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The role of cancer-induced inflammation in beta-cell apoptosis

par Moretti Violato, Natalia
Président du jury Op De Beeck, Anne
Promoteur Bosqueiro, Jose R;Cardozo, Alessandra K
Publication Non publié, 2016-11-30

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Résumé :

Cancer cachexia is a complex syndrome that can affect up to 80% of cancer patients. Among the symptoms involved in cancer cachexia progression, the establishment of a systemic inflammation and the imbalance in glucose metabolism homeostasis take an important part in this profile. The aim of the present study was to further evaluate the role of cancer-induced inflammation in the impairment of pancreatic beta cell function in solid Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice. For that, we have focused the study in the pro-inflammatory mechanisms involved on β-cell death. We have observed that tumor-bearing animals developed an aggressive pancreatic inflammatory status 14 days after tumor cells inoculation. The increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines followed by an up-regulation of important transcription factors such as NF-κB and STAT-1 and its related genes, reveled a similar outline for β-cell death found in type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, expression of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members followed by caspases activation was increased in pancreatic islets of tumor-bearing animals and the expression of anti-apoptotic members was decreased. We have also observed an increase in β-cell death and ER stress components, as well as a decrease in insulin content cells together with an increase in alpha cells content. Overall, our results provide strong evidences that pancreatic β-cells in tumor-bearing animals are widely affected by tumor presence and systemic inflammation establishment. Interestingly, it was shown a similarity with mechanisms of β-cell death found in type 1 diabetes. Although the exactly mechanisms behind the changes found in carbohydrate metabolism in cancer cachexia is still unclear, our data can help to clarify, at least in part, this profile and would serve as a basis for development of new strategies to prevent cachexia progression and to improve the quality of life of cancer patients.