bims-netuvo 2024-05-26 papers

Issue of 2024‒05‒26
five papers selected by
Maksym V. Kopanitsa, The Francis Crick Institute

Cancers (Basel). 2024 May 15. pii: 1875. [Epub ahead of print]16(10):

The Crosstalk between Nerves and Cancer-A Poorly Understood Phenomenon and New Possibilities.

David Benzaquen, Yaacov R Lawrence, Daniel Taussky, Daniel Zwahlen, Christoph Oehler, Ambroise Champion.

INTRODUCTION: Crosstalk occurs between nerve and cancer cells. These interactions are important for cancer homeostasis and metabolism. Nerve cells influence the tumor microenvironment (TME) and participate in metastasis through neurogenesis, neural extension, and axonogenesis. We summarized the past and current literature on the interaction between nerves and cancer, with a special focus on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), prostate cancer (PCa), and the role of the nerve growth factor (NGF) in cancer.MATERIALS/METHODS: We reviewed PubMed and Google Scholar for the relevant literature on the relationship between nerves, neurotrophins, and cancer in general and specifically for both PCa and PDAC.
RESULTS: The NGF helped sustain cancer cell proliferation and evade immune defense. It is a neuropeptide involved in neurogenic inflammation through the activation of several cells of the immune system by several proinflammatory cytokines. Both PCa and PDAC employ different strategies to evade immune defense. The prostate is richly innervated by both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, which helps in both growth control and homeostasis. Newly formed autonomic nerve fibers grow into cancer cells and contribute to cancer initiation and progression through the activation of β-adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic signaling. Surgical or chemical sympathectomy prevents the development of prostate cancer. Beta-blockers have a high therapeutic potential for cancer, although current clinical data have been contradictory. With a better understanding of the beta-receptors, one could identify specific receptors that could have an effect on prostate cancer development or act as therapeutic agents.
CONCLUSION: The bidirectional crosstalk between the nervous system and cancer cells has emerged as a crucial regulator of cancer and its microenvironment. Denervation has been shown to be promising in vitro and in animal models. Additionally, there is a potential relationship between cancer and psychosocial biology through neurotransmitters and neurotrophins.

Keywords: axonogenesis; cancer; nerves; tumor microenvironment

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16101875

Purinergic Signal. 2024 May 21.

Functional role of P2X7 purinergic receptor in cancer and cancer-related pain.

Yong-Sheng Xu, Jun Xiang, Si-Jian Lin.

Numerous studies have revealed that the ATP-gated ion channel purinergic 2X7 receptor (P2X7R) plays an important role in tumor progression and the pathogenesis of cancer pain. P2X7R requires activation by extracellular ATP to perform its regulatory role functions. During tumor development or cancer-induced pain, ATP is released from tumor cells or other cells in the tumor microenvironment (such as tumor-associated immune cells), which activates P2X7R, opens ion channels on the cell membrane, affects intracellular molecular metabolism, and regulates the activity of tumor cells. Furthermore, peripheral organs and receptors can be damaged during tumor progression, and P2X7R expression in nerve cells (such as microglia) is significantly upregulated, enhancing sensory afferent information, sensitizing the central nervous system, and inducing or exacerbating pain. These findings reveal that the ATP-P2X7R signaling axis plays a key regulatory role in the pathogenesis of tumors and cancer pain and also has a therapeutic role. Accordingly, in this study, we explored the role of P2X7R in tumors and cancer pain, discussed the pharmacological properties of inhibiting P2X7R activity (such as the use of antagonists) or blocking its expression in the treatment of tumor and cancer pain, and provided an important evidence for the treatment of both in the future.

Keywords: Antagonists; Cancer pain; P2X7 receptor (P2X7R); Tumors

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11302-024-10019-w

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2024 May 19.

Use of beta-blockers in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ and risk of invasive breast cancer recurrence: a Swedish retrospective cohort study.

Carina Strell, Daniel Robert Smith, Antonis Valachis, Hellén Woldeyesus, Charlotta Wadsten, Patrick Micke, Irma Fredriksson, Aglaia Schiza.

BACKGROUND: Retrospective observational studies suggest a potential role of beta-blockers as a protective strategy against progression and metastasis in invasive breast cancer. In this context, we investigated the impact of beta-blocker exposure on risk for progression to invasive breast cancer after diagnosis of ductal cancer in situ (DCIS).METHODS: The retrospective study population included 2535 women diagnosed with pure DCIS between 2006 and2012 in three healthcare regions in SwedenExposure to beta-blocker was quantified using a time-varying percentage of days with medication available. The absolute risk was quantified using cumulative incidence functions and cox models were applied to quantify the association between beta-blocker exposure and time from DCIS diagnosis to invasive breast cancer, accounting for delayed effects, competing risks and pre-specified confounders.
RESULTS: The median follow-up was 8.7 years. One third of the patients in our cohort were exposed to beta-blockers post DCIS diagnosis. During the study period, 48 patients experienced an invasive recurrence, giving a cumulative incidence of invasive breast cancer progression of 1.8% at five years. The cumulative exposure to beta-blocker was associated with a reduced risk in a dose-dependent manner, though the effect was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSION: Our observational study is suggestive of a protective effect of beta-blockers against invasive breast cancer after primary DCIS diagnosis. These results provide rationales for experimental and clinical follow-up studies in carefully selected DCIS groups.

Keywords: Beta-blockers; Breast cancer recurrence; DCIS

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-024-07358-y

Turk J Phys Med Rehabil. 2023 Dec;69(4): 553-555

Proximal median neuropathy due to schwannoma: Two case reports.

Kübra Işık, Zeki Odabaşı.

Although schwannoma is the most common benign tumor of the peripheral nervous system, median nerve schwannomas are extremely rare. These cases are usually silent and may get misdiagnosed. In this article, we presented two cases of schwannoma. They presented with normal electroneuromyography in their routine evaluation, and the provisional clinical diagnosis was median neuropathy. After examining the upper elbow segment, the definitive diagnosis was proximal median neuropathy, which was histopathologically confirmed.

Keywords: Proximal median neuropathy; schwannoma; solitary lesions.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5606/tftrd.2023.10604

Radiol Case Rep. 2024 Aug;19(8): 3146-3151

Benign hepatic schwannoma in a patient with chronic hepatitis B infection: A case report.

Niloofar Ayoobi Yazdi, Maziar Daneshvar, Bahman Rasuli, Alimohamad Moradi, Maryam Azizi.

A primary benign hepatic schwannoma is an extremely rare disease with a good prognosis. A 55-year-old man with chronic hepatitis B was referred to our hospital because of jaundice, weight loss, and a hepatic lesion found during an ultrasound examination. Magnetic resonance image revealed a 55 × 120 mm solid mass lesion in the segment V and VIII of the liver. The mass extended directly to the segmental biliary ducts and common hepatic duct, causing obstruction of the biliary duct and upstream dilatation, particularly in the left liver lobe. Following the insertion of a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, a biopsy was performed under ultrasound guidance. Histological examination confirmed a benign schwannoma, identified by characteristic pathological findings and positive immunoreactions with S-100 protein, but negative for c-kit, CD117, or CD34. The patient's tumor was removed and upon examination, it was discovered to be a mass filled with pinkish-yellow fluid, measuring 12 × 5 × 5 cm. This is the first known case of a benign schwannoma in the liver parenchyma of a patient with chronic hepatitis B. Furthermore, most previous cases of benign liver schwannomas have reported a smaller size than this case, which is slightly larger.

Keywords: Hepatitis B; Liver mass; Magnetic resonance imaging; S-100 protein; Schwannoma

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radcr.2024.04.052