5-aminosalicylic acid inhibits stem cell function in human adenoma derived cells: Implications for chemoprophylaxis in colorectal tumorigenesis

Background: Most colorectal cancers (CRC) arise sporadically from precursor lesions: colonic polyps. Polyp resection prevents progression to CRC. Risk of future polyps is proportional to the number and size of polyps detected at screening, allowing identification of high-risk individuals who may benefit from effective chemoprophylaxis. We aimed to investigate the potential of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), a medication used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis, as a possible preventative agent for sporadic CRC. Methods: Human colorectal adenoma (PC/AA/C1, S/AN/C1 and S/RG/C2), transformed adenoma PC/AA/C1/SB10 and carcinoma cell lines (LS174T and SW620) were treated with 5-ASA. The effect on growth in two- and three-dimensional (3D) culture, β-catenin transcriptional activity and on cancer stemness properties of the cells were investigated. Results: 5-ASA was shown, in vitro, to inhibit the growth of adenoma cells and suppress β-catenin transcriptional activity. Downregulation of β-catenin was found to repress expression of stem cell marker LGR5 (leucine-rich G protein-coupled receptor-5) and functionally suppress stemness in human adenoma and carcinoma cells using 3D models of tumorigenesis. Conclusions: 5-ASA can suppress the cancer stem phenotype in adenoma-derived cells. Affordable and well-tolerated, 5-ASA is an outstanding candidate as a chemoprophylactic medication to reduce the risk of colorectal polyps and CRC in those at high risk

Pharmacologically induced erect penile length and stretched penile lengh are both good predictors of post-inflatable prosthesis penile length

Inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) remains the gold standard for the surgical treatment of refractory erectile dysfunction; however, current literature to aid surgeons on how best to counsel patients on their postoperative inflated penile length is lacking. The aim of this study was to identify preoperative parameters that could better predict postoperative penile length following insertion of an IPP. Twenty men were enrolled in a prospective study examining penile lengths before and after IPP surgery. Patients with Peyronie’s disease were excluded from this analysis. Baseline preoperative characteristics, including body mass index, history of hypertension, diabetes, Sexual Health Inventory for Men scores and/or prior radical prostatectomy were recorded. All patients underwent implantation with a three-piece inflatable Coloplast penile prosthesis. We compared stretched penile length to pharmacologically induced erect lengths. Postoperatively, we measured inflated penile lengths at 6 weeks and assessed patients’ perception of penile size at 12 weeks. The median (± interquartile range) stretched penile length and pharmacologically induced erect penile length was 15 (± 3) and 14.25 (± 2) cm, respectively (P = 0.5). Median post-prosthesis penile length (13.5 ± 2.13 cm) was smaller than preoperative pharmacologically induced length (P = 0.02) and preoperative stretched penile length (P = 0.01). The majority of patients (70%) had a decrease in penile length (median loss 0.5 ± 1.5 cm); however, this loss was perceptible by 43% of men. Stretched penile length and pharmacologically induced erect penile length were equally good predictors of postoperative inflated length (Spearman’s correlation 0.8 and 0.9, respectively). Pharmacologically induced erect penile length and stretched penile lengths are equal predictors of post-prosthesis penile length. The majority of men will experience some decrease in penile length following prosthesis implantation; however <50% report a subjective loss of penile length

Injection of skeletal muscle-derived cells into the penis improves erectile function

We investigated the effect of intrapenile injection of muscle-derived cells (MDC) on the erectile function in rats with bilateral cavernous nerve injury. Rat MDC were harvested and transduced with a retrovirus expressing the lacZ gene. Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) (20 μl) or MDC (1 × 10 6 cells/side) were injected in each corpora cavernosa immediately before bilateral cavernous nerve transection. Intracavernous pressures (ICP) were measured 2 or 4 weeks after surgery with electrical stimulation of the pelvic nerves. Mean maximal ICP of sham group was significantly lower than that of control group both at 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. When MDC were injected into the penis, ICP improved over the sham-injected group at both 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. Percent area of PGP 9.5 staining was significantly greater in MDC-injected penis than in sham-injected at 2 and 4 weeks. Penile MDC injection can facilitate recovery of injured penile innervation and improve erectile function. © 2006 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved