Intranasal perillyl alcohol therapy improves survival of patients with recurrent glioblastoma harboring mutant variant for MTHFR rs1801133 polymorphism

Nuclear pore complex protein RANBP2 and related SUMOylation in solid malignancies

The growing interest in post-translational protein modification, particularly in SUMOylation, is driven by its crucial role in cell cycle regulation. SUMOylation affects various cell cycle regulators, including oncogenes, suggesting its relevance in cancer. SUMO E3 ligases are pivotal in this process, exhibiting diverse functionalities through structural domains and subcellular localizations. A less-explored SUMO E3 ligase, RANBP2, a component of the vertebrate nuclear pore complex, emerges as a central player in cellular cycle processes, as well as in tumorigenesis. The current studies illuminate the importance of RANBP2 and underscore the need for more extensive studies to validate its clinical applicability in neoplastic interventions. Our review elucidates the significance of RANBP2 across various types of malignancies. Additionally, it delves into exploring RANBP2 as a prospective therapeutic target for cancer treatment, offering insights into the avenues that scholars should pursue in their subsequent research endeavors. Thus, further investigation into RANBP2's role in solid tumorigenesis is eagerly awaited.

Current Combinatorial Therapeutic Aspects: The Future Prospect for Glioblastoma Treatment

There are several types of brain tumors but glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the highly malignant tumors. A primary concern with GBM is that the treatment is inadequate. Even after giving many multi-stacked combinations of therapies to patients, inclusive of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, the median survival rate remains poor. Due to its heterogeneous nature, the use of selective therapy for specific targeting of tumor cells is of particular importance. Although many treatment alternatives which include surgery with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are available, the prognosis of the disease is very poor. Combination therapy is becoming the foundation of modern antitumor therapy and it is continuously evolving and developing innovative drug regimens as evidenced by ongoing preclinical and clinical trials. In this review, we discuss the current treatment options and emerging therapeutic approaches for the treatment of GBM. The prospects for alternative glioblastoma therapy are also discussed.

Can Global DNA Methylation Be Influenced by Polymorphisms in Genes Involved in Epigenetic Mechanisms? A Review

BACKGROUND

Global methylation refers to the total methylation in the DNA and can also be inferred from the Line 1 and Alu regions, as these repeats are very abundant in the genome. The main function of DNA methylation is to control gene expression and is associated with both normal and pathological mechanisms. DNA methylation depends on enzymes that generate the methyl radical (e.g., methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase-MTHFR) and attach this radical to the DNA (DNA methyltransferases-DNMT). Genetic variants such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in these genes can lead to changes in the activity or expression of MTHFR and DNMT proteins and consequently influence the DNA methylation profile. This review focuses on studies investigating inter-individual variations in the global DNA methylation profile associated with genetic polymorphisms in the MTHFR and DNMT genes.

METHODS

A narrative review was conducted, taking into account articles published in the last 15 years.

RESULTS

It was found that the SNPs rs1801131, rs1801133 and rs1537514 in the MTHFR gene, rs2241531, rs2228611, rs2228612, rs21124724 and the haplotype rs2288349, rs2228611, rs2228612, rs16999593 in the DNMT1 gene, rs2424909, rs998382, rs6058891, rs6058897, rs4911256, rs2889703 and rs1883729 in the DNMT3B were associated with the level of global DNA methylation, including LINE and Alu regions in different contexts. No association was found with polymorphisms in the DNMT3A gene.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that polymorphisms in the MTHFR and DNMT genes may influence the global DNA methylation profile in health, inflammation, tumours and mental illness.

