Macrophage involvement in the pathological evolution of ulcerative colitis-associated colon cancer and progress of related traditional Chinese medicine drug interventions

Intestinal macrophages are essential players in intestinal inflammation and intestinal immune homeostasis.Intestinal macrophages have the ability to polarize into two distinct phenotypes based on various environmental signals.These phenotypes include the typically activated pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype and the alternatively activated anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.Under normal circumstances,intestinal macrophages prevent inflammatory damage to the gut.However,when genetic and environmental factors influence the polarization of intestinal macrophages,it can lead to an imbalance in M1/M2 macrophage activation and subsequently an imbalance in the control of intestinal inflammation.It transforms physiological inflammation into pathological intestinal damage.In patients with ulcerative colitis-associated cancer(UC-CRC),intestinal inflammatory disorders are closely associated with intestinal M1/M2 macrophage polarization imbalance.Consequently,restoring the polarization equilibrium of M1/M2 macrophages might be an evidence of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of UC-CRC,the pivotal role o effective measure to prevent and treat UC-CRC.This paper aims to examine the clinicalf macrophage polarization in UC-CRC pathogenesis,and the potential mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine in regulating macrophage polarization to treat UC-CRC.Our goal is to provide novel insights into the clinical practice,basic research,and drug development of UC-CRC.

Women Breast Cancer: Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Factors Associated with Early Screening in the Municipality of Abomey-Calavi in Benin in 2018

Background: Breast cancer is the dominant cancer in women in both developed and developing countries. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices and factors associated with early breast cancer screening among women in the Municipality of Abomey-Calavi in Benin. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study with prospective data collection from October 1 to 8, 2018, involving 1740 women in the Municipality of Abomey-Calavi, aged 18 years or older and selected by WHO four-stage random cluster sampling. Consenting women who were mentally competent, 18 years of age or older at the time of the survey, and residing continuously in the Municipality of Abomey-Calavi for the last six months prior to the survey were included. On the other hand, women who belonged to a breast cancer prevention service, women in whom secondary screening was noted, or non-consenting women were not included. The initial minimum size was estimated by the Schwartz formula with a cluster effect of k = 2. Information was collected by questionnaire survey, entered with Epidata 3.1. Fr and analyzed with R Studio 3.5.1. software. Results: The mean age of the women surveyed was 32.0 ± 11.5 years with a range of 18 and 71 years. Regarding knowledge, the clinical manifestation known by the majority of women was the presence of a nodule (68.50%). In the series, 1308 (75.17%) declared having heard about breast cancer once before, either on the radio, television or from friends and 726 (55.50%) had heard about breast cancer screening. Five hundred and twelve (70.52%) of the 726 who had heard of breast cancer said they knew that breast cancer could be screened earlier. Breast self-examination was the most cited screening method (67.58%). The disease is of natural origin according to 37.84% of them. Regarding attitudes and practices, the prevalence of early breast cancer screening was 12.93%, of which 11.67% declared that they had checked themselves to know whether they were carriers of the disease or not. The main means of the early screening used was breast self-examination (85.78%). Factors associated with early breast cancer screening found in multivariate analysis were age (≤50 years), education level (increasingly higher), marital status (married/coupled), place of residence (downtown), and socioeconomic level (average/high). Conclusion: The frequency of early breast cancer screening among women is still low in the municipality of Abomey-Calavi, although they have a good knowledge of the disease. This raises the need to strengthen awareness of early breast cancer screening.

Systematic Analysis of Factors Associated with Late Breast Cancer Screening in Women in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2014 to 2020

Research background: Breast cancer remains a major public health problem, with a high number of new cases and deaths each year. However, despite advances in research to improve this disease, there is a high rate of late detection, leading to diagnosis at an advanced stage and a reduced chance of survival. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify the factors associated with late detection of breast cancer in women in Sub-Saharan Africa from 2014 to 2020.Setting: This systematic review focuses on sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: We searched for articles in four databases (PubMed, Embase, Global-Health and CINAHL) between 2014 and 2020 and performed a narrative synthesis to organize and group the different factors associated with late breast cancer detection. Result: After reviewing 583 publications, 6 studies were selected, highlighting factors such as lack of awareness, knowledge gaps, difficulties in accessing health services and financial constraints associated with late breast cancer screening. The participants, who ranged in number from 20 to 1776, were mainly aged between 18 and 25, with a mean age of 25 years and 6 months. Conclusion: The analysis enabled us to identify various factors associated with late breast cancer screening. Collaboration between health professionals, community organizations and policy-makers is essential to foster an environment conducive to the prevention and early detection of breast cancer.

