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Nathan Goodyear

http://news.medlive.cn/uploadfile/20130922/13798433918223.pdf - 0 views

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    Study finds that Beta-1 selective Beta blockers don't have the same ED effects that the non-selective blockers do.
Nathan Goodyear

Selective Inhibition of L-Type Ca2+ Channels in A7r5 Cells by Physiological Levels of T... - 0 views

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    Physiologic levels of testosterone shown to induce Calcium channel blockade.  This induces the beneficial cardiovascular vasodilation.  It is known that testosterone binds to the same receptor as the common calcium channel blocker nifedipine.
Nathan Goodyear

Thiazide Diuretics Alone or with Beta-blockers Impair Glucose Metabolism in Hypertensiv... - 0 views

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    thiazide diuretics and beta blockers impair glucose metabolism; mechanism of action not exactly known.
Nathan Goodyear

Erectile dysfunction in high-risk hypertensive patients treated with beta-blockade agen... - 0 views

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    Beta blocker therapy appears to be associated with ED in patients with hypertension.
Nathan Goodyear

Effect of antihypertensive treatment with valsartan or atenolol on sexual activity and ... - 0 views

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    Beta blocker therapy resulted in decreased sexual activity and serum Testosterone levels compared to AARB therapy.
Nathan Goodyear

Testosterone: a vascular hormone in health and disease - 0 views

  • Testosterone has beneficial effects on several cardiovascular risk factors, which include cholesterol, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation
  • In clinical studies, acute and chronic testosterone administration increases coronary artery diameter and flow, improves cardiac ischaemia and symptoms in men with chronic stable angina and reduces peripheral vascular resistance in chronic heart failure.
  • testosterone is an L-calcium channel blocker and induces potassium channel activation in vascular smooth muscle cells
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  • Animal studies have consistently demonstrated that testosterone is atheroprotective, whereas testosterone deficiency promotes the early stages of atherogenesis
  • there is no compelling evidence that testosterone replacement to levels within the normal healthy range contributes adversely to the pathogenesis of CVD (Carson & Rosano 2011) or prostate cancer (Morgentaler & Schulman 2009)
  • bidirectional effect between decreased testosterone concentrations and disease pathology exists as concomitant cardiovascular risk factors (including inflammation, obesity and insulin resistance) are known to reduce testosterone levels and that testosterone confers beneficial effects on these cardiovascular risk factors
  • Achieving a normal physiological testosterone concentration through the administration of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has been shown to improve risk factors for atherosclerosis including reducing central adiposity and insulin resistance and improving lipid profiles (in particular, lowering cholesterol), clotting and inflammatory profiles and vascular function
  • It is well known that impaired erectile function and CVD are closely related in that ED can be the first clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis often preceding a cardiovascular event by 3–5 years
  • no decrease in the response (i.e. no tachyphylaxis) of testosterone and that patient benefit persists in the long term.
  • free testosterone levels within the physiological range, has been shown to result in a marked increase in both flow- and nitroglycerin-mediated brachial artery vasodilation in men with CAD
  • Clinical studies, however, have revealed either small reductions of 2–3 mm in diastolic pressure or no significant effects when testosterone is replaced within normal physiological limits in humans
  • Endothelium-independent mechanisms of testosterone are considered to occur primarily via the inhibition of voltage-operated Ca2+ channels (VOCCs) and/or activation of K+ channels (KCs) on smooth muscle cells (SMCs)
  • Testosterone shares the same molecular binding site as nifedipine
  • Testosterone increases the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and enhances nitric oxide (NO) production
  • Testosterone also inhibited the Ca2+ influx response to PGF2α
  • one of the major actions of testosterone is on NO and its signalling pathways
  • In addition to direct effects on NOS expression, testosterone may also affect phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5 (PDE5A)) gene expression, an enzyme controlling the degradation of cGMP, which acts as a vasodilatory second messenger
  • the significance of the action of testosterone on VSMC apoptosis and proliferation in atherosclerosis is difficult to delineate and may be dependent upon the stage of plaque development
  • Several human studies have shown that carotid IMT (CIMT) and aortic calcification negatively correlate with serum testosterone
  • t long-term testosterone treatment reduced CIMT in men with low testosterone levels and angina
  • neither intracellular nor membrane-associated ARs are required for the rapid vasodilator effect
  • acute responses appear to be AR independent, long-term AR-mediated effects on the vasculature have also been described, primarily in the context of vascular tone regulation via the modulation of gene transcription
  • Testosterone and DHT increased the expression of eNOS in HUVECs
  • oestrogens have been shown to activate eNOS and stimulate NO production in an ERα-dependent manner
  • Several studies, however, have demonstrated that the vasodilatory actions of testosterone are not reduced by aromatase inhibition
