Apple intake and cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Characterization of Eurotium cristatum Fermented Thinned Young Apple and Mechanisms Underlying Its Alleviating Impacts on Experimental Colitis

A hundred million tons of young apples are thinned and discarded in the orchard per year, aiming to increase the yield and quality of apples. We fermented thinned young apples using a potential probiotic fungus, Eurotium cristatum, which notably disrupted the microstructure of raw samples, as characterized by the scanning electron microscope. Fermentation substantially altered the metabolite profiles of samples, which are predicted to alleviate colitis via regulating inflammatory response and response to lipopolysaccharide by using network pharmacology analysis. In vivo, oral gavage of water extracts of E. cristatum fermented young apples (E.YAP) effectively alleviated DSS-induced colitis, restored the histopathology damage, reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines, and promoted colonic expressions of tight junction proteins. Moreover, E.YAP ameliorated gut dysbacteriosis by increasing abundances of Lactobacillus,Blautia, Muribaculaceae, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 while inhibiting Turicibacter, Alistipes, and Desulfovibrio. Importantly, E.YAP increased colonic bile acids, such as CA, TCA, DCA, TUDCA, and LCA, thereby alleviating colitis via PXR/NF-κB signaling. Furthermore, a synbiotic combination with Limosilactobacillus reuteri WX-94, a probiotic strain isolated from feces of healthy individuals with anti-inflammatory properties, augmented anticolitis capacities of E.YAP. Our findings demonstrate that E.YAP could be a novel, potent, food-based anti-inflammatory prebiotic for relieving inflammatory injuries.

Total triterpenoids from apple peels exert pronounced anti-breast-cancer activity in vivo and in vitro

BACKGROUND

Apples are among the most nutritionally valuable fruits and have a history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. Triterpenoids, the primary bioactive compounds found in apples, demonstrate significant antitumor activity.

RESULTS

Following enrichment and optimization, the total content of major triterpenoids in total triterpenoids from apple peels (ATT) reached 5.76 g kg-1. The growth of MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumors was significantly inhibited after treatment with ATT. Network pharmacology analysis conclusively identified a close association between the antitumor effect of ATT and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway. Experimental validation using MDA-MB-231 cells and a xenograft nude mouse model confirmed that ATT suppressed tumor cell proliferation effectively by modulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, which was consistent with the findings from network pharmacology. The total triterpenoids from apple peels also induced cell apoptosis by mediating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

The total triterpenoids from apple peels can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis effectively through the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, suggesting that ATT holds promise as a prospective therapeutic agent for breast cancer treatment. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Humanistic Health Management and Cancer: Associations of Psychology, Nutrition, and Exercise with Cancer Progression and Pathogenesis

The incidence rate of cancer is increasing year by year due to the aging of the population, unhealthy living, and eating habits. At present, surgery and medication are still the main treatments for cancer, without paying attention to the impact of individual differences in health management on cancer. However, increasing evidence suggests that individual psychological status, dietary habits, and exercise frequency are closely related to the risk and prognosis of cancer. The reminder to humanity is that the medical concept of the unified treatment plan is insufficient in cancer treatment, and a personalized treatment plan may become a breakthrough point. On this basis, the concept of "Humanistic Health Management" (HHM) is proposed. This concept is a healthcare plan that focuses on self-health management, providing an accurate and comprehensive evaluation of individual lifestyle habits, psychology, and health status, and developing personalized and targeted comprehensive cancer prevention and treatment plans. This review will provide a detailed explanation of the relationship between psychological status, dietary, and exercise habits, and the regulatory mechanisms of cancer. Intended to emphasize the importance of HHM concept in cancer prevention and better prognostic efficacy, providing new ideas for the new generation of cancer treatment.

The Risk of Oral Cancer and the High Consumption of Thermally Processed Meat Containing Mutagenic and Carcinogenic Compounds

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified the consumption of heat-processed meat as a direct human carcinogen and the consumption of red meat as a probable carcinogen. Mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds present in meat dishes include, among others, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs). These compounds can cause the development of gastrointestinal cancer. Oral cancer is one of the world's research priorities due to the ever-increasing incidence rate. However, the effect of diet on oral cancer is still a poorly recognized issue. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the risk of oral cancer and dietary ingredients with a particular emphasis on red meat and thermally processed meat. This study was conducted among patients with oral cancer in 2022 and 2023. The shortened standardized Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and a multivariate regression statistical analysis were used. The high consumption of red meat in general and thermally processed meat, especially smoked, fried, roasted and boiled, increases the risk of oral cavity cancer. Limiting the consumption of meat products and modifying the methods of preparing meat dishes may reduce exposure to carcinogenic compounds from the diet and thus reduce the risk of developing oral cancer.

Does an apple a day keep away diseases? Evidence and mechanism of action

Apples and their products exemplify the recently reemphasized link between dietary fruit intake and the alleviation of human disease. Their consumption does indeed improve human health due to their high phytochemical content. To identify potentially relevant articles from clinical trials, some epidemiological studies and meta-analyses, and in vitro and in vivo studies (cell cultures and animal models), PubMed was searched from January 1, 2012, to May 15, 2022. This review summarized the potential effects of apple and apple products (juices, puree, pomace, dried apples, extracts rich in apple bioactives and single apple bioactives) on health. Apples and apple products have protective effects against cardiovascular diseases, cancer, as well as mild cognitive impairment and promote hair growth, healing of burn wounds, improve the oral environment, prevent niacin-induced skin flushing, promote the relief of UV-induced skin pigmentation, and improve the symptoms of atopic dermatitis as well as cedar hay fever among others. These effects are associated with various mechanisms, such as vascular endothelial protection, blood lipids lowering, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, anti-invasion, and antimetastatic effects. Meanwhile, it has provided an important reference for the application and development of medicine, nutrition, and other fields.

Specific botanical groups of fruit and vegetable consumption and liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Beyond alcohol and coffee, the relationship between other dietary factors, including specific vegetables and fruits, and liver outcomes remains poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the associations between fruit and vegetable intake with the risk of liver cancer and chronic liver disease (CLD) mortality.

METHODS

This study was based on the National Institutes of Health-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study, including 485,403 participants aged 50-71 y from 1995 to 1996. Fruit and vegetable intake was estimated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the multivariable hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for liver cancer incidence and CLD mortality.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 15.5 y, 947 incident liver cancers and 986 CLD deaths (other than liver cancer) were confirmed. A higher intake of total vegetables was associated with a lower risk of liver cancer (HRQuintile 5 vs. Quintile 1 = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59, 0.89; Ptrend < 0.001). When further subclassified into botanical groups, the observed inverse association was mainly driven by lettuce and the cruciferous family (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.) (Ptrend < 0.005). Additionally, higher total vegetable intake was associated with a lower risk of CLD mortality (HRQuintile5 vs. Quintile1 = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.76; Ptrend < 0.001). Inverse associations were observed for lettuce, sweet potatoes, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, and carrots with CLD mortality (all Ptrend < 0.005). In contrast, total fruit intake was not associated with liver cancer or CLD mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher intakes of total vegetables, especially lettuce and cruciferous vegetables, were associated with lower liver cancer risk. Higher intakes of lettuce, sweet potatoes, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, and carrots were associated with a lower risk of CLD mortality.

The potential chemo-preventive roles of Malus domestica against the risk of colorectal cancer: A suggestive insight into clinical application

Biologically active compounds in fruit-derived ingredients, particularly phytochemicals, have significant potential to modulate and mitigate many pathological processes in the development of disease conditions, including cancer. Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major public health issue. Nonetheless, prevention is an important step in lowering the rate of mortality from this cancer. Currently, the link between apple consumption and improved health is becoming remarkably evident and is reported to be beneficial for human health. Phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and other polyphenol compounds extensively available in apple fruits, have well-known positive effects on health outcomes and the potential to combat and prevent the development of CRC, including antioxidant, anti-proliferative, and anti-carcinogenic effects. This review describes the bioactive compounds derived from apple fruits, particularly the polyphenols and flavonoids, their proposed mechanisms responsible for their bioactive properties and health-promoting attributes that could provide potential chemo-preventive effects against the risk of CRC development. The conclusion of the review provides insights into the potential effects of apple-derived bioactive compounds and proposes the need for more clinical studies in large trials for future strategies regarding the valuable effects of apple phytochemicals, which might be therapeutic candidates in the campaign against CRC.

