Inflammation and cancer: till death tears them apart

Advances in the study of silica nanoparticles in lung diseases

Silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiNPs) are one of the major forms of silicon dioxide and are composed of the most-abundant compounds on earth. Based on their excellent properties, SiNPs are widely used in food production, synthetic processes, medical diagnostics, drug delivery, and other fields. The mass production and wide application of SiNPs increases the risk of human exposure to SiNPs. In the workplace and environment, SiNPs mainly enter the human body through the respiratory tract and reach the lungs; therefore, the lungs are the most important and most toxicologically affected target organ of SiNPs. An increasing number of studies have shown that SiNP exposure can cause severe lung toxicity. However, studies on the toxicity of SiNPs in ex vivo and in vivo settings are still in the exploratory phase. The molecular mechanisms underlying the lung toxicity of SiNPs are varied and not yet fully understood. As a result, this review summarizes the possible mechanisms of SiNP-induced lung toxicity, such as oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial damage, and cell death. Moreover, this study provides a summary of the progression of diseases caused by SiNPs, thereby establishing a theoretical basis for future studies on the mechanisms of SiNP-induced lung toxicity.

An evaluation of the combination effect of zoledronate and chemotherapeutic agents in canine osteosarcoma cells

Introduction

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is an aggressive form of bone cancer in both dogs and humans. The treatment options for metastatic (stage III) OSA are currently limited and the prognosis is poor. Zoledronate, a second generation amino-bisphosphonate, is commonly used for palliation of cancer induced bone pain. Zoledronate has also demonstrated anti-cancer properties and possibly enhances the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin in a canine histiocytosis cell line and human prostatic cancer cell line. The goal of this study was to evaluate the combination effect of zoledronate and various chemotherapeutic drugs in canine OSA cells.

Methods

Canine OSA cell line (D17), cells from two canine primary OSAs, and MDCK, a canine kidney cell line, were used to evaluate the therapeutic potential of these drugs. Carboplatin, doxorubicin, vinorelbine, toceranib, and isophosphoramide mustard (active metabolite of ifosfamide) were used as chemotherapeutic agents. First, cells were treated with either zoledronate or chemotherapy drug alone for 72 hours. Cell viability was assessed using CellTiter Glo and IC5, IC10, IC20, and IC50 were calculated. Second, cells were treated with a combination of zoledronate and each chemotherapeutic agent at their IC5, IC10, IC20, and IC50 concentrations. After 72 hours, cell viability was assessed by CellTiter Glo.

Results and discussion

Zoledronate, carboplatin, doxorubicin, vinorelbine, and isophosphoramide mustard showed concentration dependent decrease in cell viability. Toceranib showed decreased cell viability only at higher concentrations. When zoledronate was used in combination with chemotherapy drugs, while it showed potential synergistic effects with toceranib, potential antagonistic effects with vinorelbine and isophosphoramide mustard were observed. However, the results differed by cell line and thus, further evaluation is warranted to understand the exact mechanism of action.

Upregulation of miR-21 and pro-inflammatory cytokine genes IL-6 and TNF-α in promoting a pro-tumorigenic microenvironment in canine mammary carcinomas

This study evaluated the gene expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in canine mammary tumors (CMTs), and correlated them with gene expression of miRNAs expected to regulate the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines within the tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, gene expression of cytokines and miRNAs involved in tumor cell proliferation and invasion (i.e. miR-21; miR-124; miR-145) were correlated with tumor proliferation index (Ki67 index) to determine the prognostic value in CMTs. Twenty-six canine mammary samples were used, including 22 CMTs and 4 control samples. MiR-21, IL-6 and TNF-α were upregulated in mammary carcinomas compared with controls (p < 0.05). MiR-146b was downregulated in CMTs compared with control cases (p < 0.05). IL-6 expression showed a significant positive correlation with miR-21 and a negative correlation with miR-146b; while, TNF-α gene expression was positively correlated with miR-21 and miR-145 in mammary carcinomas. In carcinomas, the Ki67 index correlated positively with gene expression of IL-6 and miR-21 and negatively correlated with miR-145 and miR-146b. Specifically, gene expression of IL-6 and miR-21 was positively correlated with ki67 index >33.3%, whereas, expression of miR-145 and miR-146b was negatively correlated with ki67 index <33.3%. Results reinforce the concept of interaction between tumor cells and inflammatory cells within the TME, with a central role of IL-6 and TNF-α. Since the upregulation of miR-21 reflects the gene overexpression of interleukins and the high proliferation index of tumor cells, this miRNA may be considered a biomarker with prognostic value in CMTs.

Canine Mammary Cancer: State of the Art and Future Perspectives

Mammary cancer is the most frequently diagnosed neoplasia in women and non-spayed female dogs and is one of the leading causes of death in both species. Canines develop spontaneous mammary tumors that share a significant number of biological, clinical, pathological and molecular characteristics with human breast cancers. This review provides a detailed description of the histological, molecular and clinical aspects of mammary cancer in canines; it discusses risk factors and currently available diagnostic and treatment options, as well as remaining challenges and unanswered questions. The incidence of mammary tumors is highly variable and is impacted by biological, pathological, cultural and socioeconomic factors, including hormonal status, breed, advanced age, obesity and diet. Diagnosis is mainly based on histopathology, although several efforts have been made to establish a molecular classification of canine mammary tumors to widen the spectrum of treatment options, which today rely heavily on surgical removal of tumors. Lastly, standardization of clinical study protocols, development of canine-specific biological tools, establishment of adequate dog-specific disease biomarkers and identification of targets for the development of new therapies that could improve survival and have less adverse effects than chemotherapy are among the remaining challenges.

Extranodal lymphoma: pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment

Approximately 30% of lymphomas occur outside the lymph nodes, spleen, or bone marrow, and the incidence of extranodal lymphoma has been rising in the past decade. While traditional chemotherapy and radiation therapy can improve survival outcomes for certain patients, the prognosis for extranodal lymphoma patients remains unsatisfactory. Extranodal lymphomas in different anatomical sites often have distinct cellular origins, pathogenic mechanisms, and clinical manifestations, significantly influencing their diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a comprehensive summary of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment progress of extranodal lymphoma overall and specifically for different anatomical sites. This review summarizes the current progress in the common key signaling pathways in the development of extranodal lymphomas and intervention therapy. Furthermore, it provides insights into the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment strategies of common extranodal lymphomas, including gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, mycosis fungoides (MF), natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (nasal type, NKTCL-NT), and primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). Additionally, as PCNSL is one of the extranodal lymphomas with the worst prognosis, this review specifically summarizes prognostic indicators and discusses the challenges and opportunities related to its clinical applications. The aim of this review is to assist clinical physicians and researchers in understanding the current status of extranodal lymphomas, enabling them to make informed clinical decisions that contribute to improving patient prognosis.

An 8-gene predicting survival model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) related to pyroptosis and cuproptosis

BACKGROUND

The study aimed to establish a prognostic survival model with 8 pyroptosis-and-cuproptosis-related genes to examine the prognostic effect in patients of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

We downloaded gene expression data and clinical information of HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The clustering analysis and cox regression with LASSO were used for constructing an 8 PCmRNAs survival model. Using TCGA, ICGC and GEO cohort, the overall survival (OS) between high- and low- risk group was determined. We also evaluated independent prognostic indicators using univariate and multivariate analyses. The relatively bioinformatics analysis, including immune cell infiltration, function enrichment and drug sensitivity analyses, was performed as well. The gene expression of 8 PCmRNAs in vitro were validated in several HCC cell lines by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The relationship between GZMA and Fludarabine were further checked by CCK-8 assay.

RESULTS

The survival prognostic model was constructed with ATP7A, GLS, CDKN2A, BAK1, CHMP4B, NLRP6, NOD1 and GZMA using data from TCGA cohort. The ICGC and GEO cohort were used for model validation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed a good survival prediction by this model. Risk scores had the highest predictable value for survival among Stage, Age, Gender and Grade. Most Immune cells and immune functions were decreased in high-risk group. Besides, function enrichment analyses showed that steroid metabolic process, hormone metabolic process, collagen - containing extracellular matrix, oxidoreductase activity and pyruvate metabolism were enriched. Potential drugs targeted different PCDEGs like Nelarabine, Dexamethasone and Fludarabine were found as well. ATP7A, GLS, CDKN2A, BAK1, CHMP4B, NOD1 were upregulated while NLRP6 and GZMA were downregulated in most HCC cell lines. The potential therapy of Fludarabine was demonstrated when GZMA was low expressed in Huh7 cell line.

