Chronic inflammation in cancer development

The molecular link between obesity and genomic instability in cancer development

Obesity has been known to be a major risk factor for various types of cancers for several decades. More recently, the relationship between dysregulated adipokines and cancer development has been the focus of much research. Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ that secretes adipokines that affect both autocrine and paracrine signaling. These adipokines modulate inflammation, induce insulin resistance, and regulate their own behavior and production. Adipokine-production dysregulation is due to physiological changes in adipose tissue that prompt molecular modifications, including low-grade inflammation and the stimulatory production of reactive oxygen species. Additionally, studies have linked DNA damage response, genomic instability, and the innate immune response to tumorigenesis. Further investigation of adipokines and their role in the promotion of genomic instability may clarify the link between obesity and cancer, as well as elucidate potential pharmaceutical targets. In this review, we discuss the progress of recent literature, focusing on the impact of adipokines, genomic instability, and the innate immune response on increasing the risk of cancer.

Glioblastoma Multiforme: Probing Solutions to Systemic Toxicity towards High-Dose Chemotherapy and Inflammatory Influence in Resistance against Temozolomide

Temozolomide (TMZ), the first-line chemotherapeutic drug against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), often fails to provide the desired clinical outcomes due to inflammation-induced resistance amid inefficient drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The current study utilized solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNPs) for targeted delivery of TMZ against GBM. After successful formulation and characterization of SLNPs and conjugation with TMZ (SLNP-TMZ), their in-vitro anti-cancer efficacy and effect on the migratory potential of cancer cells were evaluated using temozolomide-sensitive (U87-S) as well as TMZ-resistant (U87-R) glioma cell lines. Elevated cytotoxicity and reduction in cell migration in both cell lines were observed with SLNP-TMZ as compared to the free drug (p < 0.05). Similar results were obtained in-vivo using an orthotopic xenograft mouse model (XM-S and XM-R), where a reduction in tumor size was observed with SLNP-TMZ treatment compared to TMZ. Concomitantly, higher concentrations of the drug were found in brain tissue resections of mice treated with SLNP-TMZ as compared to other vital organs than mice treated with free TMZ. Expression of inflammatory markers (Interleukin-1β, Interleukin-6 and Tumor Necrosis factor-α) in a resistant cell line (U87-R) and its respective mouse model (XM-R) were also found to be significantly elevated as compared to the sensitive U87-S cell line and its respective mouse model (XM-S). Thus, the in-vitro and in-vivo results of the study strongly support the potential application of SLNP-TMZ for TMZ-sensitive and resistant GBM therapy, indicatively through inflammatory mechanisms, and thus merit further detailed insights.

Immunopotentiating Activity of Fucoidans and Relevance to Cancer Immunotherapy

Fucoidans, discovered in 1913, are fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharides extracted mainly from brown seaweed. These versatile and nontoxic marine-origin heteropolysaccharides have a wide range of favorable biological activities, including antitumor, immunomodulatory, antiviral, antithrombotic, anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering activities. In the early 1980s, fucoidans were first recognized for their role in supporting the immune response and later, in the 1990s, their effects on immune potentiation began to emerge. In recent years, the understanding of the immunomodulatory effects of fucoidan has expanded significantly. The ability of fucoidan(s) to activate CTL-mediated cytotoxicity against cancer cells, strong antitumor property, and robust safety profile make fucoidans desirable for effective cancer immunotherapy. This review focusses on current progress and understanding of the immunopotentiation activity of various fucoidans, emphasizing their relevance to cancer immunotherapy. Here, we will discuss the action of fucoidans in different immune cells and review how fucoidans can be used as adjuvants in conjunction with immunotherapeutic products to improve cancer treatment and clinical outcome. Some key rationales for the possible combination of fucoidans with immunotherapy will be discussed. An update is provided on human clinical studies and available registered cancer clinical trials using fucoidans while highlighting future prospects and challenges.

Biotinylated Pt(IV) prodrugs with elevated lipophilicity and cytotoxicity

A design of Pt(IV) prodrugs with tumor cell targeting moieties leading to increased selectivity is of interest. Herein, we designed a novel Pt(IV) prodrugs with COX-inhibitor naproxen, long-chain hydrophobic stearic acid moiety and biotin as axial ligands. We have established that for Pt(IV) prodrugs with biotin and naproxen or stearate in axial position, the lipophilicity rather than biotin receptors expression is the main factor of cytotoxicity. We also monitored the reduction speed of Pt(IV) prodrug 3 with naproxen and biotin in axial positions in A549 cells using XANES and demonstrated that the prodrug gradually releases cisplatin within 20 hours of incubation.

Prospective Epigenetic Actions of Organo-Sulfur Compounds against Cancer: Perspectives and Molecular Mechanisms

Major epigenetic alterations, such as chromatin modifications, DNA methylation, and miRNA regulation, have gained greater attention and play significant roles in oncogenesis, representing a new paradigm in our understanding of cancer susceptibility. These epigenetic changes, particularly aberrant promoter hypermethylation, abnormal histone acetylation, and miRNA dysregulation, represent a set of epigenetic patterns that contribute to inappropriate gene silencing at every stage of cancer progression. Notably, the cancer epigenome possesses various HDACs and DNMTs, which participate in the histone modifications and DNA methylation. As a result, there is an unmet need for developing the epigenetic inhibitors against HDACs and DNMTs for cancer therapy. To date, several epigenetically active synthetic inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases and histone deacetylases have been developed. However, a growing body of research reports that most of these synthetic inhibitors have significant side effects and a narrow window of specificity for cancer cells. Targeting tumor epigenetics with phytocompounds that have the capacity to modulate abnormal DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and miRNAs expression is one of the evolving strategies for cancer prevention. Encouragingly, there are many bioactive phytochemicals, including organo-sulfur compounds that have been shown to alter the expression of key tumor suppressor genes, oncogenes, and oncogenic miRNAs through modulation of DNA methylation and histones in cancer. In addition to vitamins and microelements, dietary phytochemicals such as sulforaphane, PEITC, BITC, DADS, and allicin are among a growing list of naturally occurring anticancer agents that have been studied as an alternative strategy for cancer treatment and prevention. Moreover, these bioactive organo-sulfur compounds, either alone or in combination with other standard cancer drugs or phytochemicals, showed promising results against many cancers. Here, we particularly summarize and focus on the impact of specific organo-sulfur compounds on DNA methylation and histone modifications through targeting the expression of different DNMTs and HDACs that are of particular interest in cancer therapy and prevention.

Flavonoids as Modulators of Potassium Channels

Potassium channels are widely distributed integral proteins responsible for the effective and selective transport of K+ ions through the biological membranes. According to the existing structural and mechanistic differences, they are divided into several groups. All of them are considered important molecular drug targets due to their physiological roles, including the regulation of membrane potential or cell signaling. One of the recent trends in molecular pharmacology is the evaluation of the therapeutic potential of natural compounds and their derivatives, which can exhibit high specificity and effectiveness. Among the pharmaceuticals of plant origin, which are potassium channel modulators, flavonoids appear as a powerful group of biologically active substances. It is caused by their well-documented anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, and antidiabetic effects on human health. Here, we focus on presenting the current state of knowledge about the possibilities of modulation of particular types of potassium channels by different flavonoids. Additionally, the biological meaning of the flavonoid-mediated changes in the activity of K+ channels will be outlined. Finally, novel promising directions for further research in this area will be proposed.

