Adipocytokines visfatin and resistin in breast cancer: Clinical relevance, biological mechanisms, and therapeutic potential

Exploring the multifaceted role of obesity in breast cancer progression

Obesity is a multifaceted metabolic disorder characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue. It is a well-established risk factor for the development and progression of breast cancer. Adipose tissue, which was once regarded solely as a passive energy storage depot, is now acknowledged as an active endocrine organ producing a plethora of bioactive molecules known as adipokines that contribute to the elevation of proinflammatory cytokines and estrogen production due to enhanced aromatase activity. In the context of breast cancer, the crosstalk between adipocytes and cancer cells within the adipose microenvironment exerts profound effects on tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance. Moreover, adipocytes can engage in direct interactions with breast cancer cells through physical contact and paracrine signaling, thereby facilitating cancer cell survival and invasion. This review endeavors to summarize the current understanding of the intricate interplay between adipocyte-associated factors and breast cancer progression. Furthermore, by discussing the different aspects of breast cancer that can be adversely affected by obesity, this review aims to shed light on potential avenues for new and novel therapeutic interventions.

Elevated Asprosin Levels in Breast Cancer: Insights from a Comparative Study

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer in women. Diagnosis in the early stage is very important for cancer treatment. There is no good biomarker to diagnose BC in T1-T2 or N0 stage. This study aimed to evaluate asprosin (ASP) levels of BC compared with non-cancer. Materials and Methods: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to evaluate serum ASP levels in 40 patients with BC and 40 healthy women. The cancer group included T1-T4, N1-N3, and M0-M1 patients. T stages were divided into groups as T1-T2 and T3-T4. N stages were divided into groups as N (0) and N (+). Results: ASP showed good discrimination (area under the curve = 0.767, 95% confidence interval: 0.657-0.878) between the BC group and the healthy group and acceptable discriminating ability (sensitivity = 0.825; specificity = 0.750) at the optimal cutoff value of 1.82 ng/mL. ASP indicated no difference for T, N, and M stages (p = 0.919, p = 0.859, and p = 0.225, respectively). There was a significant difference between grades within cancer patients in terms of ASP (p = 0.025). Conclusions: These findings provide evidence of a potential association between elevated ASP levels and the presence of BC. The observed higher levels of ASP in women with BC compared with healthy individuals suggest that ASP could potentially serve as a biomarker for distinguishing between the two groups. These results may contribute to our understanding of the potential role of ASP in BC detection and highlight its potential as a diagnostic marker. Further studies are required to establish whether ASP can be used to diagnose BC.

The Effect of Visfatin on the Functioning of the Porcine Pituitary Gland: An In Vitro Study

Visfatin (VIS), also known as nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). Recently, VIS has been also recognized as an adipokine. Our previous study revealed that VIS is produced in the anterior and posterior lobes of the porcine pituitary. Moreover, the expression and secretion of VIS are dependent on the phase of the estrous cycle and/or the stage of early pregnancy. Based on this, we hypothesized that VIS may regulate porcine pituitary function. This study was conducted on anterior pituitary (AP) glands harvested from pigs during specific phases of the estrous cycle. We have shown the modulatory effect of VIS in vitro on LH and FSH secretion by porcine AP cells (determined by ELISA). VIS was also found to stimulate cell proliferation (determined by Alamar Blue) without affecting apoptosis in these cells (determined using flow cytometry technique). Moreover, it was indicated that VIS may act in porcine AP cells through the INSR, AKT/PI3K, MAPK/ERK1/2, and AMPK signaling pathways (determined by ELISA or Western Blot). This observation was further supported by the finding that simultaneous treatment of cells with VIS and inhibitors of these pathways abolished the observed VIS impact on LH and FSH secretion (determined by ELISA). In addition, our research indicated that VIS affected the mentioned processes in a manner that was dependent on the dose of VIS and/or the phase of the estrous cycle. Thus, these findings suggest that VIS may regulate the functioning of the porcine pituitary gland during the estrous cycle.

