Chronic ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer

Inflammatory bowel disease-associated colorectal cancer negatively affects surgery outcomes and health care costs

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory bowel disease may affect the pathogenesis and clinicopathologic course of colorectal cancer. We sought to characterize the impact of inflammatory bowel disease on outcomes after colectomy and/or proctectomy for a malignant indication.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer as well as a pre-existing comorbid diagnosis of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis between 2018 and 2021 were identified from Medicare claims data. The postoperative textbook outcome was defined as the absence of complications, as well as no extended hospital stay, 90-day readmission, or mortality. Postdischarge disposition and expenditures were also examined.

RESULTS

Among 191,684 patients with colorectal cancer, 4,770 (2.5%) had a pre-existing diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease-associated colorectal cancer were less likely to undergo surgical resection (no inflammatory bowel disease: 47.6% vs inflammatory bowel disease: 42.1%; P < .001). Among patients who did undergo colorectal surgery, individuals with inflammatory bowel disease were less likely to achieve a textbook outcome (odds ratio 0.64 [95% confidence interval 0.58-0.70]). In particular, patients with inflammatory bowel disease had higher odds of postoperative complications (odds ratio 1.24 [1.12-1.38]), extended hospital stay (odds ratio 1.41 [1.27-1.58]), and readmission within 90 days (odds ratio 1.56 [1.42-1.72]) (all P < .05). Patients with inflammatory bowel disease-associated colorectal cancer were less likely to be discharged to their home under independent care (odds ratio 0.77 [0.68-0.87]) and had 12.2% higher expenditures, which correlated with whether the patient had a postoperative textbook outcome.

CONCLUSION

One in 40 patients with colorectal cancer had concomitant inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory bowel disease was associated with a lower probability of achieving ideal postoperative outcomes, higher postdischarge expenditure, as well as worse long-term survival after colorectal cancer resection.

An insight into the gut microbiota after Schistosoma japonicum eggs immunization in an experimental ulcerative colitis model

Schistosome infection and schistosome-derived products have been implicated in the prevention and alleviation of inflammatory bowel disease by manipulating the host immune response, whereas the role of gut microbiota in this protective effect remains poorly understood. In this study, we found that the intraperitoneal immunization with Schistosoma japonicum eggs prior to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) application significantly ameliorated the symptoms of DSS-induced acute colitis, which was characterized by higher body weight, lower disease activity index score and macroscopic inflammatory scores. We demonstrated that the immunomodulatory effects of S. japonicum eggs were accompanied by an influence on gut microbiota composition, abundance, and diversity, which increased the abundance of genus Turicibacter, family Erysipelotrichaceae, phylum Firmicutes, and decreased the abundance of genus Odoribacter, family Marinifilaceae, order Bacteroidales, class Bacteroidia, phylum Bacteroidota. In addition, Lactobacillus was identified as a biomarker that distinguishes healthy control mice from DSS-induced colitis mice. The present study revealed the importance of the gut microbiota in S. japonicum eggs exerting protective effects in an experimental ulcerative colitis (UC) model, providing an alternative strategy for the discovery of UC prevention and treatment drugs.

Anchang Yuyang Decoction inhibits experimental colitis-related carcinogenesis by regulating PPAR signaling pathway and affecting metabolic homeostasis of host and microbiota

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) presents a risk of carcinogenesis, which escalates with the duration of IBD. Persistent histological inflammation is considered to be the driving factor of colitis carcinogenesis. Effective control of inflammation is helpful to prevent and treat colitis-related colorectal cancer (CAC). Anchang Yuyang Decoction (AYD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, is originated from the ancient prescription of TCM for treating colitis and colorectal cancer. AYD has demonstrated efficacy in treating IBD and potential anti-carcinogenic properties.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This research aims to assess the therapeutic efficacy of AYD in ameliorating experimental colitis-related carcinogenesis induced by AOM/DSS. It further seeks to elucidate its potential mechanisms by integrating multiple omics sequencing approaches.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A rat model for colitis-related carcinogenesis was developed using azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). UPLC-MS identified AYD's chemical constituents. Rats were administered varying doses of AYD (18.37, 9.19 and 4.59 g/kg) orally for 53 days, with mesalazine as a positive control. The study evaluated anti-carcinogenic effects by examining adenoma number, adenoma load, abnormal crypt foci (ACF), histopathological damage, and tumor-related protein expression. Anti-inflammatory and reparative effects were assessed through body weight, disease activity index (DAI), colon length, spleen index, inflammatory cytokine levels, and tight junction protein expression. The effects on intestinal microbiota and host metabolism were explored through 16S rRNA sequencing, targeted short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) metabonomics, and non-targeted colon metabolomics. Potential AYD targets were identified through transcriptomic sequencing and validated by qRT-PCR and western blotting.

RESULTS

AYD significantly reduced adenoma number, adenoma load, neoplasm-associated lesions, ACF, and tumor-related protein expression (e.g., p53, PCNA) in AOM/DSS-induced rats, thus impeding colitis-related carcinogenesis progression. AYD also alleviated histopathological damage and inflammation, promoting intestinal mucosal barrier repair. Furthermore, AYD modulated intestinal flora structure, enhanced SCFA production, and regulated colon metabolites. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed a significant impact on the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. Subsequent qRT-PCR and western blotting experiments indicated AYD's influence in up-regulating PPAR-γ and down-regulating PPAR-α, PPAR-β/δ, and related proteins (thrombomodulin [Thbd], fatty acid binding protein 5 [Fabp5], stearoyl-CoA desaturase 2 [Scd2], phospholipid transfer protein [Pltp]).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates AYD's ability to inhibit experimental colitis-related carcinogenesis induced by AOM/DSS. Its mechanism likely involves modulation of the PPAR signaling pathway, impacting intestinal microbiota and host metabolic equilibrium.

Wheat peptide alleviates DSS-induced colitis by activating the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway and maintaining the integrity of the gut barrier

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is difficult to cure, and formulating a dietary plan is an effective means to prevent and treat this disease. Wheat peptide contains a variety of bioactive peptides with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. The results of this study showed that preventive supplementation with wheat peptide (WP) can significantly alleviate the symptoms of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. WP can increase body weight, alleviate colon shortening, and reduce disease activity index (DAI) scores. In addition, WP improved intestinal microbial disorders in mice with colitis. Based on LC-MS, a total of 313 peptides were identified in WP, 4 of which were predicted to be bioactive peptides. The regulatory effects of WP and four bioactive peptides on the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling pathway were verified in Caco-2 cells. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that WP alleviates DSS-induced colitis by helping maintain gut barrier integrity and targeting the Keap1-Nrf2 axis; these results provided a rationale for adding WP to dietary strategies to prevent IBD.

Early administration of Wumei Wan inhibit myeloid-derived suppressor cells via PI3K/Akt pathway and amino acids metabolism to prevent colitis-associated colorectal cancer

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Wumei Wan (WMW), a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has been proved to be effective in treating Colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC), but it has not been proven to be effective in different stages of CAC.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The purpose of our study is to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of WMW on the progression of CAC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Azioximethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) were used to treat mice for the purpose of establishing CAC models. WMW was administered in different stages of CAC. The presentative chemical components in WMW were confirmed by LC-MS/MS under the optimized conditions. The detection of inflammatory cytokines in the serum and colon of mice were estimated by qRT-PCR and ELISA. The changes of T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in each group were detected by flow cytometry. The metabolic components in serum of mice were detected by UPLC-MS/MS. Expression of genes and proteins were detected by eukaryotic transcriptomics and Western blot to explore the key pathway of WMW in preventing CAC.

RESULTS

WMW had significant effect on inhibiting inflammatory responses and tumors during the early development stage of CAC when compared to other times. WMW increased the length of mice's colons, reduced the level of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α in colon tissues, and effectively alleviated colonic inflammation, and improved the pathological damage of colon tissues. WMW could significantly reduce the infiltration of MDSCs in the spleen, increase CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells in the spleen of CAC mice, and effectively reform the immune microenvironment in CAC mice. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that 2204 genes had different patterns of overlap in the colon tissues of mice between control group, AOM + DSS group, and early administration of WMW group. And KEGG enrichment analysis showed that PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, IL-17 signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, pancreatic secretion, thermogenesis, and Rap1 signaling pathway were all involved. The serum metabolomics results of WMW showed that the metabolic compositions of the control group, AOM + DSS group and the early stage of WMW were different, and 42 differential metabolites with the opposite trends of changes were screened. The metabolic pathways mainly included pyrimidine metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and purine metabolism. And amino acids and related metabolites may play an important role in WMW prevention of CAC.

CONCLUSION

WMW can effectively prevent the occurrence and development of CAC, especially in the initial stage. WMW can reduce the immune infiltration of MDSCs in the early stage. Early intervention of WMW can improve the metabolic disorder caused by AOM + DSS, especially correct the amino acid metabolism. PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was inhabited in early administration of WMW, which can regulate the amplification and function of MDSCs.

