Vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and methionine and risk of pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism may play a key role in pancreatic carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to examine the association between pancreatic cancer risk and intake or blood levels of vitamins B6, B12 and methionine via meta-analysis. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Web of Knowledge and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to April 2020 to identify relevant studies. Risk estimates and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were retrieved from the studies and combined by a random-effect model. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies were included in this meta-analysis on the association of vitamin B6, B12 and methionine with pancreatic cancer risk. The combined risk estimate (95% CI) of pancreatic cancer for the highest vs lowest category of vitamin B6 intake and blood pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP, active form of vitamin B6) levels was 0.63 (0.48-0.79) and 0.65 (0.52-0.79), respectively. The results indicated a non-linear dose-response relationship between vitamin B6 intake and pancreatic risk. Linear dose-response relationship was found, and the risk of pancreatic cancer decreased by 9% for every 10 nmol/L increment in blood PLP levels. No significant association were found between pancreatic cancer risk and vitamin B12 intake, blood vitamin B12 levels, methionine intake and blood methionine levels. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that high intake of vitamin B6 and high concentration of blood PLP levels may be protective against the development of pancreatic cancer. Further research are warranted to confirm the results.

Epimedin C Protects H2O2-Induced Peroxidation Injury by Enhancing the Function of Endothelial Progenitor HUVEC Populations.

Endothelial cell injury and apoptosis induced by oxidative stress serve important roles in many vascular diseases. The repair of endothelial cell vascular injury relies on the function of local endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). Our previous study indicated that epimedin C, a major flavonoid derived from Herba epimedii (yin yang huo), could promote vascularization by inducing endothelial-like differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells C3H/10T1/2 both in vivo and in vitro. In view of the significant cardiovascular protective effects of Herba epimedii, we detected a protective effect of epimedin C on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced peroxidation injury in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and the role of EPC in this process. The results show that epimedin C increased the expression of the stem cell marker, CD34 and PROM1, and subsequently enhanced the expression and function of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 in local vascular endothelial cells. In conclusion, epimedin C protects H2O2-induced peroxidation injury by enhancing the function of endothelial progenitor HUVEC populations.

[G894T mutation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene in Chinese Han nationality].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution of G894T mutation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene in Chinese Han nationality. METHODS: G894T mutation of the eNOS gene of 108 unrelated healthy individuals was studied by means of polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. RESULT: All subjects were genotyped for eNOS gene; the frequencies of the GG, GT and TT genotypes were 0.9095, 0.0883 and 0.0021, respectively. In the Han nationality, the frequency of the GT, TT genotypes was lower than that in Japanese and Caucasian of UK (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that there are significant differences in G894T mutation of eNOS gene between the Chinese Han nationality and other ethnic populations.