Omega-3PUFA Attenuates MNU-Induced Colorectal Cancer in Rats by Blocking PI3K/AKT/Bcl-2 Signaling.

BACKGROUND: Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (Omega-3PUFA) is one of the essential nutrients for human body involved in intracellular metabolic regulation and cell signaling. Previous studies have shown that Omega-3PUFA is involved in the pathogenesis of digestive system tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC), however, the effects of Omega-3PUFA on CRC has not been fully elucidated. In the current study, we evaluated whether Omega-3PUFA can alleviate N-methyl-N-nitrosourea(MNU) induced CRC in a rat model and illustrated the potential mechanism. METHODS: The effects of Omga-3PUFA on MNU-induced colorectal cancer in rats were analyzed by in vivo experiments. The viability, apoptosis, colony formation and invasion of CRC cells treated with Omga-3PUFA were detected by CCK8, flow cytometry, clone formation assay and transwell invasion assay. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins in CRC cells treated with Omga-3PUFA was detected by Western blotting. Finally, after adding PI3K activator, the viability, apoptosis and protein expression of CRC cells treated with Omga-3PUFA were detected by CCK8, flow cytometry and Western blotting. RESULTS: Our results showed that Omega-3PUFA attenuated MNU-induced CRC in rats and inhibited AKT/Bcl-2 signaling in rats. In addition, Omega-3PUFA inhibited CRC cell proliferation and induces CRC cell apoptosis. Moreover, Omega-3PUFA inhibited CRC cell colony formation and invasion, and inhibited PI3K/AKT/Bcl-2 signaling in CRC cells. Furthermore, The effects of Omega-3PUFA on cell proliferation and apoptosis were inhibited by blocking PI3K/AKT signaling. CONCLUSION: Omega-3PUFA can attenuate MNU-induced colorectal cancer in rats by blocking PI3K/AKT/Bcl-2 signaling, which suggests that Omega-3PUFA may be a potent agent for CRC treatment.

Analysis of clinical features of acute pancreatitis in Shandong Province, China.

AIM: To investigate and obtain a more comprehensive view of the etiology and clinical features of acute pancreatitis in China. METHOD: The study comprised 1471 patients in 10 cites of China who were admitted to hospitals for acute pancreatitis from January 1992 to December 2002. Data for each patient were collected on a standardized form. RESULTS: Of the 1471 patients (854 men, 617 women; mean age 43.3 years; range 13-82 years), 1280 had mild pancreatitis and 191 had the severe form. Cholelithiasis (20.2%), alcohol (17.3%) and diet-induced (12.4%) were the most frequent etiological factors, followed by biliary tract infections (5.6%), hyperlipidemia (2.3%) and other factors (5.1%). However, in about 36.1% of cases, the etiology of acute pancreatitis still remained unexplained. In coastal regions, cholelithiasis was the most frequent factor but alcohol ranked first in interior regions. In males, a small predominance of alcohol over cholelithiasis was seen (27.4%vs 14.3%) and there was a clear predominance of cholelithiasis over alcohol (28.4%vs 3.2%) in females. The differences in the frequency of cholelithiasis and alcohol between coastal regions and interior regions and males and females were statistically significant (P < 0.01). According to their frequency, complications of acute pancreatitis were pancreatic pseudocyst, pancreatic ascites and bacterial peritonitis, pulmonary infections, multiple organ failure, diabetes mellitus type 2 and shock. CONCLUSION: Cholelithiasis, alcohol and diet-induced factors were the main etiological factors seen in China, whereas cholelithiasis alone predominated in females and alcohol ranked first in males. In about 36.1% of cases, the etiology of acute pancreatitis remained unknown. More attention should be paid to studying the etiologies of acute pancreatitis that remain unknown.

Analysis of the clinical features of recurrent acute pancreatitis in China.

