Inhibitors of cyclooxygenase (COX) indicate that up-regulation of inflammatory eicosanoids produced by COX, and in particular prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), are early events in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Ginger has demonstrated down regulation of COX in vitro and decreased incidence/ multiplicity of adenomas in rats. This study was conducted to determine if 2.0 g/day of ginger could decrease the levels of PGE2, 13-hydroxy-octadecadienoic acids (13-HODE), and 5-, 12-, & 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-, 12-, & 15-HETE), in the colon mucosa of healthy volunteers. To investigate this aim we randomized 30 subjects to 2.0 g/day ginger or placebo for 28 days. Flexible sigmoidoscopy at baseline and day 28 was used to obtain colon biopsies. A liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method was used to determine eicosanoid levels in the biopsies, and levels were expressed per protein or per free arachidonic acid. There were no significant differences in mean percent change between baseline and day 28 for any of the eicosanoids, when normalized to protein. There was a significant decrease in mean percent change in PGE2 (p=0.05) and 5-HETE (p=0.04), and a trend toward significant decreases in 12-HETE (p=0.09) and 15-HETE (p=0.06) normalized to free arachidonic acid. There was no difference between the groups in terms of total adverse events (AE) (p=0.55). Based on these results, it appears that Ginger has the potential to decrease eicosanoid levels, perhaps by inhibiting their synthesis from arachidonic acid. Ginger also appeared to be tolerable and safe. Further investigation in people at high risk for CRC seems warranted.

The balance of putative pro- and anti-inflammatory lipoxygenase (LOX)-derived S-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (S-HETEs) in colon mucosa is a potential target for modulating colon cancer risk and progression. The biological effects of S-HETEs and R-HETEs (produced by distinct pathways) may differ, but levels of these compounds in colon are unknown. The objective of this study was to develop chiral methods to characterize HETE enantiomers in colonic mucosa and evaluate the effects of fish oil on HETE formation. C57BL/6 mice (COX-1 null, COX-2 null, wild-type) were fed a diet supplemented with either olive oil or menhaden oil for 11 weeks, and R/S-HETEs in colonic mucosa were quantified by chiral LC-MS/MS. The R-enantiomer comprised 60-72% of 5-HETE, 18-58% of 15-HETE and 1-16% of 12-HETE in colonic mucosa, suggesting that non-LOX sources contribute to HETE profiles. Fish oil reduced levels of both R- and S-HETEs, and increased the preponderance of the R-enantiomers (particularly 12- and 15-HETEs). There was apparent shunting of arachidonic acid to12/15-LOX in the COX-1 null animals. This is the first report of the enantiomeric composition of HETEs in the colon in vivo.

This paper endeavors to clarify the current requirements and status of regulatory approval for chemoprevention (risk reduction) drugs and discusses possible improvements to the regulatory pathway for chemoprevention. Covering a wide range of topics in as much depth as space allows, this report is written in a style to facilitate the understanding of non-scientists and to serve as a framework for informing the directions of experts engaged more deeply with this issue. Key topics we cover here are as follows: a history of definitive cancer chemoprevention trials and their influence on the evolution of regulatory assessments; a brief review of the long-standing success of pharmacologic risk reduction of cardiovascular diseases and its relevance to approval for cancer risk reduction drugs; the use and limitations of biomarkers for developing and the approval of cancer risk reduction drugs; the identification of individuals at a high(er) risk for cancer and who are appropriate candidates for risk reduction drugs; business models that should incentivize pharmaceutical-industry investment in cancer risk reduction; a summary of scientific and institutional barriers to development of cancer risk reduction drugs; and a summary of major recommendations that should help facilitate the pathway to regulatory approval for pharmacologic cancer risk reduction drugs.

Purpose

The active form of vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-D3) exerts antiproliferative effects in cancers, including lung adenocarcinoma (AC). CYP24A1 is overexpressed in many cancers and catabolizes 1,25-D3. The purpose of our study was to assess CYP24A1 as a prognostic marker and to study its relevance to antiproliferative activity of 1,25-D3 in lung AC cells.

