Race, the microbiome and colorectal cancer.

In the past decade, more cancer researchers have begun to understand the significance of cancer prevention, which has prompted a shift in the increasing body of scientific literature. An area of fascination and great potential is the human microbiome. Recent studies suggest that the gut microbiota has significant roles in an individual's ability to avoid cancer, with considerable focus on the gut microbiome and colorectal cancer.

Mapping hot spots of breast cancer mortality in the United States: place matters for Blacks and Hispanics.

Purpose: The goals of this study were to identify geographic and racial/ethnic variation in breast cancer mortality, and evaluate whether observed geographic differences are explained by county-level characteristics.

Methods: We analyzed data on breast cancer deaths among women in 3,108 contiguous United States (US) counties from years 2000 through 2015. We applied novel geospatial methods and identified hot spot counties based on breast cancer mortality rates.

Withaferin A and sulforaphane regulate breast cancer cell cycle progression through epigenetic mechanisms.

Little is known about the effects of combinatorial dietary compounds on the regulation of epigenetic mechanisms involved in breast cancer prevention. The human diet consists of a multitude of components, and there is a need to elucidate how certain compounds interact in collaboration. Withaferin A (WA), found in the Indian winter cherry and documented as a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor, and sulforaphane (SFN), a well-known histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor found in cruciferous vegetables, are two epigenetic modifying compounds that have only recently been studied in conjunction.

The Role of Non-Coding RNAs and Isothiocyanates in Cancer.

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortalities in the United States, only exceeded by heart disease. Current cancer treatments include chemotherapy, surgery, and/or radiation. Due to the often harsh effects of current cancer therapies, investigators are focusing their efforts on cancer prevention mediated by dietary phytochemicals.

Impact of genistein on the gut microbiome of humanized mice and its role in breast tumor inhibition.

Since dietary polyphenols can have beneficial effects in prevention and treatment of cancer, we tested the hypothesis that breast cancer patients' intestinal microbiota is modulated by genistein (GE), an isoflavone found in soy, and that microbial alterations may offset the side effects brought about by chemotherapy. We demonstrated successful humanization of germ-free mice by transplanting fecal samples from breast cancer patients before and after chemotherapy. Mice were then grouped based on chemotherapy status and GE or control diet.

A Novel Combination of Withaferin A and Sulforaphane Inhibits Epigenetic Machinery, Cellular Viability and Induces Apoptosis of Breast Cancer Cells.

With cancer often classified as a disease that has an important epigenetic component, natural compounds that have the ability to regulate the epigenome become ideal candidates for study. Humans have a complex diet, which illustrates the need to elucidate the mechanisms of interaction between these bioactive compounds in combination. The natural compounds withaferin A (WA), from the Indian winter cherry, and sulforaphane (SFN), from cruciferous vegetables, have numerous anti-cancer effects and some report their ability to regulate epigenetic processes.

Epigenetic Regulation of Epidermal Stem Cell Biomarkers and Their Role in Wound Healing.

As an actively renewable tissue, changes in skin architecture are subjected to the regulation of stem cells that maintain the population of cells responsible for the formation of epidermal layers. Stems cells retain their self-renewal property and express biomarkers that are unique to this population. However, differential regulation of the biomarkers can initiate the pathway of terminal cell differentiation.

The Epigenetic Impact of Cruciferous Vegetables on Cancer Prevention.

The answer to chemoprevention has perhaps been available to the general public since the dawn of time. The epigenetic diet is of extreme interest, for research suggests that cruciferous vegetables are not only an important source of nutrients, but perhaps a key to eliminating cancer as life threatening disease. Cruciferous vegetables such as kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli sprouts contain chemical components, such as sulforaphane (SFN) and indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which have been revealed to be regulators of microRNAs (miRNAs) and inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs).