Preventive measures in oral cancer: An overview

The Interplay of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Oral Diseases: Recent Updates in Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Implications

Mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to various systemic and localized diseases, including oral diseases like periodontitis, oral cancer, and temporomandibular joint disorders. This paper explores the intricate mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction in oral pathologies, encompassing oxidative stress, inflammation, and impaired energy metabolism. Furthermore, it elucidates the bidirectional relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and oral diseases, wherein the compromised mitochondrial function exacerbates disease progression, while oral pathologies, in turn, exacerbate mitochondrial dysfunction. Understanding these intricate interactions offers insights into novel therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial function for managing oral diseases. This paper pertains to the mechanisms underlying mitochondrial dysfunction, its implications in various oral pathological and inflammatory conditions, and emerging versatile treatment approaches. It reviews current therapeutic strategies to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction, including antioxidants, mitochondrial-targeted agents, and metabolic modulators.

Stimuli-Responsive Nanocomposite Hydrogels for Oral Diseases

Oral diseases encompassing conditions such as oral cancer, periodontitis, and endodontic infections pose significant challenges due to the oral cavity's susceptibility to pathogenic bacteria and infectious agents. Saliva, a key component of the oral environment, can compromise drug efficacy during oral disease treatment by diluting drug formulations and reducing drug-site interactions. Thus, it is imperative to develop effective drug delivery methods. Stimuli-responsive nanocomposite hydrogels offer a promising solution by adapting to changes in environmental conditions during disease states, thereby enabling targeted drug delivery. These smart drug delivery systems have the potential to enhance drug efficacy, minimize adverse reactions, reduce administration frequency, and improve patient compliance, thus facilitating a faster recovery. This review explores various types of stimuli-responsive nanocomposite hydrogels tailored for smart drug delivery, with a specific focus on their applications in managing oral diseases.

Diversity and compositional differences in the oral microbiome of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients and healthy controls: a scoping review

Objectives

The human oral microbiome may play a role in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of this scoping review was to examine microbial diversity and differences in the composition of the oral microbiome between OSCC patients and healthy controls.

Methods

A literature search (in PubMed and Embase.com) was performed on January 9, 2023. The outcome variables used from the included studies of this review were alpha- and beta diversity and oral microbiome composition profiles for each taxonomic level (phylum-, class-, order-, genus- and species level).

Results

Thirteen out of 423 studies were included in this review compromising 1,677 subjects, of which 905 (54.0%) were OSCC patients and 772 (46.0%) were healthy controls. Most studies found a higher alpha diversity in the OSCC patient group and significantly different beta diversities between OSCC patient samples and healthy control samples. Studies reported more abundant Fusobacteria (on phylum level), Fusobacterium (on genus level), Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas endodontalis and Prevotella intermedia (on species level) in OSCC patients. The healthy control group had more abundant Actinobacteria (on phylum level), Streptococcus and Veilonella (on genus level) and Veilonella parvula (on species level) according to most studies.

Conclusions

Our findings show differences in oral microbiome diversity and composition in OSCC patients. Clinical implications demand continuing study. Development of internationally accepted standard procedures for oral sample collection and oral microbiota analysis is needed for more conclusive and clinically relevant comparisons in future research.

Enhancing scaffold-free spheroid models: 3D cell bioprinting method for metastatic HSC3-Oral squamous carcinoma cell line

3D in vitro systems offer advantages over the shortcomings of two-dimensional models by simulating the morphological and functional features of in vivo-like environments, such as cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, as well as the co-culture of different cell types. Nevertheless, these systems present technical challenges that limit their potential in cancer research requiring cell line- and culture-dependent standardization. This protocol details the use of a magnetic 3D bioprinting method and other associated techniques (cytotoxicity assay and histological analysis) using oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line, HSC3, which offer advantages compared to existing widely used approaches. This protocol is particularly timely, as it validates magnetic bioprinting as a method for the rapid deployment of 3D cultures as a tool for compound screening and development of heterotypic cultures such as co-culture of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells with cancer-associated fibroblasts (HSC3/CAFs).

Pharmacological blockade of HDAC6 attenuates cancer progression by inhibiting IL-1β and modulating immunosuppressive response in OSCC

Interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) one of the biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), is upregulated in tumor-microenvironment (TME) and associated with poor patient survival. Thus, a novel modulator of IL-1β would be of great therapeutic value for OSCC treatment. Here we report regulation of IL-1β and TME by histone deacetylase-6 (HDAC6)-inhibitor in OSCC. We observed significant upregulation of HDAC6 in 4-nitroquniline (4-NQO)-induced OSCC in mice and 4-NQO & Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated OSCC and fibroblast cells. Tubastatin A (TSA)-attenuated the OSCC progression in mice as observed improvement in the histology over tongue and esophagus, with reduced tumor burden. TSA treatment to 4-NQO mice attenuated protein expression of HDAC6, pro-and-mature-IL-1β and pro-and-cleaved-caspase-1 and ameliorated acetylated-tubulin. In support of our experimental work, human TCGA analysis revealed HDAC6 and IL-1β were upregulated in the primary tumor, with different tumor stages and grades. We found TSA modulate TME, indicated by downregulation of CD11b+Gr1+-Myeloid-derived suppressor cells, CD11b+F4/80+CD206+ M2-macrophages and increase in CD11b+F4/80+MHCII+ M1-macrophages. TSA significantly reduced the gene expression of HDAC6, IL-1β, Arginase-1 and iNOS in isolated splenic-MDSCs. FaDu-HTB-43 and NIH3T3 cells stimulated with LPS and 4-NQO exhibit higher IL-1β levels in the supernatant. Interestingly, immunoblot analysis of the cell lysate, we observed that TSA does not alter the expression as well as activation of IL-1β and caspase-1 but the acetylated-tubulin was found to be increased. Nocodazole pre-treatment proved that TSA inhibited the lysosomal exocytosis of IL-1β through tubulin acetylation. In conclusion, HDAC6 inhibitors attenuated TME and cancer progression through the regulation of IL-1β in OSCC.

Sample-to-answer salivary miRNA testing: New frontiers in point-of-care diagnostic technologies

MicroRNA (miRNA), crucial non-coding RNAs, have emerged as key biomarkers in molecular diagnostics, prognosis, and personalized medicine due to their significant role in gene expression regulation. Salivary miRNA, in particular, stands out for its non-invasive collection method and ease of accessibility, offering promising avenues for the development of point-of-care diagnostics for a spectrum of diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and infectious diseases. Such development promises rapid and precise diagnosis, enabling timely treatment. Despite significant advancements in salivary miRNA-based testing, challenges persist in the quantification, multiplexing, sensitivity, and specificity, particularly for miRNA at low concentrations in complex biological mixtures. This work delves into these challenges, focusing on the development and application of salivary miRNA tests for point-of-care use. We explore the biogenesis of salivary miRNA and analyze their quantitative expression and their disease relevance in cancer, infection, and neurodegenerative disorders. We also examined recent progress in miRNA extraction, amplification, and multiplexed detection methods. This study offers a comprehensive view of the development of salivary miRNA-based point-of-care testing (POCT). Its successful advancement could revolutionize the early detection, monitoring, and management of various conditions, enhancing healthcare outcomes. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices.

Delaying age at first sexual intercourse provides protection against oral cavity cancer: a mendelian randomization study

Aim

To investigate whether age at first sexual intercourse could lead to any changes in the risk of oral cavity cancer.

