Cancer Biology and Prevention in Diabetes

Pathological evaluation of the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Currently, there are more than 10 million patients with diabetes mellitus in Japan. Therefore, the need to explore the pathogenesis of diabetes and the complications leading to its cure is becoming increasingly urgent. Pathological examination of pancreatic tissues from patients with type 2 diabetes reveals a decrease in the volume of beta cells because of a combination of various stresses. In human type 2 diabetes, islet amyloid deposition is a unique pathological change characterized by proinflammatory macrophage (M1) infiltration into the islets. The pathological changes in the pancreas with islet amyloid were different according to clinical factors, which suggests that type 2 diabetes can be further subclassified based on islet pathology. On the other hand, diabetic peripheral neuropathy is the most frequent diabetic complication. In early diabetic peripheral neuropathy, M1 infiltration in the sciatic nerve evokes oxidative stress or attenuates retrograde axonal transport, as clearly demonstrated by in vitro live imaging. Furthermore, islet parasympathetic nerve density and beta cell volume were inversely correlated in type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats, suggesting that diabetic peripheral neuropathy itself may contribute to the decrease in beta cell volume. These findings suggest that the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and diabetic peripheral neuropathy may be interrelated.

The impacts of dipeptidyl- peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors on common female malignancies: A systematic review

The inhibition of DPP-4 is an important therapy for controlling hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). However, the role of DPP-4 in cancer is not yet clear, with some studies suggesting that it may either promote or suppress tumors. This makes it crucial to have personalized treatment for diabetic women with cancer to effectively manage their diabetes whilst and preventing cancer mortality. To address this issue, we conducted an integrative in-silico analysis and systematic review of the literature to comprehensively examine the relationship between DPP-4 expression and the effects of its inhibitors on prevalent female malignancies. We specifically chose studies that examined the effects of DPP-4 expression and DPP-4 inhibition on prevalent cancers in women, such as breast cancer (BC), ovarian cancer (OV), cervical cancer (CC), and endometrial cancer (EC). These studies comprised those conducted both in vivo and in vitro. The review of the literature indicated that DPP-4 inhibition may worsen aggressive traits such as metastasis, EMT, and chemotherapy resistance in BC cells. However, cohort studies on diabetic and BC patients did not confirm these findings. In vitro studies indicate that on OV, DPP-4 upregulation has been shown to prevent metastasis, while cervical cancer (CC) appears to be influenced by DPP-4 expression in terms of cell migration. sitagliptin, a pharmaceutical inhibitor of DPP-4, had a significant impact on reducing adhesion in CC cells in vitro. Overexpression of DPP-4 increased cell migration and proliferation in CC and EC cells, and hence the application of sitagliptin is expected to prevent this effect. On the other hand, the result of in-silico data confirmed that a significant correlation exists between DPP-4 expression and immune cell infiltration in breast, ovarian, cervical squamous cell carcinoma and endocervical adenocarcinoma (CESC) as well as downregulated in these cancers compared to their normal tissue samples. Furthermore, a significant (p < 0.05) effect on OS of BC and CESC patients has been reported due to the elevation of DPP-4 methylation on a specific CPG Island. These findings could aid in creating specialized treatments for diabetic women with specific malignancies, but caution should be exercised when considering the patient's medical history and cancer type.

The complex landscape of intracellular signalling in protein modification under hyperglycaemic stress leading to metabolic disorders

Hyperglycaemia is a life-threatening risk factor that occurs in both chronic and acute phases and has been linked to causing injury to many organs. Protein modification was triggered by hyperglycaemic stress, which resulted in pathogenic alterations such as impaired cellular function and tissue damage. Dysregulation in cellular function increases the condition associated with metabolic disorders, including cardiovascular diseases, nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Hyperglycaemic stress also increases the proliferation of cancer cells. The major areas of experimental biomedical research have focused on the underlying mechanisms involved in the cellular signalling systems involved in diabetes-associated chronic hyperglycaemia. Reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress generated by hyperglycaemia modify many intracellular signalling pathways that result in insulin resistance and β-cell function degradation. The dysregulation of post translational modification in β cells is clinically associated with the development of diabetes mellitus and its associated diseases. This review will discuss the effect of hyperglycaemic stress on protein modification and the cellular signalling involved in it. The focus will be on the significant molecular changes associated with severe metabolic disorders.

The state of the art in secondary pharmacology and its impact on the safety of new medicines

Secondary pharmacology screening of investigational small-molecule drugs for potentially adverse off-target activities has become standard practice in pharmaceutical research and development, and regulatory agencies are increasingly requesting data on activity against targets with recognized adverse effect relationships. However, the screening strategies and target panels used by pharmaceutical companies may vary substantially. To help identify commonalities and differences, as well as to highlight opportunities for further optimization of secondary pharmacology assessment, we conducted a broad-ranging survey across 18 companies under the auspices of the DruSafe leadership group of the International Consortium for Innovation and Quality in Pharmaceutical Development. Based on our analysis of this survey and discussions and additional research within the group, we present here an overview of the current state of the art in secondary pharmacology screening. We discuss best practices, including additional safety-associated targets not covered by most current screening panels, and present approaches for interpreting and reporting off-target activities. We also provide an assessment of the safety impact of secondary pharmacology screening, and a perspective on opportunities and challenges in this rapidly developing field.

Comparison between sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors on the risk of incident cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus: A real-world evidence study

AIMS

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is) have been demonstrated to be associated with cancer cell mechanisms. However, whether they increase the risk of cancer remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the association between SGLT-2i use and the incidence of cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Taiwan.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was based on the Taiwan National Health Insurance database. The study population comprised patients with DM, and those who first used SGLT-2is during 2016-2018 were assigned to the study group. Greedy propensity score matching was performed to select patients who first used dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP-4is), and these patients were assigned to the control group. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for cancer risk in the study and control groups; this model was adjusted for demographic characteristics, DM severity, comorbidities and concomitant medication use.

