Low social and family well-being is associated with greater RAGE ligand s100A8/A9 and interleukin-1 beta levels in metastatic breast cancer patients

The effects of carbohydrate-restricted diet on psychological outcomes: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

CONTEXT

Carbohydrate-restricted diets are widely used as an effective treatment tool for many chronic diseases. The impact of these diets on physical health is well known, but their impact on psychological health is less well described in the scientific literature. This is an important aspect to focus on, especially if the diets are to be sustainable in the long term.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to systematically review the scientific literature describing the effect of carbohydrate-restricted diets and ketogenic diets on psychological outcomes, as observed in randomized controlled trials. Additionally, the potential synergistic effect of carbohydrate-restricted diets and exercise or social factors on these outcomes was researched.

DATA SOURCES

Five databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and MEDLINE Complete) were searched without restriction of publication date.

DATA EXTRACTION

The first data extraction was made in October 2020 and the second in May 2022. Abstract screening was performed by 3 independent reviewers. The quality of studies was assessed using the Jadad scale.

DATA ANALYSIS

Sixteen randomized controlled studies were included in the analysis. Five studies focused on clinical populations, 9 on obese/overweight populations, and 2 on healthy populations; all studies examined adult people. Four psychological outcomes were identified (quality of life, mental health, mood, and fatigue), and they were examined in connection with a very low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet.

CONCLUSION

Daily low-carbohydrate intake may not negatively affect psychological well-being, and low-carbohydrate diets and ketogenic diets are no worse than other diets in this respect. An intervention of 12 weeks or longer can bring benefits in psychological well-being. The synergistic effect of diet and exercise or social factors was not reviewed due to lack of evidence.

Relationships Between Serum Cortisol, RAGE-Associated s100A8/A9 Levels, and Self-Reported Cancer-Related Distress in Women With Nonmetastatic Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE

Elevated inflammation and psychological distress in patients with breast cancer (BCa) have been related to poorer health outcomes. Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and signaling of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) are important in the inflammatory response and have been associated with increased stress and poorer health outcomes in patients with cancer. This study examined relationships among circulating cortisol, a measure of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and physiological stress; s100A8/A9, a RAGE ligand and emerging cancer-related biological measure; and self-reported cancer-related distress.

METHODS

Patients with BCa ( N = 183, stages 0-IIIb) were recruited 2 to 10 weeks after surgery but before receiving adjuvant therapies. Participants provided blood samples, from which serum cortisol and s100A8/A9 levels were determined, and completed a psychosocial questionnaire. Regression analyses, adjusting for age, cancer stage, time since surgery, race, and menopausal status, were conducted examining the relationships between cortisol, s100A8/A9, and cancer-related distress (Impact of Event Scale [IES]-Revised).

RESULTS

Cortisol and s100A8/A9 levels were positively related ( β = 0.218, t (112) = 2.332, p = .021), although the overall model was not significant. Cortisol levels were also positively associated with IES-Intrusions ( β = 0.192, t (163) = 2.659, p = .009) and IES-Hyperarousal subscale scores ( β = 0.171, t (163) = 2.304, p = .022).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with higher cortisol levels also reported higher s100A8/A9 levels and more cancer-related distress. The relationship between cortisol and s100A8/A9 supports a link between the stress response and proinflammatory physiological processes known to predict a greater metastatic risk in BCa. Stress processes implicated in cancer biology are complex, and replication and extension of these initial findings are important.

S100A8 as a Promising Biomarker and Oncogenic Immune Protein in the Tumor Microenvironment: An Integrative Pancancer Analysis

Background

S100 Calcium Binding Protein A8 (S100A8) is beneficial for cancer immunotherapy. However, the processes underlying its therapeutic potential have not been completely studied.

Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas provides raw data on 33 different cancer types. GEO made available GSE67501, GSE78220, and IMvigor210. We investigated S100A8's genetic changes, expression patterns, and survival studies. The linkages between S100A8 and TME, as well as its association with immunological processes/elements and the major histocompatibility complex, were explored to effectively understand the role of S100A8 in cancer immunotherapy. Three distinct immunotherapeutic cohorts were employed to examine the relationship between S100A8 and immunotherapeutic response.

Results

S100A8 expression was high in tumor tissue. The overexpression of S100A8 is associated with poor clinical outcome in patients with overall survival. S100A8 is associated with immune cell infiltration, immunological modulators, and immunotherapeutic indicators. S100A8 overexpression is connected to immune-related pathways. However, no statistically significant connection between S100A8 and immunotherapeutic response was identified.

Conclusions

S100A8 may be a reliable biomarker for tumor prognosis and a viable prospective therapeutic target for human cancer immunotherapy (e.g., GBM, KIRC, LGG, and LIHC).