Resistin Induces Migration and Invasion in PC3 Prostate Cancer Cells: Role of Extracellular Vesicles

Resistin is an adipokine with metabolic and inflammatory functions. Epidemiological and translational studies report that an increase in plasma levels and tissue expression of resistin increases the aggressiveness of prostate tumor cells. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted constitutively and induced by cytokines, growth factors, and calcium and are found in multiple biological fluids such as saliva, serum, semen, and urine. In particular, EVs have been shown to promote tumor progression through the induction of proliferation, growth, angiogenesis, resistance to chemotherapy, and metastasis. However, the role of resistin in the migration, invasion, and secretion of EVs in invasive prostate tumor cells remains to be studied. In the present study, we demonstrate that resistin induces increased migration and invasion in PC3 cells. In addition, these phenomena are accompanied by increased p-FAK levels and increased secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in resistin-treated PC3 cells. Interestingly, EVs isolated from supernatants of PC3 cells treated with resistin induce an increase in migration and invasion accompanied by high MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretion in an autocrine stimulation model. In summary, our data for the first time demonstrate that resistin induces migration and invasion, partly through the secretion of EVs with pro-invasive characteristics in PC3 cells.

Estrogen plays an important role by influencing the NLRP3 inflammasome

The nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an important part of the natural immune system that plays an important role in many diseases. Estrogen is a sex hormone that plays an important role in controlling reproduction and regulates many physiological and pathological processes. Recent studies have indicated that estrogen is associated with disease progression. Estrogen can ameliorate some diseases (e. g, sepsis, mood disturbances, cerebral ischemia, some hepatopathy, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, osteoarthritis, and renal fibrosis) by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome. Estrogen can also promote the development of diseases (e.g., ovarian endometriosis, dry eye disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus) by upregulating the NLRP3 inflammasome. In addition, estrogen has a dual effect on the development of cancers and asthma. However, the mechanism of these effects is not summarized. This article reviewed the progress in understanding the effects of estrogen on the NLRP3 inflammasome and its mechanisms in recent years to provide a theoretical basis for an in-depth study.

Exploring the dynamic interplay between cancer stem cells and the tumor microenvironment: implications for novel therapeutic strategies

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have emerged as key contributors to tumor initiation, growth, and metastasis. In addition, CSCs play a significant role in inducing immune evasion, thereby compromising the effectiveness of cancer treatments. The reciprocal communication between CSCs and the tumor microenvironment (TME) is observed, with the TME providing a supportive niche for CSC survival and self-renewal, while CSCs, in turn, influence the polarization and persistence of the TME, promoting an immunosuppressive state. Consequently, these interactions hinder the efficacy of current cancer therapies, necessitating the exploration of novel therapeutic approaches to modulate the TME and target CSCs. In this review, we highlight the intricate strategies employed by CSCs to evade immune surveillance and develop resistance to therapies. Furthermore, we examine the dynamic interplay between CSCs and the TME, shedding light on how this interaction impacts cancer progression. Moreover, we provide an overview of advanced therapeutic strategies that specifically target CSCs and the TME, which hold promise for future clinical and translational studies in cancer treatment.

Robust Identification of Differential Gene Expression Patterns from Multiple Transcriptomics Datasets for Early Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapies for Breast Cancer

Background and Objectives: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the major causes of cancer-related death in women globally. Proper identification of BC-causing hub genes (HubGs) for prognosis, diagnosis, and therapies at an earlier stage may reduce such death rates. However, most of the previous studies detected HubGs through non-robust statistical approaches that are sensitive to outlying observations. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to explore BC-causing potential HubGs from robustness viewpoints, highlighting their early prognostic, diagnostic, and therapeutic performance. Materials and Methods: Integrated robust statistics and bioinformatics methods and databases were used to obtain the required results. Results: We robustly identified 46 common differentially expressed genes (cDEGs) between BC and control samples from three microarrays (GSE26910, GSE42568, and GSE65194) and one scRNA-seq (GSE235168) dataset. Then, we identified eight cDEGs (COL11A1, COL10A1, CD36, ACACB, CD24, PLK1, UBE2C, and PDK4) as the BC-causing HubGs by the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of cDEGs. The performance of BC and survival probability prediction models with the expressions of HubGs from two independent datasets (GSE45827 and GSE54002) and the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database showed that our proposed HubGs might be considered as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, where two genes, COL11A1 and CD24, exhibit better performance. The expression analysis of HubGs by Box plots with the TCGA database in different stages of BC progression indicated their early diagnosis and prognosis ability. The HubGs set enrichment analysis with GO (Gene ontology) terms and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways disclosed some BC-causing biological processes, molecular functions, and pathways. Finally, we suggested the top-ranked six drug molecules (Suramin, Rifaximin, Telmisartan, Tukysa Tucatinib, Lynparza Olaparib, and TG.02) for the treatment of BC by molecular docking analysis with the proposed HubGs-mediated receptors. Molecular docking analysis results also showed that these drug molecules may inhibit cancer-related post-translational modification (PTM) sites (Succinylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination) of hub proteins. Conclusions: This study's findings might be valuable resources for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapies at an earlier stage of BC.

