Combined analysis of miRNA-181a with phase angle derived from bioelectrical impedance predicts radiotherapy-induced changes in body composition and survival of male patients with head and neck cancer

The Relationship between miR-5682 and Nutritional Status of Radiotherapy-Treated Male Laryngeal Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

Nutritional deficiencies are frequently observed in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) undergoing radiation therapy. microRNAs (miRNAs) were found to play an important role in the development of metabolic disorders throughout regulation of genes involved in inflammatory responses. This study aimed to explore the correlation between pre-treatment miR-5682 expression and parameters reflecting nutritional deficits in laryngeal cancer (LC) patients subjected to radiotherapy (RT).

METHODS

Expression of miR-5682 was analyzed in plasma samples of 56 male LC individuals. Nutritional status of LC patients was assessed using anthropometric and laboratory parameters, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and clinical questionnaires.

RESULTS

A high expression of miR-5682 was associated with significantly lower values of BMI, fat mass, fat-free mass and plasma albumin at selected periods of RT course. miR-5682 allowed us to distinguish between patients classified with both SGA-C and low albumin level from other LC patients with 100% sensitivity and 69.6% specificity (AUC = 0.820; p < 0.0001). Higher expression of studied miRNA was significantly associated with shorter median overall survival (OS) in LC patients (HR = 2.26; p = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

analysis of miR-5682 expression demonstrates a potential clinical utility in selection of LC patients suffering from nutritional deficiencies developing as a consequence of RT-based therapy.

High miR-511-3p Expression as a Potential Predictor of a Poor Nutritional Status in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Subjected to Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Nutritional deficiencies, including malnutrition and its irreversible type cachexia, are often observed in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Among the various factors contributing to the occurrence of these disorders, inflammation seems to be crucial. The potential regulatory properties of miR-511-3p, e.g., post-translational alteration of expression of genes with protein products that are involved in inflammation, may be related to nutritional deficiencies observed in HNC patients. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the correlation between pretreatment miR-511-3p expression and nutritional status in patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) due to HNC. In our retrospective study, 60 consecutively admitted patients treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) due to advanced HNC were enrolled. The analysis of miR-511-3p expression was performed using real-time PCR. Significantly higher expression of miR-511-3p was observed in well-nourished patients compared to patients with moderate or severe malnutrition (p = 0.0001). Pretreatment expression of miR-511-3p may be a useful biomarker of nutritional deficiencies in patients subjected to IMRT due to HNC.

Predicational ability of phase angle on protein energy wasting in kidney disease patients with renal replacement therapy: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the ability of phase angle (PA) and body composition for predicting protein energy wasting (PEW) in renal replacement therapy (RRT) patients.

METHODS

Renal replacement therapy (RRT) patients were enrolled in this study. Body composition was measured by direct segmental multi-frequency biolectrical impedance analysis method (DSM-BIA); phase angle (PA), fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), mid-arm circumference (MAC), WC (waist circumference), and ECW/TBW (extracellular water/total body water) were obtained. Biochemicals (serum albumin, triglyceride, and cholesterol) were tested. PEW patients were classified according to ISRNM (The International Society of Renal Nutrition and Metabolism) criteria. Cutoff value of PA and related variables was calculated by ROC analysis. The ability of body composition variables as indicators to predict PEW was evaluated.

RESULTS

Sixty-four patients were enrolled in this study. Thirty-three patients (52.6%) were males, and forty (62.5%) patients were diagnosed with PEW. The ROC curve showed that the optimal cutoff values of PA, FFMI (fat-free mass index), MAC, WC, and BMI for PEW risk were 4.45°, 16.71, 29.7 cm, 86.4 cm, and 21.1 kg/m2, respectively. These indicators showed significant association with PEW; meanwhile, the PA and MAC can be used as the predictors for PEW with OR 6.333 (95% CI, 1.956-20.505) and 3.267 (95% CI, 1.136-9.394), respectively. Both groups have a lower BUN/Cr ratio (<20).

CONCLUSION

In the RRT patients, over than 60% patients were diagnosed with PEW. PA, MAC, and other body composition can be used as the independent indicators for predicting PEW in renal replacement therapy kidney disease patients.

Nutritional Deficiencies in Radiotherapy-Treated Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Nutritional deficiencies (malnutrition, cachexia, sarcopenia, and unfavorable changes in the body composition) developing as a side effect of radiotherapy (RT) currently represents a significant but still inaccurately studied clinical problem in cancer patients. The incidence of malnutrition observed in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients in oncological radiology departments can reach 80%. The presence of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and cachexia is associated with an unfavorable prognosis of the disease, higher mortality, and deterioration of the quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to identify patients with a high risk of both metabolic syndromes. However, the number of studies investigating potential predictive markers for the mentioned purposes is still significantly limited. This literature review summarizes the incidence of nutritional deficiencies in HNC patients prior to therapy and after the commencement of RT, and presents recent perspectives for the prediction of unfavorable nutritional changes developing as a result of applied RT.

Inhibition of miR-96 enhances the sensitivity of colorectal cancer cells to oxaliplatin by targeting TPM1

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the major threats to human health worldwide. In the treatment of CRC, chemoresistance affects the efficacy of platinum-based therapies. Oxaliplatin is one of the most commonly used first-line medications for the treatment of CRC; however, chemoresistance is common among patients receiving oxaliplatin treatment, which significantly decreases its therapeutic efficacy. The present study focused on the roles of microRNA (miR)-96 in the oxaliplatin resistance of CRC cells and the underlying mechanisms. First, the expression of miR-96 was compared between CRC and adjacent tissues. Furthermore, target genes of miR-96 were predicted, and a dual-luciferase reporter assay was employed to confirm whether the candidate tropomyosin 1 (TPM1) is a direct target of miR-96. In addition, CRC cells were transfected with miR-96 inhibitor, miR-negative control, small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting TPM1 or siRNA NC, and then treated with oxaliplatin. CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry were performed to examine the proliferation and apoptosis of the CRC cell line SW480. Next, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analysis were performed to determine the mRNA and/or protein levels of miR-96, Bcl-2, BAX and TPM1. The results indicated that miR-96 was upregulated in CRC compared with normal adjacent tissues, while TPM1 was downregulated. The luciferase activity was reduced following transfection with miR-96 mimics and luciferase reporter plasmid containing the wild-type sequence of the 3'-untranslated region of TPM1. Furthermore, knockdown of miR-96 combined with oxaliplatin reduced the viability and induced apoptosis of CRC cells, which was further verified by decreased expression of Bcl-2 and the increased expression of TPM1 and BAX. Taken together, the downregulation of miR-96 enhanced the sensitivity of CRC cells to oxaliplatin.