RESULTS

After controlling for relevant variables, the SGLT-2i cohort (aHR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.87-0.93) had a significantly lower risk of developing cancer than the DPP-4i cohort, particularly when the SGLT-2i was dapagliflozin (aHR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.87-0.95) or empagliflozin (aHR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.86-0.94). Regarding cancer type, the SGLT-2i cohort's risk of cancer was significantly lower than that of the DPP-4i cohort for leukaemia, oesophageal, colorectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, skin and bladder cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

SGLT-2i use was associated with a significantly lower risk of cancer than DPP-4i use.

Diabetes can increase the prevalence of EBV infection and worsen the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Epstein‒Barr virus (EBV) infection is a primary oncogenic factor of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) that elicits epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although diabetic patients are more susceptible to various infectious diseases, the pathological association with virus-related NPC has not yet been clarified. Herein, we evaluated the influence of diabetes on the clinicopathological changes of 70 patients with NPC. Disease-specific survival (DSS) modified by viral infection was also analysed. The proportion of NPC patients with diabetes was 32.9% (23/70 cases), and 91.3% (21/23 cases) were infected with EBV detected by EBER-I in situ hybridisation. NPC with diabetes showed an effect on EMT evaluated by immunostaining for E-cadherin and vimentin, which was correlated with HbA1c levels. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis determined a HbA1c level of 6.5% as the cut-off value for primary disease death at 2 years [area under the curve (AUC) 0.76; sensitivity 0.64; and specificity 0.81]. High HbA1c levels (≥6.5%) significantly increased the number of lymph node metastases in NPC compared to low HbA1c levels (<6.5%, p<0.01). Diabetic NPC patients had a significantly poorer prognosis than all non-diabetic patients (DSS, 72 months vs not reached, p<0.05). Diabetic EBV-positive NPC patients had a significantly poorer prognosis than non-diabetic EBV-positive patients (DSS, 35 months vs not reached, p<0.01). Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model also suggested that HbA1c ≥6.5% was a significant factor in poor prognosis, with a hazard ratio of 6.84 (p<0.05). Collectively, our results revealed for the first time a high prevalence of EBV infection, poor prognosis and the importance of proper glycaemic control in diabetic NPC patients.

Antithrombotic strategy in cancer patients comorbid with acute coronary syndrome and atrial fibrillation

It has been shown that patients with cancer have a longer expected life duration, benefiting from advanced medical therapy. Meanwhile, the risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been increasing with ageing. A growing number of studies have elucidated the association between cancer and CVD. Cancer, atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery disease share some common factors and interact with each other, such as obesity, aging, diabetes, and inflammation, but the potential specific mechanism is still unclear. In addition, cancer-specific and therapy-related factors may increase the risk of embolism and bleeding in patients with cancer than in general population. However, current available embolic and bleeding risk scores applied in patients with CVD may not be applicable for risk assessment in cancer patients, which would be difficult for clinicians to select an appropriate antithrombotic regimen and ensure the balance between bleeding and embolism. Moreover, different types of cancer have distinct risks, which may increase the complexity of antithrombotic therapy. In this review, we review the literature related to cancer, AF, and acute coronary syndrome, focusing on the epidemiological status, physiological mechanism, embolism and bleeding risks, and strategies of antithrombotic therapy.

Dual epigenetic changes in diabetes mellitus-associated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma correlate with downregulation of E-cadherin and worsened prognosis

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a risk factor for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) that promotes the promoter methylation of CDH1. It is still unclear whether DM can exert other epigenetic effects, such as altering microRNA (miR) expression, in PDAC. The expression of miR-100-5p is known to be changed in DM patients and can suppress the expression of E-cadherin. In this study, the correlation between DM status and dual epigenetic changes was evaluated in PDAC specimens from patients who underwent radical surgical resection. A total of 132 consecutive patients with PDAC were clinicopathologically evaluated. E-cadherin and nuclear β-catenin expression was measured using immunohistochemistry. DNA and miRs were extracted from the main tumor site on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. TaqMan miR assays were applied to assess miR-100-5p expression. Bisulfite modification was conducted on the extracted DNA, which was then subjected to methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Immunohistochemistry revealed that decreased E-cadherin expression and increased nuclear β-catenin expression were significantly associated with DM and poor tumor cell differentiation. The presence of long-duration DM (≥3 years)  was a significant factor contributing to CDH1 promoter methylation (p < 0.01), while miR-100-5p expression was proportionally correlated with the preoperative HbA1c level (R = 0.34, p < 0.01), but not the duration of DM. The subjects with high miR-100-5p expression and CDH1 promoter methylation showed the highest level of vessel invasion and prevalence of tumor size ≥30 mm. PDAC subjects with dual epigenetic changes showed poorer overall survival (OS) than those with a single epigenetic change. miR-100-5p expression ≥4.13 and CDH1 promoter methylation independently predicted poor OS and disease-free survival (DFS) in the multivariate analysis. OS and DFS worsened in DM subjects with both HbA1c ≥ 6.5% and DM duration ≥3 years. Thus, DM is associated with two modes of epigenetic change by independent mechanisms and worsens prognosis.

PECAM-1 drives β-catenin-mediated EndMT via internalization in colon cancer with diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered to be a risk factor in carcinogenesis and progression, although the biological mechanisms are not well understood. Here we demonstrate that platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) internalization drives β-catenin-mediated endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) to link DM to cancer.

METHODS

The tumor microenvironment (TME) was investigated for differences between colon cancer with and without DM by mRNA-microarray analysis. The effect of DM on colon cancer was determined in clinical patients and animal models. Furthermore, EndMT, PECAM-1 and Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling were analyzed under high glucose (HG) and human colon cancer cell (HCCC) supernatant (SN) or coculture conditions by western and immunofluorescence tests.

RESULTS

DM promoted the progression and EndMT occurrence of colon cancer (CC). Regarding the mechanism, DM induced PECAM-1 defection from the cytomembrane, internalization and subsequent accumulation around the cell nucleus in endothelial cells, which promoted β-catenin entry into the nucleus, leading to EndMT occurrence in CC with DM. Additionally, Akt/GSK-3β signaling was enhanced to inhibit the degradation of β-catenin, which regulates the process of EndMT.

CONCLUSIONS

PECAM-1 defects and/or internalization are key events for β-catenin-mediated EndMT, which is significantly boosted by enhanced Akt/GSK-3β signaling in the DM-associated TME. This contributes to the mechanism by which DM promotes the carcinogenesis and progression of CC. Video Abstract.

