Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase: A Link Between Inflammation and Pancreatic Cancer

Urolithin A attenuates severity of chronic pancreatitis associated with continued alcohol intake by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling

Heavy alcohol consumption is the dominant risk factor for chronic pancreatitis (CP); however, treatment and prevention strategies for alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) remains limited. The present study demonstrates that ACP induction in C57BL/6 mice causes significant acinar cell injury, pancreatic stellate cell (PSC) activation, exocrine function insufficiency, and an increased fibroinflammatory response when compared with alcohol or CP alone. Although the withdrawal of alcohol during ACP recovery led to reversion of pancreatic damage, continued alcohol consumption with established ACP perpetuated pancreatic injury. In addition, phosphokinase array and Western blot analysis of ACP-induced mice pancreata revealed activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathways possibly orchestrating the fibroinflammatory program of ACP pathogenesis. Mice treated with urolithin A (Uro A, a gut-derived microbial metabolite) in the setting of ACP with continued alcohol intake (during the recovery period) showed suppression of AKT and P70S6K activation, and acinar damage was significantly reduced with a parallel reduction in pancreas-infiltrating macrophages and proinflammatory cytokine accumulation. These results collectively provide mechanistic insight into the impact of Uro A on attenuation of ACP severity through suppression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways and can be a useful therapeutic approach in patients with ACP with continuous alcohol intake.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our novel findings presented here demonstrate the utility of Uro A as an effective therapeutic agent in attenuating alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (ACP) severity with alcohol continuation after established disease, through suppression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Low Pre-ChemoradiotherapyPan-Immune-Inflammation Value (PIV) Measures Predict Better Survival Outcomes in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas

Objective

This study sought to determine whether pretreatment pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) could be used to predict prognosis in patients with locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LA-PAC) following definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT).

Methods

The outcomes of 178 LA-PAC patients who received definitive C-CRT were analyzed retrospectively. For all patients, the PIV was calculated using the peripheral blood platelet (P), monocyte (M), neutrophil (N), and lymphocyte (L) counts obtained on the first day of C-CRT: PIV=P×M×N÷L. The optimum cutoff values for PIV connected to progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) results were sought using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The OS and PFS differences between the PIV groups constituted the primary and secondary endpoints, respectively.

Results

ROC curve analysis indicated that the ideal PIV cutoff was 464 (AUC: 75.9%, sensitivity: 74.1%, specificity: 71.9%), which categorized patients into two groups based on PFS and OS results: low PIV (L-PIV; N = 69) and high PIV (H-PIV; N = 109). According to comparative survival analyses, patients in the L-PIV group had significantly longer median PFS (14.3 vs 7.3 months; HR: 3.04; P<0.001) and OS (25.9 vs 13.3 months; HR: 2.86; P<0.001) than those in the H-PIV group. Although none of the H-PIV patients could survive beyond 5 years, the estimated 5-year OS rate was 29.7% in the L-PIV cohort. In multivariate analyses, besides the L-PIV, N₀ nodal stage, and CA 19–9 ≤ 90 U/mL appeared to be the independent predictors of better PFS (P < 0.05 for each) and OS (P < 0.05 for each) results.

Conclusion

The present results indicated that pre-C-CRT L-PIV measures were associated with favorable median and long-term PFS and OS results in LA-PAC patients, suggesting that the PIV is a potent and independent novel prognostic biomarker.

Cytokine signature for predicting new-onset prediabetes after acute pancreatitis: A prospective longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Acute inflammation of the pancreas often leads to metabolic sequelae, the most common of which is new-onset prediabetes (and, ultimately, diabetes). However, there is a lack of studies on predictors of this sequela. The aim was to investigate whether cytokines/chemokines measured at baseline are predictive of new-onset prediabetes after acute pancreatitis (NOPAP).

METHODS

This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study (as part of the LACERTA project) that included 68 individuals with non-necrotising acute pancreatitis who had no diabetes mellitus. Of them, 17 individuals had prediabetes at baseline and during follow-up, 37 individuals had normoglycaemia at baseline and during follow-up, and 14 individuals had normoglycaemia at baseline and developed NOPAP during follow-up. A commercially available human cytokine/chemokine multiplex kit was used to measure a total of 28 analytes at baseline. Multinomial regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between the cytokines/chemokines and the three study groups.

RESULTS

Interleukin-1β and interferon γ significantly predicted progression to NOPAP with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.097 (1.002, 1.201) and 1.094 (1.003, 1.192), respectively (after accounting for age, sex, body mass index, and aetiology of acute pancreatitis). None of the studied cytokines/chemokines showed statistically significant associations with the antecedent prediabetes group (after accounting for the above covariates).

