Evaluation of clinical factors predicting dysphagia in patients with traumatic and non-traumatic cervical spinal cord injury: a retrospective study.

Introduction: Dysphagia is a common complication in patients with cervical spinal cord injury (C-SCI) and can cause various pulmonary complications, such as aspiration pneumonia and mechanical airway obstruction increasing mortality and morbidity. This study evaluated the clinical factors that predict dysphagia in patients with traumatic and non-traumatic C-SCI. Methods: Ninety-eight patients with C-SCI were retrospectively enrolled in this study and were divided into those with and without dysphagia. Clinical factors such as age, sex, tracheostomy, spinal cord independence measure, pulmonary function test (PFT) including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FVC/FEV1, American Spinal Cord Injury Association score, Berg Balance Scale, and surgical approach were investigated retrospectively. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that FVC and the presence of tracheostomy were significantly correlated with dysphagia in patients with C-SCI (p < 0.05). FVC and the presence of tracheostomy are useful tools for detecting dysphagia in patients with C-SCI. Conclusion: Considering the results of our study, early PFTs, especially FVC, in patients with C-SCI and early initiation of dysphagia management and treatment in patients with C-SCI and tracheostomy will be advantageous in lowering the mortality and morbidity due to pulmonary aspiration in these patients.

Daunorubicin induces GLI1­dependent apoptosis in colorectal cancer cell lines.

Daunorubicin, also known as daunomycin, is a DNA­targeting anticancer drug that is used as chemotherapy, mainly for patients with leukemia. It has also been shown to have anticancer effects in monotherapy or combination therapy in solid tumors, but at present it has not been adequately studied in colorectal cancer (CRC). In the present study, from a screening using an FDA­approved drug library, it was found that daunorubicin suppresses GLI­dependent luciferase reporter activity. Daunorubicin also increased p53 levels, which contributed to both GLI1 suppression and apoptosis. The current detailed investigation showed that daunorubicin promoted the ß­TrCP­mediated ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of GLI1. Moreover, a competition experiment using BODIPY­cyclopamine, a well­known Smo inhibitor, suggested that daunorubicin does not bind to Smo in HCT116 cells. Administration of daunorubicin (2 mg/kg, ip, qod, 15 days) into HCT116 xenograft mice profoundly suppressed tumor progress and the GLI1 level in tumor tissues. Taken together, the present results revealed that daunorubicin suppresses canonical Hedgehog pathways in CRC. Ultimately, the present study discloses a new mechanism of daunorubicin's anticancer effect and might provide a rationale for expanding the clinical application of daunorubicin.

Association between Anterior Surgical Approach and Dysphagia Severity in Patients with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

INTRODUCTION: Early detection and management of dysphagia are essential for preventing aspiration pneumonia and reducing mortality in patients with cervical spinal cord injury (C-SCI). In this study, we identified risk factors for dysphagia in patients with C-SCI by analyzing the correlation between the clinical factors and the severity of dysphagia, not the presence or absence of dysphagia. Combined with the analysis results of previous studies, we thought that this additional analysis method could more accurately reveal the risk factors for dysphagia in patients with C-SCI. METHODS: The presence and severity of dysphagia in patients with C-SCI was evaluated using a modified videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (mVDS) and penetration-aspiration scale (PAS). All included patients with C-SCI performed a video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). Clinical factors such as age, sex, the presence of tracheostomy, spinal cord independence measure (SCIM), pulmonary function test (PFT), including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FVC/FEV1, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), American Spinal Cord Injury Association (ASIA) score, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and operation method were investigated. RESULTS: In the multivariate regression analysis, the anterior surgical approach was the only clinical factor that had a significant correlation in both mVDS and PAS, which represents the severity of dysphagia in C-SCI patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The anterior surgical approach was correlated with the severity of dysphagia in patients with C-SCI. Considering this, as one of the risk factors affecting dysphagia in patients with C-SCI, surgical method may also need to be considered. Additionally, we recommend that clinicians should pay particular attention to the potential for development of dysphagia in patients who received anterior cervical surgery. However, further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed for more accurate generalization.

