Intrapancreatic fat, pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer

Evaluation of laboratory findings indicating pancreatitis in healthy lean, obese, and diabetic cats

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes mellitus, which commonly coexists with pancreatitis in cats. However, obesity has not previously been associated with pancreatitis in cats.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate factors affecting serum concentrations of pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (fPLI), trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI), cobalamin and folate in clinically healthy lean, overweight and obese, or diabetic cats.

ANIMALS

Seventy-nine client-owned cats (27 healthy lean [LN, BCS 4-5/9], 30 healthy overweight and obese [OW, BCS 7-9/9], and 22 diabetic [DM]) were included.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study. The cats underwent physical examination, and blood tests. Linear regression models compared differences in fPLI, fTLI, cobalamin, and folate concentrations. Fisher's exact test assessed the proportions of cats with fPLI and fTLI indicative of pancreatitis, and hypocobalaminemia. A random forest algorithm identified explanatory variables for cats having fPLI levels indicative of pancreatitis.

RESULTS

No LN cats, while 6/30 (20%) of OW and 10/22 (45%) of DM cats had fPLI concentrations indicative of pancreatitis. Body condition score (P = .02) and body weight (P = .002) were positively associated with fPLI levels in LN and OW cats. Higher fPLI, and lower cobalamin concentrations were associated with higher age across groups.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Body condition score and body weight were associated with higher fPLI levels in nondiabetic cats. A larger proportion of OW and DM cats had fPLI concentrations indicative of pancreatitis compared to LN cats. Whether this indicates subclinical pancreatitis remains to be determined. Hypocobalaminemia was less frequent in OW compared to DM cats.

Characteristics of Gut Microbiome in the Murine Model of Pancreatic Cancer with Damp-Heat Syndrome

PURPOSE

Murine models of pancreatic cancer with damp-heat syndrome were established based on two methods to explore the differences in the composition of intestinal flora and to seek characteristic genera with potential for model evaluation.

METHODS

In our study, thirty-four C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into a control group (Con), a model group (Mod), a classic damp-heat syndrome group (CDHS), and a climate-chamber group (CC). CDHS and CC groups were fed with a high-fat diet and glucose water, while the CDHS group was given 2.4 g/kg alcohol by gavage for 10 days, and the CC group was placed in a climatic chamber with a set temperature of (32 ± 1) °C and humidity of (92 ± 2)% for 10 days. The Mod group, CDHS group, and CC group underwent tumor-building experiments on day 11. Tumorigenicity was then assessed twice a week. After 4 weeks, feces, colon tissue, and tumor tissue were taken from the mice and were tested, and the mice were euthanized afterwards.

RESULTS

Mice in the CDHS and CC groups showed symptoms similar to the clinical damp-heat syndrome observed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and exhibited a worse general condition and more rapid tumor growth trend than those in the Mod group. The pathological examination indicated that inflammation was prevalent in the CDHS and CC groups. Both groups had a disrupted intestinal barrier and an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria such as c_Gammaproteobacteria, o_Enterobacteriales, and g_Bacteroides. Their microbiota composition showed greater diversity.

CONCLUSIONS

Intestinal flora may have a promising future in the discovery of indicators for evaluating a model of damp-heat syndrome in pancreatic cancer.

Pigment Epithelial-Derived Factor in Pancreatic and Liver Cancers-From Inflammation to Cancer

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Despite the emergence of new possibilities that offer hope regarding the successful treatment of these cancers, they still represent a significant global health burden. These cancers can arise from various cell types within the gastrointestinal tract and may exhibit different characteristics, behaviors, and treatment approaches. Both the prognosis and the outcomes of GI treatment remain problematic because these tumors are primarily diagnosed in advanced clinical stages. Current biomarkers exhibit limited sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, when developing strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of GI cancers, it is of fundamental importance to discover new biomarkers capable of addressing the challenges of early-stage diagnosis and the presence of lymph node metastases. Pigment epithelial-derived factor (PEDF) has garnered interest due to its inhibitory effects on the migration and proliferation of cancer cells. This protein has been suggested to be involved in various inflammation-related diseases, including cancer, through various mechanisms. It was also observed that reducing the level of PEDF is sufficient to trigger an inflammatory response. This suggests that PEDF is an endogenous anti-inflammatory factor. Overall, PEDF is a versatile protein with diverse biological functions that span across different tissues and organ systems. Its multifaceted activities make it an intriguing target for therapeutic interventions in various diseases, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disorders. This review, for the first time, summarizes the role of PEDF in the pathogenesis of selected GI cancers and its potential utility in early diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic strategies for this malignancy.