  • non-aromatisable DHT elicited similar vasodilation to testosterone treatment in arterial smooth muscle
  • increased endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression and phosphorylation were observed in testosterone- and DHT-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells
  • Androgen deprivation leads to a reduction in neuronal NOS expression associated with a decrease of intracavernosal pressure in penile arteries during erection, an effect that is promptly reversed by androgen replacement therapy
  • Observational evidence suggests that several pro-inflammatory cytokines (including interleukin 1β (IL1β), IL6, tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), and highly sensitive CRP) and serum testosterone levels are inversely associated in patients with CAD, T2DM and/or hypogonadism
  • patients with the highest IL1β concentrations had lower endogenous testosterone levels
  • TRT has been reported to significantly reduce TNFα and elevate the circulating anti-inflammatory IL10 in hypogonadal men with CVD
  • testosterone treatment to normalise levels in hypogonadal men with the MetS resulted in a significant reduction in the circulating CRP, IL1β and TNFα, with a trend towards lower IL6 compared with placebo
  • parenteral testosterone undecanoate, CRP decreased significantly in hypogonadal elderly men
  • Higher levels of serum adiponectin have been shown to lower cardiovascular risk
  • Research suggests that the expression of VCAM-1, as induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα or interferon γ (IFNγ (IFNG)) in endothelial cells, can be attenuated by treatment with testosterone
  • Testosterone also inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL6, IL1β and TNFα in a range of cell types including human endothelial cells
  • decreased inflammatory response to TNFα and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human endothelial cells when treated with DHT
  • The key to unravelling the link between testosterone and its role in atherosclerosis may lay in the understanding of testosterone signalling and the cross-talk between receptors and intracellular events that result in pro- and/or anti-inflammatory actions in athero-sensitive cells.
  • testosterone functions through the AR to modulate adhesion molecule expression
  • pre-treatment with DHT reduced the cytokine-stimulated inflammatory response
  • DHT inhibited NFκB activation
  • DHT could inhibit an LPS-induced upregulation of MCP1
  • Both NFκB and AR act at the transcriptional level and have been experimentally found to be antagonistic to each other
  • As the AR and NFκB are mutual antagonists, their interaction and influence on functions can be bidirectional, with inflammatory agents that activate NFκB interfering with normal androgen signalling as well as the AR interrupting NFκB inflammatory transcription
  • prolonged exposure of vascular cells to the inflammatory activation of NFκB associated with atherosclerosis may reduce or alter any potentially protective effects of testosterone
  • DHT and IFNγ also modulate each other's signalling through interaction at the transcriptional level, suggesting that androgens down-regulate IFN-induced genes
  • (Simoncini et al. 2000a,b). Norata et al. (2010) suggest that part of the testosterone-mediated atheroprotective effects could depend on ER activation mediated by the testosterone/DHT 3β-derivative, 3β-Adiol
  • TNFα-induced induction of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin as well as MCP1 and IL6 was significantly reduced by a pre-incubation with 3β-Adiol in HUVECs
  • 3β-Adiol also reduced LPS-induced gene expression of IL6, TNFα, cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2 (PTGS2)), CD40, CX3CR1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, MMP9, resistin, pentraxin-3 and MCP1 in the monocytic cell line U937 (Norata et al. 2010)
  • This study suggests that testosterone metabolites, other than those generated through aromatisation, could exert anti-inflammatory effects that are mediated by ER activation.
  • The authors suggest that DHT differentially effects COX2 levels under physiological and pathophysiological conditions in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells and via AR-dependent and -independent mechanisms influenced by the physiological state of the cell
  • There are, however, a number of systematic meta-analyses of clinical trials of TRT that have not demonstrated an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events or mortality
  • The TOM trial, which was designed to investigate the effect of TRT on frailty in elderly men, was terminated prematurely as a result of an increased incidence of cardiovascular-related events after 6 months in the treatment arm
  • trials of TRT in men with either chronic stable angina or chronic cardiac failure have also found no increase in either cardiovascular events or mortality in studies up to 12 months
  • Evidence may therefore suggest that low testosterone levels and testosterone levels above the normal range have an adverse effect on CVD, whereas testosterone levels titrated to within the mid- to upper-normal range have at least a neutral effect or, taking into account the knowledge of the beneficial effects of testosterone on a series of cardiovascular risk factors, there may possibly be a cardioprotective action
  • The effect of testosterone on human vascular function is a complex issue and may be dependent upon the underlying androgen and/or disease status.
  • the majority of studies suggest that testosterone may display both acute and chronic vasodilatory effects upon various vascular beds at both physiological and supraphysiological concentrations and via endothelium-dependent and -independent mechanisms
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    Good deep look into the testosterone and CVD link.
Nathan Goodyear

