Lipid mechanisms in hallmarks of cancer.

Excess adiposity is a risk factor for several cancer types. This is likely due to complex mechanisms including alterations in the lipid milieu that plays a pivotal role in multiple aspects of carcinogenesis. Here we consider the direct role of lipids in regulating well-known hallmarks of cancer. Furthermore, we suggest that obesity-associated remodelling of membranes and organelles drives cancer cell proliferation and invasion. Identification of cancer-related lipid-mediated mechanisms amongst the broad metabolic disturbances due to excess adiposity is central to the identification of novel and more efficacious prevention and intervention strategies.

Development of exchange lists for Mediterranean and Healthy Eating diets: implementation in an intervention trial.

BACKGROUND: There has been little research published on the adaptation of diabetic exchange list diet approaches for the design of intervention diets in health research despite their clinical utility. The exchange list approach can provide clear and precise guidance on multiple dietary changes simultaneously. The present study aimed to develop exchange list diets for Mediterranean and Healthy Eating, and to evaluate adherence, dietary intakes and markers of health risks with each counselling approach in 120 subjects at increased risk for developing colon cancer. METHODS: A randomised clinical trial was implemented in the USA involving telephone counselling. The Mediterranean diet had 10 dietary goals targeting increases in mono-unsaturated fats, n-3 fats, whole grains and the amount and variety of fruits and vegetables. The Healthy Eating diet had five dietary goals that were based on the US Healthy People 2010 recommendations. RESULTS: Dietary compliance was similar in both diet arms, with 82-88% of goals being met at 6 months, although subjects took more time to achieve the Mediterranean goals than the Healthy Eating goals. The relatively modest fruit and vegetable goals in the Healthy Eating arm were exceeded, resulting in fruit and vegetable intakes of approximately eight servings per day in each arm after 6 months. A significant (P < 0.05) weight loss and a decrease in serum C-reactive protein concentrations were observed in the overweight/obese subgroup of subjects in the Mediterranean arm in the absence of weight loss goals. CONCLUSIONS: Counselling for the Mediterranean diet may be useful for both improving diet quality and for achieving a modest weight loss in overweight or obese individuals.

Is diabetes an acquired disorder of reactive glucose metabolites and their intermediates?

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesised that diabetic patients would differ from those without diabetes in regard to the handling of glucose-derived reactive metabolites, evidenced by triosephosphate intermediates (TP(INT)) and methylglyoxal (MG), irrespective of the type of diabetes, plasma glucose level or HbA(1c) value. METHODS: To test this hypothesis, erythrocytes were isolated from patients with type 1 (n = 12) and type 2 (n = 12) diabetes with varying blood glucose and HbA(1c) levels. These were then compared with erythrocytes isolated from individuals without diabetes (n = 10), with respect to MG, as determined by HPLC, and TP(INT), as determined by endpoint enzymatic assays. RESULTS: The concentrations of intracellular TP(INT) and MG were significantly elevated in erythrocytes from diabetic patients. Normalisation of either TP(INT) or MG to intracellular glucose concentration (nmol glucose/mgHb) confirmed that erythrocytes from diabetic patients accumulated more reactive metabolites than did those from healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Diabetic patients can be characterised by an increased formation of TP(INT) and MG. The 25-fold increase of MG in type 1 and the 15-fold increase in type 2 diabetes, together with a several-fold increase in TP(INT) and decreased glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity even under normal glucose conditions, imply that normalising glucose level cannot completely prevent late diabetic complications until this acquired error of metabolism has been restored.

sRAGE and esRAGE are not associated with peripheral or autonomic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes.