Methods

A two-sample mendelian randomization was conducted using genetic variants associated with age at first sexual intercourse in UK biobank as instrumental variables. Summary data of Northern American from a previous genome-wide association study aimed at oral cavity cancer was served as outcome. Three analytical methods: inverse variance-weighted, mendelian randomization Egger, and weighted median were used to perform the analysis, among which inverse variance-weighted was set as the primary method. Robustness of the results was assessed through Cochran Q test, mendelian randomization Egger intercept tests, MR PRESSO, leave one out analysis and funnel plot.

Results

The primary analysis provided substantial evidence of a positive causal relationship age at first sexual intercourse and the risk of oral cavity cancer (p = 0.0002), while a delayed age at first sexual intercourse would lead to a decreased risk of suffering oral cavity cancer (β = -1.013). The secondary outcomes confirmed the results (all β < 0) and all assessments supported the robustness, too (all p > 0.05).

Conclusion

The study demonstrates that a delayed sexual debut would provide protection against OCC, thus education on delaying sexual intercourse should be recommended.

A deep learning method for multi-task intelligent detection of oral cancer based on optical fiber Raman spectroscopy

In the fight against oral cancer, innovative methods like Raman spectroscopy and deep learning have become powerful tools, particularly in integral tasks encompassing tumor staging, lymph node staging, and histological grading. These aspects are essential for the development of effective treatment strategies and prognostic assessment. However, it is important to note that most research so far has focused on solutions to one of these problems and has not taken full advantage of the potential wealth of information in the data. To compensate for this shortfall, we conceived a method that combines Raman spectroscopy with deep learning for simultaneous processing of multiple classification tasks, including tumor staging, lymph node staging, and histological grading. To achieve this innovative approach, we collected 1750 Raman spectra from 70 tissue samples, including normal and cancerous tissue samples from 35 patients with oral cancer. In addition, we used a deep neural network architecture to design four distinct multi-task network (MTN) models for intelligent oral cancer diagnosis, named MTN-Alexnet, MTN-Googlenet, MTN-Resnet50, and MTN-Transformer. To determine their effectiveness, we compared these multitask models to each other and to single-task models and traditional machine learning methods. The preliminary experimental results show that our multi-task network model has good performance, among which MTN-Transformer performs best. Specifically, MTN-Transformer has an accuracy of 81.5%, a precision of 82.1%, a sensitivity of 80.2%, and an F1_score of 81.1% in terms of tumor staging. In the field of lymph node staging, the accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and F1_score of MTN-Transformer are 81.3%, 83.0%, 80.1%, and 81.5% respectively. Similarly, for the histological grading classification tasks, the accuracy was 83.0%, the precision 84.3%, the sensitivity 76.7%, and the F1_score 80.2%. This code is available at https://github.com/ISCLab-Bistu/MultiTask-OralRamanSystem.

Shikonin enhances chemosensitivity of oral cancer through β-catenin pathway

OBJECTIVES

This study concentrates on exploring the synergistic effect of shikonin on cisplatin against oral cancer.

METHODS

To analyze the IC50 value of shikonin, gradient concentrations of shikonin were added to the oral cancer cell culture medium. After the cisplatin-resistant cell line was established, the effects of cisplatin and shikonin on the survival rate, proliferation, apoptosis and related pathway protein expression of common/drug-resistant oral cancer cells were compared through MTT, clone formation, flow cytometry, and Western blot experiments. β-catenin, which had the most significant expression changes, was overexpressed and silenced, and used to design a reverse validation.

RESULTS

Shikonin inhibited the viability of oral cancer cells. Although cisplatin killed some cancer cells, its effect on drug-resistant cancer cells was significantly reduced. The addition of shikonin enhanced the sensitivity of drug-resistant cells to cisplatin. Shikonin regulated key proteins in cell proliferation and apoptosis-related pathways. Among them, shikonin generated the most evident inhibitory effect on β-catenin. Therefore, β-catenin overexpression plasmid/siβ-catenin was transfected into the cells. Silenced β-catenin was found to reinforce the damaging effect of cisplatin on cancer cells, and overexpressed β-catenin reversed the effect of shikonin.

CONCLUSION

By down-regulating β-catenin expression, shikonin improves the sensitivity of drug-resistant oral cancer cells to cisplatin.

Genetically predicted gut microbiome and risk of oral cancer

PURPOSE

Mounting evidence suggests a possible link between gut microbiome and oral cancer, pointing to some potential modifiable targets for disease prevention. In the present study, Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to explore whether there was a causal link between gut microbiome and oral cancer.

METHODS

The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated with gut microbiome were served as instrumental variables. MR analyses were performed using genetic approaches such as inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR Egger and weighted median, with IVW as the primary approach, supplemented by MR Egger and weighted median. Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) and MR-Egger regression were used to detect the presence of horizontal pleiotropy and identify outlier SNPs.

RESULTS

Causal effect estimates indicated that genetically predicted abundance of Prevotellaceae was associated with higher risk of oral cancer (odds ratio (OR) 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16-2.81, p = 0.009). There was no evidence of notable heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy.

CONCLUSION

Genetically derived estimates suggest that Prevotellaceae may be associated with the risk of oral cancer. Such robust evidence should be given priority in future studies and explore the underlying mechanisms.

ANKRD2 expression combined with TNFRSF19 expression for evaluating the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Objective

As an important chemotherapy drug, cisplatin has been widely used in the treatment of many cancers. However, many patients, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients, experience unacceptable outcomes from cisplatin treatment. Thus, we devised a risk model for predicting the sensitivity of OSCC patients to cisplatin treatment, to provide a reference for clinical practice.

Methods

CAL-27 and SCC-9 cell lines treated or not with cisplatin and data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were screened for simultaneously and significantly differentially expressed genes. Next, we built a risk model for predicting cisplatin sensitivity in OSCC patients. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), pathological samples and clinical data were used to examine the reliability of the model.

Results

ANKRD2 and TNFRSF19 were differentially expressed between the OSCC metastasis cell line HSC-3 treated and not treated with cisplatin, as well as between the OSCC cell line SCC-25 and the cell line SCC25-DDP, which has cisplatin chemoresistance. We found that the expression of ANKRD2 and TNFRSF19 had a significant influence on the prognosis of OSCC patients. The risk model that combined ANKRD2 and TNFRSF19 to predict sensitivity to cisplatin in OSCC patients was confirmed by analysing the pathological samples and follow-up information of clinical patients.

Conclusions

The expression of ANKRD2 and TNFRSF19 is associated with cisplatin sensitivity and prognosis in patients with OSCC. The survival outcome of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) was found to be significantly worse in those with high expression of ANKRD2 combined with low expression of TNFRSF19. ANKRD2 and TNFRSF19 may be targets for cisplatin sensitivity prediction in OSCC patients. These findings may provide novel strategies for overcoming cisplatin resistance.

Dickkopf-related protein 1 as a biomarker of local immune status and worse prognosis of Oral squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an infiltrative malignancy characterized by a significantly elevated recurrence rate. Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), which plays an oncogene role in many cancers, acts as an inhibitor of the Wingless protein (Wnt) signaling pathway. Currently, there is a lack of consensus regarding the role of DKK1 in OSCC or its clinical significance.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the role and effect of DKK1 in OSCC.

METHODS

The identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in OSCC was conducted by utilizing databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). A comprehensive analysis of gene expression profile interactions (GEPIA) and Kaplan-Meier curve were conducted to investigate the associations among DEGs, patient survival and prognosis in individuals with OSCC. The biological function of DKK1 in OSCC was investigated by using molecular biology approaches.