Testosterone: a vascular hormone in health and disease - 0 views

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    testosterone therapy has tremendous cardiovascular benefit in men with low T.  The key here is physiologic replacement of Testosterone.  Testosterone is a vasodilator and anti-inflammatory agent in men with low T.  Testosterone therapy improves cardiac function in those with DHF and angina.  Testosterone is found to be a Ca++ channel blocker--anyone say hypertension treatment?
Nathan Goodyear

Homocysteine Lowering and Cardiovascular Events after Acute Myocardial Infarction - NEJM - 0 views

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    NORVIT trial showed that vitamin B12, B6, and folic acid reduced homocysteine levels by 27%, however it did not lower MI, stroke,or mortality rate.  ONe variable to consider is the polypharmacy of the study group ie.  they were taking statins, beta blockers, diuretics, coumadin... so was the lack of change in mortality the result of polypharmacy?  And was the polypharmacy blocking the increased CVD risks associated with elevated homocysteine that would have been treatable with vitamin B12, B6, and folic acid.
Nathan Goodyear

JAMA Network | JAMA | Proton Pump Inhibitor and Histamine 2 Receptor Antagonist Use and... - 0 views

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    PPI therapies and Histamine Rc blockers associated with increased vitamin B12 deficiency.
Nathan Goodyear

American College of Cardiology Foundation | Journal of the American College of Cardiolo... - 0 views

  • Although currently no drugs that specifically target mitochondrial biogenesis in HF are available, acceleration of this process through adenosine monophosphate–activated kinase (AMPK), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and other pathways may represent a promising therapeutic approach
  • Mitochondrial biogenesis can be enhanced therapeutically with the use of adenosine monophosphate kinase (AMPK) agonists, stimulants of nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO/cGMP) pathway (including phosphodiesteraes type 5 inhibitors), or resveratrol
  • metformin, a commonly used antidiabetic drug that activates AMPK signaling
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  • Recent evidence suggests that the eNOS/NO/cGMP pathway is an important activator of mitochondrial biogenesis
  • BH4 (tetrahydrobiopterin) supplementation can prevent eNOS uncoupling and was found to reduce left ventricular hypertrophy
  • folic acid is known to replenish reduced BH4 and has been shown to protect the heart through increased eNOS activity
  • Both folate deficiency and inhibition of BH4 synthesis were associated with reduced mitochondrial number and function
  • Resveratrol, a polyphenol compound responsible for the cardioprotective properties of red wine, was recently identified as a potent stimulator of mitochondrial biogenesis
  • epidemiological studies reveal a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in premenopausal, but not post-menopausal, women compared with men
  • post-menopausal women
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      I would hypothesis that a change in the predominance of ER expression is one of ER beta to ER alpha: creating a more pro-inflammatory signal.
  • The majority of ROS in the heart appear to come from uncoupling of mitochondrial electron transport chain at the level of complexes I and III
  • Because the majority of ROS in HF comes from mitochondria, these organelles are the primary target of oxidative damage.
  • cardioprotective therapies such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and ATII receptor blockers were shown to possess antioxidant properties, although it is not known whether they target mitochondrial ROS directly or indirectly
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    great review of mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative stress and heart failure.  
Nathan Goodyear

Testosterone Treatment Enhances Regional Brain Perfusion in Hypogonadal Men: The Journa... - 0 views