Status of colitis-associated cancer in ulcerative colitis

Surgical therapy for ulcerative colitis(UC) depends on the medical therapy administered for the patient's condition. UC is a benign disease. However, it has been reported that the rare cases of cancer in UC patients are increasing, and such cases have a worse prognosis. Recently, surgical therapy has greatly changed, there has been quite an increase in the number of UC patients with high-grade dysplasia and/or cancer. These lesions are known as colitis-associated cancer(CAC). The relationship between inflammation and tumorigenesis is well-established, and in the last decade, a great deal of supporting evidence has been obtained from genetic, pharmacological, and epidemiological studies. Inflammatory bowel disease, especially UC, is an important risk factor for the development of colon cancer. We should determine the risk factors for UC patients with cancer based on a large body of data, and we should attempt to prevent the increase in the number of such patients using these newly identified risk factors in the near future. Actively introducing the surgical treatment in addition to medical treatment should be considered. Several physicians should analyze UC from their unique perspectives in order to establish new clinically relevant diagnostic and treatment methods in the future. This article discusses CAC, including its etiology, mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment in UC patients.

Copy number variations are progressively associated with the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer in ulcerative colitis

AIM: To evaluate the association of known copy number variations(CNVs) in ulcerative colitis(UC) progressing to colorectal cancer.METHODS: Microsatellite instability analysis using the National Cancer Institute's panel of markers, and CNV association studies using Agilent 2 × 105 k arrays were done in tissue samples from four patient groups with UC: those at low risk(LR) or high risk of developing colorectal cancer, those with premalignant dysplastic lesions, and those with colitis-associated colorectal cancer(CAC). DNA from tissue samples of these groups were independently hybridized on arrays and analyzed. The data obtained were further subjected to downstream bioinformatics enrichment analysis to examine the correlation with CAC progression.RESULTS: Microarray analysis highlighted a progressive increase in the total number of CNVs [LR(n = 178) vs CAC(n = 958), 5.3-fold], gains and losses [LR(n = 37 and 141) vs CAC(n = 495 and 463), 13.4- and 3.3-fold, respectively], size [LR(964.2 kb) vs CAC(10540 kb), 10.9-fold] and the number of genes in such regions [LR(n = 119) vs CAC(n = 455), 3.8-fold]. Chromosomewise analysis of CNVs also showed an increase in the number of CNVs across each chromosome. There were 38 genes common to all four groups in the study; 13 of these were common to cancer genes from the Genetic Disease Association dataset. The gene set enrichment analysis and ontology analysis highlighted many cancerassociated genes. All the samples in the different groupswere microsatellite stable.CONCLUSION: Increasing numbers of CNVs are associated with the progression of UC to CAC, and warrant further detailed exploration.

Up-regulation of mitochondrial chaperone TRAP1 in ulcerative colitis associated colorectal cancer

AIM: To characterize tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1) expression in the progression of ulcerative colitis (UC)-associated colorectal cancer.

Ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer

The association between ulcerative colitis(UC) and colorectal cancer(CRC) has been acknowledged. One of the most serious and life threatening consequences of UC is the development of CRC(UC-CRC). UC-CRC patients are younger, more frequently have multiple cancerous lesions, and histologically show mucinous or signet ring cell carcinomas. The risk of CRC begins to increase 8 or 10 years after the diagnosis of UC. Risk factors for CRC with UC patients include young age at diagnosis, longer duration, greater anatomical extent of colonic involvement, the degree of inflammation, family history of CRC, and presence of primary sclerosing cholangitis. CRC on the ground of UC develop from non-dysplastic mucosa to indefinite dysplasia, lowgrade dysplasia, high-grade dysplasia and finally to invasive adenocarcinoma. Colonoscopy surveillance programs are recommended to reduce the risk of CRC and mortality in UC. Genetic alterations might play a role in the development of UC-CRC. 5-aminosalicylates might represent a favorable therapeutic option for chemoprevention of CRC.

