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1.
Int J Cancer ; 2024 Oct 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39369448

ABSTRACT

Although significant progress in the treatment of breast cancer has been achieved, toxic therapies would not be required if breast cancer could be prevented from developing in the first place. While breast cancer prevention is difficult to study in humans due to long disease latency and stochastic cancer development, transgenic mouse models with 100% incidence and defined mammary tumor onset, provide excellent models for tumor prevention studies. In this study, we used Neu/Erbb2 transgenic mice (MTB-TAN) as a model of human HER2+ breast cancer to investigate whether a family of microRNAs, known as the miR-200 family, can prevent mammary tumor development. Overexpression of Neu induced palpable mammary tumors in 100% of the mice within 38 days of Neu overexpression. When the miR-200b/200a/429 cluster was co-overexpressed with Neu in the same mammary epithelial cells (MTB-TANba429 mice), the miR-200b/200a/429 cluster prevented Neu from inducing mammary epithelial hyperplasia and mammary tumor development. RNA sequencing revealed alterations in the extracellular matrix of the mammary gland and a decrease in stromal cells including myoepithelial cells in Neu transgenic mice. Immunohistochemistry for smooth muscle actin confirmed that mammary epithelial cells in control and MTB-TANba429 mice were surrounded by a layer of myoepithelial cells and these myoepithelial cells were lost in MTB-TAN mice with hyperplasia. Thus, we have shown for the first time that elevated expression of miR-200 family members in mammary epithelial cells can completely prevent mammary tumor development in Neu transgenic mice possibly through regulating myoepithelial cells.

2.
Heliyon ; 10(14): e34650, 2024 Jul 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39114025

ABSTRACT

The objective of the present research is to explore the temperature diffusion in healthy and cancerous tissues, with a specific focus on how physical activity impacts on the weakening of breast tumors. Previous research lacked numerical analysis regarding the effectiveness of physical activity in tumor prevention or attenuation, prompting an investigation into the mechanism behind physical activity and tumor prevention from a bio-heat transfer perspective. The study employs a realistic model of human breasts and tumors in COMSOL Multiphysics® to analyze temperature distribution by utilizing Penne's bio-heat equation. The research examines their influence on tissue temperature by varying tumor diameter (10-20 mm) and exercise intensities (such as walking speeds and other activities like carpentry, swimming, and marathon running). Results demonstrate that cancerous tissues generate notably more heat than normal tissues at rest and during physical activity. Smaller tumors exhibit higher temperatures during exercise, emphasizing the significance of tumor size in treatment effectiveness. Tumor temperatures range between 40 and 43.2 °C, while healthy tissue temperatures remain below 41 °C during physical activity. High-intensity exercises, particularly swimming, walking at 1.8 m/s, and marathon running, display a therapeutic effect on tumors, increasing effectiveness with intensity. The temperatures of healthy and malignant tissues rise noticeably due to constant metabolic heat and decreased blood flow. The study also identifies the optimal duration of high-intensity exercise, recommending at least 20 min for optimal therapeutic outcomes. The outcomes of this research would help individuals, doctors, and cancer researchers understand and weaken malignant tissues.

3.
Adv Healthc Mater ; 13(19): e2400421, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38576069

ABSTRACT

Glioblastoma (GBM), the most prevalent and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor, exhibits profound immunosuppression and demonstrates a low response rate to current immunotherapy strategies. Manganese cations (Mn2+) directly activate the cGAS/STING pathway and induce the unique catalytic synthesis of 2'3'-cGAMP to facilitate type I IFN production, thereby enhancing innate immunity. Here, a telodendrimer and Mn2+-based nanodriver (PLHM) with a small size is developed, which effectively target lymph nodes through the blood circulation and exhibit tumor-preventive effects at low doses of Mn2+ (3.7 mg kg-1). On the other hand, the PLHM nanodriver also exhibits apparent antitumor effects in GBM-bearing mice via inducing in vivo innate immune responses. The combination of PLHM with doxorubicin nanoparticles (PLHM-DOX NPs) results in superior inhibition of tumor growth in GBM-bearing mice due to the synergistic potentiation of STING pathway functionality by Mn2+ and the presence of cytoplasmic DNA. These findings demonstrate that PLHM-DOX NPs effectively stimulate innate immunity, promote dendritic cell maturation, and orchestrate cascaded infiltration of CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes within glioblastomas characterized by low immunogenicity. These nanodivers chelated with Mn2+ show promising potential for tumor prevention and antitumor effects on glioblastoma by activating the STING pathway.