CONCLUSION

We constructed a novel 8-gene (ATP7A, GLS, CDKN2A, BAK1, CHMP4B, NLRP6, NOD1 and GZMA) prognostic model and explored potential functional information and microenvironment of HCC, which might be worthy of clinical application. In addition, several potential chemotherapy drugs were screened and Fludarabine might be effective for HCC patients whose GZMA was low expressed.

Lanostane triterpenoids with anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activities from medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lingzhi

Eight previously undescribed lanostane triterpenoids and nine known ones were identified from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lingzhi S.H. Wu, Y. Cao & Y.C. Dai. Their structures were determined based on spectroscopic data and quantum chemical calculations. Structurally, ganoderane GL-1, featuring a hydrogenated tetramethyls-phenanthraquinone, represents the first example in lanostane nor-triterpenoid group. Biologically, ganoderanes GL-2 and GL-3, distinguished by the presence of a rare "1,11-epoxy" moiety, exhibited significant inhibition against nitric oxide production induced by lipopolysaccharide in RAW264.7 macrophage cells, while ganoderanes GL-4 and GL-8 exhibited bifunctional activities of anti-proliferation and anti-inflammation.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and principal component analysis offer prognostic advantage for dogs with mammary tumors

Introduction

In veterinary medicine, cancer is the leading cause of death in companion animals, and mammary gland tumors represent the most common neoplasm in female dogs. Several epidemiological risk factors, such as age, breed, hormones, diet, and obesity have been reported to be relevant for canine mammary tumors. Nowadays, the gold standard for diagnosis of canine mammary tumors is the pathological examination of the suspected tissue. However, tumor grade can only be assessed after surgical removal or biopsy of the altered tissue. Therefore, in cases of tumors that could be surgically removed, it would be very helpful to be able to predict the biological behavior of the tumor, before performing any surgery. Since, inflammation constitutes part of the tumor microenvironment and it influences each step of tumorigenesis, cellular and biochemical blood markers of systemic inflammation, such as the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the albumin to globulin ratio (AGR) have been proposed as prognostic factors for human cancer development. The NLR and the AGR have not been explored enough as prognostic factors for cancer development in veterinary medicine.

Methods

To determine the prognostic value of NLR in canine mammary tumors, clinical records including biochemistry and hematological studies of female dogs with mammary tumors and of control healthy dogs, were used to determine the pre-treatment NLR and AGR. Other clinical data included age, breed, tumor size, histological tumor grade, and survival time after surgery.

Results and discussion

It was found that a higher pre-treatment NLR value (NLR > 5) associates with less survival rate. In contrast, the AGR did not show any predictive value on the malignancy of the tumor. However, by combining the NLR with AGR, age of the dog, and tumor size in a principal component analysis (PCA), the grade of the tumor and survival after surgery could be appropriately predicted. These data strongly suggest that pre-treatment NLR values have a prognostic value for the survival rate after surgery of dogs with mammary tumors.

Pathways Affected by Falcarinol-Type Polyacetylenes and Implications for Their Anti-Inflammatory Function and Potential in Cancer Chemoprevention

Polyacetylene phytochemicals are emerging as potentially responsible for the chemoprotective effects of consuming apiaceous vegetables. There is some evidence suggesting that polyacetylenes (PAs) impact carcinogenesis by influencing a wide variety of signalling pathways, which are important in regulating inflammation, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, etc. Studies have shown a correlation between human dietary intake of PA-rich vegetables with a reduced risk of inflammation and cancer. PA supplementation can influence cell growth, gene expression and immunological responses, and has been shown to reduce the tumour number in rat and mouse models. Cancer chemoprevention by dietary PAs involves several mechanisms, including effects on inflammatory cytokines, the NF-κB pathway, antioxidant response elements, unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway, growth factor signalling, cell cycle progression and apoptosis. This review summarises the published research on falcarinol-type PA compounds and their mechanisms of action regarding cancer chemoprevention and also identifies some gaps in our current understanding of the health benefits of these PAs.

Identification and validation of novel lung adenocarcinoma subtypes and construction of prognostic models: based on cuprotosis-related genes

Cuprotosis is a novel and unique form of cell death that is of great value in a variety of cancers. However, the prognostic role of cuprotosis-related genes (CRGs) in lung cancer remains undetermined. We compared the expression profile of CRGs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients, revealing the genetic alterations and inter-gene correlations of CRGs. Based on 13 CRGs, LUAD patients could be well differentiated into two molecular subgroups, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in these molecular subtypes were identified. Furthermore, 10 cuprotosis pattern-related DEGs with a significant prognostic value were obtained for constructing a prognostic model. Through validation in an external validation set, the prognostic model based on the CRGs-risk score showed the robust and effective predictive ability and served as an independent prognostic indicator for LUAD patients. Therefore, combining the CRGs-risk score with multiple factors such as clinicopathological characteristics, a quantitative nomogram was developed to predict the survival and prognosis of LUAD patients, improving the clinical application value of the CRGs-risk score. In the low CRGs-risk score group, the related immune cell infiltration was increased and the immune function was activated in LUAD patients. This study may add to the knowledge of CRGs in LUAD, partly contribute to evaluating the prognosis of LUAD patients, and provide direction for the development of targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

Expression and significance of IL-6 and IL-8 in canine mammary gland tumors

Mammary gland tumors are the most common malignant diseases which seriously threaten the health of women and female dogs. There is a lack of an effective tumor marker which can effectively assist in the early diagnosis, and prognosis of mammary gland tumors in veterinary clinical medicine. IL-6, and IL-8 as immunosuppressive factors may stimulate tumor cells growth, contribute to loco-regional relapse and metastasis that might be utilized as a marker for immunity status and monitoring of the course of tumor. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of serum/tissue IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 in canine mammary gland tumors using Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), Western blot and Immunohistochemistry assay(IHC) to determine whether it is associated with tumor progression. The results showed that levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 in serum were higher in malignant tumor group than that in benign tumor and control group; the expression levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly elevated in grade III than in grade I and II and was related to metastasis. Likewise, IL-6 and IL-8 were also highly expressed in malignant tumor tissues. Elevated expression of IL-6 was associated with histopathological grade and metastases in malignant tumors. Moreover, high expression of IL-6 occurred in the Basal-like subtypes whereas high expression of IL-8 occurred in the Luminal B subtypes. The results of this study indicated that changes of IL-6 and IL-8 in the tumor microenvironments were closely related to the diseases status and may be used as a potential diagnostic or biomarker in canine mammary gland tumors.

Seleno-Analogs of Scaffolds Resembling Natural Products a Novel Warhead toward Dual Compounds

Nowadays, oxidative cell damage is one of the common features of cancer and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Se-containing molecules, such as ebselen, which has demonstrated strong antioxidant activity, have demonstrated well-established preventive effects against both diseases. In this study, a total of 39 Se-derivatives were synthesized, purified, and spectroscopically characterized by NMR. Antioxidant ability was tested using the DPPH assay, while antiproliferative activity was screened in breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer cell lines. In addition, as a first approach to evaluate their potential anti-Alzheimer activity, the in vitro acetylcholinesterase inhibition (AChEI) was tested. Regarding antioxidant properties, compound 13a showed concentration- and time-dependent radical scavenging activity. Additionally, compounds 14a and 17a showed high activity in the melanoma and ovarian cancer cell lines, with LD₅₀ values below 9.2 µM. Interestingly, in the AChEI test, compound 14a showed almost identical inhibitory activity to galantamine along with a 3-fold higher in vitro BBB permeation (Pe = 36.92 × 10^-6 cm/s). Molecular dynamics simulations of the aspirin derivatives (14a and 14b) confirm the importance of the allylic group instead of the propargyl one. Altogether, it is concluded that some of these newly synthesized Se-derivatives, such as 14a, might become very promising candidates to treat both cancer and AD.