  • it is established that androgen modulates various neurotransmitters in the CNS. Testosterone decreases γ-aminobutyric acid concentration in the hypothalamus, which is blocked by flutamide, a testosterone receptor blocker (14, 15). Testosterone, probably by its conversion to estradiol, increases serotonin transporter mRNA expression in dorsal raphe nucleus (16), and it also increases the density of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors and serotonin transporter sites in the forebrain (3, 16) of castrated male rats.
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    very interesting study of 7 men.  Increase brain perfusion found and symptom improvement as a result of Testosterone therapy in men ages 58-72.  Specific increase perfusion by SPECT scans were in the midbrain and Brodman areas 8 and 24 of the cerebral cortex.
Nathan Goodyear

Metabolic effects of testosterone replacement therapy on hypogonadal men with type 2 di... - 0 views

  • up to 40% of men with T2DM have testosterone deficiency
  • Among diabetic patients, a reduction in sex hormone binding globulin levels induced by insulin resistance leads to a further decline of testosterone levels
  • low bioavailable testosterone concentration was related to decreased lean body mass and muscle strength
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  • Testosterone deficiency has a high prevalence in men with T2DM, and it is also associated with impaired insulin sensitivity, increased percentage body fat, central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
  • A meta-analysis of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed that TRT seemed to improve glycemic control as well as fat mass in T2DM subjects with low testosterone levels and sexual dysfunction.
  • testosterone administration could increase muscle mass and strength
  • Insulin resistance as assessed by, which is calculated from the equation (If*Gf/22.5, where If is fasting insulin and Gf is fasting glucose), was definitely improved by TRT after testosterone administration in three studies
  • The benefits of TRT on glucose metabolism can mainly be explained by its influence on the insulin signaling pathway
  • Insulin stimulates glucose uptake into muscle and adipose tissue via the Glut4 glucose transporter isoform. When insulin activates signaling via the insulin receptor, Glut4 interacts with insulin receptor substrate 1 to initialize intracellular signaling and facilitate glucose transportation into the cell
  • Testosterone was observed to elevate the expression levels and stimulate translocation of Glut4 in cultured skeletal muscle cells and to upregulate Glut4 by activating insulin receptor signaling pathways in neonatal rats
  • These effects were inhibited by a dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blocker, indicating that glucose uptake may correlate with conversion of testosterone to DHT and activation of the androgen receptor.
  • TRT reduced triglyceride levels
  • TRT has been reported to have a positive effect in the decrease of total and LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides in hypogonadal men
  • a recent meta-analysis showed that statins could significantly lower testosterone concentrations.
  • Epidemiological studies have found a negative relationship between testosterone levels and typical cardiovascular risk markers, such as body mass index, waist circumference, visceral adiposity and carotid intima-media thickness.
  • Testosterone treatment was shown to raise hemoglobin, hematocrit and thromboxane, all of which might give rise to CVD
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    Low Testosterone is a very significant problem in men with type II Diabetes.  Estimated to reach 40%, likely much higher.  They based these estimates only on T levels and sexual symptoms. Testosterone improves glycemic control primarily through Increased transcription and transloction of GLUT4 insulin receptors to the cell surface.  Inflammation reduction is also a mechanism.  Testosteorne lowers Triglycerides in the traditional lipid profile.  Studies are mixed on the other aspects of  lipids.  
Nathan Goodyear

Anticancer efficacy of the metabolic blocker ... [Anticancer Res. 2013] - PubMed - NCBI - 0 views

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    3-bromopyruvate to target glycolysis and shut down ATP production in cancer cells.
Nathan Goodyear