RESULTS

The expression of DKK1 was found to be upregulated in OSCC tissues at various stages. High levels of DKK1 expression exhibited a positive correlation with the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates among OSCC patients. DKK1 knockdown suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptotic response in OSCC cells. Moreover, DKK1 exerted a positive regulatory effect on HMGA2 expression, thereby modulating cell growth and apoptosis in OSCC. The expression of DKK1 was found to be positively correlated with the infiltration of immune cells in patients with OSCC. Additionally, higher levels of CD4 + T cells were associated with improved 5-year survival rates.

CONCLUSION

DKK1 is a prognostic biomarker for patients with OSCC.

A clinicopathological exploration of Hedgehog signaling: implications in oral carcinogenesis

INTRODUCTION

Hedgehog Signaling, a basic cancer stem cell pathway, plays a major role during the embryonic development, is known to play a quiescent role in adults. However, aberrant activation of Hedgehog signaling in adults is known to play a role in cancer development. Hence, the aim of the study was to identify the role of Hedgehog signaling pathway in the Oral cancers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of Hedgehog signaling pathway was evaluated in 124 patients through the quantitative real-time PCR. The association between the gene expression and clinico-pathological parameters were analyzed using the Pearson chi-square test and survival analysis was carried out using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

SHH and GLI1 was found to be significantly associated with the Lymph Node Status and SUFU was significantly associated with the Age. SMO and SUFU were found to have a worse prognosis in oral cancer patients. According to our findings, IHH plays a critical role in the activation of the HH signaling pathway in oral cancer.

CONCLUSION

These findings back up the use of the Hedgehog signaling pathway as a biomarker for early disease prediction in oral cancer, as well as its role in tumor aggressiveness and invasiveness.

Glucose upregulates amphiregulin in oral dysplastic keratinocytes: A potential role in diabetes-associated oral carcinogenesis

BACKGROUND

Compelling evidence implicates diabetes-associated hyperglycemia as a promoter of tumor progression in oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). Yet, information on hyperglycemia-induced cell signaling networks in oral oncology remains limited. Our group recently reported that glucose-rich conditions significantly enhance oral dysplastic keratinocyte viability and migration through epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation, a pathway strongly linked to oral carcinogenesis. Here, we investigated the basal metabolic phenotype in these cells and whether specific glucose-responsive EGFR ligands mediate these responses.

METHODS

Cell energy phenotype and lactate concentration were evaluated via commercially available assays. EGFR ligands in response to normal (5 mM) or high (20 mM) glucose were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR, ELISA, and western blotting. Cell viability and migration assays were performed in the presence of pharmacological inhibitors or RNA interference.

RESULTS

When compared to normal keratinocytes, basal glycolysis in oral dysplastic keratinocytes was significantly elevated. In highly glycolytic cells, high glucose-activated EGFR increasing viability and migration. Notably, we identified amphiregulin (AREG) as the predominant glucose-induced EGFR ligand. Indeed, enhanced cell migration in response to high glucose was blunted by EGFR inhibitor cetuximab and AREG siRNA. Conversely, AREG treatment under normal glucose conditions significantly increased cell viability, migration, lactate levels, and expression of glycolytic marker pyruvate kinase M2.

CONCLUSION

These novel findings point to AREG as a potential high glucose-induced EGFR activating ligand in highly glycolytic oral dysplastic keratinocytes. Future studies are warranted to gain more insight into the role of AREG in hyperglycemia-associated OPMD tumor progression.

Using CADD tools to inhibit the overexpressed genes FAP, FN1, and MMP1 by repurposing ginsenoside C and Rg1 as a treatment for oral cancer

Oral cancer is one of the most common cancer types. Many factors can express certain genes that cause the proliferation of oral tissues. Overexpressed genes were detected in oral cancer patients; three were highly impacted. FAP, FN1, and MMP1 were the targeted genes that showed inhibition results in silico by ginsenoside C and Rg1. Approved drugs were retrieved from the DrugBank database. The docking scores show an excellent interaction between the ligands and the targeted macromolecules. Further molecular dynamics simulations showed the binding stability of the proposed natural products. This work recommends repurposing ginsenoside C and Rg1 as potential binders for the selected targets and endorses future experimental validation for the treatment of oral cancer.

Rapid multi-task diagnosis of oral cancer leveraging fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy and deep learning algorithms

Introduction

Oral cancer, a predominant malignancy in developing nations, represents a global health challenge with a five-year survival rate below 50%. Nonetheless, substantial reductions in both its incidence and mortality rates can be achieved through early detection and appropriate treatment. Crucial to these treatment plans and prognosis predictions is the identification of the pathological type of oral cancer.

Methods

Toward this end, fiber-optic Raman spectroscopy emerges as an effective tool. This study combines Raman spectroscopy technology with deep learning algorithms to develop a portable intelligent prototype for oral case analysis. We propose, for the first time, a multi-task network (MTN) Raman spectroscopy classification model that utilizes a shared backbone network to simultaneously achieve different clinical staging and histological grading diagnoses.

Results

The developed model demonstrated accuracy rates of 94.88%, 94.57%, and 94.34% for tumor staging, lymph node staging, and histological grading, respectively. Its sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy compare closely with the gold standard: routine histopathological examination.

Discussion

Thus, this prototype proposed in this study has great potential for rapid, non-invasive, and label-free pathological diagnosis of oral cancer.

Anticancer effects of gossypetin from Hibiscus sabdariffa in oral squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Gossypetin, isolated from Hibiscus sabdariffa L, has been shown to have various pharmacological effects including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activity against various diseases. However, since the effect of gossypetin in oral cancer remains to be reported, we aimed to investigate the anticancer activity and mechanisms of gossypetin in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODOLOGY

The proliferation of OSCC cells was evaluated by cell viability and soft agar colony assays. The effects of gossypetin on the migration and invasion of OSCC cells was investigated by wound healing and transwell invasion assays, respectively. Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were measured by flow cytometry. Moreover, the anticancer mechanism of gossypetin in OSCC cells was analyzed by western blotting.

RESULTS

Gossypetin inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells and induced apoptosis by upregulating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Furthermore, gossypetin regulated the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and nuclear factor-kappa B.

CONCLUSION

Results showed that gossypetin inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells and triggers apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in OSCC. Therefore, gossypetin has the potential for use as a chemopreventive agent in oral cancer.

Exploring the potential of dietary factors and plant extracts as chemopreventive agents in oral squamous cell carcinoma treatment

Oral cancer, particularly oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), is a prevalent malignancy having a significant fatality rate worldwide. Despite advancements in conventional treatment modalities, the overall survival rate for OSCC remains low. Therefore, there is a critical need to explore alternative therapeutic approaches that can improve patient outcomes. This review focuses on the potential of dietary factors and plant extracts as chemopreventive agents in treating oral cancer. These compounds possess diverse biological functions encompassing a range of attributes, such as antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer capabilities. By targeting multiple cellular pathways involved in carcinogenesis, they possess the capacity to hinder tumor growth and development, promote programmed cell death, and impede the progression of oral cancer. Signaling pathways targeted by natural compounds that have been included in this review include Akt/mTOR/NF-κB signaling, Hippo-Tafazzin signaling pathway, notch signaling pathway, mitochondrial pathway, and Sonic Hedgehog pathway.