The receptor for glycation end-products RAGE was previously shown to play a central role in the development of diabetic neuropathy. The present study was aimed to investigate, whether plasma levels of the soluble forms of RAGE are associated with neuropathy in type 2 diabetes. One-hundred and eight patients were screened for peripheral and autonomic diabetic neuropathy using standardized screening tests. No differences in the levels of soluble RAGE or the more defined endogenous secretory RAGE were observed in patients categorized into having no, mild, moderate, or severe deficits in the neuropathy disability or symptom score. In bivariate analysis, neither soluble RAGE nor endogenous secretory RAGE correlated with the expiration to inspiration ratio of heart rate variability. In multivariate models, the neuropathy disability score was independently associated with age (beta=0.38, p<0.01), glomerular filtration rate (beta=0.28, p<0.01) and the presence of retinopathy (beta=0.27, p<0.01), while the neuropathy symptom score was associated with age (beta=0.31, p<0.01) and fasting glucose (beta=0.24, p<0.05). The expiration to inspiration ratio of heart rate variability was associated with age (beta=-0.42, p<0.01), the body-mass-index (beta=-0.28, p<0.01) and presence of retinopathy (beta=-0.19, p<0.05). In contrast to classical risk factors, plasma soluble RAGE and endogenous secretory RAGE are not associated with measures of diabetic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes patients.

Improved vascular function upon pioglitazone treatment in type 2 diabetes is not associated with changes in mononuclear NF-kappaB binding activity.

Thiazolidinediones such as pioglitazone have been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects independent of their insulin sensitizing effects by reducing activation of the proinflammatory transcription factor NF-kappaB in animal models of experimental diabetes. Furthermore, short-term pioglitazone treatment ameliorates endothelial dysfunction in conduit arteries of patients with type 2 diabetes. Since inflammation is supposed to impair flow-mediated vasodilatation, we studied the effects of an 8-week pioglitazone intervention on endothelial function and mononuclear NF-kappaB activation in patients with type 2 diabetes. Twenty patients were included in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study receiving 30 mg pioglitazone or placebo, respectively. Flow-mediated endothelium dependent vasodilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery, NF-kappaB binding activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells [pBMC, determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA)] and interleukin-6 (IL-6)-transcription rates (determined by real-time PCR) were measured at study entry and after eight weeks of intervention. Pioglitazone treatment resulted in a significant improvement of FMD (4.3%+/-3.3; p=0.003), while no effect was seen under placebo medication (2.0%+/-2.7; p=0.71). The correction of FMD was neither paralleled by a pioglitazone-dependent reduction in mononuclear NF-kappaB binding activity (DeltaNF-kappaB activity: pioglitazone: 9.2%+/-6.7, p=0.24; placebo: 5.7%+/-19.6; p=0.82) nor in NF-kappaB dependent gene transcription as determined for IL-6 (DeltaIL-6 pioglitazone: +1.8%+/-12.0, p=0.93; placebo: -0.2%+/-9.7; p=0.92). These data demonstrate for the first time that pioglitazone treatment improves endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes without affecting NF-kappaB binding activity and NF-kappaB dependent proinflammatory gene expression in pBMC.

[Is there a correlation between C-reactive protein and calcification inhibitors with cardiovascular parameters and risk factors in hemodialysis patients?]. / Korrelieren C-reaktives Protein und Verkalkungsinhibitoren bei Hämodialyse-Patienten mit kardiovaskulären Parametern und Risikofaktoren?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients on hemodialysis exhibit a drastically increased cardiovascular mortality. Inflammation, hyperphosphatemia and lack of calcification inhibitors are uremia-associated risk factors for vascular calcification. Functional and morphological vascular parameters are used to assess cardiovascular risk. The aim of our study was to analyse the relation between pulse wave velocity (PWV) and intima-media-thickness (IMT) with calcification inhibitors. METHODS: A cohort of 97 hemodialysis patients was consecutively selected and investigated (age 56 +/- 9 years). Carotid-femoral PWV, carotid IMT, left ventricular ejection fraction and septum thickness were determined. These parameters were correlated with serum levels of CRP and calcification inhibitors (fetuin-A and osteoprotegerin [OPG]). RESULTS: Both PWV and IMT showed a positive correlation with age and systolic blood pressure and a negative correlation with Kt/V (dialysis efficiency). Additionally, fetuin-A was negatively associated with CRP and positively with cholesterol and triglycerides. Serum levels of the calcification inhibitors fetuin-A and OPG were not correlated to PWV or IMT. CONCLUSION: The lack of correlation of calcification inhibitors with PWV and IMT means that functional and morphological measurements of vascular properties can not necessarily be replaced by analysing "biomarkers".