CONCLUSION

Elevated levels of interleukin-1β and interferon γ in acute pancreatitis individuals with normoglycaemia at baseline may predict progression to NOPAP during follow-up.

Low Systemic Inflammation Response Index Predicts Good Prognosis in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Carcinoma Patients Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy

Background

We investigated the prognostic significance of pretreatment systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) in locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Methods

Present retrospective cohort analysis investigated consecutive 154 LAPC patients who received radical CRT. The SIRI was defined as: SIRI = neutrophil × monocyte/lymphocyte counts. Ideal SIRI cutoff(s) influencing overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) results were sought by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The primary endpoint was the interaction between the SIRI and OS results.

Results

The median follow-up, PFS, and OS durations were 14.3 (range: 2.9-74.6), 7.9 [%95 confidence interval (CI): 5.7-10.1), and 14.7 months (%95 CI: 11.4-18.0) for the entire cohort, respectively. ROC curve analyses determined the ideal SIRI cutoff that exhibiting a significant link with OS and PFS outcomes at the rounded 1.6 point (AUC: 74.3%; sensitivity: 73.8%; specificity: 70.1%).The SIRI <1.6 patients (N = 58) had significantly superior median PFS (13.8 versus 6.7 months; P < 0.001) and OS (28.6 versus 12.6 months; P < 0.001) lengths than SIRI ≥1.6 patients (N = 96), respectively. Although the N0 (versus N1; P < 0.05) and CA 19-9 ≤90 U/mL (versus >90 U/mL) appeared as the other significant associates of better OS and PFS in univariate analyses, yet the results of multivariate analyses confirmed the SIRI <1.6 as the independent indicator of superior OS and PFS (P < 0.001 for each).

Conclusion

Pretreatment SIRI is a novel independent prognosticator that may further enhance the conventional tumor-node-metastases staging system in a more precise prediction of the OS and PFS outcomes of LAPC patients after radical CRT.

Independent effect of postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on the survival of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with open distal pancreatosplenectomy and its nomogram-based prediction

Background: The prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains poor. Open distal pancreatosplenectomy (ODPS) is prevalent in the patients of early PDAC located in pancreatic body or tail. However, the models for relapse or survival prediction in those patients are still limited. Postoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte rate (poNLR), a novel inflammation-based score, has been formulated to analyze the prognostic significance in PDAC patients with ODPS. Therefore, this study aims to generate a valuable prognostic nomogram for PDAC following ODPS. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 97 patients of PDAC undergoing ODPS in this study. The Cox proportional hazards regression methodology was used in univariate and multivariate survival analyses to identify significant independent prognostic factors. The prognostic nomograms integrating poNLR into the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) staging system (8th edition) for predicting overall survival (OS) and relapse free survival (RFS) were established to achieve superior discriminatory abilities. Further, these prognostic nomograms were verified according to concordance index (C-index), calibrations and decision curve analyses (DCA). Results: The optimal cut-off value of poNLR for assessing OS determined by X-tile program was 14.1. Higher poNLR was associated with higher postoperative neutrophil (poNeutrophil), lower postoperative lymphocyte (poLymphocyte), lower preoperative lymphocyte-to-monocyte rate (preLMR) and higher △NLR (postoperative-preoperative NLR). In the univariate and multivariate analysis, poNLR was identified as an independent prognostic indicator for OS and RFS (P=0.044 and 0.028, respectively) and patients with higher poNLR level were probable to have shorter OS and RFS. Compared with the TNM staging system of the AJCC 8th edition, the nomogram comprising of poNLR and AJCC 8th edition exhibited superior predictive accuracy for OS and RFS. Conclusions: poNLR can be a proven, inexpensive and novel survival predictor of PDAC patients with ODPS. One more advanced and accurate predictive model will be achieved to assist in risk stratification via the incorporation of poNLR into nomograms.

Prognostic Usefulness Of Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index In Locally-Advanced Pancreatic Carcinoma Patients Treated With Radical Chemoradiotherapy

Background/Aims

Previously advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) has been demonstrated to have prognostic utility in the stratification of patients into distinctive survival groups, but the prognostic value of ALI has never been explored in the setting of locally advanced pancreatic carcinomas (LAPC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Hence, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of pre-treatment ALI in LAPC patients who underwent radical CCRT.