Therapeutic strategy for oncovirus-mediated oral cancer: A comprehensive review

Oral cancer is a neoplastic disorder of the oral cavities, including the lips, tongue, buccal mucosa, and lower and upper gums. Oral cancer assessment entails a multistep process that requires deep knowledge of the molecular networks involved in its progression and development. Preventive measures including public awareness of risk factors and improving public behaviors are necessary, and screening techniques should be encouraged to enable early detection of malignant lesions. Herpes simplex virus (HSV), human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) are associated with other premalignant and carcinogenic conditions leading to oral cancer. Oncogenic viruses induce chromosomal rearrangements; activate signal transduction pathways via growth factor receptors, cytoplasmic protein kinases, and DNA binding transcription factors; modulate cell cycle proteins, and inhibit apoptotic pathways. In this review, we present an up-to-date overview on the use of nanomaterials for regulating viral proteins and oral cancer as well as the role of phytocompounds on oral cancer. The targets linking oncoviral proteins and oral carcinogenesis were also discussed.

Phyllanthus emblica fruits: a polyphenol-rich fruit with potential benefits for oral management

The fruit of Phyllanthus emblica Linn., which mainly grows in tropical and subtropical regions, is well-known for its medicine and food homology properties. It has a distinctive flavor, great nutritional content, and potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and immunoregulatory effects. According to an increasing amount of scientific and clinical evidence, this fruit shows significant potential for application and development in the field of oral health management. Through the supplementation of vitamins, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and other nutrients reduce virulence expression of various oral pathogens, prevent tissue and mucosal damage caused by oxidative stress, etc. Phyllanthus emblica fruit can promote saliva secretion, regulate the balance of the oral microecology, prevent and treat oral cancer early, promote alveolar bone remodeling and aid mucosal wound healing. Thus, it plays a specific role in the prevention and treatment of common oral disorders, producing surprising results. For instance, enhancing the effectiveness of scaling and root planing in the treatment of periodontitis, relieving mucosal inflammation caused by radiotherapy for oral cancer, and regulating the blood glucose metabolism to alleviate oral discomfort. Herein, we systematically review the latest research on the use of Phyllanthus emblica fruit in the management of oral health and examine the challenges and future research directions based on its chemical composition and characteristics.

MiRNA-related metastasis in oral cancer: moving and shaking

Across the world, oral cancer is a prevalent tumor. Over the years, both its mortality and incidence have grown. Oral cancer metastasis is a complex process involving cell invasion, migration, proliferation, and egress from cancer tissue either by lymphatic vessels or blood vessels. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential short non-coding RNAs, which can act either as tumor suppressors or as oncogenes to control cancer development. Cancer metastasis is a multi-step process, in which miRNAs can inhibit or stimulate metastasis at all stages, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, and colonization, by targeting critical genes in these pathways. On the other hand, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), two different types of non-coding RNAs, can regulate cancer metastasis by affecting gene expression through cross-talk with miRNAs. We reviewed the scientific literature (Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed) for the period 2000-2023 to find reports concerning miRNAs and lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks, which control the spread of oral cancer cells by affecting invasion, migration, and metastasis. According to these reports, miRNAs are involved in the regulation of metastasis pathways either by directly or indirectly targeting genes associated with metastasis. Moreover, circRNAs and lncRNAs can induce or suppress oral cancer metastasis by acting as competing endogenous RNAs to inhibit the effect of miRNA suppression on specific mRNAs. Overall, non-coding RNAs (especially miRNAs) could help to create innovative therapeutic methods for the control of oral cancer metastases.

The role of interferon-gamma and its receptors in gastrointestinal cancers

Gastrointestinal malignancies are the most prevalent type of cancer around the world. Even though numerous studies have evaluated gastrointestinal malignancies, the actual underlying mechanism is still unknown. These tumors have a poor prognosis and are frequently discovered at an advanced stage. Globally, there is an increase in the incidence and mortality of gastrointestinal malignancies, including those of the stomach, esophagus, colon, liver, and pancreas. Growth factors and cytokines are signaling molecules that are part of the tumor microenvironment and play a significant role in the development and spread of malignancies. IFN-γ induce its effects by activation of intracellular molecular networks. The main pathway involved in IFN-γ signaling is the JAK/STAT pathway, which regulates the transcription of hundreds of genes and mediates various biological responses. IFN-γ receptor is composed of two IFN-γR1 chains and two IFN-γR2 chains. Binding to IFN-γ, causes the intracellular domains of IFN-γR2 to oligomerize and transphosphorylate with IFN-γR1 which activates downstream signaling components: JAK1 and JAK2. These activated JAKs phosphorylate the receptor, creating binding sites for STAT1. STAT1 is then phosphorylated by JAK, resulting in the formation of STAT1 homodimers (gamma activated factors or GAFs) that translocate to the nucleus and regulate gene expression. The balance between positive and negative regulation of this pathway is crucial for immune responses and tumorigenesis. In this paper, we evaluate the dynamic roles of IFN- γ and its receptors in gastrointestinal cancers and present evidence that inhibiting IFN- γ signaling may be an effective treatment strategy.

Ginsenoside Rh2: A shining and potential natural product in the treatment of human nonmalignant and malignant diseases in the near future

BACKGROUND

Ginseng is well-known as one of the most valuable and commonly used Chinese medicines not only in ancient China but also worldwide including East, Russia, Southeast Asia, North America and some Western European countries. Ginsenosides, as one of the main high active components of Ginseng, have various pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antianaphylaxis, anti-depression, and anticancer activities. Ginsenoside Rh2 (Rh2), one of the major bioactive ginsenosides in Panax ginseng, also exhibits versatile pharmacological activities, such as increasing non-specific resistance and specific immune response, improving cardiac function and fibrosis, anti-inflammatory effects and antitumor effects, which may serve as an excellent medicinal potential.

PURPOSE

As one of hundreds of ginsenosides being identified from ginseng, Rh2 exerts a markedly pharmacological effect on various diseases without severe toxicity, it has attracted many researchers 'attention. Although Rh2 plays important roles in some animal models and cell lines to simulate human diseases, its underlying molecular mechanisms have yet to be determined. During the past ten years, nearly 450 studies on Rh2 in the treatment of complex disease have been reported, however, up to now, no comprehensive reviews about the roles of Rh2 in animal models and cellular lines of human nonmalignant and malignant diseases have been conducted.

METHOD

We searched articles on ginsenoside-related diseases from December 2010 to February 2023 in peer-reviewed and nonclinical databases, which include Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, China national knowledge internet and Medline, and using the following keywords: Ginsenoside Rh2, Human diseases, Cancer, Mechanisms, Chinese herbal medicine, Natural products and Signaling pathway.

RESULTS

Therefore, in this review, we make a comprehensive summary on the roles of Rh2 and support the potential mechanisms of Rh2 according to the disease classification, including nonmalignant disease such as ulcerative colitis, neuropathic pain, Asthma, myocardial injury, depression and malignant disease such as breast cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma and gastric cancer. Finally, the combination therapy of Rh2 and other medications in human diseases are summarized, apart from that, there are other problems such as the bioavailability of oral administration Rh2 to be overcome in following research.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide strong evidence that Ginsenoside Rh2 plays important roles in the treatment of nonmalignant and malignant diseases.

Anticancer Potential of Natural Chalcones: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence

There is no doubt that significant progress has been made in tumor therapy in the past decades. However, the discovery of new molecules with potential antitumor properties still remains one of the most significant challenges in the field of anticancer therapy. Nature, especially plants, is a rich source of phytochemicals with pleiotropic biological activities. Among a plethora of phytochemicals, chalcones, the bioprecursors of flavonoid and isoflavonoids synthesis in higher plants, have attracted attention due to the broad spectrum of biological activities with potential clinical applications. Regarding the antiproliferative and anticancer effects of chalcones, multiple mechanisms of action including cell cycle arrest, induction of different forms of cell death and modulation of various signaling pathways have been documented. This review summarizes current knowledge related to mechanisms of antiproliferative and anticancer effects of natural chalcones in different types of malignancies including breast cancers, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, lung cancers, renal and bladder cancers, and melanoma.

