Multiple infections and cancer: implications in epidemiology

Unlocking the specificity of antimicrobial peptide interactions for membrane-targeted therapies

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are increasingly recognized as potent therapeutic agents, with their selective affinity for pathological membranes, low toxicity profile, and minimal resistance development making them particularly attractive in the pharmaceutical landscape. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between specific AMPs, including magainin-2, pleurocidin, CM15, LL37, and clavanin, with lipid bilayer models of very different compositions that have been ordinarily used as biological membrane models of healthy mammal, cancerous, and bacterial cells. Employing unbiased molecular dynamics simulations and metadynamics techniques, we have deciphered the intricate mechanisms by which these peptides recognize pathogenic and pathologic lipid patterns and integrate into lipid assemblies. Our findings reveal that the transverse component of the peptide's hydrophobic dipole moment is critical for membrane interaction, decisively influencing the molecule's orientation and expected therapeutic efficacy. Our approach also provides insight on the kinetic and dynamic dependence on the peptide orientation in the axial and azimuthal angles when coming close to the membrane. The aim is to establish a robust framework for the rational design of peptide-based, membrane-targeted therapies, as well as effective quantitative descriptors that can facilitate the automated design of novel AMPs for these therapies using machine learning methods.

Unraveling lipid and inflammation interplay in cancer, aging and infection for novel theranostic approaches

The synergistic relationships between Cancer, Aging, and Infection, here referred to as the CAIn Triangle, are significant determinants in numerous health maladies and mortality rates. The CAIn-related pathologies exhibit close correlations with each other and share two common underlying factors: persistent inflammation and anomalous lipid concentration profiles in the membranes of affected cells. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the most pertinent interconnections within the CAIn Triangle, in addition to examining the relationship between chronic inflammation and specific lipidic compositions in cellular membranes. To tackle the CAIn-associated diseases, a suite of complementary strategies aimed at diagnosis, prevention, and treatment is proffered. Our holistic approach is expected to augment the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying these diseases and highlight the potential of shared features to facilitate the development of novel theranostic strategies.

Evaluation of the association of chronic inflammation and cancer: Insights and implications

Among the most extensively researched processes in the development and treatment of cancer is inflammatory condition. Although acute inflammation is essential for the wound healing and reconstruction of tissues that have been damaged, chronic inflammation may contribute to the onset and growth of a number of diseases, including cancer. By disrupting the signaling processes of cells, which result in cancer induction, invasion, and development, a variety of inflammatory molecules are linked to the development of cancer. The microenvironment surrounding the tumor is greatly influenced by inflammatory cells and their subsequent secretions, which also contribute significantly to the tumor's growth, survivability, and potential migration. These inflammatory variables have been mentioned in several publications as prospective diagnostic tools for anticipating the onset of cancer. Targeting inflammation with various therapies can reduce the inflammatory response and potentially limit or block the proliferation of cancer cells. The scientific medical literature from the past three decades has been studied to determine how inflammatory chemicals and cell signaling pathways related to cancer invasion and metastasis are related. The current narrative review updates the relevant literature while highlighting the specifics of inflammatory signaling pathways in cancer and their possible therapeutic possibilities.

The role of infections in the causation of cancer in Kenya

Cancer constitutes a major health care burden in the world today with the situation worsening in resource poor settings as seen in most Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Infections constitute by far the most common risk factors for cancer in SSA and being a typical country in this region, Kenya has experienced an upsurge in the incidence of various types of cancers in the last few decades. Although there is limited population-based data in Kenya of infections-associated cancers, this review provides an up-to-date literature-based discussion on infections-associated cancers, their pathogenesis, and preventive approaches in the country. The primary infectious agents identified are largely viral (human immunodeficiency virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus, Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus), and also bacterial: Helicobacter pylori and parasitic: Schistosomiasis haematobium. Cancers associated with infections in Kenya are varied but the predominant ones are Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, cervical, liver, and gastric cancers. The mechanisms of infections-induced carcinogenesis are varied but they mainly seem to stem from disruption of signaling, chronic inflammation, and immunosuppression. Based on our findings, actionable cancer-preventive measures that are economically feasible and aligned with existing infrastructure in Kenya include screening and treatment of infections, implementation of cancer awareness and screening, and vaccination against infections primarily HBV and HPV. The development of vaccines against other infectious agents associated with causation of cancer remains also as an important goal in cancer prevention.

Cancer-Associated Microbiota: From Mechanisms of Disease Causation to Microbiota-Centric Anti-Cancer Approaches

Helicobacter pylori infection is the only well-established bacterial cause of cancer. However, due to the integral role of tissue-resident commensals in maintaining tissue-specific immunometabolic homeostasis, accumulated evidence suggests that an imbalance of tissue-resident microbiota that are otherwise considered as commensals, can also promote various types of cancers. Therefore, the present review discusses compelling evidence linking tissue-resident microbiota (especially gut bacteria) with cancer initiation and progression. Experimental evidence supporting the cancer-causing role of gut commensal through the modulation of host-specific processes (e.g., bile acid metabolism, hormonal effects) or by direct DNA damage and toxicity has been discussed. The opportunistic role of commensal through pathoadaptive mutation and overcoming colonization resistance is discussed, and how chronic inflammation triggered by microbiota could be an intermediate in cancer-causing infections has been discussed. Finally, we discuss microbiota-centric strategies, including fecal microbiota transplantation, proven to be beneficial in preventing and treating cancers. Collectively, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of the role of tissue-resident microbiota, their cancer-promoting potentials, and how beneficial bacteria can be used against cancers.

