BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CORBARINO TOMATO LIPOPHILIC EXTRACT AND ITS PROCESSED FORM ON COLORECTAL CANCER CELL LINES AND RELATED MOLECULAR PATHWAY INVOLVED

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death in the Western world. Most of the colon tumors are sporadic and develop somatically in epithelial cells. Apart from genetic factors, nutritional factors can markedly affect tumor development. In particular, while a high intake of red meat and animal fat is considered key points predisposing to colorectal cancer development, epidemiological studies often observed an inverse correlation between tomato and tomato product (sauce, paste) consumption and colon cancer risk. Tomato antioxidant bioactive molecules such as carotenoids and polyphenols could be responsible, at least in part, for the healthy effect. Here we analyzed the effect of total lipophilic extracts of a Southern Italy tomato variety, Corbarino and its processed form, Corbarino sauce, on two in vitro model of human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines, Colo–320 and SW-480, characterized by different aggressiveness. Our results support the hypothesis of a role for this variety of tomato in the inhibition of some features involved in the neoplastic advancement. The treatment with tomato extracts affected cancer cell ability to grow both in adherence and in semisolid medium, reducing also cell migration ability as highlighted after 24 hrs and more relevant results were gained after 72 hrs of incubation. Moreover, the most effective results were obtained with Corbarino sauce extract. No toxic effects were observed on non-tumoral cells, Human Skin Fibroblasts (HSFs). The observed inhibition of cancer cell growth and aggressiveness is associated with a negative regulation of cell cycle progression as pointed out by the increased expression levels of pRb/p105, p107 and pRb2/p130 while p21-Cip1 and p27-Kip1 expression levels decreased. The extent of antineoplastic effects, furthermore, seem to be correlated with the antioxidant activity of the two tomatoes form. Our data indicate that Corbarino tomato and its processed form intake might be further considered as nutritional support not only in cancer prevention, but also for cancer patient die

AT TERRITORY SCHOOL, ENVIRONMENTAL MAPPING

La proposta formativa «A SCUOLA DI TERRITORIO, CARTOGRAFARE L'AMBIENTE» rivolta ai docenti della provincia di Torino che hanno interesse a sviluppare percorsi didattici relativi alle tematiche ambientali, si configura come una risposta alle necessità riscontrate sia presso i docenti che presso gli studenti. Per poter trattare in maniera esaustiva gli argomenti abbiamo limitato la proposta a tre percorsi relativi alle matrici aria, acqua e allo studio del paesaggio. Ognuno dei tre percorsi è articolato in un modulo specifico (a scuola di territorio) ed in un modulo comune (cartografare l'ambiente).The formative proposal «AT TERRITORY SCHOOL, ENVIRONMENTAL MAPPING», is offered to teachers interested in developing didactic flows attaining environmental thematic as an answer to teacher's and students' needs. In order to enable them to deal exhaustively with all the arguments we limited the proposal to three topics concerning air, water and study of landscape. Each of the three topics is articulated in a specific module (at territory school) and in a common module (environmental mapping)

Self-Efficacy for Coping with Cancer Enhances the Effect of Reiki Treatments During the Pre-Surgery Phase of Breast Cancer Patients

Self-efficacy for coping with cancer plays a critical role in influencing psychological cancer-related outcomes, some studies suggested its role in enhancing or reducing the effects of psychological interventions in cancer patients. Reiki has recently been included among the efficacious complementary therapeutic intervention for cancer patients

Antitumoral potential, antioxidant activity and carotenoid content of two Southern Italy tomato cultivars extracts: San Marzano and Corbarino

Gastric cancer represents a diffuse and aggressive neoplasm, whose mortality index is among the highest in the world. Predisposing factors are E-cadherin mutations, Helicobacter pylori infection, and a diet rich in salted and smoked food, with a low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Here, we analyzed the effect of total lipophilic extracts of two Southern Italy tomato varieties, San Marzano and Corbarino, on an in vitro model of gastric cancer, YCC-1, YCC-2 and YCC-3 cell lines, characterized by different aggressiveness. Our results showed a possible role of these two varieties of tomatoes against typical neoplastic features. The treatment with tomato extracts affected cancer cell ability to grow both in adherence and in semisolid medium, reducing also cell migration ability. No toxic effects were observed on non-tumoral cells. We found, on gastric cancer cell lines, effects on both cell cycle progression and apoptosis modulation. The extent of antineoplastic effects, however, did not seem to correlate with the carotenoid content and antioxidant activity of the two tomato varieties. Our data indicate that San Marzano and Corbarino intake might be further considered as nutritional support not only in cancer prevention, but also for cancer patient diet

Multifaceted Breast Cancer: The Molecular Connection With Obesity

Obesity is characterized by a disruption in energy balance regulation that results in an excess accumulation of body fat. Its increasing prevalence poses a major public health concern because it is a risk factor for a host of additional chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Obesity is increasingly recognized as a growing cause of cancer risk. In particular excessive adipose expansion during obesity causes adipose dysfunction and inflammation that can regulate tumor growth. In obesity, dysregulated systemic metabolism and inflammation induce hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and enhance sex hormone production with increased secretion of proinflammatory adipokine that impact breast cancer development and progression. This review describes how adipose inflammation that characterizes obesity is responsible of microenvironment to promote cancer, and discuss how steroid hormones, that are essential for the maintenance of the normal development, growth and differentiation of the cells, influence the induction and progression of breast cancer. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 69–77, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Interobserver reproducibility of cytologic p16INK4a/Ki-67 dual immunostaining in human papillomavirus-positive women

BACKGROUND: The accumulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (p16(ink4a)) protein in a cell is associated with neoplastic progression in precancerous cervical lesions. Dual staining for p16(ink4a) and Ki-67 has been proposed as a triage test in cervical cancer screening for women who test positive for human papillomavirus DNA. In this study, interobserver reproducibility of the interpretation of this test was assessed. METHODS: Forty-two immunostained, liquid-based cytology slides were divided into 2 sets and were interpreted by 17 to 21 readers from 9 different laboratories, yielding a total of 816 reports. Immunostaining results were classified as positive, negative, inconclusive, or inadequate. After evaluation of the first set of slides and before circulation of the second set, the results were discussed in a plenary meeting. The 10 slides with the most discordant results were evaluated again by selected expert cytopathologists. RESULTS: The overall kappa value was 0.612 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.523-0.701), it was higher for the positive and negative categories (kappa=0.692 and kappa=0.641, respectively), and it was almost null for the inconclusive category (kappa=0.058). Considering only readers from laboratories with documented experience, the kappa value was higher (kappa=0.747; 95% CI, 0.643-0.839) compared with nonexperienced centers (kappa=0.498; 95% CI, 0.388-0.616). The results were similar in both sets of slides (kappa=0.505 [95% CI, 0.358-0.642] and kappa=0.521 [95% CI, 0.240-0.698] for the first and second sets, respectively). Reinterpretation of the slides with the most discordant results did not provide any improvement (first evaluation, kappa=0.616 [95% CI, 0.384-0.866]; second evaluation, kappa=0.403 [95% CI, 0.182-0.643]). CONCLUSIONS: Dual staining for p16(ink4a) and Ki-67 demonstrated good reproducibility, confirming its robustness, which is a necessary prerequisite for its adoption as a triage test in cervical cancer screening programs that use human papillomavirus DNA as a primary test. Cancer Cytopathol 2017; 125:212-20. (C) 2016 American Cancer Society