Diets, Dietary Patterns, Single Foods and Pancreatic Cancer Risk: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses

Pancreatic cancer (PC) represents the third leading cause of cancer death in 2020. Despite the fact that, in 2018, the World Cancer Research Fund report concluded that there is still a lack of evidence on the role of foods or diets and risk for PC, a flourishing body of evidence has been published and needs to be analyzed. For this reason, we conducted an umbrella review on the association between different dietary patterns/food components and PC. Data sources PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Collaboration were searched. The Joanna Briggs Institute Umbrella Review Methodology was used. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO. A total of 23 articles were included, covering a wide range of dietary patterns/food components: healthy/prudent dietary patterns (n = 4), Mediterranean diets (MedDiet) (n = 1), plant-based diets (n = 2), the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) (n = 2), western diets (n = 2), and, lastly, unhealthy diets (n = 2). Regarding dietary components, the following were assessed: total fruit (n = 2), citrus fruit (n = 1), total vegetables (n = 2), cruciferous vegetables (n = 1), red meat (n = 6), processed meat (n = 4), poultry (n = 2), eggs (n = 1), fish (n = 5), whole grain (n = 2), potato (n = 1), and nuts (n = 2). The methodological quality of the included meta-analyses was generally low or critically low. Although the strength of evidence was generally weak, convincing or suggestive evidence was found for a healthy/prudent, plant-based diet, fruit and vegetables, and lower risk of PC, whereas a high intake of red meat was associated with a higher risk of PC at a convincing level of evidence. Further studies are needed to confirm the role of the other dietary patterns/food components and the risk of PC.

Polyphenols in Ilex latifolia Thunb. inhibit human lung cancer cell line A549 by regulation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway

Background

The leaves of the plant Ilex latifolia Thunb. can be made into Kuding tea, which is a drink rich in polyphenols. This study aimed to observe the effect of Ilex latifolia Thunb. polyphenols (ILTPs) on human lung cancer cell line A549 (A549 cells) by regulating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway.

Methods

In vitro cultured cells were treated with ILTPs; the proliferation of A549 cells and BEAS-2B human normal lung epithelial cells (Beas-2B cells) was observed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and the survival status of A549 cells was observed by fluorescence staining. The expression of A549 cells was observed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay and Western blot analysis, while the compound composition of ILTPs was detected using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Results

The experimental results showed that the proliferation of Beas-2B cells was unaffected by treatment with 0–500 μg/mL of ILTPs, whereas the decreased proliferation of A549 cells was observed with the increasing concentrations of ILTPs. Additionally, ILTPs elevated the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and promoted apoptosis in A549 cells. The results of qPCR experiments showed that ILTPs upregulated caspase-9 mRNA expression and downregulated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in A549 cells. The Western blot analysis results also showed that ILTPs could reduce the protein expression of PI3K and Akt. The HPLC results showed that the main compounds present in the ILTPs were rutin, kaempferol, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid B, and isochlorogenic acid C.

Conclusions

Thus, this study indicated that the polyphenols of I. latifolia act as a class of natural functional food materials that potently suppress cancer by exerting their inhibitory effects on A549 cell proliferation through five key polyphenolic compounds.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-022-03568-3.

Onco-Preventive and Chemo-Protective Effects of Apple Bioactive Compounds

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. Epidemiological studies have strongly linked a diet high in fruits to a lower incidence of cancer. Furthermore, extensive research shows that secondary plant metabolites known as phytochemicals, which are commonly found in fruits, have onco-preventive and chemo-protective effects. Apple is a commonly consumed fruit worldwide that is available all year round and is a rich source of phytochemicals. In this review, we summarize the association of apple consumption with cancer incidence based on findings from epidemiological and cohort studies. We further provide a comprehensive review of the main phytochemical patterns observed in apples and their bioavailability after consumption. Finally, we report on the latest findings from in vitro and in vivo studies highlighting some of the key molecular mechanisms targeted by apple phytochemicals in relation to inhibiting multiple 'hallmarks of cancer' that are important in the progression of cancer.