The MTHFR C677T/A1298C polymorphism is associated with increased risk of microangiopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Extensive case-control association studies have been conducted over the past few decades to investigate the relationship between MTHFR polymorphism and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) microangiopathy. However, the strength of the evidence and clinical significance are unclear. Consequently, a meta-analysis was performed to examine the correlations between two prevalent MTHFR single nucleotide polymorphisms, MTHFR C677T and A1298C, and T2DM microangiopathy. Randomized controlled trials were systematically searched in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP database, China Biology Medicine, and Wanfang until August 2023. A total of 42 studies were included. Random-effect models were utilized to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the association between MTHFR polymorphisms and T2DM microangiopathy susceptibility. T2DM microangiopathy was significantly associated with the MTHFR C677T polymorphism in the overall population (T vs C, OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.25-1.64; TT + CT vs CC: OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.30-1.88; TT vs CT + CC: OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.38-1.99; TT vs CC: OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.58-2.60). Additionally, the dominant model revealed that the MTHFR A1298C polymorphism was associated with T2DM microangiopathy (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.09-1.47). This meta-analysis revealed that MTHFR may be involved in the pathogenesis of T2DM microangiopathy, providing a reference for early diagnosis and treatment of T2DM.

A new mathematical model of folate homeostasis in E. coli highlights the potential importance of the folinic acid futile cycle in cell growth

Folate (vitamin B9) plays a central role in one-carbon metabolism in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. This pathway mediates the transfer of one-carbon units, playing a crucial role in nucleotide synthesis, methylation, and amino acid homeostasis. The folinic acid futile cycle adds a layer of intrigue to this pathway, due to its associations with metabolism, cell growth, and dormancy. It also introduces additional complexity to folate metabolism. A logical way to deal with such complexity is to examine it by using mathematical modelling. This work describes the construction and analysis of a model of folate metabolism, which includes the folinic acid futile cycle. This model was tested under three in silico growth conditions. Model simulations revealed: 1) the folate cycle behaved as a stable biochemical system in three growth states (slow, standard, and rapid); 2) the initial concentration of serine had the greatest impact on metabolite concentrations; 3) 5-formyltetrahydrofolate cyclo-ligase (5-FCL) activity had a significant impact on the levels of the 7 products that carry the one-carbon donated from folates, and the redox couple NADP/NADPH; this was particularly evident in the rapid growth state; 4) 5-FCL may be vital to the survival of the cells by maintaining low levels of homocysteine, as high levels can induce toxicity; and 5) the antifolate therapeutic trimethoprim had a greater impact on folate metabolism with higher nutrient availability. These results highlight the important role of 5-FCL in intracellular folate homeostasis and mass generation under different metabolic scenarios.

The Upper Nasal Space: Option for Systemic Drug Delivery, Mucosal Vaccines and "Nose-to-Brain"

Sino-nasal disease is appropriately treated with topical treatment, where the nasal mucosa acts as a barrier to systemic absorption. Non-invasive nasal delivery of drugs has produced some small molecule products with good bioavailability. With the recent COVID pandemic and the need for nasal mucosal immunity becoming more appreciated, more interest has become focused on the nasal cavity for vaccine delivery. In parallel, it has been recognized that drug delivery to different parts of the nose can have different results and for "nose-to-brain" delivery, deposition on the olfactory epithelium of the upper nasal space is desirable. Here the non-motile cilia and reduced mucociliary clearance lead to longer residence time that permits enhanced absorption, either into the systemic circulation or directly into the CNS. Many of the developments in nasal delivery have been to add bioadhesives and absorption/permeation enhancers, creating more complicated formulations and development pathways, but other projects have shown that the delivery device itself may allow more differential targeting of the upper nasal space without these additions and that could allow faster and more efficient programs to bring a wider range of drugs-and vaccines-to market.

MTHFR polymorphism as a predictive biomarker for gastrointestinal and hematological toxicity in North Indian adenocarcinoma patients

In the present study, we investigated the relationship between the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and A1298C polymorphisms and overall survival, toxicity and treatment response for North Indian adenocarcinoma patients. The polymorphisms of MTHFR gene in north Indian adenocarcinoma patients were assessed by PCR-RFLP. Our data observed that patients with mutant genotype (C/C) for 1298 A>C) polymorphism showed higher trend of median survival time compared to patients bearing the wild type genotype (A/A) (MST= 13.93 vs. 7.97, p=0.12). Further, we observed patients with the heterozygous genotype for A1298C polymorphism had 12-fold risk of diarrhea (AOR =12.54, 95% CI = 1.54-101.86, p=0.018). The patients with heterozygous genotype (CT) of the C677T polymorphism had 5.34-fold increased risk of developing neutropenia (AOR=5.34, 95% CI=1.49-19.06, p=0.009). Our results suggest that MTHFR polymorphisms are associated with hematological toxicity. MTHFR polymorphism might impact the development of pemetrexed and platinum-related toxicities but not as a clinical predictor of efficiency.

