Stage-dependent angiopoietin-Tie2 and nitric oxide signaling of erythrocytes in response to surgical trauma in head and neck cancer

IGF-PLGA microspheres promote angiogenesis and accelerate skin flap repair and healing by inhibiting oxidative stress and regulating the Ang 1/Tie 2 signaling pathway

Random flaps are widely used in the treatment of injuries, tumors, congenital malformations, and other diseases. However, postoperative skin flaps are prone to ischemic necrosis, leading to surgical failure. Insulin-like growth factor- 1(IGF-1) belongs to the IGF family and exerts its growth-promoting effects in various tissues through autocrine or paracrine mechanisms. Its application in skin flaps and other traumatic diseases is relatively limited. Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a degradable high-molecular-weight organic compound commonly used in biomaterials. This study prepared IGF-PLGA sustained-release microspheres to explore their impact on the survival rate of flaps both in vitro and in vivo, as well as the mechanisms involved. The research results demonstrate that IGF-PLGA has a good sustained-release effect. At the cellular level, it can promote 3T3 cell proliferation by inhibiting oxidative stress, inhibit apoptosis, and enhance the tube formation ability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) . At the animal level, it accelerates flap healing by promoting vascularization through the inhibition of oxidative stress. Furthermore, this study reveals the role of IGF-PLGA in activating the Angiopoietin-1(Ang1)/Tie2 signaling pathway in promoting flap vascularization, providing a strong theoretical basis and therapeutic target for the application of IGF-1 in flaps and other traumatic diseases.

Vitamin C supplementation attenuates oxidative stress and improves erythrocyte deformability in cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) depletes endogenous Vitamin C and generates oxidative stress in cardiac surgery. This study aimed to clarify whether Vitamin C supplementation reduces oxidant production and improves erythrocyte deformability in cardiac surgery with CPB. In a randomized and controlled design, 30 eligible patients undergoing cardiac surgery with hypothermic CPB were equally assigned to the Vitamin C group and control group. Subjects of the Vitamin C group and control group received an intravenous infusion of Vitamin C 20 mg·kg^-1 and a placebo during rewarming period of CPB, respectively. We measured the plasma level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphorylation levels of non-muscle myosin IIA (NMIIA) in erythrocyte membrane, as an index of erythrocyte deformability, before and after CPB. Vitamin C supplementation attenuated the surge in plasma ROS after CPB, mean 1.661 ± standard deviation 0.801 folds in the Vitamin C group and 2.743 ± 1.802 in the control group. The tyrosine phosphorylation level of NMIIA after CPB was upregulated in the Vitamin C group compared to the control group, 2.159 ± 0.887 folds and 1.384 ± 0.445 (P = 0.0237). In addition, the phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in erythrocytes was concurrently enhanced in the Vitamin C group after CPB. The phosphorylation level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in erythrocytes was significantly increased in the Vitamin C group (1.734 ± 0.371 folds) compared to control group (1.102 ± 0.249; P = 0.0061). Patients receiving Vitamin C had lower intraoperative blood loss and higher systemic vascular resistance after CPB compared to controls. Vitamin C supplementation attenuates oxidative stress and improves erythrocyte deformability via VASP/FAK signaling pathway in erythrocytes during CPB.

Gasotransmitters in the tumor microenvironment: Impacts on cancer chemotherapy (Review)

Nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide are three endogenous gasotransmitters that serve a role in regulating normal and pathological cellular activities. They can stimulate or inhibit cancer cell proliferation and invasion, as well as interfere with cancer cell responses to drug treatments. Understanding the molecular pathways governing the interactions between these gases and the tumor microenvironment can be utilized for the identification of a novel technique to disrupt cancer cell interactions and may contribute to the conception of effective and safe cancer therapy strategies. The present review discusses the effects of these gases in modulating the action of chemotherapies, as well as prospective pharmacological and therapeutic interfering approaches. A deeper knowledge of the mechanisms that underpin the cellular and pharmacological effects, as well as interactions, of each of the three gases could pave the way for therapeutic treatments and translational research.

Effect of epidural analgesia on cancer prognosis after colon cancer resection: a single-centre cohort study in Taiwan

OBJECTIVES

Whether epidural analgesia affects cancer outcomes remains controversial. Most previous investigations ignored the confounding potential of important pathological factors on cancer outcomes. This study aimed to assess the association between epidural analgesia and cancer recurrence or death after resections for colon cancer.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

A single-medical centre in Taiwan.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with stage I through III colon cancer undergoing bowel resection and receiving either epidural analgesia or intravenous opioid analgesia from 2005 to 2014.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome was postoperative recurrence-free survival and secondary outcome was overall survival.

RESULTS

A total of 2748 and 1218 patients were analysed before and after propensity score matching. Cox regression analyses did not demonstrate any association between epidural analgesia and recurrence or death after matching (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.21 for recurrence; 0.72, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.09 for death). Independent prognostic factors for cancer recurrence and death were higher level of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen, perioperative blood transfusion, advanced cancer stage and pathological lymphovascular invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

No definite association was found between epidural analgesia and risk of recurrence or death in patients undergoing colon cancer resection.