Disease clearance in ulcerative colitis: A new therapeutic target for the future

Advancements in murine modeling systems for ulcerative colitis have diversified our understanding of the pathophysiological factors involved in disease onset and progression. This has fueled the identification of molecular targets, resulting in a rapidly expanding therapeutic armamentarium. Subsequently, management strategies have evolved from symptomatic resolution to well-defined objective endpoints, including clinical remission, endoscopic remission and mucosal healing. While the incorporation of these assessment modalities has permitted targeted intervention in the context of a natural disease history and the prevention of complications, studies have consistently depicted discrepancies associated with ascertaining disease status through clinical and endoscopic measures. Current recommendations lack consideration of histological healing. The simultaneous achievement of clinical, endoscopic, and histologic remission has not been fully investigated. This has laid the groundwork for a novel therapeutic outcome termed disease clearance (DC). This article summarizes the concept of DC and its current evidence.

Dendrobium huoshanense in the treatment of ulcerative colitis: Network pharmacology and experimental validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Dendrobium huoshanense C. Z. Tang et S. J. Cheng (DH) is a traditional medicinal herb with a long history of medicinal use. DH has been recorded as protecting the gastrointestinal function. Modern pharmacology research shows that DH regulates intestinal flora, intestinal mucosal immunity, gastrointestinal peristalsis and secretion of digestive juices. At the same time, some studies have shown that DH has a good therapeutic effect on ulcerative colitis, but its mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated.

AIMS OF THIS STUDY

To investigate the mechanism and effect of Dendrobium huoshanense C. Z. Tang et S. J. Cheng (DH) in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) by combining network pharmacology and in vivo experimental validation.

METHODS

A network pharmacology approach was used to perform component screening, target prediction, PPI network interaction analysis, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis to initially predict the mechanism of DH treatment for UC. Then, the mechanism was validated with the UC mouse model induced by 3% DSS.

RESULTS

Based on the network pharmacological analysis, a comprehensive of 101 active components were identified, with 19 of them potentially serving as the crucial elements in DH's effectiveness against UC treatment. Additionally, the study revealed 314 potential core therapeutic targets along with the top 5 key targets: SRC, STAT3, AKT1, HSP90AA1, and PIK3CA. In experiments conducted on live mice with UC, DH was found to decrease the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the blood, while increasing the levels of IL-10 and TGF-β. This led to notable improvements in colon length, injury severity, and an up-regulation of SRC, STAT3, HSP90AA1, PIK3CA, p-AKT1 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway expression in the colon tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the active components and main targets of DH for UC treatment were initially forecasted, and the potential mechanism was investigated through network pharmacology. These findings offer an experimental foundation for the clinical utilization of DH.

Plant-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles: A new tool for inflammatory bowel disease and colitis-associated cancer treatment

Long-term use of conventional drugs to treat inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colitis-associated cancer (CAC) has an adverse impact on the human immune system and easily leads to drug resistance, highlighting the urgent need to develop novel biotherapeutic tools with improved activity and limited side effects. Numerous products derived from plant sources have been shown to exert antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative stress effects. Plant-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles (PDVLNs) are natural nanocarriers containing lipids, protein, DNA and microRNA (miRNA) with the ability to enter mammalian cells and regulate cellular activity. PDVLNs have significant potential in immunomodulation of macrophages, along with regulation of intestinal microorganisms and friendly antioxidant activity, as well as overcoming drug resistance. PDVLNs have utility as effective drug carriers and potential modification, with improved drug stability. Since immune function, intestinal microorganisms, and antioxidative stress are commonly targeted key phenomena in the treatment of IBD and CAC, PDVLNs offer a novel therapeutic tool. This review provides a summary of the latest advances in research on the sources and extraction methods, applications and mechanisms in IBD and CAC therapy, overcoming drug resistance, safety, stability, and clinical application of PDVLNs. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects of PDVLN-based treatment of IBD and CAC are systematically discussed.

Celecoxib alleviates the DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice by enhancing intestinal barrier function, inhibiting ferroptosis and suppressing apoptosis

INTRODUCTION

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory intestine disease characterized by dysfunction of the intestinal mucosal barrier, ferroptosis, and apoptosis. Previous researches suggest that celecoxib, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, holds promise in alleviating inflammation in UC. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects and mechanisms of celecoxib in UC.

METHODS

To identify ferroptosis-related drugs and genes associated with UC, we utilized the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), FerrDb databases, and DGIdb database. Subsequently, we established a 2.5% DSS (Dextran sulfate sodium)-induced colitis model in mice and treated them with 10 mg/kg of celecoxib to validate the bioinformatics results. We evaluated histological pathologies, inflammatory response, intestinal barrier function, ferroptosis markers, and apoptosis regulators.

RESULTS

Celecoxib treatment significantly ameliorated DSS-induced UC in mice, as evidenced by the body weight change curve, colon length change curve, disease activity index (DAI) score, and histological index score. Celecoxib treatment reduced the level of pro-inflammatory factors and promoted the expressions of intestinal tight junction proteins such as Claudin-1 and Occludin, thereby restoring the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier. Furthermore, celecoxib treatment reversed the ferroptosis characteristics in DSS-induced mice by increasing glutathione (GSH), decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA), and increasing the expression of GPX-4 and xCT. Additionally, apoptosis was induced in mice with UC, as evidenced by increased Caspase3, BAD, P53, BAX, Caspase9 and Aifm1 production, and decreased expression of BCL-XL and BCL2. Celecoxib treatment significantly reversed the apoptotic changes in DSS-induced mice.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that celecoxib effectively treats DSS-induced UC in mice by inhibiting ferroptosis and apoptosis.

Role of pH-sensing receptors in colitis

Low pH in the gut is associated with severe inflammation, fibrosis, and colorectal cancer (CRC) and is a hallmark of active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Subsequently, pH-sensing mechanisms are of interest for the understanding of IBD pathophysiology. Tissue hypoxia and acidosis-two contributing factors to disease pathophysiology-are linked to IBD, and understanding their interplay is highly relevant for the development of new therapeutic options. One member of the proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, GPR65 (T-cell death-associated gene 8, TDAG8), was identified as a susceptibility gene for IBD in a large genome-wide association study. In response to acidic extracellular pH, GPR65 induces an anti-inflammatory response, whereas the two other proton-sensing receptors, GPR4 and GPR68 (ovarian cancer G protein-coupled receptor 1, OGR1), mediate pro-inflammatory responses. Here, we review the current knowledge on the role of these proton-sensing receptors in IBD and IBD-associated fibrosis and cancer, as well as colitis-associated cancer (CAC). We also describe emerging small molecule modulators of these receptors as therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of IBD.

Characteristics of flat-type ulcerative colitis-associated neoplasia on chromoendoscopic imaging with indigo carmine dye spraying

OBJECTIVES

Despite recent advances in endoscopic equipment and diagnostic techniques, early detection of ulcerative colitis-associated neoplasia (UCAN) remains difficult because of the complex background of the inflamed mucosa of ulcerative colitis and the morphologic diversity of the lesions. We aimed to describe the main diagnostic patterns for UCAN in our cohort, including lateral extension surrounding flat lesions.

METHODS

Sixty-three lesions in 61 patients with flat-type dysplasia that were imaged with dye chromoendoscopy (DCE) were included in this analysis. These DCE images were analyzed to clarify the dye-chromoendoscopic imaging characteristics of flat dysplasia, and the lesions were broadly classified into dysplastic and nondysplastic mucosal patterns.

RESULTS

Dysplastic mucosal patterns were classified into two types: small round patterns with round to roundish structures, and mesh patterns with intricate mesh-like structures. Lesions with a nondysplastic mucosal pattern were divided into two major types: a ripple-like type and a gyrus-like type. Of note, 35 lesions (55.6%) had a small round pattern, and 51 lesions (80.9%) had some type of mesh pattern. About 70% of lesions with small round patterns and 49% of lesions with mesh patterns were diagnosed as high-grade dysplasia or carcinoma, while about 30% of lesions with small round patterns and 51% of lesions with mesh patterns were diagnosed as low-grade dysplasia.

CONCLUSION

When a characteristic mucosal pattern, such as a small round or mesh pattern, is found by DCE, the possibility of UCAN should be considered.

Role of CRH in colitis and colitis-associated cancer: a combinative result of central and peripheral effects?

Corticotropin-releasing factor family peptides (CRF peptides) comprise corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), urocortin (UCN1), UCN2 and UCN3. CRH is first isolated in the brain and later with UCNs found in many peripheral cells/tissues including the colon. CRH and UCNs function via the two types of receptors, CRF1 and CRF2, with CRH mainly acting on CRF1, UCN1 on both CRF1 &CRF2 and UCN2-3 on CRF2. Compiling evidence shows that CRH participates in inflammation and cancers via both indirect central effects related to stress response and direct peripheral influence. CRH, as a stress-response mediator, plays a significant central role in promoting the development of colitis involving colon motility, immunity and gut flora, while a few anti-colitis results of central CRH are also reported. Moreover, CRH is found to directly influence the motility and immune/inflammatory cells in the colon. Likewise, CRH is believed to be greatly related to tumorigenesis of many kinds of cancers including colon cancer via the central action during chronic stress while the peripheral effects on colitis-associated-colon cancer (CAC) are also proved. We and others observe that CRH/CRF1 plays a significant peripheral role in the development of colitis and CAC in that CRF1 deficiency dramatically suppresses the colon inflammation and CAC. However, up to date, there still exist not many relevant experimental data on this topic, and there seems to be no absolute clearcut between the central and direct peripheral effects of CRH in colitis and colon cancer. Taken together, CRH, as a critical factor in stress and immunity, may participate in colitis and CAC as a centrally active molecule; meanwhile, CRH has direct peripheral effects regulating the development of colitis and CAC, both of which will be summarized in this review.