A review on antimicrobial peptides databases and the computational tools

Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) have been considered as potential alternatives for infection therapeutics since antibiotic resistance has been raised as a global problem. The AMPs are a group of natural peptides that play a crucial role in the immune system in various organisms AMPs have features such as a short length and efficiency against microbes. Importantly, they have represented low toxicity in mammals which makes them potential candidates for peptide-based drugs. Nevertheless, the discovery of AMPs is accompanied by several issues which are associated with labour-intensive and time-consuming wet-lab experiments. During the last decades, numerous studies have been conducted on the investigation of AMPs, either natural or synthetic type, and relevant data are recently available in many databases. Through the advancement of computational methods, a great number of AMP data are obtained from publicly accessible databanks, which are valuable resources for mining patterns to design new models for AMP prediction. However, due to the current flaws in assessing computational methods, more interrogations are warranted for accurate evaluation/analysis. Considering the diversity of AMPs and newly reported ones, an improvement in Machine Learning algorithms are crucial. In this review, we aim to provide valuable information about different types of AMPs, their mechanism of action and a landscape of current databases and computational tools as resources to collect AMPs and beneficial tools for the prediction and design of a computational model for new active AMPs.

Caerin 1 Peptides, the Potential Jack-of-All-Trades for the Multiple Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infection Treatment and Cancer Immunotherapy

Antibiotic resistance-related bacterial infections and cancers become huge challenges in human health in the 21^st century. A number of naturally derived antimicrobial peptides possess multiple functions in host defense, including anti-infective and anticancer activities. One of which is known as the caerin 1 family peptides. The microbicidal properties of these peptides have been long discussed. The recent studies also established the usage of two members in this family, caerin 1.1 and caerin 1.9, in antimultiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria species. It is increasingly evident that caerin 1.1 and caerin 1.9 also contain additional activities in the suppression of tumor. In this review, we briefly outline the therapeutic potentials and possible mechanism of action of caerin 1.1 and 1.9 in the treatment of multiple antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection and cancer immunotherapy.

Using Chitosan or Chitosan Derivatives in Cancer Therapy

Cancer is one of the major causes of death worldwide. Chemotherapeutic drugs have become a popular choice as anticancer agents. Despite the therapeutic benefits of chemotherapeutic drugs, patients often experience side effects and drug resistance. Biopolymers could be used to overcome some of the limitations of chemotherapeutic drugs, as well as be used either as anticancer agents or drug delivery vehicles. Chitosan is a biocompatible polymer derived from chitin. Chitosan, chitosan derivatives, or chitosan nanoparticles have shown their promise as an anticancer agent. Additionally, functionally modified chitosan can be used to deliver nucleic acids, chemotherapeutic drugs, and anticancer agents. More importantly, chitosan-based drug delivery systems improved the efficacy, potency, cytotoxicity, or biocompatibility of these anticancer agents. In this review, we will investigate the properties of chitosan and chemically tuned chitosan derivatives, and their application in cancer therapy.

Possible role of HPV/EBV coinfection in anoikis resistance and development in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the possible role of human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) coinfection as an etiological factor for prostate cancer (PCa) development.

METHODS

This case-control study was conducted on 67 patients with PCa and 40 control subjects. The expression levels of cellular and viral factors involved in inflammation, tumor progression, and metastasis were quantified, using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay.

RESULTS

The EBV/HPV coinfection was reported in 14.9% of patients in the case group and 7.5% of the control subjects. The high-risk types of HPV, that is, HPV 16 and HPV 18, were responsible for 50 and 30% of HPV/EBV-coinfected PCa cases (n = 10), respectively. No significant relationship was observed between PCa and HPV/EBV coinfection (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 0.18-45.2, P = 0.31). However, the highest percentage of HPV genome integration was found in the HPV/EBV-coinfected PCa group (8/10; 80%). Also, the mean expression levels of inflammatory factors (IL-17, IL-6, TNF-α, NF-κB, VEGF, ROS, and RNS), anti-apoptotic mediators (Bcl-2 and survivin), and anti-anoikis factors (Twist and N-cadherin) were significantly higher in the HPV/EBV-coinfected PCa group, compared to the non-coinfected PCa cases. Nevertheless, the tumor-suppressor proteins (p53 and pRb) and E-cadherin (inhibitor of anoikis resistance) showed significant downregulations in the HPV/EBV-coinfected PCa group, compared to the non-coinfected PCa cases.

CONCLUSION

The HPV/EBV coinfection may be an etiological factor for PCa through modulation of cellular behaviors.

Copper-binding anticancer peptides from the piscidin family: an expanded mechanism that encompasses physical and chemical bilayer disruption

In the search for novel broad-spectrum therapeutics to fight chronic infections, inflammation, and cancer, host defense peptides (HDPs) have garnered increasing interest. Characterizing their biologically-active conformations and minimum motifs for function represents a requisite step to developing them into efficacious and safe therapeutics. Here, we demonstrate that metallating HDPs with Cu2+ is an effective chemical strategy to improve their cytotoxicity on cancer cells. Mechanistically, we find that prepared as Cu2+-complexes, the peptides not only physically but also chemically damage lipid membranes. Our testing ground features piscidins 1 and 3 (P1/3), two amphipathic, histidine-rich, membrane-interacting, and cell-penetrating HDPs that are α-helical bound to membranes. To investigate their membrane location, permeabilization effects, and lipid-oxidation capability, we employ neutron reflectometry, impedance spectroscopy, neutron diffraction, and UV spectroscopy. While P1-apo is more potent than P3-apo, metallation boosts their cytotoxicities by up to two- and seven-fold, respectively. Remarkably, P3-Cu2+ is particularly effective at inserting in bilayers, causing water crevices in the hydrocarbon region and placing Cu2+ near the double bonds of the acyl chains, as needed to oxidize them. This study points at a new paradigm where complexing HDPs with Cu2+ to expand their mechanistic reach could be explored to design more potent peptide-based anticancer therapeutics.

Sarcomas of the sellar region: a systematic review

PURPOSE AND METHODS

Sarcomas of the sellar region are uncommon and unexpected tumors. Here, we review the cases reported in literature via a systematic search.

