Inhalational Anesthetics Inhibit Neuroglioma Cell Proliferation and Migration via miR-138, -210 and -335

Desflurane alleviates LPS-induced acute lung injury by modulating let-7b-5p/HOXA9 axis

Acute lung injury (ALI) is characterized by acute respiratory failure with tachypnea and widespread alveolar infiltrates, badly affecting patients' health. Desflurane (Des) is effective against lung injury. However, its mechanism in ALI remains unknown. BEAS-2B cells were incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to construct an ALI cell model. Cell apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to examine the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Interactions among let-7b-5p, homeobox A9 (HOXA9), and suppressor of cytokine signaling 2 (SOCS2) were verified using Dual luciferase activity, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and RNA pull-down analysis. All experimental data of this study were derived from three repeated experiments. Des treatment improved LPS-induced cell viability, reduced inflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)) levels, decreased cell apoptosis, down-regulated the pro-apoptotic proteins (Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and cleaved caspase 3) expression, and up-regulated the anti-apoptotic protein B-cell-lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) expression in LPS-induced BEAS-2B cells. Des treatment down-regulated let-7b-5p expression in LPS-induced BEAS-2B cells. Moreover, let-7b-5p inhibition improved LPS-induced cell injury. let-7b-5p overexpression weakened the protective effects of Des. Mechanically, let-7b-5p could negatively modulate HOXA9 expression. Furthermore, HOXA9 inhibited the NF-κB signaling by enhancing SOCS2 transcription. HOXA9 overexpression weakened the promotion of let-7b-5p mimics in LPS-induced cell injury. Des alleviated LPS-induced ALI via regulating let-7b-5p/ HOXA9/NF-κB axis.

Effects of anesthesia on long-term survival in cancer surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Backgrounds

The association between anesthesia and long-term oncological outcome after cancer surgery remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of propofol-based anesthesia and inhalation anesthesia on long-term survival in cancer surgery.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was performed in PubMed, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library until November 15, 2023. The outcomes included overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). The hazard ratio (HR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) were calculated with a random-effects model.

Results

We included forty-two retrospective cohort studies and two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 686,923 patients. Propofol-based anesthesia was associated with improved OS (HR = 0.82, 95 % CI:0.76-0.88, P < 0.00001) and RFS (HR = 0.80, 95 % CI:0.73-0.88, P < 0.00001) than inhalation anesthesia after cancer surgery. However, these positive results were only observed in single-center studies (OS: HR = 0.76, 95 % CI:0.68-0.84, P < 0.00001; RFS: HR = 0.76, 95 % CI:0.66-0.87, P < 0.0001), but not in multicenter studies (OS: HR = 0.98, 95 % CI:0.94-1.03, P = 0.51; RFS: HR = 0.95, 95 % CI:0.87-1.04, P = 0.26). The subgroup analysis revealed that propofol-based anesthesia provided OS and RFS advantages in hepatobiliary cancer (OS: HR = 0.58, 95 % CI:0.40-0.86, P = 0.005; RFS: HR = 0.62, 95 % CI:0.44-0.86, P = 0.005), gynecological cancer (OS: HR = 0.52, 95 % CI:0.33-0.81, P = 0.004; RFS: HR = 0.51, 95 % CI:0.36-0.72, P = 0.0001), and osteosarcoma (OS: HR = 0.30, 95 % CI:0.11-0.81, P = 0.02; RFS: HR = 0.32, 95 % CI:0.14-0.75, P = 0.008) surgeries.

Conclusion

Propofol-based anesthesia may be associated with improved OS and RFS than inhalation anesthesia in some cancer surgeries. Considering the inherent weaknesses of retrospective designs and the strong publication bias, our findings should be interpreted with caution. Well-designed multicenter RCTs are still urgent to further confirm these findings.