Effects of systemic inflammation and frailty on survival in elderly cancer patients: Results from the INSCOC study

Background

Frailty and systemic inflammation are parameters, which are easy to evaluate, can be used to predict disease outcomes, and are potentially modifiable. The combination of frailty and inflammation-based data may help identify elderly cancer patients predisposed to adverse clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the association of systemic inflammation and frailty at admission, and to determine whether these risk factors interact and may predict the survival of elderly cancer patients.

Methods

A prospective Investigation on Nutrition Status and Clinical Outcome of Common Cancers (INSCOC) with 5,106 elderly cancer patients admitted from 2013 through 2020 was included in this study. The primary marker of inflammation was the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), with the reference group having NLR<3, which indicated no inflammation. Frailty was assessed using the FRAIL scale, and patients with≥3 positives out of a total of five components were assumed to be frail. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. We classified participants according to the presence (or absence) of frailty and high inflammation and assessed their association with overall survival using the Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for demographic, tumor, and treatment factors.

Results

Among the 5,106 patients enrolled in the study, 3396 individuals (66.51%) were male and the mean( ± SD) age at diagnosis was 70.92( ± 5.34). Over a median of 33.5 months follow-up, we observed 2,315 deaths. Increasing NLR was associated with frailty (compared with NLR<3, odds ratio=1.23, 95%CI=1.08-1.41 for NLR≥3). An NLR≥3 and frailty independently predicted the overall survival [hazard ratio(HR)=1.35, 95%CI=1.24-1.47 and HR=1.38, 95%CI=1.25-1.52, respectively). Patients with both frailty and NLR≥3 had the lowest overall survival(HR=1.83, 95%CI=1.59-2.04) than patients with no risk factors. The mortality rate increased with the presence of the frailty components.

Conclusions

Systemic inflammation was positively associated with frailty. Frail elderly cancer patients with elevated systemic inflammation had low survival rate.

Prognostic necroptosis-related gene signature aids immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma

Background: Necroptosis is a phenomenon of cellular necrosis resulting from cell membrane rupture by the corresponding activation of Receptor Interacting Protein Kinase 3 (RIPK3) and Mixed Lineage Kinase domain-Like protein (MLKL) under programmed regulation. It is reported that necroptosis is closely related to the development of tumors, but the prognostic role and biological function of necroptosis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), the most important cause of cancer-related deaths, is still obscure. Methods: In this study, we constructed a prognostic Necroptosis-related gene signature based on the RNA transcription data of LUAD patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases as well as the corresponding clinical information. Kaplan-Meier analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC), and Cox regression were made to validate and evaluate the model. We analyzed the immune landscape in LUAD and the relationship between the signature and immunotherapy regimens. Results: Five genes (RIPK3, MLKL, TLR2, TNFRSF1A, and ALDH2) were used to construct the prognostic signature, and patients were divided into high and low-risk groups in line with the risk score. Cox regression showed that risk score was an independent prognostic factor. Nomogram was created for predicting the survival rate of LUAD patients. Patients in high and low-risk groups have different tumor purity, tumor immunogenicity, and different sensitivity to common antitumor drugs. Conclusion: Our results highlight the association of necroptosis with LUAD and its potential use in guiding immunotherapy.

A novel pyroptosis-regulated gene signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Pyroptosis, a newly discovered type of programmed cell death, has both anti-tumor and tumor-promoting effects on carcinogenesis. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, the associations between pyroptosis-regulated genes and prognosis, immune microenvironment, and immunotherapy response remain unclear.

Samples and methods: Sequencing data were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), and The Integrative Molecular Database of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCCDB). First, we investigated the expression levels and copy number variations (CNVs) of 56 pyroptosis genes in HCC and pan-cancer. Next, we identified 614 genes related to 56 pyroptosis-associated genes at the expression, mutation, and CNVs levels. Pathway enrichment analysis of 614 genes in the Hallmark, KEGG, and Reactome databases yielded a total of 253 significant signaling pathways. The pyroptosis-regulated genes (PRGs) comprised 108 genes that were derived from the top 20 signaling pathways, of which 57 genes had prognostic value in HCC. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis was performed to screen for PRGs with prognostic values. Ultimately, we constructed a risk score model with seven PRGs to predict HCC prognosis and validated its predictive value in three independent HCC cohorts. Risk scores were used to illustrate receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves predicting 1, 3, and 5-years overall survival (OS). Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), was performed to study 28 types of immune cells infiltrated in HCC. The relationship between the risk signature and six immune checkpoint genes and immunotherapy was analyzed.

Results: A total of seven PRGs were obtained following multiple screening steps. The risk score model containing seven PRGs was found to correlate significantly with the HCC prognosis of the training group. In addition, we validated the risk score model in two additional HCC cohorts. The risk score significantly correlated with infiltrating immune cells (i. e. CD4⁺ T cells, etc.), ICB key molecules (i. e. HAVCR2, etc.), and ICB response.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated a vital role of PRGs in predicting the prognosis and immunotherapy response of HCC patients. The risk model could pave the way for drugs targeting pyroptosis and immune checkpoints in HCC.

Extensive Aberrant Migration of Onchocerca lupi in a Dog

A 13-year-old Labrador retriever mixed breed dog from Arizona was presented for evaluation of an acute onset of a head tilt as well as vocalization and head shaking upon palpation of the ears. The dog was previously treated for ocular onchocercosis associated with the right eye 10 years earlier. Ophthalmic examination at presentation revealed irregular, tan-colored, masses on the sclera of both eyes. Otoscopic evaluation of the left ear was limited because the canals were stenotic and inaccessible. Cytology did not reveal any infectious etiologies and the dog was subsequently treated with an anti-inflammatory dose of prednisone for 10 days. Two weeks later the dog developed a mild dysphonia and stridor that eventually progressed to include difficulty breathing. The dog was euthanized and postmortem examination revealed white-to-tan nodules identified in the episclera, trachea, subcutis around the nares, external ear canals, and within the fascia overlying the temporalis muscle, as well as in the parietal pleura, and pericardium. There was also a large mass that obliterated the laryngeal cartilage that partially occluded the laryngeal opening. Microscopically, the described nodules consisted predominately of lakes of abundant mineralized debris, admixed with granulomatous inflammation centered around degenerate nematodes that were subsequently confirmed by PCR and sequence analysis to be Onchocerca lupi. The veterinary literature is comprised of only 2 reports that describe aberrant O. lupi migration to the trachea and larynx. Here, we provide the first detailed description of a dog with extensive aberrant onchocercosis.

Aspirin-Triggered Resolvin D1 Reduces Chronic Dust-Induced Lung Pathology without Altering Susceptibility to Dust-Enhanced Carcinogenesis

Simple Summary

Farm workers are at an increased risk of developing acute and chronic lung inflammatory diseases from their everyday exposure to organic dust. Previous investigations have examined the inflammatory effects in mice from single and repetitive exposure to dust from swine confinement facilities, however, no study has explored these effects in a chronic model. To address this research gap, we established a chronic dust exposure mouse model of lung tumorigenesis that was also used to measure the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acid-derived lipid mediators as therapeutics for mitigating these induced responses. Our results from these investigations are the first to evaluate the chronic inflammatory, and carcinogenic effects of these dusts, as well as identify a potential therapeutic strategy for mitigating the inflammatory effects by using an omega-3 fatty acid-derived bioactive lipid mediator.

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with increased risk being associated with unresolved or chronic inflammation. Agricultural and livestock workers endure significant exposure to agricultural dusts on a routine basis; however, the chronic inflammatory and carcinogenic effects of these dust exposure is unclear. We have developed a chronic dust exposure model of lung carcinogenesis in which mice were intranasally challenged three times a week for 24 weeks, using an aqueous dust extract (HDE) made from dust collected in swine confinement facilities. We also treated mice with the omega-3-fatty acid lipid mediator, aspirin-triggered resolvin D1 (AT-RvD1) to provide a novel therapeutic strategy for mitigating the inflammatory and carcinogenic effects of HDE. Exposure to HDE resulted in significant immune cell influx into the lungs, enhanced lung tumorigenesis, severe tissue pathogenesis, and a pro-inflammatory and carcinogenic gene signature, relative to saline-exposed mice. AT-RvD1 treatment mitigated the dust-induced inflammatory response but did not protect against HDE + NNK-enhanced tumorigenesis. Our data suggest that chronic HDE exposure induces a significant inflammatory and pro-carcinogenic response, whereas treatment with AT-RvD1 dampens the inflammatory responses, providing a strong argument for the therapeutic use of AT-RvD1 to mitigate chronic inflammation.

