Current Research in Biotechnology最新文献

{"title":"Marine heterobranch mollusks-derived anticancer compounds with epigenetic mechanisms: a comprehensive review","authors":"Amin Tamadon ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Mirzaei ,&nbsp;Nadiar M. Mussin ,&nbsp;Kulyash R. Zhilisbayeva ,&nbsp;Ramazon Safarzoda Sharoffidin","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100336","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100336","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Marine natural products have long provided scaffolds for cancer drug discovery, with several mollusk-derived compounds such as dolastatins and Kahalalide F (C6) progressing into clinical evaluation. Marine heterobranch mollusks, in particular, produce or sequester structurally diverse metabolites that have attracted interest for their potent and selective anticancer activities. This comprehensive review highlights the diverse chemical classes of mollusk-derived metabolites, including terpenoids, alkaloids, and peptides, and their mechanisms of action, such as cytoskeletal disruption, DNA damage induction, and oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis. Notably, some compounds are selectively toxic to cancer cells by exploiting elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Emerging evidence indicates that methylthioadenosine analogs and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs (C12)) can modulate DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), suggesting new avenues for epigenetic cancer therapy. Despite challenges in sustainable sourcing, advancements in synthesis and drug delivery systems, including liposomal formulations, enhance their clinical translatability. This review underscores the potential of marine mollusk-derived compounds as innovative anticancer agents, emphasizing their unique mechanisms and therapeutic promise.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100336"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Potassium sorbate enhancement of Chlorella sorokiniana cultivation: initial bacterial control and direct growth promotion in piggery wastewater","authors":"He-I Lin ,&nbsp;Chao-Hsien Lin ,&nbsp;Zi-Yan Xu ,&nbsp;Tsung-Meng Wu ,&nbsp;Pearl Pei-Chun Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100326","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100326","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Piggery wastewater (PWW) presents environmental challenges due to high nitrogen and phosphorus content yet offers opportunities for sustainable bioenergy production through microalgal cultivation. However, indigenous microorganisms often inhibit microalgal growth during initial establishment phases. This study investigated potassium sorbate (PS) as a novel dual-function additive that provides both transient antimicrobial protection and direct metabolic enhancement for <em>Chlorella sorokiniana</em> T89 cultivation in PWW, distinguishing it from conventional antimicrobial-only strategies. PS effects were compared with sodium hypochlorite (SHC) and untreated controls, monitoring bacterial populations, algal growth, nutrient removal efficiency, and lipid productivity. PS at 1.5 g/L initially reduced bacterial counts by 2 logs, though populations recovered within 24 h. Critically, <em>Chlorella</em> growth enhancement continued despite bacterial recovery, revealing the unique dual mechanism of action that extends beyond the antimicrobial suppression by PS. PS at 1.5 g/L substantially improved nitrogen removal (over 90 % vs. 76 % for SHC and 49 % for controls) and phosphorus removal (over 98 % vs. 87 % for SHC and 72 % for controls), while achieving nearly four-fold higher biomass yield with lipid content exceeding 30 %. Component testing in sterile medium confirmed that sorbic acid, rather than potassium, drove direct metabolic growth promotion, demonstrating the dual role of PS as both an antimicrobial agent and a growth-enhancing substrate. In contrast, SHC showed strong antimicrobial activity but exhibited residual toxicity that inhibited <em>Chlorella</em> growth even under sterile conditions. These findings revealed that PS has dual functionality, providing initial bacterial suppression for successful establishment while simultaneously serving as a metabolic enhancer through sorbic acid. This work demonstrates PS as a promising, low-toxicity alternative for integrated agricultural wastewater treatment and biofuel production systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100326"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144879192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metagenomics of the microbial consortium in the anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and poultry droppings","authors":"Oluwatomisin A. Akinsola ,&nbsp;Samuel O. Dahunsi ,&nbsp;Ebenezer L. Odekanle ,&nbsp;Olajire D. Adedokun","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100328","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100328","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and poultry droppings presents a valuable strategy for achieving sustainable waste management and generating renewable energy. In this study, metagenomic analysis was utilized to investigate the microbial consortium driving the process, with a particular focus on the functional potential and interactions among microbial populations. DNA was extracted from the samples collected from the digester. The16S rRNA sequencing was used for the taxonomic diversity and functional profiling of the microbial community derived from the anaerobic digester. The findings reveal a complex interplay of diverse microbial taxa, predominantly <em>Firmicutes,</em> and <em>Bacteroidetes</em>, which are crucial for the degradation of organic matter and biogas production. The