"Anti-cancer" effect of ketamine in comparison with MK801 on neuroglioma and lung cancer cells

Ketamine, a N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, is commonly used to induce anaesthesia during cancer surgery and relieve neuropathic and cancer pain. This study was conducted to assess whether ketamine has any inhibiting effects on neuroglioma (H4) and lung cancer cells (A549) in vitro. The cultured H4 and A549 cells were treated with ketamine and MK801 (0.1, 1, 10, 100, or 1000 μM) for 24 h. The expressions of glutamate receptors on both types of cancer cells were assessed with qRT-PCR. In addition, cell proliferation and migration were assessed with cell counting Kit-8 and wound healing assays. Cyclin D1, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK), and cleaved-caspase-3 expression together with reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also assessed with Western blot, immunostaining, and/or flowcytometry. NMDA and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptors were expressed on both H4 and A549 cells. Ketamine inhibited cancer cell proliferation and migration in a dose-dependent manner by suppressing the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. Ketamine decreased cyclin D1, pERK, and MMP9 expression. In addition, ketamine increased ROS and cleaved caspase-3 expression and induced apoptosis. The anti-cancer effect of ketamine was more pronounced in A549 cells when compared with H4 cells. MK801 showed similar effects to those of ketamine. Ketamine suppressed cell proliferation and migration in both neuroglioma and lung cancer cells, likely through the antagonization of NMDA receptors.

Rocuronium bromide suppresses esophageal cancer via blocking the secretion of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 from cancer associated fibroblasts

BACKGROUND

Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) communicate metabolically with tumor genesis and development. Rocuronium bromide (RB) is reported to exert certain inhibitory effect on tumor. Here, we investigate the role of RB in esophageal cancer (EC) malignant progression.

METHODS

Tumor xenograft models with EC cells were locally and systemically administrated with RB to detect the influence of different administrations on tumor progression. Mouse CAFs PDGFRα⁺/F4/80^- were sorted by Flow cytometry with specific antibodies. CAFs were treated with RB and co-cultured with EC cells. The proliferation, invasion and apoptosis assays of EC cells were performed to detect the influences of RB targeting CAFs on EC cell malignant progression. Human fibroblasts were employed to perform these detections to confirm RB indirect effect on EC cells. The gene expression changes of CAFs response to RB treatment were detected using RNA sequencing and verified by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and ELISA.

RESULTS

Tumors in xenograft mice were observed significantly inhibited by local RB administration, but not by systemic administration. Moreover EC cells did not show obvious change in viability when direct stimulated with RB in vitro. However, when CAFs treated with RB were co-cultured with EC cells, obvious suppressions were observed in EC cell malignancy, including proliferation, invasion and apoptosis. Human fibroblasts were employed to perform these assays and similar results were obtained. RNA sequencing data of human fibroblast treated with RB, and Western blot, immunohistochemistry and ELISA results all showed that CXCL12 expression was significantly diminished in vivo and in vitro by RB. EC cells direct treated with CXCL12 showed much higher malignancy. Moreover cell autophagy and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in CAFs were both suppressed by RB which can be reversed by Rapamycin pretreatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that RB could repress PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and autophagy to block the CXCL12 expression in CAFs, thereby weakening the CXCL12-mediated EC tumor progression. Our data provide a novel insight into the underlying mechanism of RB inhibiting EC, and emphasize the importance of tumor microenvironment (cytokines from CAFs) in modulating cancer malignant progression.

Non-Coding RNAs in the Regulation of Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Potential Treatment Targets for Related Disorders

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and piRNAs, do not encode proteins. Nonetheless, they have critical roles in a variety of cellular activities-such as development, neurogenesis, degeneration, and the response to injury to the nervous system-via protein translation, RNA splicing, gene activation, silencing, modifications, and editing; thus, they may serve as potential targets for disease treatment. The activity of adult neural stem cells (NSCs) in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus critically influences hippocampal function, including learning, memory, and emotion. ncRNAs have been shown to be involved in the regulation of hippocampal neurogenesis, including proliferation, differentiation, and migration of NSCs and synapse formation. The interaction among ncRNAs is complex and diverse and has become a major topic within the life science. This review outlines advances in research on the roles of ncRNAs in modulating NSC bioactivity in the hippocampus and discusses their potential applications in the treatment of illnesses affecting the hippocampus.

