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Background: Vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency, and protein-energy malnutrition are prevalent malnutrition issues that disproportionately affect low-income countries and pose significant risks to the health and development of children and adolescents. This study offers a detailed examination of these deficiencies' prevalence trends and gender and regional variations using Global Burden of Disease Study data from 1990 to 2019. It also assesses the specific impact on various age groups, providing essential insights for targeted health interventions and policy-making. Methods: Data spanning from 1990 to 2019 on Vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency, and protein-energy malnutrition were extracted from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study. Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (ASR) were computed by gender, region, and etiology, utilizing the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) to assess temporal trends. Results: In 2019, Central Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency, particularly among males, and iodine deficiency peaked in the same region for both genders. South Asia had the highest incidence of protein-energy malnutrition for both genders. Regions with a low Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) showed lower ASR for these deficiencies. Notably, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Maldives recorded the highest ASR for vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency, and protein-energy malnutrition, respectively. The declining ASR trend for vitamin A deficiency, especially among males, suggests effective interventions. East Asia saw a significant increase in iodine deficiency ASR from 1990 to 2019, particularly among women, requiring targeted interventions. The rising ASR of protein-energy malnutrition in several regions, especially among men, raises concerns. Vitamin A deficiency primarily affected children and adolescents, iodine deficiency predominantly impacted adolescents and young adults, and protein-energy malnutrition was chiefly observed among children under 5 years old. These findings underscore the necessity for tailored interventions considering age-specific nutritional needs and challenges.
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BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant global health challenge with high incidence and mortality rates. T cells and natural killer (NK) cells are pivotal in this context, yet HCC can evade immune surveillance. CD161 (KLRB1), a C-type lectin receptor, modulates immune responses and is expressed on NK cells and a subset of T cells. Its relevance in HCC remains poorly understood, with conflicting findings regarding its impact on patient prognosis. METHODS: Utilizing TCGA data and single-cell analysis, we investigated the biological functions of KLRB1 in HCC. Peripheral blood samples from 126 HCC patients were collected to assess KLRB1 expression on NK and T cells. The diagnostic performance of KLRB1 on NK and CD8 + T cells was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, while its prognostic significance was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and COX regression models. RESULTS: Analysis of TCGA data revealed a significant correlation between KLRB1 expression and immune activation, particularly T cell activation. Single-cell data further demonstrated elevated KLRB1 expression in tissue-resident NK and T cells within HCC, which co-expressed markers of immune activation. Clinical data showed downregulated KLRB1 expression on NK and T cells in HCC patients compared to health individuals, with lower expression levels correlating with poorer prognosis. CONCLUSION: KLRB1 emerges as a promising biomarker in HCC, with its downregulation on peripheral blood NK and T cells suggesting potential prognostic value. Further elucidation of KLRB1's role in HCC may pave the way for the development of targeted immunotherapies and the improvement of patient outcomes.
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Biomarcadores de Tumor , Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Células Asesinas Naturales , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Subfamilia B de Receptores Similares a Lectina de Células NK , Humanos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/inmunología , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/mortalidad , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/inmunología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patología , Neoplasias Hepáticas/mortalidad , Células Asesinas Naturales/metabolismo , Células Asesinas Naturales/inmunología , Pronóstico , Masculino , Femenino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Biomarcadores de Tumor/sangre , Biomarcadores de Tumor/metabolismo , Subfamilia B de Receptores Similares a Lectina de Células NK/metabolismo , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/metabolismo , Linfocitos T CD8-positivos/inmunología , Estimación de Kaplan-Meier , Anciano , Análisis de la Célula Individual , Curva ROC , Activación de Linfocitos , Regulación hacia AbajoRESUMEN
Introduction: Periodontal disease (PD) presents a substantial global health challenge, encompassing conditions from reversible gingivitis to irreversible periodontitis, often culminating in tooth loss. The gut-oral axis has recently emerged as a focal point, with potential gut microbiota dysbiosis exacerbating PD. Methods: In this study, we employed a double-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomized (MR) approach to investigate the causal relationship between specific gut microbiota and periodontal disease (PD) and bleeding gum (BG) development, while exploring the interplay between periodontal health and the gut microenvironment. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with two cohorts, totalling 346,731 (PD and control) and 461,113 (BG and control) participants, along with data from 14,306 participants' intestinal flora GWAS, encompassing 148 traits (31 families and 117 genera). Three MR methods were used to assess causality, with the in-verse-variance-weighted (IVW) measure as the primary outcome. Cochrane's Q test, MR-Egger, and MR-PRESSO global tests were used to detect heterogeneity and pleiotropy. The leave-one-out method was used to test the stability of the MR results. An F-statistic greater than 10 was accepted for instrument exposure association. Results and conclusion: Specifically, Eubacterium xylanophilum and Lachnoclostridium were associated with reduced gum bleeding risk, whereas Anaerotruncus, Eisenbergiella, and Phascolarctobacterium were linked to reduced PD risk. Conversely, Fusicatenibacter was associated with an elevated risk of PD. No significant heterogeneity or pleiotropy was detected. In conclusion, our MR analysis pinpointed specific gut flora with causal connections to PD, offering potential avenues for oral health interventions.
