Essential amino acids deprivation is a potential strategy for breast cancer treatment

Nanozyme-based synergistic therapeutic strategies against tumors

Cancer remains a global health threat, with traditional treatments limited by adverse effects and drug resistance. Nanozyme-based catalytic therapy with high stability and controllable activity provides targeted and specific in situ tumor treatment to address these challenges. More intriguingly, the tremendous advances in nanotechnology have enabled nanozymes to rival the catalytic activity of natural enzymes, presenting an exciting opportunity for innovating antitumor nanodrugs. This review systematically summarizes the latest progresses in nanozyme-based anticancer catalytic therapy, with a particular focus on various synergistic antitumor strategies, including other functional enzymes, drugs, exogenous stimuli and radiotherapy. These combinations not only enhance the efficacy of cancer treatment and reduce systemic toxicity but also offer insights into the development of potent antitumor nanodrugs.

Ultrasound-assisted germination of red kidney beans: Enhancements in physicochemical and nutritional profiles

To improve the conventional germination process and improve the nutritional quality of red kidney beans, this study employed high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) supplemented with hydrogen peroxide as a pre-germination treatment. The results showed that the 350 W-10 min treatment yielded the highest germination rate (77.09%), with its sprout length 81.13% greater than that of the control group. The 350 W-10 min treatment increased total protein, soluble protein, and ash content, while simultaneously reducing the fat, starch, and soluble sugar content. The HIU treatment accelerated the accumulation of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, ascorbic acid, and γ-aminobutyric acid. The 350 W-10 min treatment also decreased the levels of phytic acid, trypsin inhibitor activity, and tannin by 42.71%, 65.58%, and 53.18%, respectively. Furthermore, ultrasonic cavitation enhanced antioxidative capacity and improved amino acid composition and protein digestibility. Consequently, HIU serves as a cost-efficient method to accelerate the germination process and enhance their nutritional composition.

A panel of four plasma amino acids is a promising biomarker for newly diagnosed bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Metastasis and recurrence are the main causes of death in post-operative bladder cancer (BC), emphasizing the importance of exploring early-stage diagnostic markers. Serum biomarkers constitute a promising diagnostic approach for asymptomatic stage cancer as they are non-invasive, have high accuracy and low cost.

AIMS

To correlate concentrations of plasma amino acids with BC progression to assess their utility as an early-stage diagnostic.

METHODS

Newly diagnosed BC patients (n = 95) and normal controls (n = 96) were recruited during the period from 1 December 2018 to 30 December 2020. General and food frequency questionnaires established their basic information and dietary intake data. Venous blood samples were collected from fasting subjects and used to detect levels of plasma amino acids by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Verification was performed on the GSE13507 transcriptome gene expression matrix of BC from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.

RESULTS

Eleven amino acids have been identified as altered in the plasma of newly diagnosed BC patients compared to controls (P < 0.05). Adjusted by gender, education, smoking and other factors, plasma ornithine level (OR = 0.256, 95% CI: 0.104-0.630) is a protective factor for BC, plasma levels of methionine (OR = 3.460, 95% CI: 1.384-8.651), arginine (OR = 3.851, 95% CI: 1.542-9.616), and glutamate (OR = 3.813, 95% CI: 1.543-9.419) are all risk factors for BC. ROC analysis demonstrated that the combination of plasma ornithine, methionine, arginine and glutamate could accurately diagnose BC (AUC = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.747-0.833). In addition, the mRNA level of arginase 1 was decreased (P < 0.05), while the inducible nitric oxide synthase was increased significantly, which may be linked with the disturbance of arginine metabolism in BC patients. Further analysis of GEO database confirmed the role of arginine metabolism.

CONCLUSION

A biomarker panel containing four amino acids may provide a feasible strategy for the early diagnosis of BC. However, further validation is required through prospective studies.

Salivary Tryptophan as a Metabolic Marker of HER2-Negative Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer

Changes in the concentration of tryptophan (Trp) indicate a serious metabolic restructuring, which is both a cause and a consequence of many diseases. This work examines the upward change in salivary Trp concentrations among patients with breast cancer. This study involved volunteers divided into three groups: breast cancer (n = 104), non-malignant breast pathologies (n = 30) and healthy controls (n = 20). In all participants, before treatment, the quantitative content of Trp in saliva was determined by capillary electrophoresis. In 20 patients with breast cancer, Trp was re-tested four weeks after surgical removal of the tumor. An increase in the Trp content in saliva in breast cancer has been shown, which statistically significantly decreases after surgical removal of the tumor. A direct correlation was found between increased Trp levels with the degree of malignancy and aggressive molecular subtypes of breast cancer, namely triple negative and luminal B-like HER2-negative. These conclusions were based on an increase in Ki-67 and an increase in Trp in HER2-negative and progesterone-negative subtypes. Factors under which an increase in Trp concentration in saliva was observed were identified: advanced stage of breast cancer, the presence of regional metastasis, low tumor differentiation, a lack of expression of HER2, estrogen and progesterone receptors and the high proliferative activity of the tumor. Thus, the determination of salivary Trp may be a valuable tool in the study of metabolic changes associated with cancer, particularly breast cancer.

Amino acids and their roles in tumor immunotherapy of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. The primary treatment options include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and hormone therapy. The effectiveness of breast cancer therapy varies depending on the stage and aggressiveness of the cancer, as well as individual factors. Advances in early detection and improved treatments have significantly increased survival rates for breast cancer patients. Nevertheless, specific subtypes of breast cancer, particularly triple-negative breast cancer, still lack effective treatment strategies. Thus, novel and effective therapeutic targets for breast cancer need to be explored. As substrates of protein synthesis, amino acids are important sources of energy and nutrition, only secondly to glucose. The rich supply of amino acids enables the tumor to maintain its proliferative competence through participation in energy generation, nucleoside synthesis and maintenance of cellular redox balance. Amino acids also play an important role in immune-suppressive microenvironment formation. Thus, the biological effects of amino acids may change unexpectedly in tumor-specific or oncogene-dependent manners. In recent years, there has been significant progress in the study of amino acid metabolism, particularly in their potential application as therapeutic targets in breast cancer. In this review, we provide an update on amino acid metabolism and discuss the therapeutic implications of amino acids in breast cancer.

The Role of Amino Acids in the Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, and Treatment of Breast Cancer: A Review

This review summarizes the role of amino acids in the diagnosis, risk assessment, imaging, and treatment of breast cancer. It was shown that the content of individual amino acids changes in breast cancer by an average of 10-15% compared with healthy controls. For some amino acids (Thr, Arg, Met, and Ser), an increase in concentration is more often observed in breast cancer, and for others, a decrease is observed (Asp, Pro, Trp, and His). The accuracy of diagnostics using individual amino acids is low and increases when a number of amino acids are combined with each other or with other metabolites. Gln/Glu, Asp, Arg, Leu/Ile, Lys, and Orn have the greatest significance in assessing the risk of breast cancer. The variability in the amino acid composition of biological fluids was shown to depend on the breast cancer phenotype, as well as the age, race, and menopausal status of patients. In general, the analysis of changes in the amino acid metabolism in breast cancer is a promising strategy not only for diagnosis, but also for developing new therapeutic agents, monitoring the treatment process, correcting complications after treatment, and evaluating survival rates.

Diagnostic Value of Salivary Amino Acid Levels in Cancer

This review analyzed 21 scientific papers on the determination of amino acids in various types of cancer in saliva. Most of the studies are on oral cancer (8/21), breast cancer (4/21), gastric cancer (3/21), lung cancer (2/21), glioblastoma (2/21) and one study on colorectal, pancreatic, thyroid and liver cancer. The amino acids alanine, valine, phenylalanine, leucine and isoleucine play a leading role in the diagnosis of cancer via the saliva. In an independent version, amino acids are rarely used; the authors combine either amino acids with each other or with other metabolites, which makes it possible to obtain high values of sensitivity and specificity. Nevertheless, a logical and complete substantiation of the changes in saliva occurring in cancer, including changes in salivary amino acid levels, has not yet been formed, which makes it important to continue research in this direction.

The significance of ERK5 catalytic-independent functions in disease pathways

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5), also known as BMK1 or MAPK7, represents a recent addition to the classical mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. This family includes well-known members such as ERK1/2, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), as well as atypical MAPKs such as ERK3, ERK4, ERK7 (ERK8), and Nemo-like kinase (NLK). Comprehensive reviews available elsewhere provide detailed insights into ERK5, which interested readers can refer to for in-depth knowledge (Nithianandarajah-Jones et al., 2012; Monti et al., Cancers (Basel), 2022, 14). The primary aim of this review is to emphasize the essential characteristics of ERK5 and shed light on the intricate nature of its activation, with particular attention to the catalytic-independent functions in disease pathways.

Genetic Ablation of LAT1 Inhibits Growth of Liver Cancer Cells and Downregulates mTORC1 Signaling

Through a comprehensive analysis of the gene expression and dependency in HCC patients and cell lines, LAT1 was identified as the top amino acid transporter candidate supporting HCC tumorigenesis. To assess the suitability of LAT1 as a HCC therapeutic target, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to knockout (KO) LAT1 in the epithelial HCC cell line, Huh7. Knockout of LAT1 diminished its branched chain amino acid (BCAA) transport activity and significantly reduced cell proliferation in Huh7. Consistent with in vitro studies, LAT1 ablation led to suppression of tumor growth in a xenograft model. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the observed inhibition of cell proliferation upon LAT1 KO, we performed RNA-sequencing analysis and investigated the changes in the mTORC1 signaling pathway. LAT1 ablation resulted in a notable reduction in phosphorylation of p70S6K, a downstream target of mTORC1, as well as its substrate S6RP. This reduced cell proliferation and mTORC1 activity were rescued when LAT1 was overexpressed. These findings imply an essential role of LAT1 for maintenance of tumor cell growth and additional therapeutic angles against liver cancer.