Pancreatic Cancer and Microenvironments: Implications of Anesthesia

Simple Summary

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal malignant neoplasm with less than 10% 5-year relative survival after the initial diagnosis. Several factors may be related to the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer, including the rapid tumor progression, increased metastatic propensity, insignificant symptoms, shortage of early diagnostic biomarkers, and its tendency toward resistance to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Pancreatic neoplastic cells interact intimately with a complicated microenvironment that can foster drug resistance, metastasis, or relapse in pancreatic cancer. In addition, evidence shows that perioperative factors, including surgical manipulation, anesthetics, or analgesics, might alter the tumor microenvironment and cancer progression. This review outlines the up-to-date knowledge of anesthesia implications in the pancreatic microenvironment and provides future anesthetic strategies for improving pancreatic cancer survival.

Abstract

Pancreatic malignancy is a lethal neoplasm, as well as one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality, having a 5-year overall survival rate of less than 10%. The average life expectancy of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer does not exceed six months. Although surgical excision is a favorable modality for long-term survival of pancreatic neoplasm, metastasis is initially identified in nearly 80% of the patients by the time of diagnosis, making the development of therapeutic policy for pancreatic cancer extremely daunting. Emerging evidence shows that pancreatic neoplastic cells interact intimately with a complicated microenvironment that can foster drug resistance, metastasis, or relapse in pancreatic cancer. As a result, the necessity of gaining further insight should be focused on the pancreatic microenvironment contributing to cancer progression. Numerous evidence reveals that perioperative factors, including surgical manipulation and anesthetics (e.g., propofol, volatile anesthetics, local anesthetics, epidural anesthesia/analgesia, midazolam), analgesics (e.g., opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tramadol), and anesthetic adjuvants (such as ketamine and dexmedetomidine), might alter the tumor microenvironment and cancer progression by affecting perioperative inflammatory or immune responses during cancer surgery. Therefore, the anesthesiologist plays an important role in perioperative management and may affect surgical outcomes. However, the literature on the impact of anesthesia on the pancreatic cancer microenvironment and progression is limited. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the implications of anesthesia in the pancreatic microenvironment and provides future anesthetic strategies for improving pancreatic cancer survival rates.

Effect of Inhalation Anesthetics on Tumor Metastasis

Many factors affect the prognosis of patients undergoing tumor surgery, and anesthesia is one of the potential influencing factors. In general anesthesia, inhalation anesthesia is widely used in the clinic because of its strong curative effect and high controllability. However, the effect of inhalation anesthetics on the tumor is still controversial. More and more research has proved that inhalation anesthetics can intervene in local recurrence and distant metastasis of tumor by acting on tumor biological behavior, immune response, and gene regulation. In this paper, we reviewed the research progress of diverse inhalation anesthetics promoting or inhibiting cancer in the critical events of tumor recurrence and metastasis, and compared the effects of inhalation anesthetics on patients' prognosis in clinical studies, to provide theoretical reference for anesthesia management of patients undergoing tumor surgery.

Targeting miRNAs with anesthetics in cancer: Current understanding and future perspectives

Anesthetics are extensively used during cancer surgeries. The progression of cancer can be influenced by perioperative events such as exposure to general or local anesthesia. However, whether they inhibit cancer or act as a causative factor for metastasis and exert deleterious effects on cancer growth differs based on the type of cancer and the therapy administration. Recent experimental data suggested that many of the most commonly used anesthetics in surgical oncology, whether general or local agents, can alter gene expression and cause epigenetic changes via modulating miRNAs. miRNAs are single-stranded non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at various levels, and their dysregulation contributes to the pathogenesis of cancers. However, anesthetics via regulating miRNAs can concurrently target several effectors of cellular signaling pathways involved in cell differentiation, proliferation, and viability. This review summarized the current research about the effects of different anesthetics in regulating cancer, with a particular emphasis on the role of miRNAs. A significant number of studies conducted in this area of research illuminate the effects of anesthetics on the regulation of miRNA expression; therefore, we hope that a thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in the regulation of miRNA in the context of anesthesia-induced cancer regulation could help to define optimal anesthetic regimens and provide better perspectives for further studies.