Review
Genetics & Heredity
Axel Rosendahl Huber, Arne Van Hoeck, Ruben Van Boxtel
Summary: The accumulation of mutations in the genomes of cells is a result of continuous exposure to external damaging processes during life, leading to oncogenic mutations that are at the root of carcinogenesis. Whole genome sequencing data have revealed how cells gradually accumulate mutations due to exposure to various mutagenic processes. Dissecting mutation profiles based on altered bases has identified signatures reflecting past environmental mutagen exposures, ranging from chemotherapeutic drugs to genotoxic gut bacteria. Understanding how environmental factors induce mutations in healthy cells contributes to a better grasp of carcinogenesis and potential preventable causes of cancer.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Tetyana Kobets, Benjamin P. C. Smith, Gary M. Williams
Summary: Commonly consumed foods and beverages may contain carcinogens, mainly classified into DNA-reactive and epigenetic types, with the former posing a greater risk. Several food-related DNA-reactive carcinogens, including aflatoxins, benzene, benzo[a]pyrene, have been recognized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as causes of human cancer.
Review
Oncology
Marc A. Bjurlin, Richard S. Matulewicz, Timothy R. Roberts, Bianca A. Dearing, Daniel Schatz, Scott Sherman, Terry Gordon, Omar El Shahawy
Summary: The urine of e-cigarette users contains several carcinogens that have a known link to bladder cancer. Further study on the urological safety of e-cigarettes is necessary.
EUROPEAN UROLOGY ONCOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Osama Sweef, Elsayed Zaabout, Ahmed Bakheet, Mohamed Halawa, Ibrahim Gad, Mohamed Akela, Ehab Tousson, Ashraf Abdelghany, Saori Furuta
Summary: Lung cancer is a significant public health issue and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. MicroRNAs have emerged as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for lung cancer due to their crucial roles in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. This review summarizes the roles of microRNAs in lung carcinogenesis, especially those induced by exposure to environmental pollutants, and discusses the recent advances in miRNA-based cancer therapeutics and diagnostics.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Hyo-Sun You, Jae-woo Lee, Ye-seul Kim, Yonghwan Kim, Hyeong-Cheol Lee, Jin Young Hwang, Woojung Yang, Hee-Taik Kang
Summary: The study found a significant association between second-hand smoke exposure and elevated urine NNAL levels in Korean adolescents, especially in female adolescents and those exposed to SHS at home.
JOURNAL OF KOREAN MEDICAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thomas P. McKeon, Wei-Ting Hwang, Zhuoran Ding, Vicky Tam, Paul Wileyto, Karen Glanz, Trevor M. Penning
Summary: This study investigated environmental exposures associated with lung cancer risk in a major metropolitan area by analyzing air pollutant data and satellite concentrations. Hazardous chemicals and high exposure areas were identified, and a multi-criteria decision analysis approach was used for risk assessment. This methodology could potentially be applied to other cancerous exposures for public health benefit.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Beata Szeitz, Zsolt Megyesfalvi, Nicole Woldmar, Zsuzsanna Valko, Anna Schwendenwein, Nandor Barany, Sandor Paku, Viktoria Laszlo, Helga Kiss, Edina Bugyik, Christian Lang, Attila Marcell Szasz, Luciana Pizzatti, Krisztina Bogos, Mir Alireza Hoda, Konrad Hoetzenecker, Gyorgy Marko-Varga, Peter Horvatovich, Balazs Dome, Karin Schelch, Melinda Rezeli
Summary: This study reveals the protein expression differences among subtypes of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and identifies potential subtype-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities and diagnostic biomarkers.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Arash Etemadi, Hossein Poustchi, Cindy M. Chang, Antonia M. Calafat, Benjamin C. Blount, Deepak Bhandari, Lanqing Wang, Gholamreza Roshandel, Apostolos Alexandridis, Julianne Cook Botelho, Baoyun Xia, Yuesong Wang, Connie S. Sosnoff, Jun Feng, Mahdi Nalini, Masoud Khoshnia, Akram Pourshams, Masoud Sotoudeh, Mitchell H. Gail, Sanford M. Dawsey, Farin Kamangar, Paolo Boffetta, Paul Brennan, Christian C. Abnet, Reza Malekzadeh, Neal D. Freedman
Summary: This study found significant associations between certain metabolites and incident esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in non-tobacco users, as well as associations between other metabolites and the cancer in tobacco users. These findings have important public health implications.
JNCI-JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Suyog Basnet, Evan Michael Vallenari, Urusha Maharjan, Sunita Sharma, Olaf Schreurs, Dipak Sapkota
Summary: S100A16 is a member of the S100 protein family and is expressed in various human tissues, particularly those rich in epithelial cells. It is differentially expressed in the majority of human cancers and has been implicated in tumorigenesis, including cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Additionally, S100A16 expression has prognostic potential in various cancer types.
