Altered amino and fatty acids metabolism in Sudanese prostate cancer patients: insights from metabolic analysis.

Introduction: Prostate cancer (PCa) management presents a multifaceted clinical challenge, intricately linking oncological considerations with cardiovascular health. Despite the recognized importance of lipid metabolism and hypertension in this interwoven relationship, their involvement in PCa development remains partially understood. This study aimed to explore variations in plasma metabolome among Sudanese PCa patients and their associated comorbidities.

Epidemiologic study on prostate cancer in Sudanese men across African ethnic groups.

This study sought to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of Sudanese men diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) to highlight differences in diagnosis among the three major ethnolinguistic groups. A total of 532 patients with confirmed PCa diagnosis through biopsy were enrolled from six medical centers in Sudan. The majority of patients, comprising 84.

Detection of Cancer-Associated Gene Mutations in Urinary Cell-Free DNA among Prostate Cancer Patients in South Africa.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cause of cancer death among African men. The presence of tumor-specific variations in cell-free DNA (cfDNA), such as mutations, microsatellite instability, and DNA methylation, has been explored as a source of biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. In this study, we investigated the diagnostic role of cfDNA among South African PCa patients.

Potential of miRNAs in Plasma Extracellular Vesicle for the Stratification of Prostate Cancer in a South African Population.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cause of cancer death among African men. The analysis of microRNAs (miRNAs) in plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) can be utilized as a non-invasive tool for the diagnosis of PCa. In this study, we used small RNA sequencing to profile miRNAs cargo in plasma EVs from South African PCa patients.

Metabolite Analyses Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy in Plasma of Patients with Prostate Cancer.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy enables the detection and the quantification of a large range of molecules, including low-molecular-weight metabolites and lipids. NMR spectroscopy is a powerful approach when applied to the high-throughput analysis of plasma or serum samples allowing, in addition, the detection of total proteins, lipoproteins, and signals arising from the glycosylation of circulating acute-phase proteins. Here, we describe the usage of NMR spectroscopy for profiling the plasma or serum of patients with prostate cancer.

KODAMA exploratory analysis in metabolic phenotyping.

KODAMA is a valuable tool in metabolomics research to perform exploratory analysis. The advanced analytical technologies commonly used for metabolic phenotyping, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy push out a bunch of high-dimensional data. These complex datasets necessitate tailored statistical analysis able to highlight potentially interesting patterns from a noisy background.

Circulating extracellular vesicles release oncogenic miR-424 in experimental models and patients with aggressive prostate cancer.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are relevant means for transferring signals across cells and facilitate propagation of oncogenic stimuli promoting disease evolution and metastatic spread in cancer patients. Here, we investigated the release of miR-424 in circulating small EVs or exosomes from prostate cancer patients and assessed the functional implications in multiple experimental models. We found higher frequency of circulating miR-424 positive EVs in patients with metastatic prostate cancer compared to patients with primary tumors and BPH.

The Prospect and Challenges to the Flow of Liquid Biopsy in Africa.

Liquid biopsy technologies have the potential to transform cancer patient management as it offers non-invasive diagnosis and real-time monitoring of disease progression and treatment responses. The use of liquid biopsy for non-invasive cancer diagnosis can have pivotal importance for the African continent where access to medical infrastructures is limited, as it eliminates the need for surgical biopsies. To apply liquid biopsy technologies in the African setting, the influence of environmental and population genetic factors must be known.

SB225002 Induces Cell Death and Cell Cycle Arrest in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells through the Activation of GLIPR1.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most frequent childhood malignancy. In the effort to find new anti-leukemic agents, we evaluated the small drug SB225002 (N-(2-hydroxy-4-nitrophenyl)-N'-(2-bromophenyl)urea). Although initially described as a selective antagonist of CXCR2, later studies have identified other cellular targets for SB225002, with potential medicinal use in cancer.

Differential Expression and Enzymatic Activity of DPPIV/CD26 Affects Migration Ability of Cervical Carcinoma Cells.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV/CD26) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that inactivates or degrades some bioactive peptides and chemokines. For this reason, it regulates cell proliferation, migration and adhesion, showing its role in cancer processes. This enzyme is found mainly anchored onto the cell membrane, although it also has a soluble form, an enzymatically active isoform.

Adenosine uptake is the major effector of extracellular ATP toxicity in human cervical cancer cells.

In cervical cancer, HPV infection and disruption of mechanisms involving cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis are strictly linked with tumor progression and invasion. Tumor microenvironment is ATP and adenosine rich, suggesting a role for purinergic signaling in cancer cell growth and death. Here we investigate the effect of extracellular ATP on human cervical cancer cells.

Computational repositioning and preclinical validation of pentamidine for renal cell cancer.

Although early stages of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) are curable, survival outcome for metastatic ccRCC remains poor. We previously established a highly accurate signature of differentially expressed genes that distinguish ccRCC from normal kidney. The purpose of this study was to apply a new individualized bioinformatics analysis (IBA) strategy to these transcriptome data in conjunction with Gene Set Enrichment Analysis of the Connectivity Map (C-MAP) database to identify and reposition FDA-approved drugs for anticancer therapy.

The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Sulindac sulfide and Diclofenac induce apoptosis and differentiation in human acute myeloid leukemia cells through an AP-1 dependent pathway.

Acute myeloid leukemia is a heterogeneous disease with varying genetic and molecular pathologies. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been proven to possess significant anti-proliferative potential in various cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Hence, treatment with these agents can be utilized to study disease specific anti-proliferative pathways.

JunD-mediated repression of GADD45α and γ regulates escape from cell death in prostate cancer.

The AP-1 transcription factor complex has been implicated in a variety of biological processes including cell differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and oncogenic transformation. We previously established that activation of the AP-1 family member JunD contributes to deregulated expression of the anti-apoptotic IL-6 gene in prostate cancer cells. We now show that inhibition of JunD in prostate cancer cells results in GADD45α- and γ-dependent induction of cell death and inhibition of tumor growth that is mediated at least partially via c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 kinase activation.

The novel compound OSI-461 induces apoptosis and growth arrest in human acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematological malignancy. Treatment of patients suffering from high-risk AML as defined by clinical parameters, cytogenetics, and/or molecular analyses is often unsuccessful. OSI-461 is a pro-apoptotic compound that has been proposed as a novel therapeutic option for patients suffering from solid tumors like prostate or colorectal carcinoma.