Chemotherapy and plasma adipokines level in patients with colorectal cancer

Sex-Dependent Differences in Colorectal Cancer: With a Focus on Obesity

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and has the second highest cancer-related mortality in the world. The incident rates of CRC vary country-wise; however, population studies and data from different countries show a general increase in the CRC rate in young adults, males, and females ≥65 years. CRC incidence is affected by age, sex, environmental, dietary, hormonal, and lifestyle factors. Obesity is a known disease that is spreading rapidly throughout the world. A large body of literature indicates that, among many conditions, obesity is the increasing cause of CRC. Even though obesity is one of the known factors for CRC development, limited studies are available that explain the mechanistic link between obesity, sex hormones, and CRC development. Thus, this review summarizes the literature and aims to understand sex-dependent differences in CRC, especially in the context of obesity.

Inhibition of NLRP3 by Fermented Quercetin Decreases Resistin-Induced Chemoresistance to 5-Fluorouracil in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

The drug resistance of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells against 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy is a major challenge to successful cancer treatment. While previous studies have proposed several 5-FU resistance mechanisms, the effects of the adipokines on cancer cells remain unclear. Thus, this study investigated the effect of resistin on 5-FU-treated CRC cell lines. The upregulation of NLRP3 can regulate the inflammatory responses in cancer cells and then enhance cancer progression. This study investigated the expression level and the function of NLRP3 on 5-FU-induced cytotoxicity in CRC cells and found that resistin-induced ERK activation and increased NLRP3 expression in CRC HCT-116 and DLD-1 cells were mediated by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). The inhibition of TLR4 and ERK by pharmacological inhibitors attenuated the resistin-induced NLRP3 mRNA and protein levels. In contrast, the knockdown of NLRP3 enhanced the cytotoxic effects of 5-FU. Furthermore, quercetin is an effective chemopreventive compound. This study showed that quercetin fermented by Lactobacillus could exhibit low cytotoxicity on normal mucosa cells and improve the function of inhibiting CRC cells. The treatment of CRC cells with fermented quercetin increased the cytotoxicity and enhanced cell death in the presence of resistin. In this study, fermented quercetin induced the cytotoxicity and cell death of 5-FU in resistin-treated CRC cells, which is associated with the downregulation of NLRP3 expression and ERK phosphorylation. These results indicate the role of NLRP3 in the development of drug resistance to 5-FU in CRC cells. Elucidating the mechanism regarding the cytotoxicity effect of quercetin may provide another vision for the development of a chemotherapy strategy for CRC in the future.

Updated Functional Roles of NAMPT in Carcinogenesis and Therapeutic Niches

Simple Summary

The advantages and applications of using the non-invasive way to detect serum biomarkers for assessing cancer diagnosis and prognosis have been explored. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT), also designated as pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF) or visfatin, is a secreted adipokine known to modulate tumor malignancies. Its significance in predicting cancer patient’s survival outcome further renders the implementation of NAMPT in clinical practice. In this review, recent discoveries of NAMPT in cancer studies were focused and integrated. We aim to provide updates for researchers who are proposing relevant objectives.

Abstract

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is notable for its regulatory roles in tumor development and progression. Emerging evidence regarding NAMPT somatic mutations in cancer patients, NAMPT expressional signatures in normal tissues and cancers, and the prognostic significance of NAMPT in many cancer types has attracted attention, and NAMPT is considered a potential biomarker of cancer. Recent discoveries have demonstrated the indirect association and direct biological functions of NAMPT in modulating cancer metastasis, proliferation, angiogenesis, cancer stemness, and chemoresistance to anticancer drugs. These findings warrant further investigation of the underlying mechanisms to provide knowledge for developing novel cancer therapeutics. In this review article, we explore recent research developments involving the oncogenic activities of NAMPT by summarizing current knowledge regarding NAMPT somatic mutations, clinical trials, transcriptome data, and clinical information and discoveries related to the NAMPT-induced signaling pathway in modulating hallmarks of cancer. Furthermore, the comprehensive representation of NAMPT RNA expression in a pancancer panel as well as in specific normal cell types at single-cell level are demonstrated. The results suggest potential sites and cell types that could facilitate NAMPT-related tumorigenesis. With this review, we aim to shed light on the regulatory roles of NAMPT in tumor development and progression, and provide information to guide future research directions in this field.