Targeting adipocyte-immune cell crosstalk to control breast cancer progression

Adipocytes are crucial components of breast cancer and are involved in regulating the progression, therapeutic efficacy, and prognosis of breast cancer patients. Characterized by storing energy and producing a variety of secretory factors, adipocytes are responsible for inducing obesity and regulating the tumor immune activity. Adipocytes communicate with tumor infiltrating immune cells through the secreted adipokines, cytokines, and exosomes in the breast cancer TIME, which shapes the tumor supporting environment to facilitate the immune escape of tumor cells. In-depth studies of the crosstalk between adipocytes and TIME can not only provide a more comprehensive regulatory landscape of TIME, but also be conducive to screening novel targets for future precision targeted therapy. The aim of this review is to discuss recent studies for understanding the role of crosstalk between adipocytes and immune cells in shaping the breast cancer immune microenvironment.

Obesity contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma development via immunosuppressive microenvironment remodeling

It is generally recognized that the initiation of obesity-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is closely associated with hepatic inflammation. However, the paradoxical role of inflammation in the initiation and progression of HCC is highlighted by the fact that the inflammatory HCC is accompanied by significant immune effector cells infiltration compared to non-inflammatory HCC and HCC with enhanced immune response exhibits better survival. Importantly, the cancer progression has been primarily attributed to the immunosuppression, which can also be induced by obesity. Furthermore, the increased risk of viral infection and thus viral-HCC in obese individuals supports the view that obesity contributes to HCC via immunosuppression. Here, we have reviewed the various mechanisms responsible for obesity-induced tumor immune microenvironment and immunosuppression in obesity-related HCC. We highlight that the obesity-induced immunosuppression originates from lipid disorder as well as metabolic reprogramming and propose potential therapeutic strategy for HCC based on the current success of immunotherapy.

The Role of Selected Adipocytokines in Ovarian Cancer and Endometrial Cancer

Due to their multidirectional influence, adipocytokines are currently the subject of numerous intensive studies. Significant impact applies to many processes, both physiological and pathological. Moreover, the role of adipocytokines in carcinogenesis seems particularly interesting and not fully understood. For this reason, ongoing research focuses on the role of these compounds in the network of interactions in the tumor microenvironment. Particular attention should be drawn to cancers that remain challenging for modern gynecological oncology-ovarian and endometrial cancer. This paper presents the role of selected adipocytokines, including leptin, adiponectin, visfatin, resistin, apelin, chemerin, omentin and vaspin in cancer, with a particular focus on ovarian and endometrial cancer, and their potential clinical relevance.

Sophora flavescens Aiton methanol extract exerts anti-inflammatory effects via reduction of Src kinase phosphorylation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Sophora flavescens Aiton (Family: Leguminosae), an herbal plant, has been used in East Asian home remedies for centuries for treating ulcers, skin burns, fevers, and inflammatory disorders. In addition, the dried root of S. flavescens was also applied for antipyretic, analgesic, antihelmintic, and stomachic uses.

AIM OF STUDY

Nonetheless, how this plant can show various pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory responses was not fully elucidated. In this study, therefore, we aimed to investigate the curative effects of S. flavescens on inflammation and its molecular mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For reaching this aim, various in vitro and in vivo experimental models with LPS-treated RAW264.7 cells, HCl/EtOH-induced gastric ulcer, and LPS-triggered lung injury conditions were employed and anti-inflammatory activity of S. flavescens methanol extract (Sf-ME) was also tested. Fingerprinting profile of Sf-ME was identified via LC-MS analysis. Its anti-inflammatory molecular mechanism was also examined by immunoblotting analysis.

RESULTS

Nitric oxide production and mRNA expression levels of iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, and TNF-α were decreased. Additionally, phosphorylation of Src in the signaling cascade was decreased, and activities of the transcriptional factor NF-κB were reduced as determined by a luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, in vivo, gastritis and lung injury lesions were attenuated by Sf-ME.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, these findings suggest that Sf-ME could be a potential anti-inflammatory therapeutic agent via suppression of Src kinase activity and regulation of IL-1β secretion.

