Metabolic, Inflammatory, and Molecular Impact of Cancer Cachexia on the Liver.

Cancer-associated cachexia (CAC) is a severe wasting syndrome, marked by involuntary weight loss and muscle wasting. It is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality, and is driven by systemic, chronic low-grade inflammation. Key cytokines, such as IL-6 and GDF15, activate catabolic pathways in many organs.

Stereological study of cerebellar morphology in feline fetuses: Insights from the final gestational stage.

This study aimed to conduct a morphoquantitative and stereological evaluation, analyzing the cerebellum of domestic cat fetuses in the latter third of the gestational period. Fetal samples were obtained from a neutering campaign conducted in the municipality of Guarulhos, São Paulo, Brazil. The procedures and protocols used in this work adhere to the guidelines established by the ethics committee of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science at the University of São Paulo (FMVZ/USP), under the number CEUA 1935251121.

Cachexia causes time-dependent activation of the inflammasome in the liver.

Background: Cachexia is a wasting syndrome associated with systemic inflammation and metabolic disruption. Detection of the early signs of the disease may contribute to the effective attenuation of associated symptoms. Despite playing a central role in the control of metabolism and inflammation, the liver has received little attention in cachexia.

Impairment of aryl hydrocarbon receptor signalling promotes hepatic disorders in cancer cachexia.

Background: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is expressed in the intestine and liver, where it has pleiotropic functions and target genes. This study aims to explore the potential implication of AHR in cancer cachexia, an inflammatory and metabolic syndrome contributing to cancer death. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that targeting AHR can alleviate cachectic features, particularly through the gut-liver axis.

Myokines in treatment-naïve patients with cancer-associated cachexia.

Cancer-associated cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by weight loss and systemic inflammation. Muscle loss and fatty infiltration into muscle are associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. Skeletal muscle secretes myokines, factors with autocrine, paracrine and/or endocrine action, which may be modified by or play a role in cachexia.

Stereology shows that damaged liver recovers after protein refeeding.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the putative effects of a low-protein diet on the three-dimensional structure of hepatocytes and determine whether this scenario could be reversed by restoring the adequate levels of protein to the diet.

Methods: Using design-based stereology, the total number and volume of hepatocytes were estimated in the liver of mice in healthy and altered (by protein malnutrition) conditions and after protein renutrition.

Results: This study demonstrated a 65% decrease in the liver volume (3302 mm for the control for undernourished versus 1141 mm for the undernourished group) accompanied by a 46% reduction in the hepatocyte volume (8223 μm for the control for undernourished versus 4475 μm for the undernourished group) and a 90% increase in the total number of binucleate hepatocytes (1 549 393 for the control for undernourished versus 2 941 353 for the undernourished group).

Atrophy and neuron loss: effects of a protein-deficient diet on sympathetic neurons.

Protein deficiency is one of the biggest public health problems in the world, accounting for about 30-40% of hospital admissions in developing countries. Nutritional deficiencies lead to alterations in the peripheral nervous system and in the digestive system. Most studies have focused on the effects of protein-deficient diets on the enteric neurons, but not on sympathetic ganglia, which supply extrinsic sympathetic input to the digestive system.

Asymmetric post-natal development of superior cervical ganglion of paca (Agouti paca).

Functional asymmetry has been reported in sympathetic ganglia. Although there are few studies reporting on body side-related morphoquantitative changes in sympathetic ganglion neurons, none of them have used design-based stereological methods to address this issue during post-natal development. We therefore aimed at detecting possible asymmetry-related effects on the quantitative structure of the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) from pacas during ageing, using very precise design-based stereological methods.