RESULTS

Ninety-four patients, 58.5% male with mean age of 39.2 ± 17.2 years were included. Fifty-seven (62%) had soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and 35 (38%) bone sarcomas (BS). Sarcoma was a primary tumor in 66%, developed after radiotherapy in 31.9% and 7.4% were metastatic. Median time between radiotherapy and sarcoma development was 10.5 (11) years. Main presentation symptoms were visual disorders (87.9%), headache (61.5%) and III cranial nerve palsy (24.1%). After surgery, sarcoma persisted or recurred in 82.3% and overall mortality reported was 44.6% with 6.5 (14) months of median survival. Tumor appeared earlier in BS compared to STS (34.4 ± 15.1 vs. 42.6 ± 17.6 years), p = 0.034 and complete tumor resection was achieved more often (41.3% vs. 4.4%), p =  < 0.001. Condrosarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma were more frequent subtypes among primary tumors while fibrosarcoma was among post-radiation sarcomas. Tumor size was larger in radiation associated sarcomas (mean maximum diameter 46.3 ± 9.3 vs. 29.1 ± 8.0 mm, p = 0.004) and persistency/recurrence was similar in both groups (70.1 vs. 73.3%, p = 0.259).

CONCLUSION

Sarcomas appear as mass effect symptoms in the middle aged population, mainly as primary tumors, but one third is associated with radiotherapy. Surgery is commonly not curative, mortality rate is high and death ensues shortly after diagnosis.

Dysregulation of hsa-miR-34a and hsa-miR-449a leads to overexpression of PACS-1 and loss of DNA damage response (DDR) in cervical cancer

We have observed overexpression of PACS-1, a cytosolic sorting protein in primary cervical tumors. Absence of exonic mutations and overexpression at the RNA level suggested a transcriptional and/or posttranscriptional regulation. University of California Santa Cruz genome browser analysis of PACS-1 micro RNAs (miR), revealed two 8-base target sequences at the 3' terminus for hsa-miR-34a and hsa-miR-449a. Quantitative RT-PCR and Northern blotting studies showed reduced or loss of expression of the two microRNAs in cervical cancer cell lines and primary tumors, indicating dysregulation of these two microRNAs in cervical cancer. Loss of PACS-1 with siRNA or exogenous expression of hsa-miR-34a or hsa-miR-449a in HeLa and SiHa cervical cancer cell lines resulted in DNA damage response, S-phase cell cycle arrest, and reduction in cell growth. Furthermore, the siRNA studies showed that loss of PACS-1 expression was accompanied by increased nuclear γH2AX expression, Lys382-p53 acetylation, and genomic instability. PACS-1 re-expression through LNA-hsa-anti-miR-34a or -449a or through PACS-1 cDNA transfection led to the reversal of DNA damage response and restoration of cell growth. Release of cells post 24-h serum starvation showed PACS-1 nuclear localization at G1-S phase of the cell cycle. Our results therefore indicate that the loss of hsa-miR-34a and hsa-miR-449a expression in cervical cancer leads to overexpression of PACS-1 and suppression of DNA damage response, resulting in the development of chemo-resistant tumors.

Cost-effectiveness analysis and budget impact of rivaroxaban compared with dalteparin in patients with cancer at risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism

OBJECTIVES

In the 'Comparison of an Oral Factor Xa Inhibitor With Low Molecular Weight Heparin in Patients With Cancer With Venous Thromboembolism' (SELECT-D) trial, rivaroxaban showed relatively low venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence but higher bleeding compared with dalteparin in patients with cancer. We aim to calculate the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of rivaroxaban compared with dalteparin in patients with cancer at risk of recurrent VTE.

SETTING

We built a Markov model to calculate the cost-effectiveness from a societal perspective over a 5-year time horizon for the Dutch healthcare setting.

PARTICIPANTS

A hypothetical cohort of 1000 cancer patients with VTE entered the model with baseline characteristics based on the SELECT-D trial.

INTERVENTION

Six months of treatment with rivaroxaban (15 mg two times per day for first 3 weeks followed by 20 mg once daily) was compared with 6 months of treatment with dalteparin (200 IU/kg daily during month 1 followed by 150 IU/kg daily).

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome of the cost-effectiveness analysis was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The robustness of the model was evaluated in probabilistic and univariate sensitivity analyses. A budget impact analysis was performed to calculate the total annual financial consequences for a societal perspective in the Netherlands.

RESULTS

In the base case and all scenarios, rivaroxaban were cost-saving while also slightly improving the patient's health, resulting in economically dominant ICERs. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, 77.8% and 98.7% of the simulations showed rivaroxaban to be cost-saving and more effective for a 5-year and 6-month time horizon, respectively. Rivaroxaban can save up to €11 326 763 (CI €5 164 254 to €17 363 231) in approximately 8000 cancer patients with VTE per year compared with dalteparin based on a 1-year time horizon.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with rivaroxaban is economically dominant over dalteparin in patients with cancer at risk for recurrent VTE in the Netherlands. The use of rivaroxaban instead of dalteparin can save over €10 million per year, primarily driven by the difference in drug costs.

Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) in Oropharyngeal Cancer Associated with EBV and HPV Coinfection

Recent reports have pointed to the link between persistent inflammation, oxidative stress, and carcinogenesis; however most of the studies concerning the role of viruses in head and neck cancer (HNC) are focused mainly on one type of virus. Our present study aimed to study the relationship between Epstein-Barr virus/human papilloma virus (EBV/HPV) coinfection and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) level in oropharyngeal cancer. Fresh-frozen tumor tissue samples were collected from 128 patients with oropharyngeal cancer infected with EBV or HPV or with EBV/HPV coinfection. After DNA extraction, EBV and HPV DNA was detected using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. GPx and SOD activity was determined in homogenates of cancer tissue using diagnostic kits produced by Randox Laboratories. Both GPx and SOD activity was statistically lower in patients with EBV/HPV coinfection than in a single EBV or HPV infection. Analysis of GPx and SOD activity in relation to histological grading and tumor, node (TN) classification revealed that in poorly-differentiated tumors, the level of antioxidant enzymes was lower compared with well-differentiated lesions and in cases with greater tumor dimensions and lymph-node involvement, both GPx and SOD activity was decreased. Further studies are necessary to clarify the influence of interplay between EBV, HPV, and oxidative stress on malignant transformation of upper aerodigestive tract epithelial cells.

Dual Role of Bacteria in Carcinoma: Stimulation and Inhibition

Although what unifies the carcinogenic microorganisms has not been determined by multiple studies, the role of bacteria in the development of neoplasms has not been properly elucidated. In this review, we discuss links between the bacterial species and cancer, with focus on immune responses for the stimulation of tumor cells such as induction of inflammation. Finally, we will describe the potential therapeutic strategies of bacteria on target tumors to improve treatment while mitigating adverse reactions. Cancer is a series of genetic changes that transform normal cells into tumor cells. These changes come from several reasons, including smoking, drinking alcohol, sunlight, exposure to chemical or physical factors, and finally chronic infection with microorganisms, including bacteria. In fact, bacterial infections are not carcinogenic, but recently it was discovered that the association between bacteria and cancer is through two mechanisms, the first stimulating chronic inflammation and the second producing carcinogenic metabolites. While bacteria are carcinogenic agents also, they have a dual role eliminating and removing tumor cells. However, the traditional cancer treatments that include chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, and immunotherapy increase the chances of survival, and there are many side effects of these therapies, including the high toxicity of tissues and normal cells, could not penetrate the tumor cells, and resistance of these therapies by tumor cells. Therefore, the world has turned to an alternative solution, which is the use of genetically engineered microorganisms; thus, the use of living bacteria targeting cancerous cells is the unique option to overcome these challenges. Bacterial therapies, whether used alone or combination with chemotherapy, give a positive effect to treat multiple conditions of cancer. Also, bacteria can be used as vectors for drug, gene, or therapy, and this is a great step to treat cancer. Thus, we review the mechanisms underlying the interaction of the microbiota residents with cancer. Cancer-associated bacteria differ from those in healthy human and are linked with gene-expression profile. We also discuss how live bacteria interact with tumor microenvironments to induce tumor regression through colonization and spread. Finally, we provide past and ongoing clinical trials that include bacteria targeting tumors.

Systemic Pharmacological Approach to Identification and Experimental Verification of the Effect of Anisi Stellati Fructus Extract on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells

Anisi stellati fructus (ASF) is the dried fruit of the Illicium verum Hook.f. tree. The aim of this research was to evaluate the antileukemic effect of ASF on chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells, which was hypothesized from the systemic pharmacological analysis of ASF, focusing on the combined effect of ASF extract (ASFE) and imatinib (IM). The compounds of ASF were identified using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database and analysis platform. The target gene information was acquired from the UniProt database. The compound and target interaction network was generated from Cytoscape 3.7.1. Using this analysis, 10 compounds effective against CML cells were obtained. ASFE was prepared and analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography to provide experimental proof for the relationship between ASF and CML. The anti-p210^Bcr-Abl effects of ASFE and ASFE + IM combination were evaluated by western blotting. Either ASFE alone or in combined treatment with IM on K-562 CML cells resulted in a significant reduction of the Bcr-Abl levels. As expected from the systemic analysis results, ASF had antileukemic activity, showing that it is a potential therapy for CML.

In Vitro and MD Simulation Study to Explore Physicochemical Parameters for Antibacterial Peptide to Become Potent Anticancer Peptide

Although the physicochemical properties of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and anticancer peptides (ACPs) are very similar, it remains unclear which specific parameter(s) of ACPs confer the major anticancer activity. By answering how to construct a short AMP/ACP that could easily be synthesized in the most cost effective way plus conferring a maximum anticancer effect is a very important scientific breakthrough in the development of protein/peptide drugs. In this study, an 18-amino-acids antimicrobial peptide, AcrAP1 (named AP1-Z1), was used as a template. Bioinformatics algorithms were then performed to design its six mutants (AP1-Z3a, AP1-Z3b, AP1-Z5a, AP1-Z5b, AP1-Z7, and AP1-Z9). After a series of in vitro experiments plus intensive computational analysis, the data demonstrated that AP1-Z5a and AP1-Z5b induced both apoptosis and anti-angiogenic effects to achieve the maximum anticancer activity. Specifically, the most effective mutant, AP1-Z5b, exhibited high selectivity for the charged membrane in molecular dynamics simulations. These findings clearly demonstrated that both charge and hydrophobicity play an important role and are necessary to reach an optimum equilibrium for optimizing the anticancer activity of AMPs. Overall, the present study provides a very crucial theoretical basis and important scientific evidence on the key physicochemical parameters of ACP drugs development.

Bacterial Proteinaceous Compounds With Multiple Activities Toward Cancers and Microbial Infection

In recent decades, cancer and multidrug resistance have become a worldwide problem, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Some infectious agents like Streptococcus pneumoniae, Stomatococcus mucilaginous, Staphylococcus spp., E. coli. Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida spp., Helicobacter pylori, hepatitis B and C, and human papillomaviruses (HPV) have been associated with the development of cancer. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and antibiotics are the conventional treatment for cancer and infectious disease. This treatment causes damage in healthy cells and tissues, and usually triggers systemic side-effects, as well as drug resistance. Therefore, the search for new treatments is urgent, in order to improve efficacy and also reduce side-effects. Proteins and peptides originating from bacteria can thus be a promising alternative to conventional treatments used nowadays against cancer and infectious disease. These molecules have demonstrated specific activity against cancer cells and bacterial infection; indeed, proteins and peptides can be considered as future antimicrobial and anticancer drugs. In this context, this review will focus on the desirable characteristics of proteins and peptides from bacterial sources that demonstrated activity against microbial infections and cancer, as well as their efficacy in vitro and in vivo.