Concentration of Selected Adipokines and Factors Regulating Carbohydrate Metabolism in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer in Respect to Their Body Mass Index

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are a group of tumors not common in European populations. So far, not much is known about the role of obesity, adipokines, glucose metabolism, and inflammation in the pathogenesis of HNC. The aim of the study was to determine the concentrations of ghrelin, omentin-1, adipsin, adiponectin, leptin, resistin, visfatin, glucagon, insulin, C-peptide, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP) in the blood serum of HNC patients depending on their body mass index (BMI). The study included 46 patients divided into two groups according to their BMI values: the normal BMI group (nBMI) included 23 patients with BMI < 25 kg/m² and the increased BMI group (iBMI) included patients with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m². A control group (CG) included 23 healthy people (BMI < 25 kg/m²). Statistically significant differences in the levels of adipsin, ghrelin, glucagon, PAI-1, and visfatin were shown between nBMI and CG. In the case of nBMI and iBMI, statistically significant differences were observed in the concentrations of adiponectin, C-peptide, ghrelin, GLP-1, insulin, leptin, omentin-1, PAI-1, resistin, and visfatin. The obtained results indicate a disruption of endocrine function of adipose tissue and impaired glucose metabolism in HNC. Obesity, which is not a typical risk factor for HNC, may aggravate the negative metabolic changes associated with this type of neoplasm. Ghrelin, visfatin, PAI-1, adipsin, and glucagon might be related to head and neck carcinogenesis. They seem to be promising directions for further research.

Cancer-Associated Adipocytes and Breast Cancer: Intertwining in the Tumor Microenvironment and Challenges for Cancer Therapy

Adipocytes are the main components in breast tissue, and cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs) are one of the most important components in the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer (BC). Bidirectional regulation was found between CAAs and BC cells. BC facilitates the dedifferentiation of adjacent adipocytes to form CAAs with morphological and biological changes. CAAs increase the secretion of multiple cytokines and adipokines to promote the tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis of BC by remodeling the extracellular matrix, changing aromatase expression, and metabolic reprogramming, and shaping the tumor immune microenvironment. CAAs are also associated with the therapeutic response of BC and provide potential targets in BC therapy. The present review provides a comprehensive description of the crosstalk between CAAs and BC and discusses the potential strategies to target CAAs to overcome BC treatment resistance.

The Adipokine Visfatin Modulates Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Obesity is a cancer progression risk factor; excessive adipocytes increase adipokine secretion. Visfatin, a novel adipokine highly expressed in cancer patients, is related to breast cancer risk. The modulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism and the induction of a tumorigenic environment plays a vital role in cancer progression. Among cancer cell types, cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) with self-renewal and chemotherapy-resistance abilities could modulate tumor progression and cancer recurrence ability. In this study, we focused on visfatin's modulation effect on stemness-related properties using the high-malignancy breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in in vitro and in vivo studies. Visfatin treatment significantly increased both the sphere number and sphere diameter and increased the protein expression of NANOG homeobox (NANOG), sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4), as well as SIRT1 protein levels. The serum angiogenesis marker VEGF and extracellular nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT, visfatin) were induced after visfatin treatment, increasing the stemness and angiogenesis environment, which were significantly reduced by the visfatin inhibitor FK866. Our results demonstrate that the visfatin-activated SIRT-SOX2 axis promotes triple-negative breast cancer stemness and enriches the tumorigenic microenvironment.

Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Menopausal, and Anti-Cancer Effects of Lignans and Their Metabolites

Since chronic inflammation can be seen in severe, long-lasting diseases such as cancer, there is a high demand for effective methods to modulate inflammatory responses. Among many therapeutic candidates, lignans, absorbed from various plant sources, represent a type of phytoestrogen classified into secoisolariciresionol (Seco), pinoresinol (Pino), matairesinol (Mat), medioresinol (Med), sesamin (Ses), syringaresinol (Syr), and lariciresinol (Lari). Lignans consumed by humans can be further modified into END or ENL by the activities of gut microbiota. Lignans are known to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, together with activity in estrogen receptor-dependent pathways. Lignans may have therapeutic potential for postmenopausal symptoms, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and psychological disorders. Moreover, the antitumor efficacy of lignans has been demonstrated in various cancer cell lines, including hormone-dependent breast cancer and prostate cancer, as well as colorectal cancer. Interestingly, the molecular mechanisms of lignans in these diseases involve the inhibition of inflammatory signals, including the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway. Therefore, we summarize the recent in vitro and in vivo studies evaluating the biological effects of various lignans, focusing on their values as effective anti-inflammatory agents.