The Protective Role of Cranberries and Blueberries in Oral Cancer

BACKGROUND

Oral cancer has a high prevalence worldwide, and this disease is caused by genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. The main risk factors associated with oral cancer are smoking and alcohol.

RESULTS

There are various strategies to reduce risk factors, including prevention programs as well as the consumption of an adequate diet that includes phytochemical compounds derived from cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon A.) and blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.); these compounds exhibit antitumor properties.

RESULTS

The main outcome of this review is as follows: the properties of phytochemicals derived from cranberries were evaluated for protection against risk factors associated with oral cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

The secondary metabolites of cranberries promote biological effects that provide protection against smoking and alcoholism. An alternative for the prevention of oral cancer can be the consumption of these cranberries and blueberries.

Effect of educational intervention based on theory of planned behaviour on promoting preventive behaviours of oral cancer in rural women

BACKGROUND

Oral cancer has created an alarming situation around the world, and being the 16th most common cancer worldwide, it has become a global concern. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of educational intervention based on a theory of planned behavior (TPB) on promoting preventive behaviors of oral cancer in rural women.

METHODS

This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 120 female hookah users referring to rural health centers in Fasa and Shiraz city, Fars province, Iran. The subjects were divided into experimental and control groups by simple random sampling. The educational intervention for the experimental group consisted of 8 training sessions of 50 min. Both groups completed a questionnaire including demographic characteristics and constructs of TPB before and four months after the educational intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software through independent t-test, chi-square, and paired t-test (p = 0.05).

RESULTS

The mean age of the experimental and control group subjects were 41.12 ± 8.86 and 40.63 ± 9.62 years, respectively (p = 0.185). The mean age of onset of hookah use in the experimental and control group was 24.16 ± 9.50 and 23.35 ± 9.44 years, respectively (p = 0.182). Also, before the educational intervention, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of knowledge (p < 0.189), attitude (p < 0.122), perceived behavioral control (p < 0.142), subjective norms (p < 0.236), behavioral intention (p < 0.126), oral cancer prevention behaviors (p < 0.108) and nicotine dependence (p < 0.218); however, four months after the educational intervention, there was a significant increase in the experimental group in all variables except nicotine dependence (p < 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Due to the alarming situation of oral cancer and the prevalence of hookah use among women, educational programs based on TPB could effectively prevent hookah use and oral cancer.

Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) gum and oral health: a state-of-the-art review of the literature

The aim of this state-of-the-art review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the various therapeutic effects of Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) gum on oral health. The search of the literature was conducted across thirteen databases for relevant publications published through May 2022 in English, Arabic, or Greek using a combination of keywords and phrases. Out of 246 papers, the search procedure identified 14 papers for inclusion. Mastic gum displayed antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and inhibited plaque accumulation, constituting a beneficial adjuvant in caries prevention. In the treatment and prevention of periodontal diseases, Pistacia lentiscus essential oil provided effective antibacterial activity against a variety of periodontal bacteria as well as anti-inflammatory properties. For oral cancer, several clinical trials revealed interesting results against cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and regulation of intracellular signaling pathways. This indicates the potential of Mastic gum to serve as a preventive and therapeutic agent for oral mucosa inflammation and oral cancer. No notable toxic or side effects were reported in the clinical trials reviewed. This review highlights the various beneficial effects of Mastic gum in the prevention and potential treatment of oral diseases. Further research targeting Pistacia lentiscus products is required in order to validate and utilize these products to prevent and to treat oral health diseases.

Tumour microenvironment and aberrant signaling pathways in cisplatin resistance and strategies to overcome in oral cancer

OBJECTIVE

Oral cancer is the sixteenth most prevalent cancer in the world and the third-most in India. Despite of several treatment modalities, the cure rate of oral cancer is still low due to drug resistance mechanisms, which are caused by many reasons. It is necessary to improve the existing treatment strategies and discover neoteric therapy to kill cancer cells, which will give oral cancer's cure rate more success. So this review aims to delineate the molecular mechanisms behind cisplatin resistance, specifically the role of the tumor microenvironment, extracellular vesicles, and altered signaling pathways and its overcoming strategies in oral cancer.

DESIGN

This review was designed by searching words like cancer, oral cancer, cisplatin-resistance, tumor microenvironment, aberrant signalings, and extracellular vesicles, overcoming strategies for cisplatin resistance in databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, web science, and Scopus. Data available in this review is from 2017 to 2021.

RESULTS

After searching too much data, we found these 98 data appropriate for our review. From these data, we found that tumor microenvironment, extracellular vesicles, and altered signaling pathways like PI3K/AKT, EGFR, NOTCH, Ras, PTEN, Nf-κβ, and Wnt signaling have a crucial role in resistance development towards cisplatin in oral cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Lastly, this review explores the alternative strategies to overcome cisplatin resistance likely, the combination therapy and targeted therapy by combining more than one chemotherapeutic drug or inhibitors of signaling pathways and also by using nanoparticle loaded drugs that will reduce the drug efflux, which gives new treatment strategies.

Oxidative Status Determines the Cytotoxicity of Ascorbic Acid in Human Oral Normal and Cancer Cells

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) can arise anywhere in the oral cavity. OSCC's molecular pathogenesis is complex, resulting from a wide range of events that involve the interplay between genetic mutations and altered levels of transcripts, proteins, and metabolites. Platinum-based drugs are the first-line treatment for OSCC; however, severe side-effects and resistance are challenging issues. Thus, there is an urgent clinical need to develop novel and/or combinatory therapeutics. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic effects of pharmacological concentrations of ascorbate on two human oral cell lines, the oral epidermoid carcinoma meng-1 (OECM-1) cell and the Smulow-Glickman (SG) human normal gingival epithelial cell. Our study examined the potential functional impact of pharmacological concentrations of ascorbates on the cell-cycle profiles, mitochondrial-membrane potential, oxidative response, the synergistic effect of cisplatin, and the differential responsiveness between OECM-1 and SG cells. Two forms of ascorbate, free and sodium forms, were applied to examine the cytotoxic effect and it was found that both forms had a similar higher sensitivity to OECM-1 cells than to SG cells. In addition, our study data suggest that the determinant factor of cell density is important for ascorbate-induced cytotoxicity in OECM-1 and SG cells. Our findings further revealed that the cytotoxic effect might be mediated through the induction of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the reduction in cytosolic ROS generation. The combination index supported the agonistic effect between sodium ascorbate and cisplatin in OECM-1 cells, but not in SG cells. In summary, our current findings provide supporting evidence for ascorbate to serve as a sensitizer for platinum-based treatment of OSCC. Hence, our work provides not only repurposing of the drug, ascorbate, but also an opportunity to decrease the side-effects of, and risk of resistance to, platinum-based treatment for OSCC.