Association between clinicopathological features of breast cancer with adipocytokine levels and oxidative stress markers before and after chemotherapy

Adipocytokines and markers of oxidative stress have been shown to exhibit potential for detection of advanced stage, HER2/neu status and lymph node metastases in patients with breast cancer, as well as in determining the efficiency of anti-cancer treatments. In the present study, blood concentrations of apelin (APLN), retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in women with breast cancer with different clinicopathological features were measured prior to and following adjuvant chemotherapy. The study included 60 women with breast cancer stratified according to tumor grade and size, HER-2/neu expression, and lymph node and hormone receptor status. Blood samples were taken before and after two cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. None of the clinicopathological features were associated with the baseline concentrations of RBP4, 8-oxo-dG or TAC. An increased baseline concentration of APLN was observed in HER-2/neu positive patients. Moreover, through multivariate logistical regression analysis, APLN was shown to be independently associated with a positive HER/neu status. Chemotherapy treatment did not affect the levels of RBP4 or APLN, or TAC values when assessing all the patients, and when assessing the stratified groups of patients. Only 8-oxo-dG was found to be significantly decreased following drug administration (P=0.0009). This preliminary study demonstrated that APLN is a significant and independent predictor of HER-2/neu positive breast cancer. A significant reduction in 8-oxo-dG levels following chemotherapy may indicate its potential clinical utility in monitoring the effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

High levels of leptin and non-high molecular weight-adiponectin in patients with colorectal cancer: Association with chemotherapy and common genetic polymorphisms

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide. Leptin and adiponectin are hormones produced by adipose tissues, which exhibit opposing effects on tumor growth. Leptin promotes tumor development and metastasis, whereas adiponectin attenuates this. The aim of the present study was to assess the possible association between leptin and adiponectin [both high molecular weight (HMW) and non-HMW factions] levels with CRC, CRC response to chemotherapy, and to study the relationship between LEPR (rs6588147), ADIPO (rs266729), LEP (rs2167270), and ADIPO (rs822369) polymorphisms and CRC. A total of 32 blood samples collected from CRC patients were analyzed to identify the serum levels of leptin and adiponectin, and the presence of CRC related polymorphisms. A total of 25 healthy subjects were recruited in the control group. Serum levels of leptin and adiponectin were detected using ELISA whereas DNA from patients and controls was amplified and analyzed using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. The results showed that the levels of leptin and non-HMW adiponectin were significantly higher in CRC patients compared with the controls (P<0.05). In addition, HMW adiponectin was significantly higher in patients receiving chemotherapy. The association between LEPR (rs6588147), ADIPO (rs266729), LEP (rs2167270) and ADIPO (rs822369) polymorphisms and CRC was not significant (P>0.05). In conclusion, higher leptin and non-HMW adiponectin levels may be associated with increased CRC. Chemotherapy may positively influence the levels of HMW adiponectin. No association between LEPR (rs6588147), ADIPO (rs266729), LEP (rs2167270) and ADIPO (rs822369) polymorphisms with CRC was found.

Prognostic value of visfatin in various human malignancies: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Although numerous studies have shown that visfatin is linked to several cancers, its prognostic value is still unclear. This first comprehensive meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic effect of visfatin in cancer patients. A systematic search was conducted for relevant studies in health-related electronic databases up to May 2019. The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and ORs with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for total and stratified analyses were calculated to demonstrate the prognostic value of visfatin expression level in cancer patients. Heterogeneity and publication bias were also investigated. A total of 14 eligible studies with 1616 patients were included in the current meta-analysis. Pooling results revealed that, high visfatin expression was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.64-3.62, P < 0.001). Elevated visfatin level was also correlated with positive lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.45, 95% CI 1.43-4.17, P ≤ 0.001), positive distance metastasis (OR = 2014, 95% CI 1.25-3.69, P ≤ 0.001), advanced tumor stage (OR = 3.01, 95% CI 1.91-7.72, P ≤ 0.001), and larger tumor size (OR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.49-2.69, P ≤ 0.001). Our meta-results indicates that altered visfatin expression is a potential indicator of poor clinical outcomes in tumor patients, suggesting that high visfatin expression may serve as a potential biomarker of poor prognosis and metastasis in cancers.

Leptin and adiponectin dynamics at patients with rectal neoplasm - Gender differences

Background

Numerous studies associate adipokines with colorectal malignancy, but few data deal with patients suffering exclusively of rectal carcinoma (RC).

Aims

We evaluated leptin and adiponectin levels in RC patients compared to healthy population and their dynamics after surgery.

Material and methods

Serum leptin and adiponectin were evaluated before surgery in 59 RC consecutive patients (38 males and 21 females), and in age and weight matched healthy controls. Measurements were repeated at 24, 72 hours and 7 days after surgery.