Global, regional, and national time trends in cancer mortality attributable to high fasting plasma glucose: an age-period cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

High fasting plasma glucose (HFPG) is the fastest-growing risk factor for cancer deaths worldwide. We reported the cancer mortality attributable to HFPG at global, regional, and national levels over the past three decades and associations with age, period, and birth cohort.

METHODS

Data for this study were retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, and we used age-period-cohort modelling to estimate age, cohort and period effects, as well as net drift (overall annual percentage change) and local drift (annual percentage change in each age group).

RESULTS

Over the past 30 years, the global age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) attributable to HFPG has increased by 27.8%. The ASMR in 2019 was highest in the male population in high sociodemographic index (SDI) areas (8.70; 95% CI, 2.23-18.04). The net drift for mortality was highest in the female population in low SDI areas (2.33; 95% CI, 2.12-2.55). Unfavourable period and cohort effects were found across all SDI quintiles. Cancer subtypes such as "trachea, bronchus, and lung cancers", "colon and rectal cancers", "breast cancer" and "pancreatic cancer" exhibited similar trends.

CONCLUSIONS

The cancer mortality attributable to HFPG has surged during the past three decades. Unfavourable age-period-cohort effects on mortality were observed across all SDI quintiles, and the cancer mortality attributable to HFPG is expected to continue to increase rapidly in the future, particularly in lower SDI locations. This is a grim global public health issue that requires immediate attention.

[Diabetes mellitus and the female reproductive system tumors]

The article discusses various pathophysiological conditions and processes that lead to the development of tumors in diabetes mellitus. These include obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress. The data of epidemiological studies are given, in which it was found that diabetes mellitus (both type 1 and type 2) increases the risk of developing the female reproductive system tumors, such as ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, while for cervical cancer, vaginal cancer and vulvar cancer, such a relationship has not been clearly identified.

Preparation of Janus fluorescent probe based on an asymmetrical silica and its application in glucose and alpha-fetoprotein detection

Janus particles have been considered suitable for biomedicine owing to their asymmetric structure and unique properties. Although Janus particles have been applied in biosensing for dual-mode sensing, there are almost no reports for the detection of multiple indicators. In fact, many patients require different diagnoses, such as the examination of hepatogenic diseases in diabetics. Here, a Janus particle based on SiO₂ was synthesized using a Pickering emulsion method. A novel strategy for detecting glucose and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) based on different principles using this Janus particle was then constructed as a detection platform. Composed of adjustable dendritic silica loaded with gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) and glucose oxidase (GOx) and spherical SiO₂ coupled with AFP antibody, this Janus fluorescent probe achieved the double detection of glucose and AFP. With the protection of dendritic silica, the enzyme temperature stability was enhanced. Moreover, the low limit of detection for glucose (0.5 μM in PBS and 2.5 μM in serum) and AFP (0.5 ng mL^-1) illustrated the feasibility of the application of the Janus material in integrated detection. This work not only supported the use of a Janus fluorescent probe as a detection platform toward glucose and AFP but also showed the potential of Janus particles in integrated detection in the future.

Interethnic Differences in Bladder Cancer Incidence and the Association between Type 2 Diabetes and Bladder Cancer in the Multiethnic Cohort Study

Background

Research on the association between type 2 diabetes (T2D) and bladder cancer (BCA) risk among non-European ancestry populations is sparse to nonexistent, and most prior studies rely on a single baseline assessment of T2D status.

Methods

We estimated the T2D-BCA association using the Multiethnic Cohort Study of 185,059 men and women in California and Hawaii. Participants were African American, European American, Japanese American, Latin American, and Native Hawaiian, ages 45-75 years at enrollment (1993-1996). T2D was assessed by self-report at baseline, follow-up surveys, and Medicare claims. Cases were identified using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program cancer registries through 2016. Associations were estimated by race/ethnicity using Cox proportional hazards regression. Adjusted attributable fractions (AAF) and cumulative absolute risk of bladder cancer were estimated across groups.

Results

Over an average 19.7 years of follow-up 1,890 incident bladder cancer cases were diagnosed. Time-varying T2D was associated with bladder cancer in the multiethnic sample (HR = 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.30); however, the HR did not differ by race/ethnicity (P = 0.85). The AAF was 4.2% in the multiethnic sample and largest among Native Hawaiians (9.8%). Absolute risk of bladder cancer among European Americans without T2D was higher than all other groups with T2D.

Conclusion

T2D is significantly associated with bladder cancer risk in a multiethnic sample.

Significance

Those with T2D have higher incidence of bladder cancer, regardless of racial/ethnic group. Reducing T2D prevalence could substantially lower bladder cancer incidence among Native Hawaiians due to T2D being more common in this group. High absolute risk of bladder cancer among European Americans, regardless of T2D status, indicates that elevated bladder cancer risk in this group may be due to factors other than T2D. Future studies must explore reasons for this difference in incidence.

Patients with diabetes with and without sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors use with incident cancer risk

PURPOSE

The study compared the incidence of cancer between patients with diabetes with and without sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors use.

METHODS

This study identified a non-SGLT2 inhibitor cohort of 325,989 patients and a SGLT2 inhibitor cohort of 325,990 patients. The primary interest of this study was the occurrence of cancer. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

Patients receiving SGLT2 inhibitors (adjusted HR = 0.79, 95 % CI = 0.76-0.83) had a significantly lower risk of developing cancer than patients without receiving SGLT2 inhibitors.

CONCLUSION

The results demonstrated that patients with diabetes receiving SGLT2 inhibitors had a significantly lower risk of cancer.

Hyperglycaemia induces metabolic reprogramming into a glycolytic phenotype and promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transitions via YAP/TAZ-Hedgehog signalling axis in pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Hyperglycaemia is a well-known initial symptom in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Metabolic reprogramming in cancer, described as the Warburg effect, can induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

METHODS

The biological impact of hyperglycaemia on malignant behaviour in PDAC was examined by in vitro and in vivo experiments.

