Chronic inflammation and cancer; the two sides of a coin

Chemical characterization and pharmacological properties of polysaccharides from Allium roseum leaves: In vitro and in vivo assays

Allium roseum is amongst the most important wild medicinal plants. It is known for its diverse biological properties, including antioxidant, antibacterial and antidiabetic activities. In this work, the polysaccharides (PARLs) were ultrasonically extracted from Allium roesum leaves then purified and analyzed by several techniques. Chemical composition and GC-MS analysis showed that the obtained polysaccharides were composed mainly of glucose (40.20 %), mannose (25.30 %), fructose (10.60 %) and galacturonic acid (15.11 %). Moreover, PARLs exhibited a potent antioxidant effect with higher capacities up to 69.61 % and 71.72 % for DPPH and ABTS free radicals, respectively. Furthermore, PARLs significantly modulated inflammatory response by reducing TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 pro-inflammatory mediators and promoting the anti-inflammatory IL-10 mediator in LPS stimulated THP-1 derived macrophages. The in-vivo tests proved that the extract was able to decrease carrageenan-induced rat paw swelling by around 68.15 % after 4 h of treatment. PARLs, significantly reduced the growth of U87 (glioblastoma) and IGROV-1 cancer cells with IC50 values of about 4.27 and 7.89 mg/mL respectively. This research clearly shows that Allium roseum polysaccharides can be used as natural antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

Win-win integration: A mitochondria targeted AIE photosensitizer for hypochlorite detection and type I & type II photodynamic therapy

BACKGROUND

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a pioneering and effective anticancer modality with low adverse effects and high selectivity. Hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite (HClO/ClO-) is a type of inflammatory cytokine. The abnormal increase of ClO- in tumor cells is related to tumor pathogenesis and may be a "friend" for the design and synthesis of responsive phototherapy agents. However, preparing responsive phototherapy agents for all-in-one noninvasive diagnosis and simultaneous in situ therapy in a complex tumor environment is highly desirable but still remains an enormously demanding task.

RESULTS

An acceptor-π bridge-donor-π bridge-acceptor (A-π-D-π-A) type photosensitizer TPTPy was designed and synthesized based on the phenothiazine structure which was used as the donor moiety as well as a ClO- responsive group. TPTPy was a multifunctional mitochondria targeted aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer which could quickly and sensitively respond to ClO- with fluorescence "turn on" performance (19-fold fluorescence enhancement) and enhanced type I reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation to effectively ablate hypoxic tumor cells. The detection limit of TPTPy to ClO- was calculated to be 185.38 nM. The well-tailored TPTPy anchoring to mitochondria and producing ROS in situ could disrupt mitochondria and promote cell apoptosis. TPTPy was able to image inflammatory cells and tumor cells through ClO- response. In vivo results revealed that TPTPy was successfully utilized for PDT in tumor bearing nude mice and exhibited excellent biological safety for major organs.

SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY

A win-win integration strategy was proposed to design a tumor intracellular ClO- responsive photosensitizer TPTPy capable of both type I and type II ROS production to achieve photodynamic therapy of tumor. This work sheds light on the win-win integration design by taking full advantage of the characteristics of tumor microenvironment to build up responsive photosensitizer for in situ PDT of tumor.

Causal relationship between genetically predicted uterine leiomyoma and cancer risk: a two-sample Mendelian randomization

Purpose

Studies have demonstrated that hormonal imbalance, such as elevated level of estrogen or reduced level of progesterone, was the main inducing factor of uterine leiomyoma (UL) development and some cancers. UL has been reported to be associated with several cancers in observational studies. However, the causal associations between UL and cancers remain unclear.

Methods

A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted to investigate the causal associations between UL and 16 site-specific cancers using the public databases. Four methods, namely, the inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode, were applied in our MR analysis. Sensitivity tests were also performed to evaluate the robustness of these causal associations.