Colitis-associated colon cancer:Is it in your genes?

Colitis-associated colorectal cancer(CA-CRC) is the cause of death in 10%-15% of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) patients. CA-CRC results from the accumulation of mutations in intestinal epithelial cells and progresses through a well-characterized inflammation to dysplasia to carcinoma sequence. Quantitative estimates of overall CA-CRC risks are highly variable ranging from 2% to 40% depending on IBD severity, duration and location, with IBD duration being the most significant risk factor associated with CA-CRC development. Recently, studies have identified IBD patients with similar patterns of colonic inflammation, but that differ with respect to CA-CRC development, suggesting a role for additional non-inflammatory risk factors in CA-CRC development. One suggestion is that select IBD patients carry polymorphisms in various low penetrance disease susceptibility genes, which predispose them to CA-CRC development, although these loci have proven difficult to identify in human genomewide association studies. Mouse models of CA-CRC have provided a viable alternative for the discovery, validation and study of individual genes in CA-CRC pathology. In this review, we summarize the current CA-CRC literature with a strong focus on genetic predisposition and highlight an emerging role for mouse models in the search for CA-CRC risk alleles.

Interleukin-34 deficiency aggravates development of colitis and colitis-associated cancer in mice

BACKGROUND Although expression of interleukin(IL)-34 is upregulated in active ulcerative colitis(UC),the molecular function and underlying mechanism are largely unclear.AIM To investigate the function of IL-34 in acute colitis,in a wound healing model and in colitis-associated cancer in IL-34-deficient mice.METHODS Colitis was induced by administration of dextran sodium sulfate(DSS),and carcinogenesis was induced by azoxymethane(AOM).Whether the impact of IL-34 on colitis was dependent on macrophages was validated by depletion of macrophages in a murine model.The association between IL-34 expression and epithelial proliferation was studied in patients with active UC.RESULTS IL-34 deficiency aggravated murine colitis in acute colitis and in wound healing phase.The effect of IL-34 on experimental colitis was not dependent on macrophage differentiation and polarization.IL-34-deficient mice developed more tumors than wild-type mice following administration of AOM and DSS.No significant difference was shown in degree of cellular differentiation in tumors between wild-type and IL-34-deficient mice.IL-34 was dramatically increased in the active UC patients as previously reported.More importantly,expression of IL-34 was positively correlated with epithelial cell proliferation in patients with UC.CONCLUSION IL-34 deficiency exacerbates colonic inflammation and accelerates colitis-associated carcinogenesis in mice.It might be served as a potential therapeutic target in UC.

Biomarkers for colitis-associated colorectal cancer

Patients with extensive ulcerative colitis(UC) of more than eight years duration have an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Molecular biomarkers for dysplasia and cancer could have a great clinical value in managing cancer risk in these UC patients. Using a wide range of molecular techniques- including cutting-edge OMICS technologies- recent studies have identified clinically relevant biomarker candidates from a variety of biosamples, including colonic biopsies, blood, stool, and urine. While the challenge remains to validate these candidate biomarkers in multi-center studies and with larger patient cohorts, it is certain that accurate biomarkers of colitis-associated neoplasia would improve clinical management of neoplastic risk in UC patients. This review highlights the ongoing avenues of research in biomarker development for colitis-associated colorectal cancer.

TNFR1 Deficiency Protects Mice from Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer Coupled with a Decreased Level of Oxidative Damage in the Colon: Implications for Anti-TNF Therapy of Unremitting Colitis

It has long been appreciated that there is a direct relationship between the intensity and duration of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and increasing intestinal cancer risk but which elements of the inflammatory response are responsible have not been identified. Anti-TNF drugs have been successful at treating IBD but considering the presumed anti-tumor activity of TNF, it is important to understand whether the treatment impacts on the patients’ intestinal cancer risk. We modeled this relationship by “treating mice lacking TNF receptors with a colon cancer causing combination of azoxymethane followed by repeated dextran sulphate sodium exposures (AOM + DSS regime). TNF receptor type1 gene deficient (TNFR1-/-) and TNFR2-/- mice experienced similar clinical illnesses and colonic inflammation as C57BL/6 wildtype controls during the AOM + DSS regime. Despite the inflammation, TNFR1-/- mice developed significantly fewer colon tumors than the other strains. The reduced tumor incidence was a product of the combined lack of receptor expression on hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells, shown using bone marrow cell chimeras of wildtype and TNFR1-/- mice. As oxidative damage is a potent contributing factor to tumorigenesis and inflammatory leukocytes make copious amounts of reactive oxygen radicals, we measured oxidative damage in the animals’ colons. TNFR1-/- mice showed less damage compared to the other strains. We subsequently examined mice deficient in their leukocyte NADPH oxidative pathway (Nox2-/-) for their cancer incidence using the AOM + DSS regime. Nox2-/- mice became inflamed but had fewer tumors than wildtype mice. We conclude that TNF promotes colon cancer including through promoting oxidative processes utilizing TNFR1 in leukocytes. Moreover, the C57BL/6 strain can be used to dissociate mechanisms of colon inflammation from tumorigenic processes. We interpret our results to mean that IBD patients on TNF antagonist therapies will potentially benefit with reduced colon cancer risk even if they do not respond with reduced inflammation.

Infliximab does not increase colonic cancer risk associated to murine chronic colitis

AIM To explore the influence of Infliximab(IFX) on cancer progression in a murine model of colonic cancer associated to chronic colitis.METHODS AOM/DSS model was induced in C57BL/6 mice. Mice were injected with IFX(5 mg/kg) during each DSS cycle while control mice received saline. Body weight, occult blood test and stool consistency were measured to calculate the disease activity index(DAI). Mice were sacrificed at week 10 and colons were analyzed macroscopically and microscopically for number of cancers and degree of inflammation. MTT assay was performed on CT26 to evaluate the potential IFX role on metabolic activity and proliferation. Cells were incubated with TNF-α or IFX or TNF-α plus IFX, and cell vitality was evaluated after 6, 24 and 48 h. The same setting was used after pre-incubation with TNF-α for 24 h.RESULTS IFX significantly reduced DAI and body weight loss in mice compared with controls, preserving also colon length at sacrifice. Histological score was also reduced in treated mice. At macroscopic analysis, IFX treated mice showed a lower number of tumor lesions compared to controls. This was confirmed at microscopic analysis, although differences were not statistically significant. In vitro, IFX treated CT26 maintained similar proliferation ability at MTT test, both when exposed to IFX alone and when associated to TNF-α.CONCLUSION IFX did not increase colonic cancer risk in AOM-DSS model of cancer on chronic colitis nor influence directly the proliferation of murine colon cancer epithelial cells.

Potential of new anti-cancer agents targeting the nuclear translocation signaling of HB-EGF C-terminal fragments during the development of colitis-associated cancer

In inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), the duration and severity of inflammation are responsible for the development of colorectal cancer. Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-8 and tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-a, which are released by epithelial and immune cells, are involved in the pathogenesis of colitis-associated cancer. Current treatments for advanced colorectal cancers focus primarily on targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. IL-8 (a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) agonist), which is involved in neutrophil recruitment and activation in persistent active colitis, also promotes cleavage of theproheparin-binding epidermal growth factor—like growth factor (proHB-EGF) through a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM), so that the resulting soluble HB-EGF activates EGFR. In parallel, the carboxy-terminal fragment of proHB-EGF (HB-EGF-CTF) translocates into the inner nuclear membrane, where HB-EGF-CTF binds the nuclear promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF) protein, resulting in the nuclear export of the PLZF transcriptional repressor and thereby affecting cell proliferation. Screening for potent chemical inhibitors of the interactions between HB-EGF-CTF and PLZF identified telmisartan (and related compounds in corporating a biphenyl tetrazole moiety) as inhibitors of cell proliferation. Here we focus on the inhibitory effects of these compounds on cell proliferation, demonstrating the potential for targeting the nuclear translocation of HB-EGF-CTF in the treatment of colitis-associated cancer.