Results

Adipokine levels were higher in women. Controls had higher leptin (32.±4.34 vs 9.51±1.73 ng/ml in women and 11±2.66 vs 2.54±0.39 ng/ml in men, p = 0.00048 and 0.0032) and lower adiponectin (9±0.64 vs 11.85±1.02 μg/ml in women and 7.39±0.51 vs 8.5±0.62 μg/ml in men, p = 0.017 and 0.019) than RC patients. Surgery caused an increase of leptin from 5.11±0.8 to 18.7±2.42 ng/ml, p = 6.85 x 10¨⁸, and a decrease of adiponectin from 9.71±0.58 to 7.87±0.47 μg/ml, p = 1.4 x 10¨¹⁰ for all RC patients and returned thereafter to the initial range at 7 days. Adipokines were correlated with body weight (BW). The significance of correlation persisted after surgery only in males, but disappeared in females. Adipokines were not modified by tumor position, presurgical chemoradiotherapy or surgical technique. Women with RC experiencing weight loss had higher adiponectin than women without weight modifications (p<0.05 at all time points).

Conclusions

Adipokine levels of patients with RC differ from the healthy population, possibly reflecting an adaptation to disease. Adipokine modifications after surgery may be related to acute surgical stress. Whether leptin and adiponectin directly interact is not clear. Women have higher adipokine levels, more so after significant weight loss, but the strength of their correlation with BW decreases after surgery. These data suggest gender differences in the adipokine profile of RC patients which may find clinical applications.

The role of visfatin in cancer proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, drug resistance and clinical prognosis

Visfatin, also known as nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase or pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF), is an adipocytokine secreted by adipocytes, macrophages and inflamed endothelial tissue. Related reports have indicated a positive correlation between the visfatin level and obesity and cancer risk. In addition to its original function, visfatin is multifunctional and plays critical roles in the promotion of several processes relevant to cancer progression including cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis and drug resistance. The relative expression of visfatin and the potential visfatin receptor on a pan-cancer scale was determined based on the transcriptome analysis data in The Cancer Genome Atlas. We further show the clinical association of its signaling axis with the survival of cancer patients, which reveals its prognostic power for specific cancer types. This review illustrates visfatin’s biological functions related to cancer progression and demonstrates its clinical significance in predicting outcomes of cancer patients.

Association between rs1862513 and rs3745367 Genetic Polymorphisms of Resistin and Risk of Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

The present study aimed to assess any associations between resistin gene (RETN) polymorphisms and cancer susceptibility by conducting a meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature search was performed with PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar for relevant studies published before April 2018. For the rs1862513 polymorphism, data from 9 studies covering 1,951 cancer patients and 2,295 healthy controls were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Our meta-analysis revealed that this RETN polymorphism significantly increased the risk of cancer in codominant (OR=1.23, 95% CI= 1.01-1.50, p=0.04, CG vs CC; and OR=1.25, 95% CI= 1.03-1.53, p=0.03, GG vs CC), dominant (OR=1.19, 95% CI= 1.05-1.35, p=0.006, CG+GG vs CC), and allele (OR=1.14, 95% CI= 1.00-1.30, p=0.04, G vs C) inheritance genetic models. Stratification analysis by cancer type revealed that the rs1862513 variant significantly increased the risk of colorectal and breast cancer, and that cancer overall in Caucasians (OR=1.22, 95% CI= 1.04-1.43, p=0.02, CG+GG vs CC; OR=1.18, 95% CI= 1.04-1.34, p=0.01, G vs C). The data revealed no correlation between the rs3745367 polymorphism and cancer risk. Further well-designed studies with larger sample sizes and different ethnicities are warranted to validate the present findings.

Novel oncogenic and chemoresistance-inducing functions of resistin in ovarian cancer cells require miRNAs-mediated induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

Resistin plays a role in the growth, proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis and therapeutic resistance in different cancers. However, such effects of resistin have never been evaluated in ovarian cancer, a deadly gynecological malignancy. We observed a significant induction of ovarian cancer cells' growth, invasion and cisplatin resistance, and established a mechanism of resistin action that included induction of EMT and stemness, as evidenced by down-regulated epithelial marker e-cadherin and up-regulated mesenchymal markers vimentin/ ZEB1 and stemness markers sox2, oct4 and nanog. The mechanism also included suppression of tumor suppressor miRNAs, let-7a, miR-200c and miR-186. Over-expression of these miRNAs significantly reversed the resistin-mediated effects on invasion and chemoresistance. We further validated our results in vivo where resistin administration significantly enhanced tumor growth in mice. Our results provide first evidence for such oncogenic effects of resistin in ovarian cancer models and a rationale for future studies to further understand the mechanistic role of resistin in ovarian cancer invasiveness, metastasis and therapy resistance.