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Syndecan-1 (SDC-1) is a transmembrane protein localized on the basolateral surface of epithelial cells, encompassing a core protein with heparin sulfate and chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan side chains. SDC-1 is involved in a panoply of cellular mechanisms including cell-to-cell adhesion, extracellular matrix interactions, cell cycle modulation, and lipid clearance. Alterations in the expression and function of SDC-1 are implicated in numerous disease entities, making it an attractive diagnostic and therapeutic target. However, despite its broad involvement in several disease processes, the underlying mechanism contributing to its diverse functions, pathogenesis, and therapeutic uses remains underexplored. Therefore, this review examines the role of SDC-1 in health and disease, focusing on liver pathologies, inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer, and sheds light on SDC-1-based therapeutic approaches. Moreover, it delves into the mechanisms through which SDC-1 contributes to these diseases, emphasizing cell-type specific mechanisms. By comprehensively summarizing the significance of SDC-1, its association with several diseases, and its underlying mechanisms of action, the findings of this review could inform future research directions toward the development of targeted therapies and early diagnosis for a multitude of disease entities., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval: Not applicable. Informed consent: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Research involving human participants and/or animals: Not applicable., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

A drug combination, vancomycin (VAN) plus tetrahydrolipstatin (THL), has demonstrated an effective synergistic action in vitro against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). The poor oral bioavailability of VAN and THL and the predominant tropism of Mtb infection to the lungs make their pulmonary administration very attractive. To evaluate their local tolerability, bronchial cells, alveolar cells and monocytes were exposed to concentrations around and above their minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The VAN had no inhibitory activity on the tested human cell lines, even at a concentration 125 times higher than its MIC, whereas the THL, alone or in combination with VAN, presented a cytostatic action. Monolayer epithelium showed no significant irreversible damage at concentrations up to 100 times the combination MIC. BALB/cAnNRj mice exposed to concentration of 50 times the combination MIC delivered endotracheally 3 times a week for 3 weeks showed no clinical signs or significant weight loss. The increase of proinflammatory biomarkers (i.e., IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α and proportion of inflammatory cells) and cytotoxicity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were non-significant. Lung histopathology did not show significant tissue damage. The VAN/THL combination at doses up to 50 times the combination MIC is found to be thus well tolerated by pulmonary route. This study is a promising result and encouraging further investigations of pulmonary administration of VAN/THL combination as dry powder for anti-tuberculosis treatment., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The link between colorectal cancer (CRC), diabetes mellitus (DM) and inflammation is well established, and polytherapy, including rapamycin, has been adopted. This study is a novel approach that aimed at assessing the effect of a combination therapy of metformin and rapamycin on the control or prevention of CRC in diabetic animals, in presence or absence of probiotics. Fifty NOD/SCIDs male mice developed xenograft by inoculating HCT116 cells. They were equally divided into diabetics (induced by Streptozotocin) and non-diabetics. Metformin was given in drinking water, whereas rapamycin was administered via intra-peritoneal injections. Probiotics were added to the double therapy two weeks before the sacrifice. Assessment was performed by clinical observation, histological analysis, Reactive oxygen species (ROS) activities and molecular analysis of Interleukin 3 and 6, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha, AMP-activated protein Kinase and the mammalian target of rapamycin. Decreases in the level of tumorigenesis resulted, to various extents, with the different treatment regimens. The combination of rapamycin and metformin had no significant result, however, after adding probiotics to the combination, there was a marked delay in tumor formation and reduction of its size, suppression of ROS and a decrease in inflammatory cytokines as well as an inhibition of phosphorylated mTOR. Existing evidence clearly supports the use of rapamycin and metformin especially in the presence of probiotics. It also highlighted the possible mechanism of action of the 2 drugs through AMPK and mTOR signaling pathways and offered preliminary data on the significant role of probiotics in the combination. Further investigation to clarify the exact role of probiotics and decipher in more details the involved pathways is needed., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article.

