Edaravone: A Novel Possible Drug for Cancer Treatment?

Despite significant advancements in understanding the causes and progression of tumors, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In light of advances in cancer therapy, there has been a growing interest in drug repurposing, which involves exploring new uses for medications that are already approved for clinical use. One such medication is edaravone, which is currently used to manage patients with cerebral infarction and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, edaravone has also been investigated for its potential activities in treating cancer, notably as an anti-proliferative and cytoprotective drug against side effects induced by traditional cancer therapies. This comprehensive review aims to provide updates on the various applications of edaravone in cancer therapy. It explores its potential as a standalone antitumor drug, either used alone or in combination with other medications, as well as its role as an adjuvant to mitigate the side effects of conventional anticancer treatments.

Influence of DUX4 Expression in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy and Possible Treatments.

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) represents the third most common form of muscular dystrophy and is characterized by muscle weakness and atrophy. FSHD is caused by the altered expression of the transcription factor double homeobox 4 (DUX4), which is involved in several significantly altered pathways required for myogenesis and muscle regeneration. While DUX4 is normally silenced in the majority of somatic tissues in healthy individuals, its epigenetic de-repression has been linked to FSHD, resulting in DUX4 aberrant expression and cytotoxicity in skeletal muscle cells. Understanding how DUX4 is regulated and functions could provide useful information not only to further understand FSHD pathogenesis, but also to develop therapeutic approaches for this disorder. Therefore, this review discusses the role of DUX4 in FSHD by examining the possible molecular mechanisms underlying the disease as well as novel pharmacological strategies targeting DUX4 aberrant expression.

Molecular Investigations of Protein Aggregation in the Pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective loss of lower and upper motor neurons (MNs) in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in paralysis and eventually death due to respiratory insufficiency. Although the fundamental physiological mechanisms underlying ALS are not completely understood, the key neuropathological hallmarks of ALS pathology are the aggregation and accumulation of ubiquitinated protein inclusions within the cytoplasm of degenerating MNs. Herein, we discuss recent insights into the molecular mechanisms that lead to the accumulation of protein aggregates in ALS. This will contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and may open novel avenues for the development of therapeutic strategies.

From Brain to Muscle: The Role of Muscle Tissue in Neurodegenerative Disorders.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), primarily affect the central nervous system, leading to progressive neuronal loss and motor and cognitive dysfunction. However, recent studies have revealed that muscle tissue also plays a significant role in these diseases. ALS is characterized by severe muscle wasting as a result of motor neuron degeneration, as well as alterations in gene expression, protein aggregation, and oxidative stress. Muscle atrophy and mitochondrial dysfunction are also observed in AD, which may exacerbate cognitive decline due to systemic metabolic dysregulation. PD patients exhibit muscle fiber atrophy, altered muscle composition, and α-synuclein aggregation within muscle cells, contributing to motor symptoms and disease progression. Systemic inflammation and impaired protein degradation pathways are common among these disorders, highlighting muscle tissue as a key player in disease progression. Understanding these muscle-related changes offers potential therapeutic avenues, such as targeting mitochondrial function, reducing inflammation, and promoting muscle regeneration with exercise and pharmacological interventions. This review emphasizes the importance of considering an integrative approach to neurodegenerative disease research, considering both central and peripheral pathological mechanisms, in order to develop more effective treatments and improve patient outcomes.

Insights into Dysregulated Neurological Biomarkers in Cancer.

The link between neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and cancer has generated greater interest in biomedical research, with decades of global studies investigating neurodegenerative biomarkers in cancer to better understand possible connections. Tau, amyloid-ß, α-synuclein, SOD1, TDP-43, and other proteins associated with nervous system diseases have also been identified in various types of solid and malignant tumors, suggesting a potential overlap in pathological processes. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of current evidence on the role of these proteins in cancer, specifically examining their effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, chemoresistance, and tumor progression. Additionally, we discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of this interconnection, emphasizing the importance of further research to completely comprehend the clinical implications of these proteins in tumors. Finally, we explore the challenges and opportunities in targeting these proteins for the development of new targeted anticancer therapies, providing insight into how to integrate knowledge of NDs in oncology research.

Muscle Involvement in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Understanding the Pathogenesis and Advancing Therapeutics.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal condition characterized by the selective loss of motor neurons in the motor cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. Muscle involvement, muscle atrophy, and subsequent paralysis are among the main features of this disease, which is defined as a neuromuscular disorder. ALS is a persistently progressive disease, and as motor neurons continue to degenerate, individuals with ALS experience a gradual decline in their ability to perform daily activities. Ultimately, muscle function loss may result in paralysis, presenting significant challenges in mobility, communication, and self-care. While the majority of ALS research has traditionally focused on pathogenic pathways in the central nervous system, there has been a great interest in muscle research. These studies were carried out on patients and animal models in order to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved and to develop therapies aimed at improving muscle function. This review summarizes the features of ALS and discusses the role of muscle, as well as examines recent studies in the development of treatments.

Psychiatric patients at the emergency department: factors associated with length of stay and likelihood of hospitalization.

Emergency department (ED) care for psychiatric patients is currently understudied despite being highly utilized. Therefore, we aimed to analyze psychiatric patients' length of stay (LOS) and LOS-related factors at the ED and to investigate and quantify the likelihood of being hospitalized after an emergency psychiatric evaluation. Charts of 408 individuals who sought help at the ED were retrospectively assessed to identify patients' sociodemographic and clinical data upon ED admission and discharge. All interventions performed at the ED (e.g., medications, hospitalization, clinical advice at discharge) were collected as well. The LOS for psychiatric patients was relatively short (6.5 h), and substance/alcohol intoxication was the main factor impacting LOS. Upon ED arrival, hospitalized patients were mostly men, most often had a yellow/severe triage code, and most often had a positive history of psychiatric illness, psychotic symptoms, euphoric mood, or suicidal ideation. Manic symptoms and suicidal ideation were the conditions most frequently leading to hospitalization. Given the paucity of real-world data on psychiatric patients' LOS and outcomes in the ED context, our findings show that psychiatric patients are evaluated in a reasonable amount of time. Their hospitalization is mostly influenced by clinical conditions rather than predisposing (e.g., age) or system-related factors (e.g., mode of arrival).