1H‐NMR metabolomic profiling of the crayfish Astacus leptodactylus subjected to polyphenol‐enriched diets

1H-NMR analysis of the hepatopancreas, muscle and haemolymph of Astacus leptodactylus after feeding with polyphenol-enriched diet is reported. 1H-NMR spectra of lipophilic extracts showed the presence of cholesterol, fatty acid residues, phospholipids and triglycerides. 1H-NMR spectra of aqueous extracts identified 35 metabolites in the hepatopancreas, 31 in the muscle and 22 in the haemolymph. A total of 20 metabolites (amino acids and their derivatives) were present in the hepatopancreas, the muscle and the haemolymph. A total of 10 metabolites were present in both the hepatopancreas and the muscle (five amino acids, 2-hydroxybutyrate, choline, myo-inositol, glycogen and uracil). 2-Hydroxyisobutyrate and creatine were present in both the hepatopancreas and the haemolymph. Phosphorylethanolamine, phosphocholine and fumarate were present only in the hepatopancreas and isoleucine only in the muscle. Statistical analysis showed that the percentage of weight gain was statistically higher in polyphenol-enriched diet groups compared to the control and that polyphenols had a stimulating effect on the general metabolism. No stress-related metabolites were higher in crayfish fed with polyphenol-enriched diet. Conversely, phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol and DHA, linked to resistance to environmental stress and diseases, were higher compared to the control diet. This study indicates that 1H-NMR is a useful tool to study the metabolomics in relation to diet differences

UbcH10 is useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of human neoplasms

The UbcH10 gene belongs to the E2 gene family and encodes for a 19.6 kDa protein involved in ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. The hybridization of an Affymetrix HG_U95Av2 microarray led us to highlight that this gene is up-regulated by 150 fold in all of the thyroid carcinoma cell lines in comparison to a primary cell culture of normal thyroid origin. To assess the role of UbcH10 in cancer progression, we analyzed its expression and its clinical/pathological relevance in breast and thyroid carcinomas and in lymphoproliferative diseases. In these tumor types, analysis of UbcH10 expression was performed on both cell lines and clinical samples by quantitative RT-PCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. The effect of UbcH10 protein suppression by RNA interference was also evaluated in different tumor cell lines. Consistent data were derived from all tumor types. Deregulated UbcH10 expression was clearly associated to a highly malignant phenotype. Implications were both diagnostic and prognostic: UbcH10 specifically associated with the breast tumors more aggressive expressing ErbB2; UbcH10 specifically marked high grade non-Hodgkin lymphomas; high UbcH10 expression increased the suspicion of malignancy on preoperative thyroid biopsies. In several cell lines suppression of UbcH10 expression affected the neoplastic cell growth potential. All together our results indicate that UbcH10 is a marker of aggressive neoplastic behavior. Assessing its expression on clinical samples may contribute to both cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Moreover, the suppression of its function is to be evaluated as a potential therapeutic tool

Effects of Lipoic Acid, Caffeic Acid and a Synthesized Lipoyl-Caffeic Conjugate on Human Hepatoma Cell Lines

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most aggressive and fatal cancers. Its treatment with conventional chemotherapeutic agents is inefficient, due to several side effects linked to impaired organ function typical of liver diseases. Consequently, there exists a decisive requirement to explore possible alternative chemopreventive and therapeutic strategies. The use of dietary antioxidants and micronutrients has been proposed for HCC successful management. The aim of this work was to test in vitro the effects of lipoic acid, caffeic acid and a new synthesized lipoyl-caffeic conjugate on human hepatoma cell lines in order to assess their effect on tumor cell growth. The results of cytotoxicity assays at different times showed that the cell viability was directly proportional to the molecule concentrations and incubation times. Moreover, to evaluate the pro- or anti-inflammatory effects of these molecules, the cytokine concentrations were evaluated in treated and untreated cellular supernatants. The obtained cytokine pattern showed that, at the increasing of three molecules concentrations, three pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-8 and TNF-α decreased whereas the anti-inflammatory cytokine such as IL-10 increased

Serum Cytokinome Profile Evaluation: A Tool to Define New Diagnostic and Prognostic Markers of Cancer Using Multiplexed Bead-Based Immunoassays

In recent years, many researchers are focusing their attention on the link between inflammation and cancer. The inflammation is involved in the tumor development and suppression, by stimulating the immune response. In particular, the transition from chronic inflammation to cancer produces angiogenic and growth factors able to repair the tissue and to promote cancer cell survival, implantation, and growth. In this contest, the cytokines contribute to the development of these processes becoming active before and during the inflammatory process and playing an important function at the various disease levels. Thus, these proteins can represent specific markers of tumor development and progression. Therefore the "cytokinome" term is used to indicate the evaluation of cytokine pattern by using an "omics" approach. Newly, specific protein chips of considerable and improved sensitivity are being developed to determine simultaneously several and different cytokines. This can be achieved by a multiplex technology that, through the use of small amounts of serum or other fluids, is used to determine the presence and the levels of underrepresented cytokines. Since this method is an accurate, sensitive, and reproducible cytokine assay, it is already used in many different studies. Thus, this review focuses on the more latest aspects related to cytokinome profile evaluation in different cancers