Cooperative Catalysis of Vibrationally Excited CO2 and Alloy Catalyst Breaks the Thermodynamic Equilibrium Limitation.

Using nonthermal plasma (NTP) to promote CO2 hydrogenation is one of the most promising approaches that overcome the limitations of conventional thermal catalysis. However, the catalytic surface reaction dynamics of NTP-activated species are still under debate. The NTP-activated CO2 hydrogenation was investigated in Pd2Ga/SiO2 alloy catalysts and compared to thermal conditions. Although both thermal and NTP conditions showed close to 100% CO selectivity, it is worth emphasizing that when activated by NTP, CO2 conversion not only improves more than 2-fold under thermal conditions but also breaks the thermodynamic equilibrium limitation. Mechanistic insights into NTP-activated species and alloy catalyst surface were investigated by using in situ transmission infrared spectroscopy, where catalyst surface species were identified during NTP irradiation. Moreover, in in situ X-ray absorption fine-structure analysis under reaction conditions, the catalyst under NTP conditions not only did not undergo restructuring affecting CO2 hydrogenation but also could clearly rule out catalyst activation by heating. In situ characterizations of the catalysts during CO2 hydrogenation depict that vibrationally excited CO2 significantly enhances the catalytic reaction. The agreement of approaches combining experimental studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations substantiates that vibrationally excited CO2 reacts directly with hydrogen adsorbed on Pd sites while accelerating formate formation due to neighboring Ga sites. Moreover, DFT analysis deduces the key reaction pathway that the decomposition of monodentate formate is promoted by plasma-activated hydrogen species. This work enables the high designability of CO2 hydrogenation catalysts toward value-added chemicals based on the electrification of chemical processes via NTP.

AF8c, a Multi-Kinase Inhibitor Induces Apoptosis by Activating DR5/Nrf2 via ROS in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Our team has previously reported a series of quinazoline-based lapatinib hybrids as potent kinase-targeting anticancer agents. Among them, AF8c showed a relatively safe profile in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. In this study, we delineate a novel anticancer activity of AF8c in CRC cells. AF8c mediated p53-dependent apoptosis of CRC cells via the generation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as activation of nuclear respiratory factor 2 alpha subunit (Nrf2) and death receptor 5 (DR5), among others. The silencing of DR5 attenuated the expression levels of Nrf2 and partially inhibited AF8c-induced apoptosis. Additionally, upregulation of Nrf2 by AF8c evoked apoptosis through a decrease in antioxidant levels. Treatment of a CRC mice model with AF8c also resulted in the upregulation of DR5, Nrf2, and CHOP proteins, subsequently leading to a significant decrease in tumor burden. In comparison with lapatinib, AF8c showed higher cellular antiproliferative activity at the tested concentrations in CRC cells and synergized TRAIL effects in CRC cells. Overall, our results suggest that AF8c-induced apoptosis may be associated with DR5/Nrf2 activation through ER stress and ROS generation in CRC cells. These findings indicate that AF8c represents a promising polypharmacological molecule for the treatment of human CRC.

Cannabidiol Suppresses Angiogenesis and Stemness of Breast Cancer Cells by Downregulation of Hypoxia-Inducible Factors-1α.

To assess the effect of Cannabidiol (CBD) on the angiogenesis and stemness of breast cancer cells as well as proliferation. Methods: mRNA level and the amount of protein of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined by qRT-PCR and ELISA. The angiogenic potential of breast cancer cells under hypoxic conditions was identified by the HUVEC tube formation assay. The degradation of HIF-1α by CBD and the Src/von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein (VHL) interaction were assessed by a co-immunoprecipitation assay and Western blotting. To identify the stemness of mamospheres, they were evaluated by the sphere-forming assay and flow cytometry. Results: CBD can suppress angiogenesis and stem cell-like properties of breast cancer through Src/VHL/HIF-1α signaling. CBD may potentially be utilized in the treatment of refractory or recurrent breast cancer.