Resistin Promotes Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Metastasis through TLR4-Mediated Activation of p38 MAPK/NF-κB Signaling Pathway

NPC is a type of malignant tumor with a high risk of local invasion and early distant metastasis. Resistin is an inflammatory cytokine that is predominantly produced from the immunocytes in humans. Accumulating evidence has suggested a clinical association of circulating resistin with the risk of tumorigenesis and a relationship between blood resistin levels and the risk of cancer metastasis. In this study, we explored the blood levels and the role of resistin in NPC. High resistin levels in NPC patients were positively associated with lymph node metastasis, and resistin promoted the migration and invasion of NPC cells in vitro. These findings were also replicated in a mouse model of NPC tumor metastasis. We identified TLR4 as a functional receptor in mediating the pro-migratory effects of resistin in NPC cells. Furthermore, p38 MAPK and NF-κB were intracellular effectors that mediated resistin-induced EMT. Taken together, our results suggest that resistin promotes NPC metastasis by activating the TLR4/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways.

The pleiotropic roles of adipocyte secretome in remodeling breast cancer

Background

Breast cancer is the leading female cancer type and the cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Adipocytes possess important functions of energy supply, metabolic regulation, and cytokine release, and are also the matrix cell that supports mammary gland tissue. In breast cancer tumor microenvironment (TME), adipocytes are the prominent stromal cells and are implicated in inflammation, metastatic formation, metabolic remodeling, and cancer susceptibility.

Main body

It is well-established that adipocyte secretome is a reservoir engaged in the regulation of tumor cell behavior by secreting a large number of cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, and chemokines), adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, autotaxin, and resistin), lipid metabolites (free fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate), and other exosome-encapsulated substances. These released factors influence the evolution and clinical outcome of breast cancer through complex mechanisms. The progression of breast cancer tumors revolves around the tumor-adipose stromal network, which may contribute to breast cancer aggressiveness by increasing the pro-malignant potential of TME and tumor cells themselves. Most importantly, the secretome alterations of adipocytes are regarded as distinctly important targets for breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and drug resistance.

Conclusion

Therefore, this review will provide a comprehensive description of the specific adipocyte secretome characteristics and interactions within TME cell populations, which will enable us to better tailor strategies for tumor stratification management and treatment.

Transcriptome analysis of adipocytokines and their-related LncRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma revealing the association with prognosis, immune infiltration, and metabolic characteristics

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is amongst the major contributors to cancer-related deaths on a global scale. Adipocytokines and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are indispensable participants in cancer. We performed a pan-cancer analysis of the mRNA expression, single nucleotide variation, copy number variation, and prognostic value of adipocytokines. LUAD samples were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases. Simultaneously, train, internal and external cohorts were grouped. After a stepwise screening of optimized genes through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis, random forest algorithm,, and Cox regression analysis, an adipocytokine-related prognostic signature (ARPS) with superior performance compared with four additional well-established signatures for survival prediction was constructed. After determination of risk levels, the discrepancy of immune microenvironment, immune checkpoint gene expression, immune subtypes, and immune response in low- and high-risk cohorts were explored through multiple bioinformatics methods. Abnormal pathways underlying high- and low-risk subgroups were identified through gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Immune-and metabolism-related pathways that were correlated with risk score were selected through single sample GSEA. Finally, a nomogram with satisfied predictive survival probability was plotted. In summary, this study offers meaningful information for clinical treatment and scientific investigation.

Serum Visfatin/NAMPT as a Potential Risk Predictor for Malignancy of Adrenal Tumors

Adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) are rare endocrine malignancies, often with a poor prognosis. Visfatin/NAMPT regulates a variety of signaling pathway components, and its overexpression has been found in carcinogenesis. Our study aimed to assess the clinical usefulness of visfatin/NAMPT serum level in discriminating between ACC and benign adrenocortical tumors. Twenty-two patients with ACC and twenty-six patients with benign adrenocortical tumors were recruited. Fasting blood samples were collected from each patient, and visfatin serum levels were measured with the ELISA Kit. Clinical stage, tumor size, Ki67 proliferation index, hormonal secretion pattern, and follow-up were determined in ACC patients. Patients with ACC had significantly higher visfatin serum concentrations (7.81 ± 2.25 vs. 6.08 ± 1.32 ng/mL, p-value = 0.003). The most advanced clinical stage with metastases was associated with significantly elevated visfatin levels (p-value = 0.022). Based on ROC analysis, visfatin serum concentrations higher than 8.05 ng/mL could discriminate ACC with a sensitivity of 50.0% and specificity of 92.3%. Univariate Cox regression indicated that tumor size was significantly related to shorter survival, and the visfatin level was borderline significant in all patients (HR = 1.013, p-value = 0.002, HR = 1.321, p-value = 0.058). In the Kaplan-Meier method, patients with visfatin serum concentrations higher than 6.3 ng/mL presented significantly lower survival probability (p-value = 0.006). Serum visfatin/NAMPT could be a potential risk predictor for the malignancy of adrenal tumors. However, further studies are needed on this subject.