Experimental Design

Tumors and corresponding normal specimens from 86 patients with lung AC (stages I–III) were available. AffymetrixR array data and subsequent confirmation by quantitative real time-PCR were used to determine CYP24A1 mRNA expression. A subsequent validation set of 101 lung AC was used to confirm CYP24A1 mRNA expression and its associations with clinical variables. The antiproliferative effects of 1,25-D3 were examined using lung cancer cell lines with high as well as low expression of CYP24A1 mRNA.

Results

CYP24A1 mRNA was elevated 8–50 fold in lung AC (compared to normal nonneoplastic lung) and significantly higher in poorly-differentiated cancers. At 5 years of follow-up, the probability of survival was 42% (high CYP24A1, n = 29) versus 81% (low CYP24A1, n = 57) (P = 0.007). The validation set of 101 tumors showed that CYP24A1 was independently prognostic of survival (multivariate Cox model adjusted for age, gender and stage, P = 0.001). A549 cells (high CYP24A1) were more resistant to antiproliferative effects of 1,25-D3 compared with SKLU-1 cells (low CYP24A1).

Conclusions

CYP24A1 overexpression is associated with poorer survival in lung AC. This may relate to abrogation of antiproliferative effects of 1,25-D3 in high CYP24A1 expressing lung AC.

Background

The cancer stem cell hypothesis asserts that malignancies arise in tissue stem and/or progenitor cells through the dysregulation or acquisition of self-renewal. In order to determine whether the dietary polyphenols, curcumin and piperine, are able to modulate the self-renewal of normal and malignant breast stem cells, we examined the effects of these compounds on mammosphere formation, on expression of the breast stem cell marker aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), and on Wnt signaling.

Design

Mammosphere formation assays were performed after curcumin, piperine and control treatment in unsorted normal breast epithelial cells and normal stem and early progenitor cells, selected by ALDH positivity. Wnt signaling was examined using a Topflash assay.

Results

Both curcumin and piperine inhibited mammosphere formation, serial passaging and percent of ALDH+ cells, by 50% at 5 μM and completely at 10 μM concentration in normal and malignant breast cells. There was no effect on cellular differentiation. Wnt signaling was inhibited by both curcumin and piperine by 50% at 5 μM and completely at 10μM.

Conclusion

Curcumin and piperine separately, and in combination, inhibit breast stem cell self renewal but do not cause toxicity to differentiated cells. These compounds could be potential cancer preventive agents. Mammosphere formation assays may be a quantifiable biomarker to assess cancer preventive agent efficacy and Wnt signaling assessment a mechanistic biomarker for use in human clinical trials.

Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenol, has cancer chemopreventive properties in preclinical models. It has been shown to downregulate levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in rodents. The purpose of the study was to assess its safety, pharmacokinetics and effects on circulating levels of IGF-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) after repeated dosing. Forty healthy volunteers ingested resveratrol at 0.5, 1.0, 2.5 or 5.0g daily for 29 days. Levels of resveratrol and its metabolites were measured by HPLC-UV in plasma obtained before and up to 24h after a dose between days 21 and 28. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in plasma taken pre-dosing and on day 29. Resveratrol was safe, but the 2.5 and 5g doses caused mild to moderate gastrointestinal symptoms. Resveratrol-3-O-sulfate, resveratrol-4′-O-glucuronide and resveratrol-3-O-glucuronide were major plasma metabolites. Maximal plasma levels and areas under the concentration versus time curve (AUC) for the metabolites dramatically exceeded those for resveratrol, in the case of the AUC by up to 20.3-fold. Ingestion of resveratrol caused a decrease in circulating IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 (P<0.04 for both), respectively, compared to pre-dosing values, in all volunteers. At the 2.5g dose level the decrease was most marked. The results suggest that repeated administration of high doses of resveratrol generates micromolar concentrations of parent and much higher levels of glucuronide and sulfate conjugates in the plasma. The observed decrease in circulating IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 may contribute to cancer chemopreventive activity.

Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenol, has cancer chemopreventive properties in preclinical models. It has been shown to downregulate levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in rodents. The purpose of the study was to assess its safety, pharmacokinetics and effects on circulating levels of IGF-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) after repeated dosing. Forty healthy volunteers ingested resveratrol at 0.5, 1.0, 2.5 or 5.0g daily for 29 days. Levels of resveratrol and its metabolites were measured by HPLC-UV in plasma obtained before and up to 24h after a dose between days 21 and 28. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in plasma taken pre-dosing and on day 29. Resveratrol was safe, but the 2.5 and 5g doses caused mild to moderate gastrointestinal symptoms. Resveratrol-3-O-sulfate, resveratrol-4′-O-glucuronide and resveratrol-3-O-glucuronide were major plasma metabolites. Maximal plasma levels and areas under the concentration versus time curve (AUC) for the metabolites dramatically exceeded those for resveratrol, in the case of the AUC by up to 20.3-fold. Ingestion of resveratrol caused a decrease in circulating IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 (P<0.04 for both), respectively, compared to pre-dosing values, in all volunteers. At the 2.5g dose level the decrease was most marked. The results suggest that repeated administration of high doses of resveratrol generates micromolar concentrations of parent and much higher levels of glucuronide and sulfate conjugates in the plasma. The observed decrease in circulating IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 may contribute to cancer chemopreventive activity.

Resveratrol is a phytochemical with chemopreventive activity in preclinical rodent models of colorectal carcinogenesis. Antiproliferation is one of many chemopreventive modes of action it has been shown to engage. Concentrations of resveratrol which can be achieved in human tissues after oral administration have not yet been defined. The purpose of this study was to measure concentrations of resveratrol and its metabolites in colorectal tissue of humans who ingested resveratrol. Twenty patients with histologically confirmed colorectal cancer consumed 8 daily doses of resveratrol at 0.5 or 1.0g prior to surgical resection. Resveratrol was found to be well tolerated. Normal and malignant biopsy tissue samples were obtained before dosing. Parent compound plus its metabolites resveratrol-3-O-glucuronide, resveratrol-4′-O-glucuronide, resveratrol-3-O-sulfate, resveratrol-4′-O-sulfate, resveratrol sulfate glucuronide and resveratrol disulfate were identified by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV or mass spectrometric detection in colorectal resection tissue. Quantitation was achieved by HPLC/UV. Cell proliferation, as reflected by Ki-67 staining, was compared in pre- and post-intervention tissue samples. Resveratrol and resveratrol-3-O-glucuronide were recovered from tissues at maximal mean concentrations of 674 and 86.0nmol/g, respectively. Levels of resveratrol and its metabolites were consistently higher in tissues originating in the right side of the colon compared to the left. Consumption of resveratrol reduced tumor cell proliferation by 5% (P=0.05). The results suggest that daily oral doses of resveratrol at 0.5 or 1.0g produce levels in the human gastrointestinal tract of an order of magnitude sufficient to elicit anti-carcinogenic effects. Resveratrol merits further clinical evaluation as a potential colorectal cancer chemopreventive agent.

Zingiber officinale is one of the most commonly used spices. We developed a method to determine the main pungent ginger constituents, 6-, 8- and 10-gingerols and 6-shogaol in human plasma. Quantitation was achieved using a reversed-phase C18 column using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The assay was linear from 0.1 to 5.0 μg/mL. The within-day coefficients of variation for the assay at 5.0 μg/mL were ≤ 5% for all analytes. The recovery of all four analytes was ≥99% for at 5.0 μg/mL. The lower limit of quantitation was 0.1 μg/mL except for 10-gingerol which was 0.25 μg/mL. Currently, there is no analytical method for detecting pungent ginger constituents in human plasma. This HPLC method allows for the detection of all four of ginger’s pungent constituents simultaneously in a relatively short run time of 25 minutes. This method should be useful for determining plasma levels of 6-, 8-, 10-gingerol and 6-shogaol in phase I clinical trials.

Background

Recent reports suggest increase in estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) negative breast cancer yet little is known about histology or receptor status of breast cancer in Indian/Pakistani women.in the U.S.