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ABSTRACT: We previously reported high rates of undetectable minimal residual disease <10-4 (uMRD4) with ibrutinib plus fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (iFCR) followed by 2-year ibrutinib maintenance (I-M) in treatment-naïve chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Here, we report updated data from this phase 2 study with a median follow-up of 63 months. Of 85 patients enrolled, including 5 (6%) with deletion 17p or TP53 mutation, 91% completed iFCR and 2-year I-M. Five-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival were 94% (95% confidence interval [CI], 89%-100%) and 99% (95% CI, 96%-100%), respectively. No additional deaths have occurred with this extended follow-up. No difference in PFS was observed by immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable region gene status or duration of I-M. High rates of peripheral blood (PB) uMRD4 were maintained (72% at the end of iFCR, 66% at the end of 2-year I-M, and 44% at 4.5 years from treatment initiation). Thirteen patients developed MRD conversion without clinical progression, mostly (77%) after stopping ibrutinib. None had Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) mutations. One patient had PLCG2 mutation. Six of these patients underwent ibrutinib retreatment per protocol. Median time on ibrutinib retreatment was 34 months. The cumulative incidence of atrial fibrillation was 8%. Second malignancy or nonmalignant hematologic disease occurred in 13%, mostly nonmelanoma skin cancer. Overall, iFCR with 2-year I-M achieved durably deep responses in patients with diverse CLL genetic markers. Re-emergent clones lacked BTK mutation and retained sensitivity to ibrutinib upon retreatment. This trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02251548.
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Adenina/análogos & derivados , Leucemia Linfocítica Crónica de Células B , Piperidinas , Vidarabina/análogos & derivados , Humanos , Leucemia Linfocítica Crónica de Células B/tratamiento farmacológico , Leucemia Linfocítica Crónica de Células B/genética , Rituximab/efectos adversos , Estudios de Seguimiento , Resultado del Tratamiento , Ciclofosfamida/efectos adversosRESUMEN
Neuroendocrine (NE) cells comprise ~1% of epithelial cells in benign prostate and prostatic adenocarcinoma (PCa). However, they become enriched in hormonally treated and castration-resistant PCa (CRPC). In addition, close to 20% of hormonally treated tumors recur as small cell NE carcinoma (SCNC), composed entirely of NE cells, which may be the result of clonal expansion or lineage plasticity. Since NE cells do not express androgen receptors (ARs), they are resistant to hormonal therapy and contribute to therapy failure. Here, we describe the identification of glypican-3 (GPC3) as an oncofetal cell surface protein specific to NE cells in prostate cancer. Functional studies revealed that GPC3 is critical to the viability of NE tumor cells and tumors displaying NE differentiation and that it regulates calcium homeostasis and signaling. Since our results demonstrate that GPC3 is specifically expressed by NE cells, patients with confirmed SCNC may qualify for GPC3-targeted therapy which has been developed in the context of liver cancer and displays minimal toxicity due to its tumor-specific expression. © 2023 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Adenocarcinoma , Células Neuroendocrinas , Neoplasias de la Próstata , Masculino , Humanos , Células Neuroendocrinas/metabolismo , Células Neuroendocrinas/patología , Glipicanos/metabolismo , Adenocarcinoma/patología , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia/patología , Neoplasias de la Próstata/patología , Biomarcadores/metabolismoRESUMEN
An understanding of the molecular features associated with prostate cancer progression (PCa) and resistance to hormonal therapy is crucial for the identification of new targets that can be utilized to treat advanced disease and prolong patient survival. The glycome, which encompasses all sugar polymers (glycans) synthesized by cells, has remained relatively unexplored in the context of advanced PCa despite the fact that glycans have great potential value as biomarkers and therapeutic targets due to their high density on the cell surface. Using imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), we profiled the N-linked glycans in tumor tissue derived from 131 patients representing the major disease states of PCa to identify glycosylation changes associated with loss of tumor cell differentiation, disease remission, therapy resistance and disease recurrence, as