Carbohydrate quality, not quantity, linked to reduced colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in US populations: evidence from a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Carbohydrates have been implicated in colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, but the specific impact of carbohydrate quality and quantity on CRC susceptibility in US populations remains unclear. METHODS: We followed 101,694 participants from Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The carbohydrate quality index (CQI) and low-carbohydrate diet score (LCDs) were used to evaluate the daily carbohydrate quality and quantity separately, where higher scores indicated greater adherence. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compute HRs and 95% CIs for incident CRC and related death. Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify potential effect modifiers. RESULTS: During follow-up, we documented 1085 incident cases of CRC, of whom 311 died from CRC. Individuals in the highest compared with the lowest quartiles of CQI had a lower CRC incidence (Q4 vs Q1: HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.67-0.96, Ptrend = 0.012) and mortality (Q4 vs Q1: HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.86, Ptrend = 0.004). The inverse association between CQI and CRC risk was observed for distal colon and rectum but not for proximal colon cancer. Regarding mortality, this association was only significant for rectum cancer. Subgroup analyses indicated this inverse association of CQI with CRC risk was only observed in participants with lower LCDs. No significant associations were found between LCDs and CRC incidence or mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest focusing on higher quality, rather than restricting the quantity, of carbohydrate consumption may be an effective approach to reduce the risk of CRC in the US population, particularly for distal colon and rectal cancers.

Association between Dietary Anthocyanidins and Biliary Cancer Risk in 98,458 Participants: Results from a Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested anthocyanidins or anthocyanidin-rich foods and extracts exhibit protective effects against various cancers. However, the relationship between dietary anthocyanidins and the risk of biliary cancer remains uncertain. METHODS: This study used data from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial to investigate the relationship between total anthocyanidins intake and biliary cancer incidence. Cox regression analysis was conducted to estimate HRs and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the incidence of biliary cancer, with adjustments made for confounding factors. A restricted cubic spline model was employed to examine the dose-response relationship. In addition, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate potential interactions and test the model's robustness. RESULTS: During 8.9 years and 872,645.3 person-years of follow-up, 95 cases of biliary cancer were observed. The incidence rate of biliary cancer in this study was 11 cases per 100,000 person-years. Using the fully adjusted Cox regression model, the inverse association was observed between total anthocyanidins intake and the risk of biliary cancer (HR Q4 vs..Q1: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.29-0.91; Ptrend = 0.043). This association remained significant in sensitivity analyses. A linear dose-response relationship (Pnonlinearity = 0.118) and potential interaction with drinking status (Pinteraction = 0.033) were identified. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of an inverse association between total anthocyanidins intake and biliary cancer incidence. IMPACT: Our study found a total anthocyanidin-rich diet was associated with a reduced risk of biliary cancer in Americans ages 55 to 74 years.

SALL4 advances the proliferation and tumor cell stemness of colon cancer cells through the transcription and regulation of ROBO2.

SALL4 is a transcription factor highly expressed in diverse cancers and is implicated in the development of cancer. SALL4 has been implied to play a cancer-promoting role in colon cancer (CC), but the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and dual-luciferase assay were conducted to verify the binding relationship of SALL4 and ROBO2. qRT-PCR detected the mRNA expression levels of SALL4 and ROBO2, and the flow cytometry analyzed the cell cycle distribution. Western blot examined SALL4 expression, and cell cycle/cell stemness-related proteins. The impact of SALL4 and ROBO2 on the proliferation capacity of cells and tumor cell stemness was elucidated by MTT, colony formation, and sphere-forming assays. SALL4 and ROBO2 were up-regulated in CC, and SALL4 could activate the transcription of ROBO2. Down-regulated SALL4 was able to significantly restrain the proliferation capacity of CC cells and arrest the cell cycle in G0/G1 phase by repressing the expression of cyclin B, cyclin E, and cyclin D1. Besides, the rescue assay results indicated that up-regulated ROBO2 could reverse the repressive impact of down-regulated SALL4 on the proliferation of CC cells and accelerate the progression of the cell cycle, thus promoting the sphere-forming of tumor stem cells. SALL4 advanced the proliferation of CC and cell stemness through direct activation of ROBO2 expression, implied the novel mechanism of SALL4 in CC, and pointed out that SALL4/ROBO2 axis was likely to be a potential target for clinical treatment of CC.