Adipose Tissue-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Contribute to Phenotypic Plasticity of Prostate Cancer Cells

Metastatic prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of male cancer deaths in the western world. Obesity significantly increases the risk of metastatic disease and is associated with a higher mortality rate. Systemic chronic inflammation can result from a variety of conditions, including obesity, where adipose tissue inflammation is a major contributor. Adipose tissue endothelial cells (EC) exposed to inflammation become dysfunctional and produce a secretome, including extracellular vesicles (EV), that can impact function of cells in distant tissues, including malignant cells. The aim of this study was to explore the potential role of EVs produced by obese adipose tissue and the ECs exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines on prostate cancer phenotypic plasticity in vitro. We demonstrate that PC3ML metastatic prostate cancer cells exposed to EVs from adipose tissue ECs and to EVs from human adipose tissue total explants display reduced invasion and increased proliferation. The latter functional changes could be attributed to the EV miRNA cargo. We also show that the functional shift is TWIST1-dependent and is consistent with mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, which is key to establishment of secondary tumor growth. Understanding the complex effects of EVs on prostate cancer cells of different phenotypes is key before their intended use as therapeutics.

Sugar Sweetened and Artificially Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Pancreatic Cancer: A Retrospective Study

Pancreatic cancer (PanCa) is a highly fatal malignancy with few modifiable risk and prognostic factors. This study investigates the association between cola, diet cola, and non-cola soft drink consumption and PanCa risk and mortality. A retrospective study was conducted using data from the Patient Epidemiology Data System (1982-1998) at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Buffalo, NY, USA), including 213 PanCa patients and 852 cancer-free controls. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, including a 46-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of cola, diet cola, and non-cola soft drink consumption and PanCa risk. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CIs of cola, diet cola, and non-cola soft drink consumption and PanCa mortality. Stratified analyses were conducted by sex, body mass index (BMI), and smoking status. We observed significant 55% increased odds of PanCa among patients consuming ≥1 regular cola per day (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.01-2.39). We also observed non-significant 38% increased hazard of mortality among patients consuming ≥1 regular cola per day (HR: 1.38, 95% CI: 0.91-2.07). We conclude that regular cola consumption is a modifiable lifestyle that may be associated with PanCa risk and mortality following diagnosis.

Opportunities for Treg cell therapy for the treatment of human disease

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are essential for maintaining peripheral tolerance, preventing autoimmunity, and limiting chronic inflammatory diseases. This small CD4+ T cell population can develop in the thymus and in the peripheral tissues of the immune system through the expression of an epigenetically stabilized transcription factor, FOXP3. Treg cells mediate their tolerogenic effects using multiple modes of action, including the production of inhibitory cytokines, cytokine starvation of T effector (e.g., IL-2), Teff suppression by metabolic disruption, and modulation of antigen-presenting cell maturation or function. These activities together result in the broad control of various immune cell subsets, leading to the suppression of cell activation/expansion and effector functions. Moreover, these cells can facilitate tissue repair to complement their suppressive effects. In recent years, there has been an effort to harness Treg cells as a new therapeutic approach to treat autoimmune and other immunological diseases and, importantly, to re-establish tolerance. Recent synthetic biological advances have enabled the cells to be genetically engineered to achieve tolerance and antigen-specific immune suppression by increasing their specific activity, stability, and efficacy. These cells are now being tested in clinical trials. In this review, we highlight both the advances and the challenges in this arena, focusing on the efforts to develop this new pillar of medicine to treat and cure a variety of diseases.

Therapeutic potential of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in cyclophosphamide-induced infertility

Cancer is a deadly disease characterized by abnormal cell proliferation. Chemotherapy is one technique of cancer treatment. Cyclophosphamide (CYP) is the most powerful chemotherapy medication, yet it has serious adverse effects. It is an antimitotic medicine that regulates cell proliferation and primarily targets quickly dividing cells, and it has been related to varying levels of infertility in humans. In the current study, we assessed the biochemical, histological, and microscopic evaluations of testicular damage following cyclophosphamide administration. Further, we have explored the potential protective impact of mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) transplantation. The biochemical results revealed that administration of cyclophosphamide increased serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), while it decreased serum concentrations of free testosterone hormone (TH), testicular follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and free testosterone hormone concentrations, testicular total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and testicular activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme. The histology and sperm examinations revealed that cyclophosphamide induced destruction to the architectures of several tissues in the testes, which drastically reduced the Johnsen score as well as the spermatogenesis process. Surprisingly, transplantation of mesenchymal stem cell after cyclophosphamide administration altered the deterioration effect of cyclophosphamide injury on the testicular tissues, as demonstrated by biochemical and histological analysis. Our results indicated alleviation of serum and testicular sex hormones, as well as testicular oxidative stress markers (total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity), and nearly restored the normal appearance of the testicular tissues, Johnsen score, and spermatogenesis process. In conclusion, our work emphasizes the protective pharmacological use of mesenchymal stem cell to mitigate the effects of cyclophosphamide on testicular tissues that impair the spermatogenesis process following chemotherapy. These findings indicate that transferring mesenchymal stem cell to chemotherapy patients could significantly improve spermatogenesis.

Inosine, gut microbiota, and cancer immunometabolism

This article briefly reviews cancer immunity and the role of gut microbiota in carcinogenesis, followed by an understanding of mechanisms by which inosine is involved in cancer immunometabolism. The immune system plays a paradoxical role in cancer treatment. Antitumor immunity depends on the T-cell priming against tumor antigens, whereas inflammatory mediators trigger the protumor signaling in the tumor microenvironment. Studies link the microbiome with metabolism and immunity-two main factors implicated in carcinogenesis. Gut microbiota has been shown to affect both antitumor immunity and protumor immune signaling. There is mounting evidence that the human microbiome can play a role in the immunotherapeutic effects, both response and resistance. Inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is a highly conservative enzyme widely expressed in mammals. Cell signaling pathways use molecular inosine, a crucial secondary metabolite in purine metabolism and a molecular messenger. Recent research has identified inosine as a critical regulator of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) therapeutic response in various tumor types. Some bacterial species were found to produce inosine or its metabolite hypoxanthine and induce T-helper 1 differentiation and effector functions via the inosine-A2AR-cAMP-PKA pathway upon ICI therapy. Also, inosine acts as a substitute carbon source for T-cell metabolism in glucose-restricted environments, i.e., the tumor microenvironment, assisting T-cell proliferation and differentiation while enhancing sensitivity to ICI, reinforcing the notion that inosine metabolism might contribute to antitumor immunity. Also, inosine is a potent agonist of the adenosine receptor, A2AR, and A2AR signaling can affect T-cell responses and antitumor immunity, making the inosine-A2AR pathway blockage a candidate for cancer treatment. Further research is required to investigate inosine as a cancer immunometabolism therapy.

Immune cell-camouflaged surface-engineered nanotherapeutics for cancer management

Nanocarriers (NCs) have shown potential in delivering hydrophobic cytotoxic drugs and tumor-specific targeting. However, the inability to penetrate the tumor microenvironment and entrapment by macrophages has limited their clinical translation. Various cell-based drug delivery systems have been explored for their ability to improve circulation half-life and tumor accumulation capabilities. Tumors are characterized by high inflammation, which aids in tumor progression and metastasis. Immune cells show natural tumor tropism and penetration inside the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are a topic of great interest in cancer drug delivery. However, the TME is immunosuppressive and can polarize immune cells to pro-tumor. Thus, the use of immune cell membrane-coated NCs has gained popularity. Such carriers display immune cell-specific surface receptors for tumor-specific accumulation but lack cell machinery. The lack of immune cell machinery makes them unaffected by the immunosuppressive TME, meanwhile maintaining the inherent tumor tropism. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanism behind the movement of various immune cells toward TME, the preparation and characterization of membrane-coated NCs, and the efficacy of immune cell-mimicking NCs in tumor therapy. Regulatory guidelines and the bottlenecks in clinical translation are also highlighted. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Nanocarriers have been explored for the site-specific delivery of chemotherapeutics. However, low systemic circulation half-life, extensive entrapment by macrophages, and poor accumulation inside the tumor microenvironment prevent the clinical translation of conventional nanotherapeutics. Immune cells possess the natural tropism towards the tumor along the chemokine gradient. Hence, coating the nanocarriers with immune cell-derived membranes can improve the accumulation of nanocarriers inside the tumor. Moreover, coating with membranes derived autologous immune cells will prevent engulfment by the macrophages.

Increased risk of malignancy in patients with Takayasu's arteritis: a population-based cohort study in Korea

This study aimed to evaluate the relative risk of malignancy in patients with Takayasu's arteritis compared to that in the general population. This retrospective nationwide cohort study used data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. All newly diagnosed patients with Takayasu's arteritis were identified between January 2009 and December 2019. They were observed until the diagnosis of malignancy, death, or end of the observational period, December 2020. The standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of the overall and site-specific malignancies were estimated and compared with the incidence of cancer in the general population retrieved from the National Cancer Registry. We identified 1449 newly diagnosed patients with Takayasu's arteritis during the observational period (9196 person-years). A total of 74, 66, and 8 patients had overall, solid, and hematologic malignancies, respectively. The risks of overall [SIR, 1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27-2.03], solid (SIR, 1.51; 95% CI 1.17-1.92), and hematologic (SIR, 4.05; 95% CI 1.75-7.98) malignancies were increased compared to those in the general population. In solid malignancies, breast (SIR, 2.07; 95% CI 1.16-3.42) and ovarian (SIR, 4.45; 95% CI 1.21-11.39) cancers had an increased risk. In hematologic malignancies, the risk of myelodysplasia increased (SIR, 18.02; 95% CI 3.72-52.66). Immunosuppressive agent use was not associated with malignancy. There was no specific period when cancer more frequently occurred. An increased risk of malignancy was observed in patients with Takayasu's arteritis compared to that in the general population in this large-scale nationwide population study of Korean health insurance data.

Role of Candida albicans in Oral Carcinogenesis

Oral carcinogenesis is also dependent on the balance of the oral microbiota. Candida albicans is a member oral microbiota that acts as an opportunistic pathogen along with changes in the epithelium that can predispose to premalignancy and/or malignancy. This systematic review uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines to analyze the role of Candida albicans in the process of oral carcinogenesis. Eleven articles qualified inclusion criteria, matched keywords, and provided adequate information about the carcinogenesis parameters of Candida albicans in oral cancer. Candida albicans in oral carcinogenesis can be seen as significant virulent factors for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) or potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) with normal adjacent mucosa. Candida albicans have a role in the process of oral carcinogenesis concerning morphological phenotype changes in cell structure and genotype and contribute to the formation of carcinogenic substances that can affect cell development towards malignancy.

Molecular links between allergy and cancer

Epidemiologic studies show both positive and negative associations between allergies and cancer. Allergic diseases may protect against tumorigenesis by promoting the immune surveillance, while carcinogenesis may be promoted through inflammatory responses from allergies. Histamine receptor antagonists are the focus of recent cancer studies because of their promising beneficial effect on tumor development. Also, cytokines, particularly IL-4 or IL-33, IgE as well as allergy-related immune cells such as eosinophils can contribute to tumor growth suppression. Depending on cancer types, cancer therapy may be more beneficial when considering combinatorial immunotherapy. In this review, we give an overview on molecular links between allergies and cancer.

Sex Biases in Cancer and Autoimmune Disease Incidence Are Strongly Positively Correlated with Mitochondrial Gene Expression across Human Tissues

Cancer occurs more frequently in men while autoimmune diseases (AIDs) occur more frequently in women. To explore whether these sex biases have a common basis, we collected 167 AID incidence studies from many countries for tissues that have both a cancer type and an AID that arise from that tissue. Analyzing a total of 182 country-specific, tissue-matched cancer-AID incidence rate sex bias data pairs, we find that, indeed, the sex biases observed in the incidence of AIDs and cancers that occur in the same tissue are positively correlated across human tissues. The common key factor whose levels across human tissues are most strongly associated with these incidence rate sex biases is the sex bias in the expression of the 37 genes encoded in the mitochondrial genome.

EGCG Prevents the Transcriptional Reprogramming of an Inflammatory and Immune-Suppressive Molecular Signature in Macrophage-like Differentiated Human HL60 Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells

Simple Summary

Scientists are increasingly harnessing the power of the immune system to prevent cancer. While macrophages are a major component of the tumor microenvironment where they orchestrate various aspects of immunity, dysregulated immune and inflammatory responses will play a key role in cancer initiation and progression. Depending on their activation status, macrophages can have a dual impact on tumorigenesis by either antagonising cytotoxic immune cells or enhancing antitumor responses. Increased infiltration of tumor-associated macrophages has long been associated with poor patient prognosis in most solid cancers, highlighting their value as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cancer. A variety of macrophage-centered approaches to cancer therapy have been investigated, including strategies to prevent tumor-promoting activities. In this study, we highlight the chemopreventive properties of EGCG derived from green tea that underpin its ability to re-program macrophage molecular signature and function.

Abstract

Background: The promyelocytic leukemia cell differentiation process enables recapitulation of the polarized M1 or M2 macrophage-like phenotype with inflammatory and immune-suppressive properties. While evidence supports the anti-inflammatory effect of dietary-derived epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), its impact on the onset of immune phenotype molecular signature remains unclear. Methods: Human HL60 promyelocytic cells grown in suspension were differentiated into CD11b^High/CD14^Low adherent macrophages with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Gelatin zymography was used to assess the levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and total RNA was isolated for RNAseq and RT-qPCR assessment of differentially expressed gene levels involved in inflammation and immunity. Protein lysates were used to assess the phosphorylation status of signaling intermediates involved in macrophage-like cell differentiation. Results: Cell adhesion and induction of MMP-9 were indicative of HL60 cell differentiation into a macrophage-like phenotype. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3, p90 ribosomal S6 kinases (RSK), and cAMP-response-element-binding protein (CREB) were all phosphorylated, and EGCG reduced such phosphorylation status. Increases in inflammation and immunity genes included, among others, CCL22, CSF1, CSF2, IL1B, and TNF, which inductions were prevented by EGCG. This was corroborated by unbiased transcriptomic analysis which further highlighted the capacity of EGCG to downregulate the hematopoietic stem cell regulator CBFA2T3. Conclusion: EGCG inhibits inflammatory signaling crosstalk and prevents the onset of an immune phenotype in macrophage-like differentiated cells.

Premalignant Conditions of Bone

Development of malignancy is a multifactorial process, and there are multitude of conditions of bone that may predispose patients to malignancy. Etiologies of malignancy include benign osseous conditions, genetic predisposition, and extrinsic conditions. New-onset pain or growth in a previously stable lesion is that should concern for malignant change and should prompt a diagnostic workup for malignancy.

