Altered plasma levels of decanoic acid in colorectal cancer as a new diagnostic biomarker.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors in developed countries. The five-year survival rate decreases depending on how advanced the CRC is when first diagnosed. Screening has been proven to greatly reduce mortality from colorectal cancer, but an ideal screening tool is far from being established. Here, we aimed to discover and validate early CRC biomarkers by means of an untargeted/targeted metabolomic approach. A preliminary untargeted analysis of plasma lipids performed on a small patient cohort (30 plasma samples) revealed some alterations that occurred in the presence of this tumor. In particular, medium-chain fatty acids with between six and twelve carbon atoms (C6-C12) were found to be the lipid class that showed the most marked changes upon the development of CRC. In order to evaluate the utility of this lipid class as diagnostic CRC biomarkers, a further study based on a wider cohort of patients (117 plasma samples) was performed. Using a targeted approach, these fatty acids were quantified in plasma samples by means of fast gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-flight analyzer. Plasma samples from patients with CRCs at different tumor stages were analyzed and compared to those from healthy subjects, ulcerative colitis patients, high-grade dysplasia adenoma patients, and breast cancer patients in order to test the specificity and sensitivity of these possible biomarkers. Results revealed significant differences among the considered groups in terms of their C6, C8, C10, and C12 fatty acid plasma concentrations. In particular, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves obtained for the C10 fatty acid gave an area under the curve of 0.8195 along with a sensitivity of 87.8 % and a specificity of 80 %, strongly suggesting that it could be a valuable early diagnostic biomarker of CRC.

Synthesis, antiproliferative activity and possible mechanism of action of novel 2-acetamidobenzamides bearing the 2-phenoxy functionality.

Several new 2-(2-phenoxyacetamido)benzamides 17a-v, 21 and 22 were synthesized by stirring in pyridine the acid chlorides 16a-e and the appropriate5-R-4-R1-2-aminobenzamide 15a-e and initially evaluated in vitro for antiproliferative activity against the K562 (human chronic myelogenous leukemia) cell line. Some of synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activity against the full NCI tumor cell line panel derived from nine clinically isolated cancer types (leukemia, non-small cell lung, colon, CNS, melanoma, ovarian, renal, prostate and breast). The most active compounds caused an arrest of K562 cells in the G0-G1 phase of cell cycle and induction of apoptosis, which was mediated by caspase activation.

Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Ganoderma lucidum in Cancer.

Triterpenoids, such as ganoderic acid, and polysaccharides, including ß-D-glucans, α-D-glucans, and α-D-mannans, are the main secondary metabolites of the medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum. There is evidence of the effects of ganoderic acid in hematological malignancies, whose mechanisms involve the stimulation of immune response, the macrophage-like differentiation, the activation of MAP-K pathway, an IL3-dependent cytotoxic action, the induction of cytoprotective autophagy, and the induction of apoptosis. In fact, this compound has been tested in twenty-six different human cancer cell types and has shown an anti-proliferative activity, especially in leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma lines. Moreover, research clarified the capability of molecules from Ganoderma lucidum to induce mitochondrial damage in acute promyelocytic leukemia cells, without cytotoxic effects in normal mononuclear cells. Active lipids extracted from the spores of this fungus have also been shown to induce apoptosis mediated by downregulation of P-Akt and upregulation of caspases-3, -8, and -9. Among in vivo studies, a study in BALB/c mice injected with WEHI-3 leukemic cells suggested that treatment with Ganoderma lucidum promotes differentiation of T- and B-cell precursors, phagocytosis by PBMCs, and NK cell activity. Our review presents data revealing the possibility of employing Ganoderma lucidum in hematological malignancies and incorporating it into clinical practice.

Hematological Malignancies in Older Patients: Focus on the Potential Role of a Geriatric Assessment Management.

Geriatric assessment management is a multidimensional tool used to evaluate prognosis for clinical outcomes and targets for interventions in older adults with cancer receiving chemotherapy. In this review, we evaluated the possible application of geriatric assessment management (GAM) in hematological malignancies. In older patients with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma, GAM might be helpful in both predicting planned hospital admissions and improving quality of life. In chronic myeloid leukemia, the Charlson Comorbidity Index demonstrates how comorbidities could affect treatment compliance and overall outcomes. In multiple myeloma, the application of different scores such as the International Myeloma Working Group Frailty Index and the Revised Myeloma Comorbidity Index can identify frail patients who need suitable interventions in treatment plan (reducing drug dose or changing treatment). Therefore, including GAM in the management plan of older patients with hematological malignancies may direct and optimize cancer care.

Effect of Diet and Oxidative Stress in the Pathogenesis of Lymphoproliferative Disorders.

Lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of pathologies that result from clonal proliferation of lymphocytes. They are classified into Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma; the latter develops as a result of B, T, or NK cells undergoing malignant transformation. It is believed that diet can modulate cellular redox state and that oxidative stress is implicated in lymphomagenesis by acting on several biological mechanisms; in fact, oxidative stress can generate a state of chronic inflammation through the activation of various transcription factors, thereby increasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines and causing overstimulation of B lymphocytes in the production of antibodies and possible alterations in cellular DNA. The purpose of our work is to investigate the results of in vitro and in vivo studies on the possible interaction between lymphomas, oxidative stress, and diet. A variety of dietary regimens and substances introduced with the diet that may have antioxidant and antiproliferative effects were assessed. The possibility of using nutraceuticals as novel anticancer agents is discussed; although the use of natural substances in lymphoma therapy is an interesting field of study, further studies are needed to define the efficacy of different nutraceuticals before introducing them into clinical practice.

Occurrence of Glyphosate and Other Polar Pesticides in Honey from Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna Regions in Italy: Three-Year Monitoring Results.

Intensive agricultural practices, such as pesticides use, may negatively affect bee health and hive products. Glyphosate is one of the most widely used polar pesticides applied in crops for weed control. In this study, honey samples, collected from beekeeping farms located in the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions in Italy in the framework of regional monitoring plans activated from 2020 to 2022, were analyzed for the presence of residues of polar pesticides. The analytical method based on ion chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry was applied to quantify glyphosate, glufosinate, ethephon, fosetyl aluminum, and their related metabolites. Residues of glyphosate were detected in around 28% of analyzed honey samples. Observations on the distribution of the honey-production-site locations suggest that honey samples originating from the provinces within the Lombardy region, where the agricultural sector is highly developed, were more affected by glyphosate contamination than the samples collected from the areas with low agricultural activity, where no glyphosate residues were detected over the three years of the monitoring program.

Specialized Intercellular Communications via Tunnelling Nanotubes in Acute and Chronic Leukemia.

Effectual cell-to-cell communication is essential to the development and differentiation of organisms, the preservation of tissue tasks, and the synchronization of their different physiological actions, but also to the proliferation and metastasis of tumor cells. Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are membrane-enclosed tubular connections between cells that carry a multiplicity of cellular loads, such as exosomes, non-coding RNAs, mitochondria, and proteins, and they have been identified as the main participants in healthy and tumoral cell communication. TNTs have been described in numerous tumors in in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models favoring the onset and progression of tumors. Tumor cells utilize TNT-like membranous channels to transfer information between themselves or with the tumoral milieu. As a result, tumor cells attain novel capabilities, such as the increased capacity of metastasis, metabolic plasticity, angiogenic aptitude, and chemoresistance, promoting tumor severity. Here, we review the morphological and operational characteristics of TNTs and their influence on hematologic malignancies' progression and resistance to therapies, focusing on acute and chronic myeloid and acute lymphoid leukemia. Finally, we examine the prospects and challenges for TNTs as a therapeutic approach for hematologic diseases by examining the development of efficient and safe drugs targeting TNTs.

Circulating Tumour Cells, Cell Free DNA and Tumour-Educated Platelets as Reliable Prognostic and Management Biomarkers for the Liquid Biopsy in Multiple Myeloma.

Liquid biopsy is one of the fastest emerging fields in cancer evaluation. Circulating tumour cells and tumour-originated DNA in plasma have become the new targets for their possible employ in tumour diagnosis, and liquid biopsy can define tumour burden without invasive procedures. Multiple Myeloma, one of the most frequent hematologic tumors, has been the target of therapeutic progresses in the last few years. Bone marrow aspirate is the traditional tool for diagnosis, prognosis, and genetic evaluation in multiple myeloma patients. However, this painful procedure presents a relevant drawback for regular disease examination as it requires an invasive practice. Moreover, new data demonstrated that a sole bone marrow aspirate is incapable of expressing the multifaceted multiple myeloma genetic heterogeneity. In this review, we report the emerging usefulness of the assessment of circulating tumour cells, cell-free DNA, extracellular RNA, cell-free proteins, extracellular vesicles, and tumour-educated platelets to evaluate the changing mutational profile of multiple myeloma, as early markers of disease, reliable predictors of prognosis, and as useful tools to perform less invasive monitoring in multiple myeloma.

Critical Role of Aquaporins in Cancer: Focus on Hematological Malignancies.

Aquaporins are transmembrane molecules regulating the transfer of water and other compounds such as ions, glycerol, urea, and hydrogen peroxide. Their alteration has been reported in several conditions such as cancer. Tumor progression might be enhanced by aquaporins in modifying tumor angiogenesis, cell volume adaptation, proteases activity, cell-matrix adhesions, actin cytoskeleton, epithelial-mesenchymal transitions, and acting on several signaling pathways facilitating cancer progression. Close connections have also been identified between the aquaporins and hematological malignancies. However, it is difficult to identify a unique action exerted by aquaporins in different hemopathies, and each aquaporin has specific effects that vary according to the class of aquaporin examined and to the different neoplastic cells. However, the expression of aquaporins is altered in cell cultures and in patients with acute and chronic myeloid leukemia, in lymphoproliferative diseases and in multiple myeloma, and the different expression of aquaporins seems to be able to influence the efficacy of treatment and could have a prognostic significance, as greater expression of aquaporins is correlated to improved overall survival in leukemia patients. Finally, we assessed the possibility that modifying the aquaporin expression using aquaporin-targeting regulators, specific monoclonal antibodies, and even aquaporin gene transfer could represent an effective therapy of hematological malignancies.

