Repurposing chia seed oil: A versatile novel functional food.

Chia seed oil (CSO) has been recently gaining tremendous interest as a functional food. The oil is rich in with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially, alpha linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), tocopherols, phenolic acids, vitamins, and antioxidants. Extracting CSO through green technologies has been highly efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable, which has also shown to improve its nutritional potential and proved to be eco-friendly than any other traditional or conventional processes. Due to the presence of valuable bioactive metabolites, CSO is proving to be a revolutionary source for food, baking, dairy, pharmaceutical, livestock feed, and cosmetic industries. CSO has been reported to possess antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, insect-repellent, and skin-healing properties. However, studies on toxicological safety and commercial potency of CSO are limited and therefore the need of the hour is to focus on large-scale molecular mechanistic and clinical studies, which may throw light on the possible translational opportunities of CSO to be utilized to its complete potential. In this review, we have deliberated on the untapped therapeutical possibilities and novel findings about this functional food, its biochemical composition, extraction methods, nutritional profiling, oil stability, and nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications for its health benefits and ability to counter various diseases.

RASSF1A-Hippo pathway link in patients with urothelial carcinoma of bladder: plausible therapeutic target.

RASSF1A is a tumor suppressor gene, and its hypermethylation has been observed in cancers. RASSF1A acts as an upstream regulator of Hippo pathway and modulates its function. The aim of this study was to analyze expression of RASSF1A, Hippo pathway molecules (YAP, MST) and downstream targets (CTGF, Cyr61 and AREG) in bladder cancer patients. Later, the link between RASSF1A and Hippo pathway and a potential therapeutic scope of this link in UBC were also studied. MSPCR was performed to study methylation of RASSF1A promoter. Expression of molecules was studied using qPCR, Western blot and IHC. The link between RASSF1A and Hippo pathway was studied using Spearman's correlation in patients and validated by overexpressing RASSF1A in HT1376 cells and its effect on Hippo pathway was observed using qPCR and Western blot. Further therapeutic potential of this link was studied using MTT and PI assays. The expression of RASSF1A was lower, whereas the expression of YAP, CTGF and CYR61 was higher. The expression of RASSF1A protein gradually decreased, while the expression of YAP, CTGF and CYR61 increased with severity of disease. Based on Spearman's correlation, RASSF1A showed a negative correlation with YAP, CTGF and CYR61. YAP showed a positive correlation with CTGF and CYR61. To validate this link, RASSF1A was overexpressed in HT1376 cells. Overexpressed RASSF1A activated Hippo pathway, followed by a decrease in CTGF and CYR61 at mRNA, and enhanced cytotoxicity to chemotherapeutic drugs. This study finds a previously unrecognized role of RASSF1A in the regulation of CTGF and CYR61 through mediation of Hippo pathway in UBC and supports the significance of this link as a potential therapeutic target for UBC.

Outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy in men with previous transurethral resection of prostate.

OBJECTIVE: • To critically analyze and compare surgical, oncological and functional outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in patients with and without previous transurethral resection of prostate (TURP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: • The study comprised 158 cases of RARP for clinically localized prostate cancer, including 26 cases that had undergone previous TURP (Group A). • Surgical, oncological and functional (short- and intermediate-term) outcomes of Group A were compared with 132 cases without previous TURP (Group B). RESULTS: • Post TURP patients were found to have significantly greater blood loss (494 vs 324 mL) and a need for bladder neck reconstruction (26.7% vs 9.7%) compared to the non-TURP group. • Surgical time (189 vs 166 min), conversion rate, margin positivity rate and biochemical recurrence rate were also higher. • Incontinence rates were higher both at 6 (14% vs 11.8%) and 12 (25% vs 8%) months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: • RARP is feasible but challenging after TURP. It entails a longer operating time, greater operative difficulty and compromised oncological or continence outcomes. • These cases should be handled by an experienced robotic surgeon with the appropriate expertise.

Altered antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in Indian patients with urothelial bladder carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Urothelial carcinoma of bladder is the second most common urological malignancy after prostate cancer. Recently, there has been increased interest in research of the role of free radicals and antioxidant materials in the prevention, treatment, and alleviation of therapy-related side effects of cancer. In the present study, we aimed to assess the alterations in the levels of antioxidant vitamins, activities of defense enzymes, circulating lipid peroxide, and total antioxidant activity (AOA) in patients with urothelial carcinoma of bladder and correlate these changes with the grade and severity of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study cohort consisted of 90 subjects; 50 patients with bladder UC (25, low grade; 10, high grade; 15, muscle invasive) and 40 healthy controls. Vitamins C and E, malondialdehyde (MDA), and AOA were estimated using standard protocols. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were assayed using commercially available kits. RESULTS: The serum levels of vitamins C and E, whole blood levels of SOD and GPx, and serum AOA was significantly lower (P < 0.001) while serum MDA levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in patients than in controls, indicating presence of oxidative stress in bladder UC patients. The levels of all the biochemical parameters were correlated with the grade and severity of the disease. There were significant differences between the patients with low grade tumors and muscle invasive tumors for all parameters (P < 0.001); except AOA (P < 0.279). CONCLUSIONS: The observed redox imbalance in UC of bladder in correlation with the grade and stage, as a consequence of decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins, enzymes, and AOA, along with increased MDA levels in circulation, may be important factors in tumor development and growth. Our results suggest that with advancing stage of bladder UC, the levels of oxidative stress increase, while levels of antioxidant molecules decrease. These findings suggest possible use of antioxidant supplementation as prophylactic agents for prevention and treatment of bladder cancer.

Piper longum Linn. Extract inhibits TNF-alpha-induced expression of cell adhesion molecules by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation and microsomal lipid peroxidation.

Recruitment of specific leukocyte subpopulations at the site of inflammation requires a series of cell adhesion molecule (CAM)-mediated interactions. The major CAMs, viz., intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), VCAM-1 and E-selectin are expressed on endothelium in response to various cytokines or bacterial LPS. Here, we have evaluated the effect of Piper longum chloroform extract (PlCE) on TNF-alpha-induced expression of ICAM-1 on endothelial cells and on NADPH-catalyzed rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation with a view to identify modulators for the expression of CAMs. We demonstrate that PlCE inhibits adhesion of neutrophils to endothelial monolayer. This inhibition is due to the ability of PlCE to significantly block the TNF-alpha-induced expression of CAMs, i.e. ICAM-1, VCAM-1 at 17.5 microg/ml concentration and E-selectin at 15 microg/ml concentration on human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The inhibition of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin by PlCE is mediated through inhibition of NF-kappaB in endothelial cells. To demonstrate the antioxidant activity of PlCE, we showed that PlCE inhibited the NADPH-catalyzed rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation significantly. These results suggest a possible mechanism of anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant activity of PlCE.