Individual Comparison of Cholesterol Metabolism in Normal and Tumour Areas in Radical Prostatectomy Specimens from Patients with Prostate Cancer: Results of the CHOMECAP Study

Apolipoprotein E is a Potential Biomarker for Predicting Cancer Prognosis and is Correlated with Immune Infiltration

Background

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) is a polymorphic protein that plays a role in lipoprotein transformation and metabolism. It is involved in numerous physiological processes within the body and is closely associated with tumor growth and metastasis. However, the role of APOE in pan-cancer has yet to be evaluated. Therefore, studying the association between APOE and various cancer types is crucial for providing a basis for individualized treatment strategies and clinical prognosis assessment.

Methods

We investigated the diagnostic and prognostic significance of APOE across 33 tumor types, as well as its correlation with tumor mutation burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI). Additionally, we employed the ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms to analyze the potential impact of APOE on the immune system. Furthermore, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to explore its underlying physiological function.

Results

Based on observations from a pan-cancer dataset, APOE expression was significantly different between cancer and normal tissues, and was simultaneously associated with survival outcomes in terms of cancer type, clinical annotation, TMB, MSI, and TICs abundance. In addition, the results also showed that expression of APOE may respond to a variety of cancer chemotherapy.

Conclusion

The findings from this study strongly indicate a close association between APOE and tumor development. Moreover, APOE shows promise as a potential biomarker for predicting prognosis and response to immunotherapy in patients with pan-cancer.

Therapeutic Applications of Oxysterols and Derivatives in Age-Related Diseases, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, and Cancers

Oxysterols, resulting from the oxidation of cholesterol, are formed either by autoxidation, enzymatically, or by both processes. These molecules, which are provided in more or less important quantities depending on the type of diet, are also formed in the body and their presence is associated with a normal physiological activity. Their increase and decrease at the cellular level and in biological fluids can have significant consequences on health due or not to the interaction of some of these molecules with different types of receptors but also because oxysterols are involved in the regulation of RedOx balance, cytokinic and non-cytokinic inflammation, lipid metabolism, and induction of cell death. Currently, various pathologies such as age-related diseases, inflammatory and infectious diseases, and several cancers are associated with abnormal levels of oxysterols. Due to the important biological activities of oxysterols, their interaction with several receptors and their very likely implications in several diseases, this review focuses on these molecules and on oxysterol derivatives, which are often more efficient, in a therapeutic context. Currently, several oxysterol derivatives are developed and are attracting a lot of interest.

Lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and prostate cancer: a crucial metabolic journey

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies in males worldwide, and its development and progression involve the regulation of multiple metabolic pathways. Alterations in lipid metabolism affect the proliferation and metastatic capabilities of PCa cells. Cancer cells increase lipid synthesis and regulate fatty acid oxidation to meet their growth and energy demands. Similarly, changes occur in amino acid metabolism in PCa. Cancer cells exhibit an increased demand for specific amino acids, and they regulate amino acid transport and metabolic pathways to fulfill their proliferation and survival requirements. These changes are closely associated with disease progression and treatment response in PCa cells. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation of the metabolic characteristics of PCa is expected to offer novel insights and approaches for the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Evaluation of common genetic variants in vitamin E-related pathway genes and colorectal cancer susceptibility

Vitamin E is effective for preventing the risk of cancer. However, few studies have elucidated the mechanism of vitamin E in cancer occurrence. Herein, we aimed to identify the genetic variants in vitamin E-related pathway genes associated with colorectal cancer risk. We applied logistic regression models to assess the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in vitamin E-related pathway genes and colorectal cancer risk in the Chinese and European population. The false discovery rate (FDR) method was used to correct multiple comparisons. The mRNA and protein expression analysis were evaluated in public database and in-house RNA-Seq data. SCARB1 rs73227586 was identified significantly increased risk of colorectal cancer in the Chinese population (odd ratio (OR) = 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.22-1.75, P = 2.99 × 10^-5). This finding was further validated in the European population (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.02-1.20, P = 1.44 × 10^-2). Additionally, the mRNA and protein expression of SCARB1 were markedly up-regulated in colorectal tumor tissues. Moreover, rs73227586 T allele could increase the minimum free energy (MFE) and weaken binding ability to transcription factor ELL2. Our findings indicated that SCARB1 may play a carcinogenic role in colorectal cancer. Genetic variants in vitamin E-related pathway genes may concern to be predictors of colorectal cancer risk.