Compliance with the EAT-Lancet diet and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective cohort study in 98,415 American adults.

Background: The EAT-Lancet diet (ELD) is a recommended dietary pattern for achieving simultaneous improvements in both individual health and environmental sustainability. While research on the association between ELD and colorectal cancer (CRC) remains scarce, the potential impact of nutrition on CRC prevention and progression is a topic of growing interest. This study aims to investigate the relationship between adherence to the ELD and the risk of CRC, shedding light on the role of nutrition in CRC prevention. Methods: A total of 98,415 participants were included. A Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ) was used to collect dietary information, and an ELD score was used to assess adherence to ELD. Higher scores indicated greater adherence. Cox hazard regression analyses were conducted to examine whether there were associations between the ELD score and CRC risk. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) model was used to further explore the dose-response association between the ELD score and CRC incidence. Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify potential modifiers that interacted with ELD on CRC incidence, and sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the established association. Results: During a mean follow-up of 8.82 years, a total of 1,054 CRC cases were documented. We found a statistically significant correlation between the ELD score and CRC risk (Q4 vs. Q1: HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.67-0.98; P for trend = 0.034) after adjusting for potential confounders. No statistically significant associations were discovered between ELD adherence and CRC by anatomical site. Subgroup analyses found no interactional factor, sensitivity analyses, and the RCS model showed a robustness and linearity association (P-linearity >0.05). Conclusion: We concluded that adherence to ELD contributes to the prevention of CRC.

Association of diabetes risk reduction diet with renal cancer risk in 101,755 participants: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: There is little prospective evidence exists about whether adherence to a diabetes risk reduction diet (DRRD) is related to a significant reduction in renal cancer risk. We sought to clarify whether adherence to DRRD was associated with a reduced risk of renal cancer in a US population. METHODS: A population-based cohort of 101,755 American adults was identified from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. A DRRD score was calculated to assess adherence to this dietary pattern, where increased scores indicated greater adherence. The relationship between DRRD score and risk of renal cancer was assessed based on the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), which were both calculated using Cox regression. Non-linear association was determined through restricted cubic spline regression. Potential effect modifiers were identified through subgroup analyses. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 8.8 years, 446 renal cancers were detected. In this analysis, the fully adjusted model depicted a notable 29% reduction in the risk of renal cancer among individuals in the highest quartile of DRRD score in comparison with the lowest quartile individuals (HRQ4 vs. Q1: 0.71; 95% CI = 0.54, 0.94; Ptrend = 0.008). This association remained consistent across a series of sensitivity analyses. A non-linear inverse dose-response association between renal cancer risk with DRRD score was observed (Pnonlinearity = 0.026). Subgroup analyses showed that this favorable link was more prominent in participants with low Healthy Eating Index-2015 (Pinteraction = 0.015). Regarding the individual components of DRRD, a decrease in the risk of renal cancer was linked to increased intake of cereal fiber and whole fruit, and lower sugar-sweetened beverage consumption (all Ptrend < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that individuals adhering to DRRD are associated with a reduction in the risk of renal cancer.

Association between adherence to Eat-Lancet diet and incidence and mortality of lung cancer: A prospective cohort study.

Previous research has shown that adhering to the Eat-Lancet diet (ELD) is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases and mortality. However, the associations between ELD and lung cancer incidence and mortality are unclear. To address this gap, we conducted a prospective cohort study involving 101,755 adults from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) trial in the USA. The ELD score was utilized to assess compliance with the ELD, with higher scores indicating greater compliance. We employed Cox regression analyses to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of ELD score with the incidence and mortality of lung cancer and its subtypes. In addition, sensitivity analyses were performed to ensure the robustness of our findings. In total, 1706 cases of lung cancer and 1217 lung cancer-associated deaths were recorded during the study period. Our analysis revealed that higher ELD scores were significantly associated with a reduced incidence (HRQuartile 4 vs. Quartile 1 : 0.73; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.89; ptrend = 0.001) and mortality (HRQuartile 4 vs. Quartile 1 : 0.74; 95% CI: 0.59, 0.93; ptrend = 0.005) of lung cancer in a dose-response manner (all pnonlinearity > 0.05). The reliability of these results was supported by sensitivity analyses. Notably, these associations were primarily observed in non-small-cell lung cancer. In conclusion, our findings suggest that adherence to the ELD may be associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer incidence and mortality.

