Autophagy is a conserved catabolic process that degrades proteins and damaged organelles to maintain cellular homeostasis, and its role in cancer depends on stage and context. Farnesyl-diphosphate farnesyltransferase 1 (FDFT1) is an essential enzyme in the sterol branch of the mevalonate pathway, but its functions in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and in the regulation of autophagy remain poorly understood. In this study, we show that FDFT1 acts as a negative regulator of autophagy in HCC cells. Loss of FDFT1 led to increased autophagosome formation and fusion with lysosomes, whereas its overexpression suppressed both basal and induced autophagy. These changes were associated with AMPK–ULK1 signaling, suggesting that FDFT1 influences a central pathway controlling autophagy. Our findings connect cholesterol metabolism with autophagy regulation and tumor growth, highlighting FDFT1 as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in liver cancer.

Background: Catecholamines play a crucial role in muscle biogenesis, but their persistent elevation is linked to muscle wasting, which is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the association between catecholamine levels and age-related muscle loss. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the plasma levels of two catecholamines, metanephrine and normetanephrine, and the clinical characteristics of 830 patients with adrenal incidentaloma on computed tomography (CT). Cross-sectional CT data at the L3 lumbar vertebrae were used to measure muscle areas. In vitro studies on C2C12 myotubes were conducted to examine β-adrenergic receptor signaling pathways and their role in myogenesis. Results: Men had significantly higher mean metanephrine levels of 0.17 nmol/L and normetanephrine levels of 0.63 nmol/L than women (P<0.05). Total abdominal muscle area was negatively correlated with catecholamine levels in both men and women, with the strongest negative correlation between normetanephrine levels and total abdominal muscle area in men (r=–0.31, P<0.001). Similarly, the strongest negative correlation between visceral fat area and metanephrine was observed in men (r=–0.25, P=0.004). Clenbuterol, a β-adrenergic receptor agonist, inhibited myogenesis, including myotube formation by extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) suppression in C2C12 myoblasts. Conversely, β-blockers increased myogenesis via increasing ERK phosphorylation in C2C12 cells. These findings suggest that β-adrenergic modulation influences skeletal muscle differentiation, with ERK phosphorylation. Conclusion Catecholamine levels are associated with age, sex, muscle mass, and fat mass. Monitoring catecholamine levels, particularly in older men and in individuals with reduced muscle mass, may help manage age-related muscle loss and lead to individualized treatment strategies.

VIETNAMESE STUDENTS’ AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND ACADEMIC BURNOUT This study explores the mental health status of high school students in Hanoi, Vietnam, focusing on depression, anxiety, stress, and academic burnout. Using the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT-S-23) scale, the study assesses the prevalence of these conditions among students and their awareness of these issues. The findings reveal significant levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and burnout risk, with notable differences based on gender and grade level. The study underscores the importance of mental health interventions and burnout prevention programs in schools. It also highlights the potential of the BAT-S-23 scale as a tool for assessing burnout. The results are expected to contribute to the development of effective strategies for promoting student mental health and managing burnout, thereby holding significant implications for the future of mental health management in the Vietnamese educational setting. Future research should focus on identifying the specific factors contributing to these mental health issues among high school students in Vietnam and developing targeted interventions to address them. Despite some limitations, the study offers important contributions to the ongoing efforts to promote mental health and academic success among students. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 25 (3) April, 2024;1-11.

Ovarian cancer is a primary global health concern, often diagnosed at advanced stages with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Natural products have emerged as potential sources of safe and effective therapies. From the seeds of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg), 24 compounds, including neolignans and diarylnonanoid derivatives, were isolated and structurally elucidated. The cytotoxic activities of these isolated metabolites against cisplatin-sensitive and resistant human ovarian cancer cell lines were evaluated. In particular, myrifragranone C (23) exhibited cytotoxicity against all test cancer cell lines A2780, TOV-112D, and SK-OV3 with IC50 values of 14.1, 16.9, and 33.4 μM, respectively. Furthermore, compound 23 induced the death of A2780 and SK-OV3 cancer cells via apoptosis. Western blotting revealed that compound 23 significantly increased the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and poly-ADP ribose polymerase and promoted apoptosis via the mitogenactivated protein kinase signaling pathway. Our findings may provide a preliminary understanding of the antiovarian cancer effect of the active compound myrifragranone C as a potential treatment using natural products.

Species in the genus Trametes (Basidiomycota, Polyporales) have been used in natural medicine for a long time. Many studies reported that mycelia or fruiting bodies of Trametes spp. exhibited effects of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities.However, comparative analysis in this genus is scarce due to limitation of morphological identification and the sample number. In this study, the 19 strains of seven Trametes species were chosen to generate a five-gene-based phylogeny with the 31 global references. In addition, 39 culture extracts were prepared for 13 strains to test for anticancer and antibacterial activities. Strong anticancer activities were found in several extracts from T. hirsuta and T. suaveolens. Anticancer activities of T. suaveolens, T. cf. junipericola and T. trogii were first described here. The antibacterial ability of T. versicolor and T. hirsuta extracts has been confirmed. The antibacterial activities of T. suaveolens have been reported at the first time in this study. These results suggest an efficient application of the genus Trametes as the drug resources especially for anticancer agents.