Subject(s)
Doxorubicin , Glioblastoma , Manganese , Membrane Proteins , Glioblastoma/drug therapy , Glioblastoma/pathology , Glioblastoma/metabolism , Glioblastoma/prevention & control , Animals , Manganese/chemistry , Manganese/pharmacology , Mice , Doxorubicin/pharmacology , Doxorubicin/chemistry , Humans , Cell Line, Tumor , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Brain Neoplasms/drug therapy , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Brain Neoplasms/prevention & control , Brain Neoplasms/metabolism , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Immunity, Innate/drug effects , Mice, Inbred C57BL
4.
BMC Cancer ; 24(1): 288, 2024 Mar 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38439023

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although HPV prophylactic vaccines can provide effective immune protection against high-risk HPV infection, studies have shown that the protective effect provided by them would decrease with the increased age of vaccination, and they are not recommended for those who are not in the appropriate age range for vaccination. Therefore, in those people who are not suitable for HPV prophylactic vaccines, it is worth considering establishing memory T-cell immunity to provide long-term immune surveillance and generate a rapid response against lesional cells to prevent tumorigenesis. METHODS: In this study, healthy mice were preimmunized with LM∆E6E7 and LI∆E6E7, the two Listeria-vectored cervical cancer vaccine candidate strains constructed previously by our laboratory, and then inoculated with tumor cells 40 d later. RESULTS: The results showed that preimmunization with LM∆E6E7 and LI∆E6E7 could establish protective memory T-cell immunity against tumor antigens in mice, which effectively eliminate tumor cells. 60% of mice preimmunized with vaccines did not develop tumors, and for the remaining mice, tumor growth was significantly inhibited. We found that preimmunization with vaccines may exert antitumor effects by promoting the enrichment of T cells at tumor site to exert specific immune responses, as well as inhibiting intratumoral angiogenesis and cell proliferation. CONCLUSION: Altogether, this study suggests that preimmunization with LM∆E6E7 and LI∆E6E7 can establish memory T-cell immunity against tumor antigens in vivo, which provides a viable plan for preventing tumorigenesis and inhibiting tumor progression.


Subject(s)
Cancer Vaccines , Listeria , Papillomavirus Infections , Papillomavirus Vaccines , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms , Humans , Animals , Mice , Female , Immunologic Memory , Memory T Cells , Papillomavirus Infections/complications , Papillomavirus Infections/prevention & control , Carcinogenesis , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/prevention & control , Antigens, Neoplasm
5.
Adv Healthc Mater ; 13(7): e2302901, 2024 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38102773

ABSTRACT

Bone metastases severely threaten the lives of patients. Although surgical treatment combined with adjuvant chemotherapy significantly improves the survival rate of patients, tumor recurrence, or metastasis after surgical resection and bone defects caused by surgical treatment remain major challenges for clinicians. Given the abovementioned clinical requirements, barium titanate-containing iron-coated porous titanium alloy scaffolds have been proposed to promote bone defect repair and inhibit tumor recurrence. Fortunately, in vitro and in vivo experimental research confirms that barium titanate containing iron-coated porous titanium alloy scaffolds promote osteogenesis and bone reconstruction in defect repair via mechanoelectric conversion and inhibit tumor recurrence via photothermal effects. Furthermore, the underlying and intricate mechanisms of bone defect repair and tumor recurrence prevention of barium titanate-containing iron-coated porous titanium alloy scaffolds are explored. A win-win strategy for mechanoelectrical conversion and photothermal functionalization provides promising insights into bone reconstruction of tumor-resected defects.