Levels of three distinct p75 neurotrophin receptor forms found in human plasma are altered in type 2 diabetic patients.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) has been shown to appear in the plasma of diabetic rats, possibly indicating diabetic neuropathy. The aim of this study was to use a semi-quantitative assay for human plasma p75NTR to investigate whether this receptor is a marker of peripheral diabetic neuropathy (DPN) and autonomic cardiovascular neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 diabetic patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty type 2 diabetic patients and 25 controls without diabetes were analysed for p75NTR immunoreactivity by western blot analysis. DPN was assessed using the Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS). Cardiovascular autonomic function was detected using a standardised analysis of heart rate variability. RESULTS: Three distinct p75NTR signals were detectable in human plasma at approximately 75, approximately 51 and approximately 24 kDa, representing the full length receptor (FL) and its intracellular domain (ICD) and extracellular domain (ECD), respectively. Levels of total plasma p75NTR immunoreactivity in patients with type 2 diabetes were similar to those in controls. Type 2 diabetic patients had significantly higher plasma levels of ICD and lower levels of ECD. However, there were no correlations of total p75NTR immunoreactivity or ECD or ICD immunoreactivity with NDS or aspects of CAN. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Levels of the ECD of p75NTR are reduced and levels of the ICD are increased in the plasma of type 2 diabetic patients. None of the p75NTR subunits identified in human plasma seem to be a marker of peripheral or autonomic neuronal function in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Effect of participant motivation on rapid dietary changes in an intervention trial.

BACKGROUND: Dietary intervention research with free-living subjects relies on the ability of study participants to meet their dietary goals within the study timeframe. Little is known about underlying factors affecting compliance. METHOD: Here, we examined whether motivation to enroll in a trial of low-fat and/or energy-reduced diets influenced the ability of healthy women to reach their dietary goals quickly. RESULTS: Of the women who had energy-reduction goals (n=43), the 18 with an altruistic reason for participation had a much higher energy reduction success rate at 4 weeks (83%) than the 25 who gave self-rewarding reasons (48%). CONCLUSIONS: Education, body weight, family history of cancer and previous diet experience did not appreciably affect dietary outcomes. This observation suggests that the societal importance of the research should be stressed in strategies that seek to affect rapid reduction of energy intake in clinical trials.

Effect of soy isoflavone supplementation on markers of oxidative stress in men and women.

Dietary intake of soy has been linked with decreased cancer risk, and the active compounds in soy that have been identified include the isoflavones genistein and daidzein. Since these compounds have antioxidant properties, we examined levels of oxidative damage in blood of six women and six men before and during soy supplementation using Novasoy tablets. Blood samples were obtained at weekly intervals for 3 weeks from the women taking 50-mg isoflavones once daily and the men taking 50-mg isoflavones twice daily. Plasma levels of genistein and daidzein increased after supplementation with maximal levels occurring at 2 weeks for the women while levels in men kept increasing over the 3 weeks of study. There was wide variation between individuals in the levels of isoflavones achieved. Mean levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (5-OHmdU) in DNA from nucleated blood cells decreased after 1 week of supplementation in the women, with a decrease of 47% in mean 5-OHmdU levels after 3 weeks. In men, mean 5-OHmdU levels did not decrease until after 3 weeks of supplementation, at which there was 61% decrease. Mean plasma levels of 8-isoprostanes were not changed appreciably in either men or women. These pilot results suggest that soy isoflavone supplementation decreases levels of oxidative DNA damage in humans, and this may be a mechanism behind the cancer-preventive effects of soy isoflavones.