STAT3 pathway in cancers: Past, present, and future

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), a member of the STAT family, discovered in the cytoplasm of almost all types of mammalian cells, plays a significant role in biological functions. The duration of STAT3 activation in normal tissues is a transient event and is strictly regulated. However, in cancer tissues, STAT3 is activated in an aberrant manner and is induced by certain cytokines. The continuous activation of STAT3 regulates the expression of downstream proteins associated with the formation, progression, and metastasis of cancers. Thus, elucidating the mechanisms of STAT3 regulation and designing inhibitors targeting the STAT3 pathway are considered promising strategies for cancer treatment. This review aims to introduce the history, research advances, and prospects concerning the STAT3 pathway in cancer. We review the mechanisms of STAT3 pathway regulation and the consequent cancer hallmarks associated with tumor biology that are induced by the STAT3 pathway. Moreover, we summarize the emerging development of inhibitors that target the STAT3 pathway and novel drug delivery systems for delivering these inhibitors. The barriers against targeting the STAT3 pathway, the focus of future research on promising targets in the STAT3 pathway, and our perspective on the overall utility of STAT3 pathway inhibitors in cancer treatment are also discussed.

Cytologic features of reactive fibroplasia in cutaneous and subcutaneous lesions of dogs: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Determining reactive fibroplasia from primary neoplastic proliferation can be difficult using the cytologic features of spindle cells.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to describe qualitative features of benign reactive spindle cells and provide a diagnostic tool to distinguish between fibroplasia and soft tissue sarcoma.

METHODS

Cytologic samples from cutaneous lesions with histopathologically confirmed fibroplasia were reviewed and compared with cytologic samples from confirmed low-grade soft tissue sarcomas. The samples were obtained from the Archive of the Laboratorio Veterinario Bresciano (Brescia; Italy).

RESULTS

A total of 25 cytologic samples retrieved from the database fit the selection criteria. For comparison, 25 cytologic samples of histopathologically confirmed soft tissue sarcomas with secondary inflammation were obtained and reviewed from the same database. A low number of singularly distributed spindle cells with mild features of atypia and a high ratio of inflammatory to spindle cells was observed in confirmed cases of fibroplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

Low cellularity, individualized spindle cells, and an increased inflammatory-to-spindle cell ratio were more indicative of fibroplasia than sarcoma.

Chondroblastic Osteosarcoma Associated with Previous Chronic Osteomyelitis Caused by Serratia liquefaciens in a German Shepherd Dog

Development of bone tumors as a result of chronic osteomyelitis represents a relatively rare and late complication in humans and animals. We described a malignant transformation (chondroblastic osteosarcoma) in a 7-year-old German shepherd with a history of polyostotic osteomyelitis caused by Serratia liquefaciens when the dog was 15 months old. The tumor developed in the right humeral diaphysis, one of the sites of polyostotic osteomyelitis. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of polyostotic osteomyelitis caused by Serratia liquefaciens in dogs.

S100A4/TCF Complex Transcription Regulation Drives Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Chronic Sinusitis Through Wnt/GSK-3β/β-Catenin Signaling

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is thought to be involved in the tissue remodeling and long-term inflammatory process of chronic sinusitis (CRS), but the driving mechanism is still unclear. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, we performed a proteomic screen of CRS nasal mucosal tissue to identify differentially expressed proteins. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD030884. Specifically, we identified S100 calcium binding protein A4 (S100A4), an effective factor in inflammation-related diseases, and its downstream protein closely related to tissue fibrosis collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1), which suggested its involvement in nasal mucosal tissue remodeling. In addition, stimulation of human nasal epithelial cells (HNEpCs) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mimicked the inflammatory environment of CRS and showed that S100A4 is involved in regulating EMT and thus accelerating tissue remodeling in the nasal mucosa, both in terms of increased cell motility and overexpression of mesenchymal-type proteins. Additionally, we further investigated the regulation mechanism of S100A4 involved in EMT in CRS. Our research results show that in the inflammatory environment of CRS nasal mucosal epithelial cells, TCF-4 will target to bind to S100A4 and regulate its transcription. The transcription of S100A4 in turn affects the execution of the important signaling pathway in EMT, the Wnt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway, through the TCF-4/β-catenin complex. In conclusion, this study confirmed that the expression of S100A4 was significantly increased during the progressive EMT process of CRS mucosal epithelial cells, and revealed that the transcriptional regulation of S100A4 plays an important role in the occurrence and development of EMT. This finding will help us to better understand the pathogenesis behind the remodeling in CRS patients, and identify target molecules for the treatment of CRS.

Identification and Validation of Pyroptosis-Related Gene Signature to Predict Prognosis and Reveal Immune Infiltration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by a poor prognosis and accounts for the fourth common cause of cancer-related deaths. Recently, pyroptosis has been revealed to be involved in the progression of multiple cancers. However, the role of pyroptosis in the HCC prognosis remains elusive.

Methods: The clinical information and RNA-seq data of the HCC patients were collected from the TCGA-LIHC datasets, and the differential pyroptosis-related genes (PRG) were firstly explored. The univariate Cox regression and consensus clustering were applied to recognize the HCC subtypes. The prognostic PRGs were then submitted to the LASSO regression analysis to build a prognostic model in the TCGA training cohort. We further evaluated the predictive model in the TCGA test cohort and ICGC validation cohort (LIRI-JP). The accuracy of prediction was validated using the Kaplan—Meier (K-M) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. The single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used to determine the differential immune cell infiltrations and related pathways. Finally, the expression of the prognostic genes was validated by qRT-PCR in vivo and in vitro.

Results: We identified a total of 26 differential PRGs, among which three PRGs comprising GSDME, GPX4, and SCAF11 were subsequently chosen for constructing a prognostic model. This model significantly distinguished the HCC patients with different survival years in the TCGA training, test, and ICGC validation cohorts. The risk score of this model was confirmed as an independent prognostic factor. A nomogram was generated indicating the survival years for each HCC patient. The ssGSEA demonstrated several tumor-infiltrating immune cells to be remarkably associated with the risk scores. The qRT-PCR results also showed the apparent dysregulation of PRGs in HCC. Finally, the drug sensitivity was analyzed, indicating that Lenvatinib might impact the progression of HCC via targeting GSDME, which was also validated in human Huh7 cells.

Conclusion: The PRG signature comprised of GSDME, GPX4, and SCAF11 can serve as an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients, which would provide further evidence for more clinical and functional studies.

An RNA-Seq-Based Framework for Characterizing Canine Prostate Cancer and Prioritizing Clinically Relevant Biomarker Candidate Genes

Prostate cancer (PCa) in dogs is a highly malignant disease akin to its human counterpart. In contrast to the situation in humans, multi-gene approaches facilitating risk stratification of canine PCa are barely established. The aims of this study were the characterization of the transcriptional landscape of canine PCa and the identification of diagnostic, prognostic and/or therapeutic biomarkers through a multi-step screening approach. RNA-Sequencing of ten malignant tissues and fine-needle aspirations (FNA), and 14 nonmalignant tissues and FNAs was performed to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and deregulated pathways. The 4098 observed DEGs were involved in 49 pathways. These 49 pathways could be grouped into five superpathways summarizing the hallmarks of canine PCa: (i) inflammatory response and cytokines; (ii) regulation of the immune system and cell death; (iii) cell surface and PI3K signaling; (iv) cell cycle; and (v) phagosome and autophagy. Among the highly deregulated, moderately to strongly expressed DEGs that were members of one or more superpathways, 169 DEGs were listed in relevant databases and/or the literature and included members of the PCa pathway, oncogenes, prostate-specific genes, and druggable genes. These genes are novel and promising candidate diagnostic, prognostic and/or therapeutic canine PCa biomarkers.