Association between sulfur microbial diet and the risk of colorectal cancer precursors in older adults.

Background: Sulfur microbial diet (SMD), related to the enrichment of sulfur-metabolizing gut bacteria, has been confirmed to be linked to an elevated risk of early-onset colorectal adenoma in young females. However, it remains unclear whether SMD is associated with the risk of colorectal adenoma in older people, who are at greater risk for colorectal cancer. Methods: All data on participants in this study were retrieved from the intervention arm of the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) cancer screening test. Participants' adherence to this dietary pattern was assessed using SMD score. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were adopted in Cox proportional hazards regression models to assess the link between SMD score and the incidence of colorectal adenoma in participants included in the study. Specific stratified analyses were constructed to assess whether this association changed in different conditions, whereas the robustness of the association was examined through sensitivity analyses. Results: The mean baseline age of participants was 62.1 (SD 5.2) years (range 54.0-75.0 years). During 19,468,589 person-years of follow-up, 992 colorectal adenoma cases were documented in a total of 17,627 included participants. In a fully adjusted model, an increased risk of colorectal adenoma was determined in participants in the highest quartile of SMD score in comparison with those in the lowest quartile (HRquartile4 vs. HRquartile1 = 1.23; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.47; p = 0.017 for trend). This positive association between SMD score and adenoma risk was more evident in participants who were current or former smokers (p = 0.029 for interaction). Conclusion: In this study, our results support a role for the SMD in the carcinogenicity of colorectal cancer precursors among older adults. Nevertheless, these results require validation through more research.

Adherence to the Paleolithic diet and Paleolithic-like lifestyle reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in the United States: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The plant-based paleolithic diet (PD) and the paleolithic-like lifestyle (PLL) may reduce the risk of chronic diseases, including colorectal adenomas. These dietary and lifestyle approaches are proposed to exert their effects through mechanisms such as reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin levels. However, whether PD and PLL is associated with the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been determined. METHODS: A cohort of 74,721 individuals who participated in the PLCO study were included in this analysis. Adherence to the PD and PLL was assessed using PD and PLL scores, where higher scores indicated greater adherence. Multivariable Cox models were utilized to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of CRC and its subsites (proximal colon cancer and distal CRC). Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify potential effect modifiers. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 9.2 years, a total of 694 CRC cases were identified. Participants in the highest compared with the lowest quartiles of PD score had a lower risk of CRC (Q4 vs Q1: HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.61-0.95, Ptrend = 0.009) and proximal colon cancer (Q4 vs Q1: HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.97, Ptrend = 0.02). A stronger inverse association was observed for PLL score with the risk of CRC (Q4 vs Q1: HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.51-0.81, Ptrend < 0.001), proximal colon (Q4 vs Q1: HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46-0.83, Ptrend = 0.001) and distal CRC (Q4 vs Q1: HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.48-0.98, Ptrend = 0.03). Subgroup analyses revealed the inverse association of PD score with the risk of CRC was more pronounced in participants with BMI < 30 (Q4 vs Q1: HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53-0.87) than in those with BMI ≥ 30 (Q4 vs Q1: HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.68-1.67) (Pinteraction = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that adhering to the PD and PLL could be a new option to reduce CRC risk.

Silver-Catalyzed Chlorocyclization for the Synthesis of 3-Chloro-2H-chromenes.

A silver-catalyzed chlorocyclization reaction of aryl 3-aryl-2-propyn-1-yl ethers in the presence of NCS under darkness was accomplished, which provides a straightforward and efficient access to 3-chloro-2H-chromenes.