The Next Frontier in Health Disparities-A Closer Look at Exploring Sex Differences in Glioma Data and Omics Analysis, from Bench to Bedside and Back

Sex differences are increasingly being explored and reported in oncology, and glioma is no exception. As potentially meaningful sex differences are uncovered, existing gender-derived disparities mirror data generated in retrospective and prospective trials, real-world large-scale data sets, and bench work involving animals and cell lines. The resulting disparities at the data level are wide-ranging, potentially resulting in both adverse outcomes and failure to identify and exploit therapeutic benefits. We set out to analyze the literature on women's data disparities in glioma by exploring the origins of data in this area to understand the representation of women in study samples and omics analyses. Given the current emphasis on inclusive study design and research, we wanted to explore if sex bias continues to exist in present-day data sets and how sex differences in data may impact conclusions derived from large-scale data sets, omics, biospecimen analysis, novel interventions, and standard of care management.

Health-beneficial aroma and taste compounds in a newly developed kombucha using a Huanglongbing-tolerant mandarin hybrid

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a destructive citrus greening disease; no commercially applicable measures exist. 'LB8-9' Sugar Belle^® (SB), originally developed for the fresh market, is the most HLB-tolerant cultivar among commercially available varieties. Due to the limited capacity of the fresh fruit market, there is a need to increase the demand for SB juice. Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage with black tea and sugar, and is considered a healthy drink with an increasing market. Therefore, we aim to study the potential of using SB juice in kombucha production. Regular (black tea with no citrus juice added), Hamlin (black tea with Hamlin juice added), and SB kombucha (black tea with SB juice added) were prepared and analyzed to observe the composition of aroma and taste compounds in the kombuchas. Aroma and taste compounds in the kombuchas were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/olfactometry and liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, respectively. For aroma compounds, SB kombucha was characterized by high concentrations of terpenes and their derivatives, which have mandarin-like aroma characteristics and health benefits such as antidiabetic and antioxidant effects. For taste compounds, SB kombucha contained higher amount of fructose and organic acids, which have the potential to increase the intensity of sweetness and sourness, and flavonoids. This would support the potential benefits of using SB to make kombucha. This study provides valuable information about the aroma and taste compounds in SB kombucha and its potential health benefits, compared with regular and Hamlin kombucha. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This experiment provided valuable information on the elevated aroma and taste compounds, their potential health benefits, and the changes of those compounds during kombucha fermentation in 'LB8-9' Sugar Belle^® kombucha, compared to regular and Hamlin kombucha. In the absence of an effective cure or therapy for HLB, this can be the first step for developing alternative citrus product to help the citrus industry mitigate the negative impacts from HLB.

The Monoterpenoid Perillyl Alcohol: Anticancer Agent and Medium to Overcome Biological Barriers

Perillyl alcohol (POH) is a naturally occurring monoterpenoid related to limonene that is present in the essential oils of various plants. It has diverse applications and can be found in household items, including foods, cosmetics, and cleaning supplies. Over the past three decades, it has also been investigated for its potential anticancer activity. Clinical trials with an oral POH formulation administered to cancer patients failed to realize therapeutic expectations, although an intra-nasal POH formulation yielded encouraging results in malignant glioma patients. Based on its amphipathic nature, POH revealed the ability to overcome biological barriers, primarily the blood-brain barrier (BBB), but also the cytoplasmic membrane and the skin, which appear to be characteristics that critically contribute to POH's value for drug development and delivery. In this review, we present the physicochemical properties of POH that underlie its ability to overcome the obstacles placed by different types of biological barriers and consequently shape its multifaceted promise for cancer therapy and applications in drug development. We summarized and appraised the great variety of preclinical and clinical studies that investigated the use of POH for intranasal delivery and nose-to-brain drug transport, its intra-arterial delivery for BBB opening, and its permeation-enhancing function in hybrid molecules, where POH is combined with or conjugated to other therapeutic pharmacologic agents, yielding new chemical entities with novel mechanisms of action and applications.