The Dog as a Model to Study the Tumor Microenvironment

Cancer is a complex and dynamic disease with an outcome that depends on a strict crosstalk between tumor cells and other components in tumor microenvironment, namely, tumor-infiltrating immune cells, fibroblasts, cancer stem cells, adipocytes, and endothelial cells. Within the tumor microenvironment, macrophages and T-lymphocytes appear to be key effectors during the several steps of tumor initiation and progression. Tumor cells, through the release of a plethora of signaling molecules, can induce immune tolerance, by avoiding immune surveillance, and inhibit immune cells cytotoxic functions. Furthermore, as the tumor grows, tumor microenvironment reveals a series of dysfunctional conditions that potentiate a polarization of harmful humoral Th2 and Th17, an upregulation of Treg cells, and a differentiation of macrophages into the M2 subtype, which contribute to the activation of several signaling pathways involving important tissue biomarkers (COX-2, EGFR, VEGF) implicated in cancer aggressiveness and poor clinical outcomes. In order to maintain the tumor growth, cancer cells acquire several adaptations such as neovascularization and metabolic reprogramming. An extensive intracellular production of lactate and protons is observed in tumor cells as a result of their high glycolytic metabolism. This contributes not only for the microenvironment pH alteration but also to shape the immune response that ultimately impairs immune cells capabilities and effector functions.In this chapter, the complexity of tumor microenvironment, with special focus on macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and the impact of lactate efflux, was reviewed, always trying to demonstrate the strong similarities between data from studies of humans and dogs, a widely proposed model for comparative oncology studies.

Regulated lytic cell death in breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is a very common cancer among women and one of the primary causes of death in women worldwide. Because BC has different molecular subtypes, the challenges associated with targeted therapy have increased significantly, and the identification of new therapeutic targets has become increasingly urgent. Blocking apoptosis and inhibiting cell death are important characteristics of malignant tumours, including BC. Under adverse conditions, including exposure to antitumour therapy, inhibition of cell death programmes can promote cancerous transformation and the survival of cancer cells. Therefore, inducing cell death in cancer cells is fundamentally important and provides new opportunities for potential therapeutic interventions. Lytic forms of cell death, primarily pyroptosis, necroptosis and ferroptosis, are different from apoptosis owing to their characteristic lysis, that is, the production of cellular components, to guide beneficial immune responses, and the application of lytic cell death (LCD) in the field of tumour therapy has attracted considerable interest from researchers. The latest clinical research results confirm that lytic death signalling cascades involve the BC cell immune response and resistance to therapies used in clinical practice. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding the various forms of LCD, placing a special emphasis on signalling pathways and their implications in BC, which may facilitate the development of novel and optimal strategies for the clinical treatment of BC.

Rheumatologic diseases impact the risk of progression of MGUS to overt multiple myeloma

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), a premalignant condition, is associated with various chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (RDs) and is frequently observed as an incidental finding during routine work-up. The association of MGUS and chronic RDs is well established, but the impact of RDs on the risk of transformation into overt multiple myeloma (MM) has not been evaluated so far. MGUS patients diagnosed between January 2000 and August 2016 were identified and screened for concomitant RDs. RDs were grouped into antibody (Ab)-mediated RDs and non-Ab-mediated RDs (polymyalgia rheumatica, large-vessel giant cell arteritis, spondyloarthritis, and gout). Progression to MM was defined as a categorical (yes/no) or continuous time-dependent (time to progression) variable. Of 2935 MGUS patients, 255 (9%) had a concomitant RD. MGUS patients diagnosed with non-Ab-mediated RDs had a doubled risk of progression compared with those without a concomitant RD (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1-3.9; P = .02). These data translate into a 5-year risk of progression of 4% in MGUS patients without rheumatologic comorbidity, 10% in those with concomitant non-Ab-mediated RDS, and 2% in those with Ab-mediated RDs. By using the complex risk stratification model that includes myeloma protein (M-protein) concentration, immunoglobulin type, and level of free light chain ratio as variables, patients with non-Ab-mediated RDs (n = 57) had the highest risk for progression (hazard ratio, 6.8; 95% CI, 1.5-30.7; P = .01) compared with patients with Ab-mediated RDs (n = 77). Chronic inflammatory diseases have an impact on the risk of MGUS progressing into overt MM, with a doubled risk of transformation observed in patients with non-Ab-mediated RDs. Future research can elucidate whether comorbidities such as RDs should be included in currently applied prognostic MGUS scores.

Immune Cells and Immunoglobulin Expression in the Mammary Gland Tumors of Dog

Inflammatory cells have a role in tumor progression and have prognostic and therapeutic potential. The immunohistochemical expression for Mast Cell Tryptase, Macrophage Marker, CD79a, IgA, IgM and IgG on 43 cases of canine mammary gland lesions was analyzed. In hyperplasia, a few B cells (BCs) and Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAMs) were observed, while the number of Tumor-Associated Mast Cells (TAMCs) was the highest. In the peritumoral stroma of malignant lesions, low number of TAMCs and a high number of TAMAs and BCs were present. Immune cells of each type were always lower in the intratumoral than peritumoral stroma. Positivity to CD79a was also detected in the epithelial cells of simple and micropapillay carcinomas. Immunoglobulin reactivity was mainly located in the epithelial cells where an intense positivity to IgA and IgG and a weak positivity for IgM were detectable. On the basis of our preliminary results and literature data, we suggest that such cells and molecules could be directly involved in the biology of canine mammary gland tumors. In breast cancer, stromal inflammatory cells and cancer derived immunoglobulins have been correlated with the progression, malignancy and poor prognosis of the tumor. The results herein reported show that the dog's mammary gland epithelium also expresses immunoglobulins, and they mostly show a direct relationship with the infiltration of macrophages. In addition, this study shows that the infiltration of mast cells, B-cells and macrophages varies depending on the degree of malignancy of neoplasia.

Preoperative Inflammatory Markers as a Predictor of Three-Year Overall Survival in Older Cancer Patients Undergoing Oncologic Surgery

Simple Summary

Older patients can have an increased expression of inflammatory cytokines due to ageing of the immune system. It is likely that older cancer patients with a low-grade inflammatory state are more at risk for an exaggerated inflammatory response to surgery and for poor outcome after surgery. The aim of this study was to examine whether preoperative inflammatory markers could be a predictor of overall survival in older patients undergoing oncologic surgery. In this prospective cohort study, a plasma level of C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥ 10 mg/L was a predictor of inferior three-year overall survival after oncologic surgery in older cancer patients, and also for the specific group of older patients with a colorectal tumor. Measuring preoperative plasma level of CRP might be useful in risk stratification for poor outcome after surgery in older cancer patients.

Abstract

Oncologic surgery results in substantially higher morbidity and mortality rates in older patients compared to younger patients, yet little is known about the relation between the preoperative inflammatory state and postoperative outcome in the specific group of older cancer patients. The aim of this study was to examine whether preoperative inflammatory markers could be a predictor of overall survival in older patients undergoing elective surgery for a solid malignant tumor. Patients 65 years and older undergoing surgery for a solid malignant tumor were included in a prospective cohort study. Inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, IL10, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured in plasma samples preoperatively. The main outcome was overall survival three years after surgery. Between 2010 and 2016, 328 patients with a median age of 71.5 years (range 65–89) were included. A significantly higher mortality rate three years after surgery, was found in patients with high preoperative plasma levels of CRP and IL-6 (p = 0.013 and p = 0.046, respectively). In multivariate analysis, corrected for variables such as age, disease stage, frailty, comorbidities, type of surgery and complications, a preoperative plasma level of CRP ≥ 10 mg/L was an independent prognostic factor for inferior overall survival three years after surgery (multivariate hazard ratio 1.50, 95% confidence interval 1.04–2.16, p = 0.031). Also, for the specific group of patients with colorectal cancer, a preoperative plasma level of CRP ≥ 10 mg/L was a prognostic factor for inferior survival three years after surgery (multivariate hazard ratio 2.40, 95% confidence interval 1.20–4.81, p = 0.014). Preoperative elevated plasma level of CRP is an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for overall survival three years after oncologic surgery. This gives more insight into the relationship between inflammation and survival in older cancer patients, and might contribute to risk stratification for poor outcome after surgery in older cancer patients.