Testosterone Deficiency, Cardiac Health, and Older Men - 0 views

  • Studies have shown pharmacological doses of testosterone to relax coronary arteries when injected intraluminally [39] and to produce modest but consistent improvement in exercise-induced angina and reverse associated ECG changes [40]. The mechanism of action is via blockade of calcium channels with effect of similar magnitude to nifedipine
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      This directly refutes the recent studies (3) that Testosterone therapy increases cardiovascular events.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      Testosterone acts as a calcium channel blocker inducing vasodilation.
  • men with chronic stable angina pectoris, the ischaemic threshold increased after 4 weeks of TRT and a recent study demonstrates improvement continuing beyond 12 months [
  • Exercise capacity in men with chronic heart failure increased after 12 weeks
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  • Studies have shown an inverse relationship between serum testosterone and fasting blood glucose and insulin levels
  • Medications such as chronic analgesics, anticonvulsants, 5ARIs, and androgen ablation therapy are associated with increased risk of testosterone deficiency and insulin resistance
  • Women with T2D or metabolic syndrome characteristically have low SHBG and high free testosterone
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      This stands in polar opposite of that with men.
  • Hypogonadism is a common feature of the metabolic syndrome
  • The precise interaction between insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and hypogonadism is, as yet, unclear but the important mechanisms are through increased aromatase production, raised leptin levels, and increase in inflammatory kinins
  • levels of testosterone are reduced in proportion to degree of obesity
  • Men should be encouraged to combine aerobic exercise with strength training. As muscle increases, glucose will be burned more efficiently and insulin levels will fall. A minimum of 30 minutes exercise three times weekly should be advised
  • Testosterone increases levels of fast-twitch muscle fibres
  • By increasing testosterone, levels of type 2 fibres increase and glucose burning improves
  • Weight loss will increase levels of testosterone
  • studies now clearly show that low testosterone leads to visceral obesity and metabolic syndrome and is also a consequence of obesity
  • In the case of MMAS [43], a baseline total testosterone of less than 10.4 nmol/L was associated with a greater than 4-fold incidence of type 2 diabetes over the next 9 years
  • There is high level evidence that TRT improves insulin resistance
  • Low testosterone predicts increased mortality and testosterone therapy improves survival in 587 men with type 2 diabetes
  • A similar retrospective US study involved 1031 men with 372 on TRT. The cumulative mortality was 21% in the untreated group versus 10% ( ) in the treated group with the greatest effect in younger men and those with type 2 diabetes
  • the presence of ED has been shown to be an independent risk factor, particularly in hypogonadal men, increasing the risk of cardiac events by over 50%
  • A recent online publication on ischaemic heart disease mortality in men concluded optimal androgen levels are a biomarker for survival
  • inverse associations between low TT or FT (Table 2) and the severity of CAD
  • A recent 10 year study from Western Australia involving 3690 men followed up from 2001–2010 concluded that TT and FT levels in the normal range were associated with decreased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, for the first time suggesting that both low and DHT are associated with all-cause mortality and higher levels of DHT reduced cardiovascular risk
  • TDS is associated with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality
  • The effect of treatment with TRT reduced the mortality rate of treated cohort (8.4%) to that of the eugonadal group whereas the mortality for the untreated remained high at 19.2%
  • hypogonadal men had slightly increased triglycerides and HDL
  • Men with angiographically proven CAD (coronary artery disease) have significantly lower testosterone levels [29] compared to controls ( ) and there was a significant inverse relationship between the degree of CAD and TT (total testosterone) levels
  • TRT has also been shown to reduce fibrinogen to levels similar to fibrates
  • men treated with long acting testosterone showed highly significant reductions in TC, LDL, and triglycerides with increase in HDL, associated with significant reduction in weight, BMI, and visceral fat
  • Low androgen levels are associated with an increase in inflammatory markers
  • A decline was noted in IL6 and TNF-alpha
  • In some studies, a decline in diastolic blood pressure has been observed, after 3–9 months [24, 26] and in systolic blood pressure
  • In the Moscow study, C-reactive protein was reduced by TRT at 30 weeks versus placebo
  • No studies to date show an increase in LUTS/BPH symptoms with higher serum testosterone levels
  • TRT has been shown to upregulate PDE5 [65] and enhance the effect of PDE5Is (now an accepted therapy for both ED and LUTS), it no longer seems logical to advice avoidance of TRT in men with mild to moderate BPH.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      What about just starting with normalization of Testosterone levels first.
  • Several meta-analyses have failed to show a link between TRT and development of prostate cancer [66] but some studies have shown a tendency for more aggressive prostate cancer in men with low testosterone
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      And if one would have looked at their estrogen levels, I guarantee they would have been found to be elevated.
  • low bioavailable testosterone and high SHBG were associated with a 4.9- and 3.2-fold risk of positive biopsy
  • Current EAU, ISSAM, and BSSM guidance [1, 2] is that there is “no evidence TRT is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer or activation of subclinical cancer.”
  • Men with prostate cancer, treated with androgen deprivation, develop an increase of fat mass with an altered lipid profile
  • Erectile dysfunction is an established marker for future cardiovascular risk and the major presenting symptom leading to a diagnosis of low testosterone
Nathan Goodyear