Carotenoids are degraded by free radicals but do not affect lipid peroxidation in unilamellar liposomes under different oxygen tensions.

It has been questioned whether carotenoids can act as antioxidants in biological membranes. Biological membranes can be modeled for studies of lipid peroxidation using unilamellar liposomes. Both carotenoid depletion and lipid peroxidation were increased with increasing oxygen tension in unilamellar liposomes. Carotenoids in such liposomes were found to be very sensitive to degradation by free radicals generated from iron and 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride, but they were not protective against lipid peroxidation. Lycopene and beta-carotene were more sensitive to free radical attack than lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin.

Phase II randomized clinical trial of lycopene supplementation before radical prostatectomy.

An inverse association has been observed between dietary intake of lycopene and the risk of prostate cancer. We investigated the effects of lycopene supplementation in patients with prostate cancer. Twenty-six men with newly diagnosed, clinically localized (14 T(1) and 12 T(2)) prostate cancer were randomly assigned to receive 15 mg of lycopene (n = 15) twice daily or no supplementation (n = 11) for 3 weeks before radical prostatectomy. Biomarkers of differentiation and apoptosis were assessed by Western blot analysis on benign and malignant parts of the prostate gland. Prostatectomy specimens were entirely embedded, step-sectioned, and evaluated for pathological stage, Gleason score, volume of cancer, and extent of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. Plasma levels of lycopene, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF binding protein-3, and prostate-specific antigen were measured at baseline and after 3 weeks of supplementation or observation. Eleven (73%) subjects in the intervention group and two (18%) subjects in the control group had no involvement of surgical margins and/or extra-prostatic tissues with cancer (P = 0.02). Twelve (84%) subjects in the lycopene group and five (45%) subjects in the control group had tumors <4 ml in size (P = 0.22). Diffuse involvement of the prostate by high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia was present in 10 (67%) subjects in the intervention group and in 11 (100%) subjects in the control group (P = 0.05). Plasma prostate-specific antigen levels decreased by 18% in the intervention group, whereas they increased by 14% in the control group (P = 0.25). Expression of connexin 43 in cancerous prostate tissue was 0.63 +/- 0.19 absorbance in the lycopene group compared with 0.25 +/- 0.08 in the control group (P = 0.13). Expression of bcl-2 and bax did not differ significantly between the two study groups. IGF-1 levels decreased in both groups (P = 0.0002 and P = 0.0003, respectively). The results suggest that lycopene supplementation may decrease the growth of prostate cancer. However, no firm conclusions can be drawn at this time because of the small sample size.

Soy isoflavone supplementation in healthy men prevents NF-kappa B activation by TNF-alpha in blood lymphocytes.

Dietary intake of soy has been associated with a decreased risk of cancer. Soy isoflavones have been postulated to be the protective compounds in soybeans; however, the precise mechanism by which soy isoflavones prevent human cancer is not known. The major soy isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, are antioxidant compounds, therefore one possible mechanism of action is through their antioxidant effect. We have previously demonstrated that the soy isoflavone, genistein, inhibits the activation of the redox-sensitive transcription factor, NF-kappa B, in prostate cancer cells in vitro. In this study, we have demonstrated that genistein, but not daidzein, inhibits TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappa B activation in cultured human lymphocytes. Additionally, we investigated the in vivo effect of soy isoflavone supplementation on NF-kappa B activation induced by TNF-alpha in vitro in peripheral blood lymphocytes of six healthy men. We show that healthy male subjects receiving 50 mg isoflavone mixture (Novasoy) twice daily for 3 weeks are protected from TNF-alpha induced NF-kappa B activation. Additionally, we observed a reduction of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (5-OHmdU), a marker for oxidative DNA damage, following isoflavone supplementation. The inhibitory effect of soy isoflavones was no longer present 3 months after the supplementation. This preliminary study demonstrates that soy isoflavone supplementation may protect cells from oxidative stress-inducing agents by inhibiting NF-kappa B activation and decreasing DNA adduct levels.