CCNB2 as a potential biomarker of bladder cancer via the high throughput technology

Bladder cancer and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) seriously affect people's health. However, the relationship between bladder cancer and OSCC remains unclear. Got GSE138206, GSE146483, GSE184616, and bladder cancer datasets GSE65635, GSE100926 from Gene Expression Omnibus database. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was used to identify the significant module. Functional enrichment analysis was performed via the Gene Ontology analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Furthermore, the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was also used to complete the enrichment analysis. Comparative Toxicogenomics Database found most relevant diseases to core genes. TargetScan is used to forecast analysis of microRNA and target genes. In Gene Ontology analysis, differentially expressed genes were mostly concentrated in cell differentiation, extrallular region, structural molecule activity, and actin binding. In Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis, the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, pathway in cancer, and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction. Seven hub genes (cyclin B2 [CCNB2], TK1, CDC20, PCNA, CKS1B, CDCA5, MCM4) were obtained. Hub genes (CCNB2, CDC20) are highly expressed in OSCC and bladder cancer samples. CCNB2 was one common oncogene of bladder cancer and OSCC.

Applications of Hydrogels in Drug Delivery for Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases

Oral and maxillofacial diseases have an important impact on local function, facial appearance, and general health. As a multifunctional platform, hydrogels are widely used in the biomedical field due to their excellent physicochemical properties. In recent years, a large number of studies have been conducted to adapt hydrogels to the complex oral and maxillofacial environment by modulating their pore size, swelling, degradability, stimulus-response properties, etc. Meanwhile, many studies have attempted to use hydrogels as drug delivery carriers to load drugs, cytokines, and stem cells for antibacterial, anticancer, and tissue regeneration applications in oral and maxillofacial regions. This paper reviews the application and research progress of hydrogel-based drug delivery systems in the treatment of oral and maxillofacial diseases such as caries, endodontic diseases, periodontal diseases, maxillofacial bone diseases, mucosal diseases, oral cancer, etc. The characteristics and applications of hydrogels and drug-delivery systems employed for the treatment of different diseases are discussed in order to provide a reference for further research on hydrogel drug-delivery systems in the future.

Public Knowledge, Practice, and Attitude Regarding Cancer Screening: A Community-Based Study in Saudi Arabia

(1) Background: Cancer screening tests discover cancer at early stages, even before symptoms appear. When abnormal tissues or a malignant mass is found early, treatment and cure rates are improved. In late stages, the cancer may have grown and metastasized. This can negatively affect cancer treatment and reduce the overall survival rate. Screening tests are performed when a person is asymptomatic. Public awareness about cancer screening is crucial for the success of cancer screening programs and for consequently decreasing the morbidity and mortality rate due to cancer. (2) Aim: Assess the knowledge and perception of the community regarding cancer screening in Saudi Arabia. (3) Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study targeting the general population of Saudi Arabia was conducted from January to June 2022. The data were collected using a structured validated electronic questionnaire. The study questionnaire covered participants' personal data, medical history, source of data, and participants' knowledge, attitude, and practice items. The questionnaire was used as a digital survey and was distributed electronically to the target population. (4) Results: A total of 1313 participants completed the study questionnaire. The participants' ages ranged from 18 to 67 years, with a mean age of 28.3 ± 11.4 years old. Overall, 60.4% of the study participants knew about cancer screening. Regarding the benefits of cancer screening, 91.8% of the participants reported knowing that the early detection of cancer helps treatment, and 81.1% knew that the early detection of cancer improves treatment outcomes. Moreover, 441 (33.6%) of the participants had good knowledge regarding cancer and cancer screening, while 872 (66.4%) had poor levels of knowledge. Furthermore, 106 (8.1%) of the participants underwent cancer screening. (5) Conclusions: The study results revealed that participants' awareness regarding cancer and cancer screening was low, especially for approaches to reduce cancer risk. Additionally, the study participants' practice regarding cancer screening was low. The health care authority should plan for population-based efficacious cancer screening programs. In addition, cancer screening information and the benefits of early detection can be disseminated through social media to target the desired populations.

Analysis of the subcellular location of lncRNA SLC16A1-AS1 and its interaction with premature miR-5088-5p in oral squamous cell carcinoma

SLC16A1-AS1 is a newly identified lncRNA with different roles in different cancers. MiR-5088-5p is an oncogenic miRNA in breast cancer. However, their participation in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is unknown. We predicted the interaction between SLC16A1-AS1 and miR-5088-5p, and this study was carried out to explore the crosstalk between them in OSCC. A total of 56 OSCC patients donated OSCC and paired non-tumor tissues, which were used to detect the differential expression of SLC16A1-AS1 and miR-5088-5p (mature and premature). Analysis of the subcellular location of SLC16A1-AS1 in OSCC cells and its direct interaction with premature miR-5088-5p was performed with cellular fractionation assay and RNA pull-down assay, respectively. The involvement of SLC16A1-AS1 in miR-5088-5p maturation was studied with overexpression assay. BrdU assay was performed to detect cell proliferation after transfection. OSCC tissue samples exhibited decreased expression levels of SLC16A1-AS1 and premature miR-5088-5p, but increased the expression levels of mature miR-5088-5p. SLC16A1-AS1 was detected in both nucleus and cytoplasm samples of OSCC cells and its direct interaction with premature miR-5088-5p was confirmed. Overexpression of SLC16A1-AS1 in OSCC cells resulted in inhibited maturation of miR-5088-5p. SLC16A1-AS1 suppressed the enhancing effects of miR-5088-5p on cell proliferation. SLC16A1-AS1 was downregulated in OSCC and it may inhibit cell proliferation by suppressing maturation of miR-5088-5p.

Arsenic Trioxide Triggers Apoptosis of Metastatic Oral Squamous Cells Carcinoma with Concomitant Downregulation of GLI1 in Hedgehog Signaling

Given the lack of advances in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) therapy in recent years, pharmacological strategies to block OSCC-related signaling pathways have gained prominence. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of Arsenic Trioxide (ATO) concerning its antitumoral effects and the inhibition of the Hedgehog (HH) pathway in OSCC. Initially, ATO cytotoxicity was assessed in a panel of cell lines. Cell viability, cell cycle, death patterns, and cell morphology were analyzed, as well as the effect of ATO on the expression of HH pathway components. After the cytotoxic assay, HSC3 cells were chosen for all in vitro assays. ATO increased apoptotic cell death and nuclear fragmentation in the sub-G1 cell cycle phase and promoted changes in cell morphology. In addition, the reduced expression of GLI1 indicated that ATO inhibits HH activity. The present study provides evidence of ATO as an effective cytotoxic drug for oral cancer treatment in vitro.

Antioxidant Intervention to Improve Cognition in the Aging Brain: The Example of Hydroxytyrosol and Resveratrol

Both physiological and pathological aging processes induce brain alterations especially affecting the speed of processing, working memory, conceptual reasoning and executive functions. Many therapeutic approaches to reduce the impact of brain aging on cognitive functioning have been tested; unfortunately, there are no satisfactory results as a single therapy. As aging is partly contributed by free radical reactions, it has been proposed that exogenous antioxidants could have a positive impact on both aging and its associated manifestations. The aim of this report is to provide a summary and a subsequent review of the literature evidence on the role of antioxidants in preventing and improving cognition in the aging brain. Manipulation of endogenous cellular defense mechanisms through nutritional antioxidants or pharmacological compounds represents an innovative approach to therapeutic intervention in diseases causing brain tissue damage, such as neurodegeneration. Coherently with this notion, antioxidants, especially those derived from the Mediterranean diet such as hydroxytyrosol and resveratrol, seem to be able to delay and modulate the cognitive brain aging processes and decrease the occurrence of its effects on the brain. The potential preventive activity of antioxidants should be evaluated in long-term exposure clinical trials, using preparations with high bioavailability, able to bypass the blood-brain barrier limitation, and that are well standardized.