Genetic variations of TLRs and their association with HPV/EBV, co-infection along with nicotine exposure in the development of premalignant/malignant lesions of the oral cavity in Indian population

BACKGROUND

Despite being most preventable malignancies associated with smoked and smokeless tobacco products, squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity is one of the most common malignancy in India. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of TLRs in oral pre-cancerous, cancerous cases and their genotypic correlation with HPV/EBV, co-infection & lifestyle habits in Indian population.

METHODS

The present study was conducted on 300 subjects (100 OSCC, 50 pre-cancer & 150 controls). The amplification of TLRs gene and HPV/EBV co-infection was assessed by Nested PCR, PCR-RFLP and further confirmation by direct sequencing.

RESULTS

The TLR 9(-1486 T/C), revealed that the TT vs. CT + CC genotype had a ˜5-fold increased risk for the development of pre-cancerous lesions as compared to controls (p = 0.0001). Further analysis showed that the risk of cancer was extremely pronounced in HPV/EBV, co-infection (p = 0.0141), implicating the possible interaction between TLR 9(-1486T/C) genotype and HPV infection in increasing cancer/pre-cancer risk. The 'G' allele of TLR 4(+896A/G) was also a higher risk of developing pre-cancerous lesions with 4.5 fold and statistically significant (p = 0.0001). The genotypic association of TLR 9(-1486T/C) in OSMF cases showed ˜8 fold increased risk and TLR 4(+896A/G) showed fourteen fold higher risk for leukoplakia (p < 0.0001, OR = 14.000).

CONCLUSION

Genetic polymorphism of TLR 9(-1486 T/C) and TLR 4(+896A/G) may influence the effects of HPV/EBV, co-infection and play the significant role in development of the disease. The significance of these TLRs seemed to be enhanced by tobacco chewing and smoking habits also, which act as an important etiological risk factor for OSCC.

Subclinical Lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella Enteritidis Induces Dysregulation of Bioactive Substances from Selected Brain Sections and Glands of Neuroendocrine Axes

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can contribute to the pathogenesis and the clinical symptoms of many diseases such as cancer, mental disorders, neurodegenerative as well as metabolic diseases. The asymptomatic carrier state of Salmonella spp. is a very important public health problem. A subclinical single dose of LPS obtained from S. Enteritidis (5 μg/kg, i.v.) was administered to discern the consequences of changes of various brain peptides such as corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), galanin (GAL), neuropeptide Y (NPY), somatostatin (SOM), substance P (SP), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in selected clinically important brain sections and endocrine glands of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA), -thyroid (HPT), -ovarian (HPO) axes. The study was conducted on ten immature crossbred female pigs. The brain peptides were extracted from the hypothalamus (medial basal hypothalamus, preoptic area, lateral hypothalamic area, mammillary bodies, and the stalk median eminence), and pituitary gland (adenohypophysis and neurohypophysis) sections and from the ovaries and adrenal and thyroid glands. There was no difference in health status between LPS and the control groups during the period of the experiment. Nevertheless, even a low single dose of LPS from S. Enteritidis that did not result in any clinical symptoms of disease induced dysregulation of various brain peptides, such as CRH, GnRH, TRH, GAL, NPY, SOM, SP, and VIP in selected brain sections of hypothalamus, pituitary gland and in the endocrine glands of the HPA, HPO, and HPT axes. In conclusion, the obtained results clearly show that subclinical LPS from S. Enteritidis can affect the brain chemistry structure and dysregulate bioactive substance from selected brain sections and glands of the neuroendocrine axes. The exact mechanisms by which LPS can influence major neuroendocrine axes are not fully understood and require further studies.

Neuroimmunological Implications of Subclinical Lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella Enteritidis

Mounting evidence has indicated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is implicated in neuroimmunological responses, but the body’s response to subclinical doses of bacterial endotoxin remains poorly understood. The influence of a low single dose of LPS from Salmonella Enteritidis, which does not result in any clinical symptoms of intoxication (subclinical lipopolysaccharide), on selected cells and signal molecules of the neuroimmune system was tested. Five juvenile crossbred female pigs were intravenously injected with LPS from S. Enteritidis (5 μg/kg body weight (b.w.)), while five pigs from the control group received sodium chloride in the same way. Our data demonstrated that subclinical LPS from S. Enteritidis increased levels of dopamine in the brain and neuropeptides such as substance P (SP), galanin (GAL), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and active intestinal peptide (VIP) in the cervical lymph nodes with serum hyperhaptoglobinaemia and reduction of plasma CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocytes seven days after lipopolysaccharide administration. CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocytes from the cervical lymph node and serum interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor α showed no significant differences between the control and lipopolysaccharide groups. Subclinical lipopolysaccharide from S. Enteritidis can affect cells and signal molecules of the neuroimmune system. The presence of subclinical lipopolysaccharide from S. Enteritidis is associated with unknown prolonged consequences and may require eradication and a deeper search into the asymptomatic carrier state of Salmonella spp.

