Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with a wide range of diseases and multiple forms of cancer including breast, colon, and prostate cancers. Relatively recent work has demonstrated vitamin D to be critical in im...Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with a wide range of diseases and multiple forms of cancer including breast, colon, and prostate cancers. Relatively recent work has demonstrated vitamin D to be critical in immune function and therefore important in inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). Because vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency is increasingly prevalent around the world, with an estimated 30%-50% of children and adults at risk for vitamin D deficiency worldwide, it could have a significant impact on IBD. Epidemiologic studies suggest that low serum vitamin D levels are a risk factor for IBD and colon cancer, and vitamin D supplementation is associated with decreased colitis disease activity and/or alleviated symptoms. Patients diagnosed with IBD have a higher incidence of colorectal cancer than the general population, which supports the notion that inflammation plays a key role in cancer development and underscores the importance of understanding how vitamin D influences inflammation and its cancer-promoting effects. In addition to human epidemiological data, studies utilizing mouse models of colitis have shown that vitamin D is beneficial in preventing or ameliorating inflammation and clinical disease. The precise role of vitamin D on colitis is unknown; however, vitamin D regulates immune cell trafficking and differentiation, gut barrier function and antimicrobial peptide synthesis, all of which may be protective from IBD and colon cancer. Here we focus on effects of vitamin D on inflammation and inflammation-associated colon cancer and discuss the potential use of vitamin D for protection and treatment of IBD and colon cancer.展开更多
Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)represents a global health problem.Infections with hepatitis B or C virus,non-alcoholic steatohepatitis disease,alcohol abuse,or dietary exposure to aflatoxin are the major risk factors to...Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)represents a global health problem.Infections with hepatitis B or C virus,non-alcoholic steatohepatitis disease,alcohol abuse,or dietary exposure to aflatoxin are the major risk factors to the development of this tumor.Regardless of the carcinogenic insult,HCC usually develops in a context of cirrhosis due to chronic inflammation and advanced fibrosis.Galectins are a family of evolutionarily-conserved proteins defined by at least one carbohydrate recognition domain with affinity forβ-galactosides and conserved sequence motifs.Here,we summarize the current literature implicating galectins in the pathogenesis of HCC.Expression of"proto-type"galectin-1,"chimera-type"galectin-3 and"tandem repeat-type"galectin-4 is up-regulated in HCC cells compared to their normal counterparts.On the other hand,the"tandemrepeat-type"lectins galectin-8 and galectin-9 are downregulated in tumor hepatocytes.The abnormal expression of these galectins correlates with tumor growth,HCC cell migration and invasion,tumor aggressiveness,metastasis,postoperative recurrence and poor prognosis.Moreover,these galectins have important roles in other pathological conditions of the liver,where chronic inflammation and/or fibrosis take place.Galectin-based therapies have been proposed to attenuate liver pathologies.Further functional studies are required to delineate the precise molecular mechanisms through which galectins contribute to HCC.展开更多
基金Supported by Grant No.AICR 09A136-RevNIH R21 CA149995-01A1 and NIH 5T32DK007742-17
文摘Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with a wide range of diseases and multiple forms of cancer including breast, colon, and prostate cancers. Relatively recent work has demonstrated vitamin D to be critical in immune function and therefore important in inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). Because vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency is increasingly prevalent around the world, with an estimated 30%-50% of children and adults at risk for vitamin D deficiency worldwide, it could have a significant impact on IBD. Epidemiologic studies suggest that low serum vitamin D levels are a risk factor for IBD and colon cancer, and vitamin D supplementation is associated with decreased colitis disease activity and/or alleviated symptoms. Patients diagnosed with IBD have a higher incidence of colorectal cancer than the general population, which supports the notion that inflammation plays a key role in cancer development and underscores the importance of understanding how vitamin D influences inflammation and its cancer-promoting effects. In addition to human epidemiological data, studies utilizing mouse models of colitis have shown that vitamin D is beneficial in preventing or ameliorating inflammation and clinical disease. The precise role of vitamin D on colitis is unknown; however, vitamin D regulates immune cell trafficking and differentiation, gut barrier function and antimicrobial peptide synthesis, all of which may be protective from IBD and colon cancer. Here we focus on effects of vitamin D on inflammation and inflammation-associated colon cancer and discuss the potential use of vitamin D for protection and treatment of IBD and colon cancer.
文摘Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)represents a global health problem.Infections with hepatitis B or C virus,non-alcoholic steatohepatitis disease,alcohol abuse,or dietary exposure to aflatoxin are the major risk factors to the development of this tumor.Regardless of the carcinogenic insult,HCC usually develops in a context of cirrhosis due to chronic inflammation and advanced fibrosis.Galectins are a family of evolutionarily-conserved proteins defined by at least one carbohydrate recognition domain with affinity forβ-galactosides and conserved sequence motifs.Here,we summarize the current literature implicating galectins in the pathogenesis of HCC.Expression of"proto-type"galectin-1,"chimera-type"galectin-3 and"tandem repeat-type"galectin-4 is up-regulated in HCC cells compared to their normal counterparts.On the other hand,the"tandemrepeat-type"lectins galectin-8 and galectin-9 are downregulated in tumor hepatocytes.The abnormal expression of these galectins correlates with tumor growth,HCC cell migration and invasion,tumor aggressiveness,metastasis,postoperative recurrence and poor prognosis.Moreover,these galectins have important roles in other pathological conditions of the liver,where chronic inflammation and/or fibrosis take place.Galectin-based therapies have been proposed to attenuate liver pathologies.Further functional studies are required to delineate the precise molecular mechanisms through which galectins contribute to HCC.