RESULTS

Hyperglycaemia promoted EMT by inducing metabolic reprogramming into a glycolytic phenotype via yes-associated protein (YAP)/PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) overexpression, accompanied by GLUT1 overexpression and enhanced phosphorylation Akt in PDAC. In addition, hyperglycaemia enhanced chemoresistance by upregulating ABCB1 expression and triggered PDAC switch into pure basal-like subtype with activated Hedgehog pathway (GLI1 high, GATA6 low expression) through YAP/TAZ overexpression. PDAC is characterised by abundant stroma that harbours tumour-promoting properties and chemoresistance. Hyperglycaemia promotes the production of collagen fibre-related proteins (fibronectin, fibroblast activation protein, COL1A1 and COL11A1) by stimulating YAP/TAZ expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Knockdown of YAP and/or TAZ or treatment with YAP/TAZ inhibitor (K975) abolished EMT, chemoresistance and a favourable tumour microenvironment even under hyperglycemic conditions in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Hyperglycaemia induces metabolic reprogramming into glycolytic phenotype and promotes EMT via YAP/TAZ-Hedgehog signalling axis, and YAP/TAZ could be a novel therapeutic target in PDAC.

Use of Antihyperglycemic Drugs and Risk of Cancer in Patients with Diabetes

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk for several types of cancer. Therefore, use of antihyperglycemic medications to lower blood glucose may modify cancer risk. Here we review available data on the link between the most common classes of antihyperglycemic agents and cancer risk among patients with diabetes.

RECENT FINDINGS

A database search was conducted between February 2022 and June 2022 on PubMed and Embase for systematic reviews and meta-analyses investigating the association between antihyperglycemic agents and risk of cancer. Use of biguanides such as metformin is associated with 20-30% lower risk for all cancer incidence, and somewhat greater benefit for cancer-related mortality. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, e.g., acarbose, have not been consistently associated with cancer. Similarly, no consistent effects have been reported for thiazolidinediones, but the relationship with cancer seems to depend on the type of drug, dose, and duration of treatment. Exposure to various types of incretin-based therapies (glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors) has not been found to significantly modify cancer risk. Inhibitors of sodium glucose cotransporter-2 may raise risk for bladder cancer and reduce risk for gastrointestinal cancer. Use of insulin and insulin analogs is associated with a significant increase in total cancer risk by almost 50% compared to other antihyperglycemic drugs. Likewise, insulin secretagogues like sulfonylureas have generally been linked to greater risk for cancer by ~ 20%, although these associations may be agent-specific and dose-dependent. Current evidence suggests that the risk of cancer associated with the use of antihyperglycemic medications among patients with diabetes depends on the class of drug and type of agent, dosage, and duration of treatment. More research is needed to delineate the mechanisms by which these agents affect the process of carcinogenesis.

Antitumor Effects and Mechanisms of Metabolic Syndrome Medications on Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Liver cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate worldwide, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the most common histological type. With the decrease in the number of newly infected patients and the spread of antiviral therapy, hepatitis virus-negative chronic liver diseases including steatohepatitis are increasingly accounting for a large proportion of HCC, and an important clinical characteristic is the high prevalence of metabolic syndrome including hypertension, type 2 diabetes (T2D), dyslipidemia, and obesity. Since patients with steatohepatitis are less likely to undergo surveillance for early detection of HCC, they may be diagnosed at an advanced stage and have worse prognosis. Therefore, treatment strategies for patients with HCC caused by steatohepatitis, especially in advanced stages, become increasingly important. Further, hypertension, T2D, and dyslipidemia may occur as side effects during systemic treatment, and there will be increasing opportunities to prescribe metabolic syndrome medications, not only for originally comorbid diseases, but also for adverse events during HCC treatment. Interestingly, epidemiological studies have shown that patients taking some metabolic syndrome medications are less likely to develop various types of cancers, including HCC. Basic studies have also shown that these drugs have direct antitumor effects on HCC. In particular, angiotensin II receptor blockers (a drug group for treating hypertension), biguanides (a drug group for treating T2D), and statins (a drug group for treating dyslipidemia) have shown to elucidate antitumor effects against HCC. In this review, we focus on the antitumor effects of metabolic syndrome medications on HCC and their mechanisms based on recent literature. New therapeutic agents are also increasingly being reported. Analysis of the antitumor effects of metabolic syndrome medications on HCC and their mechanisms will be doubly beneficial for HCC patients with metabolic syndrome, and the use of these medications may be a potential strategy against HCC.

Long-term fasting glucose variability and risk of cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A retrospective population-based cohort study in Shanghai

BACKGROUNDS

Fasting blood glucose (FBG) variability may make an impact on adverse events in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, the association between long-term changes in FBG and cancer remains unclear. We aimed to investigate this association in a large-scale longitudinal study.

METHODS

Data were collected from 46 761 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus aged 20-80 years who participated in the Diabetes Standardized Management Program in Shanghai, China. We adopted four indicators, including standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation (CV), variation independent of the mean (VIM), and average real variability (ARV) to describe FBG variability. Adjusted multivariable Cox regression analyses and restricted cubic splines were used to investigate the association between long-term FBG variability and cancer risk. We also determined the interactive effect of FBG variability with hypertension and FBG-mean with hypertension on cancer risk, respectively.

RESULTS

In this study, we confirmed 2218 cancer cases (51.1% male) over a median follow-up of 2.86 years. In the multivariable-adjusted models, participants in the highest quartile of FBG variability had an increased risk of cancer compared with those in the lowest quartile. The nonlinear association was found when using FBG-VIM, FBG-ARV, and FBG-SD in restricted cubic spline plots. There was a significant interaction effect of FBG variability with hypertension on cancer, whereas the effect of FBG-mean with hypertension did not attain significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our retrospective cohort study demonstrated a positive association between the long-term changes in FBG and cancer risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. FBG variability may independently predict cancer incidence.

