title: Avemar, a nontoxic fermented wheat germ extract, attenuates the growth of sensitive and 5-FdUrd/Ara-C cross-resistant H9 human lymphoma cells through induction of apoptosis.
abstract: Avemar (MSC) is a nontoxic fermented wheat germ extract, which has been shown to significantly improve the survival rate in patients suffering from various malignancies. We investigated its effects in sensitive and 5-FdUrd/Ara-C cross-resistant H9 human lymphoma cells. After 48 and 72 h of incubation, Avemar inhibited the growth of sensitive H9 cells with IC50 values of 290 and 200 microg/ml, whereas the growth of 5-FdUrd/Ara-C cross-resistant H9 cells was attenuated with IC50 values of 180 and 145 microg/ml, respectively. Treatment with 300 microg/ml MSC for 48 h caused dose-dependent induction of apoptosis in 48% of sensitive H9 cells. In cross-resistant H9 cells, incubation with 200 microg/ml Avemar for 48 h led to 41% of apoptotic tumor cells. Growth arrest of sensitive H9 cells after exposure to various concentrations of MSC occurred mainly in the S phase of the cell cycle, thereby increasing the cell population from 54 to 73% while depleting cells in the G0-G1 phase from 40 to 19%. Growth arrest in cross-resistant H9 cells occurred also mainly in the S phase, increasing the cell population from 45 to 68% while depleting cells in the G0-G1 phase from 45 to 31%. As MSC treatment likely overcomes 5-FdUrd/Ara-C resistance, further investigations to elucidate the exact mechanisms are warranted. We conclude that Avemar exerts a number of beneficial effects which could support conventional chemotherapy of human malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saiko
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozsvar-Kozma
authors.forename: Geraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Graser
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lackner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grusch
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madlener
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krupitza
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: Mate
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hidvegi
authors.forename: Ram P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fritzer-Szekeres
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szekeres
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; C113915:Avemar; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003561:Cytarabine; D005472:Fluorouracil