Oral nicotinamide: The role in skin cancer chemoprevention

Polydatin and Nicotinamide Rescue the Cellular Phenotype of Mitochondrial Diseases by Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response (mtUPR) Activation

Primary mitochondrial diseases result from mutations in nuclear DNA (nDNA) or mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes, encoding proteins crucial for mitochondrial structure or function. Given that few disease-specific therapies are available for mitochondrial diseases, novel treatments to reverse mitochondrial dysfunction are necessary. In this work, we explored new therapeutic options in mitochondrial diseases using fibroblasts and induced neurons derived from patients with mutations in the GFM1 gene. This gene encodes the essential mitochondrial translation elongation factor G1 involved in mitochondrial protein synthesis. Due to the severe mitochondrial defect, mutant GFM1 fibroblasts cannot survive in galactose medium, making them an ideal screening model to test the effectiveness of pharmacological compounds. We found that the combination of polydatin and nicotinamide enabled the survival of mutant GFM1 fibroblasts in stress medium. We also demonstrated that polydatin and nicotinamide upregulated the mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response (mtUPR), especially the SIRT3 pathway. Activation of mtUPR partially restored mitochondrial protein synthesis and expression, as well as improved cellular bioenergetics. Furthermore, we confirmed the positive effect of the treatment in GFM1 mutant induced neurons obtained by direct reprogramming from patient fibroblasts. Overall, we provide compelling evidence that mtUPR activation is a promising therapeutic strategy for GFM1 mutations.

Algorithmic approach toward diagnosis of patients with congenital photosensitivity disorders and review of literature

The congenital photosensitivity disorders present as cutaneous signs and symptoms secondary to photosensitivity, extracutaneous manifestations, and a predisposition to malignancy. Diagnosis of these conditions mainly depend on clinical findings as the molecular analysis is not always feasible. A review of all the related articles collected after a thorough literature search using keywords, "congenital AND photosensitivity NOT acquired" and the individual diseases was done. A total of 264 articles were included in the review. An algorithm for diagnosis of the different congenital photosensitivity disorders based on the various clinical presentations has been proposed. An early suspicion and diagnosis of the different congenital photosensitivity disorders is the cornerstone behind prompt institution of prevention and treatment, and decreasing the associated morbidity.

The impact of aging and oxidative stress in metabolic and nervous system disorders: programmed cell death and molecular signal transduction crosstalk

Life expectancy is increasing throughout the world and coincides with a rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), especially for metabolic disease that includes diabetes mellitus (DM) and neurodegenerative disorders. The debilitating effects of metabolic disorders influence the entire body and significantly affect the nervous system impacting greater than one billion people with disability in the peripheral nervous system as well as with cognitive loss, now the seventh leading cause of death worldwide. Metabolic disorders, such as DM, and neurologic disease remain a significant challenge for the treatment and care of individuals since present therapies may limit symptoms but do not halt overall disease progression. These clinical challenges to address the interplay between metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders warrant innovative strategies that can focus upon the underlying mechanisms of aging-related disorders, oxidative stress, cell senescence, and cell death. Programmed cell death pathways that involve autophagy, apoptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis can play a critical role in metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders and oversee processes that include insulin resistance, β-cell function, mitochondrial integrity, reactive oxygen species release, and inflammatory cell activation. The silent mating type information regulation 2 homolog 1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (SIRT1), AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK), and Wnt1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) are novel targets that can oversee programmed cell death pathways tied to β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), nicotinamide, apolipoprotein E (APOE), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) exposure with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and trophic factors, such as erythropoietin (EPO). The pathways of programmed cell death, SIRT1, AMPK, and WISP1 offer exciting prospects for maintaining metabolic homeostasis and nervous system function that can be compromised during aging-related disorders and lead to cognitive impairment, but these pathways have dual roles in determining the ultimate fate of cells and organ systems that warrant thoughtful insight into complex autofeedback mechanisms.

