Chronic Inflammation and Cancer: The Role of Endothelial Dysfunction and Vascular Inflammation

Structural characterization and anti-inflammatory activities of a purified polysaccharide from fruits remnants of Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) Burtt. et Smith

We reported here an interesting source of Alpinia zerumbet Polysaccharides (named AZPs) from the residues after extracting essential oil by steam distillation from Alpinia zerumbet fructus. After a series of purifications, a homogeneous polysaccharide (AZP-2) of molecular weight 1.25 × 105 Da was obtained. Structure, anti-inflammatory activity, and anti-inflammatory mechanism were investigated. AZP-2 was mainly composed of galactose, arabinose, xylopyranose, glucose, and galacturonic acid. The main linkage structure of AZP-2 was determined after integrating the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and methylation analysis, and the structure was comparatively complex. The results indicated that AZP-2 significantly decreased the production of NO and ROS in the inflammatory model established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW264.7, particularly at the concentration of 200 μg/mL. Furthermore, AZP-2 significantly modulated the secretion of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Notably, the mechanism of AZP-2 exhibiting inhibitory effects was related to regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Overall, AZP-2 could be used as a potential anti-inflammatory agent for further in-depth studies.

Apolipoprotein A-IV concentrations and cancer in a large cohort of chronic kidney disease patients: results from the GCKD study

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly connected to inflammation and oxidative stress. Both favour the development of cancer in CKD patients. Serum apolipoprotein A-IV (apoA-IV) concentrations are influenced by kidney function and are an early marker of kidney impairment. Besides others, it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Proteomic studies and small case-control studies identified low apoA-IV as a biomarker for various forms of cancer; however, prospective studies are lacking. We therefore investigated whether serum apoA-IV is associated with cancer in the German Chronic Kidney Disease (GCKD) study.

METHODS

These analyses include 5039 Caucasian patients from the prospective GCKD cohort study followed for 6.5 years. Main inclusion criteria were an eGFR of 30-60 mL/min/1.73m2 or an eGFR > 60 mL/min/1.73m2 in the presence of overt proteinuria.

RESULTS

Mean apoA-IV concentrations of the entire cohort were 28.9 ± 9.8 mg/dL (median 27.6 mg/dL). 615 patients had a history of cancer before the enrolment into the study. ApoA-IV concentrations above the median were associated with a lower odds for a history of cancer (OR = 0.79, p = 0.02 when adjusted age, sex, smoking, diabetes, BMI, albuminuria, statin intake, and eGFRcreatinine). During follow-up 368 patients developed an incident cancer event and those with apoA-IV above the median had a lower risk (HR = 0.72, 95%CI 0.57-0.90, P = 0.004). Finally, 62 patients died from such an incident cancer event and each 10 mg/dL higher apoA-IV concentrations were associated with a lower risk for fatal cancer (HR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.44-0.88, P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate an association of high apoA-IV concentrations with reduced frequencies of a history of cancer as well as incident fatal and non-fatal cancer events in a large cohort of patients with CKD.

Long Non-Coding RNAs: Bridging Cancer-Associated Thrombosis and Clinical Outcome of Ovarian Cancer Patients

Ovarian cancer (OC) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) have a close relationship, in which tumour cells surpass the haemostatic system to drive cancer progression. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in VTE pathogenesis, yet their roles in cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) and their prognostic value are unexplored. Understanding how these lncRNAs influence venous thrombogenesis and ovarian tumorigenesis may lead to the identification of valuable biomarkers for VTE and OC management. Thus, this study evaluated the impact of five lncRNAs, namely MALAT1, TUG1, NEAT1, XIST and MEG8, on a cohort of 40 OC patients. Patients who developed VTE after OC diagnosis had worse overall survival compared to their counterparts (log-rank test, p = 0.028). Elevated pre-chemotherapy MEG8 levels in peripheral blood cells (PBCs) predicted VTE after OC diagnosis (Mann-Whitney U test, p = 0.037; Χ2 test, p = 0.033). In opposition, its low levels were linked to a higher risk of OC progression (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 3.00; p = 0.039). Furthermore, low pre-chemotherapy NEAT1 levels in PBCs were associated with a higher risk of death (aHR = 6.25; p = 0.008). As for the remaining lncRNAs, no significant association with VTE incidence, OC progression or related mortality was observed. Future investigation with external validation in larger cohorts is needed to dissect the implications of the evaluated lncRNAs in OC patients.