ADSCs stimulated by resistin promote breast cancer cell malignancy via CXCL5 in a breast cancer coculture model

The tumor microenvironment represents one of the main obstacles in breast cancer treatment owing to the presence of heterogeneous stromal cells, such as adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), that may interact with breast cancer cells and promote cancer development. Resistin is an adipocytokine associated with adverse breast cancer progression; however, its underlying mechanisms in the context of the breast tumor microenvironment remain largely unidentified. Here, we utilized a transwell co-culture model containing patient-derived ADSCs and breast cancer cell lines to investigate their potential interaction, and observed that breast cancer cells co-cultured with resistin-treated ADSCs (R-ADSCs) showed enhanced cancer cell growth and metastatic ability. Screening by proteome arrays revealed that C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5) was released in the conditioned medium of the co-culture system, and phosphorylated ERK was increased in breast cancer cells after co-culture with R-ADSCs. Breast cancer cells treated with the recombinant proteins of CXCL5 showed similarly enhanced cell migration and invasion ability as occurred in the co-culture model, whereas application of neutralizing antibodies against CXCL5 reversed these phenomena. The orthotopic xenograft in mice by breast cancer cells after co-culture with R-ADSCs had a larger tumor growth and more CXCL5 expression than control. In addition, clinical analysis revealed a positive correlation between the expression of resistin and CXCL5 in both tumor tissues and serum specimens of breast cancer patients. The current study suggests that resistin-stimulated ADSCs may interact with breast cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment via CXCL5 secretion, leading to breast cancer cell malignancy.

The Role of Thymoquinone in Inflammatory Response in Chronic Diseases

Anti-inflammatory therapies have been shown to be effective in the prevention of various cardiovascular diseases, tumors, and cancer complications. Thymoquinone (TQ), the main active constituent of Nigella sativa, has shown promising therapeutic properties in many in vivo and in vitro models. However, TQ has poor bioavailability and is hydrophobic, prohibiting clinical trials with TQ alone. Studies have explored the combination of TQ with biological nanomaterials to improve its bioavailability. The TQ nanoparticle formulation shows better bioavailability than free TQ, and these formulations are ready for clinical trials to determine their potential as therapeutic agents. In this paper, we review current knowledge about the interaction between TQ and the inflammatory response and summarize the research prospects in Korea and abroad. We discuss the different biological activities of TQ and various combination therapies of TQ and nanomaterials in clinical trials.

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) Metabolism as a Relevant Target in Cancer

NAD+ is an important metabolite in cell homeostasis that acts as an essential cofactor in oxidation–reduction (redox) reactions in various energy production processes, such as the Krebs cycle, fatty acid oxidation, glycolysis and serine biosynthesis. Furthermore, high NAD+ levels are required since they also participate in many other nonredox molecular processes, such as DNA repair, posttranslational modifications, cell signalling, senescence, inflammatory responses and apoptosis. In these nonredox reactions, NAD+ is an ADP-ribose donor for enzymes such as sirtuins (SIRTs), poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) and cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPRs). Therefore, to meet both redox and nonredox NAD+ demands, tumour cells must maintain high NAD+ levels, enhancing their synthesis mainly through the salvage pathway. NAMPT, the rate-limiting enzyme of this pathway, has been identified as an oncogene in some cancer types. Thus, NAMPT has been proposed as a suitable target for cancer therapy. NAMPT inhibition causes the depletion of NAD+ content in the cell, leading to the inhibition of ATP synthesis. This effect can cause a decrease in tumour cell proliferation and cell death, mainly by apoptosis. Therefore, in recent years, many specific inhibitors of NAMPT have been developed, and some of them are currently in clinical trials. Here we review the NAD metabolism as a cancer therapy target.