Chronic low-dose deltamethrin exposure induces colon injury and aggravates DSS-induced colitis via promoting cellular senescence

OBJECTIVE

Deltamethrin (DLM) is a commonly used insecticide, which is harmful to many organs. Here, we explored the effects of chronic low-dose DLM residues on colon tissue and its potential mechanism.

METHODS

The mice were given long-term low-dose DLM by intragastric administration, and the body weights and disease activity index (DAI) scores of the mice were regularly recorded. The colon tissues were then collected for hematoxylin-eosin, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry staining. Besides, the RNA sequencing was performed to explore the potential mechanism.

RESULTS

Our results showed that long-term exposure to low-dose DLM could cause inflammation in mice colon tissue, manifested as weight loss, increased DAI score, increased apoptosis of colonic epithelial cells, and increased infiltration of inflammatory cells. However, we observed that after long-term exposure to DLM and withdrawal for a period of time, although apoptosis was restored, the recovery of colon inflammation was not ideal. Subsequently, we performed RNA sequencing and found that long-term DLM exposure could lead to the senescence of some cells in mice colon tissue. The results of staining of cellular senescence markers in colon tissue showed that the level of cellular senescence in the DLM group was significantly increased, and the p53 signalling related to senescence was also significantly activated, indicating that cellular senescence played a key role in DLM-induced colitis. We further treated mice with quercetin (QUE) after long-term DLM exposure, and found that QUE could indeed alleviate DLM-induced colitis. In addition, we observed that long-term accumulation of DLM could aggravate DSS-induced colitis in mice, and QUE treatment could reverse this scenario.

CONCLUSION

Continuous intake of DLM caused chronic colitis in mice, and the inflammation persisted even after discontinuation of DLM intake. This was attributed to the induction of cellular senescence in colon tissue. Treatment with QUE alleviated DLM-induced colitis by reducing cellular senescence. Long-term DLM exposure also aggravated DSS-induced colitis, which could be mitigated by QUE treatment.

ERCC4: a potential regulatory factor in inflammatory bowel disease and inflammation-associated colorectal cancer

The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains unclear and is associated with an increased risk of developing colitis-associated cancer (CAC). Under sustained inflammatory stimulation in the intestines, loss of early DNA damage response genes can lead to tumor formation. Many proteins are involved in the pathways of DNA damage response and play critical roles in protecting genes from various potential damages that DNA may undergo. ERCC4 is a structure-specific endonuclease that participates in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. The catalytic site of ERCC4 determines the activity of NER and is an indispensable gene in the NER pathway. ERCC4 may be involved in the imbalanced process of DNA damage and repair in IBD-related inflammation and CAC. This article primarily reviews the function of ERCC4 in the DNA repair pathway and discusses its potential role in the processes of IBD-related inflammation and carcinogenesis. Finally, we explore how this knowledge may open novel avenues for the treatment of IBD and IBD-related cancer.

Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis is alleviated in mice after administration of flavone-derived NRF2-activating molecules

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory condition characterized by severe symptoms such as diarrhea, fatigue, and weight loss. Growing evidence underscores the direct involvement of the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in the development and progression of IBD, along with its associated complications, including colorectal cancer. The NRF2 pathway plays a crucial role in cellular responses to oxidative stress, and dysregulation of this pathway has been implicated in IBD. Flavones, a significant subclass of flavonoids, have shown pharmacological impacts in various diseases including IBD, through the NRF2 signaling pathway. In this study, we conducted a screening of compounds with a flavone structure and identified NJK15003 as a promising NRF2 activator. NJK15003 demonstrated potent NRF2 activation, as evidenced by the upregulation of downstream proteins, promoter activation, and NRF2 nuclear translocation in IBD cellular models. Treatment with NJK15003 effectively restored the protein levels of tight junctions in cells treated with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) and in DSS-treated mice, suggesting its potential to protect cells from barrier integrity disruption in IBD. In DSS-treated mice, the administration of NJK15003 resulted in the prevention of body weight loss, a reduction in colon length shortening, and a decrease in the disease activity index. Furthermore, NJK15003 treatment substantially alleviated inflammatory responses and apoptotic cell death in the colon of DSS-treated mice. Taken together, this study proposes the potential utility of NRF2-activating flavone compounds, exemplified by NJK15003, for the treatment of IBD.

Autophagy in colitis-associated colon cancer: exploring its potential role in reducing initiation and preventing IBD-Related CAC development

ABBREVIATIONS

A. muciniphila: Akkermansia muciniphila; AIEC: adherent invasive Escherichia coli; AOM/DSS: azoxymethane-dextran sodium sulfate; ATG: autophagy related; BECN1: beclin1, autophagy related; CAC: colitis-associated colon cancer; CCDC50: coiled-coil domain containing 50; CLDN2: claudin 2; CoPEC: colibactin-producing Escherichia coli; CRC: colorectal cancer; DAMPs: danger/damage-associated molecular patterns; DC: dendritic cell; DSS: dextran sulfate sodium; DTP: drug-resistant persistent; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; ERN1/IRE1α: endoplasmic reticulum to nucleus signaling 1; IBD: inflammatory bowel disease; IECs: intestinal epithelial cells; IKK: IkappaB kinase; IL: interleukin; IRGM1: immunity-related GTPase family M member 1; ISC: intestinal stem cell; LPS: lipopolysaccharide; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinase; MDP: muramyl dipeptide; MELK: maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase; MHC: major histocompatibility complex; miRNA: microRNA; MTOR: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase; NLRP3: NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3; NOD2: nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2; NRBF2: nuclear receptor binding factor 2; PAMPs: pathogen-associated molecular patterns; PI3K: class I phosphoinositide 3-kinase; PtdIns3K: class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PYCARD/ASC: PYD and CARD domain containing; RALGAPA2/RalGAPα2: Ral GTPase activating protein protein, alpha subunit 2 (catalytic); RIPK2/CARD3: receptor (TNFRSF)-interacting serine-threonine kinase 2; RIPK3: receptor-interacting serine-threonine kinase 3; ROS: reactive oxygen species; sCRC: sporadic colorectal cancer; SMARCA4/BRG1: SWI/SNF related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a, member 4; SQSTM1: sequestosome 1; STAT3: signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; TNF/TNFA: tumor necrosis factor; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1; UPR: unfolded protein response; WT: wild-type.

Overcoming cancer risk in inflammatory bowel disease: new insights into preventive strategies and pathogenesis mechanisms including interactions of immune cells, cancer signaling pathways, and gut microbiota

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), characterized primarily by gastrointestinal inflammation, predominantly manifests as Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). It is acknowledged that Inflammation plays a significant role in cancer development and patients with IBD have an increased risk of various cancers. The progression from inflammation to carcinogenesis in IBD is a result of the interplay between immune cells, gut microbiota, and carcinogenic signaling pathways in epithelial cells. Long-term chronic inflammation can lead to the accumulation of mutations in epithelial cells and the abnormal activation of carcinogenic signaling pathways. Furthermore, Immune cells play a pivotal role in both the acute and chronic phases of IBD, contributing to the transformation from inflammation to tumorigenesis. And patients with IBD frequently exhibit dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiome. Disruption of the gut microbiota and subsequent immune dysregulation are central to the pathogenesis of both IBD and colitis associated colorectal cancer (CAC). The proactive management of inflammation combined with regular endoscopic and tumor screenings represents the most direct and effective strategy to prevent the IBD-associated cancer.

High-Speed and Accurate Diagnosis of Gastrointestinal Disease: Learning on Endoscopy Images Using Lightweight Transformer with Local Feature Attention

In response to the pressing need for robust disease diagnosis from gastrointestinal tract (GIT) endoscopic images, we proposed FLATer, a fast, lightweight, and highly accurate transformer-based model. FLATer consists of a residual block, a vision transformer module, and a spatial attention block, which concurrently focuses on local features and global attention. It can leverage the capabilities of both convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and vision transformers (ViT). We decomposed the classification of endoscopic images into two subtasks: a binary classification to discern between normal and pathological images and a further multi-class classification to categorize images into specific diseases, namely ulcerative colitis, polyps, and esophagitis. FLATer has exhibited exceptional prowess in these tasks, achieving 96.4% accuracy in binary classification and 99.7% accuracy in ternary classification, surpassing most existing models. Notably, FLATer could maintain impressive performance when trained from scratch, underscoring its robustness. In addition to the high precision, FLATer boasted remarkable efficiency, reaching a notable throughput of 16.4k images per second, which positions FLATer as a compelling candidate for rapid disease identification in clinical practice.