Nutrigenomics and Life Style Facet- A Modulatory Molecular Evidence in Progression of Breast and Colon Cancer with Emerging Importance

Legitimate nutrition assumes a significant role in preventing diseases and, in this way, nutritional interventions establish vital strategies in the area of public health. Nutrigenomics centres on the different genes and diet in an individual and how an individual's genes influence the reaction to bioactive foodstuff. It targets considering the genetic and epigenetic interactions with nutrients to lead to a phenotypic alteration and consequently to metabolism, differentiation, or even apoptosis. Nutrigenomics and lifestyle factors play a vital role in health management and represent an exceptional prospect for the improvement of personalized diets to the individual at risk of developing diseases like cancer. Concerning cancer as a multifactorial genetic ailment, several aspects need to be investigated and analysed. Various perspectives should be researched and examined regarding the development and prognosis of breast and colon cancer. Malignant growth occurrence is anticipated to upsurge in the impending days, and an effective anticipatory strategy is required. The effect of dietary components, basically studied by nutrigenomics, looks at gene expression and molecular mechanisms. It also interrelates bioactive compounds and nutrients because of different 'omics' innovations. Several preclinical investigations demonstrate the pertinent role of nutrigenomics in breast and colon cancer, and change of dietary propensities is conceivably a successful methodology for reducing cancer risk. The connection between the genomic profile of patients with breast or colon cancer and their supplement intake, it is conceivable to imagine an idea of personalized medicine, including nutrition and medicinal services.

Phenolic content, chemical composition and anti-/pro-oxidant activity of Gold Milenium and Papierowka apple peel extracts

In this study the peels of ecologically grown apple (Malus domestica) cultivars: Gold Milenium (a new scab‐resistant variety) and Papierowka (Papirovka; an old, sensitive to apple scab variety) were examined for their composition (phenolic compounds, triterpenoids, simple organic acids, macro-, microelements, reducing sugars, l-ascorbic acid), pro- and antioxidant properties as well as their application in reduction of the oxidative stress in cultured human skin fibroblast. The higher content of phenolic compounds correlated with the greater pro- and antioxidant activity of the peels of Papierowka compared to Gold Milenium in DPPH·, ABTS⁺, FRAP and CUPRAC assays as well as an ability to inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The quantity of the compounds strongly depended on the type of extraction. The extract of Papierowka peels possessed much higher amount of phenolic compounds compared to Gold Milenium (Papierowka: 3.68 ± 0.20 mg/g peel ultrasound assisted extraction (u.a.e); 2.02 ± 0.13 mg/g peel conventional extraction (c.e.); Gold Milenium: 1.46 ± 0.19 mg/g peel u.a.e; 1.15 ± 0.04 mg/g peel c.e. according the HPLC measurement). The pro-oxidant activity of the extract from Papierowka peels can be correlated with the content of phenolic compounds and metal ions as well. The apple peel extract is promising agent reducing the oxidative stress in skin fibroblast.

Association between dietary intake and risk of ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

It is unclear how dietary intake influences the ovarian cancer. The present paper sets out to systematically review and meta-analyze research on dietary intake to identify cases having high- or low-risk ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Scopus, PubMed, and Wiley Online Libraries were searched up to the date November 24, 2019. Two reviewers were requested to independently extract study characteristics and to assess the bias and applicability risks with reference to the study inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses were performed to specify the relationship between dietary intake and the risk of ovarian cancer identifying 97 cohort studies.

RESULTS

No significant association was found between dietary intake and risk of ovarian cancer. The results of subgroup analyses indicated that green leafy vegetables (RR = 0.91, 95%, 0.85-0.98), allium vegetables (RR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.64-0.96), fiber (RR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.81-0.98), flavonoids (RR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.78-0.89) and green tea (RR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.49-0.76) intake could significantly reduce ovarian cancer risk. Total fat (RR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.18), saturated fat (RR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.22), saturated fatty acid (RR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.04-1.36), cholesterol (RR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.04-1.22) and retinol (RR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.00-1.30) intake could significantly increase ovarian cancer risk. In addition, acrylamide, nitrate, water disinfectants and polychlorinated biphenyls were significantly associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer.

CONCLUSION

These results could support recommendations to green leafy vegetables, allium vegetables, fiber, flavonoids and green tea intake for ovarian cancer prevention.

