Neopterin as a potential modulator of tumor cell growth and proliferation

Inflammation-Induced Tryptophan Breakdown is Related With Anemia, Fatigue, and Depression in Cancer

Many patients with cancer suffer from anemia, depression, and an impaired quality of life (QoL). These patients often also show decreased plasma tryptophan levels and increased kynurenine concentrations in parallel with elevated concentrations of Th1 type immune activation marker neopterin. In the course of anti-tumor immune response, the pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ) induces both, the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) to degrade tryptophan and the enzyme GTP-cyclohydrolase I to form neopterin. High neopterin concentrations as well as an increased kynurenine to tryptophan ratio (Kyn/Trp) in the blood of cancer patients are predictive for a worse outcome. Inflammation-mediated tryptophan catabolism along the kynurenine pathway is related to fatigue and anemia as well as to depression and a decreased QoL in patients with solid tumors. In fact, enhanced tryptophan breakdown might greatly contribute to the development of anemia, fatigue, and depression in cancer patients. IDO activation and stimulation of the kynurenine pathway exert immune regulatory mechanisms, which may impair anti-tumor immune responses. In addition, tumor cells can degrade tryptophan to weaken immune responses directed against them. High IDO expression in the tumor tissue is associated with a poor prognosis of patients. The efficiency of IDO-inhibitors to inhibit cancer progression is currently tested in combination with established chemotherapies and with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Inflammation-mediated tryptophan catabolism and its possible influence on the development and persistence of anemia, fatigue, and depression in cancer patients are discussed.

Influence of Surgical Trauma on Neopterin Concentrations in Gastric Carcinoma Patients

Aims and background

Impairment of immune surveillance in the immediate postoperative period may accelerate the growth of tumor cells that remain despite radical resection in advanced cases. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of major surgical trauma on host cellular immunity of gastric carcinoma cases.

Methods and study design

Sixty-eight consecutive patients with gastric carcinoma were divided into three subgroups according to the classification of the American Joint Committee on Cancer Staging, and they underwent surgery with a curative intent. Thirty-eight cancer-free patients served as controls, and they underwent surgical management for benign diseases. Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (POSSUM) risk adjustment system was used to estimate the operative and physiological scores of patients. Plasma cortisol, serum interleukin-6 and high-sensitive C-reactive protein levels were determined in order to assess the severity of trauma-related inflammatory response. The frequency of increased neopterin concentrations of cancer patients was estimated by comparison with the average values of controls.

Results

Response of interleukin-6 to surgery was closely related with the postoperative cortisol of cancer patients, but not correlated with neopterin and high-sensitive C-reactive protein levels. Although the extent of tumor invasion might have gradually decreased the macrophage response to surgical trauma, the overall increase in postoperative neopterin levels of cancer cases was highly significant. However, maximal frequency of increased neopterin concentration was obtained in advanced group.

Conclusions

Macrophages might recognize the traumatic challenges in every stage of gastric cancer. Increasing individual neopterin concentration was not solely specific for tumor growth, but it was partially predictive of immune competence even in advanced cases.

Metal complexes with the ligand derived from 6-acetyl-1,3,7-trimethyllumazine and benzohydrazide. Molecular structures of two new Co(II) and Rh(III) complexes and analysis of in vitro antitumor activity

The structures and spectroscopic properties of new Mn(II), Co(II), Cd(II), Hg(II), Ag(I), Rh(III), and Ir(I) complexes with the ligand BZLMH derived from 6-acetyl-1,3,7-trimethyllumazine (lumazine=pteridine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione) and benzohydrazide are reported. Complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, spectroscopic studies (IR, UV-vis, (1)H, (13)C and (15)N NMR) and magnetic measurements. In all the complexes, the lumazine-derived ligand appears to be coordinated in either tridentate (N5, N61 and O63) or tetradentate forms (O4, N5, N61 and O63). The molecular structures of the [Co(BZLMH)(H(2)O)(CH(3)CN)(2)](ClO(4))(2) x CH(3)CN and [RhCl(2)(BZLM)(CH(3)CN)] x CH(3)CN complexes, determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, have allowed to corroborate both coordination behaviours. The cytotoxic activity of the free ligand and complexes against human neuroblastoma NB69 cell line is also described. The differential analysis of the initial cytotoxic screening data has shown good activity only for the [RhCl(2)(BZLM)(CH(3)CN)] x CH(3)CN compound at concentrations at around 2 microM; for the other complexes, a modulation of the cell growth was not found upon complexation, this non-specific effect strongly suggesting an apoptotic behaviour.