Oat Peptides Alleviate Dextran Sulfate Sodium Salt-Induced Colitis by Maintaining the Intestinal Barrier and Modulating the Keap1-Nrf2 Axis

The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is progressively rising each year, emphasizing the significance of implementing rational dietary interventions for disease prevention. Oats, being a staple agricultural product, are abundant in protein content. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of oat peptides (OPs) in a mouse model of acute colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) and a Caco-2 cell model. The findings demonstrated that intervention with OPs effectively mitigated the symptoms associated with DSS-induced colitis. The physicochemical characterization analysis demonstrated that the molecular weight of the OPs was predominantly below 5 kDa, with a predominant composition of 266 peptides. This study provides further evidence of the regulatory impact of OPs on the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling axis and elucidates the potential role of WGVGVRAERDA as the primary bioactive peptide responsible for the functional effects of OPs. Ultimately, the results of this investigation demonstrate that OPs effectively mitigate DSS-induced colitis by preserving the integrity of the intestinal barrier and modulating the Keap1-Nrf2 axis. Consequently, these findings establish a theoretical foundation for the utilization of OPs as dietary supplements to prevent the onset of IBD.

Canagliflozin ameliorates ulcerative colitis via regulation of TLR4/MAPK/NF-κB and Nrf2/PPAR-γ/SIRT1 signaling pathways

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the most common subtypes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the colon and is characterized by severe intestinal inflammation. Canagliflozin is a widely used antihyperglycemic agent, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that enhances urinary glucose excretion. This study aims to provide insights into the potential benefits of canagliflozin as a treatment for UC by addressing possible cellular signals. Acetic acid (AA; 4% v/v) was administered intrarectally to induce colitis. Canagliflozin is given orally at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day. Canagliflozin attenuates inflammation in AA-induced colitis, evidenced by significant and dose-dependently downregulation of p38 MAPK, NF-κB-p65, IKK, IRF3, and NADPH-oxidase as well as colonic levels of IL-6 and IL-1β and MPO enzymatic activity. Canagliflozin mitigates colonic oxidative stress by decreasing MDA content and restoring SOD enzymatic activities and GSH levels mediated by co-activating of Nrf2, PPARγ, and SIRT1 pathways. Moreover, an in-silico study confirmed that canagliflozin was specific to all target proteins in this study. Canagliflozin's binding affinity with its target proteins indicates and confirms its effectiveness in regulating these pathways. Also, network pharmacology analysis supported that canagliflozin potently attenuates UC via a multi-target and multi-pathway approach.

Intestinal-specific Hdac3 deletion increases susceptibility to colitis and small intestinal tumor development in mice fed a high-fat diet

High-fat (HF) diets (HFDs) and inflammation are risk factors for colon cancer; however, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. The transcriptional corepressor HDAC3 has recently emerged as a key regulator of intestinal epithelial responses to diet and inflammation with intestinal-specific Hdac3 deletion (Hdac3IKO) in mice increasing fatty acid oxidation genes and the rate of fatty acid oxidation in enterocytes. Hdac3IKO mice are also predisposed to experimentally induced colitis; however, whether this is driven by the intestinal metabolic reprogramming and whether this predisposes these mice to intestinal tumorigenesis is unknown. Herein, we examined the effects of intestinal-specific Hdac3 deletion on colitis-associated intestinal tumorigenesis in mice fed a standard (STD) or HFD. Hdac3IKO mice were highly prone to experimentally induced colitis, which was further enhanced by an HFD. Hdac3 deletion also accelerated intestinal tumor development, specifically when fed an HFD and most notably in the small intestine where lipid absorption is maximal. Expression of proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism and oxidation (SCD1, EHHADH) were elevated in the small intestine of Hdac3IKO mice fed an HFD, and these mice displayed increased levels of lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, and apoptosis in their villi, as well as extensive expansion of the stem cell and progenitor cell compartment. These findings reveal a novel role for Hdac3 in suppressing colitis and intestinal tumorigenesis, particularly in the context of consumption of an HFD, and reveal a potential mechanism by which HFDs may increase intestinal tumorigenesis by increasing fatty acid oxidation, DNA damage, and intestinal epithelial cell turnover.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We reveal a novel role for the transcriptional corepressor Hdac3 in suppressing colitis and intestinal tumorigenesis, particularly in the context of consumption of an HFD, and reveal a potential mechanism by which HFDs may increase intestinal tumorigenesis by increasing fatty acid oxidation, DNA damage, and intestinal epithelial cell turnover. We also identify a unique mouse model for investigating the complex interplay between diet, metabolic reprogramming, and tumor predisposition in the intestinal epithelium.

Astragaloside IV inhibits AOM/DSS-induced colitis-associated tumorigenesis via activation of PPARγ signaling in mice

BACKGROUND

Colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) is a severe complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), resulting from long-term inflammation in the intestines. The primary cause of CAC is the imbalance of oxidative metabolism in intestinal cells, triggered by excessive reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (NO) species production due to prolonged intestinal inflammation. This imbalance leads to genomic instability caused by DNA damage, eventually resulting in the development of intestinal cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated that astragaloside IV is effective in treating dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced colitis, but there is currently no relevant research on its efficacy in treating CAC.

METHODS

To investigate the effect of astragaloside IV against CAC and the underlying mechanism, C57 mice were treated with (20, 40, 80 mg/kg) astragaloside IV while CAC was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg azoxymethane (AOM) and ad libitum consumption of 2% dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS). We re-verified the activating effects of astragaloside IV on PPARγ signaling in IEC-6 cells, which were reversed by GW9662 (the PPARγ inhibitor).

RESULTS

Our results showed that astragaloside IV significantly improved AOM/DSS-induced CAC mice by inhibiting colonic shortening, preventing intestinal mucosal damage, reducing the number of tumors and, the expression of Ki67 protein. In addition, astragaloside IV could activate PPARγ signaling, which not only promoted the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1, restored the level of SOD, CAT and GSH, but also inhibited the expression of iNOS and reduced the production of NO in the intestine and IEC-6 cells. And this effect could be reversed by GW9662 in vitro. Astragaloside IV thus decreased the level of ROS and NO in the intestinal tract of mice, as well as reduced the damage of DNA, and therefore inhibited the occurrence of CAC.

CONCLUSION

Astragaloside IV can activate PPARγ signaling in intestinal epithelial cells and reduces DNA damage caused by intestinal inflammation, thereby inhibiting colon tumourigenesis. The novelty of this study is to use PPARγ as the target to inhibit DNA damage to prevent the occurrence of CAC.

Regulation of epithelial cell differentiation by the Ubiquitous expressed transcript isoform 1 in ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Mucosal healing has emerged as a desirable treatment goal for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Healing of mucosal wounds involves epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation, and Y-box transcription factor ZONAB has recently been identified as the key modulator of intestinal epithelial restitution.

METHODS

We studied the characteristics of UXT-V1 expression in UC patients using immunohistochemistry and qPCR. The functional role of UXT-V1 in the colonic epithelium was investigated using lentivirus-mediated shRNA in vitro and ex vivo. Through endogenous Co-immunoprecipitation and LC-MS/MS, we identified ZONAB as a UXT-V1-interactive protein.

RESULTS

Herein, we report that UXT-V1 promotes differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells by regulating the nuclear translocation of ZONAB. UXT-V1 was upregulated in the intestinal epithelia of UC patients compared with that of healthy controls. Knocking down UXT-V1 in NCM-460 cells led to the enrichment of pathways associated with proliferation and differentiation. Furthermore, the absence of UXT-V1 in cultured intestinal epithelial cells and colonic organoids inhibited differentiation to the goblet cell phenotype. Mechanistically, the loss of UXT-V1 in the intestinal epithelial cells allowed nuclear translocation of ZONAB, wherein it regulated the transcription of differentiation-related genes, including AML1 and KLF4.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our study reveals a potential role of UXT-V1 in regulating epithelial cell differentiation, proving a molecular basis for mucosal healing in UC.

Sodium Butyrate Protects Against Intestinal Oxidative Damage and Neuroinflammation in the Prefrontal Cortex of Ulcerative Colitis Mice Model

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) cause increased inflammatory signalling and oxidative damage. IBDs are correlated with an increased incidence of brain-related disorders suggesting that the gut-brain-axis exerts a pivotal role in IBD. Butyrate is one of the main microbial metabolites in the colon, and it can cross the blood-brain barrier, directly affecting the brain. We induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice utilizing dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in the drinking water for 7 days. Animals were divided into four groups, receiving water or DSS and treated with saline or 0,066 g/kg of Sodium Butyrate for 7 days. We also used an integrative approach, combining bioinformatics functional network and experimental strategies to understand how butyrate may affect UC. Butyrate was able to attenuate colitis severity and intestinal inflammation. Butyrate protected the colon against oxidative damage in UC and protected the prefrontal cortex from neuroinflammation observed in DSS group. Immunocontent of tight junction proteins Claudin-5 and Occludin were reduced in colon of DSS group mice and butyrate was able to restore to control levels. Occludin and Claudin-5 decrease in DSS group indicate that an intestinal barrier disruption may lead to the increased influx of gut-derived molecules, causing neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex, observed by increased IBA-1 marker. The probable protection mechanism of butyrate treatment occurs through NRF2 through Nrf2 and HIF-1α activation and consequent activation of catalase and superoxide dismutase. Our data suggest that systemic inflammation associated with intestinal barrier disruption in UC leads to neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex, which was atenuated by butyrate.