Article
Oncology
Marco Y. W. Zaki, Sari F. Alhasan, Ruchi Shukla, Misti McCain, Maja Laszczewska, Daniel Geh, Gillian L. Patman, Despina Televantou, Anna Whitehead, Joao P. Mauricio, Ben Barksby, Lucy M. Gee, Hannah L. Paish, Jack Leslie, Ramy Younes, Alastair D. Burt, Lee A. Borthwick, Huw Thomas, Gary S. Beale, Olivier Govaere, Daniela Sia, Quentin M. Anstee, Dina Tiniakos, Fiona Oakley, Helen L. Reeves
Summary: The overexpression of SULF2 in the liver tumour microenvironment (TME) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with tumour progression and therapy resistance. SULF2 in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is independently associated with poor prognosis and immune exhaustion. Additionally, SULF2 affects tumour cell proliferation, invasion, and sorafenib resistance.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lola Llobat, Olivia Gourbault
Summary: Osteosarcoma is a rare but highly deadly cancer, especially among children and adolescents. The discovery of miRNAs holds potential for earlier diagnosis, prognosis prediction, and development of new therapies for various types of tumors, including OS. The number of clinical trials involving miRNAs as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, as well as therapeutic targets, is likely to increase in the near future.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carolin Czauderna, Kim Luley, Nikolas von Bubnoff, Jens U. Marquardt
Summary: Liver metastases are the most common site of metastasis in colorectal cancer. Current treatment approaches involve systemic therapies and surgical/interventional strategies, with the use of predictive and prognostic biomarkers leading to improved survival rates. Treatment selection based on patient status, tumor characteristics, and molecular/genetic status is recommended for better outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Gabrielle R. Yankelevich, Paulette C. Dreher, Zachariah Taylor, Daniel Kim, Meghan Buckley, Sharon Larson, Laurence Belkoff, Guy Bernstein, Daniel C. Edwards
Summary: The purpose of the study was to explore the interaction between sources of industrial byproducts and environmental pollutants and the prevalence of urothelial carcinoma in surrounding communities. The results indicated that spatially related clusters of urothelial carcinoma may be associated with locoregional environmental exposures rather than tobacco exposure and may also be correlated with socioeconomic disparities. Geospatial analysis can help identify at-risk populations and better focus preventive and diagnostic interventions.
JOURNAL OF UROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Christopher Svendsen, Andrew James, Richard S. Matulewicz, Elizabeth Moreton, Roman Sosnowski, Scott Sherman, Ilona Jaspers, Terry Gordon, Marc A. Bjurlin
Summary: This study aims to identify biomarkers of exposure associated with bladder cancer in heated tobacco product (HTP) users' urine. The findings showed that biomarkers of exposure to bladder carcinogens are present in the urine of HTP users, although at lower levels than combustible cigarette users. Further long-term study is needed to determine the bladder cancer risk of HTP use.
UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY-SEMINARS AND ORIGINAL INVESTIGATIONS
(2022)
Review
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jaci Gandenberger, Erin Flynn, Em Moratto, Ashley Wendt, Kevin N. Morris
Summary: Interactions between humans and dogs have been found to have positive effects on reducing stress levels in humans and do not seem to negatively affect dogs. However, more research is needed to fully understand the impacts of these interactions on both humans and dogs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alessandra Pulliero, Aldo Profumo, Camillo Rosano, Alberto Izzotti, Sergio Claudio Sacca
Summary: The study revealed that ionic hydrogel lenses allowed the most passage of the anti-inflammatory drug betamethasone, along with allowing dexamethasone to pass within a short period of time. In terms of chloramphenicol, both ionic hydrogel lenses and silicone hydrogel lenses permitted more drug passage compared to nonionic hydrogel lenses, showing greater effectiveness in drug delivery.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Alberto Izzotti, Gabriela Coronel Vargas, Alessandra Pulliero, Simona Coco, Irene Vanni, Cristina Colarossi, Giuseppina Blanco, Antonella Agodi, Martina Barchitta, Andrea Maugeri, Gea Oliveri Conti, Margherita Ferrante, Salvatore Sciacca
Summary: The study analyzed the interplay between miRNA expression and oncogene mutation, finding that miRNA analysis was more informative for predicting patient survival compared to mutation analysis.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Teresa Piccardo, Alessandra Forlani, Alberto Izzotti
Summary: This study analyzed the effectiveness of two closed system drug transfer devices in reducing leakage during antineoplastic drug compounding. The Equashield(R) II system was found to effectively eliminate spills and leakage during gemcitabine compounding.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Alberto Izzotti, Gabriela Coronel Vargas, Alessandra Pulliero, Simona Coco, Cristina Colarossi, Giuseppina Blanco, Antonella Agodi, Martina Barchitta, Andrea Maugeri, Gea Oliveri Conti, Margherita Ferrante, Salvatore Sciacca