BACKGROUND: Since few systematic studies have focused on recurrent acute pancreatitis in China, we sought to investigate its clinical features, including etiological factors and relative frequency. METHODS: Patients were selected from a total 1471 patients with acute pancreatitis in ten cities of China. All had been admitted to a hospital with an attack of acute pancreatitis between January 1992 and December 2002. Data for each patient was recorded on a standardized form. RESULTS: Of the 1471 patients with acute pancreatitis, 157 (10.7%) had recurrent acute pancreatitis. The majority (63%) were male, with a mean age of 41 years (range, 13-82 years). Regarding the etiology, alcohol (20.4%) and cholelithiasis (20.4%) were the most frequent causes, followed by diet (13.4%), hypertriglyceridemia (8.3%), biliary tract infection (5.7%), other (5.1%), and idiopathic factors (26.8%). Alcohol was most frequent in male patients (30.3%), whereas cholelithiasis was most frequent (34.5%) in female patients. The majority of patients (79.6%) presented with their second attack of pancreatitis. Complications of recurrent acute pancreatitis in order of frequency were pancreatic pseudocyst, multiple organ failure, diabetes mellitus type 2, and shock. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent acute pancreatitis remains a frequent disease, with cholelithiasis and alcohol being the most usual etiological factors. Alcohol is the primary etiological factor in male patients. In about 26.8% of cases, the etiology remains unknown.

[Protective effect of glutamine on intestinal barrier function in patients receiving chemotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effect of glutamine (Gln) on intestinal permeability in patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with gastrointestinal cancer after operation were randomly divided into Gln and control groups, and received oral administration of glutamine (30 g/d) for 7 days (n=22) or not (n=17). All patients received CF+ 5-FU chemotherapy for 5 days. Serum concentration of glutamine and urinary lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio were measured before and 1 day after chemotherapy. RESULTS: After chemotherapy, the serum Gln concentration was significantly decreased to (535.42+/- 53.75) micromol/L in the control group and increased to (54.44+/- 81.26) micromol/L in the Gln group, and there was significant difference between the two groups (P< 0.01). Urine L/M ratio was significantly increased to (0.0453+/- 0.0078) in the control group and decreased to (0.0331+/- 0.0061) in the Gln group, and there was significant difference between the two groups after chemotherapy (P< 0.01). CONCLUSION: Oral administration of glutamine granules can increase serum concentration of glutamine in chemotherapy patients with gastrointestinal cancer and can decrease intestinal permeability, maintain intestinal barrier.

[The clinical features of acute pancreatitis in 10 cities in Shandong Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and obtain a more comprehensive view of the etiology and clinical features of acute pancreatitis (AP) in Shandong Province. METHODS: 1471 cases admitted to hospital for AP were studied and collected from the ten cities of Shandong Province from January 1992 to December 2002 retrospectively. Data of each enrolled patient was recorded in a standardized form. RESULTS: In the 1471 patients, the ratio of male: female was 854:617, and also the mean age of them and the range was 43.3 and from 13 - 82 years old. 1280 had mild AP, and 191 had sever AP. Cholelithiasis (20.2%), alcohol (17.3%) and diet-induced (12.4%) were the most frequent etiologic factors, followed by biliary tract infections (5.6%), hyperlipemia (2.3%), other factors (5.1%). But in about 36.1% cases, the etiology of AP still remains unexplained. In coastal regions, cholelithiasis is the most frequent factor but in interior regions alcohol ranked first. In male, a small predominance of alcohol over cholelithiasis was seen (27.4 vs.14.3%, P < 0.01); and in female, there was a clear predominance of cholelithiasis over alcohol (28.4 vs. 3.2%, P < 0.01). The complications of AP were pancreatic pseudocyst, ascites and peritonitis, pulmonary infections, multiple organ failure, diabetes mellitus-2 and shock, etc. according to their frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: Cholelithiasis, alcohol and diet-induced factor were main etiologic factors in Shandong Province, whereas cholelithiasis alone predominated in the females. In about 36.1% cases, the etiology remains unknown. So that more attention should be paid to study the etiology of AP.