Calorie restriction and breast cancer treatment: a mini-review

Nutritional strategies in oncology: The role of dietary patterns in modulating tumor progression and treatment response

Dietary interventions can influence tumor growth by restricting tumor-specific nutritional requirements, altering the nutrient availability in the tumor microenvironment, or enhancing the cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs. Metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells, as a significant hallmark of tumor progression, has a profound impact on immune regulation, severely hindering tumor eradication. Dietary interventions can modify tumor metabolic processes to some extent, thereby further improving the efficacy of tumor treatment. In this review, we emphasize the impact of dietary patterns on tumor progression. By exploring the metabolic differences of nutrients in normal cells versus cancer cells, we further clarify how dietary patterns influence cancer treatment. We also discuss the effects of dietary patterns on traditional treatments such as immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and the gut microbiome, thereby underscoring the importance of precision nutrition.

Cell Death: Mechanisms and Potential Targets in Breast Cancer Therapy

Breast cancer (BC) has become the most life-threatening cancer to women worldwide, with multiple subtypes, poor prognosis, and rising mortality. The molecular heterogeneity of BC limits the efficacy and represents challenges for existing therapies, mainly due to the unpredictable clinical response, the reason for which probably lies in the interactions and alterations of diverse cell death pathways. However, most studies and drugs have focused on a single type of cell death, while the therapeutic opportunities related to other cell death pathways are often neglected. Therefore, it is critical to identify the predominant type of cell death, the transition to different cell death patterns during treatment, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms in BC. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of various forms of cell death, including PANoptosis (pyroptosis, apoptosis, necroptosis), autophagy, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis, and discuss their triggers and signaling cascades in BC, which may provide a reference for future pathogenesis research and allow for the development of novel targeted therapeutics in BC.

The emerging roles of LINC00511 in breast cancer development and therapy

Breast cancer (BC) is associated with malignant tumors in women worldwide with persistently high incidence and mortality rates. The traditional therapies including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy have certain therapeutic effects on BC patients, but acquired drug resistance can lead to tumor recurrence and metastasis. This remains a clinical challenge that is difficult to solve during treatment. Therefore, continued research is needed to identify effective targets and treatment methods, to ultimately implement personalized treatment strategies. Several studies have implicated that the long non-coding RNA LINC00511 is closely linked to the occurrence, development and drug resistance of BC. Here we will review the structure and the mechanisms of action of lnc RNA LINC00511 in various cancers, and then explore its expression and its related regulatory mechanisms during BC. In addition, we will discuss the biological functions and the potential clinical applications of LINC00511 in BC.

Correlation between fasting blood glucose level and risk of breast cancer in women: a single-center, prospective cohort study

Purpose

We prospectively analyzed the correlation between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and the risk of breast cancer in women; explored the independent risk factors for breast cancer in women, and compared the effect of FPG level on the risk of young and non-young breast cancer. Our study provides new evidence and ideas for research into breast cancer etiology in China, improves the accuracy of secondary prevention of breast cancer, and provides options for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer patients with diabetes.

Materials and methods

Three cohorts of women participating in the first health examination of the Kailuan Group in 2006, 2008 and 2010 were assembled to conduct a descriptive analysis of the baseline data on FPG. The cumulative incidence of breast cancer in different groups over 13 years was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and groups were compared using the log-rank test. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the association between FPG level and the risk of breast cancer.

Results

The cumulative incidence of breast cancer increased in people with FPG higher than 5.29 mmol/L, but there was no significant difference in the effect of different levels of FPG on the risk of young breast cancer in the population. Different degrees of fasting glucose can affect the risk of non-young breast cancer in the population.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that the risk of breast cancer can be reversed by early intervention to control levels of FPG. Regular monitoring of FPG may reduce the misdiagnosis rate of breast cancer in the population.

Effects of dietary intervention on human diseases: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential

Diet, serving as a vital source of nutrients, exerts a profound influence on human health and disease progression. Recently, dietary interventions have emerged as promising adjunctive treatment strategies not only for cancer but also for neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic disorders. These interventions have demonstrated substantial potential in modulating metabolism, disease trajectory, and therapeutic responses. Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of malignant progression, and a deeper understanding of this phenomenon in tumors and its effects on immune regulation is a significant challenge that impedes cancer eradication. Dietary intake, as a key environmental factor, can influence tumor metabolism. Emerging evidence indicates that dietary interventions might affect the nutrient availability in tumors, thereby increasing the efficacy of cancer treatments. However, the intricate interplay between dietary interventions and the pathogenesis of cancer and other diseases is complex. Despite encouraging results, the mechanisms underlying diet-based therapeutic strategies remain largely unexplored, often resulting in underutilization in disease management. In this review, we aim to illuminate the potential effects of various dietary interventions, including calorie restriction, fasting-mimicking diet, ketogenic diet, protein restriction diet, high-salt diet, high-fat diet, and high-fiber diet, on cancer and the aforementioned diseases. We explore the multifaceted impacts of these dietary interventions, encompassing their immunomodulatory effects, other biological impacts, and underlying molecular mechanisms. This review offers valuable insights into the potential application of these dietary interventions as adjunctive therapies in disease management.