Methods

Present retrospective cohort analysis incorporated 141 LAPC patients who received radical CCRT. Accessibility of baseline ALI cutoff(s) impacting survival outcomes was sought by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Interaction between the ALI and overall- (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) comprised our primary and secondary endpoints, respectively.

Results

At a median follow-up of 14.4 months (range: 3.2–74.2), the median PFS and OS were 7.5 (%95 CI: 5.9–9.1) and 14.6 months (%95 CI: 11.6–17.6), respectively. ROC curve analyses set the ideal ALI cutoff value at 25.3 (AUC: 75.6%; sensitivity: 72.7%; specificity: 70.3%) that exhibited significant associations with both the OS and PFS results. Patient stratification into two groups per ALI [≤25.3 (N=75) versus>25.3 (N=66)] showed that the ALI>25.3 group had significantly superior median OS (25.8 versus 11.4 months; P<0.001) and PFS (15.9 versus 6.0 months; P<0.001) durations than its ALI≤25.3 counterpart. Other factors exhibiting significantly better OS and PFS rates were N₀ stage (versus N1; P<0.05 for each endpoint) and CA 19-9 ≤90 U/mL (versus >90 U/mL; P<0.05 for each endpoint), respectively. These three factors were additionally asserted to be independent indicators of longer OS (P<0.05 for each) and PFS (P<0.05 for each) in multivariate analyses.

Conclusion

Results of this hypothesis-generating research proposed the pre-CCRT ALI as a novel robust associate of OS and PFS outcomes for LAPC patients undergoing CCRT.

Next Generation Immunotherapy for Pancreatic Cancer: DNA Vaccination is Seeking New Combo Partners

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDA) is an almost incurable radio- and chemo-resistant tumor, and its microenvironment is characterized by a strong desmoplastic reaction associated with a significant infiltration of T regulatory lymphocytes and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (Tregs, MDSC). Investigating immunological targets has identified a number of metabolic and cytoskeletal related molecules, which are typically recognized by circulating antibodies. Among these molecules we have investigated alpha-enolase (ENO1), a glycolytic enzyme that also acts a plasminogen receptor. ENO1 is also recognized by T cells in PDA patients, so we developed a DNA vaccine that targets ENO1. This efficiently induces many immunological processes (antibody formation and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC)-mediated tumor killing, infiltration of effector T cells, reduction of infiltration of myeloid and Treg suppressor cells), which significantly increase the survival of genetically engineered mice that spontaneously develop pancreatic cancer. Although promising, the ENO1 DNA vaccine does not completely eradicate the tumor, which, after an initial growth inhibition, returns to proliferate again, especially when Tregs and MDSC ensue in the tumor mass. This led us to develop possible strategies for combinatorial treatments aimed to broaden and sustain the antitumor immune response elicited by DNA vaccination. Based on the data we have obtained in recent years, this review will discuss the biological bases of possible combinatorial treatments (chemotherapy, PI3K inhibitors, tumor-associated macrophages, ENO1 inhibitors) that could be effective in amplifying the response induced by the immune vaccination in PDA.

Activated Mast Cells Mediate Low-Grade Inflammation in Type 2 Diabetes: Interleukin-37 Could Be Beneficial

Mast cells (MCs) promote guest immune responses to parasites and play a critical role in allergic and inflammatory reactions. Once they have been activated, MCs release highly inflammatory compounds that can provoke serious pathologic signs that can lead to death. MCs generate a number of preformed, de novo synthesized compounds and inflammatory cytokine/chemokine synthesis in response to the high-affinity (Kd=10^-10 M) immunoglobulin E receptor triggering. Circulating MC progenitors migrate into arterial intima and develop lesions, mediating inflammation. They are involved in several disorders, including metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, in which endothelial cells release several inflammatory compounds during acute and chronic vascular damage. Certain inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-33, not only are produced by MCs but also may activate them. These effects mediate systemic inflammatory responses in metabolic disorders. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor, IL-33 and IL-6, secreted by MCs and other immune cells, contribute to insulin resistance by activating kinases. IL-37 (IL-1 family member 7), one of the latest cytokines discovered, binds the IL-18 receptor alpha (IL-18Rα) chain and suppresses innate and acquired immunity, with a therapeutic effect. It also inhibits cytokine levels, including IL-6, IL-18, IL-33, tumor necrosis factor and IL-1, and may improve insulin production and, therefore, the pathogenesis of diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular health. This describes a new concept of inhibition of and cure for inflammatory diseases. However, the safety, dosage and tolerability of this novel therapeutic agent, IL-37, still remains to be determined.