Subject(s)
Tissue Scaffolds , Titanium , Humans , Titanium/pharmacology , Porosity , Barium , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Osteogenesis , Alloys , Iron
6.
Mol Cell Biochem ; 478(2): 261-275, 2023 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35963913

ABSTRACT

Increased expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is associated with different cancers such as cervical, breast, lung, brain, and spinal cord. Inhibition of NOS activity has been suggested as potential tool to prevent breast cancer. The anti-tumor therapeutic effect of L-nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), NOS inhibitor, using in vivo models is currently under investigation. We hypothesized that L-NAME will show an anti-tumor effect by delaying a progression of breast cancer via a modulation of cell death and proliferation, and angiogenesis. We used a novel model of anti-cancer treatment by the administration of L-NAME (30 mg/kg in a day, intraperitoneal) injected every third day for five weeks to rat model of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced breast tumor. Concentrations of nitrite anions, polyamines, malondialdehyde, NH4+ levels, and arginase activity in the blood were decreased in DMBA + L-NAME-treated rats compared with DMBA rats. The mortality rates, tumor number, weight, and volume, as well as the histopathological grade of breast cancer were also significantly reduced. In addition, L-NAME treatment showed a delay in tumor formation, and in body weight compared with rats administrated only with DMBA. In conclusion, our data show that L-NAME is a promising anti-cancer agent to treat breast cancer, which can lead to development of anti-tumor therapeutic tools in future.


Subject(s)
Enzyme Inhibitors , Neoplasms , Nitric Oxide Synthase , Animals , Rats , Brain/metabolism , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Neoplasms/drug therapy , NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester/pharmacology , Nitric Oxide , Nitric Oxide Synthase/antagonists & inhibitors , Nitric Oxide Synthase/metabolism , Polyamines
7.
Int J Mol Sci ; 23(21)2022 Oct 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36361537

ABSTRACT

An immunosuppressive microenvironment in lung concurs to pre-malignant lesions progression to cancer. Here, we explore if perturbing lung microbiota, which contribute to immunosuppression, by antibiotics or probiotic aerosol interferes with lung cancer development in a mouse carcinogen-induced tumor model. Urethane-injected mice were vancomycin/neomycin (V/N)-aerosolized or live or dead L. rhamnosus GG (L.RGG)-aerosolized, and tumor development was evaluated. Transcriptional profiling of lungs and IHC were performed. Tumor nodules number, diameter and area were reduced by live or heat-killed L.RGG, while only a decrease in nodule diameter was observed in V/N-treated lungs. Both L.RGG and V/N reduced Tregs in the lung. In L.RGG-treated groups, the gene encoding the joining chain (J chain) of immunoglobulins was increased, and higher J chain protein and IgA levels were observed. An increased infiltration of B, NK and myeloid-derived cells was predicted by TIMER 2.0. The Kaplan-Meier plotter revealed an association between high levels of J chain mRNA and good prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma patients that correlated with increased B and CD4 T cells and reduced Tregs and M2 macrophages. This study highlights L.RGG aerosol efficacy in impairing lung cancer growth by promoting local immunity and points to this non-invasive strategy to treat individuals at risk of lung cancer.


Subject(s)
Adenoma , Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus , Lung Neoplasms , Probiotics , Mice , Animals , Carcinogens , Hot Temperature , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Probiotics/therapeutic use , Probiotics/pharmacology , Disease Models, Animal , Tumor Microenvironment
8.
Front Oncol ; 12: 962066, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36185259