Low-fat dairy consumption and the risk of lung cancer: A large prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the possible contribution of dairy products to the development or prevention of cancers, there is a lack of epidemiological evidence linking low-fat dairy consumption to the risk of developing lung cancer. This research was conducted to fill this knowledge gap. METHODS: The data for this research were collected from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. The Cox proportional risk model was employed to evaluate the link between low-fat dairy consumption and the risk of developing lung cancer. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were measured in both unadjusted and adjusted models. A series of predefined subgroup analyses were performed to identify potential effect modifiers, and several sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the stability of the findings. RESULTS: The study included data from 98,459 individuals. During a total of 869,807.9 follow-up person-years, 1642 cases of lung cancer were observed, with an incidence of 0.189 cases for every 100 person-years. In the fully adjusted model, participants in the highest quartile of low-fat dairy consumption had a significantly decreased risk of lung cancer compared to the ones in the lowest quartile (HRquartile 4 vs. 1 : 0.769, 95% CI: 0.664, 0.891, ptrend = 0.005). The restricted cubic spline plot revealed an inverse nonlinear dose-response relationship between low-fat dairy consumption and lung cancer risk (pnonlinearity = 0.008). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that the inverse association was stronger among participants with higher daily caloric intake (pinteraction = 0.031). Various sensitivity analyses produced consistent results. CONCLUSION: Consuming more low-fat dairy products is significantly linked to a reduced risk of developing lung cancer, indicating that an appropriate increase in the use of low-fat dairy products may help prevent lung cancer.

Association between dietary approaches to stop hypertension eating pattern and lung cancer risk in 98,459 participants: results from a large prospective study.

Background: Dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) eating pattern is linked to anti-inflammatory responses and antioxidation, which overlap with the pathogenesis of lung cancer. However, there is insufficient epidemiological evidence to link this dietary pattern to lung cancer risk conclusively. Aim: To determine if adherence to the DASH diet is linked to a lower risk of developing lung cancer in a large prospective study. Methodology: The data of participants were retrieved from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. A DASH score was calculated based on 8 dietary components to reflect adherence to DASH, with greater scores representing higher adherence. Three Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to analyze the association between DASH scores and lung cancer risk, including an unadjusted model and two adjusted models (model 1 for demographics and model 2 for fully confounding factors). A restricted cubic spline plot was utilized to illustrate the likelihood of developing lung cancer across the entire range of DASH scores. The association between each of the 8 DASH components and the risk of lung cancer was assessed separately. Several subgroup analyses were conducted to identify potential modifiers, and several sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the findings. Results: The study involved 98,459 individuals in total. The mean (standard deviation) DASH score was 24.00 (4.62) points, along with the mean follow-up period of 8.84 (1.94) years. Lung cancer was identified in 1642 cases over 869807.9 person-years of follow-up, and the overall incidence rate was 0.189 cases/100 person-years. Participants in the highest quartile in the fully adjusted model had a relatively decreased risk of developing lung cancer in comparison to those in the lowest quartile (HRquartile 4 versus 1: 0.647; 95% CI: 0.557, 0.752; Ptrend < 0.001). The restricted cubic spline plot demonstrated that DASH score and lung cancer risk were inversely associated and had a linear dose-response relationship (Pnon-linear = 0.944). According to subgroup analyses, those who were current or former smokers had a stronger inverse connection than those who never smoked (Pinteraction = 0.013). The results remained robust after several sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: The risk of lung cancer was inversely associated with DASH scores in the US population. This suggests that following the DASH pattern can help prevent lung cancer, especially for current or former smokers. More epidemiological evidence from other regions and populations is needed to confirm our findings.

Predictive factors on postoperative venous thromboembolism after minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious and preventable postoperative complication. However, the predictive significance of perioperative biochemical parameters for VTE after minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery remains unclear. METHODS: A total of 149 patients undergoing minimally invasive colorectal cancer surgery were collected between October 2021 and October 2022. Biochemical parameters related to preoperative and postoperative day 1, day 3, and day 5 were collected, including D-Dimer, mean platelet volume (MPV), and maximum amplitude (MA) of thromboelastography (TEG). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to explore the predictive powers of meaningful biochemical parameters for postoperative VTE, and calibration curves were used to assess predictive accuracy. RESULTS: The overall cumulative incidence of VTE was 8.1% (12/149). The preoperative and postoperative day 3 D-Dimer, postoperative day 3, and day 5 MPV, and postoperative day 1, day 3, and day 5 TEG-MA was significantly higher in the VTE group than in the non-VTE group (P < 0.05). The results of both the ROC curve and the calibration curve indicated that these meaningful D-Dimer, MPV, and TEG-MA had moderate discrimination and consistency for postoperative VTE. CONCLUSIONS: D-Dimer, MPV, and TEG-MA may predict postoperative VTE in patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery for colorectal cancer at specific times in the perioperative period.