well as neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation which is a major mechanism for therapy failure. Our results indicate significant changes to the glycosylation patterns in various stages of PCa, notably a decrease in tri- and tetraantennary glycans correlating with disease remission, a subsequent increase in these structures with the transition to therapy-resistant PCa, and downregulation of complex N-glycans correlating with NE differentiation. Furthermore, both nonglucosylated and monoglucosylated mannose 9 demonstrate aberrant upregulation in therapy-resistant PCa which may be useful therapeutic targets as these structures are not normally presented in healthy tissue. Our findings characterize changes to the tumor glycome that occur with hormonal therapy and the development of castration-resistant PCa (CRPC), identifying several glycan markers and signatures which may be useful for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
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This study investigated ibrutinib plus obinutuzumab in relapsed/refractory CLL, evaluating tolerability of 3 sequencing regimens as well as overall safety and efficacy. Fifty-two patients were initially randomized 1:1:1 to receive either obinutuzumab 1 month before ibrutinib initiation, ibrutinib 1 month prior to obinutuzumab initiation, or to start both drugs concomitantly. Higher rates of infusion-related reactions were observed with the first sequence, and only the latter 2 cohorts were expanded. Grade 4 hematologic toxicity was uncommon, and notable all-grade non-hematologic toxicities included bruising (58%), hypertension (46%), arthralgia (38%), diarrhea (37%), transaminitis (35%), atrial fibrillation (21%), and serious infection (17%). Best overall response rate was 96% (including 40% CR and 56% PR). Best rates of undetectable minimal residual disease in peripheral blood and bone marrow were 27% and 19%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 41.5 months, four-year progression-free and overall survival rates are 74% and 93%, respectively. Correlative studies demonstrated that serum CCL4 and CXCL13 levels were associated with clinical response, and BH3 profiling revealed increased BCL-2 and BCL-xL dependence in CLL cells from patients on treatment. Overall, ibrutinib plus obinutuzumab was highly active, with a manageable safety profile, supporting further investigation of this type of approach in relapsed/refractory CLL.
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Leucemia Linfocítica Crónica de Células B , Humanos , Anticuerpos Monoclonales Humanizados/efectos adversos , Piperidinas/uso terapéutico , Recurrencia , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/efectos adversosRESUMEN
Prostate cancer has a heterogeneous prognosis. Most previous studies have focused on the identification of prognostic biomarkers in the prostate cancer tumor. However, it is increasingly recognized that the tumor microenvironment contributes to prostate cancer aggressiveness and progression. We therefore examined whole transcriptome expression of the prostate stroma and associations with aggressive and lethal prostate cancer. We performed RNA sequencing (Illumina TruSeq Exome Capture) of 272 tumor-adjacent and 120 benign-adjacent macrodissected prostate stromal samples from 293 men with prostate cancer from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Physicians' Health Study. We performed differential expression analysis comparing gene expression and pathways by Gleason score and lethal outcome. We also tested a previously developed stromal gene signature of Gleason score in these datasets. Comparing high- with low-Gleason score cancers, 26 genes (P < 0.001) and 12 pathways (FDR < 0.20) were significantly differentially expressed in tumor-adjacent stroma, including pathways related to stroma composition remodeling and DNA repair, with 73 genes and 65 pathways significant in benign-adjacent stroma. Comparing lethal with nonlethal prostate cancer, 11 genes were differentially expressed in tumor-adjacent and 15 genes in benign-adjacent stroma, and pathways involved in inflammatory response were differentially enriched in both tumor and benign-adjacent stroma. In addition, our previously identified Gleason stromal gene signature was validated to be associated with Gleason score in these data. Implications: Our study uncovers stroma-specific genes and pathways that are differentially enriched with high Gleason score and lethal prostate cancer, demonstrating that the molecular investigation of the tumor microenvironment can provide additional information about prostate cancer prognosis.