ABSTRACT

Chronic diseases including cancer have high case numbers as well as mortality rates. The efficient treatment of chronic diseases is a major ongoing medical challenge worldwide, because of their complexity and many inflammatory pathways such as JNK, p38/MAPK, MEK/ERK, JAK/STAT3, PI3K and NF-κB among others being implicated in their pathogenesis. Together with the versatility of chronic disease classical mono-target therapies are often insufficient. Therefore, the anti-inflammatory as well as anti-cancer capacities of polyphenols are currently investigated to complement and improve the effect of classical anti-inflammatory drugs, chemotherapeutic agents or to overcome drug resistance of cancer cells. Currently, research on Calebin A, a polyphenolic component of turmeric (Curcuma longa), is becoming of growing interest with regard to novel treatment strategies and has already been shown health-promoting as well as anti-tumor properties, including anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, in diverse cancer cells. Within this review, we describe already known anti-inflammatory activities of Calebin A via modulation of NF-κB and its associated signaling pathways, linked with TNF-α, TNF-ß and COX-2 and further summarize Calebin A's tumor-inhibiting properties that are known up to date such as reduction of cancer cell viability, proliferation as well as metastasis. We also shed light on possible future prospects of Calebin A as an anti-cancer agent.

9.
Cancer Treat Rev ; 111: 102467, 2022 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36265336

ABSTRACT

HPV-related diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality, although effective HPV vaccines are available, potentially allowing for the elimination of these malignancies. Historically, most of the available literature has focused on cervical cancer, the fourth commonest cause of cancer-related death worldwide, whose incidence is heterogeneous mirroring the inequitable distribution of facilities for screening and treatment and vaccination programs. A broader vision of HPV vaccination impact is needed to understand the potential effect of a global high immunization coverage on both cervical cancer and other HPV-associated malignancies, in women and men. Five HPV vaccines are currently available, all inducing antibody response against the most frequent high-risk HPV types (HPV16 and 18). They are safe and strongly reduce the incidence of HPV-related diseases in clinical trials and in real-world studies, among both women and men. Therefore, WHO has set an ambitious goal for the global elimination of cervical cancer. The WHO global strategy has been launched to accomplish this goal and is supported by multiple organizations, governments, and donors, aiming at vaccinating 90% of young girls worldwide by 2030. In this setting, it is vital to optimize vaccination programs, with a focus on delivery approaches, target populations, increasing financial support, and awareness. In conclusion,HPV vaccination is safe and effective and can lead to the first case of cancer elimination worldwide. A sustained joint effort is fundamental for this goal to be reached, with optimization of this strategy and adaptation of vaccination programs to country-specific infrastructure.


Subject(s)
Papillomavirus Infections , Papillomavirus Vaccines , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms , Female , Humans , Male , Papillomavirus Infections/complications , Papillomavirus Infections/prevention & control , Papillomavirus Vaccines/therapeutic use , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/prevention & control , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis , Vaccination , Vaccination Coverage
10.
Orv Hetil ; 163(40): 1575-1584, 2022 Oct 02.
Article in Hungarian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36183266

ABSTRACT

The number of patients with type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide. In Hungary, the prevalence of known diabetic adults exceeds 9.1%, causing increased economical and medical burden to the society. It is obvious that there is a considerable urge to develop novel, safer and more efficient antidiabetic drugs. Therefore, studies have been focusing on the beneficial or detrimental side effects of antidiabetic drugs besides their general metabolic effects. Every anti-diabetic agent has an indirect anti-tumor effect as a consequence of lowering blood glucose levels and controlling carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. In addition, most agents have their own direct antitumor effects, on the other hand, some may play a negligible role in cancer promotion. While the latter possibility is based mainly on pre-clinical, experimental data or on short-duration clinical studies, the informations about the safety of antidiabetic drugs are verified by large-scale, randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled trials. Nowadays, metformin is the only drug that has been shown to reduce cancer risk in a variety of tumor localizations in monotherapy or in combination with other antidiabetic agents and insulins, and even in combination with certain cytostatics and biological therapies. The available data about the role of other antidiabetics in tumor prevention are less clear or insufficient. Here, we review the available ­ sometimes contradictory ­ literature about the relationship of tumor and antidiabet ics, verifying the safety of antidiabetics. Here, we propose that in the future tumor-specifically optimized antidiabetic treatment may play a role in tumor prevention or even in specific oncotherapy in patients with or without diabetes.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Metformin , Adult , Blood Glucose , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology , Humans , Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use , Insulin/therapeutic use , Metformin/adverse effects , Multicenter Studies as Topic
11.
Oncol Lett ; 24(1): 204, 2022 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35720480