Gut Microbiota and Therapy in Metastatic Melanoma: Focus on MAPK Pathway Inhibition

Gut microbiome (GM) and its either pro-tumorigenic or anti-tumorigenic role is intriguing and constitutes an evolving landscape in translational oncology. It has been suggested that these microorganisms may be involved in carcinogenesis, cancer treatment response and resistance, as well as predisposition to adverse effects. In melanoma patients, one of the most immunogenic cancers, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and MAPK-targeted therapy—BRAF/MEK inhibitors—have revolutionized prognosis, and the study of the microbiome as a modulating factor is thus appealing. Although BRAF/MEK inhibitors constitute one of the main backbones of treatment in melanoma, little is known about their impact on GM and how this might correlate with immune re-induction. On the contrary, ICI and their relationship to GM has become an interesting field of research due to the already-known impact of immunotherapy in modulating the immune system. Immune reprogramming in the tumor microenvironment has been established as one of the main targets of microbiome, since it can induce immunosuppressive phenotypes, promote inflammatory responses or conduct anti-tumor responses. As a result, ongoing clinical trials are evaluating the role of fecal microbiota transplant (FMT), as well as the impact of using dietary supplements, antibiotics and probiotics in the prediction of response to therapy. In this review, we provide an overview of GM’s link to cancer, its relationship with the immune system and how this may impact response to treatments in melanoma patients. We also discuss insights about novel therapeutic approaches including FMT, changes in diet and use of probiotics, prebiotics and symbiotics. Finally, we hypothesize on the possible pathways through which GM may impact anti-tumor efficacy in melanoma patients treated with targeted therapy, an appealing subject of which little is known.

Bacterial Involvement in Progression and Metastasis of Adenocarcinoma of the Stomach

Simple Summary

Infectious bacteria influence primary gastric carcinogenesis, organotropism, and metastatic progression by altering the microenvironment at the primary and secondary tumors. Key species include Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Mycoplasma hyorhinis (M. hyorhinis). Inflammation caused by H. pylori virulence factors, such as CagA, VacA, and oipA, disrupt epithelial integrity, which allows the primary tumor to progress through the metastatic process. Evidence supports the activation of aquaporin-5 by CagA-positive H. pylori infection, promoting epithelial–mesenchymal transition via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK/ERK) pathway, thus laying the foundation for metastatic disease. M. hyorhinis has also been implicated in gastric neoplasia via β-catenin stabilization and subsequent activation of the WNT-signaling pathway, promoting gastric cancer cell motility and inciting cancer progression.

Abstract

Gastric cancer metastasis is a process in which the tumor microenvironment may carry significant influence. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is well-established as a contributor to gastric carcinoma. However, the role that these bacteria and others may play in gastric carcinoma metastasis is a current focus of study. A review of the literature was conducted to elucidate the process by which gastric adenocarcinoma metastasizes, including its ability to utilize both the lymphatic system and the venous system to disseminate. Studies that investigate the tumor microenvironment at both the primary and secondary sites were assessed in detail. H. pylori and Mycoplasma hyorhinis (M. hyorhinis) were found to be important drivers of the pathogenesis of gastric adenocarcinoma by modifying various steps in cell metastasis, including epithelial–mesenchymal transition, cell migration, and cell invasion. H. pylori is also a known driver of MALT lymphoma, which is often reversible simply with the eradication of infection. M. hyorhinis has been implicated in gastric neoplasia via β-catenin stabilization and subsequent activation of the WNT-signaling pathway, promoting gastric cancer cell motility and inciting cancer progression. Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) and its association with worse prognosis in diffuse-type gastric adenocarcinoma are also reviewed. Recognition of the roles that bacteria play within the metastatic cascade is vital in gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma treatment and potential reoccurrence. Further investigation is needed to establish potential treatment for metastatic gastric carcinoma by targeting the tumor microenvironment.

Psychoneurological Symptoms and Biomarkers of Stress and Inflammation in Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Network Analysis

Psychoneurological symptoms are commonly reported by newly diagnosed head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, yet there is limited research on the associations of these symptoms with biomarkers of stress and inflammation. In this article, pre-treatment data of a multi-center cohort of HNC patients were analyzed using a network analysis to examine connections between symptoms (poor sleep quality, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and oral pain), biomarkers of stress (diurnal cortisol slope), inflammation markers (c-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]), and covariates (age and body mass index [BMI]). Three centrality indices were calculated: degree (number of connections), closeness (proximity of a variable to other variables), and betweenness (based on the number of times a variable is located on the shortest path between any pair of other variables). In a sample of 264 patients, poor sleep quality and fatigue had the highest degree index; fatigue and CRP had the highest closeness index; and IL-6 had the highest betweenness index. The model yielded two clusters: a symptoms-cortisol slope-CRP cluster and a IL-6-IL-10-TNF-α-age-BMI cluster. Both clusters were connected most prominently via IL-6. Our findings provide evidence that poor sleep quality, fatigue, CRP, and IL-6 play an important role in the interconnections between psychoneurological symptoms and biomarkers of stress and inflammation in newly diagnosed HNC patients.

Interactome battling of lncRNA CCDC144NL-AS1: Its role in the emergence and ferocity of cancer and beyond

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were, once, viewed as "noise" for transcription. Recently, many lncRNAs are functionally linked to several human disorders, including cancer. Coiled-Coil Domain Containing 144 N-Terminal-Like antisense1 (CCDC144NL-AS1) is a newly discovered cytosolic lncRNA. Aberrant CCDC144NL-AS1 expression was discovered in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), ovarian cancer (OC), gastric cancer (GC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and osteosarcoma. CCDC144NL-AS1 could be a promising prognostic biological marker and therapeutic target for cancer. In this review, we will collect and highlight the available information about CCDC144NL-AS1 role in various cancers. Moreover, we will discuss the diagnostic and prognostic utility of CCDC144NL-AS1 as a new molecular biomarker for several human malignancies, besides its potential therapeutic importance.

Mitochondrial oxidative stress in the tumor microenvironment and cancer immunoescape: foe or friend?

The major concept of "oxidative stress" is an excess elevated level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are generated from vigorous metabolism and consumption of oxygen. The precise harmonization of oxidative stresses between mitochondria and other organelles in the cell is absolutely vital to cell survival. Under oxidative stress, ROS produced from mitochondria and are the major mediator for tumorigenesis in different aspects, such as proliferation, migration/invasion, angiogenesis, inflammation, and immunoescape to allow cancer cells to adapt to the rigorous environment. Accordingly, the dynamic balance of oxidative stresses not only orchestrate complex cell signaling events in cancer cells but also affect other components in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Immune cells, such as M2 macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells are the major components of the immunosuppressive TME from the ROS-induced inflammation. Based on this notion, numerous strategies to mitigate oxidative stresses in tumors have been tested for cancer prevention or therapies; however, these manipulations are devised from different sources and mechanisms without established effectiveness. Herein, we integrate current progress regarding the impact of mitochondrial ROS in the TME, not only in cancer cells but also in immune cells, and discuss the combination of emerging ROS-modulating strategies with immunotherapies to achieve antitumor effects.

Cancer stem cells induced by chronic stimulation with prostaglandin E2 exhibited constitutively activated PI3K axis

Previously, our group has demonstrated establishment of Cancer Stem Cell (CSC) models from stem cells in the presence of conditioned medium of cancer cell lines. In this study, we tried to identify the factors responsible for the induction of CSCs. Since we found the lipid composition could be traced to arachidonic acid cascade in the CSC model, we assessed prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as a candidate for the ability to induce CSCs from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Mouse iPSCs acquired the characteristics of CSCs in the presence of 10 ng/mL of PGE2 after 4 weeks. Since constitutive Akt activation and pik3cg overexpression were found in the resultant CSCs, of which growth was found independent of PGE2, chronic stimulation of the receptors EP-2/4 by PGE2 was supposed to induce CSCs from iPSCs through epigenetic effect. The bioinformatics analysis of the next generation sequence data of the obtained CSCs proposed not only receptor tyrosine kinase activation by growth factors but also extracellular matrix and focal adhesion enhanced PI3K pathway. Collectively, chronic stimulation of stem cells with PGE2 was implied responsible for cancer initiation enhancing PI3K/Akt axis.

Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Chronic Osteomyelitis: Our Experience, Review of the Literature and Role of MRI in Differential Diagnosis

Background. The authors describe a series of patients with chronic osteomyelitis associated with squamous cell carcinoma, whilst analyzing its incidence in chronic osteomyelitis, surgical options for treatment and focusing on the role of MRI in differential diagnosis. Methods. The authors reviewed 73 cases of chronic osteomyelitis (CO) treated in their department between 1995 and 2019. Six of these patients (8.2%) had a malignant degeneration in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). All cases with malignancy were evaluated with preoperative gadolinium-enhanced MRI. Results. In this series, the authors observed an incidence rate of 8.2% (6 cases out of 73); all patients were male with a mean age of 63.5 years. The mean time between the occurrence of chronic osteomyelitis and the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma was 36 years (range: 21–66). The treatment consisted of amputation in five patients and limb salvage with vascularized fibula autograft in one case. Conclusions. MRI played a key role in the differential diagnosis between infected and tumoral tissue, and was found to be crucial during follow-up. Amputation is the treatment of choice in extended tumoral involvement of bone and soft tissue.

Association of Cytokine Gene Polymorphisms with Prostate Cancer Risk from a Study in Central China

Our study intended to investigate five cytokine gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their associations with prostate cancer risk. Genotypes of five cytokine gene SNPs were detected by MassARRAY for blood samples from a group of patients with prostate cancer (n = 90) and a control group (n = 140) in central China. The differences in tumor clinical stages, Gleason scores, and PSA values in patients with prostate cancer were also investigated. The frequencies of the five cytokine gene SNPs (L-1β rs16944, IL-4 rs2070874, IL-4rs2227284, IL-16 rs7175701, and IL-16 rs11556218) genotypes were not found to be significantly mutated in prostate cancer patients compared with the control group. In addition, for five cytokine gene SNPs genotypic comparisons, patients with different Gleason scores, clinical stages, and PSA values were grouped into two subgroups. There was also no statistically significant association in all these subgroups. Our study suggests that cytokine gene polymorphisms may not be a risk factor for prostate cancer in a central Chinese population. Nevertheless, more large-scale studies on the Chinese population are necessary to examine our conclusions. The discovery of cytokine gene polymorphisms related to prostate cancer could update our understanding of the etiology and improve our knowledge of the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of prostate cancer.

Dual Function of Secreted APE1/Ref-1 in TNBC Tumorigenesis: An Apoptotic Initiator and a Regulator of Chronic Inflammatory Signaling

The simultaneous regulation of cancer cells and inflammatory immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) can be an effective strategy in treating aggressive breast cancer types, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox effector factor 1 (APE1/Ref-1) is a multi-functional nuclear protein that can be stimulated and then secreted. The extracellular APE1/Ref-1 causes a reduction in disulfide bonds in cytokine receptors, resulting in their conformational changes, thereby inhibiting inflammatory signaling. Furthermore, the secreted APE1/Ref-1 in response to acetylation has been shown to bind to a receptor for the advanced glycation end product (RAGE), initiating the apoptotic cell death of TNBC in vitro and in vivo. This study used PPTLS-APE1/Ref-1 in an adenovirus vector (Ad-PPTLS-APE1/Ref-1) for the constant expression of extracellular APE1/Ref-1, and our results demonstrated its dual function as an apoptotic initiator and inflammation regulator. Injecting MDA-MB 231 orthotopic xenografts with the Ad-PPTLS-APE1/Ref-1 inhibited tumor growth and development in response to acetylation. Moreover, Ad-PPTLS-APE1/Ref-1 generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and tumor tissues derived from these xenografts exhibited apoptotic bodies. Compared to normal mice, a comparable ratio of anti- and pro-inflammatory cytokines was observed in the plasma of Ad-PPTLS-APE1/Ref-1-injected mice. Mechanistically, the disturbed cytokine receptor by reducing activity of PPTLS-APE1/Ref-1 inhibited inflammatory signaling leading to the inactivation of the p21-activated kinase 1-mediated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3/nuclear factor-κB axis in tumor tissues. These results suggest that the regulation of inflammatory signaling with adenoviral-mediated PPTLS-APE1/Ref-1 in tumors modulates the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in TME, thereby inhibiting aggressive cancer cell progression, and could be considered as a promising and safe therapeutic strategy for treating TNBCs.

Development of an Adverse Outcome Pathway for radiation-induced microcephaly via expert consultation and machine learning

BACKGROUND

Brain development during embryogenesis and in early postnatal life is particularly complex and involves the interplay of many cellular processes and molecular mechanisms, making it extremely vulnerable to exogenous insults, including ionizing radiation (IR). Microcephaly is one of the most frequent neurodevelopmental abnormalities that is characterized by small brain size, and is often associated with intellectual deficiency. Decades of research span from epidemiological data on in utero exposure of the A-bomb survivors, to studies on animal and cellular models that allowed deciphering the most prominent molecular mechanisms leading to microcephaly. The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework is used to organize, evaluate and portray the scientific knowledge of toxicological effects spanning different biological levels of organizations, from the initial interaction with molecular targets to the occurrence of a disease or adversity. In the present study, the framework was used in an attempt to organize the current scientific knowledge on microcephaly progression in the context of ionizing radiation (IR) exposure. This work was performed by a group of experts formed during a recent workshop organized jointly by the Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative (MELODI) and the European Radioecology Alliance (ALLIANCE) associations to present the AOP approach and tools. Here we report on the development of a putative AOP for congenital microcephaly resulting from IR exposure based on discussions of the working group and we emphasize the use of a novel machine-learning approach to assist in the screening of the available literature to develop AOPs.

CONCLUSION

The expert consultation led to the identification of crucial biological events for the progression of microcephaly upon exposure to IR, and highlighted current knowledge gaps. The machine learning approach was successfully used to screen the existing knowledge and helped to rapidly screen the body of evidence and in particular the epidemiological data. This systematic review approach also ensured that the analysis was sufficiently comprehensive to identify the most relevant data and facilitate rapid and consistent AOP development. We anticipate that as machine learning approaches become more user-friendly through easy-to-use web interface, this would allow AOP development to become more efficient and less time consuming.

Oral Microbiota Variation: A Risk Factor for Development and Poor Prognosis of Esophageal Cancer

Recent studies have shown that oral microbiota play an important role in the esophageal cancer (EC) initiation and progression, suggesting that oral microbiota is a new risk factor for EC. The composition of the microbes inhabiting the oral cavity could be perturbed with continuous factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and inflammation. The microbial alteration involves the decrease of beneficial species and the increase of pathogenic species. Experimental evidences suggest a significant role of oral commensal organisms in protecting hosts against EC. By contrast, oral pathogens, especially Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, give rise to the risk for developing EC through their pro-inflammatory and pro-tumorigenic activities. The presences of oral dysbiosis, microbial biofilm, and periodontitis in EC patients are found to be associated with invasive cancer phenotypes and poor prognosis. The mechanism of oral bacteria in EC progression is complex, which involves a combination of cytokines, chemokines, oncogenic signaling pathways, cell surface receptors, the degradation of extracellular matrix, and cell apoptosis. From a clinical perspective, good oral hygiene, professional oral care, and rational use of antibiotics bring positive impacts on oral microbial balance, thus helping individuals reduce the risk of EC, inhibiting postoperative complications among EC patients, and improving the efficiency of chemoradiotherapy. However, current oral hygiene practices mainly focus on the oral bacteria-based predictive and preventive purposes. It is still far from implementing microbiota-dependent regulation as a therapy for EC. Further explorations are needed to render oral microbiota a potential target for treating EC.