Results

The IVW analysis indicated that genetically predicted UL increased the risk of low malignant potential ovarian cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-1.40, p = 0.004], serous ovarian cancer (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.10-1.52, p = 0.002), invasive mucinous ovarian cancer (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.08-1.44, p = 0.003), clear cell ovarian cancer (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.03-1.51, p = 0.023), breast cancer (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.11, p = 0.002), and brain tumor (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.06-1.42, p = 0.007). Conversely, genetically predicted UL reduced the risk of gastric cancer (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.98, p = 0.008). The causal effects were consistent in the sensitivity analysis.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that UL exhibits a causal relationship with high risk of several cancers. We suggest reinforcing the cancer screening in UL patients to enable the early detection of cancers.

Versatile function of NF-ĸB in inflammation and cancer

Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-ĸB) plays a crucial role in both innate and adaptive immune systems, significantly influencing various physiological processes such as cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, survival, and stemness. The function of NF-ĸB in cancer progression and response to chemotherapy has gained increasing attention. This review highlights the role of NF-ĸB in inflammation control, biological mechanisms, and therapeutic implications in cancer treatment. NF-ĸB is instrumental in altering the release of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, which are key in the regulation of carcinogenesis. Specifically, in conditions including colitis, NF-ĸB upregulation can intensify inflammation, potentially leading to the development of colorectal cancer. Its pivotal role extends to regulating the tumor microenvironment, impacting components such as macrophages, fibroblasts, T cells, and natural killer cells. This regulation influences tumorigenesis and can dampen anti-tumor immune responses. Additionally, NF-ĸB modulates cell death mechanisms, notably by inhibiting apoptosis and ferroptosis. It also has a dual role in stimulating or suppressing autophagy in various cancers. Beyond these functions, NF-ĸB plays a role in controlling cancer stem cells, fostering angiogenesis, increasing metastatic potential through EMT induction, and reducing tumor cell sensitivity to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Given its oncogenic capabilities, research has focused on natural products and small molecule compounds that can suppress NF-ĸB, offering promising avenues for cancer therapy.

The causal effect of atopic dermatitis on lung cancer: A Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND

Growing evidence has shown that atopic dermatitis (AD) may decrease lung cancer (LC) risk. However, the causality between the two diseases is inconsistent and controversial. Therefore, we explored the causal relationship between AD and different histological subtypes of LC by using the Mendelian randomization (MR) method.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted the MR study based on summary statistics from the genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of AD (10,788 cases and 30,047 controls) and LC (29,266 cases and 56,450 controls). Instrumental variables (IVs) were obtained after removing SNPs associated with potential confounders. We employed inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, and weighted median methods to pool estimates, and performed a comprehensive sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

The results of the IVW method suggested that AD may decrease the risk of developing lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.97, P = 0.007). Moreover, no causality was identified between AD and overall LC (OR = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.91-1.01, P = 0.101), lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.96-1.036, P = 0.324), and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.82-1.10, P = 0.512). A comprehensive sensitivity test showed the robustness of our results.

CONCLUSION

The present study indicates that AD may decrease the risk of LUAD in the European population, which needs additional investigations to identify the potential molecular mechanisms.

Novel insights into rosacea's role in cancer risk: A Mendelian randomization approach

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammation has been shown to promote cancer progression. Rosacea is indeed a long-term inflammatory skin condition and had been reported to link with increased risk for several types of malignancies, but evidence for causality is lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically estimate the causal relationship between rosacea and several types of cancer, including cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), actinic keratosis (AK), thyroid cancer, breast cancer, glioma and hepatic cancer, as well as explore the potential underlying pathogenesis.

METHODS

We conducted a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study to probe the potential causal relationships between rosacea and several types of cancer. Instrumental variables were established using genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with rosacea and cancers. The assessment of causality was carried out through multiple methods, and the robustness of the results was evaluated via sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

There was no significant indication of causal effects of rosacea on CMM (pivw = 0.71), cSCC (pivw = 0.45), BCC (pivw = 0.90), AK (pivw = 0.73), thyroid cancer (pivw = 0.59), glioma (pivw = 0.15), and hepatic cancer (pivw = 0.07), but the genetic risk of rosacea was associated with an increased susceptibility to human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)-negative malignant neoplasm of breast (odds ratio [OR], 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.18; pivw = 0.01). TANK (TRAF family member associated nuclear factor kappa B (NFKB) activator) was identified as a common protective gene for both rosacea (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82-0.99; pivw = 0.048) and HER-negative malignant neoplasm of the breast (OR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.75-0.98; pivw = 0.032), which was primarily enriched in the negative regulation of NF-κB signal transduction and may contribute to the genetic links between rosacea and this subtype of breast cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide suggestive evidence for causal links between rosacea and HER-negative malignant neoplasm of the breast risk.