Inhibition of AEBP1 predisposes cisplatin-resistant oral cancer cells to ferroptosis

Background

Studies have shown that excessive iron can lead to an increased incidence of cancer. The role of adipocyte enhancer-binding protein 1 (AEBP1) on ferroptosis is unknown. Thus, we explored the effect of AEBP1 silencing in regulation of ferroptosis in cisplatin-resistant oral cancer cells.

Methods

The functions of AEBP1 silencing and sulfasalazine (SSZ) treatment were determined on oral cancer cell lines and tumor xenograft mouse models. Then we evaluated the functions of AEBP1 on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS), labile iron pool (LIP) and free iron, lipid peroxidation, and expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes.

Results

AEBP1 was highly expressed in oral cancer cells and tissues. AEBP1 silencing inhibited oral cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion after SSZ treatment. SSZ-induced ferroptosis is due to enhanced ROS level, free iron, and lipid peroxidation, which were distinctly increased by AEBP1 silencing. Meanwhile, AEBP1 silencing enhanced the effects of SSZ on levels of LIP and Fe2+, lipid peroxidation, as well as the expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes in the tumor xenograft mouse models. Importantly, AEBP1 silencing suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, silencing of AEBP1 might activate the JNK/ P38 /ERK pathway.

Conclusion

This research suggested that silencing of AEBP1 predisposes cisplatin-resistant oral cancer cells to ferroptosis via the JNK/p38 /ERK pathway.

lncRNA FAM230B is highly expressed in colorectal cancer and suppresses the maturation of miR-1182 to increase cell proliferation

Long non-coding RNA FAM230B and microRNA (miR-1182) have been characterized as critical players in cancer biology, while their roles in colorectal cancer (CRC) are unclear. We predicted that they could interact with each other and therefore explored the interaction between them in CRC. CRC and paired non-tumor tissue samples were collected from 60 CRC patients, and the expression of FAM230B and miR-1182 (premature and mature) in these samples was analyzed with RT-qPCR. The direct interaction between FAM230B and premature miR-1182 was analyzed with RNA-RNA pull-down assay, and the subcellular location of FAM230B was detected with subcellular fractionation assay. The interaction between FAM230B and miR-1182 was explored with overexpression assay, and their roles in regulating CRC cell proliferation, viability, and colony formation were assessed by BrdU assay, MTT assay, and colony formation assay, respectively. We found that FAM230B and premature miR-1182 were highly upregulated in CRC, while mature miR-1182 was downregulated in CRC. FAM230B was detected in both nucleus and cytoplasm, and it directly interacted with miR-1182. FAM230B overexpression increased the expression levels of premature miR-1182 but decreased the expression levels of mature miR-1182 in CRC cells. FAM230B promoted CRC cell proliferation, increased cell viability, accelerated colony formation, and suppressed the role of miR-1182 in inhibiting CRC cell proliferation. In conclusion, FAM230B is upregulated in CRC and it suppresses the maturation of miR-1182 to promote tumor growth.

Effect of pembrolizumab on T lymphocyte subsets in patients with advanced oral cancer and its therapeutic effect

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to investigate changes of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets before and after treatment with pembrolizumab for advanced oral cancer and its clinical sig-nificance.

METHODS

32 patients with advanced oral cancer who received pembrolizumab treatment were selected as observation group, 30 healthy people during the same period were selected as control group. Before treatment and in cycles 1, 2, 3 and 4 after treatment, fluid cytometry was used to detect changes in levels of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients.

RESULTS

CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8 + indexes of patients with advanced oral cancer before treatment were significantly lower than those in control group (P < .05), CD8 + level was significantly increased (P < .05); After 1 cycle of pembrolizumab treatment, there was no significant difference in changes of lymphocyte subsets compared with before immunotherapy; After 2 and 3 cycles of treatment, CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8 + values were higher than before the treatment (P > .05), CD8 + index was slightly lower than before treatment (P < .05); After fourth cycle of treatment, CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8 + values were significantly improved compared to before treatment (P < .05), CD8 + index was significantly lower than before treatment (P < .05); In treatment process of patients with stable disease (SD)/partial response (PR), the CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8 + values of fourth cycles were higher than before treatment (P < .05), CD8 + index was lower than before treatment (P < .05); During treatment of progressive disease (PD) patients, changes of lymphocyte subsets in fourth cycles were not significantly different from those before treatment (P > .05). This article shows through analysis that expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and pathological types have no obvious influence on effect of immunotherapy. Multi-factor analysis shows that it is more meaningful to observe the changes of CD3+, CD4 + and CD8 + at the same time to predict effect of immunotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Pembrolizumab can regulate changes of T lymphocyte subsets in patients with advanced oral cancer, improve immune status of patients, there is no obvious adverse reaction. Monitoring changes of lymphocyte subsets during treatment can predict effect of immunotherapy.

Intelligent Identification of Early Esophageal Cancer by Band-Selective Hyperspectral Imaging

In this study, the combination of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology and band selection was coupled with color reproduction. The white-light images (WLIs) were simulated as narrow-band endoscopic images (NBIs). As a result, the blood vessel features in the endoscopic image became more noticeable, and the prediction performance was improved. In addition, a single-shot multi-box detector model for predicting the stage and location of esophageal cancer was developed to evaluate the results. A total of 1780 esophageal cancer images, including 845 WLIs and 935 NBIs, were used in this study. The images were divided into three stages based on the pathological features of esophageal cancer: normal, dysplasia, and squamous cell carcinoma. The results showed that the mean average precision (mAP) reached 80% in WLIs, 85% in NBIs, and 84% in HSI images. This study′s results showed that HSI has more spectral features than white-light imagery, and it improves accuracy by about 5% and matches the results of NBI predictions.

The role of lncRNAs and XIST in oral cancer

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of many human malignant tumors, including oral cancer. LncRNA can act as a gene regulator in a variety of cancers. It regulates the growth of malignant cells via many cellular signal pathways such as the PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/AKT (α-serine/threonine-protein kinase) pathway. In this review, we have analyzed the role of lncRNAs, such as lncRNA X inactive specific transcript (XIST), in oral cancer, including its effects on the proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and resistance to chemotherapy of oral cancer. We have also focused on the role of lncRNA XIST as the core of X chromosome inactivation. Here, we provide a brief overview of the role of many kinds of lncRNAs, including XIST, which provides a theoretical basis for the study of the role of XIST in oral cancer. Our review may provide a new direction for the study of the occurrence, development, and prognosis of oral cancer and provide a new target for its treatment.

The multifaceted role of STAT3 pathway and its implication as a potential therapeutic target in oral cancer

Oral cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, and it has become a matter of serious concern due to the alarming rise in its incidence rate worldwide. Despite recent advancements in oral cancer treatment strategies, there are no significant improvements in patient's survival rate. Among the numerous cell signaling pathways involved in oral cancer development and progression, STAT3 is known to play a multifaceted oncogenic role in shaping the tumor pathophysiology. STAT3 hyperactivation in oral cancer contributes to survival, proliferation, invasion, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, metastasis, immunosuppression, chemoresistance, and poor prognosis. A plethora of pre-clinical and clinical studies have documented the role of STAT3 in the initiation and development of oral cancer and showed that STAT3 inhibition holds significant potential in the prevention and treatment of this cancer. However, to date, targeting STAT3 activation mainly involves inhibiting the upstream signaling molecules such as JAK and IL-6 receptors. The major challenge in targeting STAT3 lies in the complexity of its phosphorylation- and dimerization-independent functions, which are not affected by disrupting the upstream regulators. The present review delineates the significance of the STAT3 pathway in regulating various hallmarks of oral cancer. In addition, it highlights the STAT3 inhibitors identified to date through various preclinical and clinical studies that can be employed for the therapeutic intervention in oral cancer treatment.