The role of COX expression in the prognostication of overall survival of canine and feline cancer: A systematic review

Cyclooxygenase (COX) isoforms-1 and -2 have been extensively investigated in cancer. Although COX-2 is the isoform most studied and has been described in several malignancies associated with histologic criteria of malignancy and worse prognosis, COX-1 has also been linked to some forms of cancer. With the present review our aim was to summarize the current state of knowledge and clarify if and in which type of tumours COX-1 and/or COX-2 expression have real prognostic implications. We searched PubMed database for prognostic studies using predefined inclusion criteria in order to ascertain the prognostic value of COX-1 and COX-2 in malignant neoplasia in dogs and cats. Eighteen studies were analysed. COX-2 was shown to be a negative prognostic factor in canine and feline mammary tumours, canine mast cell tumour, canine melanoma, canine osteosarcoma and canine renal cell carcinoma. COX-1 showed a negative prognostic value in feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We found high heterogeneity among studies regarding COX immunohistochemical evaluation methodology even in the same type of neoplasia pointing out the need for its standardization at least by tumour type. The available data support the use of COX-2 as a prognostic factor in canine (mammary carcinoma, mast cell tumour, melanoma, osteosarcoma and renal carcinoma) and feline (mammary carcinoma) cancers. For COX-1, its use is advised in feline oral SCC.

The Role of Chronic Inflammation in Various Diseases and Anti-inflammatory Therapies Containing Natural Products

Chronic inflammation represents a long-term reaction of the body's immune system to noxious stimuli. Such a sustained inflammatory response sometimes results in lasting damage to healthy tissues and organs. In fact, chronic inflammation is implicated in the development and progression of various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and even cancers. Targeting nonresolving inflammation thus provides new opportunities for treating relevant diseases. In this review, we will go over several chronic inflammation-associated diseases first with emphasis on the role of inflammation in their pathogenesis. Then, we will summarize a number of natural products that exhibit therapeutic effects against those diseases by acting on different markers in the inflammatory response. We envision that natural products will remain a rich resource for the discovery of new drugs treating diseases associated with chronic inflammation.

Role of inflammatory microenvironment: potential implications for improved breast cancer nano-targeted therapy

Tumor cells, inflammatory cells and chemical factors work together to mediate complex signaling networks, which forms inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME). The development of breast cancer is closely related to the functional activities of TME. This review introduces the origins of cancer-related chronic inflammation and the main constituents of inflammatory microenvironment. Inflammatory microenvironment plays an important role in breast cancer growth, metastasis, drug resistance and angiogenesis through multifactorial mechanisms. It is suggested that inflammatory microenvironment contributes to providing possible mechanisms of drug action and modes of drug transport for anti-cancer treatment. Nano-drug delivery system (NDDS) becomes a popular topic for optimizing the design of tumor targeting drugs. It is seen that with the development of therapeutic approaches, NDDS can be used to achieve drug-targeted delivery well across the biological barriers and into cells, resulting in superior bioavailability, drug dose reduction as well as off-target side effect elimination. This paper focuses on the review of modulation mechanisms of inflammatory microenvironment and combination with nano-targeted therapeutic strategies, providing a comprehensive basis for further research on breast cancer prevention and control.

Role of Metabolic Endotoxemia in Systemic Inflammation and Potential Interventions

Diet-induced metabolic endotoxemia is an important factor in the development of many chronic diseases in animals and man. The gut epithelium is an efficient barrier that prevents the absorption of liposaccharide (LPS). Structural changes to the intestinal epithelium in response to dietary alterations allow LPS to enter the bloodstream, resulting in an increase in the plasma levels of LPS (termed metabolic endotoxemia). LPS activates Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) leading to the production of numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines and, hence, low-grade systemic inflammation. Thus, metabolic endotoxemia can lead to several chronic inflammatory conditions. Obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can also cause an increase in gut permeability and potential pharmacological and dietary interventions could be used to reduce the chronic low-grade inflammation associated with endotoxemia.

The Chemosensitizing Role of Metformin in Anti-Cancer Therapy

Chemoresistance, which leads to the failure of chemotherapy and further tumor recurrence, presents the largest hurdle for the success of anti-cancer therapy. In recent years, metformin, a widely used first-line antidiabetic drug, has attracted increasing attention for its anti-cancer effects. A growing body of evidence indicates that metformin can sensitize tumor responses to different chemotherapeutic drugs, such as hormone modulating drugs, anti-metabolite drugs, antibiotics, and DNA-damaging drugs via selective targeting of Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), improving the hypoxic microenvironment, and by suppressing tumor metastasis and inflammation. In addition, metformin may regulate metabolic programming, induce apoptosis, reverse Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), and Multidrug Resistance (MDR). In this review, we summarize the chemosensitization effects of metformin and focus primarily on its molecular mechanisms in enhancing the sensitivity of multiple chemotherapeutic drugs, through targeting of mTOR, ERK/P70S6K, NF-κB/HIF-1 α, and Mitogen- Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, as well as by down-regulating the expression of CSC genes and Pyruvate Kinase isoenzyme M2 (PKM2). Through a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of chemosensitization provided in this review, the rationale for the use of metformin in clinical combination medications can be more systematically and thoroughly explored for wider adoption against numerous cancer types.>.

A review on the relationship of mast cells and macrophages in breast cancer - Can herbs or natural products facilitate their anti-tumor effects?

Breast cancer is an inflammation-related cancer whose tumor microenvironment is largely infiltrated by inflammatory cells. These inflammatory cells including mast cells and macrophages have been elucidated to be vital participants in breast tumor proliferation, survival, invasion and migration. However, the functions of mast cells and macrophages in breast cancer are quite distinct based on recent data. Mast cells exhibit both anti-tumoral and pro-tumoral functions on breast cancer, while high number of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are strongly correlated with poor prognosis and higher risk of distant metastasis in breast cancer patients. Besides, many natural products/extracts have been reported to regulate mast cells and macrophages. In this review, the roles of mast cells and macrophages play in breast cancer are discussed and a summary of those natural products/herbs regulating the functions of mast cells or macrophages is also presented.

Intercellular Bioimaging and Biodistribution of Gold Nanoparticle-Loaded Macrophages for Targeted Drug Delivery

In order to effectively apply nanoparticles to clinical use, macrophages have been used as vehicles to deliver genes, drugs or nanomaterials into tumors. In this study, the effectiveness of macrophage as a drug delivery system was validated by biodistribution imaging modalities at intercellular and ex vivo levels. We focused on biodistribution imaging, namely, the characterization of the gold nanoparticle-loaded macrophages using intracellular holotomography and target delivery efficiency analysis using ex vivo fluorescence imaging techniques. In more detail, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were prepared with trisodium citrate method and loaded into macrophage cells (RAW 264.7). First, AuNPs loading into macrophages was confirmed using the conventional ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Then, the holotomographic imaging was employed to characterize the intracellular biodistribution of the AuNPs-loaded macrophages. The efficacy of target delivery of the well AuNPs uptake macrophages was studied in a mouse model, established via lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. The fluorescent images and the ex vivo ICP-MS evaluated the delivery efficiency of the AuNPs-loaded macrophages. Results revealed that the holotomographic imaging techniques can be promising modalities to understand intracellular biodistribution and ex vivo fluorescence imaging can be useful to validate the target delivery efficacy of the AuNPs-loaded macrophages.

The ameliorating effects of anthocyanins on the cross-linked signaling pathways of cancer dysregulated metabolism

Cancer cells underlie the dysregulated metabolism of carbohydrate, lipid and protein and thereby, employ interconnected cross-linked signaling pathways to supply adequate energy for growth and related biosynthetic procedures. In the present study, a comprehensive review of cancer metabolism and anthocyanin's effect was conducted using the existing electronic databases, including Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, as well as related articles in the field. Such keywords as "cancer", and "cancer metabolism" in the title/abstract/keyword and all the "anthocyanins" in the whole text were used. Data were collected without time restriction until February 2020. The results indicated the involvement of several signaling pathways, including inflammatory PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, Bax/Bcl-2/caspases as apoptosis modulators, and NF-κB/Nrf2 as oxidative stress mediators in the cancer dysregulated metabolism. Compelling studies have shown that targeting these pathways, as critical hallmarks of cancer, plays a critical role in combating cancer dysregulated metabolism. The complexity of cancer metabolism signaling pathways, along with toxicity, high costs, and resistance to conventional drugs urge the need to investigate novel multi-target agents. Increasing evidence has introduced plant-derived secondary metabolites as hopeful anticancer candidates which target multiple dysregulated cross-linked pathways of cancer metabolism. Amongst these metabolites, anthocyanins have demonstrated positive anticancer effects by targeting inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptotic signaling pathways. The current study revealed the cross-linked signaling pathways of cancer metabolism, as well as the promising pharmacological mechanisms of anthocyanins in targeting the aforementioned signaling mediators. To overcome the pharmacokinetic limitations of anthocyanins in cancer treatment, their interactions with gut microbiota and the need to develop related nano-formulations were also considered.

