Neuronal Distribution in Colorectal Cancer: Associations With Clinicopathological Parameters and Survival.

Over the past years, insights in the cancer neuroscience field increased rapidly, and a potential role for neurons in colorectal carcinogenesis has been recognized. However, knowledge on the neuronal distribution, subtypes, origin, and associations with clinicopathological characteristics in human studies is sparse. In this study, colorectal tumor tissues from the Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer (n = 490) and an in-cohort validation population (n = 529) were immunohistochemically stained for the pan-neuronal markers neurofilament (NF) and protein gene product 9.

Differences in enteric neuronal density in the NSE-Noggin mouse model across institutes.

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a large and complex part of the peripheral nervous system, and it is vital for gut homeostasis. To study the ENS, different hyper- and hypo-innervated model systems have been developed. The NSE-Noggin mouse model was described as one of the few models with a higher enteric neuronal density in the colon.

Promoter hypermethylation of neural-related genes is compatible with stemness in solid cancers.

Background: DNA hypermethylation is an epigenetic feature that modulates gene expression, and its deregulation is observed in cancer. Previously, we identified a neural-related DNA hypermethylation fingerprint in colon cancer, where most of the top hypermethylated and downregulated genes have known functions in the nervous system. To evaluate the presence of this signature and its relevance to carcinogenesis in general, we considered 16 solid cancer types available in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

RF Line-Element Filters for Structural-Health-Monitoring Applications.

RF-based sensors are an attractive option for structural-health-monitoring applications, due to the ease of access of interrogating such sensors. However, in most work, only scalar quantities are measured, giving no indication of the direction of strain or displacements. In this paper, a novel approach to displacement sensing is presented, in which relative displacements are tracked in all three degrees of freedom.

Nerves in gastrointestinal cancer: from mechanism to modulations.

Maintenance of gastrointestinal health is challenging as it requires balancing multifaceted processes within the highly complex and dynamic ecosystem of the gastrointestinal tract. Disturbances within this vibrant environment can have detrimental consequences, including the onset of gastrointestinal cancers. Globally, gastrointestinal cancers account for ~19% of all cancer cases and ~22.

The gut brain in a dish: Murine primary enteric nervous system cell cultures.

Background: The enteric nervous system (ENS) is an extensive neural network embedded in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract that regulates digestive function and gastrointestinal homeostasis. The ENS consists of two main cell types; enteric neurons and enteric glial cells. In vitro techniques allow simplified investigation of ENS function, and different culture methods have been developed over the years helping to understand the role of ENS cells in health and disease.

Intestinal multicellular organoids to study colorectal cancer.

Modeling colorectal cancer (CRC) using organoids has burgeoned in the last decade, providing enhanced in vitro models to study the development and possible treatment options for this type of cancer. In this review, we describe both normal and CRC intestinal organoid models and their utility in the cancer research field. Besides highlighting studies that develop epithelial CRC organoid models, i.

Redox Imbalance in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Role for Oxidant Cross-Talk Between NADPH Oxidase Enzymes and Mitochondria.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive age-related lung disease with a median survival of only 3 years after diagnosis. The pathogenic mechanisms behind IPF are not clearly understood, and current therapeutic approaches have not been successful in improving disease outcomes. IPF is characterized by increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), primarily by NADPH oxidases (NOXes) and mitochondria, as well as altered antioxidant defenses.