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Lopes C, Almeida TC, Pimentel-Nunes P, Dinis-Ribeiro M, Pereira C. Linking dysbiosis to precancerous stomach through inflammation: Deeper than and beyond imaging. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1134785. [PMID: 37063848 PMCID: PMC10102473 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1134785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is considered the gold standard for gastric lesions detection and surveillance, but it is still associated with a non-negligible rate of missing conditions. In the Era of Personalized Medicine, biomarkers could be the key to overcome missed lesions or to better predict recurrence, pushing the frontier of endoscopy to functional endoscopy. In the last decade, microbiota in gastric cancer has been extensively explored, with gastric carcinogenesis being associated with progressive dysbiosis. Helicobacter pylori infection has been considered the main causative agent of gastritis due to its interference in disrupting the acidic environment of the stomach through inflammatory mediators. Thus, does inflammation bridge the gap between gastric dysbiosis and the gastric carcinogenesis cascade and could the microbiota-inflammation axis-derived biomarkers be the answer to the unmet challenge of functional upper endoscopy? To address this question, in this review, the available evidence on the role of gastric dysbiosis and chronic inflammation in precancerous conditions of the stomach is summarized, particularly targeting the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathways. Additionally, the potential of liquid biopsies as a non-invasive source and the clinical utility of studied biomarkers is also explored. Overall, and although most studies offer a mechanistic perspective linking a strong proinflammatory Th1 cell response associated with, but not limited to, chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori, promising data recently published highlights not only the diagnostic value of microbial biomarkers but also the potential of gastric juice as a liquid biopsy pushing forward the concept of functional endoscopy and personalized care in gastric cancer early diagnosis and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Lopes
- Precancerous Lesions and Early Cancer Management Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI‐IPOP)/Rise@CI‐IPOP (Health Research Group), Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS – Center for Health Technology and Services Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS-UP – Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Tatiana C. Almeida
- Precancerous Lesions and Early Cancer Management Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI‐IPOP)/Rise@CI‐IPOP (Health Research Group), Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), Porto, Portugal
| | - Pedro Pimentel-Nunes
- Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto (FMUP), Porto, Portugal
- Department of Gastroenterology, Unilabs, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mário Dinis-Ribeiro
- Precancerous Lesions and Early Cancer Management Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI‐IPOP)/Rise@CI‐IPOP (Health Research Group), Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), Porto, Portugal
- Department of Gastroenterology, Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carina Pereira
- Precancerous Lesions and Early Cancer Management Group, Research Center of IPO Porto (CI‐IPOP)/Rise@CI‐IPOP (Health Research Group), Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Porto (IPO Porto)/Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), Porto, Portugal
- CINTESIS – Center for Health Technology and Services Research, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Carina Pereira,
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Insights into Molecular Structure of Pterins Suitable for Biomedical Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315222. [PMID: 36499560 PMCID: PMC9737128 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Pterins are an inseparable part of living organisms. Pterins participate in metabolic reactions mostly as tetrahydropterins. Dihydropterins are usually intermediates of these reactions, whereas oxidized pterins can be biomarkers of diseases. In this review, we analyze the available data on the quantum chemistry of unconjugated pterins as well as their photonics. This gives a comprehensive overview about the electronic structure of pterins and offers some benefits for biomedicine applications: (1) one can affect the enzymatic reactions of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases, NO synthases, and alkylglycerol monooxygenase through UV irradiation of H4pterins since UV provokes electron donor reactions of H4pterins; (2) the emission properties of H2pterins and oxidized pterins can be used in fluorescence diagnostics; (3) two-photon absorption (TPA) should be used in such pterin-related infrared therapy because single-photon absorption in the UV range is inefficient and scatters in vivo; (4) one can affect pathogen organisms through TPA excitation of H4pterin cofactors, such as the molybdenum cofactor, leading to its detachment from proteins and subsequent oxidation; (5) metal nanostructures can be used for the UV-vis, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy detection of pterin biomarkers. Therefore, we investigated both the biochemistry and physical chemistry of pterins and suggested some potential prospects for pterin-related biomedicine.
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DKK1 is epigenetically downregulated by promoter methylation and inhibits bile acid-induced gastric intestinal metaplasia. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 523:780-786. [PMID: 31952791 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.12.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) is essential to gastric cancer as an inhibitor of Wnt signaling. Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is an important precancerous lesion of gastric cancer that can be activated by bile acid reflux and chronic inflammation. However, the exact mechanism of DKK1 in bile acid-induced GIM has not been completely elucidated. We aimed to explore the epigenetic alterations and biological functions of DKK1 in the development of GIM. In the present study, bile acid was found to induce the expression of intestinal markers in gastric epithelial cells, whereas DKK1 was downregulated in response to bile acid stimulation. The mRNA and protein expression levels of DKK1 were decreased in GIM tissues as evidenced by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining. Surprisingly, the methylation of the DKK1 promoter increased in GIM tissues, and we discovered 28 differential methylation sites of the DKK1 promoter in GIM tissues. Bile acid was able to induce the partial methylation of the DKK1 promoter, while 5-aza could increase DKK1 expression as well as decrease intestinal markers expression in gastric epithelial cells. In conclusion, the promoter methylation and downregulation of DKK1 might play important roles in the development of GIM, especially bile acid-induced GIM.
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