Advanced or metastatic breast cancer affects multiple organs and is a leading cause of cancer-related death. Cancer metastasis is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal metastasis (EMT). However, the specific signals that induce and regulate EMT in carcinoma cells remain unclear. PRR16/Largen is a cell size regulator that is independent of mTOR and Hippo signalling pathways. However, little is known about the role PRR16 plays in the EMT process. We found that the expression of PRR16 was increased in mesenchymal breast cancer cell lines. PRR16 overexpression induced EMT in MCF7 breast cancer cells and enhances migration and invasion. To determine how PRR16 induces EMT, the binding proteins for PRR16 were screened, revealing that PRR16 binds to Abl interactor 2 (ABI2). We then investigated whether ABI2 is involved in EMT. Gene silencing of ABI2 induces EMT, leading to enhanced migration and invasion. ABI2 is a gene that codes for a protein that interacts with ABL proto-oncogene 1 (ABL1) kinase. Therefore, we investigated whether the change in ABI2 expression affected the activation of ABL1 kinase. The knockdown of ABI2 and PRR16 overexpression increased the phosphorylation of Y412 in ABL1 kinase. Our results suggest that PRR16 may be involved in EMT by binding to ABI2 and interfering with its inhibition of ABL1 kinase. This indicates that ABL1 kinase inhibitors may be potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of PRR16-related breast cancer.

Melanogenesis is the production of melanin from tyrosine by a series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions, in which tyrosinase and DOPA oxidase play key roles. The melanin content in the skin determines skin pigmentation. Abnormalities in skin pigmentation lead to various skin pigmentation disorders. Recent research has shown that the expression of EMP2 is much lower in melanoma than in normal melanocytes, but its role in melanogenesis has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the role of EMP2 in the melanogenesis of MNT1 human melanoma cells. We examined TRP-1, TRP-2, and TYR expression levels during melanogenesis in MNT1 melanoma cells by gene silencing of EMP2. Western blot and RT-PCR results confirmed that the expression levels of TYR and TRP-2 were decreased when EMP2 expression was knocked down by EMP2 siRNA in MNT1 cells, and these changes were reversed when EMP2 was overexpressed. We verified the EMP2 gene was knocked out of the cell line (EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9) by using a CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that the expression levels of TRP-2 and TYR were significantly lower in the EMP2 CRISPR/Cas9 cell lines. Loss of EMP2 also reduced migration and invasion of MNT1 melanoma cells. In addition, the melanosome transfer from the melanocytes to keratinocytes in the EMP2 KO cells cocultured with keratinocytes was reduced compared to the cells in the control coculture group. In conclusion, these results suggest that EMP2 is involved in melanogenesis via the regulation of TRP-2 expression.

Objective: Female sex workers (FSWs) are at high risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer due to their high number of sexual partners. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of HPV and identify risk factors for high-risk HPV infection among FSWs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Viet Nam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hanoi and HCMC between December 2017 and May 2018. We surveyed and screened 699 FSWs aged ≥18 years for HPV infection and abnormal cytology. A multivariable modified Cox regression model was used to determine risk factors for high-risk HPV infection. Results The overall prevalence of any HPV, high-risk HPV and HPV-16/18 infection in the 699 FSWs was 26.3%, 17.6% and 4.0%, respectively, and were similar in both cities. Multiple infections were identified in 127 participants (69.0%).HPV-52 was the most prevalent (7%), followed by HPV-58 (6%). Abnormal cytology was detected in 91 participants (13.0%). FSWs who are divorced (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–3.81), widowed (aPR: 3.26, 95% CI: 1.49–7.12) or living alone (aPR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.01–3.39) were associated with a higher prevalence of high-risk HPV infection.

The monokaryotic strain, Schizophyllum commune strain IUM1114-SS01, was generated from a basidiospore of dikaryotic parental strain IUM1114. It even showed the decolorizing activities for several textile dyes much better than its parental strain. Based on the results of a single-molecule real-time sequencing technology, we present the draft genome of S. commune IUM1114-SS01, comprising 41.1 Mb with GC contents of the genome were 57.44%.Among 13,380 protein-coding genes, 534 genes are carbon hydrate-active enzyme coding genes.

Soluble epoxide hydrolases (sEH) are enzymes present in all living organisms, metabolize epoxy fatty acids to 1,2-diols. sEH in the metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids plays a key role in inflammation. In addition, the endogenous lipid mediators in cardiovascular disease are also broken down to diols by the action of sEH that enhanced cardiovascular protection. In this study, sEH inhibitory guided fractionation led to the isolation of five phenolic compounds trans-resveratrol (1), trans-piceatannol (2), sulfuretin (3), (+)-balanophonin (4), and cassigarol E (5) from the ethanol extract of the seeds of Passiflora edulis Sims cultivated in Vietnam. The chemical structures of isolated compounds were determined by the interpretation of NMR spectral data, mass spectra, and comparison with data from the literature. The soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitory activity of isolated compounds was evaluated. Among them, trans-piceatannol (2) showed the most potent inhibitory activity on sEH with an IC₅₀ value of 3.4 µM. This study marks the first time that sulfuretin (3) was isolated from Passiflora edulis as well as (+)-balanophonin (4), and cassigarol E (5) were isolated from Passiflora genus.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Epoxide Hydrolases ; Ethanol ; Fatty Acids ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; Inflammation ; Metabolism ; Passiflora ; Passifloraceae ; Phenol ; Vietnam