Comparison of iron-catalyzed DNA and lipid oxidation.

Lipid and DNA oxidation catalyzed by iron(II) were compared in HEPES and phosphate buffers. Lipid peroxidation was examined in a sensitive liposome system constructed with a fluorescent probe that allowed us to examine the effects of both low and high iron concentrations. With liposomes made from synthetic 1-stearoyl-2-linoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine or from rat liver microsomal lipid, lipid peroxidation increased with iron concentration up to the range of 10--20 microM iron(II), but then rates decreased with further increases in iron concentration. This may be due to the limited amount of lipid peroxides available in liposomes for oxidation of iron(II) to generate equimolar iron(III), which is thought to be important for the initation of lipid peroxidation. Addition of hydrogen peroxide to incubations with 1--10 microM iron(II) decreased rates of lipid peroxidation, whereas addition of hydrogen peroxide to incubations with higher iron concentrations increased rates of lipid peroxidation. Thus, in this liposome system, sufficient peroxide from either within the lipid or from exogenous sources must be present to generate equimolar iron(II) and iron(III). With iron-catalyzed DNA oxidation, hydrogen peroxide always stimulated product formation. Phosphate buffer, which chelates iron but still allows for generation of hydroxyl radicals, inhibited lipid peroxidation but not DNA oxidation. HEPES buffer, which scavenges hydroxyl radicals, inhibited DNA oxidation, whereas lipid peroxidation was unaffected since presumably iron(II) and iron(III) were still available for reaction with liposomes in HEPES buffer.

Experimental verification of semiclassical and RPA calculations of the static conductivity in moderately nonideal plasmas.

We present an experimental verification of the semiclassical theory for static conductivity calculations in the case of moderately nonideal plasmas. Such plasmas are produced in linear flashlamps filled with pure helium and are characterized by on axis electron densities in the range 2x10(17)-1.7x10(18) cm(-3) and temperatures (2-3)x10(4) K. Precise measurements of the discharge electrical parameters have been carried out and in each case the impedance of the plasma was compared with the calculated value using the semiclassical theory, which is a simpler approximation than the quantum-mechanical theory based on the random-phase approximation.

Antioxidant capacity of lycopene-containing foods.

Increased consumption of tomatoes and tomato products has been associated with decreased cancer risks. One fat-soluble compound identified in tomatoes which may be responsible for this association is lycopene. There may, however, be other antioxidants present in tomato-based foods, and total antioxidant capacity may be another way to rate the health benefits of these foods. In this work, we examined the Trolox-equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) of aqueous and organic extracts of lycopene-containing foods: ketchup, fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomato soup, tomato juice, vegetable juice, canned tomatoes and watermelon. Antioxidant activity in these food extracts was greater in the aqueous versus organic fractions, except for watermelon and tomato sauce where the levels were similar in the two fractions. Lycopene levels in the food samples tested, however, were relatively greater in the organic fractions, with the exception of the two juices, which had similar levels in the two fractions, and two highly concentrated tomato products, tomato paste and ketchup, which had relatively higher lycopene levels in the aqueous fractions. The foods with the highest antioxidant capacity per serving overall (tomato soup was highest) did not have the highest lycopene levels. This indicates that it may be important to consume a variety of tomato-containing products in order to obtain the largest variety of dietary antioxidants possible.

Levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine in DNA from blood of women scheduled for breast biopsy.

Systemic oxidative stress is thought to contribute to risk of various cancers, including breast cancer. DNA repair ability also has been associated with breast cancer risk. In this work, we examined levels of oxidative DNA damage as an indication of breast cancer risk in women because oxidative DNA damage levels should reflect the net balance of oxidative stress and DNA repair ability. Levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine, one form of oxidative DNA damage, were measured in DNA from blood of women scheduled for breast biopsy. The blood samples analyzed included women whose biopsy results indicated invasive breast cancer, high-risk lesions (atypical hyperplasia or carcinoma in situ), or benign lesions. Mean levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine were significantly higher in blood of women who had high risk or invasive breast lesions versus women with benign lesions. If atypical hyperplasia or carcinoma in situ are precursor lesions for breast cancer, then these results suggest that oxidative DNA damage may be involved in the cancer process before invasive cancer develops.