ABSTRACT

Small-molecule chemical drugs are of great significance for tumor-targeted and individualized therapies. However, the development of new small-molecule drugs, from basic experimental research and clinical trials to final application in clinical practice, is a long process that has a high cost. It takes at least 5 years for most drugs to be developed in the laboratory to prove their effectiveness and safety. Compared with the development of new drugs, repurposing traditional non-tumor drugs can be a shortcut. Metformin is a good model for a new use of an old drug. In recent years, the antitumor efficacy of metformin has attracted much attention. Epidemiological data and in vivo, and in vitro experiments have shown that metformin can reduce the incidence of cancer in patients with diabetes and has a strong antagonistic effect on metabolism-related tumors. Recent studies have shown that metformin can induce autophagy in esophageal cancer cells, mainly by inhibiting inflammatory signaling pathways. In recent years, studies have shown that the antitumor functions and mechanisms of metformin are multifaceted. The present study aims to review the application of metformin in tumor prevention and treatment.

12.
Acta Pharm Sin B ; 12(5): 2252-2267, 2022 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35646530

ABSTRACT

Aristolochic acids (AAs) have long been considered as a potent carcinogen due to its nephrotoxicity. Aristolochic acid I (AAI) reacts with DNA to form covalent aristolactam (AL)-DNA adducts, leading to subsequent A to T transversion mutation, commonly referred as AA mutational signature. Previous research inferred that AAs were widely implicated in liver cancer throughout Asia. In this study, we explored whether AAs exposure was the main cause of liver cancer in the context of HBV infection in mainland China. Totally 1256 liver cancer samples were randomly retrieved from 3 medical centers and a refined bioanalytical method was used to detect AAI-DNA adducts. 5.10% of these samples could be identified as AAI positive exposure. Whole genome sequencing suggested 8.41% of 107 liver cancer patients exhibited the dominant AA mutational signature, indicating a relatively low overall AAI exposure rate. In animal models, long-term administration of AAI barely increased liver tumorigenesis in adult mice, opposite from its tumor-inducing role when subjected to infant mice. Furthermore, AAI induced dose-dependent accumulation of AA-DNA adduct in target organs in adult mice, with the most detected in kidney instead of liver. Taken together, our data indicate that AA exposure was not the major threat of liver cancer in adulthood.

13.
Biomaterials ; 274: 120893, 2021 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34029913

ABSTRACT

Cancer vaccines consisting of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) can initiate a powerful antitumor immune response through antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages, and have shown great potential in cancer prevention and therapy. However, poor anticancer efficacy and an uncertain immunization process have hitherto limited the application of cancer vaccines. Herein, a multifunctional nanovaccine comprising ovalbumin (OVA), MnO2, and polydopamine (OMPN) was prepared by a facile one-pot method. OMPN displayed excellent anticancer efficacy against an orthotopic melanoma and could also prevent liver metastasis in a tumor re-challenge mice model. Additionally, the migration behavior of DCs in the inguinal lymph node after vaccination was tracked by MRI contrasted with OMPN, indicating successful DC activation and immune response. The superior anticancer efficacy, especially the high efficiency against tumor metastasis, and the capability of tracking the immunization process make OMPN a very promising multifunctional nanovaccine for cancer therapy.


