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Biological Sciences (BIO Posters): POS-3

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The therapeutic potential of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) extracts in testicular cancer. J. KUMI-DIAKA (1), J. BROWN (1), E. LANSKY (2).  (1) Department of Biological sciences, Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University Davie, FL 33314. (2) Rimonest Ltd., Science Park Technion, Israel.  A battery of assays was used to determine the chemosensitivity of testicular cancer cells, TM3 and GC1- spg, in vitro to pomegranate extracts alone and in combination treatments. Growth inhibition and treatment induced cytotoxicity was determined using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2-, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Apoptosis assays; Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide fluorescent dye, Annexin V-FITCH, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL), were used to determine the type of treatment induced cell death (apoptosis or necrosis). Results indicated that both extracts induced significant cytotoxic effect on testicular cancer cells alone and in combination. And that when compared to single treatments, cells exposed to combination treatment were more prone to apoptotic cell death, indicating the possibility of synergism. While in vitro studies lack biological activities of homeostasis, these studies will pave the way for in depth in vivo studies to assess the potential therapeutic capability of pomegranate.