Reaction of carbon monoxide with cystathionine β-synthase: implications on drug efficacies in cancer chemotherapy

Photo-activatable carbon monoxide (CO)-releasing molecules (photoCORMs), have recently provided help to identify the salutary effects of CO in human pathophysiology. Among them notable is the ability of CO to sensitize chemotherapeutic-resistant cancer cells. Findings from our group have shown CO to mitigate drug resistance in certain cancer cells by the inhibition of cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), a key regulator of redox homeostasis in the cell. Diminution of the antioxidant capacity of cancer cells leads to sensitization to reactive oxygen species-producing drugs like doxorubicin and paclitaxel upon cotreatment with CO as well as in mitigating the drug effects of cisplatin. We hypothesize that the development of CO delivery techniques for coadministration with existing cancer treatment regimens may ultimately improve clinical outcomes in cancer therapy.

Delivery of mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles with enriched miR-185 inhibits progression of OPMD

Oral leukoplakia is one of the most common oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and its malignant transformation to oral cancer is highly associated with chronic inflammation. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) or exosome-delivered microRNAs modulate inflammatory responses and alleviate irritations that predisposes to cancer. We previously reported that microRNA-185 (miR-185) was significantly decreased in the buccal tissue of patients with oral cancer. In this study, we utilized genetically modified mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived EVs with high expression of miR-185 to pasted MSC-EV-miR-185 on buccal lesions in dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) induced OPMD model. We found that treatment with MSC-EV-miR-185 remarkably attenuated inflammation severity and significantly decreased the incidence and the number of dysplasia in the OPMD tissue. Immunohistochemistry showed significantly decreased expression of proliferation marker PCNA and angiogenic marker CD31 in the lesion treated with MSC-EV-miR-185. Furthermore, miR-185 specifically targeted Akt genes by promoting activation of the apoptotic pathway, confirmed by the increased levels of activated caspase-3 and 9. In conclusion, genetically modified MSC-derived EVs enriched with miR-185 alleviate inflammatory response, inhibit cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and induce cell apoptosis, suggesting that their potential role as a novel therapeutic option for OPMD.

A High-Content Screening Approach to Identify MicroRNAs Against Head and Neck Cancer Cell Survival and EMT in an Inflammatory Microenvironment

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is among the most common cancer types. Metastasis, the main cause of death by cancer, can be promoted by an inflammatory microenvironment, which induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through a NF-κB-mediated stabilization of Snail. Here, we aimed to explore how microRNAs (miRs) can affect cell survival and EMT in HNSCC cells under an inflammatory microenvironment. By using a high-content screening (HCS) approach, we evaluated alterations in morphometric parameters, as well as expression/localization of Snail/Slug, in HNSCC cells primed with TNF-α. Based on those quantitation, we established the optimal experimental conditions of EMT induction driven by TNF-α. Those conditions were applied to cells transfected with distinct miRs (N = 31), followed by clusterization of miRs based on alterations related to cell survival and EMT. The signaling pathways enriched with molecular targets from each group of miRs were identified by in silico analyses. Finally, cells were transfected with siRNAs against signaling pathways targeted by miRs with anti-survival/EMT effect and evaluated for alterations in cell survival and EMT. Overall, we observed that TNF-α, at 20 ng/ml, induced EMT-related changes in cell morphology, Snail/Slug expression, and cell migration. Predicted targets of miRs with anti-survival/EMT effect were enriched with targets of NF-κB, PI3K/ATK, and Wnt/beta catenin pathways. Strikingly, individual gene silencing of elements from those pathways, namely RELA (NF-kB), AKT1 (PI3K/AKT), and CTNNB1 (Wnt/beta catenin) reduced cell survival and/or expression of Snail/Slug in cells stimulated with TNF-α. As a whole, our HCS approach allowed for the identification of miRs capable of inhibiting cell survival and EMT considering the presence of an inflammatory microenvironment, also indicating the common signaling pathways and molecular targets most likely to underlie those alterations. These findings may contribute to the development of targeted therapies against HNSCC.

Cardamonin attenuates chronic inflammation and tumorigenesis in colon

Cardamonin (CAD) is a member of the aromatic ketones family that is closely related to anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Nevertheless, the physiological function of cardamonin in chronic colitis and colon cancer has not been well verified. We found that cardamonin treatment alleviates intestinal disease, including recurring colitis and colitis-associated tumorigenesis, along with the reduced secretion of IL-1β and TNF-α. Further, cardamonin inhibits cell viability and inflammation factors of colorectal cancer cells in vitro. In tumor cells, the inhibitory effect of cardamonin on cell proliferation is closely related to decreased phosphorylation of signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) signals. This study reveals the crucial role of cardamonin in sustaining gastrointestinal homeostasis and offers a new strategy for colon cancer therapy.

Inflammatory pathway interactions and cancer multidrug resistance regulation

Multidrug resistances against chemotherapeutics are among the major challenges related to cancer treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated that different conditions may tune the expression and activity of MDR transporters. For instance, inflammation occurs through a complex cytological process and chemical reactions in the most tumor microenvironment; it can play a critical role in cancer development and is capable of altering the expression and function of MDR transporters. Cytokines, interleukins, and prostaglandins are potent inflammatory mediators that can modulate the expression of MDRs at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels in the most human cancer cells and tissues and potentially contribute to balance bioavailability of chemotherapeutic agents. Since cancer cases are usually accompanied by inflammatory responses, glucocorticoids and NSAIDs are the primary useful combination chemotherapies in a variety of cancer treatment protocols. In addition to the anti-inflammatory activities of these agents, they exert diverse modulatory effects on MDR-mediated drug resistance via specific mechanisms. Several factors, including cell and MDR-protein types, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacogenetics, mainly influence the regulatory mechanisms. Uncovering the networks between inflammation and multidrug resistance will be clinically helpful in the treatment of malignant cancers and decreasing the cancer mortality rates.

Prognostic significance of mRNA expression of CASPs in gastric cancer

Current studies suggest that the cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (caspase/CASP) family may be closely associated with apoptosis. Scientists have suggested that caspases may be a key to the development of more effective anti-cancer therapies. However, the prognostic value of CASP expression in gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. Using a Kaplan-Meier plotter online database, the predictive prognostic significance of the expression of 12 CASPs genes (CASP1, CASP2, CASP3, CASP4, CASP5, CASP6, CASP7, CASP8, CASP9, CASP10, CASP12 and CASP14) to overall survival (OS) in different clinicopathological features, including Lauren classification, pathological stages, therapies employed and differentiation in gastric cancer patients was explored. The present study revealed that higher CASP1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 mRNA expression was associated with better OS, whereas higher expression of CASP9, 10, 12 and 14 showed an unfavorable OS in all GC patients. Moreover, CASP1 to 8 were all associated with favorable OS in intestinal type and diffuse type classified by Lauren classification. Therefore, the results of the present study suggested that the CASP family may function as new prognostic indicators in GC and may be helpful in making treatment decisions.

Curcumin Combination Chemotherapy: The Implication and Efficacy in Cancer

Many chemotherapeutic drugs have been used for the treatment of cancer, for instance, doxorubicin, irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and paclitaxel. However, the effectiveness of chemotherapy is limited in cancer therapy due to drug resistance, therapeutic selectivity, and undesirable side effects. The combination of therapies with natural compounds is likely to increase the effectiveness of drug treatment as well as reduce the adverse outcomes. Curcumin, a polyphenolic isolated from Curcuma longa, belongs to the rhizome of Zingiberaceae plants. Studies from in vitro and in vivo revealed that curcumin exerts many pharmacological activities with less toxic effects. The biological mechanisms underlying the anticancer activity of co-treatment curcumin and chemotherapy are complex and worth to discuss further. Therefore, this review aimed to address the molecular mechanisms of combined curcumin and chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer. The anticancer activity of combined nanoformulation of curcumin and chemotherapy was also discussed in this study. Taken together, a better understanding of the implication and underlying mechanisms of action of combined curcumin and chemotherapy may provide a useful approach to combat cancer diseases.