Subject(s)
Cancer Vaccines , Liver Neoplasms , Animals , Dendritic Cells , Immunotherapy , Liver Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy , Liver Neoplasms/prevention & control , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Manganese Compounds , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Oxides
14.
Tumour Biol ; 43(1): 77-96, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33998569

ABSTRACT

Cancer metastasis and therapy resistance are the foremost hurdles in oncology at the moment. This review aims to pinpoint the functional aspects of a unique multifaceted glycosylated molecule in both intracellular and extracellular compartments of a cell namely galectin-3 along with its metastatic potential in different types of cancer. All materials reviewed here were collected through the search engines PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar. Among the 15 galectins identified, the chimeric gal-3 plays an indispensable role in the differentiation, transformation, and multi-step process of tumor metastasis. It has been implicated in the molecular mechanisms that allow the cancer cells to survive in the intravascular milieu and promote tumor cell extravasation, ultimately leading to metastasis. Gal-3 has also been found to have a pivotal role in immune surveillance and pro-angiogenesis and several studies have pointed out the importance of gal-3 in establishing a resistant phenotype, particularly through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process. Additionally, some recent findings suggest the use of gal-3 inhibitors in overcoming therapeutic resistance. All these reports suggest that the deregulation of these specific lectins at the cellular level could inhibit cancer progression and metastasis. A more systematic study of glycosylation in clinical samples along with the development of selective gal-3 antagonists inhibiting the activity of these molecules at the cellular level offers an innovative strategy for primary cancer prevention.


Subject(s)
Blood Proteins/metabolism , Carcinogenesis/pathology , Epigenesis, Genetic/genetics , Galectins/metabolism , Neoplasms/pathology , Apoptosis/physiology , Blood Proteins/genetics , Carcinogenesis/genetics , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/genetics , Galectins/genetics , Glycosylation , Humans , Neoplasm Metastasis/pathology , Neoplasms/genetics
15.
Article in Chinese | WPRIM (Western Pacific) | ID: wpr-905948

ABSTRACT

Ferroptosis is a new type of cell death caused by abnormal accumulation of iron-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) and imbalance of redox with the participation of iron ions. In recent years, studies have found that ferroptosis is associated with various diseases and can especially regulate the development of tumors. Chinese medicine has unique advantages in tumor prevention and treatment. How to use ferroptosis theory to guide the prevention and treatment of cancer and other tumor diseases by Chinese medicine is a new research hotspot. This paper summarizes the proposal, action mechanism, and signaling pathway of ferroptosis, its application in tumor therapy, and the research on the activity of Chinese medicine based on ferroptosis. Results found that the occurrence of ferroptosis is related to iron metabolism, lipid ROS metabolism, and other signaling pathways and gene expressions. Ferroptosis can regulate tumor initiation and development, treatment, and tumor immunity, which provides strategies for tumor treatment and anti-tumor drug development. By analyzing the biological activity of Chinese medicine against ferroptosis, we found that Chinese medicines (Scutellariae Radix, Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Astragali Radix, Ginkgo, Epimedii Folium, Artemisiae Annuae Herba, and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma), Chinese herbal compounds ( Naotaifang, Si Junzitang, and Shenmai injection), and Chinese medicine effective components (baicalein, dihydroartemisinin, puerarin, piperlongumine, luteolin, and quercetin) can exert antitumor and other biological activities by regulating ferroptosis. Therefore, Chinese medicine has great potential in preventing and controlling tumors and other diseases by regulating ferroptosis. This paper provides theoretical basis and research ideas for the in-depth study of ferroptosis theory and guides the prevention and treatment of tumor diseases by Chinese medicine.