β-sitosterol alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis via inhibition of NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis

Background: Inflammation-related NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis is involved in the progression of ulcerative colitis (UC). β-sitosterol (SIT) was reported to have anti-inflammatory effects on experimental colitis, while the regulation of SIT on pyroptosis is unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to define the protective and healing effects of SIT on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental UC rats and human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2) and explore the underlying mechanisms that are responsible for its effects on NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis in UC. Methods: UC model rats were established by oral 4% DSS. Following colitis injury, the animals received SIT (doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) treatment for 2 weeks. For in vitro study, we exposed Caco-2-50 mg/mL DSS with or without SIT (concentrations of 8 and 16 μg/mL). Disease activity index (DAI) and histopathological injury were assessed in vivo. Activation proteins of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling axis, and tight junction-related proteins of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin were detected in colon tissues. TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18 in serum and cell supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Changes in NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis signaling pathway activation were analyzed both in tissues and cells. Results: Our findings suggested that SIT treatment attenuated the severity of 4% DSS-induced UC by protecting rats from weight and colon length loss, and macroscopic damage. SIT also reduced proinflammatory factors production (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18) in serum and cell supernatant. Mechanistically, SIT downregulated the expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins including Caspase-1, cleaved-Caspase-1, NLRP3, GSDMD, and GSDMD-N in colon tissues and Caco-2 cells. Further analysis indicated that SIT maintained the colonic barrier integrity by enhancing the protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin. Conclusion: We confirmed that SIT exerts protective and therapeutic effects on DSS-induced colitis injury by suppressing NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis and inflammation response. These findings demonstrated that SIT could be a potential medication for UC treatment.

Xianglian Zhixie Tablet Antagonizes Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Ulcerative Colitis by Attenuating Systemic Inflammation and Modulating Gut Microbiota

Purpose

Xianglian Zhixie Tablet (XLZXT), a classical traditional Chinese medicine formulation, is commonly used to treat Ulcerative Colitis (UC) in China. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of XLZXT for UC have yet to be fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the curative benefits of XLZXT and its associated mechanisms for healing UC in mice.

Methods

In the present study, the 1% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) solution was used to establish the UC model in C57BL/6N mice. To investigate the therapeutic effects of XLZXT on DSS-induced UC mice, several parameters were measured, including DAI score, colon length, spleen index, pathological changes in colon tissue, and levels of inflammatory factors in plasma and colon tissue. By investigating the gut microbiota, assessing the levels of intestinal mucosal protein expression, and looking at the proteins involved in the TLR4/MyD88/NF-B p65 signaling pathway, the mechanisms of XLZXT impact on UC were investigated. Mouse feces were examined for patterns of gut microbiota expression using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA.

Results

XLZXT effectively alleviated UC symptoms and colon pathological damage in DSS-induced UC mice. It improved body weight loss, stool consistency, and hematochezia, while also repairing colon damage. Moreover, it down-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), and up-regulated anti-inflammatory cytokines (such as IL-10). XLZXT also increased the expression of MUC-2, Occludin and ZO-1, while decreasing the expression of NF-κB, MyD88 and TLR4. Additionally, it regulated gut microbiota disorder by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria and reducing the adhesion of intestinal harmful bacteria.

Conclusion

XLZXT demonstrated therapeutic effects on DSS-induced UC mice. The mechanisms may be associated with repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier, regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway, and restoring the balance of gut microbiota.

Statistical modeling of gut microbiota for personalized health status monitoring

BACKGROUND

The gut microbiome is closely associated with health status, and any microbiota dysbiosis could considerably impact the host's health. In addition, many active consortium projects have generated many reference datasets available for large-scale retrospective research. However, a comprehensive monitoring framework that analyzes health status and quantitatively present bacteria-to-health contribution has not been thoroughly investigated.

METHODS

We systematically developed a statistical monitoring diagram for personalized health status prediction and analysis. Our framework comprises three elements: (1) a statistical monitoring model was established, the health index was constructed, and the health boundary was defined; (2) healthy patterns were identified among healthy people and analyzed using contrast learning; (3) the contribution of each bacterium to the health index of the diseased population was analyzed. Furthermore, we investigated disease proximity using the contribution spectrum and discovered multiple multi-disease-related targets.

RESULTS

We demonstrated and evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed monitoring framework for tracking personalized health status through comprehensive real-data analysis using the multi-study cohort and another validation cohort. A statistical monitoring model was developed based on 92 microbial taxa. In both the discovery and validation sets, our approach achieved balanced accuracies of 0.7132 and 0.7026, and AUC of 0.80 and 0.76, respectively. Four health patterns were identified in healthy populations, highlighting variations in species composition and metabolic function across these patterns. Furthermore, a reasonable correlation was found between the proposed health index and host physiological indicators, diversity, and functional redundancy. The health index significantly correlated with Shannon diversity ([Formula: see text]) and species richness ([Formula: see text]) in the healthy samples. However, in samples from individuals with diseases, the health index significantly correlated with age ([Formula: see text]), species richness ([Formula: see text]), and functional redundancy ([Formula: see text]). Personalized diagnosis is achieved by analyzing the contribution of each bacterium to the health index. We identified high-contribution species shared across multiple diseases by analyzing the contribution spectrum of these diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our research revealed that the proposed monitoring framework could promote a deep understanding of healthy microbiomes and unhealthy variations and served as a bridge toward individualized therapy target discovery and precise modulation. Video Abstract.

Association between sulfur microbial diet and the risk of colorectal cancer precursors in older adults

Background

Sulfur microbial diet (SMD), related to the enrichment of sulfur-metabolizing gut bacteria, has been confirmed to be linked to an elevated risk of early-onset colorectal adenoma in young females. However, it remains unclear whether SMD is associated with the risk of colorectal adenoma in older people, who are at greater risk for colorectal cancer.

Methods

All data on participants in this study were retrieved from the intervention arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) cancer screening test. Participants' adherence to this dietary pattern was assessed using SMD score. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were adopted in Cox proportional hazards regression models to assess the link between SMD score and the incidence of colorectal adenoma in participants included in the study. Specific stratified analyses were constructed to assess whether this association changed in different conditions, whereas the robustness of the association was examined through sensitivity analyses.

Results

The mean baseline age of participants was 62.1 (SD 5.2) years (range 54.0-75.0 years). During 19,468,589 person-years of follow-up, 992 colorectal adenoma cases were documented in a total of 17,627 included participants. In a fully adjusted model, an increased risk of colorectal adenoma was determined in participants in the highest quartile of SMD score in comparison with those in the lowest quartile (HRquartile4 vs. HRquartile1 = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.47; p = 0.017 for trend). This positive association between SMD score and adenoma risk was more evident in participants who were current or former smokers (p = 0.029 for interaction).

Conclusion

In this study, our results support a role for the SMD in the carcinogenicity of colorectal cancer precursors among older adults. Nevertheless, these results require validation through more research.

Identification of genes critical for inducing ulcerative colitis and exploring their tumorigenic potential in human colorectal carcinoma

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease leading to continuous mucosal inflammation in the rectum extending proximally towards the colon. Chronic and/or recurrent UC is one of the critical predisposing mediators of the oncogenesis of human colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Perturbations of the differential expression of the UC-critical genes exert an intense impact on the neoplastic transformation of the affected tissue(s). Herein, a comprehensive exploration of the UC-critical genes from the transcriptomic profiles of UC patients was conducted to study the differential expression, functional enrichment, genomic alterations, signal transduction pathways, and immune infiltration level encountered by these genes concerning the oncogenesis of CRC. The study reveals that WFDC2, TTLL12, THRA, and EPHB3 play crucial roles as UC-CRC critical genes and are positively correlated with the molecular transformation of UC to CRC. Taken together, these genes can be used as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for combating UC-induced human CRC.

Screening of the shared pathogenic genes of ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer by integrated bioinformatics analysis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the high-risk pathogenic factors for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the shared gene and signalling mechanisms between UC and CRC remain unclear. The goal of this study was to delve more into the probable causal relationship between UC and CRC. CRC and UC datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Using R software and Perl, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in both UC and CRC tissues were re-annotated and screened. The biological activities and signalling pathways involved in DEGs were investigated using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses. The STRING database and Cytoscape software were used to construct the gene interaction network. A total of 384 DEGs were selected for further investigation, and functional analysis revealed that inflammatory and immunological responses were crucial in the development of the two diseases. Moreover, the top 15 key genes involved in the UC and CRC were screened using cytoHubba, including IL1B, CXCL10, CCL20, MMP9, ICAM1, CCL4, CXCR1, MMP3, TLR2, PTGS2, IL1RN, IL6, COL1A2, TIMP1 and CXCL1. The identification of these genes in the present study may provide a novel perspective for the prediction, prevention and personalized medicine of UC and CRC patients.

