Implication of serum levels of interleukin-18 and nitric oxide in tumor growth and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer

To study the effect of IL-18 and nitric oxide(NO) on the growth and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods Serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite levels in 82 patients with NSCLC and 20 healthy control subjects were measured by using ELISA and Griess.Results The levels of serum IL-18 were (334.2±31.0)ng/L in NSCLC patients and (151.3±22.0)ng/L in control subjects,respectively.The levels of nitrate and nitrite were (237.1±21.0)μmol/L in NSCLC patients and (44.2±15.0)μmol/L in control subjects.The levels of serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite were not related with age,gender,histological types in patients with NSCLC.The levels of serum IL-18 was closely associated with TNM stage,lymph node metastasis and distal metastasis,but not with its degree and organ types of metastasis.There was a negative correlation between the levels of serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite.Conclusion Serum IL-18 and nitrate and nitrite levels may be useful to evaluate the prognosis of the patients with NSCLC.16 refs,2 tabs.

A naturally derived small molecule compound suppresses tumor growth and metastasis in mice by relieving p53-dependent repression of CDK2/Rb signaling and the Snail-driven EMT

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is central to cancer biology,with its pathway reactivation emerging as a promising therapeutic strategy in oncology.This study introduced LZ22,a novel compound that selectively inhibits the growth,migration,and metastasis of tumor cells expressing wild-type p53,demonstrating ineffectiveness in cells devoid of p53 or those expressing mutant p53.LZ22’s mechanism of action involves a high-affinity interaction with the histidine-96 pocket of the MDM2 protein.This interaction disrupted the MDM2-p53 binding,consequently stabilizing p53 by shielding it from proteasomal degradation.LZ22 impeded cell cycle progression and diminished cell proliferation by reinstating the p53-dependent suppression of the CDK2/Rb signaling pathway.Moreover,LZ22 alleviated the p53-dependent repression of Snail transcription factor expression and its consequent EMT,effectively reducing tumor cell migration and distal metastasis.Importantly,LZ22 administration in tumor-bearing mice did not manifest notable side effects.The findings position LZ22 as a structurally unique reactivator of p53,offering therapeutic promise for the management of human cancers with wild-type TP53.