Construction of miRNA-mRNA regulatory network and drug prediction for ulcerative colitis associated colorectal cancer

Objective:To construct the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network,andidentify more reliable therapeutic targets and potential drugs in ulcerative colitis associated colorectal cancer.Methods:Two datasets were downloaded from the GEO,and the differently expressed analysis were conducted by R software limma package.Functional enrichment analysis was performed using R software.The targets of differently expressed miRNAs were predicted by FunRich software,and the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed by Cytoscape software.The cMAP and TCMSP databases were used to predict small molecule drugs and traditional Chinese medicine respectively.Results:A total of 79 differently expressed miRNAs and 8865 differently expressed mRNAs were identified.Then the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed.Among DE miRNAs in the network,hsa-miR-520e,hsa-miR-199b-5p,hsa-miR-140-5p may be the most significant due to their large number of connecting nodes in ulcerative colitis associated colorectal cancer.The integrated differently genes were mainly concentrated in protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum,ferroptosis and other signalingpathways.In addition,10 kinds of small molecule drugs and 6 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine were screened as therapeutic agents for ulcerative colitis associated colorectal cancer.Conclusion:hsa-miR-520e,hsa-miR-199b-5p,hsa-miR-140-5p can be used as therapeutic targets forulcerative colitis associated colorectal cancer.The pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis associated colorectal cancer may be related to the protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum/ferroptosis signaling pathway,and it is predicted that 10 kinds of small molecule drugs,such asIsoflupredone,and 4 traditional Chinese medicines,such as Baiqucai(Celandine),Guanhuangbai(Cortex phellodendri amurensis),Huangbai(Phellodendron amurense)and Bajiaolian(Dysosma Versipellis),can be used as therapeutic drugs forulcerative colitis associated colorectal cancer.

Congestive ischemic colitis successfully treated with antiinflammatory therapy: A case report

BACKGROUND Congestive ischemic colitis is a rare subtype of ischemic colitis with an unknown pathophysiology.Excluding conservative management,such as fasting,no established treatment exists;therefore,surgical intervention should be considered in some cases if symptoms worsen.Current literature suggests that anti-inflam-matory agents may effectively treat congestive ischemic colitis.CASE SUMMARY We present the case of a 68-year-old female patient who underwent laparoscopic left hemicolectomy for transverse colon cancer 3 years ago.Postoperatively,follow-up included an annual colonoscopy and abdominal computed tomography(CT)at a local clinic.However,progressive erythema and edema of the sigmoid colon were observed 1 year postoperatively.Upon admission to our hospital,she complained of abdominal pain and diarrhea.Abdominal CT showed thickening of the sigmoid colon walls,and colonoscopy revealed erythema,edema,and multiple ulcers with exudate in the sigmoid colon.CT angiography showed engorgement of the sigmoid vasa recta without any vascular abnormalities.The diagnosis was congestive ischemic colitis,and we treated the patient with anti-inflammatory agents.After 2 mo of glucocorticoid therapy(20 mg once daily)and 7 mo of 5-aminosalicylate therapy(1 g twice daily),the ulcers completely healed.She has not experienced any recurrence for 2 years.CONCLUSION Anti-inflammatory therapy,specifically glucocorticoids and 5-aminosalicylate,has demonstrated promising efficacy and introduces potential novel treatment options for congestive ischemic colitis.

Casual associations between blood metabolites and colon cancer

BACKGROUND Limited knowledge exists regarding the casual associations linking blood metabolites and the risk of developing colorectal cancer.AIM To investigate causal associations between blood metabolites and colon cancer.METHODS The study utilized a two-sample Mendelian randomization(MR)analysis to investigate the causal impact of 486 blood metabolites on colorectal cancer.The primary method of analysis used was the inverse variance weighted model.To further validate the results several sensitivity analyses were performed,including Cochran's Q test,MR-Egger intercept test,and MR robust adjusted profile score.These additional analyses were conducted to ensure the reliability and robustness of the findings.RESULTS After rigorous selection for genetic variation,486 blood metabolites were included in the MR analysis.We found Mannose[odds ratio(OR)=2.09(1.10-3.97),P=0.024],N-acetylglycine[OR=3.14(1.78-5.53),P=7.54×10^(-8)],X-11593-O-methylascorbate[OR=1.68(1.04-2.72),P=0.034],1-arachidonoylglycerophosphocholine[OR=4.23(2.51-7.12),P=6.35×10^(-8)]and 1-arachidonoylglycerophosphoethanolamine 4[OR=3.99(1.17-13.54),P=0.027]were positively causally associated with colorectal cancer,and we also found a negative causal relationship between Tyrosine[OR=0.08(0.01-0.63),P=0.014],Urate[OR=0.25(0.10-0.62),P=0.003],N-acetylglycine[0.73(0.54-0.98),P=0.033],X-12092[OR=0.89(0.81-0.99),P=0.028],Succinylcarnitine[OR=0.48(0.27-0.84),P=0.09]with colorectal cancer.A series of sensitivity analyses were performed to confirm the rigidity of the results.CONCLUSION This study showed a causal relationship between 10 blood metabolites and colorectal cancer,of which 5 blood metabolites were found to be causal for the development of colorectal cancer and were confirmed as risk factors.The other five blood metabolites are protective factors.