Detection of Fusobacterium nucleatum in Patients with Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer

Fusobacterium nucleatum is supposed to play a critical role in the development of colorectal cancer. The species has also been associated with ulcerative colitis (UC) that can progress into colorectal cancer, however, the involvement of bacteria in this process remains unclear. We analysed 177 colon biopsies obtained from patients during screening, including 20 healthy controls, 56 UC cases and 69 cases at different stages of progression to colitis-associated cancer (CAC); 32 samples of sporadic colorectal carcinoma (sCRC) were also included. The presence of F. nucleatum was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Our data show an association between the presence of the bacteria and the progression of carcinogenesis in UC patients. In 39.5% of CAC samples F. nucleatum was detected, compared to only 1.8% in UC cases. The bacteria were detected in 6.3% of samples with initial neoplastic transformation, so-called low-grade dysplasia (LGD), whereas high-grade dysplasia (HGD) resulted in 33.3% of samples positive for F. nucleatum. The fraction of F. nucleatum-positive samples from sCRC cases was 56.3%, which was not significantly different to the CAC group. We conclude that F. nucleatum is associated with the occurrence and progression of colon carcinogenesis, rather than with UC itself.

Gut fungal mycobiome: A significant factor of tumor occurrence and development

A variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi, protists, archaea and protozoa coexists within the mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) tract such as that fungi are detectable in all intestinal and colon segments in almost all healthy adults. Although fungi can cause infectious diseases, they are also related to gut and systemic homeostasis. Importantly, through transformation of different forms such as from yeast to hyphae, interaction among gut microbiota such as fungal and bacterial interaction, host factors such as immune and host derived factors, and fungus genetic and epigenetic factors, fungi can be transformed from commensal into pathogenic lifestyles. Recent studies have shown that fungi play a significant role in the occurrence and development of tumors such as colorectal cancer. Indeed, evidences have shown that multiple species of different fungi exist in different tumors. Studies have also demonstrated that fungi are related to the occurrence and development of tumors, and also survival of patients. Here we summarize recent advances in the transformation of fungi from commensal into pathogenic lifestyles, and the effects of gut pathogenic fungi on the occurrence and development of tumors such as colorectal and pancreatic cancers.

Molecular Mechanisms of the Antitumor Effects of Mesalazine and Its Preventive Potential in Colorectal Cancer

Chemoprevention is one of the ways to fight colorectal cancer, which is a huge challenge in oncology. Numerous pieces of evidence indicate that chronic inflammation in the course of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis (UC) is a significant cancer risk factor. Epidemiologic studies suggest that long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including mesalazine, has beneficial effects on colitis-associated colorectal cancer. Mesalazine is a first-line therapy for UC and is also widely used for maintaining remission in UC. Data showed that mesalazine has antiproliferative properties associated with cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition but can also act through COX-independent pathways. This review summarizes knowledge about mesalazine's molecular mechanisms of action and chemopreventive effect by which it could interfere with colorectal cancer cell proliferation and survival.

Tumorigenesis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Microbiota-Environment Interconnections

Colo-rectal cancer (CRC) is undoubtedly one of the most severe complications of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). While sporadic CRC develops from a typical adenoma-carcinoma sequence, IBD-related CRC follows different and less understood pathways and its pathophysiological mechanisms were not completely elucidated. In contrast to chronic inflammation, which is nowadays a well-recognised drive towards neoplastic transformation in IBD, only recently was gut microbiota demonstrated to interfere with both inflammation processes and immune-mediated anticancer surveillance. Moreover, the role of microbiota appears particularly complex and intriguing when also considering its multifaceted interactions with multiple environmental stimuli, notably chronic pathologies such as diabetes and obesity, lifestyle (diet, smoking) and vitamin intake. In this review, we presented a comprehensive overview on current evidence of the influence of gut microbiota on IBD-related CRC, in particular its mutual interconnections with the environment.

G-MDSC-derived exosomes mediate the differentiation of M-MDSC into M2 macrophages promoting colitis-to-cancer transition

BACKGROUNDS

In inflammatory bowel disease microenvironment, transdifferentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and M2 macrophage accumulation are crucial for the transition of colitis-to-cancer. New insights into the cross-talk and the underling mechanism between MDSCs and M2 macrophage during colitis-to-cancer transition are opening new avenues for colitis-associated cancer (CAC) prevention and treatment.

METHODS

The role and underlying mechanism that granulocytic MDSCs (G-MDSCs) or exosomes (Exo) regulates the differentiation of monocytic MDSCs (M-MDSCs) into M2 macrophages were investigated using immunofluorescence, FACS, IB analysis, etc, and employing siRNA and antibodies. In vivo efficacy and mechanistic studies were conducted with dextran sulfate sodium-induced CAC mice, employed IL-6 Abs and STAT3 inhibitor.

RESULTS

G-MDSCs promote the differentiation of M-MDSC into M2 macrophages through exosomal miR-93-5 p which downregulating STAT3 activity in M-MDSC. IL-6 is responsible for miR-93-5 p enrichment in G-MDSC exosomes (GM-Exo). Mechanistically, chronic inflammation-driven IL-6 promote the synthesis of miR-93-5 p in G-MDSC via IL-6R/JAK/STAT3 pathway. Early use of IL-6 Abs enhances the effect of STAT3 inhibitor against CAC.

CONCLUSIONS

IL-6-driven secretion of G-MDSC exosomal miR-93-5 p promotes the differentiation of M-MDSC into M2 macrophages and involves a STAT3 signaling mechanism that promote colitis-to-cancer transition. Combining STAT3 inhibitors with strategies that inhibit IL-6-mediated G-MDSC exosomal miR-93-5 p production is beneficial for the prevention and treatment of CAC.

Shaoyao decoction restores the mucus layer in mice with DSS-induced colitis by regulating Notch signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Restoring the mucus layer is a potential strategy for treating ulcerative colitis (UC). Previous studies reported that a Chinese medicine formula Shaoyao Decoction (SYD) effectively improved UC. However, the role and mechanism of SYD in restoring the mucus layer are still vague.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to research the therapeutical effects and unravel the involved mechanism of SYD on DSS-evoked UC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

First, the constituents of SYD were detected by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Then, the DSS-induced UC model was introduced to investigate the pharmacologic action and molecular mechanism of SYD on UC. Pharmacodynamic indicators were assessed including body weight, colon length, ulcerations, disease activity index (DAI), inflammatory cytokines and histological parameters. To investigate the integrality and functions of the mucous layer, AB-PAS stain and UEA-1 stain were used to evaluate the completeness of mucous layer, as well as the maturation of goblet cells (GCs). The bacterial invasion was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization. As to mechanism exploration, the expressions of Notch/Hes1 pathway were investigated by using agonists in lipopolysaccharides (LPS) -stimulated LS174T cell.

RESULTS

After modeling in mice, SYD remarkedly ameliorated the symptoms of mouse colitis, the expression of pro-inflammatory factors declined, and increased IL-10 expression was observed in SYD-treated mice. Besides, SYD repaired the structure of the mucus layer and prevented bacterial invasion. Mechanism investigation discovered that SYD promoted GCs differentiation by inhibiting the Notch pathway, which was consistent with the results in LPS-challenged LS174 cell.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrated that SYD could restore the mucus layer to prevent UC via suppressing the Notch signaling pathway, which provided evidences for the UC treatment of SYD in the clinic.

The Influence of Gut Microbiota on Oxidative Stress and the Immune System

The human gastrointestinal tract is home to a complex microbial community that plays an important role in the general well-being of the entire organism. The gut microbiota generates a variety of metabolites and thereby regulates many biological processes, such as the regulation of the immune system. In the gut, bacteria are in direct contact with the host. The major challenge here is to prevent unwanted inflammatory reactions on one hand and on the other hand to ensure that the immune system can be activated when pathogens invade. Here the REDOX equilibrium is of utmost importance. This REDOX equilibrium is controlled by the microbiota either directly or indirectly via bacterial-derived metabolites. A balanced microbiome sorts for a stable REDOX balance, whereas dysbiosis destabilizes this equilibrium. An imbalanced REDOX status directly affects the immune system by disrupting intracellular signaling and promoting inflammatory responses. Here we (i) focus on the most common reactive oxygen species (ROS) and (ii) define the transition from a balanced REDOX state to oxidative stress. Further, we (iii) describe the role of ROS in regulating the immune system and inflammatory responses. Thereafter, we (iv) examine the influence of microbiota on REDOX homeostasis and how shifts in pro- and anti-oxidative cellular conditions can suppress or promote immune responses or inflammation.

Risk factors for the postoperative recurrence of ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

Although ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer (UC-CRC) has been described, there are few reports regarding recurrent cases of UC-CRC. In this study, we investigated the risk factors for UC-CRC recurrence.

METHODS

Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was determined for 144 stage I to III cancer patients among 210 UC-CRC patients from August 2002 to August 2019. The Kaplan‒Meier method was used to obtain the cumulative RFS rate, and the Cox proportional hazard model was used to extract recurrence risk factors. The interaction term between cancer stage and prognostic factors specific to UC-CRC was evaluated using the Cox model. The Kaplan‒Meier method was applied by cancer stage to the UC-CRC-specific prognostic factors for which interaction effects were indicated.