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Próstata , Neoplasias de la Próstata , Masculino , Humanos , Próstata/patología , Transcriptoma , Estudios de Seguimiento , Neoplasias de la Próstata/patología , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Clasificación del Tumor , Microambiente Tumoral/genéticaRESUMEN
Covalent inhibitors of Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) have transformed the therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but continuous therapy has been complicated by the development of resistance. The most common resistance mechanism in patients whose disease progresses on covalent BTK inhibitors (BTKis) is a mutation in the BTK 481 cysteine residue to which the inhibitors bind covalently. Pirtobrutinib is a highly selective, noncovalent BTKi with substantial clinical activity in patients whose disease has progressed on covalent BTKi, regardless of BTK mutation status. Using in vitro ibrutinib-resistant models and cells from patients with CLL, we show that pirtobrutinib potently inhibits BTK-mediated functions including B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling, cell viability, and CCL3/CCL4 chemokine production in both BTK wild-type and C481S mutant CLL cells. We demonstrate that primary CLL cells from responding patients on the pirtobrutinib trial show reduced BCR signaling, cell survival, and CCL3/CCL4 chemokine secretion. At time of progression, these primary CLL cells show increasing resistance to pirtobrutinib in signaling inhibition, cell viability, and cytokine production. We employed longitudinal whole-exome sequencing on 2 patients whose disease progressed on pirtobrutinib and identified selection of alternative-site BTK mutations, providing clinical evidence that secondary BTK mutations lead to resistance to noncovalent BTKis.
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Leucemia Linfocítica Crónica de Células B , Humanos , Agammaglobulinemia Tirosina Quinasa , Leucemia Linfocítica Crónica de Células B/tratamiento farmacológico , Leucemia Linfocítica Crónica de Células B/genética , Leucemia Linfocítica Crónica de Células B/metabolismo , Quimiocina CCL4/genética , Quimiocina CCL4/uso terapéutico , Resistencia a Antineoplásicos/genética , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/farmacología , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/uso terapéutico , Pirimidinas/farmacología , Pirimidinas/uso terapéutico , MutaciónRESUMEN
Emerging evidence indicates that various cancers can gain resistance to targeted therapies by acquiring lineage plasticity. Although various genomic and transcriptomic aberrations correlate with lineage plasticity, the molecular mechanisms enabling the acquisition of lineage plasticity have not been fully elucidated. We reveal that Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling is a crucial executor in promoting lineage plasticity-driven androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapy resistance in prostate cancer. Importantly, ectopic JAK-STAT activation is specifically required for the resistance of stem-like subclones expressing multilineage transcriptional programs but not subclones exclusively expressing the neuroendocrine-like lineage program. Both genetic and pharmaceutical inhibition of JAK-STAT signaling resensitizes resistant tumors to AR-targeted therapy. Together, these results suggest that JAK-STAT are compelling therapeutic targets for overcoming lineage plasticity-driven AR-targeted therapy resistance.
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Quinasas Janus , Neoplasias de la Próstata , Humanos , Quinasas Janus/genética , Masculino , Preparaciones Farmacéuticas , Receptores Androgénicos/genética , Factores de Transcripción STAT/genéticaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Hormonal therapy targeting the androgen receptor inhibits prostate cancer (PCa), but the tumor eventually recurs as castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). OBJECTIVE: To understand the mechanisms by which subclones within early PCa develop into CRPC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We isolated epithelial cells from fresh human PCa cases, including primary adenocarcinoma, locally recurrent CRPC, and metastatic CRPC, and utilized single-cell RNA sequencing to identify subpopulations destined to become either CRPC-adeno or small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNC). OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We revealed dynamic transcriptional reprogramming that promotes disease progression among 23226 epithelial cells using single-cell RNA sequencing, and validated subset-specific progression using immunohistochemistry and large cohorts of publically available genomic data. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: We identified a small fraction of highly plastic CRPC-like cells in hormone-naïve early PCa and demonstrated its correlation with biochemical recurrence and distant metastasis, independent of clinical characteristics. We show that progression toward castration resistance was initiated from subtype-specific lineage plasticity and clonal expansion of pre-existing neuroendocrine and CRPC-like cells in early PCa. CONCLUSIONS: CRPC-like cells are present early in the development of PCa and are not exclusively the result of acquired evolutionary selection during androgen deprivation therapy. The lethal CRPC and SCNC phenotypes should be targeted earlier in the disease course of patients with PCa. PATIENT SUMMARY: Here, we report the presence of pre-existing castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-like cells in primary prostate cancer, which represents a novel castration-resistant mechanism different from the adaptation mechanism after androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Patients whose tumors harbor increased pre-existing neuroendocrine and CRPC-like cells may become rapidly resistant to ADT and may require aggressive early intervention.