Screening, Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation in Cancer Patients: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia in the general population, carrying a high morbimortality burden, and this also holds true in cancer patients. The association between AF and cancer goes even further, with some studies suggesting that AF can be a marker of occult cancer. There is, however, a remarkable paucity of data concerning specific challenges of AF management in cancer patients. AF prompt recognition and management in this special population can lessen the arrhythmia-related morbidity and have an important prognostic benefit. This review will focus on current AF diagnosis and management challenges in cancer patients, with special emphasis on AF screening strategies and devices, and anticoagulation therapy with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anti-coagulants (NOACs) for thromboembolic prevention in these patients. Some insights concerning future perspectives for AF prevention, diagnosis, and treatment in this special population will also be addressed.

Molecular Docking of the Terpenes in Gorgonian Corals to COX-2 and iNOS Enzymes as Anti-Inflammatory

Background:

Because the inflammatory pathway is triggered by the enzymes cyclooxygenase- 2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), inhibitors, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are needed, although these have side effects. Therefore, the discovery and development of natural medicine as a lead compound are needed. The gorgonian corals have been reported to contain cyclic diterpenes with anti-inflammatory activities. The specific anti-inflammatory inhibitor potential has not been reported regarding these secondary metabolites, whether in COX-2 or iNOS. Thus, the in silico method is the right alternative.

Objective:

This study aimed to determine the potency of fifteen terpenes of the various gorgonian corals to COX-2 and iNOS enzymes as an anti-inflammatory.

Methods:

Molecular docking was performed using ChemDraw Ultra 12.0, Chem3D Pro 12.0, Biovia Discovery Studio 2016 Client®, Autodock Tools 4.2, prediction pharmacokinetics (Pre-ADMET), and oral administration (Lipinski rule of five).

Results:

Potential terpenes based on ΔG (kcal/mol) and Ki (nM) to COX-2 were gyrosanol B (-10,32; 27,15), gyrosanol A (-10,20; 33,57), echinolabdane A (-9,81; 64,76). Only nine terpenes were specific to COX-2 active sites, while for iNOS were palmonine F (-7.76; 2070), briarenol C (-7.55; 2910), and all test compounds binding to the iNOS active sites. Pre-ADMET prediction obtained that HIA was very excellent (70–100%), Caco-2 had moderate permeability (4–70 nm sec-1), and PPB had strong binding (> 90%). Eight terpenes qualified for the Lipinski rule of five.

Conclusion:

iNOS was a specific target for terpenes based on the free energy of binding (ΔG).

Dietary inflammatory index and breast cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis of observational studies

This updated meta-analysis sought to determine whether the pro-inflammatory potential of diet is a risk factor for breast cancer (BrCa) development, for the first time focusing on the effects of design heterogeneity. The search was performed using Scopus, PubMed, and Embase databases. Data were extracted from twenty-one eligible studies, including eleven cohorts (336,085 participants/20,033 incidence cases), and ten case-control studies (9,833 cases/12,752controls). The random-effect was used to calculate the relative risk (RR) using STATA 16 software. The highest dietary inflammatory index (DII) vs. the lowest category showed 16% increased risk of BrCa (95% CI: 1.06-1.26; I² = 62.8%, P (I²) < 0.001). This was notable in post-menopausal status (RR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04-1.22), women with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m² (RR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.07-1.63), and study populations from developing countries (RR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.12-2.47). Methodological covariates were subject to subgroup meta-analyses and showed stronger results among case-control studies (RR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.20-1.80), studies considered age-matched controls (RR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.19-1.93) and hospital-based controls (RR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.58-2.64), and cohort studies identified by prolong follow-up durations (RR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.03-1.22). This updated meta-analysis highlighted the pro-inflammatory diet as a risk factor for BrCa, especially among women in post-menopausal status, obese groups, and developing countries. Meta-analysis in methodological subgroups could improve results, less affected by heterogeneity, and suggested subclassification with important implications for future epidemiological designs and even clinical management.

Efficacy of the omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers: An umbrella meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Existing meta-analyses on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and their anti-inflammatory effects have reported uncertain findings. The current umbrella meta-analysis aimed to assess the findings of multiple meta-analyses on the efficacy of n-3 PUFAs on inflammatory biomarkers in adults with different health conditions.

METHODS

Using suitable keywords, articles published until December 2021 were searched in PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and Google Scholar. Meta-analyses investigating the impact of supplementation of n-3 PUFAs on inflammatory biomarkers in adults were included. We performed this meta-analysis using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Overall, 32 meta-analyses were qualified in this umbrella meta-analysis. Our findings demonstrated that the n-3 PUFA supplementation significantly reduced serum C-reactive protein (CRP) (ES = -0.40; 95 % CI: -0.56, -0.24, p < 0.001; I² = 89.5 %, p < 0.001), Tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) (ES = -0.23; 95 % CI: -0.37, -0.08, p = 0.002; I² = 60.1 %, p < 0.001), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations (ES = -0.22; 95 % CI: -0.39, -0.05, p = 0.010; I² = 66.2 %, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The current umbrella meta-analysis found that supplementation of n-3 PUFAs in adults can improve CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 concentrations under various health conditions. n-3 PUFAs can be recommended as adjuvant anti-inflammatory agents.

The Role of Inflammatory Mediators in Colorectal Cancer Hepatic Metastasis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of death in cancer patients in the USA, whereas the major cause of CRC deaths is hepatic metastases. The liver is the most common site of metastasis in patients with CRC due to hepatic portal veins receiving blood from the digestive tract. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of hepatic metastases is of dire need for the development of potent targeted therapeutics. Immuno-signaling molecules including cytokines and chemokines play a pivotal role in hepatic metastases from CRC. This brief review discusses the involvement of three representative cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β), a lipid molecule PGE2 and two chemokines (CXCL1 and CXCL2) in the process of CRC liver metastases.

Investigating the role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in feline injection site sarcoma

BACKGROUND

Feline injection-site sarcomas (FISSs) are malignant mesenchymal tumors of different histotypes. The pathogenesis of FISS has been correlated with chronic inflammation, resulting in neoplastic transformation. Activation of the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) have been demonstrated to play a critical role in tumor development by regulating signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, survival, metastasis, and angiogenesis in human medicine. To characterize the role of STAT3 in FISS, we first detected STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) FISS tissues using immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

STAT3 was detected in 88.9% (40/45) of FISS cases, and phosphorylated STAT3 was detected in 53.3% (24/45) of cases. However, the expression levels of both forms of STAT3 were not correlated with tumor grade. To study the role of STAT3 in tumor survival, two primary cells derived from FISSs of two cats exhibiting consistent immunophenotypes with their parental FFPE tissues were established. A dose-dependent inhibitory effect on cell proliferation was observed in both primary FISS cells treated with the STAT3 inhibitor, 5-hydroxy-9,10-dioxo-9,10-dihydroanthracene-1-sulfonamide.

CONCLUSIONS

The STAT 3 may play an important role in the tumorigenesis of FISS and be a potential molecular therapeutic target for FISS.