Factors associated with heterochronic gastric cancer development post-endoscopic mucosal dissection in early gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Endoscopic mucosal resection is an innovative method for treating early gastric cancer and has been widely used in clinical practice.AIM To analyze the factors associated with the development of heterochronic gastric cancer in patients with early gastric cancer who had undergone endoscopic mucosal dissection(EMD).METHODS A cohort of patients with early gastric cancer treated using EMD was retrospectively analyzed,and patients who developed heterochronic gastric cancer after the surgery were compared with those who did not.The effects of patient age,sex,tumor size,pathological type,and surgical technique on the development of heterochronic gastric cancer were assessed using statistical analysis.RESULTS Of the 300 patients with early gastric cancer,150 patients developed heterochronic gastric cancer after EMD.Statistical analysis revealed that patient age(P value=XX),sex(P value=XX),tumor size(P value=XX),pathological type(P value=XX),and surgical technique(P value=XX)were significantly associated with the occurrence of heterochronic gastric cancer.CONCLUSION Age,sex,tumor size,pathological type,and surgical technique are key factors influencing the occurrence of heterochronic gastric cancer after EMD in patients with early gastric cancer.To address these factors,postoperative follow-up and management should be strengthened to improve the prognosis and survival rate of patients.

Thioridazine reverses trastuzumab resistance in gastric cancer by inhibiting S-phase kinase associated protein 2-mediated aerobic glycolysis

BACKGROUND Trastuzumab constitutes the fundamental component of initial therapy for patients with advanced human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2)-positive gastric cancer(GC).However,the efficacy of this treatment is hindered by substantial challenges associated with both primary and acquired drug resistance.While S-phase kinase associated protein 2(Skp2)overexpression has been implicated in the malignant progression of GC,its role in regulating trastuzumab resistance in this context remains uncertain.Despite the numerous studies investigating Skp2 inhibitors among small molecule compounds and natural products,there has been a lack of successful commercialization of drugs specifically targeting Skp2.AIM To discover a Skp2 blocker among currently available medications and develop a therapeutic strategy for HER2-positive GC patients who have experienced progression following trastuzumab-based treatment.METHODS Skp2 exogenous overexpression plasmids and small interfering RNA vectors were utilized to investigate the correlation between Skp2 expression and trastuzumab resistance in GC cells.Q-PCR,western blot,and immunohistochemical analyses were conducted to evaluate the regulatory effect of thioridazine on Skp2 expression.A cell counting kit-8 assay,flow cytometry,a amplex red glucose/glucose oxidase assay kit,and a lactate assay kit were utilized to measure the proliferation,apoptosis,and glycolytic activity of GC cells in vitro.A xenograft model established with human GC in nude mice was used to assess thioridazine's effectiveness in vivo.RESULTS The expression of Skp2 exhibited a negative correlation with the sensitivity of HER2-positive GC cells to trastuzumab.Thioridazine demonstrated the ability to directly bind to Skp2,resulting in a reduction in Skp2 expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels.Moreover,thioridazine effectively inhibited cell proliferation,exhibited antiapoptotic properties,and decreased the glucose uptake rate and lactate production by suppressing Skp2/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin/glucose transporter type 1 signaling pathways.The combination of thioridazine with either trastuzumab or lapatinib exhibited a more pronounced anticancer effect in vivo,surpassing the efficacy of either monotherapy.CONCLUSION Thioridazine demonstrates promising outcomes in preclinical GC models and offers a novel therapeutic approach for addressing trastuzumab resistance,particularly when used in conjunction with lapatinib.This compound has potential benefits for patients with Skp2-proficient tumors.