Improvement of viewing angle dependence of bottom-emitting green organic light-emitting diodes with a strong microcavity effect.

The current efficiency and color purity of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) can be easily improved by means of a microcavity structure, but this improvement is typically accompanied by a deterioration in the characteristics of viewing angle. To minimize the angular dependence of the color characteristics exhibited by these strong microcavity devices, we investigated the changes in the optical properties of the green OLED with a bottom resonant structure. This investigation was based on varying the hole transport layer and semitransparent anode thicknesses. The results of optical simulations revealed that the current efficiency and viewing angle characteristics can be simultaneously improved by adjusting the thickness of the two layers. Furthermore, optical simulations predicted that the angular color dependence could be limited to 0.019 in the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) 1976 coordinate system. This optimum condition yielded a current efficiency of ∼134 cd/A. To further reduce this color shift, a nanosized island array (NIA) was introduced through the dewetting process of cesium chloride. By employing NIAs, the color coordinate shift value was reduced to 0.016 in the CIE 1976 coordinate system, and a current efficiency of 130.7 cd/A was achieved.

Novel Approach Through the Harmonized Sulfur in Disordered Carbon Structure for High-Efficiency Sodium-Ion Exchange.

Sodium-ion batteries (SiBs) have recently attracted considerable interest due to the plentiful supply of raw materials for their production and their electrochemical behavior, which is similar to that of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs). However, the relatively larger radius of sodium ions than that of lithium ions is not suitable for storage in conventional graphite, which is widely used as the anode. To resolve this issue, in this study, we developed a new harmonized carbon material with a three-dimensional (3D) grapevine-like structure and a sulfur component using an efficient synthesis process. On the basis of these advantages, the harmonized sulfur-carbon material exhibited a highly reversible capacity of 146 mA h g-1 at an extremely high specific current of 100 A g-1 and long-term galvanostatic cycling stability at 10 and 100 A g-1 with superior electrochemical performance. Our results are anticipated to provide new insights into SiB anode materials that would advance their production.

Romo1 Inhibition Induces TRAIL-Mediated Apoptosis in Colorectal Cancer.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is known to behave as an attractive anti-cancer agent in various cancers. Despite its promise TRAIL has limitations such as short half-life and rapid development of resistance. In this regard, approaches to sensitizers of TRAIL that can overcome the limitations of TRAIL are necessary. However, the molecular targets and mechanisms underlying sensitization to TRAIL-induced apoptosis are not fully understood. Here, we propose that reactive oxygen species modulator-1 (Romo1) as an attractive sensitizer of TRAIL. Romo1 is a mitochondrial inner membrane channel protein that controls reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and its expression is highly upregulated in various cancers, including colorectal cancer. In the present study, we demonstrated that Romo1 inhibition significantly increased TRAIL-induced apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells, but not of normal colon cells. The combined effect of TRAIL and Romo1 inhibition was correlated with the activation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathways. Romo1 silencing elevated the protein levels of BCL-2-associated X protein (Bax) by downregulating the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). Romo1 inhibition downregulated the interaction between Bax and Parkin. Furthermore, Romo1 knockdown triggered the mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS generation. We validated the effect of combination in tumor xenograft model in vivo. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that Romo1 inhibition induces TRAIL-mediated apoptosis by identifying the novel mechanism associated with the Bax/Parkin interaction. We suggest that targeting of Romo1 is essential for the treatment of colorectal cancer and may be a new therapeutic approach in the future and contribute to the drug discovery.

Application of soot discharged from the combustion of marine gas oil as an anode material for lithium ion batteries.