Intranasal Carnosine Mitigates α-Synuclein Pathology and Motor Dysfunction in the Thy1-aSyn Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. Early symptoms include motor dysfunction and impaired olfaction. Toxic aggregation of α-synuclein (aSyn) in the olfactory bulb (OB) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) is a hallmark of PD neuropathology. Intranasal (IN) carnosine (2 mg/d for 8 weeks) was previously demonstrated to improve motor behavior and mitochondrial function in Thy1-aSyn mice, a model of PD. The present studies evaluated the efficacy of IN carnosine at a higher dose in slowing progression of motor deficits and aSyn accumulation in Thy1-aSyn mice. After baseline neurobehavioral assessments, IN carnosine was administered (0.0, 2.0, or 4.0 mg/day) to wild-type and Thy1-aSyn mice for 8 weeks. Olfactory and motor behavioral measurements were repeated prior to end point tissue collection. Brain sections were immunostained for aSyn and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Immunopositive cells were counted using design-based stereology in the SNpc and OB mitral cell layer (MCL). Behavioral assessments revealed a dose-dependent improvement in motor function with increasing carnosine dose. Thy1-aSyn mice treated with 2.0 or 4.0 mg/d IN carnosine exhibited fewer aSyn-positive (aSyn(+)) cell bodies in the SNpc compared to vehicle-treated mice. Moreover, the number of aSyn(+) cell bodies in carnosine-treated Thy1-aSyn mice was reduced to vehicle-treated wild-type levels in the SNpc. Carnosine treatment did not affect the number of aSyn(+) cell bodies in the OB-MCL or the number of TH(+) cells in the SNpc. In summary, intranasal carnosine treatment decreased aSyn accumulation in the SNpc, which may underlie its mitigation of motor deficits in the Thy1-aSyn mice.

Antitumor effect of Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil and its main component terpinen-4-ol in combination with target therapy in melanoma models

Essential oils (EOs) have been recently emerging for their promising biological activities in preventing tumorigenesis or progression of different tumor histotypes, including melanoma. In this study, we investigated the antitumor activity of a panel of EOs in different tumor models. The ability of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree oil) and its main component, terpinen-4-ol, to sensitize the target therapy currently used for melanoma treatment was also assessed. Our results demonstrated that EOs differently affect the viability of human cancer cells and led us to select six EOs effective in melanoma and lung cancer cells, without toxic effects in human fibroblasts. When combined with dabrafenib and/or trametinib, Melaleuca alternifolia synergistically reduced the viability of melanoma cells by activating apoptosis. Through machine learning classification modeling, α-terpineol, tepinolene, and terpinen-4-ol, three components of Melaleuca alternifolia, were identified as the most likely relevant components responsible for the EO's antitumor effect. Among them, terpinen-4-ol was recognized as the Melaleuca alternifolia component responsible for its antitumor and proapoptotic activity. Overall, our study holds promise for further analysis of EOs as new anticancer agents and supports the rationale for their use to improve target therapy response in melanoma.

