The human placenta releases substances that drive lung cancer into apoptosis

Freshly resected non small cell lung cancer tissues were incubated with placenta-conditioned medium in a short-term tissue culture model and A549 cells were challenged, respectively. Term placenta was used for producing conditioned medium and HOPE-fixed stimulated tumor tissue was analyzed for expression of caspase-3 and Ki67 via immunohistochemistry. The effects of conditioned medium on squamous cell carcinoma were further compared to physiological concentrations of Carboplat/Gemzar.Conditioned medium caused in 2 of 3 cases elevated expression of caspase-3 and reduced expression of Ki67 in 3 out of 3 cases, while the chemotherapeutic agents caused no comparable expression of caspase-3 or reduction of Ki67. In cell culture up to 50% of karyopyknosis was investigated and even sterile-filtrated medium caused widespread reduction of Ki67 on protein level.Human placenta releases substances that mediate apoptosis and reduce proliferation in tumor tissue and cell culture. As even sterile-filtrated medium caused the mentioned effects we hypothesize one or more soluble mediators. The detailed way of promoting apoptosis and nature of these mediators need to be elucidated in further studies.Although new treatment regimens are currently being developed, Non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) still remains a fatal diagnosis and the success in its treatment up to date is not satisfying. Due to the poor response to common chemotherapeutics there are multifaceted endeavors to resolve these obstacles. This study focused on the effects of placenta-conditioned medium on human lung carcinoma.The human placenta as a unique structure of maternal and fetal origin has become a focus of interest in recent publications. The semi allograft fetus is a challenge for the maternal immune system and the exact way of avoiding its rejection is up to date not completely known. The implanting blastocyst adheres to the uterine wall and soon thereafter cytotrophoblast cells invade the endometrium to establ