Many studies have recently investigated the characteristics of combustion products emitted from ships and onshore plant facilities for use as energy sources. Most combustion products that have been reported until now are from heavy oils, however, no studies on those from light oils have been published. This study attempted to use the combustion products from the light oils from naval ships as anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). These products have a carbon black morphology and were transformed into highly crystalline carbon structures through a simple heat treatment. These new structured materials showed reversible capacities of 544, 538, 510, 485, 451 and 395 mA h g-1 at C-rates of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0C, respectively, and excellent rate performance. These findings were the result of a combination hierarchical pores ranging from the meso- to macroscale and the high capacitive charge storage behavior of the soot. The results of this study prove that annealed soot with a unique multilayer graphite structure shows promising electrochemical performance suitable for the production of low-cost, high-performance LIB anode materials.

Correction: Application of soot discharged from the combustion of marine gas oil as an anode material for lithium ion batteries.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D0RA07195A.].

Activating CCT2 triggers Gli-1 activation during hypoxic condition in colorectal cancer.

Hypoxia, or the deficiency of oxygen, in solid tumors is majorly responsible for the progression of cancer and remains unaffected by chemotherapy, but still requires definitive definition of the hypoxia signaling. Hypoxia disrupts the complete folding of mitochondrial proteins, leading to several diseases. The present study confirms that hypoxia activates the Hedgehog pathway in colorectal cancer (CRC), considering its role in cancer epithelial to mesenchymal transition, migration, and invasion. The activity of hypoxia-mediated Gli-1, a Hedgehog signaling factor in hypoxia, was confirmed by in vitro western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, wound-healing assay, and matrigel invasion assay, as well as by in vivo xenograft models (n = 5 per group). The Gli-1 mechanism in hypoxia was analyzed via mass spectrometry. Hypoxia enhanced the interaction of Gli-1 and T-complex protein 1 subunit beta (CCT2), as observed in the mass spectrometric analysis. We observed that reduction in CCT2 inhibits tumor induction by Gli-1. Ubiquitination-mediated Gli-1 degradation by ß-TrCP occurs during incomplete folding of Gli-1 in hypoxia. The human CRC tissues revealed greater CCT2 expression than did the normal colon tissues, indicating that higher CCT2 expression in tumor tissues from CRC patients reduced their survival rate. Moreover, we suggest that CCT2 correlates with Gli-1 expression and is an important determinant of survival in the CRC patients. The results reveal that CCT2 can regulate the folding of Gli-1 in relation to hypoxia in CRC.

Cannabidiol promotes apoptosis via regulation of XIAP/Smac in gastric cancer.

According to recent studies, Cannabidiol (CBD), one of the main components of Cannabis sativa, has anticancer effects in several cancers. However, the exact mechanism of CBD action is not currently understood. Here, CBD promoted cell death in gastric cancer. We suggest that CBD induced apoptosis by suppressing X-linked inhibitor apoptosis (XIAP), a member of the IAP protein family. CBD reduced XIAP protein levels while increasing ubiquitination of XIAP. The expression of Smac, a known inhibitor of XIAP, was found to be elevated during CBD treatment. Moreover, CBD treatment increased the interaction between XIAP and Smac by increasing Smac release from mitochondria to the cytosol. CBD has also been shown to affect mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, these results suggest that CBD may have potential as a new therapeutic target in gastric cancer.

Conversion of Black Carbon Emitted from Diesel-Powered Merchant Ships to Novel Conductive Carbon Black as Anodic Material for Lithium Ion Batteries.

Waste soot generated from diesel engine of merchant ships has ≥ 2 µm agglomerates consisting of 30-50 nm spherical particles, whose morphology is identical to that of carbon black (CB) used in many industrial applications. In this study, we crystallized waste soot by heat treatment to transform it into a unique completely graphitic nano-onion structure, which is considerably different from that of commercial conductive CB. While commercial CB has a large specific surface area because of many surface micropores generated due to quenching by water-spraying in the production process, the heat-treated waste soot has a smooth micropore-free surface. Thus, the treated waste soot acquires the shape of CB but has a much smaller specific surface area. When the treated soot is used as a conductive material in lithium ion battery (LIB) half cells, the Coulombic efficiency of the entire anode is improved significantly owing to its low specific surface area; the electrochemical performance of the LIB is considerably enhanced compared to that of conventional conductive materials. Thus, polluting soot generated in marine propulsion can be transformed into a new class of CB with a unique structure by simple heat treatment; this soot can also be used as an inexpensive conductive material to enhance the LIB performance.

In Situ Synthesis of Silicon-Carbon Composites and Application as Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Materials.

Silicon can be used in a variety of applications. Particularly, silicon particles are attracting increased attention as energy storage materials for lithium-ion batteries. However, silicon has a limited cycling performance owing to its peeling from the current collector and the volume expansion that occurs during alloying with lithium in the charging process. Significant contributors to this problem are the even distribution of silicon nanoparticles within the carbon matrix and their deep placement in the internal structure. In this study, we synthesized silicon nanoparticles and carbon materials via a bottom-up approach using a new method called plasma in solution. Silicon nanoparticles and the carbon matrix were synthesized in a structure similar to carbon black. It was confirmed that the silicon particles were evenly distributed in the carbon matrix. In addition, the evaluation of the electrochemical performance of the silicon-carbon matrix (Si-C) composite material showed that it exhibited stable cycling performance with high reversible capacity.

Genipin induces mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis via downregulation of Stat3/mcl-1 pathway in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Genipin is a compound derived from gardenia fruit extract. Although Genipin has anti-tumor effects in various cancers, its effect and mechanism in gastric cancer remain unclear. Here, we investigated the relationship between the anticancer effect of Genipin and signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat3)/myeloid cell leukemia-1 (Mcl-1) in human gastric cancers. METHODS: MTT assays were performed to determine the cell viability of gastric cancer and gastric epithelial cell lines (AGS, MKN45, SNU638, MKN74, HFE-145). A TUNEL assay and Western blotting were carried out to investigate apoptosis. Stat3 activity was measured by proteome profiler phospho kinase array, immunofluorescence and immunoblotting. Mitochondria function was monitored with an XF24 analyzer and by flow cytometry, confocal microscopy using fluorescent probes for general mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). RESULTS: Genipin induced apoptosis in gastric cancer cells, including AGS and MKN45 cells. Genipin also reduced Mcl-1 mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, we found that phosphorylation of Stat3 is regulated by Genipin. Additionally, the protein level of phospho Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) was decreased by Genipin treatment, indicating that the Stat3/JAK2/Mcl-1 pathway is suppressed by Genipin treatment in gastric cancer cells. Mcl-1 is closely related to mitochondrial function. These findings suggest that Genipin contributes to the collapse of mitochondrial functions like MMP. CONCLUSIONS: Genipin induced apoptosis by suppressing the Stat3/Mcl-1 pathway and led to mitochondrial dysfunction. Our results reveal a novel mechanism for the anti-cancer effect of Genipin in gastric cancer.

Docosahexaenoic Acid Enhances Oxaliplatin-Induced Autophagic Cell Death via the ER Stress/Sesn2 Pathway in Colorectal Cancer.

Oxaliplatin is an anticancer drug administered to colorectal cancer (CRC) patients in combination with 5-fluorouracil and antibodies (bevacizumab and cetuximab), thereby significantly improving the survival rate of CRC. However, due to various side effects associated with the above treatment strategy, the need for combinatorial therapeutic strategies has emerged. Based on the demand for new combinatorial therapies and the known antitumor effects of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), we investigated the Oxaliplatin and DHA combination for its effect. Our results indicated that DHA further enhanced Oxaliplatin-induced cell viability and autophagic cell death, in vitro and in vivo. Oxaliplatin and DHA also increased the expression of Sestrin 2 (SESN2) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress related C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Additionally, treatment with Oxaliplatin and DHA enhanced the binding of CHOP to the promotor region of SESN2, increasing SESN2 expression. These results suggested that DHA enhanced Oxaliplatin-induced reduction in cell viability and increase in autophagy via activating SESN2 and increasing ER stress. Thus, SESN2 may be an effective preclinical target for CRC treatment.