Nutrigenomics and Breast Cancer: State-of-Art, Future Perspectives and Insights for Prevention

Proper nutrition plays a major role in preventing diseases and, therefore, nutritional interventions constitute crucial strategies in the field of Public Health. Nutrigenomics and nutriproteomics are arising from the integration of nutritional, genomics and proteomics specialties in the era of postgenomics medicine. In particular, nutrigenomics and nutriproteomics focus on the interaction between nutrients and the human genome and proteome, respectively, providing insights into the role of diet in carcinogenesis. Further omics disciplines, like metabonomics, interactomics and microbiomics, are expected to provide a better understanding of nutrition and its underlying factors. These fields represent an unprecedented opportunity for the development of personalized diets in women at risk of developing breast cancer.

Whole Fruits and Fruit Fiber Emerging Health Effects

Less than 10% of most Western populations consume adequate levels of whole fruits and dietary fiber with typical intake being about half of the recommended levels. Evidence of the beneficial health effects of consuming adequate levels of whole fruits has been steadily growing, especially regarding their bioactive fiber prebiotic effects and role in improved weight control, wellness and healthy aging. The primary aim of this narrative review article is to examine the increasing number of health benefits which are associated with the adequate intake of whole fruits, especially fruit fiber, throughout the human lifecycle. These potential health benefits include: protecting colonic gastrointestinal health (e.g., constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and diverticular disease); promoting long-term weight management; reducing risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome; defending against colorectal and lung cancers; improving odds of successful aging; reducing the severity of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; enhancing psychological well-being and lowering the risk of depression; contributing to higher bone mineral density in children and adults; reducing risk of seborrheic dermatitis; and helping to attenuate autism spectrum disorder severity. Low whole fruit intake represents a potentially more serious global population health threat than previously recognized, especially in light of the emerging research on whole fruit and fruit fiber health benefits.

Phloretin Exerts Anti-Tuberculosis Activity and Suppresses Lung Inflammation

An increase in the prevalence of the drug-resistant Mycobacteria tuberculosis necessitates developing new types of anti-tuberculosis drugs. Here, we found that phloretin, a naturally-occurring flavonoid, has anti-mycobacterial effects on H37Rv, multi-drug-, and extensively drug-resistant clinical isolates, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 182 and 364 μM, respectively. Since Mycobacteria cause lung inflammation that contributes to tuberculosis pathogenesis, anti-inflammatory effects of phloretin in interferon-γ-stimulated MRC-5 human lung fibroblasts and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated dendritic cells were investigated. The release of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was inhibited by phloretin. The mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, and matrix metalloproteinase-1, as well as p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation, were suppressed. A mouse in vivo study of LPS-stimulated lung inflammation showed that phloretin effectively suppressed the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in lung tissue with low cytotoxicity. Phloretin was found to bind M. tuberculosis β-ketoacyl acyl carrier protein synthase III (mtKASIII) with high affinity (7.221 × 10⁷ M⁻¹); a binding model showed hydrogen bonding of A-ring 2′-hydroxy and B-ring 4-hydroxy groups of phloretin with Asn261 and Cys122 of mtKASIII, implying that mtKASIII can be a potential target protein. Therefore, phloretin can be a useful dietary natural product with anti-tuberculosis benefits.

Estimation of Apple Intake for the Exposure Assessment of Residual Chemicals Using Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Database

The aims of this study were to develop strategies and algorithms of calculating food commodity intake suitable for exposure assessment of residual chemicals by using the food intake database of Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). In this study, apples and their processed food products were chosen as a model food for accurate calculation of food commodity intakes uthrough the recently developed Korea food commodity intake calculation (KFCIC) software. The average daily intakes of total apples in Korea Health Statistics were 29.60 g in 2008, 32.40 g in 2009, 34.30 g in 2010, 28.10 g in 2011, and 24.60 g in 2012. The average daily intakes of apples by KFCIC software was 2.65 g higher than that by Korea Health Statistics. The food intake data in Korea Health Statistics might have less reflected the intake of apples from mixed and processed foods than KFCIC software has. These results can affect outcome of risk assessment for residual chemicals in foods. Therefore, the accurate estimation of the average daily intake of food commodities is very important, and more data for food intakes and recipes have to be applied to improve the quality of data. Nevertheless, this study can contribute to the predictive estimation of exposure to possible residual chemicals and subsequent analysis for their potential risks.