Effect of metoclopramide--a dopaminergic blocker a... [Acta Endocrinol (Copenh). 1985] ... - 0 views

  • High levels of cortisol may be responsible for the altered TT4 peripheral metabolism to TT3 and rT3 in these patients.
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    elevated cortisol blocks T4 to T3 conversion and increases rT3 production
Nathan Goodyear

ScienceDirect - The Breast : Amlodipine gynaecomastia - 0 views

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    common blood pressure medication linked to gynecomastia in men. This reveals that amlodipine interferes with testosterone and estrogen balance
Nathan Goodyear

Effect of amlodipine, a calcium channel antagonist, on gonadal steroid - 0 views

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    common anti-hypertensive medication shown to reduce testosterone levles
Nathan Goodyear

Renin-angiotensin system and cancer: A review - 0 views

  • crucial role of the RAS in the development and maintenance of cancer
  • kidneys, which produce renin in response to decreased arterial pressure, reduced sodium in the distal tubule, or sympathetic nervous system activity via the β-adrenergic receptors
  • Renin is secreted from the juxtaglomerular cells into the bloodstream where it encounters angiotensinogen (AGN), normally produced by the liver
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  • Renin catalyses the conversion of AGN to angiotensin I (ATI), which is quickly cleaved by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) to form angiotensin II (ATII)
  • ATII triggers the release of aldosterone from the adrenal glands, which stimulates reabsorption of sodium and water and thereby increases blood volume and blood pressure
  • ATII also acts on smooth muscle to cause vasoconstriction of the arterioles
  • ATII promotes the release of antidiuretic hormone from the posterior pituitary gland, which results in water retention and triggers the thirst reflex
  • ability of non-CSCs to ‘de-differentiate’ into CSCs due to epigenetic or environmental factors, which further increases the complexity of tumour biology and treatment
  • efficacy of RAS modulators on cancer in both cancer models and cancer patients
  • A localised (‘paracrine’) RAS mechanism has been identified in many types of cancers, and interruption of the control of the RAS is thought to be the basis for its role in cancer
  • Components of the RAS are expressed by these CSCs, supporting the hypothesis of the presence of a ‘paracrine RAS’ in regulating these CSCs
  • Renin is an enzyme normally released by the kidneys in response to falling arterial pressure
  • a study of GBM demonstrating overexpression of PRR coupled with the observation that inhibition of renin reduces cellular proliferation and promotes apoptosis
  • PRR has been found to be vital for normal Wnt signalling
  • A major focus of PRR research is its relationship with Wnt signalling
  • suggest a crucial role for PRR activation on the proliferation of CSCs, possibly via Wnt/β-catenin signalling, leading to carcinogenesis.
  • Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), also known as CD143, is the endothelial-bound peptidase which physiologically converts ATI to ATII
  • ACE is crucial in the regulation of blood pressure, angiogenesis and inflammation
  • results suggest that an overactive ACE promotes cancer growth and progression, and an inhibited or low-activity ACE may have cancer-protective effects
  • When bound to ATII or ATIII it causes vasoconstriction by stimulating the release of vasopressin, reabsorption of water and sodium by promoting secretion of aldosterone and insulin, fibrosis, cellular growth and migration, pro-inflammation, glucose release from the liver, increased plasma triglyceride concentration, and reduced gluconeogenesis
  • ATIIR1 is a G-protein-coupled receptor, with downstream signalling involved in vasodilation, hypertrophy and NF-κB activation leading to TNF-α and PAI-1 expression
  • ATIIR1 has well-documented links with cancer, with one study demonstrating its overexpression in ~20% of breast cancer patients
  • the effect of RAS dysregulation has been associated with increased VEGF expression and angiogenesis in cancers
  • In ovarian and cervical cancer, ATIIR1 overexpression has been shown to be an indicator of tumour invasiveness
  • administration of ATIIR1 blockers (ARBs) have been associated with reduced tumour size, reduction in tumour vascularisation, lower occurrence of metastases, and lower VEGF levels
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    Great review on RAS in cancer.
Nathan Goodyear

Ivermectin: enigmatic multifaceted 'wonder' drug continues to surprise and exceed expec... - 0 views