TMEM200A is a potential prognostic biomarker and correlated with immune infiltrates in gastric cancer

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the digestive system. Several transmembrane (TMEM) proteins are defined as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. However, the role and underlying mechanism of TMEM200A in GC remain unclear.

Methods

We analyzed the expression of TMEM200A in GC. Furthermore, the influence of TMEM200A on survival of GC patients was evaluated. The correlations between the clinical information and TMEM200A expression were analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression. Relevant prognostic factors were identified performing univariate and multivariate analysis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed based on the TCGA dataset. Finally, we explore the relationship between TMEM200A expression and cancer immune infiltrates using CIBERSORT.

Results

TMEM200A was up-regulated in GC tissues than that in adjacent non-tumor tissues based on TCGA database. Meta-analysis and RT-qPCR validated the difference in TMEM200A expression. Kaplan-Meier curves suggested the increased TMEM200A had a poor prognosis in GC patients. The chi-square test and logistic regression analyses showed that the TMEM200A expression correlates significantly with T stage. Multivariate analysis showed that TMEM200A expression might be an important independent predictor of poor overall survival in GC patients. GSEA identified five immune-related signaling pathways and five tumor-related signaling pathways significantly enriched in the high TMEM200A expression phenotype pathway. Finally, we found CD8+ T cells is apparently decreased in high TMEM200A expression group. Conversely, eosinophils is increased in high expression group compared with low expression group.

Conclusion

TMEM200A is a potential prognostic biomarker and correlated with immune infiltrates in GC.

Obesity and main urologic cancers: Current systematic evidence, novel biological mechanisms, perspectives and challenges

Urologic cancers (UC) account for 13.1% of all new cancer cases and 7.9% of all cancer-related deaths. A growing body of evidence has indicated a potential causal link between obesity and UC. The aim of the present review is to appraise in a critical and integrative manner evidence from meta-analyses and mechanistic studies on the role of obesity in four prevalent UC (kidney-KC, prostate-PC, urinary bladder-UBC, and testicular cancer-TC). Special emphasis is given on Mendelian Randomization Studies (MRS) corroborating a genetic causal association between obesity and UC, as well as on the role of classical and novel adipocytokines. Furthermore, the molecular pathways that link obesity to the development and progression of these cancers are reviewed. Available evidence indicates that obesity confers increased risk for KC, UBC, and advanced PC (20-82%, 10-19%, and 6-14%, respectively), whereas for TC adult height (5-cm increase) may increase the risk by 13%. Obese females tend to be more susceptible to UBC and KC than obese males. MRS have shown that a higher genetic-predicted BMI may be causally linked to KC and UBC but not PC and TC. Biological mechanisms that are involved in the association between excess body weight and UC include the Insulin-like Growth Factor axis, altered availability of sex hormones, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, abnormal secretion of adipocytokines, ectopic fat deposition, dysbiosis of the gastrointestinal and urinary tract microbiomes and circadian rhythm dysregulation. Anti-hyperglycemic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, and adipokine receptor agonists/antagonists show potential as adjuvant cancer therapies. Identifying obesity as a modifiable risk factor for UC may have significant public health implications, allowing clinicians to tailor individualized prevention strategies for patients with excess body weight.

Transcription Factors as Targets of Natural Compounds in Age-Related Diseases and Cancer: Potential Therapeutic Applications

Inflammation exacerbates systemic pathophysiological conditions and chronic inflammation is a sustained and systemic phenomenon that aggravates aging that can lead to chronic age-related diseases. These inflammatory phenomena have recently been redefined and delineated at the molecular, cellular, and systemic levels. Many transcription factors that are activated in response to tumor metabolic state have been reported to be regulated by a class of histone deacetylase called sirtuins (SIRTs). Sirtuins play a pivotal role in the regulation of tumor cell metabolism, proliferation, and angiogenesis, including oxidative stress and inflammation. The SIRT1-mediated signaling pathway in diabetes and cancer is the SIRT1/forkhead-box class O (FoxO)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. In this review, we describe the accumulation of SIRT1-, NF-κB-, and FoxO-mediated inflammatory processes and cellular proinflammatory signaling pathways. We also describe the proinflammatory mechanisms underlying metabolic molecular pathways in various diseases such as liver cancer and diabetes. Finally, the regulation of cancer and diabetes through the anti-inflammatory effects of natural compounds is highlighted. Evidence from inflammation studies strongly suggests that cells may be a major source of cytokines secreted during various diseases. A better understanding of the mechanisms that underpin the inflammatory response and palliative role of natural compounds will provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of inflammation and various diseases for potential intervention.