Methods

We examined the United States National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Cancer program to assess: a) frequency of breast cancer by age, b) histologic subtypes, c) receptor status of breast cancer and, d) survival in Indians/Pakistanis compared to Caucasians. There were 360,933 breast cancer cases diagnosed 1988-2006. Chi-Square analyses and Cox proportional hazards models, to estimate relative risks for breast cancer mortality after adjusting for confounders, were performed using Statistical Analysis Software 9.2.

Results

Among Asian Indian/Pakistani breast cancer patients, 16.2% were < 40 yrs. old compared to 6.23% in Caucasians (p < 0.0001). Asian Indian women had more invasive ductal carcinoma (69.1 vs. 65.7%, p < 0.0001), inflammatory cancer (1.4% vs. 0.8, p < 0.0001) and less invasive lobular carcinoma (4.2% vs. 8.1%, p < 0.0001) than Caucasians. Asian Indian/Pakistani women had more ER/PR negative breast cancer (30.6% vs. 21.8%, p = 0.0095) than Caucasians. Adjusting for stage at diagnosis, age, tumor grade, nodal status, and histology, Asian Indian/Pakistani women's survival was similar to Caucasians, while African Americans' was worse.

Conclusions

Asian Indian/Pakistani women have higher frequency of breast cancer (particularly in age < 40), ER/PR negative invasive ductal and inflammatory cancer than Caucasians.

Pancreatic cancer is a formidable disease and early detection biomarkers are needed to make inroads into improving the outcomes in these patients. In this work lectin antibody microarrays were utilized to detect unique glycosylation patterns of proteins from serum. Antibodies to four potential glycoprotein markers that were found in previous studies were printed on nitrocellulose coated glass slides and these microarrays were hybridized against patient serum to extract the target glycoproteins. Lectins were then used to detect different glycan structural units on the captured glycoproteins in a sandwich assay format. The biotinylated lectins used to assess differential glycosylation patterns were Aleuria aurentia lectin (AAL), Sambucus nigra bark lectin (SNA), Maackia amurensis lectin II (MAL), Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA), and Concanavalin A (ConA). Captured glycoproteins were evaluated on the microarray in situ by on-plate digestion and direct analysis using MALDI QIT-TOF mass spectroscopy. Analysis was performed using serum from 89 normal controls, 35 chronic pancreatitis samples, 37 diabetic samples and 22 pancreatic cancer samples. We found that this method had excellent reproducibility as measured by the signal deviation of control blocks as on-slide standard and 41 pairs of pure technical replicates. It was possible to discriminate cancer from the other disease groups and normal samples with high sensitivity and specificity where the response of Alpha-1-β glycoprotein to lectin SNA increased by 69% in the cancer sample compared to the other non-cancer groups (95% confidence interval 53% to 86%). These data suggest that differential glycosylation patterns detected on high throughput lectin microarrays are a promising biomarker approach for the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

Specimen collection is an integral component of clinical research. Specimens from subjects with various stages of cancers or other conditions, as well as those without disease, are critical tools in the hunt for biomarkers, predictors, or tests that will detect serious diseases earlier or more readily than currently possible. Analytic methodologies evolve quickly. Access to high-quality specimens, collected and handled in standardized ways that minimize potential bias or confounding factors, is key to the “bench to bedside” aim of translational research. It is essential that standard operating procedures, “the how” of creating the repositories, be defined prospectively when designing clinical trials. Small differences in the processing or handling of a specimen can have dramatic effects in analytical reliability and reproducibility, especially when multiplex methods are used. A representative working group, Standard Operating Procedures Internal Working Group (SOPIWG), comprised of members from across Early Detection Research Network (EDRN) was formed to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for various types of specimens collected and managed for our biomarker discovery and validation work. This report presents our consensus on SOPs for the collection, processing, handling, and storage of serum and plasma for biomarker discovery and validation.

Background & Aims

Conventional colonoscopy misses some neoplastic lesions. We compared the sensitivity of chromoendoscopy and colonoscopy with intensive inspection for detecting adenomatous polyps missed by conventional colonoscopy.

