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Juvale IIA, Hassan Z, Has ATC. The Emerging Roles of π Subunit-Containing GABA A Receptors in Different Cancers. Int J Med Sci 2021; 18:3851-3860. [PMID: 34790061 PMCID: PMC8579298 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.60928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in both developed and developing countries. Due to its heterogenous nature, it occurs in various regions of the body and often goes undetected until later stages of disease progression. Feasible treatment options are limited because of the invasive nature of cancer and often result in detrimental side-effects and poor survival rates. Therefore, recent studies have attempted to identify aberrant expression levels of previously undiscovered proteins in cancer, with the hope of developing better diagnostic tools and pharmaceutical options. One class of such targets is the π-subunit-containing γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors. Although these receptors were discovered more than 20 years ago, there is limited information available. They possess atypical functional properties and are expressed in several non-neuronal tissues. Prior studies have highlighted the role of these receptors in the female reproductive system. New research focusing on the higher expression levels of these receptors in ovarian, breast, gastric, cervical, and pancreatic cancers, their physiological function in healthy individuals, and their pro-tumorigenic effects in these cancer types is reviewed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Imtiyaz Ahmed Juvale
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - Zurina Hassan
- Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Minden, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Tarmizi Che Has
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
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Zhao FY, Fu QQ, Kennedy GA, Conduit R, Zhang WJ, Zheng Z. Acupuncture as an Independent or Adjuvant Management to Standard Care for Perimenopausal Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:666988. [PMID: 34122180 PMCID: PMC8192720 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.666988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Many women with perimenopausal depression (PMD) have sought alternative therapies such as acupuncture because of concerns about risks associated with antidepressant and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This systematic review aimed to clarify if acupuncture is effective for PMD compared with waitlist control or placebo/sham acupuncture, and if acupuncture alone or combined with standard care (antidepressant and/or HRT) is more effective in ameliorating PMD in comparison with standard care alone. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of PMD treatment via acupuncture vs. waitlist control or placebo/sham acupuncture, and RCTs of PMD treatment via acupuncture alone or combined with Western pharmacotherapy vs. Western pharmacotherapy were searched for from seven databases from inception to December 2020. Cochrane criteria were followed. Results: Twenty-five studies involving 2,213 women were analyzed. Meta-analyses indicated that acupuncture significantly reduced the global scores of Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.54, 95% CI (-0.91, -0.16), p < 0.01], compared with standard care. The therapeutic effect of acupuncture maintained at 2-, 4-, and 12-week follow-ups. Acupuncture combined with standard care was more effective than standard care alone in decreasing HAMD scores [SMD = -0.82, 95% CI (-1.07, -0.58), p < 0.01]. Too few RCTs were available to assess the clinical efficacy differences between acupuncture and placebo/sham acupuncture or HRT alone. Acupuncture also showed better effects in decreasing Kupperman index (KI) scores, whether compared with antidepressant alone [MD = -4.55, 95% CI (-8.46, -0.65), p = 0.02] or antidepressant combined with HRT [MD = -0.89, 95% CI (-1.34, -0.43), p < 0.01]. Conclusions: In comparison with standard care, acupuncture alone or combined with standard care was associated with significant improvements in PMD and reductions of other menopausal symptoms. This finding suggests that acupuncture may be a useful addition to treatment for PMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Yi Zhao
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.,Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Nursing, School of International Medical Technology, Shanghai Sanda University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang-Qiang Fu
- Yangpu Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Gerard A Kennedy
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.,School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University, Mount Helen, VIC, Australia.,Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
| | - Russell Conduit
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Wen-Jing Zhang
- Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Zheng
- School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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