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Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración , Antagonistas de Andrógenos/farmacología , Antagonistas de Andrógenos/uso terapéutico , Andrógenos/uso terapéutico , Castración , Humanos , Masculino , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia , Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración/genética , Neoplasias de la Próstata Resistentes a la Castración/patología , Receptores Androgénicos/genéticaRESUMEN
Advanced and aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) depends on glutamine for survival and proliferation. We have previously shown that inhibition of glutaminase 1, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step of glutamine catabolism, achieves significant therapeutic effect; however, therapy resistance is inevitable. Here we report that while the glutamine carbon is critical to PCa survival, a parallel pathway of glutamine nitrogen catabolism that actively contributes to pyrimidine assembly is equally important for PCa cells. Importantly, we demonstrate a reciprocal feedback mechanism between glutamine carbon and nitrogen pathways which leads to therapy resistance when one of the two pathways is inhibited. Combination treatment to inhibit both pathways simultaneously yields better clinical outcome for advanced PCa patients.
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GlutaminaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Establishing a better understanding of the structure of the hierarchy is a primary goal of neuroscience. Recent research has highlighted a connectome gradient dysfunction in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, it remains unclear whether these changes exist prior to the onset of the disease. METHODS: We used a newly developed resting-state functional connectivity (FC)-based gradient approach to evaluate the principal functional gradient in individuals with cognitive vulnerability to depression (CVD) and healthy controls (HC). We further examined the associations between CVD-related alterations in the principal connectome gradient with multiple cognitive behavioral variables. RESULTS: Individuals with CVD showed significantly lower functional gradient scores in the left ventral insular gyrus than HC. The left ventral insular gyrus gradient score was positively correlated with the total attentional control scale as well as the dimension of attentional control. The left ventral insular gyrus gradient score was negatively correlated with the total BHS scale, the dimension of expectations, the total RRS scale, and the depression-related dimension. CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary results indicate that alterations in the principal functional gradient in individuals with CVD might be a biomarker of cognitive vulnerability to MDD, and the alterations may exist prior to the onset of depression.
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Conectoma , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor , Encéfalo , Cognición , Depresión , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia MagnéticaAsunto(s)
COVID-19/psicología , Salud Mental , Adolescente , Ansiedad/psicología , Niño , China/epidemiología , Depresión/psicología , Brotes de Enfermedades , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , PandemiasRESUMEN
Hormonal therapy targeting androgen receptor (AR) is initially effective to treat prostate cancer (PCa), but it eventually fails. It has been hypothesized that cellular heterogeneity of PCa, consisting of AR+ luminal tumor cells and AR- neuroendocrine (NE) tumor cells, may contribute to therapy failure. Here, we describe the successful purification of NE cells from primary fresh human prostate adenocarcinoma based on the cell surface receptor C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2). Functional studies revealed CXCR2 to be a driver of the NE phenotype, including loss of AR expression, lineage plasticity, and resistance to hormonal therapy. CXCR2-driven NE cells were critical for the tumor microenvironment by providing a survival niche for the AR+ luminal cells. We demonstrate that the combination of CXCR2 inhibition and AR targeting is an effective treatment strategy in mouse xenograft models. Such a strategy has the potential to overcome therapy resistance caused by tumor cell heterogeneity.