From Rate-Limiting Enzyme to Therapeutic Target: The Promise of NAMPT in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) salvage pathway in mammals. It is of great significance in the metabolic homeostasis and cell survival via synthesizing nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) through enzymatic activities, serving as a key protein involved in the host’s defense mechanism. The NAMPT metabolic pathway connects NAD-dependent sirtuin (SIRT) signaling, constituting the NAMPT–NAD–SIRT cascade, which is validated as a strong intrinsic defense system. Neurodegenerative diseases belong to the central nervous system (CNS) disease that seriously endangers human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed that neurodegenerative diseases will become the second leading cause of human death in the next two decades. However, effective drugs for neurodegenerative diseases are scant. NAMPT is specifically highly expressed in the hippocampus, which mediates cell self-renewal and proliferation and oligodendrocyte synthesis by inducing the biosynthesis of NAD in neural stem cells/progenitor cells. Owing to the active biological function of NAMPT in neurogenesis, targeting NAMPT may be a powerful therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases. This study aims to review the structure and biological functions, the correlation with neurodegenerative diseases, and treatment advance of NAMPT, aiming to provide a novel idea for targeted therapy of neurodegenerative diseases.

Inhibition of NLRP3 by Fermented Quercetin Decreases Resistin-Induced Chemoresistance to 5-Fluorouracil in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

The drug resistance of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells against 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy is a major challenge to successful cancer treatment. While previous studies have proposed several 5-FU resistance mechanisms, the effects of the adipokines on cancer cells remain unclear. Thus, this study investigated the effect of resistin on 5-FU-treated CRC cell lines. The upregulation of NLRP3 can regulate the inflammatory responses in cancer cells and then enhance cancer progression. This study investigated the expression level and the function of NLRP3 on 5-FU-induced cytotoxicity in CRC cells and found that resistin-induced ERK activation and increased NLRP3 expression in CRC HCT-116 and DLD-1 cells were mediated by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The inhibition of TLR4 and ERK by pharmacological inhibitors attenuated the resistin-induced NLRP3 mRNA and protein levels. In contrast, the knockdown of NLRP3 enhanced the cytotoxic effects of 5-FU. Furthermore, quercetin is an effective chemopreventive compound. This study showed that quercetin fermented by Lactobacillus could exhibit low cytotoxicity on normal mucosa cells and improve the function of inhibiting CRC cells. The treatment of CRC cells with fermented quercetin increased the cytotoxicity and enhanced cell death in the presence of resistin. In this study, fermented quercetin induced the cytotoxicity and cell death of 5-FU in resistin-treated CRC cells, which is associated with the downregulation of NLRP3 expression and ERK phosphorylation. These results indicate the role of NLRP3 in the development of drug resistance to 5-FU in CRC cells. Elucidating the mechanism regarding the cytotoxicity effect of quercetin may provide another vision for the development of a chemotherapy strategy for CRC in the future.

The Role of the Adipokine Resistin in the Pathogenesis and Progression of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Obesity is a civilization disease associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some malignancies. The results concerning the relationship between obesity and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are inconclusive. The higher incidence of neoplasms in obese subjects has led to the development of the adipokine hypothesis. Omental adipocyte cells interact with cancer cells, promoting their migration and metastasis via the secretion of adipokines, growth factors, and hormones. One of the adipokines is resistin. It was shown in vitro that resistin stimulates the growth and differentiation of ovarian cancer cells. Moreover, it increases the level of angiogenesis factors, e.g., matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, resistin induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness in EOC cell lines. A positive correlation has been shown between a higher level of resistin expression and the stage of histological differentiation of EOC or the occurrence of lymph node metastases. In addition, the overexpression of resistin has been found to act as an independent factor determining disease-free survival as well as overall survival in EOC patients. Growing evidence supports the finding that resistin plays an important role in some mechanisms leading to the progression of EOC, though this issue still requires further research.

Reduced tissue and serum resistin expression as a clinical marker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignancies and leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying esophageal cancer progression and the development of clinical tools for effective diagnosis remain unclear. Resistin, which was originally identified as an adipose tissue-secretory factor, has been associated with obesity-related diseases, including certain types of cancer. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the expression levels of resistin in tissue and serum specimens from patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) to determine the potential biological effects of resistin on ESCC cells. The results demonstrated that both tissue and serum resistin levels were significantly lower in patients with ESCC compared with healthy controls. In addition, resistin expression was positively associated with the body mass index of patients with ESCC. In vitro studies revealed that resistin inhibited the migratory ability of ESCC cells, while having no effect on ESCC cell proliferation. Taken together, these results suggest that resistin may have the potential to be developed into a clinical marker for ESCC. However, further studies are required to investigate resistin receptor expression and determine the potential involvement of resistin-associated biological pathways, which may provide insight for future development of targeted therapies for resistin-mediated ESCC.