metabolic pathways utilized by the consortium were highlighted. The application of metagenomic tools, such as QIIME2 for data cleaning, BV-BRC for functional annotation, and PICRUSt for metabolic pathway analysis, facilitated a comprehensive functional profiling of the community, allowing the assessment of the contributions of individual taxa to the overall metabolic processes. The results contribute to the growing body of knowledge on microbial ecology in waste treatment systems and pave the way for future research aimed at optimizing anaerobic digestion processes for sustainable energy production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100328"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144907774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the phytochemical composition and the anticancer potential of Haliclona fascigera and Stylissa carteri Red Sea sponges in colon cancer treatment: A promising approach","authors":"Samah S. Abuzahrah ,&nbsp;Nouf Juaid ,&nbsp;Tahani Bakhsh ,&nbsp;Serag Eldin I. Elbehairi ,&nbsp;Mohammed A. Baghdadi ,&nbsp;Reham Hassan Mekky","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100331","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100331","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the phytochemical composition and anticancer properties of extracts from the marine sponges <em>Haliclona fascigera (HFE)</em> and <em>Stylissa carteri</em> (<em>SCE)</em>, collected from the Red Sea coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, against human colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT-29 employing SRB assay at varying concentrations (ranging from 0.01 to 1000 µg/mL), compared to the positive control doxorubicin (DOX). The RP-HPLC-QTOF-MS and tandem MS/MS revealed the presence of 59 metabolites belonging to several classes that were described for the first time in <em>HFE</em> and <em>SCE</em> with a predominance of nitrogenous compounds. <em>SCE</em> exhibited a markedly more pronounced cytotoxic effect, with IC₅₀ of 1.9 ± 0.04 µg/mL for the HCT-116 cell line and 7.8 ± 0.6 µg/mL for the HT-29 cell line. In contrast, <em>HFE</em> demonstrated higher IC₅₀ values of 46.5 ± 1.3 µg/mL for HCT-116 and 61.9 ± 2.2 µg/mL for HT-29, indicating that <em>SCE</em> is significantly more potent than <em>HFE</em>, particularly in the HCT-116 cell line. Cell cycle analysis indicated that <em>SCE</em> predominantly induces apoptosis in the S-phase, while <em>HFE</em> significantly affects the G2-phase. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated late apoptosis in both cell lines, with <em>HFE</em> inducing late apoptosis in 88.72 % of HCT-116 cells and 90.50 % of HT-29 cells, while <em>SCE</em> induced late apoptosis in 58.36 % of HCT-116 cells and 72.22 % of HT-29 cells. Treatment with <em>HFE</em> and <em>SCE</em> led to significant downregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-Xl in both HCT116 and HT-29 cells, with <em>HFE</em> showing the strongest effect, especially in HT-29 cells (0.10-fold change). For the pro-apoptotic p53 gene, both extracts increased expression levels, with <em>HFE</em> yielding the highest upregulation in HCT116 cells (1.51-fold change). This suggests that these sponge extracts promote apoptosis by decreasing anti-apoptotic signalling while enhancing pro-apoptotic pathways, potentially aiding in cancer cell viability reduction.The study evaluates the binding affinities of various compounds against Bcl-2, Human Survivin, and KRAS p.G12C, which are key targets in colorectal cancer. Eicosanamide exhibited the highest binding affinities, outperforming both the co-crystallized ligands and Doxorubicin in several cases, making it a promising candidate for further investigation. Hyptolide and Palmitic Acid also showed significant potential, especially against KRAS p.G12C and Bcl-2, indicating their potential as multi-target inhibitors in colorectal cancer therapy. These findings indicate that both sponge extracts possess promising anticancer properties, with <em>SCE</em> being a particularly potent candidate for further investigation and potential therapeutic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100331"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145009950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eugenol’s anti-cancer properties, its modulation of signalling pathways, and cascades across various cancers: A review","authors":"Anirban Debnath ,&nbsp;Yi-Hao Lo ,&nbsp;Manojit Bhattacharya ,&nbsp;Zhi-Hong Wen ,&nbsp;Chiranjib Chakraborty ,&nbsp;Arpita Das","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100330","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100330","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Several cancer drugs show drug resistance, which is a significant concern for cancer therapy. Therefore, new molecules are required for cancer treatment as anticancer drugs. Recently, several natural bioactive components from medicinal plants have demonstrated anticancer activity and are being marketed as anticancer drugs. Eugenol, a significant bioactive compound, is found in cloves and other traditional Indian medicinal plants, such as cinnamon, tulsi, ginger, turmeric, and Japanese star anise, which have been reported to have significant anticancer properties. The present review highlights the anticancer properties of eugenol. It also exhibits different pharmacological effects (anti-inflammatory, cardio-protection, and neuroprotection). As an anticancer molecule, eugenol exhibits anti-apoptotic, anti-angiogenic, and anti-metastatic properties in cancer cell lines and in vivo animal models, which we discuss in this review. We also discuss eugenol’s effect on different signaling pathways in cancer. Finally, recent diverse anticancer studies of eugenol have been discussing the different cancer types, such as breast cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, gliomas, oral cancers, skin cancer, leukemia, colorectal cancers, osteosarcoma, melanomas, etc. The current review provides an insightful overview of the anticancer properties of eugenol in the treatment and prevention of cancer, ultimately benefiting society.