231 cancer cells were more resistant than HeLa cells.

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in primitive hematopoietic cells through CD38 expression, identify the stage at which erythrocyte differentiation CD38 gains activity and the effects of serum factors on this expression by establishing a hematopoietic stem cell system in the erythroid development process. Using an immunomagnetic labeling and separation technique, CD34+ cells were selected from cord blood. The CD34+ cells were cultured in a 2 mM L-glutamine‑enriched medium containing erythropoietin (Epo), penicillin‑streptomycin and stem cell factor (SCF), and were incubated in 5% CO2 at 37˚C. In erythroid development pathways following CD38 expression, primitive/progenitor human hematopoietic cells obtained from cord blood were assessed through the erythroid development process in a serum‑free medium in the presence of proper SCF and Epo. At the end of the 26‑day process, using staining with a Megacult-c staining kit, it was determined that progenitor cells nucleate and differentiate into erythroid cell lines of 8-10 µm. During the course of this process, we analyzed increases over time in NAD glycohydrolase activity rates using the supernatant liquid samples. Results of co-culture experiments in cell culture studies showed that the stimulating effects of CD38 expression originate from specific serum factors. CD38 expression has been shown to occur at hematopoietic cell sources as well as at a number of differentiation levels. In the proliferation process the possible induction of CD38 through specific serum factors leads us to conclude that it may be involved in proliferation with a physiological task or that it may be involved in an event, such as an apoptotic process.

The extent of ADP-ribosylation in rectal cancer was compared to that of the corresponding normal rectal tissue. Twenty rectal tissue fragments were collected during surgery from patients diagnosed as having rectal cancer on the basis of pathology results. The levels of ADP-ribosylation in rectum cancer tissue samples (95.9 +/- 22.1 nmol/ml) was significantly higher than in normal tissues (11.4 +/- 4 nmol/ml). The level of NAD+ glycohydrolase and ADP-ribosyl cyclase activities in rectal cancer and normal tissue samples were measured. Cancer tissues had significantly higher NAD+ glycohydrolase and ADP-ribosyl cyclase activities than the control tissues (43.3 +/- 9.1 vs 29.2 +/- 5.2 and 6.2 +/- 1.6 vs 1.6 +/- 0.4 nmol mg(-1) min(-1)). Approximately 75% of the NAD+ concentration was consumed as substrate in rectal cancer, with changes in NAD+/ADP-ribose metabolism being observed. When [14C]-ADP-ribosylated tissue samples were subjected to SDS-PAGE, autoradiographic analysis revealed that several proteins were ADP-ribosylated in rectum tissue. Notably, the radiolabeling of a 113-kDa protein was remarkably greater than that in control tissues. Poly(ADP)-ribosylation of the 113-kDa protein in rectum cancer tissues might be enhanced with its proliferative activity, and poly(ADP)-ribosylation of the same protein in rectum cancer patients might be an indicator of tumor diagnosis.