16.
Antioxidants (Basel) ; 10(1)2020 Dec 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33379141

ABSTRACT

In this paper we review the mechanisms of the antitumor effects of Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's wort, SJW) and its main active component hyperforin (HPF). SJW extract is commonly employed as antidepressant due to its ability to inhibit monoamine neurotransmitters re-uptake. Moreover, further biological properties make this vegetal extract very suitable for both prevention and treatment of several diseases, including cancer. Regular use of SJW reduces colorectal cancer risk in humans and prevents genotoxic effects of carcinogens in animal models. In established cancer, SJW and HPF can still exert therapeutic effects by their ability to downregulate inflammatory mediators and inhibit pro-survival kinases, angiogenic factors and extracellular matrix proteases, thereby counteracting tumor growth and spread. Remarkably, the mechanisms of action of SJW and HPF include their ability to decrease ROS production and restore pH imbalance in tumor cells. The SJW component HPF, due to its high lipophilicity and mild acidity, accumulates in membranes and acts as a protonophore that hinders inner mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarization, inhibiting mitochondrial ROS generation and consequently tumor cell proliferation. At the plasma membrane level, HPF prevents cytosol alkalization and extracellular acidification by allowing protons to re-enter the cells. These effects can revert or at least attenuate cancer cell phenotype, contributing to hamper proliferation, neo-angiogenesis and metastatic dissemination. Furthermore, several studies report that in tumor cells SJW and HPF, mainly at high concentrations, induce the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, likely by collapsing the mitochondrial membrane potential. Based on these mechanisms, we highlight the SJW/HPF remarkable potentiality in cancer prevention and treatment.

17.
Cancer Med ; 9(7): 2535-2550, 2020 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31994315

ABSTRACT

Although early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) have improved, it remains a significant health-care problem with high morbidity and mortality. Data indicate that long-term intake of low-dose aspirin reduces the risk of CRC; however, the mechanisms underlying this chemopreventive effect are still unclear. Different mouse models for inflammation-associated, sporadic, and hereditary CRC were applied to assess the efficacy and mechanism of low-dose aspirin on tumor prevention. An initial dosing study performed in healthy mice indicates that aspirin at a dose of 25 mg/kg/d has a similar pharmacodynamic effect as low-dose aspirin treatment in human subjects (100 mg/d). Chronic low-dose aspirin treatment suppresses colitis-associated and to a lesser extent spontaneous tumorigenesis in mice. Aspirin's antitumor effect is most pronounced in a preventive approach when aspirin administration starts before the tumor-initiating genotoxic event and continues for the duration of the experiment. These effects are not associated with alterations in cell proliferation, apoptosis, or activation of signaling pathways involved in CRC. Aspirin-induced reduction in tumor burden is accompanied by inhibition of thromboxane B2 formation, indicating reduced platelet activation. Aspirin treatment also results in decreased colonic prostaglandin E2 formation and tumor angiogenesis. With respect to colitis-triggered tumorigenesis, aspirin administration is associated with a reduction in inflammatory activity in the colon, as indicated by decreased levels of pro-inflammatory mediators, and tumor-associated iNOS-positive macrophages. Our results suggest that low-dose aspirin represents an effective antitumor agent in the context of colon tumorigenesis primarily due to its well-established cyclooxygenase inhibition effects.


Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Aspirin/pharmacology , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/drug effects , Colitis-Associated Neoplasms/drug therapy , Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Intestinal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/administration & dosage , Apoptosis , Aspirin/administration & dosage , Azoxymethane/toxicity , Carcinogens/toxicity , Cell Proliferation , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/pathology , Colitis-Associated Neoplasms/chemically induced , Colitis-Associated Neoplasms/pathology , Colorectal Neoplasms/chemically induced , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology , Dextran Sulfate/toxicity , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Female , Intestinal Neoplasms/chemically induced , Intestinal Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Tumor Cells, Cultured
18.
Genes (Basel) ; 10(8)2019 07 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31357528