Remodeling tumor microenvironment with natural products to overcome drug resistance

With cancer incidence rates continuing to increase and occurrence of resistance in drug treatment, there is a pressing demand to find safer and more effective anticancer strategy for cancer patients. Natural products, have the advantage of low toxicity and multiple action targets, are always used in the treatment of cancer prevention in early stage and cancer supplement in late stage. Tumor microenvironment is necessary for cancer cells to survive and progression, and immune activation is a vital means for the tumor microenvironment to eliminate cancer cells. A number of studies have found that various natural products could target and regulate immune cells such as T cells, macrophages, mast cells as well as inflammatory cytokines in the tumor microenvironment. Natural products tuning the tumor microenvironment via various mechanisms to activate the immune response have immeasurable potential for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, it highlights the research findings related to natural products regulating immune responses against cancer, especially reveals the possibility of utilizing natural products to remodel the tumor microenvironment to overcome drug resistance.

Characterization of the Molecular Alterations Induced by the Prolonged Exposure of Normal Colon Mucosa and Colon Cancer Cells to Low-Dose Bisphenol A

Colorectal cancer is a common cancer with a poor prognosis in both males and females. The influence of bisphenol A (BPA), a widely used environmental contaminant, in colon cancer development and progression is not well identified, in spite of the fact that the most common mode of exposure to BPA is ingestion. The aim of this work is to elucidate the carcinogenic effects of BPA in the colon in vitro. We analyzed BPA’s effects on human colon epithelial (HCoEpiC) and colon cancer (HCT116) cells. BPA exerted cytotoxic effects and augmented the 5FU cytotoxicity on both cell lines at high doses, while it did not show this effect at low doses. Therefore, we focused on studying the effects of low-dose (0.0043 nM) exposure on normal colonic epithelial cells for a long period of time (two months), which is more consistent with environmental exposure levels and patterns. BPA increased cellular invasiveness through collagen and the ability to anchorage-independent cell growth, as measured by colony formation in soft agar, which could support oncogenicity. To gain insights into the mechanism of these actions, we performed transcriptomic analysis using next-generation sequencing, which revealed 340 differentially expressed transcripts by BPA in HCT116 and 75 in HCoEpiC. These transcripts belong in many cancer-related pathways such as apoptosis, cell proliferation, signal transduction, and angiogenesis. Some of the significant genes (FAM83H, CXCL12, PITPNA, HMOX1, DGKZ, NR5A2, VMP1, and ID1) were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. Furthermore, BPA induced the phosphorylation of protein kinases such as JNK1/2/3, GSK-3α/β, AMPKα1, AKT1/2/3, AMPKα2, HSP27, β-catenin, STAT2, Hck, Chk2, FAK, and PRAS40 in HCoEpiC, as well as GSK-3α/β, p53, AKT1/2/3, p70 S6 kinase, and WNK1 in HCT116. The majority of these proteins are involved in potential carcinogenic pathways. Taken together, these data suggest that BPA plays a role in colon carcinogenesis, and they provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of colon epithelial cell transformation by BPA. Increasing exposure to environmental toxins such as BPA can explain the increasing incidence of colorectal cancer.