Mitochondrial Epigenetics Regulating Inflammation in Cancer and Aging

Inflammation is a defining factor in disease progression; epigenetic modifications of this first line of defence pathway can affect many physiological and pathological conditions, like aging and tumorigenesis. Inflammageing, one of the hallmarks of aging, represents a chronic, low key but a persistent inflammatory state. Oxidative stress, alterations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and mis-localized extra-mitochondrial mtDNA are suggested to directly induce various immune response pathways. This could ultimately perturb cellular homeostasis and lead to pathological consequences. Epigenetic remodelling of mtDNA by DNA methylation, post-translational modifications of mtDNA binding proteins and regulation of mitochondrial gene expression by nuclear DNA or mtDNA encoded non-coding RNAs, are suggested to directly correlate with the onset and progression of various types of cancer. Mitochondria are also capable of regulating immune response to various infections and tissue damage by producing pro- or anti-inflammatory signals. This occurs by altering the levels of mitochondrial metabolites and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Since mitochondria are known as the guardians of the inflammatory response, it is plausible that mitochondrial epigenetics might play a pivotal role in inflammation. Hence, this review focuses on the intricate dynamics of epigenetic alterations of inflammation, with emphasis on mitochondria in cancer and aging.

Insights Into the Role of Mortalin in Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and HIV-1-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders

Mortalin is a chaperone protein that regulates physiological functions of cells. Its multifactorial role allows cells to survive pathological conditions. Pharmacological, chemical, and siRNA-mediated downregulation of mortalin increases oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction leading to unregulated inflammation. In addition to its well-characterized function in controlling oxidative stress, mitochondrial health, and maintaining physiological balance, recent evidence from human brain autopsies and cell culture–based studies suggests a critical role of mortalin in attenuating the damage seen in several neurodegenerative diseases. Overexpression of mortalin provides an important line of defense against accumulated proteins, inflammation, and neuronal loss, a key characteristic feature observed in neurodegeneration. Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of progressive disorders, sharing pathological features in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder. Aggregation of insoluble amyloid beta-proteins and neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease are among the leading cause of neuropathology in the brain. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by the degeneration of dopamine neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta. A substantial synaptic loss leading to cognitive decline is the hallmark of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Brain autopsies and cell culture studies showed reduced expression of mortalin in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and HAND cases and deciphered the important role of mortalin in brain cells. Here, we discuss mortalin and its regulation and describe how neurotoxic conditions alter the expression of mortalin and modulate its functions. In addition, we also review the neuroprotective role of mortalin under neuropathological conditions. This knowledge showcases the importance of mortalin in diverse brain functions and offers new opportunities for the development of therapeutic targets that can modulate the expression of mortalin using chemical compounds.

Detection of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) in exhaled breath as a potential diagnostic method for oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Oral squamous cell carcinoma causes a significant proportion of global cancer morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the exhaled breath test can be a new, non-invasive, and effective method for diagnosing oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

A comparative analysis of exhaled breath between patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and healthy controls (HC) was performed with the Twin Breasor II™, a simple gas chromatography system.

Results

Both hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and methyl mercaptan (Ch₃SH) were significantly higher in the OSCC group than in the HC group. The total sulfur concentration was also higher in the OSCC group, but there was no significant difference in the ratio of Ch₃SH to H₂S between the two groups. Using logistic regression, we constructed a new variable with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.740, 68.0% sensitivity, and 72.0% specificity.

Conclusions

Exhaled gas analysis via simple gas chromatography can potentially serve as an accessory non-invasive method for OSCC diagnosis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12903-022-02301-3.

Tumor-promoting inflammation in lung cancer: A literature review

Tumor-promoting inflammation is an inflammation that occurs because tumor cells cause necrosis of healthy cells which releases cell contents into the environment, triggering the release of proinflammatory mediators. There are intrinsic and outside factors of tumor-promoting inflammation. Intrinsic factors are genetically related, while extrinsic factors are due to mediators and inflammatory cells. The primary inflammatory mediators in the tumorigenesis process include NF-kB, STAT3, HIF-1, and TNF-α. in contrast, the inflammatory cells that play a role are TAM, a collection of tumor-associated leukocytes. Bacteria is also one of the extrinsic factors that can cause tumors because of the chronic inflammation it causes.

•

Chronic inflammation in the lung increases lung cancer risk.

•

As small as inflammatory in lung risk of becoming lung cancer.

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Tumor-Promoting Inflammation is one of the mechanisms of Lung Cancer.

Ziziphus nummularia: A Comprehensive Review of Its Phytochemical Constituents and Pharmacological Properties

Ziziphus nummularia, a small bush of the Rhamnaceae family, has been widely used in traditional folk medicine, is rich in bioactive molecules, and has many reported pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Objective: To gather the current knowledge related to the medicinal characteristics of Z. nummularia. Specifically, its phytochemical contents and pharmacological activities in the treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, are discussed. Methods: Major scientific literature databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Chemical Abstracts, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Abstracts, Henriette’s Herbal Homepage, Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, were searched to retrieve articles related to the review subject. General web searches using Google and Google scholar were also utilized. The search period covered articles published between 1980 and the end of October 2021.The search used the keywords ‘Ziziphus nummularia’, AND (‘phytochemical content’, ‘pharmacological properties, or activities, or effects, or roles’, ‘anti-inflammatory’, ‘anti-drought’, ‘anti-thermal’, ‘anthelmintic’, ‘antidiabetic’,’ anticancer’, ‘anticholinesterase’, ‘antimicrobial’, ‘sedative’, ‘antipyretic’, ‘analgesic’, or ‘gastrointestinal’). Results: This plant is rich in characteristic alkaloids, especially cyclopeptide alkaloids such as nummularine-M. Other phytochemicals, including flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, tannins, and phenolic compounds, are also present. These phytochemicals are responsible for the reported pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anticancer, analgesic, and gastrointestinal activities. In addition, Z. nummularia has anti-drought and anti-thermal characteristics. Conclusion: Research into the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of Z. nummularia has demonstrated that this plant is a rich source of novel bioactive compounds. So far, Z. nummularia has shown a varied pharmacological profile (antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and cardioprotective), warranting further research to uncover the therapeutic potential of the bioactives of this plant. Taken together, Z. nummularia may represent a new potential target for the discovery of new drug leads.

Association between the Dietary Inflammatory Index and Gastric Disease Risk: Findings from a Korean Population-Based Cohort Study

Evidence suggests that diets with high pro-inflammatory potential may play a substantial role in the origin of gastric inflammation. This study aimed to examine the association between the energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DIITM) and gastric diseases at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 7.4 years in a Korean population. A total of 144,196 participants from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study_Health Examination (KoGES_HEXA) cohort were included. E-DII scores were computed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to assess the association between the E-DII and gastric disease risk. In the prospective analysis, the risk of developing gastric disease was significantly increased among individuals in the highest quartile of E-DII compared to those in the lowest quartile (HRquartile4vs1 = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.08–1.38). Prospective analysis also showed an increased risk in the incidence of gastritis (HRquartile4vs1 = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.04–1.37), gastric ulcers (HRquartile4vs1 = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.16–1.85), and gastric and duodenal ulcers (HRquartile4vs1 = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.17–1.81) in the highest E-DII quartile compared to the lowest quartile. In the cross-sectional analysis, the E-DII score was not associated with the risk of gastric disease. Our results suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet, indicated by high E-DII scores, is prospectively associated with an increased risk of gastric diseases. These results highlight the significance of an anti-inflammatory diet in lowering the risk of gastric disease risk in the general population.

An AAV-Based NF-κB-Targeting Gene Therapy (rAAV-DMP-miR533) to Inflammatory Diseases

Background

The inflammatory diseases pose a great threat to human health. Variant anti-inflammatory agents have been therefore developed. However, the current anti-inflammatory drugs are still challenged by low response and side effects. There remain great unmet treatments to inflammatory diseases.