B7 homolog 3 in pancreatic cancer

Despite advances in cancer treatment, pancreatic cancer (PC) remains a disease with high mortality rates and poor survival outcomes. The B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3) checkpoint molecule is overexpressed among many malignant tumors, including PC, with low or absent expression in healthy tissues. By modulating various immunological and nonimmunological molecular mechanisms, B7-H3 may influence the progression of PC. However, the impact of B7-H3 on the survival of patients with PC remains a subject of debate. Still, most available scientific data recognize this molecule as a suppressive factor to antitumor immunity in PC. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that B7-H3 stimulates the migration, invasion, and metastasis of PC cells, and enhances resistance to chemotherapy. In preclinical models of PC, B7-H3-targeting monoclonal antibodies have exerted profound antitumor effects by increasing natural killer cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and delivering radioisotopes and cytotoxic drugs to the tumor site. Finally, PC treatment with B7-H3-targeting antibody-drug conjugates and chimeric antigen receptor T cells is being tested in clinical studies. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of all PC-related studies in the context of B7-H3 and points to deficiencies in the current data that should be overcome by future research.

mTORC2 knockdown mediates lipid metabolism to alleviate hyperlipidemic pancreatitis through PPARα

Hyperlipidemic pancreatitis (HP) is an inflammatory injury of the pancreas triggered by elevated serum triglyceride (TG) levels. The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in regulating lipid homeostasis and inflammation. This study aimed to investigate whether the activity of mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2) affects the progression of HP and its underlying mechanisms. In vivo, a high-fat diet and retrograde administration of sodium taurocholate were employed to establish the HP models in rats, with pancreatic tissue pathology evaluated. The expression of Rictor and peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor (PPAR) was examined. The serum levels of TG, fatty acid metabolites, inflammatory and lipid metabolism-related factors were determined. In vitro, pancreatic acinar cells (PACs) were exposed to palmitic acid and cholecystokinin-8. PAC apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis were assessed. In the HP models, rats and PACs exhibited upregulated Rictor and downregulated PPARα, and Rictor knockdown promoted PPARα expression. In vivo, Rictor knockdown decreased the serum levels of TG, α-amylase, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase, and inflammatory factors, while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Rictor knockdown increased ACOX1 and CPT1α and decreased SREBP-1, CD36, SCD1, ACLY, and ACACA. Rictor knockdown reduced damage to pancreatic tissue structure. In vitro, Rictor knockdown inhibited PAC apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis. Treatment with the PPARα antagonist GW6471 abolished the beneficial effects of Rictor knockdown. Rictor/mTORC2 deficiency reduces serum TG levels, maintains lipid homeostasis, and suppresses inflammation by inhibiting PPARα expression. Weakening mTORC2 activity holds promise as a novel therapeutic strategy for HP.

SHCBP1 Overexpression Aggravates Pancreatitis by Triggering the Loss of Primary Cilia

Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles that mediate various biological processes. Pancreatic cells are typically ciliated; however, the role of primary cilia in acute pancreatitis (AP) is largely unknown. Here, we report that the loss of primary cilia, mediated by SHCBP1 (SHC1 binding protein), exerted a provocative effect on AP. Primary cilia are extensively lost in inflamed pancreatic cells in vitro and in mouse tissues with AP in vivo. Abrogation of primary cilia aggravated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in pancreatic cells. Mechanistically, AP induced the overexpression of SHCBP1 mitotic factor, which is localized to the base of primary cilia. SHCBP1 deficiency relieved LPS- and cerulein-induced pancreatitis by preventing the loss of primary cilia in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, we reveal that inflammation-induced loss of primary cilia aggravates AP. Furthermore, abrogating SHCBP1 to prevent primary cilia loss is an efficient strategy to combat AP.