Advances in the study of autophagy in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignant tumor among women, with a high incidence and mortality rate all year round, which seriously affects women's health. Autophagy, a well-conserved cellular process inherent in eukaryotic organisms, plays a pivotal role in degrading damaged proteins and organelles, recycling their breakdown products to aid cells in navigating stress and gradually restoring homeostatic equilibrium. Recent studies have unveiled the intricate connection between autophagy and breast cancer. Autophagy is a double-edged sword in breast cancer, demonstrating a dual role: restraining its onset and progression on one hand, while promoting its metastasis and advancement on the other. It is also because of this interrelationship between the two that regulation of autophagy in the treatment of breast cancer is now an important strategy in clinical treatment. In this article, we systematically survey the recent research findings, elucidating the multifaceted role of autophagy in breast cancer and its underlying mechanisms, with the aim of contributing new references to the clinical management of breast cancer.

Impact of Caloric Restriction in Breast Cancer Patients Treated with Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: A Prospective Case Control Study

Background and aims: It is well established that caloric restriction (CR) may influence metabolic and hormonal factors involved in cancer development and progression. Recently, several studies have demonstrated that CR may have a favorable impact on the response to systemic therapy in breast cancer (BC) patients. However, there is a lack of data regarding the influence of CR during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Our study's primary aim was to evaluate CR's impact on BC patients undergoing NACT. Secondly, we investigated the nutritional efficacy and safety of this intervention. Methods: We performed a prospective, case-control study in two breast units. A diet group consisting of 39 patients undergoing NACT and CR was enrolled in our study at the same time. CR consisted of a 30% reduction in caloric intake, which increased to 50% on the days before, during, and after the administration of chemotherapy. A control group of 60 patients that underwent the same treatment approach only followed the general dietary recommendations for BC according to WCRF guidelines. The diet group was monitored during the study for both dietary adequacy and weight trends. Results: CR combined with NACT showed a statistically significant therapeutic response in tumor size (OR 2.94, IC 1.07-8.01, p = 0.009) and lymph node status (OR 3.22, IC 1.22-8.56, p = 0.001) compared to NACT alone, even after the adjustment for all biological parameters. Our data also showed the efficacy and safety of this intervention in both anthropometric and biochemical analyses. Conclusions: Patients who adhered to CR showed a better response to NACT, both in the breast and in the axillary lymph nodes, compared to the patients in the control group. Furthermore, the CR diet combined with NACT showed good tolerance and safety.

The increase in cell death rates in caloric restricted cells of the yeast helicase mutant rrm3 is Sir complex dependent

Calorie restriction (CR), which is a reduction in calorie intake without malnutrition, usually extends lifespan and improves tissue integrity. This report focuses on the relationship between nuclear genomic instability and dietary-restriction and its effect on cell survival. We demonstrate that the cell survival rates of the genomic instability yeast mutant rrm3 change under metabolic restricted conditions. Rrm3 is a DNA helicase, chromosomal replication slows (and potentially stalls) in its absence with increased rates at over 1400 natural pause sites including sites within ribosomal DNA and tRNA genes. Whereas rrm3 mutant cells have lower cell death rates compared to wild type (WT) in growth medium containing normal glucose levels (i.e., 2%), under CR growth conditions cell death rates increase in the rrm3 mutant to levels, which are higher than WT. The silent-information-regulatory (Sir) protein complex and mitochondrial oxidative stress are required for the increase in cell death rates in the rrm3 mutant when cells are transferred from growth medium containing 2% glucose to CR-medium. The Rad53 checkpoint protein is highly phosphorylated in the rrm3 mutant in response to genomic instability in growth medium containing 2% glucose. Under CR, Rad53 phosphorylation is largely reduced in the rrm3 mutant in a Sir-complex dependent manner. Since CR is an adjuvant treatment during chemotherapy, which may target genomic instability in cancer cells, our studies may gain further insight into how these therapy strategies can be improved.

Macrophage-Secreted CSF1 Transmits a Calorie Restriction-Induced Self-Renewal Signal to Mammary Epithelial Stem Cells

Calorie restriction enhances stem cell self-renewal in various tissues, including the mammary gland. We hypothesized that similar to their intestinal counterparts, mammary epithelial stem cells are insulated from sensing changes in energy supply, depending instead on niche signaling. The latter was investigated by subjecting cultures of mammary epithelial stem cells for 8 days to in vivo paracrine calorie-restriction signals collected from a 4-day-conditioned medium of individual mammary cell populations. Conditioned medium from calorie-restricted non-epithelial cells induced latent cell propagation and mammosphere formation—established markers of stem cell self-renewal. Combined RNA-Seq, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses of the non-epithelial population identified macrophages and secreted CSF1 as the energy sensor and paracrine signal, respectively. Calorie restriction-induced pStat6 expression in macrophages suggested that skewing to the M2 phenotype contributes to the sensing mechanism. Enhancing CSF1 signaling with recombinant protein and interrupting the interaction with its highly expressed receptor in the epithelial stem cells by neutralizing antibodies were both affected stem cell self-renewal. In conclusion, combined in vivo, in vitro and in silico studies identified macrophages and secreted CSF1 as the energy sensor and paracrine transmitter, respectively, of the calorie restriction-induced effect on mammary stem cell self-renewal.