Unraveling the bioactivity of anticancer peptides as deduced from machine learning

Cancer imposes a global health burden as it represents one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality while also giving rise to significant economic burden owing to the associated expenditures for its monitoring and treatment. In spite of advancements in cancer therapy, the low success rate and recurrence of tumor has necessitated the ongoing search for new therapeutic agents. Aside from drugs based on small molecules and protein-based biopharmaceuticals, there has been an intense effort geared towards the development of peptide-based therapeutics owing to its favorable and intrinsic properties of being relatively small, highly selective, potent, safe and low in production costs. In spite of these advantages, there are several inherent weaknesses that are in need of attention in the design and development of therapeutic peptides. An abundance of data on bioactive and therapeutic peptides have been accumulated over the years and the burgeoning area of artificial intelligence has set the stage for the lucrative utilization of machine learning to make sense of these large and high-dimensional data. This review summarizes the current state-of-the-art on the application of machine learning for studying the bioactivity of anticancer peptides along with future outlook of the field. Data and R codes used in the analysis herein are available on GitHub at https://github.com/Shoombuatong2527/anticancer-peptides-review.

Streptococcus endopeptidases promote HPV infection in vitro

Both cervical and throat cancers are associated with human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infection requires cleavage of the minor capsid protein L2 by furin. While furin is present in the vaginal epithelium, it is absent in oral epithelial basal cells where HPV infection occurs. The objective of this study was to investigate whether common oral bacteria express furin‐like peptidases. By screening strains representing 12 oral Streptococcus and Enterococcus species, we identified that eight Streptococcus strains displayed high levels of furin‐like peptidase activity, with S. gordonii V2016 the highest. We constructed null mutations for 14 genes encoding putative endopeptidases in S. gordonii V2016. Results showed that three endopeptidases, PepO, PulO, and SepM, had furin‐like activities. All three mutants showed decreased natural transformation by chromosomal DNA, while the pepO mutant also showed reduced transformation by plasmid DNA, indicating involvement of these endopeptidases in competence development. The purified S. gordonii PepO protein promoted infection of epithelial 293TT cells in vitro by HPV16 pseudovirus. In conclusion, oral bacteria might promote HPV infection and contribute to HPV tissue tropism and subsequent carcinogenesis in the oral cavity and throat by providing furin‐like endopeptidases.

Coinfection with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Polyoma BK Virus (BKPyV) in Laryngeal, Oropharyngeal and Oral Cavity Cancer

Most research providing evidence for the role of oncogenic viruses in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) development is focused on one type of virus without analyzing possible interactions between two or more types of viruses. The aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of co-infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and polyoma BK virus (BKPyV) in oral, oropharyngeal and laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas in Polish patients. The correlations between viral infection, SCC, demographic parameters, evidence of metastases and grading were also investigated. Fresh-frozen tumour tissue samples were collected from 146 patients with laryngeal, oropharyngeal and oral cancer. After DNA extraction, the DNA of the studied viruses was detected using polymerase chain rection (PCR) assay. Males (87.7%) with a history of smoking (70.6%) and alcohol abuse (59.6%) prevailed in the studied group. Histological type G2 was recognized in 64.4% cases. The patients were most frequently diagnosed with T2 stage (36.3%) and with N1 stage (45.8%). Infection with at least two viruses was detected in 56.2% of patients. In this group, co-infection with HPV/EBV was identified in 34.1% of cases, EBV/BKV in 23.2%, HPV/BKV in 22.0%, and HPV/EBV/BKV in 20.7%. No difference of multiple infection in different locations of cancer was observed. The prevalence of poorly differentiated tumours (G3) was more frequent in co-infection with all three viruses than EBV or BKV alone. A significant correlation was observed between tumour dimensions (T) and lymph-node involvement (N) in co-infected patients compared to single infection. Further studies are necessary to clarify whether co-infection plays an important role in the initiation and/or progression of oncogenic transformation of oral, oropharyngeal and laryngeal epithelial cells.

Seasonal trends of diagnosis of childhood malignant diseases and viral prevalence in South Korea

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The present study analyzed the diagnosis pattern of childhood malignant diseases using public health data and viral surveillance data in Korea.

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The number of newly diagnosis showed the highest monthly average in January, and the lowest in September.

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Seasonal trends were apparent in acute myeloid leukemia, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia and germ cell tumors.

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In winter, significantly more patients were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neuroblastoma, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma than in other seasons.

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There was a temporal correlation with the diagnostic trends of several diseases and the prevalence of recent human parainfluenza virus.

Background

Several studies have reported a seasonal trend in the diagnosis of childhood cancer suggesting seasonal factors such as infection. The present study aimed to analyze the diagnosis pattern of childhood malignant diseases using public health data, and to compare this pattern with seasonal viral infection trends.

Method

Using the open data source of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, we extracted data regarding all patients under 21 years of age and who had any cancer, aplastic anemia or myelodysplastic syndrome between September 2009 and December 2013. The positive detection rates of 11 viruses was collected from the surveillance data of Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and seasonality analysis were conducted with both data.

Results

In total, 9085 patients were diagnosed with malignant disease during the study period; there were about 175 new cases per month on average. Monthly stacked time series by year showed an apparent seasonal variation with the highest monthly average in January as 236, and the lowest in September as 120. In winter, significantly more patients were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, neuroblastoma, and Hodgkin’s lymphoma than in other seasons. There was a temporal correlation with the diagnostic trends of several diseases and the prevalence of recent human parainfluenza virus.

Conclusion

This study tentatively suggests that the diagnosis of childhood malignancy follows a seasonal trend in Korea, and has a possible correlation with viral prevalence in several diseases. Further long-term analysis of epidemiological data is needed to explore possible causality.

Interferon Gamma Prevents Infectious Entry of Human Papillomavirus 16 via an L2-Dependent Mechanism

In this study, we report that gamma interferon (IFN-γ) treatment, but not IFN-α, -β, or -λ treatment, dramatically decreased infection of human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) pseudovirus (PsV). In a survey of 20 additional HPV and animal papillomavirus types, we found that many, but not all, PsV types were also inhibited by IFN-γ. Microscopic and biochemical analyses of HPV16 PsV determined that the antiviral effect was exerted at the level of endosomal processing of the incoming capsid and depended on the JAK2/STAT1 pathway. In contrast to infection in the absence of IFN-γ, where L1 proteolytic products are produced during endosomal capsid processing and L2/DNA complexes segregate from L1 in the late endosome and travel to the nucleus, IFN-γ treatment led to decreased L1 proteolysis and retention of L2 and the viral genome in the late endosome/lysosome. PsV sensitivity or resistance to IFN-γ treatment was mapped to the L2 protein, as determined with infectious hybrid PsV, in which the L1 protein was derived from an IFN-γ-sensitive HPV type and the L2 protein from an IFN-γ-insensitive type or vice versa.IMPORTANCE A subset of HPV are the causative agents of many human cancers, most notably cervical cancer. This work describes the inhibition of infection of multiple HPV types, including oncogenic types, by treatment with IFN-γ, an antiviral cytokine that is released from stimulated immune cells. Exposure of cells to IFN-γ has been shown to trigger the expression of proteins with broad antiviral effector functions, most of which act to prevent viral transcription or translation. Interestingly, in this study, we show that infection is blocked at the early step of virus entry into the host cell by retention of the minor capsid protein, L2, and the viral genome instead of trafficking into the nucleus. Thus, a novel antiviral mechanism for IFN-γ has been revealed.

Peptides with Dual Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities

In recent years, the number of people suffering from cancer and multi-resistant infections has increased, such that both diseases are already seen as current and future major causes of death. Moreover, chronic infections are one of the main causes of cancer, due to the instability in the immune system that allows cancer cells to proliferate. Likewise, the physical debility associated with cancer or with anticancer therapy itself often paves the way for opportunistic infections. It is urgent to develop new therapeutic methods, with higher efficiency and lower side effects. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are found in the innate immune system of a wide range of organisms. Identified as the most promising alternative to conventional molecules used nowadays against infections, some of them have been shown to have dual activity, both as antimicrobial and anticancer peptides (ACPs). Highly cationic and amphipathic, they have demonstrated efficacy against both conditions, with the number of nature-driven or synthetically designed peptides increasing year by year. With similar properties, AMPs that can also act as ACPs are viewed as future chemotherapeutic drugs, with the advantage of low propensity to resistance, which started this paradigm in the pharmaceutical market. These peptides have already been described as molecules presenting killing mechanisms at the membrane level, but also acting toward intracellular targets, which increases their success compartively to one-target specific drugs. This review will approach the desirable characteristics of small peptides that demonstrated dual activity against microbial infections and cancer, as well as the peptides engaged in clinical trials.

Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus among Hakka women in China

BACKGROUND

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the primary risk factor for cervical cancer. HPV genotypes are associated with varying degrees of pathogenicity. To better formulate strategies for cervical cancer prevention, we investigated the population-specific distribution of HPV genotypes, including those with high carcinogenicity.

METHODS

From January to December 2012, a cervical cancer-screening program for HPV infection in Hakka women of Heyuan City Guangdong province was conducted. Of 736,000 women residents, 8,284 volunteers were recruited. The cytology specimens of 107 women were not adequate and excluded. Thus, 8,177 women submitted to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing of 16 HPV genotypes via MassARRAY spectrometry.

RESULTS

Risk stratification based on genotypes indicated that the prevalence of overall, high-risk, and low-risk HPV infections was 12.27%, 14.20%, and 0.79%, respectively. Of the 1,003 women positively infected, 82.75% were infected with a single HPV type; 17.25% were infected with ≥2 types. Analysis revealed a U-shaped curve in HPV prevalence that correlated with age group, with peaks at ages 18-24 y (22.03%) and 60-65 y (25%). The most frequently detected HPV genotype was HPV-52 (26.81%), and then HPV-16 (17.54%), HPV-58 (14.25%), HPV-18 (10.16%), HPV-68 (8.27%), HPV-39 (5.68%), and HPV-51 (5.38%).

CONCLUSIONS

HPV-52 is the most prevalent genotype infecting Hakka women. Therefore, vaccination against HPV-52 is imperative. The prevalence of HPV infection is highest in the younger (18-24 y) and older (60-65 y) age groups, indicating that screening for HPV in Hakka women should be performed early and maintained in the elderly.

Cystatin E/M Suppresses Tumor Cell Growth through Cytoplasmic Retention of NF-κB

We and others have shown that the cystatin E/M gene is inactivated in primary human tumors, pointing to its role as a tumor suppressor gene. However, the molecular mechanism of tumor suppression is not yet understood. Using plasmid-directed cystatin E/M gene overexpression, a lentivirus-mediated tetracycline-inducible vector system, and human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) E6 and E7 gene-immortalized normal human epidermal keratinocytes, we demonstrated intracellular and non-cell-autonomous apoptotic growth inhibition of tumor cell lines and that growth inhibition is associated with cytoplasmic retention of NF-κB. We further demonstrated decreased phosphorylation of IκB kinase (IKKβ) and IκBα in the presence of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), confirming the role of cystatin E/M in the regulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Growth suppression of nude mouse xenograft tumors carrying a tetracycline-inducible vector system was observed with the addition of doxycycline in drinking water, confirming that the cystatin E/M gene is a tumor suppressor gene. Finally, immunohistochemical analyses of cervical carcinoma in situ and primary tumors have shown a statistically significant inverse relationship between the expression of cystatin E/M and cathepsin L and a direct relationship between the loss of cystatin E/M expression and nuclear expression of NF-κB. We therefore propose that the cystatin E/M suppressor gene plays an important role in the regulation of NF-κB.