ABSTRACT

While epidemiological studies performed in Asian countries generally show that high levels of dietary soy are associated with reduced breast cancer risk, studies in Western countries have typically failed to show this correlation. In an attempt to model the preventative actions of soy on mammary tumor development, rodent models have been employed. Thirty-four studies were identified that evaluated the impact of soy products or purified soy isoflavones on mammary tumor initiation (studies evaluating established mammary tumors or mammary tumor cell lines were not included) and these studies were separated into mammary tumors induced by chemical carcinogens or transgenic expression of oncogenes based on the timing of soy administration. Regardless of when soy-based diets or purified isoflavones were administered, no consistent protective effects were observed in either carcinogen-induced or oncogene-induced mammary tumors. While some studies demonstrated that soy or purified isoflavones could reduce mammary tumor incidence, other studies showed either no effect or tumor promoting effects of soy products or isoflavones. Most importantly, only five studies found a decrease in mammary tumor incidence and six studies observed a decrease in tumor multiplicity, two relevant measures of the tumor preventative effects of soy or isoflavones. The variable outcomes of the studies examined were not completely surprising given that few studies employed the same experimental design. Future studies should be carefully designed to more accurately emulate soy consumption observed in Asian cultures including lifetime exposure to less refined soy products and potentially the incorporation of multigenerational feeding studies.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/therapeutic use , Glycine max/chemistry , Isoflavones/therapeutic use , Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/prevention & control , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Female , Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/drug therapy , Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology , Rodentia
19.
Pediatr Blood Cancer ; 66(1): e27460, 2019 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30255556

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fanconi anemia is an inherited bone marrow failure disorder associated with a high incidence of leukemia and solid tumors. Currently, no interventions to prevent or delay the formation of solid tumors are available. PROCEDURE: Two of the most important hallmarks of Fanconi anemia are inflammation and oxidative stress. In this study, we administrated the antioxidant atorvastatin and the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib to cohorts of Fancd2-/- /Trp53+/- mice, a model of Fanconi anemia. Treatment started at weaning and continued until the mice developed a palpable mass or suffered from >20% weight loss. Tumor samples and selected tissues were subjected to histopathological examination. χ2 test was performed to analyze tumor incidence, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were evaluated with log-rank test. In addition, a small cohort of mice was monitored for the safety of the drugs. RESULTS: The combined oral administration of both drugs significantly delayed tumor onset in Fancd2-/- /Trp53+/- mice. Specifically, the treatment delayed the onset of ovarian tumors in Fancd2-/- /Trp53+/- mice and increased the mean ovarian tumor-free survival time by 17%, whereas this combinatorial drug regimen did not have a significant effect on other tumor types. In addition, no detrimental effects on hematopoiesis from the drug treatment were observed during a 12-month safety monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: The data presented here suggest that a combination of atorvastatin and celecoxib may be a good candidate for chemoprevention in Fanconi anemia.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Disease Models, Animal , Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group D2 Protein/physiology , Fanconi Anemia/drug therapy , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/physiology , Animals , Atorvastatin/administration & dosage , Celecoxib/administration & dosage , Fanconi Anemia/pathology , Female , Male , Mice , Mice, Knockout , Survival Rate
20.
Article in Chinese | WPRIM (Western Pacific) | ID: wpr-779400

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate health literacy and its influencing factors about the cancer prevention and control among urban residents in Guangxi. Methods Guangxi urban residents were selected by using multi-stage hierarchical cluster random sampling. Health Literacy resident cancer prevention and health literacy questionnaire, which was provided by National Urban Cancer Early Diagnosis and Treatment Project, were used for the face-to-face interview among participants. Results Among all the residents included in this study, 7.5 % had health literacy. Univariate analysis showed that gender, age, education, occupation, family income were influencing factors of health literacy(all P<0.05). The level of health literacy of female was higher than that of male. People aged 40-59 years old had the highest health literacy levels, while people aged 60 years old and above had the lowest health literacy levels. Business personnel and civil servant had higher health literacy levels than other professional staffs. The level of health literacy of residents with annual household income more than 8 ten thousand yuan was higher than that of other residents. Those with higher educational levels had better health literacy levels. Cancer prevention awareness and early detection, early diagnosis, early treatment awareness, two dimensions of cancer prevention and health literacy, was 57.2% and 17%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis indicated that gender, household income and occupation were independent factors influencing cancer prevention and health literacy in Guangxi urban residents. Conclusion The cancer prevention and health literacy levels of Guangxi urban residents are low and the development of cancer prevention awareness and early detection, early diagnosis, early treatment awareness is unbalanced. Gender, household income and profession are three independent factors influencing cancer prevention and health literacy.

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