Exploring the potential mechanisms of luteolin against ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer via network pharmacology and molecular docking

Background:Patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis(UC)are known to have an increased susceptibility to colorectal cancer(CRC).However,the shared underlying mechanisms between UC and CRC remain unclear.Given the therapeutic potential of luteolin in both UC and CRC,this study aims to elucidate the molecular targets and mechanisms through which luteolin exerts its effects against these diseases.Methods:The GeneCards database,DisGENet database,and Gene Expression Omnibus database were utilized to analyze the targets associated with UC and CRC.Subsequently,the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology and SwissTargetPrediction databases were employed to identify luteolin-related targets.The identified luteolin-related targets were then mapped to official gene symbols using the UniProt database.The Cytoscape 3.9.0 software was utilized to construct a network of luteolin-associated targets.Venn diagram analysis was performed to identify common targets among UC,CRC,and luteolin.The common targets were further analyzed using the STRING database to construct a protein-protein interaction network.The“cytoHubba”plugin in Cytoscape 3.9.0 was employed to identify hub targets within the PPI network.Gene Ontology functional analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis were conducted on the hub targets.Finally,molecular docking using AutoDock and PyMOL software was performed to assess the binding affinity between luteolin and the hub targets.Results:Luteolin was found to interact with a total of 149 pharmacological targets,while UC and CRC were associated with 1232 and 3278 targets,respectively.Forty-six common targets were identified among luteolin,UC,and CRC.Through the application of seven different algorithms,seven hub targets were identified,TP53,AKT1,TNF,SRC,EGFR,and MMP9.Bioinformatics enrichment analysis revealed 49 enriched pathways through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis,while Gene Ontology analysis yielded a total of 245 biological processes,4 cellular components,and 7 molecular functions.Molecular docking simulations demonstrated a good binding affinity between luteolin and the hub targets.Conclusion:This study identified multiple potential pharmacological targets and elucidated various biological pathways through which luteolin may exert its therapeutic effects in the treatment of UC and CRC.These findings provide a solid theoretical foundation for further experimental investigations in the treatment of UC and CRC.

Cancer Occurrence and Associated Factors to Malignancy in BIRADS-3 Lesions in Yaoundé: The Need to Be More Proactive for Patients above 40, Non-Compliant with Imaging Follow-Up and Presenting with Nipple Discharge

Background and objectives: Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System in Category 3 (BIRADS-3) includes probably benign lesions which need a short-term imaging follow-up. However, in our context, the lesions graded BIRADS-3 remain insufficiently evaluated. We therefore conducted this study to assess the cancer occurrence and associated factors in BIRADS-3 lesions during the follow-up in order to propose an adaptation of the management for lesions in this category in our setting. Patients and methods: A retrospective longitudinal study of patients with lesions initially classified as BIRADS-3 and who realised each at least one additional imaging check-up between January 2014 and December 2022 in five Yaoundé hospitals. All clinical and imaging data were analysed using SPSS® 21.0 software with a significant p-value Results: Patients were aged 13 to 73 (33.0 ± 13.4) years, with a history of breast mass (315 cases;79.7%), breast pain (25 patients;6.3%), nipple discharge (20 patients;5.1%) or past family history of breast cancer (25 cases;6.3%). The most common baseline abnormalities were mammogram opacities (64.8%) and microcalcifications (48.6%), whereas initial breast ultrasound showed solid masses (77.0%) and cystic lesions (11.1%). Compliance with imaging appointment periods was low with only 23.9% of all patients performing an imaging control at the scheduled moment. During the follow-up, 115 patients (29.1%) were upgraded to BIRADS-4 and histology performed revealed 43 cancers (10.9% of overall initial BIRADS-3 sample). The presence of malignancies was associated to age above 40 years (p = 0.0001) and to the presence of nipple discharge (p = 0.0375). Conclusion: The frequency of malignancies among initial BIRADS-3 lesions in our series is higher than that described in the guidelines. This study highlights the need to be more proactive in the management of BIRADS-3 lesions in our setting as the compliance with follow-up is low. So, biopsy should be considered as an alternative to long-term follow-up for patients above 40, non-compliant with imaging check-ups and presenting with nipple discharge.