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100330"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145007541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eco-engineered remediation: Microbial and rhizosphere-based strategies for heavy metal detoxification","authors":"Arun Karnwal ,&nbsp;Gaurav Kumar ,&nbsp;Alaa El Din Mahmoud ,&nbsp;Joydeep Dutta ,&nbsp;Rattandeep Singh ,&nbsp;Abdel Rahman Mohammad Said Al-Tawaha ,&nbsp;Tabarak Malik","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100297","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100297","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metal (HM) contamination significantly threatens ecosystems and human health. This review explores eco-engineered bioremediation strategies, focusing on the pivotal role of rhizosphere-associated microorganisms in detoxifying heavy metals. Rhizobacteria deploy diverse mechanisms—including biosorption, bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and biomineralization—to immobilize or convert toxic metals, with their efficiency strongly influenced by environmental factors such as pH and metal speciation. Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) further enhance phytoremediation by mitigating metal-induced phytotoxicity and promoting plant resilience under stress. Various scalable approaches, including in-situ and ex-situ remediation techniques, biosorbents, microbial consortia, and genetically engineered microbes (GEMs), show promising potential but raise essential ecological and regulatory concerns. Key challenges such as scalability, environmental variability, and the possible formation of toxic intermediates must be carefully addressed. Advances in omics technologies and a deeper exploration of native microbial communities offer promising avenues to optimize bioremediation outcomes. Moreover, a detailed understanding of plant–microbe interactions and the role of secondary metabolite signalling in the rhizosphere is essential to improve remediation efficiency. Future strategies should prioritize the application of functional genomics, developing bioinoculants tailored to specific environmental conditions, and implementing robust ecological risk assessments for GEMs. This review underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach- integrating microbial ecology, plant sciences, and environmental engineering- to drive the development of sustainable, effective HM remediation technologies worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100297"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating functional biochar and synthetic microbial consortia for circular bioeconomy and sustainable contaminant remediation","authors":"Abhishek Dadhich ,&nbsp;Rashmi Choudhary ,&nbsp;Yoshita Sharma ,&nbsp;Irra Dhar ,&nbsp;Rohit Jain","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100319","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100319","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biochar, a carbon-rich byproduct of biomass pyrolysis, has emerged as a promising tool for sustainable agriculture due to its capacity to enhance soil health and support microbial interactions. Despite its well-documented role in improving nutrient cycling and acting as a soil amendment, limited attention has been given to its synergistic effects with plant probiotics. This review synthesizes current findings on biochar-mediated microbial interactions and their influence on soil fertility, nutrient bioavailability, and crop productivity. Biochar’s unique physicochemical characteristicssuch as high porosity, surface functional groups, and adsorption capacityfacilitate microbial colonization, promote enzymatic activities, and support beneficial processes like nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilization, and organic matter decomposition. These interactions contribute not only to improved plant growth but also to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and heavy metal toxicity. The review further highlights mechanisms like microbial immobilization and enhanced microbial resilience under stress conditions, positioning biochar as a bio-stimulant for promoting soil microbial efficiency. By integrating evidence from recent studies, this work underscores the importance of optimizing biochar formulations to suit specific microbial communities and environmental contexts. Such optimization can be achieved by tailoring pyrolysis temperatures, feedstock types, and surface functionalization to match the metabolic requirements and stress tolerance of target microbes in given agroecological zones. Ultimately, leveraging biochar–microbe synergy presents a viable strategy for enhancing agroecosystem resilience and advancing sustainable agricultural practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100319"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144763769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut microbiota modulation and health benefits of various fasting regimens","authors":"Sumel Ashique ,&nbsp;Biplab Debnath ,&nbsp;Naheed Mojgani ,&nbsp;Mohd. Tariq ,&nbsp;Tanweer Haider ,&nbsp;Eman Shorog ,&nbsp;Sabina Yasmin ,&nbsp;Anas Islam ,&nbsp;Himanshu Sharma ,&nbsp;Md Sadique Hussain ,&nbsp;Ayush Madan ,&nbsp;Tabarak Malik ,&nbsp;Mohammad Yousuf Ansari","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100311","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100311","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fasting is a diet intervention that has been shown to significantly modulate the gut microbiota, with potential health benefits. This review examines the impact of various fasting regimens, including time-restricted eating (TRE), Ramadan fasting (RF), and long-term fasting, on the composition and function of the gut microbiota in both animal models and human subjects. Studies have shown that fasting can increase microbial diversity, enrich beneficial bacteria such as <em>Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia</em> spp.