Methods

In this work, we fabricate a recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV), rAAV-DMP-miR533, by packaging a DNA molecule DMP-miR533 into AAV, in which DMP is a NF-κB-activatable promoter composed of a NF-κB decoy and a minimal promoter and miR533 codes an artificial microRNA targeting NF-κB RELA. We evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of the virus with inflammatory cells and the mice of three typical inflammatory diseases including the dextran sulphate sodium-induced acute colitis, imiquimod-induced psoriasis, and collagen-induced arthritis.

Results

We found that rAAV-DMP-miR533 had marked anti-inflammatory effect in both cells and mice. In addition, rAAV-DMP-miR533 showed biosafety in mice.

Conclusion

This study thus provides a promising gene therapy to variant inflammatory diseases by directly targeting NF-κB, an established hub regulator of inflammation.

The RAGE/multiligand axis: a new actor in tumor biology

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is a multiligand binding and single-pass transmembrane protein which actively participates in several chronic inflammation-related diseases. RAGE, in addition to AGEs, has a wide repertoire of ligands, including several damage-associated molecular pattern molecules or alarmins such as HMGB1 and members of the S100 family proteins.

Over the last years, a large and compelling body of evidence has revealed the active participation of the RAGE axis in tumor biology based on its active involvement in several crucial mechanisms involved in tumor growth, immune evasion, dissemination, as well as by sculpturing of the tumor microenvironment as a tumor-supportive niche. In the present review, we will detail the consequences of the RAGE axis activation to fuel essential mechanisms to guarantee tumor growth and spreading.

The immune cell atlas of human neuroblastoma

Understanding the complete immune cell composition of human neuroblastoma (NB) is crucial for the development of immunotherapeutics. Here, we perform single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on 19 human NB samples coupled with multiplex immunohistochemistry, survival analysis, and comparison with normal fetal adrenal gland data. We provide a comprehensive immune cell landscape and characterize cell-state changes from normal tissue to NB. Our analysis reveals 27 immune cell subtypes, including distinct subpopulations of myeloid, NK, B, and T cells. Several different cell types demonstrate a survival benefit. In contrast to adult cancers and previous NB studies, we show an increase in inflammatory monocyte cell state when contrasting normal and tumor tissue, while no differences in cytotoxicity and exhaustion score for T cells, nor in Treg activity, are observed. Our receptor-ligand interaction analysis reveals a highly complex interactive network of the NB microenvironment from which we highlight several interactions that we suggest for future therapeutic studies.

No Time to Die: How Kidney Cancer Evades Cell Death

The understanding of the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma led to the development of targeted therapies, which dramatically changed the overall survival rate. Nonetheless, despite innovative lines of therapy accessible to patients, the prognosis remains severe in most cases. Kidney cancer rarely shows mutations in the genes coding for proteins involved in programmed cell death, including p53. In this paper, we show that the molecular machinery responsible for different forms of cell death, such as apoptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, which are somehow impaired in kidney cancer to allow cancer cell growth and development, was reactivated by targeted pharmacological intervention. The aim of the present review was to summarize the modality of programmed cell death in the pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma, showing in vitro and in vivo evidence of their potential role in controlling kidney cancer growth, and highlighting their possible therapeutic value.

TRP Family Genes Are Differently Expressed and Correlated with Immune Response in Glioma

(1) Background: glioma is the most prevalent primary tumor of the human central nervous system and accompanies extremely poor prognosis in patients. The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels family consists of six different families, which are closely associated with cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and invasion. TRP family genes play an essential role in the development of tumors. Nevertheless, the function of these genes in gliomas is not fully understood. (2) Methods: we analyze the gene expression data of 28 TRP family genes in glioma patients through bioinformatic analysis. (3) Results: the study showed the aberrations of TRP family genes were correlated to prognosis in glioma. Then, we set enrichment analysis and selected 10 hub genes that may play an important role in glioma. Meanwhile, the expression of 10 hub genes was further established according to different grades, survival time, IDH mutation status, and 1p/19q codeletion status. We found that TRPC1, TRPC3, TRPC4, TRPC5, TRPC6, MCOLN1, MCOLN2, and MCOLN3 were significantly correlated to the prognosis in glioma patients. Furthermore, we illustrated that the expression of hub genes was associated with immune activation and immunoregulators (immunoinhibitors, immunostimulators, and MHC molecules) in glioma. (4) Conclusions: we proved that TRP family genes are promising immunotherapeutic targets and potential clinical biomarkers in patients with glioma.

Interplay between Cell Death and Cell Proliferation Reveals New Strategies for Cancer Therapy

Cell division and cell death are fundamental processes governing growth and development across the tree of life. This relationship represents an evolutionary link between cell cycle and cell death programs that is present in all cells. Cancer is characterized by aberrant regulation of both, leading to unchecked proliferation and replicative immortality. Conventional anti-cancer therapeutic strategies take advantage of the proliferative dependency of cancer yet, in doing so, are triggering apoptosis, a death pathway to which cancer is inherently resistant. A thorough understanding of how therapeutics kill cancer cells is needed to develop novel, more durable treatment strategies. While cancer evolves cell-intrinsic resistance to physiological cell death pathways, there are opportunities for cell cycle agnostic forms of cell death, for example, necroptosis or ferroptosis. Furthermore, cell cycle independent death programs are immunogenic, potentially licensing host immunity for additional antitumor activity. Identifying cell cycle independent vulnerabilities of cancer is critical for developing alternative strategies that can overcome therapeutic resistance.

An Olive Oil Mill Wastewater Extract Improves Chemotherapeutic Activity Against Breast Cancer Cells While Protecting From Cardiotoxicity

Cardiovascular toxicity in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy remains one of the most undesirable side effects, limiting the choice of the most efficient therapeutic regimen, including combinations of different anticancer agents. Anthracyclines (doxorubicin) and antimetabolites (5-fluorouracil (5-FU), capecitabine) are among the most known agents used in breast cancer and other neoplasms and are associated with cardiotoxic effects. Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is rich in polyphenols endowed with antioxidant cardioprotective activities. Olive mill wastewater (OMWW), a waste product generated by EVOO processing, has been reported to be enriched in polyphenols. In this study, we investigated the activities of polyphenol-rich extract from OMWW, A009, in cooperation with chemotherapy on two breast cancer cell lines, namely, BT459 and MDA-MB-231, in a cardio-oncology perspective. The effects of A009 on cardiac cells were also investigated with and without chemotherapeutic agents. Cell viability was determined on BT459 and MDA-MB-231 (i.e., breast cancer cells) and H9C2 (i.e., rat cardiomyocytes) cells, using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. A spheroids assay was used as a 3D in vitro model on BT459 and MDA-MB-231 cells. For in vivo studies, the murine sponge assay of angiogenesis was used as a model of breast cancer-associated vascularization. The embryo of Danio rerio (zebrafish) was used to detect the cardioprotective activities of the OMWW. We found that the A009 extract exhibited antiangiogenic activities induced by breast cancer cell supernatants and increased T-cell recruitment in vivo. The combination of the OMWW extracts with doxorubicin or 5-FU limited BT459 and MDA-MB-231 cell viability and the diameter of 3D spheroids, while mitigating their toxic effects on the rat H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Cardioprotective effects were observed by the combination of OMWW extracts with doxorubicin in zebrafish embryos. Finally, in human cardio myocytes, we observed 5-FU-induced upregulation of the inflammatory, senescence-associated cytokine IL6 and p16 genes, which expression was reduced by OMWW treatment. Our study demonstrates that the polyphenol-rich purified OMWW extract A009 combined with cancer chemotherapy could represent a potential candidate for cardiovascular protection in breast cancer patients, while increasing the effects of breast cancer chemotherapy.