The AGEs/RAGE Transduction Signaling Prompts IL-8/CXCR1/2-Mediated Interaction between Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) and Breast Cancer Cells

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and the cognate receptor, named RAGE, are involved in metabolic disorders characterized by hyperglycemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Moreover, the AGEs/RAGE transduction pathway prompts a dysfunctional interaction between breast cancer cells and tumor stroma toward the acquisition of malignant features. However, the action of the AGEs/RAGE axis in the main players of the tumor microenvironment, named breast cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), remains to be fully explored. In the present study, by chemokine array, we first assessed that interleukin-8 (IL-8) is the most up-regulated pro-inflammatory chemokine upon AGEs/RAGE activation in primary CAFs, obtained from breast tumors. Thereafter, we ascertained that the AGEs/RAGE signaling promotes a network cascade in CAFs, leading to the c-Fos-dependent regulation of IL-8. Next, using a conditioned medium from AGEs-exposed CAFs, we determined that IL-8/CXCR1/2 paracrine activation induces the acquisition of migratory and invasive features in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Altogether, our data provide new insights on the involvement of IL-8 in the AGEs/RAGE transduction pathway among the intricate connections linking breast cancer cells to the surrounding stroma. Hence, our findings may pave the way for further investigations to define the role of IL-8 as useful target for the better management of breast cancer patients exhibiting metabolic disorders.

Metformin, Statin Use, and Female Colorectal Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Taiwan

In the last few years, the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in women has gradually increased. However, epidemiological studies on the relationship between type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and female CRC and the effect of metformin or statins on female CRC are insufficient. To determine their association, we conducted a population-based cohort study on women in Taiwan. We collected data on a total of 396,521 women aged 40 to 64 years old from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2009 from the National Health Insurance Research Database. We followed up on all participants in the cohort until the occurrence of CRC, the date for all death, or 31 December 2015. Full development of CRC was identified using the International Classification of Disease (ICD), 9th Revision, code 153. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using the Cox proportional hazards model. Both metformin (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR = 1.12; 95% CI: 0.934–1.335, p = 0.227) and statin (aHR = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.906–1.172, p = 0.645) use showed no association with female CRC in a multivariate analysis. The findings indicate that metformin and statin use showed no protective effect against female colorectal cancer (CRC). An additional randomized trial is necessary to investigate the effect of metformin and statin use in CRC prevention.

[Metformin and malignant neoplasms: a possible mechanism of antitumor action and prospects for use in practice]

Metformin is a first-line antidiabetic drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2); its molecular target is AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is involved in many metabolic processes. Metformin not only reduces blood glucose levels and improves insulin sensitivity, but also inhibits lipolysis and reduces cardiovascular risk in patients with DM2. In recent years, it has been proven that metformin slows down the aging process, stimulates hair growth, eliminates cognitive impairment, and also has an antitumor effect. Most basic studies have shown that metformin inhibits the growth of tumor cells and promotes cellular apoptosis, while clinical studies show contradictory results. This discrepancy can be explained by the difference in the concentration of metformin between basic and clinical studies. The maximum daily dose of metformin for patients with DM2 is 2500 mg / day, and the dose used in basic research was much higher. Metformin directly activates the AMPK signaling pathway, inhibits the production of reactive oxygen species, induces the activation of mTORC1, inhibits cyclin D1, which leads to a reduction in the risk of the occurrence and development of malignant neoplasms. In addition, metformin indirectly inhibits tumor growth, proliferation, invasion and metastasis by reducing the concentration of glucose in the blood, insulin resistance, as well as by reducing inflammation and affecting the tumor microenvironment. Glycolysis plays an important role in the energy metabolism of tumors, and metformin is able to have an inhibitory effect on it. Currently, studies of the mechanism of antitumor effects of metformin are becoming more extensive and in-depth, but there are still some contradictions.

Potential pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the inherent risk of cancer in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Emerging evidence demonstrates an intimate interplay between cardiovascular disease and cancer pathophysiology. The aim of this review is to shed light on the common biological pathways underlying cardiovascular disease and cancer. These common pathways form the basis of "reverse cardio-oncology". We focus on the role of inflammation, stress response, cell proliferation, angiogenesis and tissue remodeling, neurohormonal system activation, and genomic instability as pathogenic pathways shared by cardiovascular disease and cancer. We also discuss shared mediators that may have a potential role as biomarkers for risk prediction in both diseases. Furthermore, we highlight current knowledge on biological pathways and mediators that are upregulated in diabetes and myocardial infarction and may be involved in tumorigenesis. On the basis of the shared pathophysiologic mechanisms, we also suggest an integrated approach to reduce the global burden of both cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Sera Protein Signatures of Endometrial Cancer Lymph Node Metastases

The presence of lymph node metastases in endometrial cancer patients is a critical factor guiding treatment decisions; however, surgical and imaging methods for their detection are limited by morbidity and inaccuracy. To determine if sera can predict the presence of positive lymph nodes, sera collected from endometrial cancer patients with or without lymph node metastases, and benign gynecology surgical patients (N = 20 per group) were subjected to electron spray ionization mass spectrometry (ES-MS). Peaks that were significantly different among the groups were evaluated by leave one out cross validation (LOOCV) for their ability to differentiation between the groups. Proteins in the peaks were identified by MS/MS of five specimens in each group. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to predict pathways regulated by the protein profiles. LOOCV of sera protein discriminated between each of the group comparisons and predicted positive lymph nodes. Pathways implicated in metastases included loss of PTEN activation and PI3K, AKT and PKA activation, leading to calcium signaling, oxidative phosphorylation and estrogen receptor-induced transcription, leading to platelet activation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and senescence. Upstream activators implicated in these events included neurostimulation and inflammation, activation of G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Gβγ, loss of HER-2 activation and upregulation of the insulin receptor.