It is well established that oxidative stress is common in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Accordingly, antioxidants are recommended for treatment. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of antioxidants contained in the various types of tea on symptoms and evolution of IBD and colorectal cancer (CRC). Analysis of the literature revealed that the theaflavin-3, 30-digallate (TFDG) contained in black tea, and epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) contained in green tea have protective effects against oxidative stress. Moreover, these substances are involved in many biochemical processes responsible for inflammation and proliferation of cancer cells. It is documented that both TFDG and EGCG are able to reduce inflammatory phenomena and symptoms associated with IBD, as well as to reduce the proliferation of CRC cells. Most studies are performed in vitro or in experimental animal models. It is, therefore, advisable to formulate studies that could be carried out on humans or human samples, in order to develop the appropriate therapeutic strategies.

Uric acid is a product of purine metabolism and has been linked to gout and kidney calculi. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension (HTN) are two major public health problems, and both are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. Emerging evidence suggests a pathogenic role of hyperuricemia in the development of HTN and CKD, in addition to progression of CKD, by inducing renal inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and activation of the renin-angiotensin system. In addition, several epidemiological studies have linked hyperuricemia with an increased risk of HTN and CKD. A few clinical trials have assessed the use of uric acid-lowering therapies such as allopurinol and febuxostat in the management of HTN and delaying progression of CKD. To date, most of these trials are short-term with a small sample size; however, their results are encouraging and provide a rationale for larger randomized controlled trials to establish the role of uric acid-lowering therapies in the management of HTN, in addition to prevention of CKD progression and cardiovascular events.

The co-occurrence of the three disease entities, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer (CRC), type 2diabetes mellitus (T2DM) along with inflammation and dismicrobism has been frequently reported. Some authors have even suggested that dysbiosis could be the link through a molecular crosstalk of multiple inflammatory loops including TGFβ, NFKB, TNFα and ROS among others. This review focuses on the inflammatory process along with the role of microbiota in the pathophysiology of the three diseases. The etiology of IBD is multifactorial, and like CRC and T2DM, it is associated with a widespread and sustained GI inflammation and dismicrobism, whereby an array of pro-inflammatory mediators and other related biomolecules are up-regulated, both locally and systematically. Such a persistent or an inadequately resolved chronic inflammation may be a causative agent, in the presence other factors, leading to several pathologies such as IBD, CRC and T2DM. TGFβ plays a crucial role in pancreatic β cell malfunctioning as glucotoxicity stimulates its signaling cascade through smad 3, IL-6 and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Such a cascade could lead to macrophages and other cells recruitment, inflammation, then IBD and CRC. NFkB is also another key regulator in the crosstalk among the pathways leading to the three disease entities. It plays a major role in linking inflammation to cancer development through its ability to up regulate several inflammatory and tumor promoting cytokines like: IL-6, IL-1 α and TNF α, as well as genes like BCL2 and BCLXL. It activates JAK/STAT signaling network via STAT3 transcription factors and promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition. It also increases the risk for T2DM in obese people. In brief, NFKB is a matchmaker between inflammation, IBD, cancer and diabetes. In addition, TNFα plays a pivotal role in systemic inflammation. It is increased in the mucosa of IBD patients and has a central role in its pathogenesis. It also activates other signaling pathways like NFKB and MAPK leading to CRC. It is also overexpressed in the adipose tissues of obese patients thus linking it to T2DM, chronic inflammation and consequently CRC. On the other hand, increasing evidence suggests that dysbiosis plays a role in initiating, maintaining and determining the severity of IBD. Actually, among its functions, it modulates genotoxic metabolites which are able to induce CRC, a fact proven to be sustained by stool transfer from patients with CRC. Probiotics, however, may actively prevent CRC as well as IBD and results in a significant decrease in fasting glycemia in T2DM patients. In conclusion, IBD, CRC and T2DM are commonly occurring interrelated clinical problems. They share a common basis influenced by an inflammatory process, an imbalance in intestinal microbiota, and a crosstalk between various signaling pathways. Would probiotics interrupt the crosstalk or orient it in the physiological direction?