Human β-defensin-1 activates autophagy in human colon cancer cells via regulation of long non-coding RNA TCONS_00014506

Perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease: Mechanisms and treatment options focusing on cellular therapy

Perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (PFCD) is a common presentation of CD, which affects the patients' quality of life, including social and sexual function. The management of PFCD remains a critical challenge in inflammatory bowel disease, primarily due to limited understanding of the mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis, complicating medical treatment. Increased production of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-13 by infiltrating macrophages and other inflammatory cells stimulate the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, resulting in activation of myofibroblasts and elevation of matrix metalloproteinases, leading to fistula formation. Given the potential for malignant transformation, PFCD screening is critical. Cytokine and inflammation-targeted therapies can help control this disease, but recurrence is a common complication. Surgical interventions such as fistulotomy represent viable therapeutic options, with magnetic resonance imaging serving as an important diagnostic tool for delineating fistula tract anatomy. Animal models and clinical trials demonstrate that injection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the fistula results in suppression of the inflammatory cells and cytokines and complete resolution of PFCD. Recently, MSC-derived extracellular vesicles were found to stimulate fistula healing, with encouraging results. In this article, we comment on the review article by Pacheco et al, summarizing the various lines of PFCD treatment and highlighting the role of screening for this disease. Importantly, we focus on the various mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of PFCD, the therapeutic roles of MSCs and related extracellular vesicles, and explore the potential role of autophagy in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of these cells, which may help in the treatment of this disease.

Gallbladder carcinoma in the era of artificial intelligence: Early diagnosis for better treatment

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is the most common malignant tumor of biliary tract, with poor prognosis due to its aggressive nature and limited therapeutic options. Early detection of GBC is a major challenge, with most GBCs being detected accidentally during cholecystectomy procedures for gallbladder stones. This letter comments on the recent article by Deqing et al in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology, which summarized the various current methods used in early diagnosis of GBC, including endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) examination of the gallbladder for high-risk GBC patients, and the use of EUS-guided elastography, contrast-enhanced EUS, trans-papillary biopsy, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery, magnifying endoscopy, choledochoscopy, and confocal laser endomicroscopy when necessary for early diagnosis of GBC. However, there is a need for novel methods for early GBC diagnosis, such as the use of artificial intelligence and non-coding RNA biomarkers for improved screening protocols. Additionally, the use of in vitro and animal models may provide critical insights for advancing early detection and treatment strategies of this aggressive tumor.