Surgery for Obesity and Weight-Related Diseases Changes the Inflammatory Profile in Women with Severe Obesity: a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE

Obesity increases significantly every year worldwide. Since 1980, the prevalence of individuals with obesity has practically doubled. Obesity plays an important role in the pathophysiology of diseases that arise from a complex interaction of nutritional, genetic, and metabolic factors, characterizing a chronic inflammatory state. This study aimed to verify the systemic inflammatory response through the analysis of IGF-1, IL-23, and resistin levels and the lipid profile in severely obese women undergoing surgery for obesity and weight-related diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This randomized controlled clinical trial includes female patients clinically diagnosed with severe obesity with an indication for bariatric surgery.

RESULTS

In the initial evaluation, no significant difference was observed between the control (CG) and bariatric surgery (BSG) groups. The weight, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, total non-HDL cholesterol, and glucose in BSG patients showed a significant change after surgery. Pre- and post-surgery levels of resistin, IGF-1, and IL-23 showed a significant difference in the BSG group, but only IL-23 was changed after 6 months in the CG.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study confirmed that weight loss induced by surgery for obesity and weight-related diseases improved the lipid profile and reduced the chronic inflammatory status in women with severe obesity.

Quantitative proteomics characterization of cancer biomarkers and treatment

Cancer accounted for 16% of all death worldwide in 2018. Significant progress has been made in understanding tumor occurrence, progression, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis at the molecular level. However, genomics changes cannot truly reflect the state of protein activity in the body due to the poor correlation between genes and proteins. Quantitative proteomics, capable of quantifying the relatively different protein abundance in cancer patients, has been increasingly adopted in cancer research. Quantitative proteomics has great application potentials, including cancer diagnosis, personalized therapeutic drug selection, real-time therapeutic effects and toxicity evaluation, prognosis and drug resistance evaluation, and new therapeutic target discovery. In this review, the development, testing samples, and detection methods of quantitative proteomics are introduced. The biomarkers identified by quantitative proteomics for clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and drug resistance are reviewed. The challenges and prospects of quantitative proteomics for personalized medicine are also discussed.

Cancer-Associated Adipocytes in Breast Cancer: Causes and Consequences

Breast cancer progression is highly dependent on the heterotypic interaction between tumor cells and stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment. Cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs) are emerging as breast cancer cell partners favoring proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. This article discussed the intersection between extracellular signals and the transcriptional cascade that regulates adipocyte differentiation in order to appreciate the molecular pathways that have been described to drive adipocyte dedifferentiation. Moreover, recent studies on the mechanisms through which CAAs affect the progression of breast cancer were reviewed, including adipokine regulation, metabolic reprogramming, extracellular matrix remodeling, and immune cell modulation. An in-depth understanding of the complex vicious cycle between CAAs and breast cancer cells is crucial for designing novel strategies for new therapeutic interventions.

Tumor Metabolic Reprogramming by Adipokines as a Critical Driver of Obesity-Associated Cancer Progression

Adiposity is associated with an increased risk of various types of carcinoma. One of the plausible mechanisms underlying the tumor-promoting role of obesity is an aberrant secretion of adipokines, a group of hormones secreted from adipose tissue, which have exhibited both oncogenic and tumor-suppressing properties in an adipokine type- and context-dependent manner. Increasing evidence has indicated that these adipose tissue-derived hormones differentially modulate cancer cell-specific metabolism. Some adipokines, such as leptin, resistin, and visfatin, which are overproduced in obesity and widely implicated in different stages of cancer, promote cellular glucose and lipid metabolism. Conversely, adiponectin, an adipokine possessing potent anti-tumor activities, is linked to a more favorable metabolic phenotype. Adipokines may also play a pivotal role under the reciprocal regulation of metabolic rewiring of cancer cells in tumor microenvironment. Given the fact that metabolic reprogramming is one of the major hallmarks of cancer, understanding the modulatory effects of adipokines on alterations in cancer cell metabolism would provide insight into the crosstalk between obesity, adipokines, and tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarize recent insights into putative roles of adipokines as mediators of cellular metabolic rewiring in obesity-associated tumors, which plays a crucial role in determining the fate of tumor cells.