  • The avermectins are known to possess pronounced antitumor activity
  • Over the past few years, there have been steadily increasing reports that ivermectin may have varying uses as an anti-cancer agent, as it has been shown to exhibit both anti-cancer and anti-cancer stem cell properties
  • In human ovarian cancer and NF2 tumor cell lines, high-dose ivermectin inactivates protein kinase PAK1 and blocks PAK1-dependent growth
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  • PAK1 is essential for the growth of more than 70% of all human cancers, including breast, prostate, pancreatic, colon, gastric, lung, cervical and thyroid cancers, as well as hepatoma, glioma, melanoma, multiple myeloma and for neurofibromatosis tumors
  • Ivermectin suppresses breast cancer by activating cytostatic autophagy, disrupting cellular signaling in the process, probably by reducing PAK1 expression
  • Cancer stem cells are a key factor in cancer cells developing resistance to chemotherapies and these results indicate that a combination of chemotherapy agents plus ivermectin could potentially target and kill cancer stem cells, a paramount goal in overcoming cancer
  • Triple-negative breast cancers, which lack estrogen, progesterone and HER2 receptors, account for 10–20% of breast cancers and are associated with poor prognosis
  • Ivermectin addition led to transcriptional modulation of genes associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition and maintenance of a cancer stem cell phenotype in triple-negative breast cancers cells, resulting in impairment of clonogenic self-renewal in vitro and inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis in vivo
  • ivermectin synergizes with the chemotherapy agents cytarabine and daunorubicin to induce cell death in leukemia cells
  • Ivermectin-induced cytostatic autophagy also leads to suppression of tumor growth in breast cancer xenografts, causing researchers to believe there is scope for using ivermectin to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation and that the drug is a potential treatment for breast cancer
  • Ivermectin inhibits proliferation and increases apoptosis of various human cancers
  • Activation of WNT-TCF signaling is implicated in multiple diseases, including cancers of the lungs and intestine,
  • A new screening system has found that ivermectin inhibits the expression of WNT-TCF targets
  • It represses the levels of C-terminal β-catenin phosphoforms and of cyclin D1 in an okadaic acid-sensitive manner, indicating its action involves protein phosphatases
  • In vivo, ivermectin selectively inhibits TCF-dependent, but not TCF-independent, xenograft growth without side effects
  • ivermectin has an exemplary safety record, it could swiftly become a useful tool as a WNT-TCF pathway response blocker to treat WNT-TCF-dependent diseases, encompassing multiple cancers.117
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    Ivermectin shows promise and usefullness in several cancer types.  This is a review article.
Nathan Goodyear