Infective Endocarditis and Cancer Risk: A Population-Based Cohort Study

This study investigated the possible relationship between endocarditis and overall and individual cancer risk among study participants in Taiwan.We used data from the National Health Insurance program of Taiwan to conduct a population-based, observational, and retrospective cohort study. The case group consisted of 14,534 patients who were diagnosed with endocarditis between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2010. For the control group, 4 patients without endocarditis were frequency matched to each endocarditis patient according to age, sex, and index year. Competing risks regression analysis was conducted to determine the effect of endocarditis on cancer risk.A large difference was noted in Charlson comorbidity index between endocarditis and nonendocarditis patients. In patients with endocarditis, the risk for developing overall cancer was significant and 119% higher than in patients without endocarditis (adjusted subhazard ratio = 2.19, 95% confidence interval = 1.98-2.42). Regarding individual cancers, in addition to head and neck, uterus, female breast and hematological malignancies, the risks of developing colorectal cancer, and some digestive tract cancers were significantly higher. Additional analyses determined that the association of cancer with endocarditis is stronger within the 1st 5 years after endocarditis diagnosis.This population-based cohort study found that patients with endocarditis are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer and other cancers in Taiwan. The risk was even higher within the 1st 5 years after endocarditis diagnosis. It suggested that endocarditis is an early marker of colorectal cancer and other cancers. The underlying mechanisms must still be explored and may account for a shared risk factor of infection in both endocarditis and malignancy.

Distribution and features of hematological malignancies in Eastern Morocco: a retrospective multicenter study over 5 years

Background

Hematological malignancies (HM) are a public health problem. The pattern and distribution of diagnosed hematological cancers vary depending on age, sex, geography, and ethnicity suggesting the involvement of genetic and environmental factors for the development of these diseases. To our knowledge, there is no published report on HM in the case of Eastern Morocco. In this report we present for the first time the overall pattern of HM for this region.

Methods

Retrospective descriptive study of patients diagnosed with HM between January 2008 and December 2012 in three centres in Eastern Morocco providing cancer diagnosis, treatment or palliative care services. The FAB (French-American-British) classification system has been taken into account in the analysis of myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms.

Results

In this study, a total of 660 cases of HM were registered between January 2008 and December 2012. Overall, 6075 cases of cancers all sites combined were registered during this study period, indicating that HM account for around 10.9 % (660/6075) of all cancers recorded. Among the 660 registered cases of HM, 53 % were males and 47 % were females, with a male to female ratio of 1.1. Thus, overall, men are slightly more affected with HM than women. By contrast, a female predominance was observed in the case of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). HM occur at a relatively young age, with an overall median age at diagnosis of 54 years. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) was the most common HM accounting for 29.7 % of all HM, followed by HL, MPN, multiple myelomas (MM), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), AML, MDS, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). The majority of HM cases have been observed among patients aged 60 years and over (40.4 % of HM). Among this age group, NHL was the most common HM. In adolescents, HL was the most frequent HM.

Conclusions

This study provided for the first time the pattern and distribution of HM in Eastern Morocco. Our findings justify the need to establish a regional cancer registry as a first step in blood cancer control in Eastern Morocco.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-016-2205-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Epigenetic biomarkers in liver cancer

Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC) is a major cancer worldwide. Research in this field is needed to identify biomarkers that can be used for early detection of the disease as well as new approaches to its treatment. Epigenetic biomarkers provide an opportunity to understand liver cancer etiology and evaluate novel epigenetic inhibitors for treatment. Traditionally, liver cirrhosis, proteomic biomarkers, and the presence of hepatitis viruses have been used for the detection and diagnosis of liver cancer. Promising results from microRNA (miRNA) profiling and hypermethylation of selected genes have raised hopes of identifying new biomarkers. Some of these epigenetic biomarkers may be useful in risk assessment and for screening populations to identify who is likely to develop cancer. Challenges and opportunities in the field are discussed in this chapter.

Human papillomavirus 16 infection as a potential risk factor for prostate cancer: an adaptive meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Although an expert review published in 2013 concluded that an association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and prostate cancer (PCa) risk had not yet been firmly established, a 2011 systematic review of 14 articles revealed an increased prevalence of HPV-16 DNA in PCa tissues. Another meta-analysis of the related articles is needed to evaluate the potential link between HPV infection and PCa risk.

METHODS

A snowballing search strategy was applied to the previously cited articles in the above-mentioned expert review and systematic review. Additional articles selected for this meta-analysis should fulfill all following inclusion criteria: (a) evaluation of detected HPV-16 DNA in tissue samples and the PCa risk and (b) report of the HPV-16 prevalence in both cancer and control tissues. Estimated summary odds ratios (sOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using fixed effect or random-effect models.

RESULTS

Hand searching identified 16 new articles. The sOR of the total 30 articles indicated a significant HPV-16 infection-related increase in the PCa risk (sOR, 1.851; 95% CI, 1.353 to 2.532, I(2)=37.82%).

CONCLUSIONS

These facts provide additional supportive evidence for a causal role of HPV-16 infection in prostate carcinogenesis. As the PCa incidence rates have increased rapidly in Asian countries, including Korea, during the last several decades, further studies of HPV-related PCa carcinogenesis may be necessary.

Exploring in vitro and in vivo Hsp90 inhibitors activity against human protozoan parasites

A set of compounds, previously selected as potent Hsp90α inhibitors, has been studied on a panel of human parasites. 5-Aryl-3,4-isoxazolediamide derivatives (1) were active against two protozoa, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Plasmodium falciparum, with a good tolerability toward cytotoxicity on non-malignant L6 rat myoblast cell line, unlike the 1,5-diaryl,4-carboxamides-1,2,3-triazole derivatives (2) which, while showing a single-digit nM range activity against the same protozoa, were also highly cytotoxic on L6 cells. In a subsequent in vivo study, two isoxazolediamide derivatives, 1a and 1b, were very efficacious on the sleeping sickness-causing agent with a clear parasitaemia during treatment. These data, however, showed that not all protozoa are sensitive to Hsp90 inhibitors, as well as not all Hsp90 inhibitors are equally active on parasites.