Summary: The study found that 273 MicroRNAs are downregulated in lung cancer compared to healthy tissue. Tetrols levels were inversely related to the distance from Etna and years since quitting smoking, but not significantly correlated with environmental exposures. The analysis of microRNA environmental signatures suggests that car traffic, passive smoke, radon, and volcano ashes are the main environmental factors contributing to lung cancer in non-smokers.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Assiya Kussainova, Olga Bulgakova, Akmaral Aripova, Zumama Khalid, Rakhmetkazhi Bersimbaev, Alberto Izzotti
Summary: This review discusses the role of mitochondrial miRNAs in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, with a particular focus on their association with radon exposure.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Alessandra Pulliero, Deborah Traversi, Elena Franchitti, Martina Barchitta, Alberto Izzotti, Antonella Agodi
Summary: Environmental pollutants can affect the diversity of microbiota, which has significant implications for overall organism health. Changes in microbiota are associated with the progression of diseases in high-risk individuals, and epigenetic modifications are influenced by microbiota metabolites. Monitoring environmental stimuli to maintain a balanced microbiota presents a novel approach for disease prevention.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Giuseppe Valacchi, Erika Pambianchi, Simona Coco, Alessandra Pulliero, Alberto Izzotti
Summary: Epigenetic alterations are important in carcinogenesis, with microRNAs playing a role in protecting cells against genotoxic damages. While the effects of environmental pollutants on lung tissue have been well investigated, more research is needed to understand their impact on skin tissue. Our study found that exposure to diesel fumes, ozone, and UV light caused specific patterns of microRNA alterations in skin, with each pollutant affecting different cellular mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alessandra Pulliero, Simona Iodice, Angela Cecilia Pesatori, Luisella Vigna, Zumama Khalid, Valentina Bollati, Alberto Izzotti
Summary: The study found an inverse association between long-term PM10 exposure and DNA adduct levels in adults with an unhealthy BMI, possibly due to an atypical reaction to airborne pollutants in this population.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Alberto Izzotti, Enzo Fracchia, Camillo Rosano, Antonio Comite, Liliana Belgioia, Salvatore Sciacca, Zumama Khalid, Matteo Congiu, Cristina Colarossi, Giusi Blanco, Antonio Santoro, Massimo Chiara, Alessandra Pulliero
Summary: Ozonized oils can effectively decrease the risk of cancer relapses by damaging cancer cells and triggering apoptosis. Administering ozonized oil orally can significantly decrease blood antioxidants in cancer patients, resulting in improved survival rate and decreased relapses.
Editorial Material
Health Care Sciences & Services
Alessandra Pulliero, Alberto Izzotti
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Imene Ben Toumia, Marco Ponassi, Paola Barboro, Erika Iervasi, Gabriela Coronel Vargas, Barbara Banelli, Stefano Fiordoro, Leila Chekir Ghedira, Franz Heinrich Kohnke, Alberto Izzotti, Camillo Rosano
Summary: The macrocyclic compounds meso-(p-acetamidophenyl)-calix[4]pyrrole and meso-(m-acetamidophenyl)-calix[4]pyrrole have been found to inhibit cell growth in prostate cancer cell lines and show potential as therapeutic tools for the treatment of prostate cancer.
INVESTIGATIONAL NEW DRUGS
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Alberto Izzotti, Paola Spatera, Zumama Khalid, Alessandra Pulliero
Summary: Particulate matter (PM) pollution is a significant global public health issue, mainly caused by daily fuel use, industrial emissions, and vehicular traffic. This article investigates the causes of PM pollution, classifies different particle sizes, and discusses the health effects of PM exposure. The measurement method in risk assessment is emphasized as a concern.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Alberto Izzotti
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Irena Velkova, Martina Pasino, Zumama Khalid, Paola Menichini, Emanuele Martorana, Alberto Izzotti, Alessandra Pulliero
Summary: Ferroptosis is a cell death pathway triggered by an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant production, which plays an emerging role in tumorigenesis. It is regulated at three levels: iron metabolism, the antioxidant response, and lipid metabolism. Epigenetic dysregulation, involving microRNA mutations, is a hallmark of human cancer, and microRNAs have been found to modulate cancer growth and development through the ferroptosis pathway. This review summarizes the mechanism of ferroptosis initiation, the potential role of microRNAs in controlling this process, and the impact of treatments on ferroptosis in cancer.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Serena Varesano, Alessandra Pulliero, Emanuele Martorana, Gabriele Pizzino, Gabriele Raciti, Simona Coco, Valerio Gaetano Vellone, Alberto Izzotti
Summary: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women aged 15 to 44, affecting more than 500,000 women each year. The aim of the proposed study is to implement routine diagnostics of HPV precancerous cervical lesions by introducing new molecular diagnostic tools. MicroRNA analysis panel can improve early diagnosis, understand the nature of the lesion, and improve the clinical management of patients with HPV precancerous cervical lesions.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2023)
