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Background: The metabolic score for visceral fat (METS-VF) quantifies the cumulative burden of visceral and intra-abdominal adipose tissues. However, the relationship between the METS-VF and carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) has not been extensively explored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between the METS-VF and CAS. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 7089 Chinese adults who underwent physical examinations at the Zhenhai Lianhua Hospital, Zhejiang, China, in 2020. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to explore the linear relationship between METS-VF and CAS. Generalised additive models (GAM) were employed to evaluate potential nonlinear associations. The inflection points of METS-VF were determined using segmented logistic regression analysis optimised for maximum likelihood ratios and recursive algorithms. Results: Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between METS-VF and CAS (odds ratio [OR]: 1.824, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.753–1.899; P < 0.001). The GAM analysis confirmed a nonlinear association between them [effective degrees of freedom: 4.803, χ2: 876.7, P < 0.001], with an inflection point at a METS-VF of 8.09 (P < 0.001 for log-likelihood ratio test). Below this inflection point, METS-VF exhibited a significant positive association with CAS risk (OR: 1.874, 95% CI: 1.796–1.954; P < 0.001). Conversely, no significant association was observed when METS-VF ≥ 8.09 (OR: 0.998, 95% CI: 0.786–1.268; P = 0.989). Conclusions: METS-VF and CAS demonstrated a positive non-linear correlation, with the curve indicating a saturation effect at METS-VF = 8.09. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Extraintestinal metastasis is the main therapeutic challenge for colorectal cancer, the third most common cancer worldwide. Various components of the tumor microenvironment, especially cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), play important roles in tumor metastasis. NAMPT is often overexpressed in tumor tissues and is associated with poorer prognosis. However, the specific roles of NAMPT as well as NAD+ in tumor metastasis are relatively unknown. Therefore, we investigated the role of NAMPT and related NAD+ metabolism in cancer-associated fibroblasts mediated colorectal cancer metastasis. Objective: This study sought to explore the molecular mechanism of FK866 in CAFs cell and colorectal cancer proliferation and metastasis. Methods: The expression of NAMPT in clinical tissues were detected by immunohistochemically analysis. To investigate the role of NAMPT and NAD+ in the interactions between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts in tumor microenvironment, we isolated CAFs from normal and cancer tissues of clinical colorectal cancer patients. CAFs were treated with different concentrations of FK866, inhibitor of NAMPT, then the NAD+ content was detected using kits, the expression of CAFs activity and stemness indexes was assessed by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The secreted factors of these cells were analyzed by cellular inflammatory factor microarrays. The migration of SW480 after co-cultured with FK866-treated CAFs was detected by Transwell. Finally, high-throughput sequencing was performed to identify the proteins that are associated with the effect of altered NAD+ in CAFs on the migration of cancer cells. Results: NAMPT expression is significantly higher in colorectal cancer tissues, especially in metastatic cancer patients, than that in normal tissues. Inhibition of NAMPT by FK866 in CAFs decreases the expression of activity indicators (α-SMA, PDGFRβ), stemness indicators (BMI-1, OCT4), inflammatory factors and chemokines. Meanwhile, FK866 treatment inhibits the migration ability of SW480 cells co-cultured with CAFs. Finally, high-throughput sequencing reveals that PITX3 are down-regulated after NAD+ reduction in CAFs, which could be reversed by adding NAM, a raw material for NAD+ synthesis. Conclusion: Inhibition of the NAMPT-mediated NAD+ synthesis by FK866 may decrease the activation and stemness of CAFs, reduce the secretion of inflammatory and chemokines by suppressing the expression of PITX3, resulting in the suppression of colorectal cancer metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The importance of the inflammatory response occurring in the pancreas and adipose tissue in the occurrence and progression of diabetes has been gradually accepted. Excess blood glucose and free fatty acids produce large amounts of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines through oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress. There is sufficient evidence that proinflammatory mediators, such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, macrophage chemotactic protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α, are engaged in insulin resistance in peripheral adipose tissue and the apoptosis of pancreatic β-cells. IL-36, IL-37, and IL-38, as new members of the IL-1 family, play an indispensable role in the regulation of immune system homeostasis and are involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Recently, the abnormal expression of IL-36, IL-37, and IL-38 in diabetes has been reported. In this review, we discuss the emerging functions, potential mechanisms, and future research directions on the role of IL-36, IL-37, and IL-38 in diabetes mellitus and its complications., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)