Comparison of dietary assessment methods in a low-fat dietary intervention program.

The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is commonly utilized for assessment of dietary fat intake, but its validity among individuals following a low-fat diet is unclear. We evaluated the agreement of nutrient estimates derived from FFQ, 24-h recall, and 3-day food records obtained from 104 participants in a randomized trial of a low-fat dietary intervention for women at elevated breast cancer risk. Comparisons were made for total calories, percent calories from fat, and total fat after 1 yr. Correlation was assessed using standard methods based on a null hypothesis of no agreement between instruments as well as by a methodology based on a null hypothesis that the instruments should be in agreement. With the use of standard methods, FFQ estimates for women on the low-fat diet were significantly correlated to records only for percent calories from fat (r = 0.39), whereas recall and record estimates were significantly correlated for all three dietary variables. Using the new method, we found no significant correlation between FFQ and either recalls or records for women following a low-fat diet but significant correlation between recall and record estimates for total calories (r = 0.67). Traditional correlation testing may overestimate the extent of agreement in dietary instruments among women on a low-fat diet. We found empirical support for the nontraditional method.

Effect of varying dietary fat levels on rat growth and oxidative DNA damage.

Dietary fat has previously been shown to have somewhat complicated relationships to levels of oxidative stress in rats. In this study, we examined the effects of five different dietary fat intakes on levels of oxidative DNA damage in rats. Animals fed diets containing 3%, 5%, 10%, or 15% corn oil had body weights that were similar after 20 weeks. Animals fed a 20% fat diet, however, had significantly higher mean body weight than any other group. Levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine, one marker of oxidative DNA damage, had different relationships to dietary fat in blood and mammary gland. In blood, levels increased with dietary fat levels, and the highest levels were observed with the 20% fat diet (65% higher levels than with the 3% fat diet). In mammary gland, a plateau-type effect was observed, with maximal levels of oxidative DNA damage being obtained using 10% fat (representing a 68% increase relative to the 3% fat diet). This could be a result of induction of compensatory mechanisms in response to a high-fat diet in mammary gland but not in the short-lived nucleated blood cells. Oxidative DNA damage levels in blood thus appear to be a marker of dietary fat intake. In mammary gland, however, levels of DNA damage are consistent with previously observed promotional effects of dietary fat on mammary gland tumorigenesis at lower levels of fat intake with little or no incremental promoting effects at higher levels of fat intake.

Recruitment for a pilot case control study of oxidative DNA damage and breast cancer risk.

Oxidative DNA damage (ODD) can result from numerous endogenous metabolic processes as well as from exposure to environmental and dietary oxidants. One important type of ODD that may have a role in carcinogenesis is the formation of hydroxylated DNA bases. Our major purpose was to determine the potential for subject accrual for a multisite case-control study of ODD and breast cancer risk within a large urban university medical center. We examined the levels of a hydroxylated thymine residue, 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine in DNA obtained from the peripheral blood of 26 women with breast cancer and an age-matched group of 29 control women without breast cancer. The isolated DNA was analyzed for levels of 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine by gas chromatography with mass spectral detection. Our recruitment methods resulted in a relatively high yield of eligible cases (72%) and a lower yield of controls (46%). We evaluated the dose-response relationship of ODD level to breast cancer risk, using quartiles of ODD. The covariate-adjusted odds ratio of breast cancer exceeded 2.0 for women in the highest quartile of ODD (compared with the lowest quartile), although this result was not statistically significant. ODD levels were significantly more variable among African-American controls (SD = 224.1) than among white controls (SD = 57.5), p < 0.001. Overall, these results suggest a possible slight increase in breast cancer risk among women in the highest ODD quartile, after adjusting for race, menopausal status, and family history of breast cancer.