Advances and Perspectives in Tissue Culture and Genetic Engineering of Cannabis

For a long time, Cannabis sativa has been used for therapeutic and industrial purposes. Due to its increasing demand in medicine, recreation, and industry, there is a dire need to apply new biotechnological tools to introduce new genotypes with desirable traits and enhanced secondary metabolite production. Micropropagation, conservation, cell suspension culture, hairy root culture, polyploidy manipulation, and Agrobacterium-mediated gene transformation have been studied and used in cannabis. However, some obstacles such as the low rate of transgenic plant regeneration and low efficiency of secondary metabolite production in hairy root culture and cell suspension culture have restricted the application of these approaches in cannabis. In the current review, in vitro culture and genetic engineering methods in cannabis along with other promising techniques such as morphogenic genes, new computational approaches, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), CRISPR/Cas9-equipped Agrobacterium-mediated genome editing, and hairy root culture, that can help improve gene transformation and plant regeneration, as well as enhance secondary metabolite production, have been highlighted and discussed.

MTHFR C677T and A1298C Polymorphisms in Breast Cancer, Gliomas and Gastric Cancer: A Review

Folate (vitamin B9) is found in some water-soluble foods or as a synthetic form of folic acid and is involved in many essential biochemical processes. Dietary folate is converted into tetrahydrofolate, a vital methyl donor for most methylation reactions, including DNA methylation. 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a critical enzyme in the folate metabolism pathway that converts 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate into 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, which produces a methyl donor for the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine. MTHFR polymorphisms result in reduced enzyme activity and altered levels of DNA methylation and synthesis. MTHFR polymorphisms have been linked to increased risks of several pathologies, including cancer. Breast cancer, gliomas and gastric cancer are highly heterogeneous and aggressive diseases associated with high mortality rates. The impact of MTHFR polymorphisms on these tumors remains controversial in the literature. This review discusses the relationship between the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms and the increased risk of breast cancer, gliomas, and gastric cancer. Additionally, we highlight the relevance of ethnic and dietary aspects of population-based studies and histological stratification of highly heterogeneous tumors. Finally, this review discusses these aspects as potential factors responsible for the controversial literature concerning MTHFR polymorphisms.

SUMOylation Regulator-Related Molecules Can Be Used as Prognostic Biomarkers for Glioblastoma

Introduction

SUMOylation is one of the post-translational modifications. The relationship between the expression of SUMOylation regulators and the prognosis of glioblastoma is not quite clear.

Materials and Methods

The single nucleotide variant data, the transcriptome data, and survival information were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, and cBioportal database. Wilcoxon test was used to analyze differentially expressed genes between glioblastoma and normal brain tissues. Gene set enrichment analysis was conducted to find the possible functions. One risk scoring model was built by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. Kaplain–Meier survival curves and receiver operating characteristic curves were applied to evaluate the effectiveness of the model in predicting the prognosis of glioblastoma.

Results

Single-nucleotide variant mutations were found in SENP7, SENP3, SENP5, PIAS3, RANBP2, USPL1, SENP1, PIAS2, SENP2, and PIAS1. Moreover, UBE2I, UBA2, PIAS3, and SENP1 were highly expressed in glioblastoma, whereas PIAS1, RANBP2, SENP5, and SENP2 were downregulated in glioblastoma. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the SUMOylation regulators of glioblastoma might involve cell cycle, DNA replication, and other functions. A prognostic model of glioblastoma was constructed based on SUMOylation regulator-related molecules (ATF7IP, CCNB1IP1, and LBH). Kaplain–Meier survival curves and receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the model had a strong ability to predict the overall survival of glioblastoma.

Conclusion

This study analyzed the expression of 15 SUMOylation regulators in glioblastoma. The risk assessment model was constructed based on the SUMOylation regulator-related genes, which had a strong predictive ability for the overall survival of patients with glioblastoma. It might provide targets for the study of the relationship between SUMOylation and glioblastoma.

Non-Invasive Strategies for Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery

Intranasal drug administration is a promising method for delivering drugs directly to the brain. Animal studies have described pathways and potential brain targets, but nose-to-brain delivery and treatment efficacy in humans remains debated. We describe the proposed pathways and barriers for nose-to-brain drug delivery in humans, drug properties that influence central nervous system delivery, clinically tested methods to enhance absorption, and the devices used in clinical trials. This review compiles the available evidence for nose-to-brain drug delivery in humans and summarizes the factors involved in nose-to-brain drug delivery.