RESULTS

There were 18 cases of recurrence involving patients with stage I to III cancer, and the recurrence rate was 12.5%. The cumulative 5-year RFS rate was 87.5%. Multivariable analysis showed that age at surgery (hazard ratio (HR): 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91-0.99, p = 0.02), undifferentiated carcinoma (HR: 4.42, 95% CI: 1.13-17.24, p = 0.03), lymph node metastasis (HR: 4.11, 95% CI: 1.08-15.69, p = 0.03), and vascular invasion (HR: 8.01, 95% CI: 1.54-41.65, p = 0.01) were significant risk factors for recurrence. Patients with stage III CRC in the young adult (age < 50 years) group had a significantly worse prognosis than those in the adult (age ≥ 50 years) group (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Age at surgery was identified as a risk factor for UC-CRC recurrence. Young adult patients with stage III cancer may have a poor prognosis.

DNA polymerase κ suppresses inflammation and inflammation-induced mutagenesis and carcinogenic potential in the colon of mice

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammation induces DNA damage and promotes cell proliferation, thereby increasing the risk of cancer. DNA polymerase κ (Pol κ), involved in translesion DNA synthesis, counteracts mutagenesis induced by inflammation in the colon of mice. In the present study, we examined whether Pol κ suppressed inflammation-induced colon tumorigenesis by treating inactivated Polk knock-in (Polk^-/-) mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), an inducer of colon inflammation.

RESULTS

Male and female Polk^-/- and Polk^+/+ mice were administered 2% DSS in drinking water for six consecutive days, succeeded via a recovery period of 16 days, followed by 2% DSS for another two days. DSS treatment strongly induced colitis, and the severity of colitis was higher in Polk^-/- mice than in Polk^+/+ mice. The mice were sacrificed after 19 weeks from the initiation of the first DSS treatment and subjected to pathological examination and mutation analysis. DSS treatment induced colonic dysplasia, and the multiplicity of dysplasia was higher in Polk^-/- mice than in Polk^+/+mice. Some of the dysplasias in Polk^-/- mice exhibited β-catenin-stained nucleus and/or cytoplasm. Mutation frequencies in the gpt reporter gene were increased by DSS treatment in Polk^-/- mice, and were higher than those in Polk^+/+ mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Pol κ suppresses inflammation and inflammation-induced dysplasia as well as inflammation-induced mutagenesis. The possible mechanisms by which Pol κ suppresses colitis- and colitis-induced dysplasia are discussed.

Comparison of the molecular mechanisms of Fuzi Lizhong Pill and Huangqin decoction in the treatment of the cold and heat syndromes of ulcerative colitis based on network pharmacology

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to illuminate the similarities and differences of two prescriptions as "cold" and "heat" drugs for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) with the simultaneous occurrence of heat and cold syndrome via network pharmacology.

METHODS

(1) Active compounds of Fuzi-Lizhong Pill (FLP) and Huangqin Decoction (HQT) were retrieved from the TCMSP database, and their common active compounds were compared using the Venn diagram. (2) Potential proteins targeted to three sets of compounds either (i) shared by FLP and HQT, (ii) unique to FLP or (iii) unique to HQT were screened from the STP, STITCH and TCMSP databases, and three corresponding core compound sets were identified in Herb-Compound-Target (H-C-T) networks. (3) Targets related to UC were identified from the DisGeNET and GeneCards databases and compared with the FLP-HQT common targets to identify potential targets of FLP-HQT compounds related to UC. (4) Three potential target sets were imported into the STRING database for protein‒protein interaction (PPI) analysis, and three core target sets were defined. (5) The binding capabilities and interacting modes between core compounds and key targets were verified by molecular docking via Discovery Studio 2019 and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations via Amber 2018. (6) The target sets were enriched for KEGG pathways using the DAVID database.

RESULTS

(1) FLP and HQT included 95 and 113 active compounds, respectively, with 46 common compounds, 49 FLP-specific compounds and 67 HQT-specific compounds. (2) 174 targets of FLP-HQT common compounds, 168 targets of FLP-specific compounds, and 369 targets of HQT-specific compounds were predicted from the STP, STITCH and TCMSP databases; six core compounds specific to FLP and HQT were screened in the FLP-specific and HQT-specific H-C-T networks, respectively. (3) 103 targets overlapped from the 174 predicted targets and the 4749 UC-related targets; two core compounds for FLP-HQT were identified from the FLP-HQT H-C-T network. (4) 103 FLP-HQT-UC common targets, 168 of FLP-specific targets and 369 of HQT-specific targets had shared core targets (AKT1, MAPK3, TNF, JUN and CASP3) based on the PPI network analysis. (5) Molecular docking demonstrated that naringenin, formononetin, luteolin, glycitein, quercetin, kaempferol and baicalein of FLP and HQT play a critical role in treating UC; meanwhile, MD simulations revealed the stability of protein‒ligand interactions. (6) The enriched pathways indicated that most targets were related to anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and other pathways. Compared with the pathways identified using traditional methods, FLP-specific pathways included the PPAR signaling pathway and the bile secretion pathway, and HQT-specific pathways included the vascular smooth muscle contraction pathway and the natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity pathway etc. CONCLUSION: In this study, we clarified the common mechanisms of FLP and HQT in treating UC and their specific mechanisms in treating cold and heat syndrome in UC through compound, target and pathway distinction and a literature comparison based on network pharmacology; these results provide a new perspective on the detailed mechanism of "multidrugs and single-disease" thought in traditional Chinese medicine.

Chalcones and Gastrointestinal Cancers: Experimental Evidence

Colorectal (CRC) and gastric cancers (GC) are the most common digestive tract cancers with a high incidence rate worldwide. The current treatment including surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy has several limitations such as drug toxicity, cancer recurrence or drug resistance and thus it is a great challenge to discover an effective and safe therapy for CRC and GC. In the last decade, numerous phytochemicals and their synthetic analogs have attracted attention due to their anticancer effect and low organ toxicity. Chalcones, plant-derived polyphenols, received marked attention due to their biological activities as well as for relatively easy structural manipulation and synthesis of new chalcone derivatives. In this study, we discuss the mechanisms by which chalcones in both in vitro and in vivo conditions suppress cancer cell proliferation or cancer formation.

Identification of Novel Core Genes Involved in Malignant Transformation of Inflamed Colon Tissue Using a Computational Biology Approach and Verification in Murine Models

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex and multifactorial systemic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract and is strongly associated with the development of colorectal cancer. Despite extensive studies of IBD pathogenesis, the molecular mechanism of colitis-driven tumorigenesis is not yet fully understood. In the current animal-based study, we report a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of multiple transcriptomics datasets from the colon tissue of mice with acute colitis and colitis-associated cancer (CAC). We performed intersection of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), their functional annotation, reconstruction, and topology analysis of gene association networks, which, when combined with the text mining approach, revealed that a set of key overexpressed genes involved in the regulation of colitis (C3, Tyrobp, Mmp3, Mmp9, Timp1) and CAC (Timp1, Adam8, Mmp7, Mmp13) occupied hub positions within explored colitis- and CAC-related regulomes. Further validation of obtained data in murine models of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and azoxymethane/DSS-stimulated CAC fully confirmed the association of revealed hub genes with inflammatory and malignant lesions of colon tissue and demonstrated that genes encoding matrix metalloproteinases (acute colitis: Mmp3, Mmp9; CAC: Mmp7, Mmp13) can be used as a novel prognostic signature for colorectal neoplasia in IBD. Finally, using publicly available transcriptomics data, translational bridge interconnecting of listed colitis/CAC-associated core genes with the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and colorectal cancer in humans was identified. Taken together, a set of key genes playing a core function in colon inflammation and CAC was revealed, which can serve both as promising molecular markers and therapeutic targets to control IBD and IBD-associated colorectal neoplasia.

Dioscin modulates macrophages polarization and MDSCs differentiation to inhibit tumorigenesis of colitis-associated colorectal cancer

It has been reported that colitis is one of risk factors in colorectal cancer (CRC). Intervention of intestinal inflammation and in the early stage of tumorigenesis is of great significance to control the incidence and mortality of CRC. In recent years, natural active products of traditional Chinese medicine have been confirmed that they had made great progress in disease prevention. Here, we showed that Dioscin, a natural active product of Dioscorea nipponica Makino, inhibited initiation and tumorigenesis of AOM/DSS-induced colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC), including alleviating colonic inflammation, improving intestinal barrier function and decreasing tumor burden. In addition, we also explored the immunoregulatory effect of Dioscin on mice. The results showed that Dioscin modulated M1/M2 macrophages phenotype in spleen and decreased monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs) population in blood and spleen of mice. The in vitro assay demonstrated that Dioscin promoted M1 as well as inhibited M2 macrophages phenotype in LPS- or IL-4-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) model. Based on the plasticity of MDSCs and its ability to differentiate into M1/M2 macrophages, we here found that Dioscin increased M1- and decreased M2-like phenotype during the process of MDSCs differentiation in vitro, suggesting Dioscin promoted MDSCs differentiate into M1 as well as inhibited its differentiation into M2 macrophages. Taken together, our study indicated that Dioscin had the inhibitory effect on the initial of tumorigenesis at early stage of CAC via the ant-inflammatory effect, which provided a natural active candidate for effective prevention of CAC.