Cannabidiol Overcomes Oxaliplatin Resistance by Enhancing NOS3- and SOD2-Induced Autophagy in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Although oxaliplatin is an effective chemotherapeutic drug for colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment, patients often develop resistance to it. Therefore, a new strategy for CRC treatment is needed. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cannabidiol (CBD), one of the components of the cannabis plant, in overcoming oxaliplatin resistance in CRC cells. We established oxaliplatin-resistant cell lines, DLD-1 R and colo205 R, in CRC DLD-1 and colo205 cells. Autophagic cell death was induced when oxaliplatin-resistant cells were treated with both oxaliplatin and CBD. Additionally, phosphorylation of nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) was increased in oxaliplatin-resistant cells compared to that in parent cells. Combined treatment with oxaliplatin and CBD reduced phospho-NOS3 levels and nitric oxide (NO) production and resulted in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by reducing the levels of superoxide dismutase 2, an antioxidant present in the mitochondria, causing mitochondrial dysfunction. Taken together, these results suggest that elevated phosphorylation of NOS3 is essential for oxaliplatin resistance. The combination of oxaliplatin and CBD decreased NOS3 phosphorylation, which resulted in autophagy, by inducing the overproduction of ROS through mitochondrial dysfunction, thus overcoming oxaliplatin resistance.

Sonic hedgehog pathway activation is associated with cetuximab resistance and EPHB3 receptor induction in colorectal cancer.

A major problem of colorectal cancer (CRC) targeted therapies is relapse caused by drug resistance. In most cases of CRC, patients develop resistance to anticancer drugs. Cetuximab does not show many of the side effects of other anticancer drugs and improves the survival of patients with metastatic CRC. However, the molecular mechanism of cetuximab resistance is not fully understood. Methods: EPHB3-mediated cetuximab resistance was confirmed by in vitro western blotting, colony-forming assays, WST-1 colorimetric assay, and in vivo xenograft models (n = 7 per group). RNA-seq analysis and receptor tyrosine kinase assays were performed to identify the cetuximab resistance mechanism of EPHB3. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: The expression of EFNB3, which upregulates the EPHB3 receptor, was shown to be increased via microarray analysis. When resistance to cetuximab was acquired, EPHB3 protein levels increased. Hedgehog signaling, cancer stemness, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling proteins were also increased in the cetuximab-resistant human colon cancer cell line SW48R. Despite cells acquiring resistance to cetuximab, STAT3 was still responsive to EGF and cetuximab treatment. Moreover, inhibition of EPHB3 was associated with decreased STAT3 activity. Co-immunoprecipitation confirmed that EGFR and EPHB3 bind to each other and this binding increases upon resistance acquisition, suggesting that STAT3 is activated by the binding between EGFR and EPHB3. Protein levels of GLI-1, SOX2, and Vimentin, which are affected by STAT3, also increased. Similar results were obtained in samples from patients with CRC. Conclusion: EPHB3 expression is associated with anticancer drug resistance.

Sea Cucumber (Stichopus japonicas) F2 Enhanced TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis via XIAP Ubiquitination and ER Stress in Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Natural products have shown great promise in sensitizing cells to TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) therapy. Sea cucumber (SC) extracts possess antitumor activity, and hence their potential to sensitize colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to TRAIL therapy was evaluated. This study used Western blotting to evaluate the combination effects of SC and TRAIL in CRC, and determined the molecular mechanism underlying these effects. SC fractions and TRAIL alone did not affect apoptosis; however, combined treatment dramatically induced the apoptosis of CRC cells, but not of normal colon cells. Combined treatment induced the expression of apoptotic proteins (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), caspase 3, and 8), and this effect was markedly inhibited by the ubiquitination of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP). SC did not affect the mRNA levels, but it increased proteasomal degradation and ubiquitination of the XIAP protein. Furthermore, SC induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, thereby activating c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related apoptotic pathways in CRC. Altogether, our results demonstrate that the SC F2 fraction may sensitize CRC cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis through XIAP ubiquitination and ER stress.