Association between oxidative stress exposure and colorectal cancer risk in 98,395 participants: results from a prospective study.

Background: The intricate role of oxidative stress (OS) in colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation is underscored by an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants. Utilizing the Oxidative Balance Score (OBS) as a metric, this study aims to investigate the association between OS exposure and CRC risk, while also examining potential sex-specific differences in a large U.S. cohort. Methods: The study included 98,395 adults from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. To construct the OBS, 14 dietary and lifestyle factors intricately associated with oxidative stress were quantified. A higher OBS value indicated a more favorable oxidative balance pattern or diminished OS exposure. Due to sex-specific differences in OBS, associations were evaluated separately for men and women based on Cox regression analysis. Subgroup analyses were conducted to elucidate potential modifiers. Results: During 867,963.4 person-years of follow-up, 1,054 CRCs occurred. The mean (SD) age and OBS were 65.52 (5.73) years and 14.09 (3.95) points, respectively. In the fully adjusted Cox model, we observed an inverse association between OBS and CRC incidence in women (HRQ5vsQ1: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.52, 0.99; P for trend = 0.018) but not men. Subgroup analyses revealed the inverse association was more pronounced among women without versus with a family history of CRC (HRQ5 vsQ1: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.47-0.93; P for trend = 0.001; P for interaction = 0.001). The results remained robust after several sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: Higher OBS was associated with lower CRC risk in women but not men; this inverse association was stronger among women without a family history of CRC. These findings suggest exposure to OS may confer sex-specific CRC risk effects, especially for women without a family history of CRC.

Association between low-fat diet and liver cancer risk in 98,455 participants: Results from a prospective study.

Background: Low-fat diet reduces the risk of chronic metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, which exhibit overlapping mechanisms with liver cancer. However, the association between low-fat diet and liver cancer risk remains unclear. Aim: To investigate whether adherence to low-fat diet is associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer in a prospective study. Materials and methods: Data of participants in this study were collected from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. A low-fat diet score was calculated to reflect adherence to low-fat dietary pattern, with higher scores indicating greater adherence. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for liver cancer incidence with adjustment for potential covariates. Restricted cubic spline model was used to characterize liver cancer risk across the full range of the low-fat diet score. Prespecified subgroup analyses were used to identify potential impact modifiers. Sensitivity analyses were performed to test the robustness of this association. Results: A total of 98,455 participants were included in the present analysis. The mean (standard deviation) age, low-fat diet score, and follow-up time were 65.52 (5.73) years, 14.99 (6.27) points, and 8.86 (1.90) years, respectively. During 872639.5 person-years of follow-up, 91 liver cancers occurred, with an overall incidence rate of 0.01 cases per 100 person-years. In the fully adjusted Cox model, the highest versus the lowest quartile of low-fat diet score was found to be associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer (HR Q4 vs. Q1: 0.458; 95% CI: 0.218, 0.964; P = 0.035 for trend), which remained associated through a series of sensitivity analyses. The restricted cubic spline model showed a linear dose-response association between low-fat diet score and liver cancer incidence (p = 0.482 for non-linear). Subgroup analyses did not show significant interaction between low-fat diet score and potential impact modifiers in the incidence of liver cancer. Conclusion: In this study, low-fat diet score is associated with reduced liver cancer risk in the US population, indicating that adherence to low-fat diet may be helpful for liver cancer prevention. Future studies should validate our findings in other populations.

Case report: A case report and literature review of extrapancreatic solid pseudopapillary neoplasm.