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Resistencia a Antineoplásicos , Terapia Molecular Dirigida , Neoplasias de la Próstata/tratamiento farmacológico , Receptores de Interleucina-8B/antagonistas & inhibidores , Animales , Biomarcadores de Tumor/metabolismo , Línea Celular Tumoral , Membrana Celular/metabolismo , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Humanos , Masculino , Ratones Desnudos , Clasificación del Tumor , Células Madre Neoplásicas/patología , Neovascularización Patológica/metabolismo , Neovascularización Patológica/patología , Tumores Neuroendocrinos/irrigación sanguínea , Tumores Neuroendocrinos/tratamiento farmacológico , Tumores Neuroendocrinos/patología , Sistemas Neurosecretores/patología , Fenotipo , Neoplasias de la Próstata/irrigación sanguínea , Neoplasias de la Próstata/patología , Receptores de Interleucina-8B/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal , Microambiente TumoralRESUMEN
Familiar chunks can be processed highly efficiently, and this automatic process can prohibit the problem solver from developing novel and original ways to creatively solve difficult problems. For this reason, the role of the reverse process, chunk decomposition (CD), the process by which familiar patterns are broken down into their component elements in order to be regrouped in another meaningful manner, has been generally recognized as part of the creative process. However, previous studies on this issue have mainly focused on the decomposition process of CD (the D-process), while the reorganization process of CD has been greatly neglected or has not been distinctively identified in previous work. In this paper, we argue that the R-process could be equally as important as the D-process for CD. Even if a problem solver manages to decompose a familiar chunk into its elements, he or she still may not solve the problem if these elements are not successfully organized in a new and meaningful manner. To investigate whether the cognitive mechanism of the R-process is different from that of the D-process, we designed an experiment for detecting the effects of chunk tightness, which is regarded as the key factor in CD and which can be experimentally manipulated by the radical-level (loose) and stroke-level (tight) Chinese character CD tasks in the D-process, the R-process, and the more purified organization task (the O-process task) that does not involve the decomposition process. Our results showed that the stroke-level (tight) task was more difficult than the radical-level (loose) task for the D-process. However, for the R-process, the stroke- and radical-level tasks showed no differences in performance. Moreover, for the more purified reorganization task, the O-process task, the radical-level organization and reorganization could be even more difficult than the stroke-level organization and reorganization. This result demonstrated that the cognitive processes underlying chunk decomposition and reorganization are fundamentally different. Therefore, more general concepts such as chunk restructuring that could include both D- and R-processes might be more suitable in accounting for this type of creative insight.
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Baicalin, an active flavone isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, has been demonstrated to induce various beneficial biochemical effects such as antiinflammatory, antiviral, and antitumor effects. However, the antitumor mechanism of baicalin is not well understood. In the present study, baicalin was demonstrated to inhibit the viability and migration of a widely used ovarian cancer cell line, A2780, in a dosedependent manner. MTT assays revealed that cell viability significantly decreased in ovarian cancer cells treated with baicalin compared with untreated cells, without effect on normal ovarian cells. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that baicalin suppressed cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. The underlying mechanisms involved were indicated to be downregulation of the antiapoptotic protein Bcell lymphoma 2 apoptosis regulator and activation of caspase3 and 9. In addition, wound healing and transwell assays revealed that cell migratory potential and expression of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)2 and MMP9 were significantly inhibited when cells were exposed to baicalin, compared with untreated cells. The present study therefore suggested that baicalin has the potential to be used in novel anticancer therapeutic formulations for treatment of ovarian cancer.
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Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Movimiento Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Flavonoides/farmacología , Neoplasias Ováricas/metabolismo , Proteínas Reguladoras de la Apoptosis/genética , Proteínas Reguladoras de la Apoptosis/metabolismo , Biomarcadores , Supervivencia Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Humanos , Metaloproteinasa 9 de la Matriz/metabolismo , Neoplasias Ováricas/genética , Neoplasias Ováricas/patologíaRESUMEN
Scutellaria altissima L. is a common traditional Chinese medicine used to treat inflammation in some countries. Scutellarin, an active major flavone glycoside isolated from the traditional Chinese medicine Scutellaria altissima L., has been shown to offer various beneficial biochemical effects on cerebrovascular diseases and inflammation. However, the antiproliferative effects of Scutellarin in prostate cancer and the underlying mechanism are not fully elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to ascertain whether Scutellarin inhibits cancer cell growth and to further explore the molecular mechanism. Scutellarin enhanced the sensitivity of prostate cancer cells to cisplatin. MTT assays revealed that cell viability was significantly decreased in the prostate cancer cells treated with Scutellarin. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that Scutellarin suppressed cell proliferation by promoting G2/M arrest and inducing apoptosis. We employed western blotting to delineate the underlying mechanisms involved in the G2/M arrest and apoptosis. Comet assay and γH2AX immunocytochemistry were used to detect levels of DNA damage in PC3 cells exposed to Scutellarin and/or cisplatin. Our data revealed that Scutellarin significantly induced prostate cancer cell apoptosis by activating the caspase cascade. An increase in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase were accompanied by the apoptosis induction. Additionally, Scutellarin altered the protein expression of cell cycle and apoptosis regulatory genes by downregulating Cdc2, cyclin B1 and Bcl-2 and upregulating caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bax in prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, Scutellarin sensitized PC3 cells to cisplastin treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, our data confirmed the cytotoxicity of Scutellarin against prostate cancer PC3 cells and provide new findings in regards to Scutellarin sensitizing prostate cancer cells to chemotherapy. Our findings suggest that Scutellarin has potential to be used as a novel antineoplastic therapeutic candidate for prostate cancer patients.