Lactobacillus plantarum Metabolites Elicit Anticancer Effects by Inhibiting Autophagy-Related Responses

Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) is a probiotic that has emerged as novel therapeutic agents for managing various diseases, such as cancer, atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and infections. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of the metabolites of L. plantarum. We cultured L. plantarum cells to obtain their metabolites, created several dilutions, and used these solutions to treat human colonic Caco-2 cells. Our results showed a 10% dilution of L. plantarum metabolites decreased cell viability and reduced the expression of autophagy-related proteins. Moreover, we found co-treatment with L. plantarum metabolites and chloroquine, a known autophagy inhibitor, had a synergistic effect on cytotoxicity and downregulation of autophagy-related protein expression. In conclusion, we showed the metabolites from the probiotic, L. plantarum, work synergistically with chloroquine in killing Caco-2 cells and downregulating the expression of autophagy-related proteins, suggesting the involvement of autophagy, rather than apoptosis, in their cytotoxic effect. Hence, this study provides new insights into new therapeutic methods via inhibiting autophagy.

Pyroptosis-Related Signature Predicts the Progression of Ulcerative Colitis and Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer as well as the Anti-TNF Therapeutic Response

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a complex intestinal inflammation with an increasing risk of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC). However, the pathogenesis is still unclear between active UC and inactive UC. Recently, it has been reported that pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) are closely associated with inflammatory disease activity. Nevertheless, the specific roles of PRGs in the progression and treatment of UC and CAC remain unclear. In this study, we identified 30 differentially expressed PRGs based on the immune landscape of active and inactive UC samples. Meanwhile, weighted gene coexpression network analysis was applied to explore important genes associated with active UC. By intersecting with the differentially expressed PRGs, CASP5, GBP1, GZMB, IL1B, and IRF1 were selected as key PRGs to construct a pyroptosis-related signature (PR-signature). Then, logistic regression analysis was performed to validate the PR-signature and establish a pyroptosis-related score (PR-Score). We demonstrated that PR-Score had a powerful ability to distinguish active UC from inactive UC in multiple datasets. Besides, PR-Score was positively correlated with immune cell infiltration and inflammatory microenvironment in UC. Lower PR-Score was associated with a better response to anti-TNF therapy for patients with UC. Additionally, high-PR-Score was found to suppress CAC and improve the survival outcomes of patients with colorectal cancer. Finally, the levels of the PR-signature genes were validated both in vitro and in vivo. These findings can improve our understanding of PRGs in UC and provide new markers for predicting the occurrence of active UC or CAC and the treatment of UC.

Xanthones from Gentianella acuta (Michx.) Hulten Ameliorate Colorectal Carcinoma via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is a kind of malignant tumor closely related to ulcerative colitis. Xanthone derivatives are one of the most promising therapeutic drugs which have been used in phase I/II clinical trials for cancer therapy. Our previous study indicated that the aerial parts of Gentianella acuta Michx. Hulten (GA) was rich in xanthones and showed a good therapeutic effect on ulcerative colitis in mice, suggesting that GA xanthones might have some therapeutic or ameliorative effects on CRC. However, no relevant study has been reported. This study aims to find the effective substances of GA inhibiting CRC and clarify their mechanism. Solvent extraction, column chromatographic separation, and LC-MS analysis were used to characterize the 70% EtOH extract of GA and track xanthones abundant fraction XF. MTT assay was carried out to clarify the activity of GA fractions; the result showed XF to be the main active fraction. LC-MS analysis was executed to characterize XF, 38 xanthones were identified. Network pharmacology prediction, in vitro activity screening, and molecular docking assay were combined to predict the potential mechanism; the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was found to be most important. Western blot assay on the main active xanthones 1,3,5-trihydroxyxanthone (16), 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone (17), 1,5,8-trihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (18), and 1,7-dihydroxy-3,8-dimethoxyxanthone (19) was used to verify the above prediction; these xanthones were found to inhibit the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, and 17 played a significant role among them through Western blot assay using PI3K/AKT/mTOR agonist IGF-1. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that GA xanthones were effective compounds of GA inhibiting CRC by regulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway transduction, at least. Importantly, 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone (17), the most abundant active xanthone in GA, might be a candidate drug for CRC.

Suppression of microRNA-222-3p ameliorates ulcerative colitis and colitis-associated colorectal cancer to protect against oxidative stress via targeting BRG1 to activate Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

Oxidative stress is an important pathogenic factor in ulcerative colitis (UC) and colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC), further impairing the entire colon. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are crucial components of innate immunity and play an important role in maintaining intestinal barrier function. Recent studies have indicated that microRNA-222-3p (miR-222-3p) is increased in colon of UC and colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and miR-222-3p is a crucial regulator of oxidative stress. However, whether miR-222-3p influences IEC oxidative stress in UC and CAC remains unknown. This study investigated the effect of miR-222-3p on the regulation of IEC oxidative stress in UC and CAC. An in vitro inflammation model was established in NCM460 colonic cells, mouse UC and CAC models were established in vivo, and IECs were isolated. The biological role and mechanism of miR-222-3p-mediated oxidative stress in UC and CAC were determined. We demonstrated that miR-222-3p expression was notably increased in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced NCM460 cells and IECs from UC and CAC mice. In vitro, these results showed that the downregulation of miR-222-3p reduced oxidative stress, caspase-3 activity, IL-1β and TNF-α in DSS-induced NCM460 cells. We further identified BRG1 as the target gene of miR-222-3p, and downregulating miR-222-3p alleviated DSS-induced oxidative injury via promoting BRG1-mediated activation Nrf2/HO-1 signaling in NCM460 cells. The in vivo results demonstrated that inhibiting miR-222-3p in IECs significantly relieved oxidative stress and inflammation in the damaged colons of UC and CAC mice, as evidenced by decreases in ROS, MDA, IL-1β and TNF-α levels and increases in GSH-Px levels. Our study further demonstrated that inhibiting miR-222-3p in IECs attenuated oxidative damage by targeting BRG1 to activate the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling. In summary, inhibiting miR-222-3p in IECs attenuates oxidative stress by targeting BRG1 to activate the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling, thereby reducing colonic inflammation and tumorigenesis.

Advances in research on the effectiveness and mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas for colitis-associated colorectal cancer

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can progress into colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) through the inflammation-cancer sequence. Although the mechanism of carcinogenesis in IBD has not been fully elucidated, the existing research indicates that CAC may represent a fundamentally different pathogenesis pattern of colorectal cancer. At present, there is no proven safe and effective medication to prevent IBD cancer. In recent years, Chinese medicine extracts and Chinese medicine monomers have been the subject of numerous articles about the prevention and treatment of CAC, but their clinical application is still relatively limited. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas are widely applied in clinical practice. TCM formulas have demonstrated great potential in the prevention and treatment of CAC in recent years, although there is still a lack of review. Our work aimed to summarize the effects and potential mechanisms of TCM formulas for the prevention and treatment of CAC, point out the issues and limitations of the current research, and provide recommendations for the advancement of CAC research in the future. We discovered that TCM formulas regulated many malignant biological processes, such as inflammation-mediated oxidative stress, apoptosis, tumor microenvironment, and intestinal microecology imbalance in CAC, through a review of the articles published in databases such as PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Embase, and CNKI. Several major signal transduction pathways, including NF-κB, STAT3, Wnt/β-catenin, HIF-1α, and Nrf2, were engaged. TCM formula may be a promising treatment candidate to control the colitis-cancer transformation, however further high-quality research is required.

Knockdown of TRIM8 alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis in mice by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Although TRIpartite Motif containing 8 (TRIM8) gene plays an important role in a number of biological processes, such as inflammation, its function and mechanism in ulcerative colitis (UC) remain unknown.

METHODS

The UC model was established by feeding mice with 3.5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). The animals were divided into the following four groups: control group, DSS group, DSS+short hairpin (sh)-NC group, and DSS+sh-TRIM8 group. Changes in body weight and disease activity index (DAI) score of mice in all the groups were recorded for 7 days. The animals were executed at the end of the experiment, and the expression of TRIM8 in colon tissue was detected by polymerase chain reaction and Western blot assays. The length of colon was measured, and the histopathological changes in mice colon were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression of pro-inflammatory factors in mice serum and colonic tissue homogenate was detected by enzyme-linked-immunosorbent serologic assay. The expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway-related proteins in colonic tissues was detected by Western-blot analysis.

RESULTS

TRIM8 was highly expressed in the colonic tissues of UC mice. Knockdown of TRIM8 improved DSS-induced weight loss, increased DAI score, shortened colon length, and alleviated colonic injury and inflammation in mice. Western-blot experiments showed that knockdown of TRIM8 inhibited DSS-induced phosphorylation of p65 and nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor, alpha (IκBα) protein but increased IκBα expression.

CONCLUSION

Knockdown of TRIM8 inhibits UC injury and inflammatory response caused by DSS. This could be related to the regulation of NF-κB signaling pathway by TRIM8 protein.