Methods

Fifty subjects with a history of colorectal cancer or adenomas underwent tandem colonoscopies at one of 5 centers of the Great-Lakes New England Clinical Epidemiology and Validation Center of the Early Detection Research Network. The first exam was a conventional colonoscopy with removal of all visualized polyps. The second exam was randomly assigned as either pan-colonic indigocarmine chromoendoscopy or standard colonoscopy with intensive inspection lasting ≥20 minutes. Size, histology, and numbers of polyps detected on each exam were recorded.

Results

Twenty-seven subjects were randomized to a second exam with chromoendoscopy and 23 underwent intensive inspection. Forty adenomas were identified on the first standard colonoscopies. The second colonoscopies detected 24 additional adenomas; 19 were found using chromoendoscopy and 5 using intensive inspection. Chromoendoscopy found additional adenomas in more subjects than intensive inspection (44% vs. 17%) and identified significantly more missed adenomas per subject (0.7 vs 0.2, p<0.01). Adenomas detected with chromoendoscopy were significantly smaller (mean size 2.66±0.97mm) and were more often right-sided. Chromoendoscopy was associated with more normal tissue biopsies and longer procedure times than intensive inspection. After controlling for procedure time, chromoendoscopy detected more adenomas and hyperplastic polyps compared with colonoscopy using intensive inspection alone.

Conclusions

Chromoendoscopy detected more polyps missed by standard colonoscopy than did intensive inspection. The clinical significance of these small missed lesions warrants further study.

Purpose

We have implemented a high throughput platform for quantitative analysis of serum autoantibodies, which we have applied to lung cancer for discovery of novel antigens and for validation in prediagnostic sera of autoantibodies to antigens previously defined based on analysis of sera collected at the time of diagnosis.

Materials and Methods

Proteins from human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 lysates were subjected to extensive fractionation. The resulting 1,824 fractions were spotted in duplicate on nitrocellulose-coated slides. The microarrays produced were used in a blinded validation study to determine whether annexin I, PGP9.5, and 14-3-3 theta antigens previously found to be targets of autoantibodies in newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer are associated with autoantibodies in sera collected at the presymptomatic stage and to determine whether additional antigens may be identified in prediagnostic sera. Individual sera collected from 85 patients within 1 year before a diagnosis of lung cancer and 85 matched controls from the Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial (CARET) cohort were hybridized to individual microarrays.

Results

We present evidence for the occurrence in lung cancer sera of autoantibodies to annexin I, 14-3-3 theta, and a novel lung cancer antigen, LAMR1, which precede onset of symptoms and diagnosis.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest potential utility of an approach to diagnosis of lung cancer before onset of symptoms that includes screening for autoantibodies to defined antigens.

Background & Aims

Lynch syndrome (also known as hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer, HNPCC) is associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer, which can arise despite frequent colonoscopic exams. We evaluated the adenoma miss rate of conventional colonoscopy in patients with Lynch syndrome, and compared the sensitivity of chromoendoscopy versus intensive inspection for detecting polyps missed by conventional colonoscopy.

Methods

Fifty four subjects with Lynch Syndrome underwent tandem colonoscopies at four centers of the Great-Lakes New England Clinical Epidemiology and Validation Center (GLNE) of the Early Detection Research Network (EDRN). All participants first had a conventional colonoscopy with removal of all visualized polyps. The second endoscopy was randomly assigned as either pan-colonic indigocarmine chromoendoscopy or standard colonoscopy with intensive inspection lasting ≥20 minutes. Size, histology, and numbers of polyps detected on each exam were recorded.