Recent Advances in Clinical Research for Skin Cancer Chemoprevention

Neoplasm arising from the keratinocytes or melanocytes in the skin is the most prevalent type of cancer in the United States and worldwide. Since ultraviolet (UV) radiation may be a causing factor for several types of skin cancer, effective strategies to manage skin cancer include preventive measures such as minimizing exposure to UV and applying sunscreens. However, the effect of sunscreen in reducing skin cancer incidence remains uncertain. An alternative approach to prevent skin cancer is chemoprevention, which is defined as using either natural products or synthetic compounds to inhibit, delay, or reverse the development of cancer. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of multiple pharmacological agents and dietary supplements. However, whether preclinical findings can be translated into clinical application is unknown. This review evaluates the state of recent clinical trials investigating chemopreventive agents focusing on skin cancer to compare the target populations, interventions, endpoints, and outcomes of these trials. The ClinicalTrials and PubMed databases were searched for their available literature using the key words "skin cancer" and "chemoprevention". The objective of this review is to provide updated information on the effectiveness and side effects of promising chemopreventive agents in human subjects and to identify research gaps.

Nutraceutical strategies for alleviation of UVB phototoxicity

Ultraviolet B exposure to keratinocytes promotes carcinogenesis by inducing pyrimidine dimer lesions in DNA, suppressing the nucleotide excision repair mechanism required to fix them, inhibiting the apoptosis required for the elimination of initiated cells, and driving cellular proliferation. Certain nutraceuticals - most prominently spirulina, soy isoflavones, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, the green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and Polypodium leucotomos extract - have been shown to oppose photocarcinogenesis, as well as sunburn and photoaging, in UVB-exposed hairless mice. It is proposed that spirulina provides protection in this regard via phycocyanobilin-mediated inhibition of Nox1-dependent NADPH oxidase; that soy isoflavones do so by opposing NF-κB transcriptional activity via oestrogen receptor-beta; that the benefit of eicosapentaenoic acid reflects decreased production of prostaglandin E2; and that EGCG counters UVB-mediated phototoxicity via inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor. The prospects for practical nutraceutical down-regulation of photocarcinogenesis, sunburn, and photoaging appear favourable.

Uses of Polypodium leucotomos Extract in Oncodermatology

The effects of UV radiation on the skin and its damage mechanisms are well known. New modalities of exogenous photoprotection have been studied. It was demonstrated that Polypodium leucotomos extract acts as an antioxidant, photoprotectant, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulator. It is effective when taken orally and/or applied topically to support the prevention of skin cancers. It also has an important role in preventing photoaging. This review aims to report the mechanisms through which Polypodium leucotomos acts and to analyze its uses in oncodermatology with references to in vitro and in vivo studies. Additionally, alternative uses in non-neoplastic diseases, such as pigmentary disorders, photosensitivity, and atopic dermatitis, have been considered.

Dietary B vitamins and glioma: A case-control study based on Chinese population

Background

Dietary antioxidants have long been thought to be likely to prevent the development of gliomas. Previous studies have reported vitamin A, C, and E protective effects against gliomas. B vitamins, one of the main vitamins in the diet, are closely related to human health, but the association with gliomas has rarely been reported.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between five B vitamins and glioma.

Methods

In this Chinese population-based case-control study, 506 glioma cases and 506 matched (age and sex) controls were included. The dietary intake of study participants was assessed using a valid 111-item food frequency questionnaire. The intake of five B vitamins was calculated based on participants' dietary information from the food frequency questionnaire. The logistic regression model was used to examine the association between B vitamins and glioma, and the restriction cubic spline evaluated the dose-response relationship between the two.

Results

After adjusting for confounding factors, thiamine (OR = 0.09, 95%CI: 0.05-0.20), riboflavin (OR = 0.12, 95%CI: 0.06-0.25), nicotinic acid (OR = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.12-0.47), folate (OR = 0.07, 95%CI: 0.03-0.15) and biotin (OR = 0.14, 95%CI: 0.07-0.30) in the highest tertile were associated with a significantly decreased risk of glioma compared with the lowest tertile. The results of thiamine and biotin in glioma with different pathological types and grades were different. The restricted cubic spline function showed significant dose-response relationships between the intake of five B vitamins and the risk of glioma. When B vitamins exceeded a specific intake, the risk of glioma did not change.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that higher dietary intake of thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, and folate are associated with a decreased risk of glioma, but the results of biotin are not consistent among different populations. In the future, prospective studies should be conducted better to validate the effects of B vitamins on gliomas.