Background: Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) is a rare tumor with low malignant potential, which typically occurs in the pancreas. Extrapancreatic SPN is also extremely rare worldwide. Case presentation: We report a case of a 70-year-old woman hospitalized with abdominal pain and bloating. The patient did not have any underlying diseases, such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, or hypertension. More than 30 years ago, the patient underwent surgery for "ectopic pregnancy". The patient had no family history of hereditary disease, nor did any immediate family members have a history of cancer. Laboratory tests showed that her hemoglobin and albumin levels were low and she had a high level of cancer antigen 125 (CA125). Enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a large tumor in the abdomen and pelvis. The patient subsequently underwent surgery, and it was found that the tumor was attached to the terminal ileum. Pathological findings suggested that the tumor was an extrapancreatic SPN, with an ectopic pancreas found in the tumor tissue. The patient did not receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy after surgery. After 13 months of follow-up, the patient was admitted again with abdominal pain. CT showed tumor recurrence with extensive systemic metastases. The patient and her family refused reoperation and biopsy, and the patient was discharged after the abdominal pain and anemia resolved. Conclusion: We report a rare case of extrapancreatic SPN of ileal origin, which could be the first report worldwide. It had aggressive biological features, with recurrence and metastasis 13 months after surgery. For extrapancreatic SPN, the risk of recurrence should be assessed, and for tumors suspected of malignant behavior, a longer follow-up after discharge may be needed. Although SPN generally has a good prognosis after surgery, there is no consensus on whether postoperative chemotherapy and other treatments are needed for patients with high recurrence risk.

Comprehensive analysis of the immune implication of FABP4 in colon adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) has been reported to be associated with tumor progress and poor prognosis in various cancers. However, the relationship between FABP4 expression and tumor immunity in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is still poorly understood. METHODS: FABP4 mRNA expression was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-COAD data. FABP4 protein staining was performed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining in our 10 paired COAD samples and corresponding adjacent noncancerous tissues. The association between FABP4 and immune cell infiltration was evaluated by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database. FABP4 coexpressed genes were identified based on Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) database, which were employed for further enrichment analysis. FABP4 related immunomodulators was identified by Tumor and Immune System Interaction Database (TISIDB) database, and a prognostic risk signature was constructed based on FABP4-related immunomodulators using stepwise Cox regression analysis. A nomogram consists of FABP4 related immunomodulators signature and clinical parameters was developed to predict the overall survival (OS). RESULTS: In TCGA data, we found that the decreased FABP4 mRNA expression in COAD samples compared with normal samples, and low FABP4 mRNA expression was associated with B cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, myeloid dendritic cells, macrophages, and neutrophils. In our 10 paired samples, the protein levels of COAD were lower in all COAD tissues than in their adjacent noncancerous tissues. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that FABP4 coexpressed genes were mostly enriched in immune-related pathways. Based on 54 FABP4-related immunomodulators, a 2-gene FABP4-related prognostic risk signature was developed, and the signature stratified the patients into the high-risk and low-risk groups with statistically different survival outcomes. The Nomogram consists of the prognostic signature and clinical parameters had a certain predictability for prognosis of COAD patients. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that FABP4 is associated with 2-gene immune signature which also correlate with the prognosis of COAD patients.

Tuning the catalytic properties of La-Mn perovskite catalyst via variation of A- and B-sites: effect of Ce and Cu substitution on selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3.

Perovskites with flexible structures and excellent redox properties have attracted considerable attention in industry, and their denitration activities can be further improved with metal substitution. In order to investigate the effect of Ce and Cu substitution on the physicochemical properties of perovskite in NH3-SCR system, a series of La1-x Ce x Mn1-y Cu y O3 (x = 0, 0.1, y = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4) catalysts were prepared by citrate sol-gel method and employed for NO removal in the simulated flue gas, and the physical and chemical properties of the catalysts were studied using XRD, SEM, BET, XPS, DRIFT characterizations. The Ce substitution on A-site cation of LaMnO3 can improve the denitration activity of the perovskite catalyst, and La0.9Ce0.1MnO3 displays NO conversion of 86.7% at 350 °C. The characterization results indicate that the high denitration activity of La0.9Ce0.1MnO3 is mainly attributed to the larger surface area, which contributes to the adsorption of NH3 and NO. Besides, the appropriate Cu substitution on B-site cation of La0.9Ce0.1MnO3 can further improve the denitration activity of perovskite catalyst, and La0.9Ce0.1Mn0.8Cu0.2O3 displays the NO conversion of 91.8% at 350 °C. Although the specific surface area of La0.9Ce0.1Mn0.8Cu0.2O3 is lower than La0.9Ce0.1MnO3, the Cu active sites and the Ce3+ contents are more developed, making many reaction units formed on the catalyst surface and redox properties of catalyst improved. In addition, strong metal interaction (Ce4+ + Mn2+ + Cu2+ ↔ Ce3+ + Mn3+/Mn4+ + Cu+) and high concentrations of chemical adsorbed oxygen and lattice oxygen both strengthen the redox reaction on catalyst surface, thus contributing to the better denitration activity of La0.9Ce0.1Mn0.8Cu0.2O3. Therefore, appropriate cerium and copper substitution will markedly improve the denitration activity of La-Mn perovskite catalyst. We also reasonably conclude a multiple reaction mechanism during NH3-SCR denitration process basing on DRIFT results, which includes the Eley-Rideal mechanism and Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism.