Ferroptosis as a Novel Determinant of β-Cell Death in Diabetic Conditions

The main pathological hallmark of diabetes is the loss of functional β-cells. Among several types of β-cell death in diabetes, the involvement of ferroptosis remains elusive. Therefore, we investigated the potential of diabetes-mimicking factors: high glucose (HG), proinflammatory cytokines, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), or diabetogenic agent streptozotocin (STZ) to induce ferroptosis of β-cells in vitro. Furthermore, we tested the contribution of ferroptosis to injury of pancreatic islets in an STZ-induced in vivo diabetic model. All in vitro treatments increased loss of Rin-5F cells along with the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxides and iron, inactivation of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and decrease in glutathione peroxidase 4 expression and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Ferrostatin 1 (Fer-1), ferroptosis inhibitor, diminished the above-stated effects and rescued cells from death in case of HG, STZ, and H₂O₂ treatments, while failed to increase MMP and to attenuate cell death after the cytokines' treatment. Moreover, Fer-1 protected pancreatic islets from STZ-induced injury in diabetic in vivo model, since it decreased infiltration of macrophages and accumulation of lipid peroxides and increased the population of insulin-positive cells. Such results revealed differences between diabetogenic stimuli in determining the destiny of β-cells, emerging HG, H₂O₂, and STZ, but not cytokines, as contributing factors to ferroptosis and shed new light on an antidiabetic strategy based on Nrf2 activation. Thus, targeting ferroptosis in diabetes might be a promising new approach for preservation of the β-cell population. Our results obtained from in vivo study strongly justify this approach.

Effects of Diabetes on Inflammatory Status and Prognosis in Cancer Patients

Background

Cancer and diabetes mellitus (DM) are prevalent, but there still a lack of convinced evidence clearly explaining the extent of the effect of diabetes in cancer.

Data and Methods

Clinical data of 2,929 cancer patients were collected. Diabetes were diagnosed according to the Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment Criteria. BMI was classified by the BMI standards for Chinese adults published by the Working Group on Obesity. All involved patients were classified into the non-DM group and DM group. The Kaplan–Meier curve, log-rank test and Cox regression analyses were used to perform survival analysis.

Results

Compared with non-DM patients, OS in DM patients was significant shorter in lung cancer (HR = 2.076, P = 0.001 in early stage; HR = 2.118, P < 0.001 in advanced stage), digestive tract cancer (HR = 1.768, P = 0.020 in early stage; HR = 2.454, P = 0.005 in advanced stage), leukemia (HR = 2.636, P < 0.001), breast cancer (HR = 2.495, P = 0.047 in early stage; HR = 2.929, P = 0.019 in advanced stage) and liver cancer (HR = 3.086, P < 0.001 in early stage; HR = 2.219, P = 0.049 in advanced stage). DM negatively influenced OS when the BMI was within the normal range in overall cancer (HR = 2.468, P < 0.001), lung cancer (HR = 2.297, P < 0.001), digestive tract cancer (HR = 2.354, P < 0.001), liver cancer (HR = 2.406, P = 0.001), leukemia (HR = 4.039, P < 0.001) and breast cancer (HR = 4.222, P = 0.008). Among those with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m², DM played a role only in lung cancer (HR = 1.597, P = 0.037).

Conclusions

Patients with diabetes tend to combine worse body composition and inflammation status, and that glycemic control can ameliorate the impairment of diabetes to some extent.

Survival Risk Analysis of Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Pre-Existing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study

Purpose

We aimed to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and survival risk factors in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients with preexisting type 2 diabetes mellitus (preDM).

Patients and Methods

All patients with SCLC admitted to our hospital between January 2013 and August 2018 were followed up until August 2020 and retrospectively analyzed. Clinical characteristics of SCLC patients with and without preDM were extracted. Cox proportional hazards models were conducted to identify potential independent prognostic factors.

Results

Of 628 eligible individuals, 88 individuals had preDM. preDM was independently significantly associated with distant metastasis in all SCLC patients (p =0.016, OR=1.80, 95% CI 1.11–2.91), while preDM did not affect the outcome of SCLC patients (p=0.803, HR=1.04, 95% CI 0.79–1.36) by multivariate analysis. In the preDM group, the median overall survival (OS) was shorter in the insulin group than in the non insulin group (13.93 months versus 21.77 months, p=0.024). Multivariate analysis identified that insulin treatment was an independent unfavorable factor associated with OS (p =0.009, HR=2.10, 95% CI 1.19–3.64). In addition, poorer performance status (PS) and liver metastasis were also independent unfavorable prognostic factors (all p<0.01), while thoracic therapy significantly improved OS and decreased mortality risk in diabetic patients with SCLC (p<0.05).

Conclusion

preDM may promote distant metastasis of SCLC while it is insulin therapy and not preDM which adversely affects the prognosis of SCLC patients. These findings indicate that enhancing blood glucose control and reducing insulin analog use may be essential to the improvement of the long-term survival of the diabetic population with SCLC.

Pioglitazone and Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background

Pioglitazone’s effect on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has rarely been studied.

Purpose

This retrospective observational study investigated whether the use of pioglitazone would affect the risk of COPD in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Patients and Methods

The Taiwan’s National Health Insurance database was used to enroll 9487 matched pairs of ever users and never users of pioglitazone based on propensity score from a cohort of 350,536 patients. The enrolled patients had a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus between 1999 and 2008 and were not having a diagnosis of COPD before January 1, 2009. They were then followed up for COPD, starting from January 1, 2009 until December 31, 2011. Diagnosis of COPD was based on the codes of 491 for chronic bronchitis and 492 for emphysema based on the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios. The interactions between pioglitazone and COPD risk factors including pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis and tobacco abuse were also investigated.

Results

In 9487 never users and 9487 ever users of pioglitazone, the case numbers of incident COPD were 359 and 295, respectively. The respective incidence rates of COPD were 1484.73 and 1167.61 per 100,000 person-years. The overall hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for COPD that compared ever to never users was 0.778 (0.667–0.908). The hazard ratios for the tertiles of cumulative duration of pioglitazone therapy (cutoffs: <11.0, 11.0–19.6 and >19.6 months) to never users were 0.904 (0.729–1.121), 0.727 (0.578–0.914) and 0.715 (0.570–0.896), respectively. No interactions between pioglitazone and COPD risk factors including pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis and tobacco abuse were noted.

Conclusion

Pioglitazone use is associated with a significantly lower risk of COPD.

The High Prevalence of Short-Term Elevation of Tumor Markers Due to Hyperglycemia in Diabetic Patients

INTRODUCTION

The relationship between diabetes and cancer is uncertain. However, tumor markers in diabetic patients are significantly elevated. The prevalence of diabetic inpatients with elevation of tumor markers and its relationship to blood glucose is needed to be studied.

METHODS

A total of 102 diabetic inpatients were included in this study. We collected information from diabetic inpatients and tested tumor markers. Patients with elevation of tumor markers were rechecked.