Eliminating COVID-19 as the immediate culprit for igniting pancreatitis

The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection on the potential development of pancreatitis is a subject of ongoing debate within academic discourse. Establishing a causal link between COVID-19 and pancreatitis may not be fully supported by relying only on retrospective studies or case reports. This study examined the relationship between COVID-19 phenotypes and pancreatitis by Mendelian randomization (MR) method. The identification of instrumental variables (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that exhibit a robust association with the COVID-19 phenotypes was accomplished through a meticulous process of rigorous screening procedures. We included acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis (CP) as the outcomes in the MR analysis, even though no definitive studies exist between COVID-19 and CP. A direct causal relationship between genetically predicted COVID-19 phenotypes and pancreatitis risk cannot be established. There is an ongoing debate over the designation of COVID-19 as a definitive cause of pancreatitis.

Determining Optimal Cut-Off Value of Pancreatic-Cancer-Induced Total Cholesterol and Obesity-Related Factors for Developing Exercise Intervention: Big Data Analysis of National Health Insurance Sharing Service Data

This study aimed to examine the effects of multiple parameters on the incidence of pancreatic cancer. We analyzed data from 1,108,369 individuals in the National Health Insurance Sharing Service Database (NHISS DB; birth to death; 2002 to 2015) and identified 2912 patients with pancreatic cancer. Body mass index, systolic/diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol concentrations were lower in women with than without pancreatic cancer (p < 0.01). Fasting blood glucose and total cholesterol concentrations were significantly different between men with and without pancreatic cancer (p < 0.05). In the logistic regression analysis, the total cholesterol concentration (odds ratio (OR), 1.007; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.005-1.010) was significantly higher in men than women with pancreatic cancer (p < 0.05). Pancreatic cancer rates were highest in men who smoked for 5-9 years or more (OR, 5.332) and in women who smoked for 10-19 years (OR, 18.330). Daily intensive exercise reduced the risk of pancreatic cancer by 56% in men (95% CI, 0.230-0.896). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed a total cholesterol concentration cut-off point of 188.50 mg/dL (p < 0.05) in men with pancreatic cancer, with a sensitivity and specificity of 53.5% and 54.6%, respectively. For women, the cut-off values for weight and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase concentration were 58.5 kg and 20.50 U/L, respectively. The sex-specific differences in patients with pancreatic cancer identified herein will aid in the development of individualized evidence-based prognostic and preventive programs for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Circulatory miRNAs as Correlates of Elevated Intra-Pancreatic Fat Deposition in a Mixed Ethnic Female Cohort: The TOFI_Asia Study

Ectopic lipid accumulation, including intra-pancreatic fat deposition (IPFD), exacerbates type 2 diabetes risk in susceptible individuals. Dysregulated circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as correlating with clinical measures of pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and type 1 diabetes. The aim of the current study was therefore to examine the association between circulating abundances of candidate miRNAs, IPFD and liver fat deposition as quantified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS). Asian Chinese (n = 34; BMI = 26.7 ± 4.2 kg/m2) and European Caucasian (n = 34; BMI = 28.0 ± 4.5 kg/m2) females from the TOFI_Asia cohort underwent MRI and MRS analysis of pancreas (MR-%IPFD) and liver fat (MR-%liver fat), respectively, to quantify ectopic lipid deposition. Plasma miRNA abundances of a subset of circulatory miRNAs associated with IPFD and liver fat deposition were quantified by qRT-PCR. miR-21-3p and miR-320a-5p correlated with MR-%IPFD, plasma insulin and HOMA2-IR, but not MR-%liver fat. MR-%IPFD remained associated with decreasing miR-21-3p abundance following multivariate regression analysis. miR-21-3p and miR-320a were demonstrated to be negatively correlated with MR-%IPFD, independent of ethnicity. For miR-21-3p, this relationship persists with the inclusion of MR-%liver fat in the model, suggesting the potential for a wider application as a specific circulatory correlate of IPFD.