Flavonoid Baicalein Suppresses Oral Biofilms and Protects Enamel Hardness to Combat Dental Caries.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of a novel method using flavonoids to inhibit Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Candida albicans (C. albicans) and dual-species biofilms and to protect enamel hardness in a biofilm-based caries model for the first time. Several flavonoids, including baicalein, naringenin and catechin, were tested. Gold-standard chlorhexidine (CHX) and untreated (UC) groups served as controls. Optimal concentrations were determined by cytotoxicity assay. Biofilm MTT, colony-forming-units (CFUs), biofilm biomass, lactic acid and polysaccharide production were evaluated. Real-time-polymerase-chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to determine gene expressions in biofilms. Demineralization of human enamel was induced via S. mutans-C. albicans biofilms, and enamel hardness was measured. Compared to CHX and UC groups, the baicalein group achieved the greatest reduction in S. mutans, C. albicans and S. mutans-C. albicans biofilms, yielding the least metabolic activity, polysaccharide synthesis and lactic acid production (p < 0.05). The biofilm CFU was decreased in baicalein group by 5 logs, 4 logs, 5 logs, for S. mutans, C. albicans and S. mutans-C. albicans biofilms, respectively, compared to UC group. When tested in a S. mutans-C. albicans in vitro caries model, the baicalein group substantially reduced enamel demineralization under biofilms, yielding an enamel hardness that was 2.75 times greater than that of UC group. Hence, the novel baicalein method is promising to inhibit dental caries by reducing biofilm formation and protecting enamel hardness.

Correction: Promotional mechanism of enhanced denitration activity with Cu modification in a Ce/TiO2-ZrO2 catalyst for a low temperature NH3-SCR system.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D1RA06325A.].

Comprehensive analysis of the correlation between GSTM1 and tumor immunity in colon cancer.

Background: Glutathione S-transferase mu 1 (GSTM1) is one of the major glutathione conjugation enzymes. Its expression and activity have been suggested to correlate with the occurrence of colon cancer; however, the role of GSTM1 in tumor immunity remains unclear. Methods: Relevant data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC), and Human Protein Atlas (HPA) was used to perform a multi-dimensional expression analysis of GSTM1 in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD). The correlation between GSTM1 and tumor immunity was analyzed with multiple online tools. Then protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and functional enrichment analyses of GSTM1-associated immunomodulators were performed. Further, we developed the Cox regression model based on the GSTM1-related immunomodulators. Finally, a GSTM1-based clinical nomogram and a calibration curve was established to predict the probability and accuracy of long-term survival. Result: GSTM1 was significantly downregulated in COAD versus normal tissues. Infiltration levels of B cells, CD8+ T cells, and dendritic cells were closely correlated to GSTM1 gene copy number deletion, and GSTM1 expression levels in COAD positively correlated with dendritic cell, B cell, neutrophil, and macrophage infiltration. Functional enrichment analysis indicated 36 GSTM1-related immunomodulators are involved in immune-related pathways of regulating T cell activation and lymphocytic activation. A 2-gene prognostic risk signature based on the 36 GSTM1-related immunomodulators was built using the Cox regression model, and the risk signature in combination with stage had an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.747 by the receiver operating characteristic method. patients with higher risk scores-calculated based on 2 gene prognostic risk characteristics and further identified as an independent prognostic factor-were associated with worse survival using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. Together, the clinical nomogram and calibration curve based on GSTM1 suggested a good prediction accuracy for long-term survival probability. Conclusions: Our study provided evidence supporting the significant role of GSTM1 in COAD immunity and suggests GSTM1 as a potential novel target for COAD immunotherapy.