Analysis of ß2-agonists in cattle hair samples using a rapid UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method.

A simple and efficient method was developed for simultaneous analysis of five illegal residual ß2-agonists in cattle hair. ß2-Agonists were quantified by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry operating in positive multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The method was validated as quantitative confirmatory method according to the EU Decision 2002/657/EC: instrumental linearity, specificity, precision, recovery, decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCß) were evaluated. The recovery were greater than 90% and the method appeared suitable for the control of these ß2-agonists in cattle hair samples with LOQ values between 4.9 and 5.5 µg/kg. This method could represent a simple and cheap approach to confirm ß2-agonists contamination of cattle for feeding in a not invasive way and before slaughter operations.

Recent advanced in bioactive systems containing pyrazole fused with a five membered heterocycle.

In this review we report the recent advances in bioactive system containing pyrazole fused with a five membered heterocycle, covering the time span of the last decade. All of them are represented around the common structure of the pyrazole ring fused with another five membered heterocycle containing the nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen atoms in all their possible combinations. The classification we have used is based in terms of the therapeutic area providing, when possible, some general conclusions on the targets and mechanisms of action as well as the structure-activity relationships of the molecules.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of 3-(2-chloroethyl)-5-methyl-6-phenyl-8-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydropyrazolo[3,4-f][1,2,3,5]tetrazepin-4-(3H)-one.

Based on the encouraging results found for 3,5-dimethyl-6-phenyl-8-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydropyrazolo[3,4-f][1,2,3,5]tetrazepin-4-(3H)-one 7 previously tested by us, as well as the consideration that heterocycle fused tetrazepinones bearing the 2-chloroethyl substituent show a better cytotoxic profile than temozolomide and mitozolomide against human cancer cell lines which express the DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), in this paper we report the multistep synthesis and the biological study of 3-(2-chloroethyl)-5-methyl-6-phenyl-8-(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydropyrazolo[3,4-f][1,2,3,5]tetrazepin-4-(3H)-one 10. Like compound 7, it was active on P-glycoprotein expressing cells (MDR) HL60 and on K562 cell line that are resistant to apoptosis induced by different stimuli, showing GI50 values of 14 and 18 µM respectively. As an antiproliferative agent against the above cells compound 10 was about 2.2 times more active than compound 7. Compound 10 was also tested against WiDR cells which are overexpressing the DNA repair protein MGMT, showing a GI50 value of 2.3 µM. Finally, concerning the effect on cell cycle we observed an evident difference between compounds 7 and 10. In fact, compound 7 induces a block of cell cycle in G0-G1, therefore acting as phase-specific drug, in contrast, compound 10 is a not phase-specific agent. Both the compounds are able to increase the apoptotic sub G0-G1 peak of cell cycle.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of new derivatives containing the polycyclic system 5,7:7,13-dimethanopyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrazolo[3',4':2,3]azepino[4,5-f]azocine.

The reaction under reflux between 1-phenyl-3-R-5-methylaminopyrazoles and 2,5-hexanedione lead to 5,7:7,13-dimethanopyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrazolo[3',4':2,3]azepino[4,5-f]azocine derivatives 3b-g. These unusual molecules show the structural complexity of many biologically active natural products and are endowed with the chemical diversity that is required in drug discovery. The compounds 3b,e were reduced by hydrogen in the presence of Palladium on activated charcoal to give the dihydro derivatives 5b,e. Compounds 3b-f and 5b,e were selected by the NCI to evaluate their in vitro antiproliferative activity against 60 human cell lines derived from nine clinically isolated cancer types (leukaemia, lung, colon, melanoma, renal, ovarian, brain, breast, and prostate). The most active compound of this series, caused a block in G0-G1 phase of cell cycle. Analysis of pRb expression showed that this compound favours pRb dephosphorylation.

Synthesis and anti-staphylococcal activity of new 4-diazopyrazole derivatives.

Several new 4-diazopyrazole derivatives 6a-g and 9a-c were obtained by the reaction of 1-(R-substituted-phenyl)-3-(1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)ureas 5a-g and N-(1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)-2-(R-substituted-phenyl)acetamides 8a-c respectively with a sevenfold excess of nitrous acid in acetic acid solution. The compounds were assayed for their activity against the Staphylococcus aureus reference strains ATCC 25923, ATCC 29213 and ATCC 6538, as well as six veterinary strains. The best anti-staphylococcal profile was showed by [(R-substituted-phenyl)acetyl](4-diazonio-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)azanides 9a,c. Compound 9c was also able at 3.1 µg mL(-1) to inhibit of 45.7% the biofilm formation of the strains S. aureus ATCC 29213.