RESULTS

We found that up to 73.3% of diabetic inpatients had one or more tumor markers elevated. The proportion of diabetic inpatients with higher than normal cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) was 54.5%. Most of them did not return to normal after controlling the blood glucose. A short-term elevation of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was present in 15.8% of diabetic inpatients, and 19.8% of diabetic inpatients had a short-term elevation of carbohydrate antigen. CEA and carbohydrate antigen including CA19-9, CA72-4, CA125 and CA15-3 returned to normal or became significantly reduced within 2 weeks after good control of blood glucose.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that the elevation of tumor markers was common in diabetic inpatients, especially those with poor blood glucose control. It indicated that re-checking the tumor markers after controlling blood glucose might be better than conducting large-scale test for cancer.

Effects of novel SGLT2 inhibitors on cancer incidence in hyperglycemic patients: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

Epidemiological evidence shows that diabetic patients have an increased cancer risk and a higher mortality rate. Glucose could play a central role in metabolism and growth of many tumor types, and this possible mechanism is supported by the high rate of glucose demand and uptake in cancer. Thus, growing evidence suggests that hyperglycemia contributes to cancer progression but also to its onset. Many mechanisms underlying this association have been hypothesized, such as insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and increased inflammatory processes. Inflammation is a common pathophysiological feature in both diabetic and oncological patients, and inflammation linked to high glucose levels sensitizes microenvironment to tumorigenesis, promoting the development of malignant lesions by altering and sustaining a pathological condition in tissues. Glycemic control is the first goal of antidiabetic therapy, and glucose level reduction has also been associated with favorable outcomes in cancer. Here, we describe key events in carcinogenesis focusing on hyperglycemia as supporter in tumor progression and in particular, related to the role of a specific hypoglycemic drug class, sodium-glucose linked transporters (SGLTs). We also discuss the use of SGLT2 inhibitors as a novel potential cancer therapy. Our meta-analysis showed that SGLT-2 inhibitors were significantly associated with an overall reduced risk of cancer as compared to placebo (RR = 0.35, CI 0.33-0.37, P = 0. 00) with a particular effectiveness for dapaglifozin and ertuglifozin (RR = 0. 06, CI 0. 06-0. 07 and RR = 0. 22, CI 0. 18-0. 26, respectively). Network Medicine approaches may advance the possible repurposing of these drugs in patients with concomitant diabetes and cancer.

Cancer and diabetes: the interlinking metabolic pathways and repurposing actions of antidiabetic drugs

Cancers are regarded as one of the main causes of death and result in high health burden worldwide. The management of cancer include chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. The chemotherapy, which involves the use of chemical agents with cytotoxic actions is utilised as a single treatment or combined treatment. However, these managements of cancer such as chemotherapy poses some setbacks such as cytotoxicity on normal cells and the problem of anticancer drug resistance. Therefore, the use of other therapeutic agents such as antidiabetic drugs is one of the alternative interventions used in addressing some of the limitations in the use of anticancer agents. Antidiabetic drugs such as sulfonylureas, biguanides and thiazolidinediones showed beneficial and repurposing actions in the management of cancer, thus, the activities of these drugs against cancer is attributed to some of the metabolic links between the two disorders and these includes hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress as well as obesity. Furthermore, some studies showed that the use of antidiabetic drugs could serve as risk factors for the development of cancerous cells particularly pancreatic cancer. However, the beneficial role of these chemical agents overweighs their detrimental actions in cancer management. Hence, the present review indicates the metabolic links between cancer and diabetes and the mechanistic actions of antidiabetic drugs in the management of cancers.

[Diabetes mellitus and cancer: a system of insulin-like growth factors]

Diabetes mellitus and malignant tumors are among the most common and complex diseases. Epidemiological studies have shown a strong relationship between these pathologies. The causality of this relationship has not yet been unambiguously established, but a number of probable biological mechanisms have been proposed to explain it through the effects of hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia on the process of oncogenesis. An important role in this is played by the axis of insulin-like growth factors, their receptors and binding proteins (IGF / IGFR / IGFBP). The review provides data on the structural elements of the insulin / IGF / IGFR / IGFBP signaling axis and their internal relationships in diabetes mellitus and in the development of malignant tumors. Significant changes in the axis that occur during the formation of the diabetic environment prepare the background, which, under certain conditions, can lead to the stimulation or inhibition of tumor development. The considered signaling system, playing a significant role in the physiology of normal cells, often functions as a decisive factor in the survival of tumor cells, providing fine context-dependent regulation of many cellular processes associated with oncogenesis. However, despite many years of in-depth studies of the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and malignant tumors, the molecular mechanisms of the relationship between these pathologies are still largely unclear, and the internal heterogeneity of pathologies complicates research and interpretation of the results, leaving many questions.

Coronavirus Disease (COVID)-19 and Diabetic Kidney Disease

The present review describes COVID-19 severity in diabetes and diabetic kidney disease. We discuss the crucial effect of COVID-19-associated cytokine storm and linked injuries and associated severe mesenchymal activation in tubular epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages that influence neighboring cell homeostasis, resulting in severe proteinuria and organ fibrosis in diabetes. Altered microRNA expression disrupts cellular homeostasis and the renin-angiotensin-system, targets reno-protective signaling proteins, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and MAS1 receptor (MAS), and facilitates viral entry and replication in kidney cells. COVID-19-associated endotheliopathy that interacts with other cell types, such as neutrophils, platelets, and macrophages, is one factor that accelerates prethrombotic reactions and thrombus formation, resulting in organ failures in diabetes. Apart from targeting vital signaling through ACE2 and MAS, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections are also associated with higher profibrotic dipeptidyl transferase-4 (DPP-4)-mediated mechanisms and suppression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in kidney cells. Lowered DPP-4 levels and restoration of AMPK levels are organ-protective, suggesting a pathogenic role of DPP-4 and a protective role of AMPK in diabetic COVID-19 patients. In addition to standard care provided to COVID-19 patients, we urgently need novel drug therapies that support the stability and function of both organs and cell types in diabetes.