Investigating periodontal diagnosis and treatment at one dental school

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether patients at one dental education institution received appropriate care based on their periodontal diagnosis in a timely manner.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study used a retrospective design to evaluate data from July 2018 to February 2020. The patient records were screened to determine whether patients received a periodontal diagnosis, whether the diagnosis followed the 2018 AAP Classification Guidelines, and if appropriate preventive and therapeutic procedures were completed in a timely manner. In addition, the type or year of dental student providing the procedure was also recorded. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a Chi-squared test.

RESULTS

A total of 612 charts were generated for review and 157 met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated. Results revealed that more than half (56.7%) of the patient records did not demonstrate a periodontal diagnosis and another 10.8% did not follow current AAP Classification Guidelines. Most patients (n = 125, 79.6%) had a comprehensive periodontal assessment performed, while 32 (20.4%) had no comprehensive periodontal charting information recorded. Further, of the 157 records reviewed, 96 (61.1%) had no periodontal treatment specified. A statistically significant difference with a modest association was found between type of dental student and year based on periodontal diagnosis (Fisher's exact test value = 20.72, p = .001, Cramer's V = 0.25).

CONCLUSION

Documentation of key clinical information, diagnostic conclusions, and treatment rendered requires curriculum review. Further studies are warranted to determine whether similar findings exist among other dental school education programs.

MicroRNA-485-5p targets keratin 17 to regulate oral cancer stemness and chemoresistance via the integrin/FAK/Src/ERK/β-catenin pathway

Background

The development of drug resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) that frequently leads to recurrence and metastasis after initial treatment remains an unresolved challenge. Presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) has been increasingly reported to be a critical contributing factor in drug resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis. Thus, unveiling of mechanisms regulating CSCs and potential targets for developing their inhibitors will be instrumental for improving OSCC therapy.

Methods

siRNA, shRNA and miRNA that specifically target keratin 17 (KRT17) were used for modulation of gene expression and functional analyses. Sphere-formation and invasion/migration assays were utilized to assess cancer cell stemness and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) properties, respectively. Duolink proximity ligation assay (PLA) was used to examine molecular proximity between KRT17 and plectin, which is a large protein that binds cytoskeleton components. Cell proliferation assay was employed to evaluate growth rates and viability of oral cancer cells treated with cisplatin, carboplatin or dasatinib. Xenograft mouse tumor model was used to evaluate the effect of KRT17- knockdown in OSCC cells on tumor growth and drug sensitization.

Results

Significantly elevated expression of KRT17 in highly invasive OSCC cell lines and advanced tumor specimens were observed and high KRT17 expression was correlated with poor overall survival. KRT17 gene silencing in OSCC cells attenuated their stemness properties including markedly reduced sphere forming ability and expression of stemness and EMT markers. We identified a novel signaling cascade orchestrated by KRT17 where its association with plectin resulted in activation of integrin β4/α6, increased phosphorylation of FAK, Src and ERK, as well as stabilization and nuclear translocation of β-catenin. The activation of this signaling cascade was correlated with enhanced OSCC cancer stemness and elevated expression of CD44 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We identified and demonstrated KRT17 to be a direct target of miRNA-485-5p. Ectopic expression of miRNA-485-5p inhibited OSCC sphere formation and caused sensitization of cancer cells towards cisplatin and carboplatin, which could be significantly rescued by KRT17 overexpression. Dasatinib treatment that inhibited KRT17-mediated Src activation also resulted in OSCC drug sensitization. In OSCC xenograft mouse model, KRT17 knockdown significantly inhibited tumor growth, and combinatorial treatment with cisplatin elicited a greater tumor inhibitory effect. Consistently, markedly reduced levels of integrin β4, active β-catenin, CD44 and EGFR were observed in the tumors induced by KRT17 knockdown OSCC cells.

Conclusions

A novel miRNA-485-5p/KRT17/integrin/FAK/Src/ERK/β-catenin signaling pathway is unveiled to modulate OSCC cancer stemness and drug resistance to the common first-line chemotherapeutics. This provides a potential new therapeutic strategy to inhibit OSCC stem cells and counter chemoresistance.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12929-022-00824-z.

Identification and Validation of an Apoptosis-Related Gene Prognostic Signature for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

To identify an apoptosis-related gene (ARG) prediction model for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we analyzed and validated the data from TCGA and GEO, respectively. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and ROC curves showed a good prognostic ability of the model both in the internal training set and in the external testing set. Furthermore, we built a nomogram using these ARGs to forecast the survival probability of OSCC patients. Moreover, we evaluated the rate of immune cells infiltrating in the tumor samples and found obvious, different patterns between the high and low risk groups. GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated multiple molecular biological processes and signaling pathways connecting with this prognostic model in OSCC. The expression of these risk genes in clinical specimens was higher in the non-survival patients than in the well-survival patients by immunohistochemical staining analysis. In conclusion, we established a signature made up of six risk apoptosis-related genes to predict the survival rate of OSCC. These genes could also be targets for the treatment of OSCC.

Prognostic role of an inflammation scoring system in radical resection of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Inflammatory markers can influence the postoperative prognosis and outcome of malignant tumors. However, the role of inflammatory factors in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are still debatable. The primary objective of this investigation was to detect the preoperative blood fibrinogen and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in OSCC patients and to determine the predictive validity of F-NLR (combined fibrinogen and NLR score).

Methods

A total of 365 patients with oral cancer after surgery were separated into three classes: F-NLR of 2, with hyperfibrinogenemia (> 250 mg/dL) and high NLR (> 3.2); F-NLR of 1, with only one higher index; and F-NLR of 0, with no higher indices. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients in the three F-NLR groups. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to assess the prognosis.

Results

Preoperative F-NLR showed a relatively better predictive role in oral cancer prognosis than fibrinogen and NLR alone. Multivariate analysis revealed that F-NLR has the potential to be an independent predictor for OSCC cancer-specific survival (P < 0.001). Patients with high scores had a relatively poorer prognosis than those with low scores (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that blood F-NLR may serve as an independent prognostic factor in OSCC patients.

Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Oral Cancer Knowledge: a Systematic Review

Oral cancer is prone to late-stage diagnosis, and subsequent low five-year survival rates. A small number of interventions or campaigns designed to enhance knowledge of risk factors and symptoms associated with oral cancer have been attempted in the UK, US, and some other countries. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve oral cancer knowledge. We searched five databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized/quasi-experimental (NR/QE) studies targeting the general population or high-risk groups (tobacco users or alcohol consumers), aged ≥15 years, and reporting the outcomes of individual and/or community level interventions. Two co-authors independently identified relevant studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, 27 (eight RCTs and 19 NR/QE studies) of the 551 studies identified from the five databases met the inclusion criteria. All RCTs and nine NR/QE studies used either printed materials, health education sessions, multimedia aids, or some combinations of these tools. The other ten NR/QE studies were community-based and used mass media campaigns to increase oral cancer awareness. Overall, the majority of studies significantly improved oral cancer knowledge; however, heterogeneity in study design and variation in measurement tools made it difficult to compare outcomes. Findings suggest that individual and/or community level interventions are generally effective in increasing knowledge of oral cancer risk factors, signs and symptoms, and/or its early diagnosis and prevention strategies among the general population or high-risk groups. However, the long-term benefits of these interventions are understudied.