<em>, Akkermansia muciniphila</em>, and other Lachnospiraceae, and enhance the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) such as butyrate. These microbiota changes are associated with improvements in metabolic health markers, including body weight, blood pressure, glucose regulation, and lipid profiles, as well as reduced inflammation. However, the persistence of these effects after fasting varies between studies. Dietary changes during fasting, such as meal timing and composition, play a crucial role in shaping the response of the gut microbiota.Although most studies report beneficial results, heterogeneity in results highlights the need for more research to elucidate the relative contributions of factors such as age, baseline diet, habitual microbiota composition, fasting duration, and caloric content. The mechanistic links between specific microbial metabolites and clinical endpoints remain limited, and evidence for the synergistic effects of probiotics with fasting in humans is inconclusive. Future studies should employ standardized fasting protocols, integrate multi-omics approaches, and extend follow-up periods to determine the durability of microbiota and metabolic shifts. Developing personalized fasting strategies tailored to an individual’s baseline microbiota and metabolic phenotype may optimize the therapeutic potential of fasting for gut and metabolic health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100311"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144563554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Construction of targeting GPR77+CD10+ lipid nanoparticles and validation of targeting capability in vitro and in vivo","authors":"Junyue Fang ,&nbsp;Qiongchao Jiang ,&nbsp;Xinyu Yang ,&nbsp;Weifan Li ,&nbsp;Li Lin ,&nbsp;Meng Zhang ,&nbsp;Phei Er Saw ,&nbsp;Xiaoyun Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100291","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100291","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dual-receptor targeting strategies hold promise for improving nanocarrier specificity in complex tumor microenvironments. Herein, we engineered lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) functionalized with GPR77 and CD10 antibodies to exploit receptor co-expression as a mechanism for enhanced targeting. To rigorously validate this approach, we developed a GPR77⁺CD10⁺ overexpressing CHO cell model, which served as a controlled system to dissect ligand-receptor interactions. The dual-targeting LNPs (DOPE(GPR77/CD10)) exhibited significantly higher cellular uptake in receptor-positive CHO cells compared to single-targeted or non-targeted formulations, demonstrating synergistic binding efficacy. These LNPs also showed excellent drug encapsulation and prolonged circulation. In a CHO xenograft model, dual-targeting LNPs achieved higher tumor accumulation than non-targeted controls, with minimal off-target organ retention. Biosafety assessments confirmed negligible hemolysis and no hepatorenal toxicity. While this study focused on mechanistic validation in a simplified model, our findings establish a generalizable platform for dual-receptor targeting, with potential applications in stromal or tumor cell-specific drug delivery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"9 ","pages":"Article 100291"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143859723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unraveling the role of perineural invasion in cancer-associated pain: Insights and treatment strategies","authors":"Martina Catalano ,&nbsp;Lorenzo Landini ,&nbsp;Filippo Nozzoli ,&nbsp;Romina Nassini ,&nbsp;Giandomenico Roviello ,&nbsp;Francesco De Logu","doi":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100305","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100305","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perineural invasion (PNI) occurs when cancer cells infiltrate the space around nerves, commonly seen in head and neck, pancreatic, prostate, and colorectal cancers. PNI is clinically significant as it promotes metastasis, recurrence, and reduced survival. Mechanistically, it involves tumor-neural microenvironment interactions mediated by neurotrophic factors, inflammatory signals, and immune responses. PNI also causes severe neuropathic pain due to nerve compression, plasticity, and inflammation, resulting in sensory abnormalities from neuronal hyperexcitability, demyelination, and upregulated ion channels. This pain significantly impacts quality of life and complicates cancer management. Cells like macrophages and Schwann cells amplify pain via paracrine signaling and pro-inflammatory mediators. Standard pain management, including NSAIDs and opioids, often fails due to toxicity. Emerging therapies target PNI-specific mechanisms to limit tumor-nerve interactions and relieve pain. Research focuses on improving PNI models, dissecting tumor neuroimmune networks, and translating targeted therapies for effective pain relief.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52676,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Biotechnology","volume":"10 ","pages":"Article 100305"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144312492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}