Endothelial SIRT3 regulates myofibroblast metabolic shifts in diabetic kidneys

Defects in endothelial cells cause deterioration in kidney function and structure. Here, we found that endothelial SIRT3 regulates metabolic reprogramming and fibrogenesis in the kidneys of diabetic mice. By analyzing, gain of function of the SIRT3 gene by overexpression in a fibrotic mouse strain conferred disease resistance against diabetic kidney fibrosis, whereas its loss of function in endothelial cells exacerbated the levels of diabetic kidney fibrosis. Regulation of endothelial cell SIRT3 on fibrogenic processes was due to tight control over the defective central metabolism and linked activation of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT). SIRT3 deficiency in endothelial cells stimulated the TGFβ/Smad3-dependent mesenchymal transformations in renal tubular epithelial cells. These data demonstrate that SIRT3 regulates defective metabolism and EndMT-mediated activation of the fibrogenic pathways in the diabetic kidneys. Together, our findings show that endothelial SIRT3 is a fundamental regulator of defective metabolism regulating health and disease processes in the kidney.

Diabetes and Cancer: Metabolic Association, Therapeutic Challenges, and the Role of Natural Products

Cancer is considered the second leading cause of death worldwide and in 2018 it was responsible for approximately 9.6 million deaths. Globally, about one in six deaths are caused by cancer. A strong correlation was found between diabetes mellitus and carcinogenesis with the most evident correlation was with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Research has proven that elevated blood glucose levels take part in cell proliferation and cancer cell progression. However, limited studies were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of conventional therapies in diabetic cancer patients. In this review, the correlation between cancer and diabetes will be discussed and the mechanisms by which the two diseases interact with each other, as well as the therapeutics challenges in treating patients with diabetes and cancer with possible solutions to overcome these challenges. Natural products targeting both diseases were discussed with detailed mechanisms of action. This review will provide a solid base for researchers and physicians to test natural products as adjuvant alternative therapies to treat cancer in diabetic patients.

Diabetes, Antidiabetic Medications and Cancer Risk in Type 2 Diabetes: Focus on SGLT-2 Inhibitors

In the last decade, cancer became the leading cause of death in the population under 65 in the European Union. Diabetes is also considered as a factor increasing risk of cancer incidence and mortality. Type 2 diabetes is frequently associated with being overweight and obese, which also plays a role in malignancy. Among biological mechanisms linking diabetes and obesity with cancer hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, increased levels of growth factors, steroid and peptide hormones, oxidative stress and increased activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines are listed. Antidiabetic medications can modulate cancer risk through directly impacting metabolism of cancer cells as well as indirectly through impact on risk factors of malignancy. Some of them are considered beneficial (metformin and thiazolidinedions—with the exception of bladder cancer); on the other hand, excess of exogenous insulin may be potentially harmful, while other medications seem to have neutral impact on cancer risk. Inhibitors of the sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) are increasingly used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, their association with cancer risk is unclear. The aim of this review was to analyze the anticancer potential of this class of drugs, as well as risks of site-specific malignancies associated with their use.

Metformin and Malignant Tumors: Not Over the Hill

Malignant tumors are a major cause of death, and their incidence is increasing worldwide. Although the survival rate for some cancers has improved, treatments for other malignant tumors are limited, and their mortality rate continues to increase. People with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of malignant tumors and a higher mortality rate than those without diabetes. Metformin is a commonly used hypoglycemic drug. In recent years, a growing number of studies have indicated that metformin has antitumor effects and increases the sensitivity of malignant tumors to chemotherapy. However, the effect of metformin on different tumors is currently controversial, and the mechanism of metformin's antitumor action is not fully understood. Insights into the effect of metformin on malignant tumors and the possible mechanism may contribute to the development of antitumor drugs.

Loss of Mitochondrial Control Impacts Renal Health

Disruption of mitochondrial biosynthesis or dynamics, or loss of control over mitochondrial regulation leads to a significant alteration in fuel preference and metabolic shifts that potentially affect the health of kidney cells. Mitochondria regulate metabolic networks which affect multiple cellular processes. Indeed, mitochondria have established themselves as therapeutic targets in several diseases. The importance of mitochondria in regulating the pathogenesis of several diseases has been recognized, however, there is limited understanding of mitochondrial biology in the kidney. This review provides an overview of mitochondrial dysfunction in kidney diseases. We describe the importance of mitochondria and mitochondrial sirtuins in the regulation of renal metabolic shifts in diverse cells types, and review this loss of control leads to increased cell-to-cell transdifferentiation processes and myofibroblast-metabolic shifts, which affect the pathophysiology of several kidney diseases. In addition, we examine mitochondrial-targeted therapeutic agents that offer potential leads in combating kidney diseases.

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibition reduces glucose uptake to induce breast cancer cell growth arrest through AMPK/mTOR pathway

OBJECTIVE

The sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors Canagliflozin and Dapagliflozin are recently approved medications for type 2 diabetes. Recent studies indicate the potential ability of SGLT2 inhibitors to attenuate cancer growth of SGLT2-expressing cancer cells, but there is little known about the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on breast cancer. The goal in this research was to assess the anticancer activity of SGLT2 inhibitors in breast cancerin vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

We test the SGLT2 expression in breast cancer using immunohistochemistry and immunoblot assay. MTT cytotoxicity assay, colony formation assay and human breast cancer cells nude mice xenograft model were performed to detect the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on cancer cell proliferation and growth. Flow Cytometry assay was performed to determine if the SGLT2 inhibitors induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

RESULTS

We proved that SGLT2 expresses in breast cancer cell lines and human breast tumor tissue samples. SGLT2 inhibitors Dapagliflozin and Canagliflozin exhibited a potent anti-proliferative effect in breast cancer cells as demonstrated by MTT, clonogenic survival assay in vitro and xenograft growth model in vivo. Furthermore, we found that SGLT2 inhibitors arrested cell cycle in G1/G0 phase and induced cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis demonstrated that treatment with SGLT2 inhibitors increased the phosphorylation of Amp-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and decreased the phosphorylation of 70 kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (p70S6K1) in breast cancer cells.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that SGLT2 inhibitor-therapy induced AMPK-mediated cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, which is a potential novel strategy for the treatment of breast cancer.