The potential effects and mechanisms of breast inflammatory lesions on the occurrence and development of breast cancer

Breast cancer as the most common cancer in women has become the leading cause of cancer death for women. Although many inflammatory factors increase the risk of breast cancer, there are very few studies on the mechanisms by which inflammation affects the initiation and progression of breast cancer. Here, we profiled and compared the transcriptome of normal tissues, inflammatory breast tissues, benign breast tumors, and malignant breast tumors. To find key regulatory factors, a protein interaction network between characteristic modules in inflammatory lesions and ER-negative (ER⁻) breast cancer was constructed and inflammation-cancer interface genes were identified. We found that the transcriptional profile of inflammatory breast tissues was similar with ER⁻ malignant tumors, featured with low ER expression levels and similar immune signaling pathway activation. Through comprehensive protein network analysis, we identified the interface genes and chemokine signaling pathway that have the potential to promote inflammatory cancer transformation. These interface genes could be used as a risk factor to provide a certain basis for the clinical early detection and treatment of breast cancer. This is the first study to explore the association between breast inflammatory lesions and breast cancer at the transcriptome level. Our inflammation data and research results provide a basis for future inflammation-cancer transformation analysis.

Disease-Associated Regulation of Non-Coding RNAs by Resveratrol: Molecular Insights and Therapeutic Applications

There have been significant advances, particularly over the last 20 years, in the identification of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their pathophysiological role in a wide range of disease states, particularly cancer and other chronic conditions characterized by excess inflammation and oxidative stress such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, liver and lung fibrosis. Such discoveries have potential therapeutic implications as a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the effects of ncRNAs on critical homeostatic control mechanisms and biochemical pathways might lead to the identification of novel druggable targets. In this context, increasing evidence suggests that several natural compounds can target ncRNAs at different levels and, consequently, influence processes involved in the onset and progression of disease states. The natural phenol resveratrol has been extensively studied for therapeutic purposes in view of its established anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, particularly in disease states such as cancer and cardiovascular disease that are associated with human aging. However, increasing in vitro and in vivo evidence also suggests that resveratrol can directly target various ncRNAs and that this mediates, at least in part, its potential therapeutic effects. This review critically appraises the available evidence regarding the resveratrol-mediated modulation of different ncRNAs in a wide range of disease states characterized by a pro-inflammatory state and oxidative stress, the potential therapeutic applications, and future research directions.

Superoxide Dismutase-3 Downregulates Laminin α5 Expression in Tumor Endothelial Cells via the Inhibition of Nuclear Factor Kappa B Signaling

The balance between laminin isoforms containing the α5 or the α4 chain in the endothelial basement membrane determines the site of leukocyte diapedesis under inflammatory conditions. Extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD3) induces laminin α4 expression in tumor blood vessels, which is associated with enhanced intratumor T cell infiltration in primary human cancers. We show now that SOD3 overexpression in neoplastic and endothelial cells (ECs) reduces laminin α5 in tumor blood vessels. SOD3 represses the laminin α5 gene (LAMA5), but LAMA5 expression is not changed in SOD1-overexpressing cells. Transcriptomic analyses revealed SOD3 overexpression to change the transcription of 1682 genes in ECs, with the canonical and non-canonical NF-κB pathways as the major SOD3 targets. Indeed, SOD3 reduced the transcription of well-known NF-κB target genes as well as NF-κB-driven promoter activity in ECs stimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, an NF-κB signaling inducer. SOD3 inhibited the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα (nuclear factor of the kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor alpha), an NF-κB inhibitor. Finally, TNF-α was found to be a transcriptional activator of LAMA5 but not of LAMA4; LAMA5 induction was prevented by SOD3. In conclusion, SOD3 is a major regulator of laminin balance in the basement membrane of tumor ECs, with potential implications for immune cell infiltration into tumors.

Cancer Risk in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Research data suggest that patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis may increase the risk of cancer. However, existing research is inconsistent with this view. Therefore, to investigate the effect of Hashimoto's thyroiditis on the risk of developing cancer, we conducted this study.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed and Embase databases from database establishment until March 2022. After rigorous literature screening by two authors, 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria were identified, and the required data were independently extracted.

RESULTS

We retrieved 3591 records, and after the screening, 11 case-control studies and 12 cohort studies were included in the analysis. Data analysis suggested that patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis had an increased risk of developing breast cancer, urogenital cancer, digestive organs cancer, hematologic cancer, and a low risk of respiratory cancers.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis showed that patients with HT may have a significantly increased risk of thyroid cancer, breast cancers, lung cancer, digestive system cancer, urogenital cancers, blood cancers, and prolactinoma people without HT.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD 42022320741.