The Multifaceted S100A4 Protein in Cancer and Inflammation

The metastasis-promoting S100A4 protein, a member of the S100 family, has recently been discovered as a potent factor implicated in various inflammation-associated diseases. S100A4 is involved in a range of biological functions such as angiogenesis, cell differentiation, apoptosis, motility, and invasion. Moreover, S100A4 is also a potent trigger of inflammatory processes and induces the release of cytokines and growth factors under different pathological conditions.Indeed, the release of S100A4 upon stress and mainly its pro-inflammatory role emerges as the most decisive activity in disease development, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic sclerosis (SSc) allergy, psoriasis, and cancer. In the scope of this review, we will focus on the role of S100A4 as a mediator of pro-inflammatory pathways and its associated biological processes involved in the pathogenesis of various human noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) including cancer.

Screening of immunosuppressive factors for biomarkers of breast cancer malignancy phenotypes and subtype-specific targeted therapy

We aimed to screen and validate immunosuppressive factors in luminal- and basal-like breast cancer cell lines and tissue samples associated with malignant phenotypes. The mRNA microarray datasets, GSE40057 and GSE1561, were downloaded and remodeled, and differentially expressed genes were identified. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed to explore the immune-related events related to the basal-like breast cancer. The online resources, GOBO, Kaplan–Meier Plotter and UALCAN, were employed to screen for immunosuppressive factors associated with breast cancer malignant phenotypes. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate VEGFA and MIF levels in breast tumors and normal breast tissues; qPCRs and western blots were used to validate the expression of clinical immuno-oncology (IO) therapeutic targets CD274 (PD-L1) and IL8 in cell lines. The results showed that various immune-related events contribute to basal-like breast cancer. First, TGFβ1 and IL8 had higher average expression levels in more malignant cell lines; second, MIF and VEGFA had higher average expression levels in more malignant breast cancer tissues, and the high expression levels were associated with poor survival rate. Third, IO targets CD274 and IL8 which were confirmed to be more suitable for the treatment of basal-like breast cancer. In view of the above, during the formation and development of breast cancer, immune-related genes are always activated, and immunosuppressive factors, IL8, TGFβ1, MIF, and VEGFA are up-regulated. Such molecules could be used as biomarkers for breast cancer prognosis. However, because individual immune-related factors can play several biological roles, the mechanistic relationship between immunosuppressive factors and breast cancer malignant phenotypes and the feasibility of their application as drug targets require further investigation.

Prognostic significance of pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in older patients with metastatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Treatment options for older patients with malignancies remain suboptimal. An accurate prognostic stratification could inform treatment decisions, which can potentially improve patient outcomes. Here, we sought to investigate whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may have prognostic significance in patients with metastatic malignant tumors, with a special focus on older individuals.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 3981 patients with histology-proven metastatic cancer who underwent radiotherapy between 2000 and 2013. The pretreatment NLR was determined within 7 days before treatment initiation. Patients aged ≥65 years were considered as older. We analyzed the prognostic significance of NLR for overall survival (OS) across all age groups.

RESULTS

Compared with their younger counterparts, older patients showed a higher NLR (P < 0.001) and a lower OS (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that a pretreatment NLR below the median was an independent favorable predictor of OS in both older (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.669, 95.0% CI: 0.605-0.740; P < 0.001) and younger patients (HR: 0.704; 95.0% CI: 0.648-0.765; P < 0.001). Regardless of age, patients who underwent systemic therapy showed more favorable OS, especially when NLR was low. In the older subgroup, the OS of patients with a low pretreatment NLR who did not undergo systemic therapy and of those with high pretreatment NLR who underwent systemic therapy was similar.

CONCLUSION

A low pretreatment NLR predicts a more favorable OS in older patients with metastatic cancer. The most favorable OS was observed in patients with a low pretreatment NLR who received systemic therapy.

Online community collaborative map: A geospatial and data visualization tool for cancer data

The aim of this study was to develop an online collaborative map to enable researchers to locate, explore, and share cancer data.This 2-scale (global and country-level) cancer map adopts a database-driven model, which was implemented using the Google Map Application Programming Interface (API) and asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) technology. Seven visualization techniques were used to present data. Data on worldwide cancer mortality between 1950 and 2013 were taken from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) database. Incidence data were from the IARC CI5plus database. Survival data were from the IARC SURVCAN study. Prevalence data between 1990 and 2017 were from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's (IHME) catalog while demographic data were from the World Bank Data Catalog. Cancer data for Taiwan between 1991 and 2016 were obtained from the Department of Health and Welfare. This study used visualization techniques that included: a choropleth map to display the prevalence of cancer; a tornado diagram to show the age-standardized mortality rates of all cancers among men and women in 2013; a treemap to show a ranking of cancer mortality data; a sunburst chart to show mortality rates of all cancers by gender; a line chart to show mortality trends for all cancers; a bar chart to show mortality and incidence rates and a heatmap to show variations in cancer across different countries.The world cancer map generated by this study can be accessed at http://worldmap.csmu-liawyp.tw. Country-level mortality data are presented as crude and age-standardized rates.We used visualization methodologies and constructed an easily maintainable web-based user interface with cancer data from administrative regions in 150 countries. This serves as a platform that allows researchers to manage and disseminate cancer data.

Tight Junction Proteins and Signaling Pathways in Cancer and Inflammation: A Functional Crosstalk

The ability of epithelial cells to organize through cell–cell adhesion into a functioning epithelium serves the purpose of a tight epithelial protective barrier. Contacts between adjacent cells are made up of tight junctions (TJ), adherens junctions (AJ), and desmosomes with unique cellular functions and a complex molecular composition. These proteins mediate firm mechanical stability, serves as a gatekeeper for the paracellular pathway, and helps in preserving tissue homeostasis. TJ proteins are involved in maintaining cell polarity, in establishing organ-specific apical domains and also in recruiting signaling proteins involved in the regulation of various important cellular functions including proliferation, differentiation, and migration. As a vital component of the epithelial barrier, TJs are under a constant threat from proinflammatory mediators, pathogenic viruses and bacteria, aiding inflammation and the development of disease. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients reveal loss of TJ barrier function, increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, and immune dysregulation; yet, the relationship between these events is partly understood. Although TJ barrier defects are inadequate to cause experimental IBD, mucosal immune activation is changed in response to augmented epithelial permeability. Thus, the current studies suggest that altered barrier function may predispose or increase disease progression and therapies targeted to specifically restore the barrier function may provide a substitute or supplement to immunologic-based therapies. This review provides a brief introduction about the TJs, AJs, structure and function of TJ proteins. The link between TJ proteins and key signaling pathways in cell proliferation, transformation, and metastasis is discussed thoroughly. We also discuss the compromised intestinal TJ integrity under inflammatory conditions, and the signaling mechanisms involved that bridge inflammation and cancer.

Cancer Etiology: A Metabolic Disease Originating from Life's Major Evolutionary Transition?

A clear understanding of the origins of cancer is the basis of successful strategies for effective cancer prevention and management. The origin of cancer at the molecular and cellular levels is not well understood. Is the primary cause of the origin of cancer the genomic instability or impaired energy metabolism? An attempt was made to present cancer etiology originating from life's major evolutionary transition. The first evolutionary transition went from simple to complex cells when eukaryotic cells with glycolytic energy production merged with the oxidative mitochondrion (The Endosymbiosis Theory first proposed by Lynn Margulis in the 1960s). The second transition went from single-celled to multicellular organisms once the cells obtained mitochondria, which enabled them to obtain a higher amount of energy. Evidence will be presented that these two transitions, as well as the decline of NAD+ and ATP levels, are the root of cancer diseases. Restoring redox homeostasis and reactivation of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism are important factors in cancer prevention.