How is the Immune System Suppressed by Cancer - 1 views

  • nitric oxide (NO) released by tumor cells
  • Excellent work by Prof de Groot of Essen, indicated by adding exogenous xanthine oxidase ( XO) in hepatoma cells, hydrogen peroxide was produced to destroy the hepatoma cells
  • NO from eNOS in cancer cells can travel through membranes and over long distances in the body
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  • NO also is co linked to VEGF which in turn increases the antiapoptotic gene bcl-2
  • The other important influence of NO is in its inhibition of the proapoptoic caspases cascade. This in turn protects the cells from intracellular preprogrammed death.
  • nitric oxide in immune suppression in relation to oxygen radicals is its inhibitory effect on the binding of leukocytes (PMN) at the endothelial surface
  • Inhibition of inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (iNOS)
  • NO from the tumor cells actually suppresses the iNOS, and in addition it reduces oxygen radicals to stop the formation of peroxynitrite in these cells. But NO is not the only inhibitor of iNOS in cancer.
  • Spermine and spermidine, from the rate limiting enzyme for DNA synthases, ODC, also inhibit iNOS
  • tolerance in the immune system that decreases the immune response to antigens on the tumors
  • Freund’s adjuvant
  • increase in kinases in these cells which phosphorylate serine, and tyrosine
  • responsible for activation of many growth factors and enzymes
  • phosphorylated amino acids suppress iNOS activity
  • Hexokinase II
  • Prostaglandin E2, released from tumor cells is also an inhibitor of iNOS, as well as suppressing the immune system
  • Th-1 subset of T-cells. These cells are responsible for anti-viral and anti-cancer activities, via their cytokine production including Interleukin-2, (IL-2), and Interleukin-12 which stimulates T-killer cell replication and further activation and release of tumor fighting cytokines.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      Th1 cells stimulate NK and other tumor fighting macrophages via IL-2 and IL-12; In contrast, Th2, which is stimulated in allergies and parasitic infections, produce IL-4 and IL-10.  IL-4 and IL-10 inhibit TH-1 activation and the histamine released from mast cell degranulation upregulates T suppressor cells to further immune suppression.
  • Th-2 subset of lymphocytes, on the other hand are activated in allergies and parasitic infections to release Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-10
  • These have respectively inhibitory effects on iNOS and lymphocyte Th-1 activation
  • Mast cells contain histamine which when released increases the T suppressor cells, to lower the immune system and also acts directly on many tumor Histamine receptors to stimulate tumor growth
  • Tumor cells release IL-10, and this is thought to be one of the important areas of Th-1 suppression in cancer patients
  • IL-10 is also increased in cancer causing viral diseases such as HIV, HBV, HCV, and EBV
  • IL-10 is also a central regulator of cyclooxygenase-2 expression and prostaglandin production in tumor cells stimulating their angiogenesis and NO production
  • nitric oxide in tumor cells even prevents the activation of caspases responsible for apoptosis
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      NO produced by cancer cells inhibits proapoptotic pathways such as the caspases.
  • early stages of carcinogenesis, which we call tumor promotion, one needs a strong immune system, and fewer oxygen radicals to prevent mutations but still enough to destroy the tumor cells should they develop
  • later stages of cancer development, the oxygen radicals are decreased around the tumors and in the tumor cells themselves, and the entire cancer fighting Th-1 cell replication and movement are suppressed. The results are a decrease in direct toxicity and apoptosis, which is prevented by NO, a suppression of the macrophage and leukocyte toxicity and finally, a suppression of the T-cell induced tumor toxicity
  • cGMP is increased by NO
  • NO in cancer is its ability to increase platelet-tumor cell aggregates, which enhances metastases
  • the greater the malignancies and the greater the metastatic potential of these tumors
  • The greater the NO production in many types of tumors,
  • gynecological
  • elevated lactic acid which neutralizes the toxicity and activity of Lymphocyte immune response and mobility
  • The lactic acid is also feeding fungi around tumors and that leads to elevated histamine which increases T-suppressor cells.  Histamine alone stimulates many tumor cells.
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      The warburg effect in cancer cells results in the increase in local lactic acid production which suppresses lymphocyte activity and toxicity as well as stimulates histamine production with further stimulates tumor cell growth.
  • T-regulatory cells (formerly,T suppressor cells) down regulate the activity of Natural killer cells
  • last but not least, the Lactic acid from tumor cells and acidic diets shifts the lymphocyte activity to reduce its efficacy against cancer cells and pathogens in addition to altering the bacteria of the intestinal tract.
  • intestinal tract bacteria in cancer cells release sterols that suppress the immune system and down regulate anticancer activity from lymphocytes.
  • In addition to the lactic acid, adenosine is also released from tumors. Through IL-10, adenosine and other molecules secreted by regulatory T cells, the CD8+ cells can be inactivated to an anergic state
  • Adenosine up regulates the PD1 receptor in T-1 Lymphocytes and inhibits their activity
  • Adenosine is a purine nucleoside found within the interstitial fluid of solid tumors at concentrations that are able to inhibit cell-mediated immune responses to tumor cells
  • Adenosine appears to up-regulate the PD1 receptor in T-1 Lymphocytes and inhibits the immune system further
  • Mast cells with their release of histamine lower the immune system and also stimulate tumor growth and activate the metalloproteinases involved in angiogenesis and metastases
  • COX 2 inhibitors or all trans-retinoic acid
  • Cimetidine, an antihistamine has been actually shown to increase in apoptosis in MDSC via a separate mechanism than the antihistamine effect
    • Nathan Goodyear
       
      cimetidine is an H2 blocker
  • interleukin-8 (IL-8), a chemokine related to invasion and angiogenesis
  • In vitro analyses revealed a striking induction of IL-8 expression in CAFs and LFs by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)
  • these data raise the possibility that the majority of CAFs in CLM originate from resident LFs. TNF-alpha-induced up-regulation of IL-8 via nuclear factor-kappaB in CAFs is an inflammatory pathway, potentially permissive for cancer invasion that may represent a novel therapeutic target
  •  
    Great review of the immunosuppression in cancer driven by the likes of NO.
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