The Chemoprotective Role of Vitamin D in Skin Cancer: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Research in mice showed that vitamin D receptor deficiency was correlated with an increased rate of non-melanoma skin cancer. Therapeutic supplemental vitamin D has also been reported to reduce cell growth in both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. This paper aims to describe the existing research studies that discuss the potential and role of vitamin D in the management of skin cancer.

Methods

Articles were searched from three databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus) and manual search. 18 articles were included. These were further divided into in vivo and in vitro studies. The literature search was based on the following Patients, Intervention, Control, and Outcome (PICO) criteria: Patients with any types of skin cancer; Vitamin D and their derivates as the intervention; placebo or standard regimen as control, and survival rate or response rate as primary outcome.

Results

From the three databases, we obtained 802 studies. Prior to screening of the literature obtained, several studies were excluded. In the eligibility assessment, seven studies were excluded due to their outcomes being not eligible for analysis, and two studies were excluded due to inaccessible full texts. The remaining 18 studies were included. Five studies had a clinical research design (randomized controlled trial or interventional study), which use vitamin D3 as vitamin D derivatives and the results showed that the administration of vitamin D3 reduces the proliferation of skin cancer cells. Similar results were also reported in studies with pre-clinical research designs, either in vivo or in vitro, where six were in vivo studies and nine studies were in vitro studies.

Conclusion

Our literature review revealed that that vitamin D derivatives, such as 1,25(OH)2D3 or 20(OH)D3 can effectively reduce the proliferation of skin cancer cells by contributing in the inhibition of cell growth and development, highlighting vitamin D's role as good prognostic factor.

Interventions After First Post-Transplant Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Proposed Decision Framework

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after organ transplant. Many patients subsequently develop multiple CSCC following a first CSCC, and the risk of metastasis and death is significantly increased compared to the general population. Post-transplant CSCC represents a disease at the interface of dermatology and transplant medicine. Both systemic chemoprevention and modulation of immunosuppression are frequently employed in patients with multiple CSCC, yet there is little consensus on their use after first CSCC to reduce risk of subsequent tumors. While relatively few controlled trials have been undertaken, extrapolation of observational data suggests the most effective interventions may be at the time of first CSCC. We review the need for intervention after a first post-transplant CSCC and evidence for use of various approaches as secondary prevention, before discussing barriers preventing engagement with this approach and finally highlight areas for future research. Close collaboration between specialties to ensure prompt deployment of these interventions after a first CSCC may improve patient outcomes.

Autophagy-inducing nutritional interventions in experimental and clinical oncology

Numerous pro-autophagic dietary interventions are being investigated for their potential cancer-preventive or therapeutic effects. This applies to different fasting regimens, methionine restriction and ketogenic diets. In addition, the supplementation of specific micronutrients such as nicotinamide (vitamin B3) or spermidine induces autophagy. In humans, leanness, plant-based diets (that may lead to partial methionine restriction) and high dietary uptake of spermidine are associated with a low incidence of cancers. Moreover, clinical trials have demonstrated the capacity of nicotinamide to prevent non-melanoma skin carcinogenesis. Multiple interventional trials are evaluating the capacity of autophagy-inducing regimens to improve the outcome of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Here, we discuss the mechanistic underpinnings of autophagy induction by nutritional interventions, as well as the mechanisms through which autophagy induction in malignant or immune cells improves anticancer immunosurveillance.

Immunostimulatory effects of vitamin B5 improve anticancer immunotherapy

Vitamin B5 (panthotenic acid), the precursor of coenzyme A (CoA), is contained in most food items and is produced by the intestinal microbiota. A recent study published in Cell Metabolism reports that vitamin B5 and CoA favor the differentiation of CD8⁺ cytotoxic T cells into interleukin-22 (IL-22)-producing Tc22 cells, likely through fueling mitochondrial metabolism. Importantly, in a small cohort of melanoma patients, the plasma levels of vitamin B5 positively correlate with responses to PD-1-targeted immunotherapy. Moreover, in mice, supplementation with vitamin B5 increases the efficacy of PD-L1-targeted cancer immunotherapy, and in vitro culture of T cells with CoA enhances their antitumor activity upon adoptive transfer into mice. These finding suggest that vitamin B5 is yet another B vitamin that stimulates anti-cancer immunosurveillance.