MNDA, a PYHIN factor involved in transcriptional regulation and apoptosis control in leukocytes

Inflammation control is critical during the innate immune response. Such response is triggered by the detection of molecules originating from pathogens or damaged host cells by pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). PRRs subsequently initiate intra-cellular signalling through different pathways, resulting in i) the production of inflammatory cytokines, including type I interferon (IFN), and ii) the initiation of a cascade of events that promote both immediate host responses as well as adaptive immune responses. All human PYRIN and HIN-200 domains (PYHIN) protein family members were initially proposed to be PRRs, although this view has been challenged by reports that revealed their impact on other cellular mechanisms. Of relevance here, the human PYHIN factor myeloid nuclear differentiation antigen (MNDA) has recently been shown to directly control the transcription of genes encoding factors that regulate programmed cell death and inflammation. While MNDA is mainly found in the nucleus of leukocytes of both myeloid (neutrophils and monocytes) and lymphoid (B-cell) origin, its subcellular localization has been shown to be modulated in response to genotoxic agents that induce apoptosis and by bacterial constituents, mediators of inflammation. Prior studies have noted the importance of MNDA as a marker for certain forms of lymphoma, and as a clinical prognostic factor for hematopoietic diseases characterized by defective regulation of apoptosis. Abnormal expression of MNDA has also been associated with altered levels of cytokines and other inflammatory mediators. Refining our comprehension of the regulatory mechanisms governing the expression of MNDA and other PYHIN proteins, as well as enhancing our definition of their molecular functions, could significantly influence the management and treatment strategies of numerous human diseases. Here, we review the current state of knowledge regarding PYHIN proteins and their role in innate and adaptive immune responses. Emphasis will be placed on the regulation, function, and relevance of MNDA expression in the control of gene transcription and RNA stability during cell death and inflammation.

Immune Factors, Immune Cells and Inflammatory Diseases

The immune system comprises distinct innate and adaptive arms, each of which contains many layers to provide a coordinated, sequential immune response to insults [...].

Silymarin and Inflammation: Food for Thoughts

Inflammation is a vital defense mechanism, creating hostile conditions for pathogens, preventing the spread of tissue infection and repairing damaged tissues in humans and animals. However, when inflammation resolution is delayed or compromised as a result of its misregulation, the process proceeds from the acute phase to chronic inflammation, leading to the development of various chronic illnesses. It is proven that redox balance disturbances and oxidative stress are among major factors inducing NF-κB and leading to over-inflammation. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory properties of various natural antioxidants have been widely tested in various in vitro and in vivo systems. Accumulating evidence indicates that silymarin (SM) and its main constituent silibinin/silybin (SB) have great potential as an anti-inflammation agent. The main anti-inflammatory mechanism of SM/SB action is attributed to the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB-mediated signaling pathways and the downregulated expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, IL-23, CCL4, CXCL10, etc. Of note, in the same model systems, SM/SB was able to upregulate anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, TGF-β, etc.) and lipid mediators involved in the resolution of inflammation. The inflammatory properties of SM/SB were clearly demonstrated in model systems based on immune (macrophages and monocytes) and non-immune (epithelial, skin, bone, connective tissue and cancer) cells. At the same time, the anti-inflammatory action of SM/SB was confirmed in a number of in vivo models, including toxicity models, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, ischemia/reperfusion models, stress-induced injuries, ageing and exercising models, wound healing and many other relevant model systems. It seems likely that the anti-inflammatory activities of SM/SB are key elements on the health-promoting properties of these phytochemicals.