Results

After undergoing standard colonoscopy, twenty-eight individuals were randomized to a second exam with chromoendoscopy and 26 underwent intensive inspection. The mean interval since last colonoscopy was 17.5 months. Seventeen polyps (10 adenomas and 7 hyperplastic polyps) were identified on the first standard colonoscopies. Twenty-three additional polyps (12 adenomas and 11 hyperplastic polyps) were found on the second exams, yielding an adenoma miss rate of 55%. Fifteen polyps (5 adenomas and 10 hyperplastic polyps) were found in subjects who had chromoendoscopy and 8 polyps (7 adenomas and 1 hyperplastic polyp) in those who had intensive inspection. Chromoendoscopy was associated with more normal tissue biopsies (11 vs. 5) and longer procedure times compared with intensive inspection (29.8 ±9.5 mins vs. 25.3±5.8 mins; p=0.04). Controlling for age, number of previous colonoscopies, procedure time, and prior colonic resection, chromoendoscopy detected more polyps (p=0.04), but adenoma detection was not significantly different compared with intensive inspection (p=0.27).

Conclusions

Small adenomas are frequently missed in Lynch Syndrome patients. Although chromoendoscopy did not detect more missed adenomas than intensive inspection in this pilot study, larger trials are needed to determine optimal surveillance techniques in this high risk population.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major worldwide cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality largely due to the insidious onset of the disease. The current clinical procedures utilized for disease diagnosis are invasive, unpleasant, and inconvenient; hence, the need for simple blood tests that could be used for the early detection of CRC. In this work, we have developed methods for glycoproteomics analysis to identify plasma markers with utility to assist in the detection of colorectal cancer (CRC). Following immunodepletion of the most abundant plasma proteins, the plasma N-linked glycoproteins were enriched using lectin affinity chromatography and subsequently further separated by nonporous silica reverse-phase (NPS-RP)-HPLC. Individual RP-HPLC fractions were printed on nitrocellulose coated slides which were then probed with lectins to determine glycan patterns in plasma samples from 9 normal, 5 adenoma, and 6 colorectal cancer patients. Statistical tools, including principal components analysis, hierarchical clustering, and Z-statistic analysis, were employed to identify distinctive glycosylation patterns. Patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer or adenomas were shown to have dramatically higher levels of sialylation and fucosylation as compared to normal controls. Plasma glycoproteins with aberrant glycosylation were identified by nano-LC–MS/MS, while a lectin blotting methodology was used to validate proteins with significantly altered glycosylation as a function of cancer progression. The potential markers identified in this study for diagnosis to distinguish colorectal cancer from adenoma and normal include elevated sialylation and fucosylation in complement C3, histidine-rich glycoprotein, and kininogen-1. These potential markers of colorectal cancer were subsequently validated by lectin blotting in an independent set of plasma samples obtained from 10 CRC patients, 10 patients with adenomas, and 10 normal subjects. These results demonstrate the utility of this strategy for the identification of N-linked glycan patterns as potential markers of CRC in human plasma, and may have the utility to distinguish different disease states.

Background

Ginger demonstrates promising anticancer properties. No research has examined the pharmacokinetics of the ginger constituents 6-, 8-, 10-gingerol and 6-shogaol in humans. We conducted a clinical trial with 6-, 8-, 10-gingerol and 6-shogaol examining the pharmacokinetics and tolerability of these analytes and their conjugate metabolites

Methods

Human volunteers were given ginger at doses from 100 mg, to 2.0 g (N=27), and blood samples were obtained at 15 minutes to 72 hours after a single oral dose. Participants were allocated in a dose-escalation manner starting with 100 mg. There was a total of three participants at each dose except for 1.0 g (N=6) and 2.0 g (N=9).

Results

No participant had detectable free 6-, 8-, 10-gingerol or 6-shogaol, but 6-, 8-, 10-gingerol and 6-shogaol glucuronides were detected. The 6-gingerol sulfate conjugate was detected above the 1.0 g dose but there were no detectable 10-gingerol or 6-shogaol sulfates except for one participant with detectable 8-gingerol sulfate. The Cmax and AUC values (Mean±SE) estimated for the 2.0 g dose are 0.85±0.43, 0.23±0.16, 0.53±0.40, and 0.15±0.12 μg/mL ; and 65.6.33±44.4, 18.1±20.3, 50.1±49.3, and 10.9±13.0 μg·hr/mL for 6-, 8-, 10-gingerol, and 6-shogaol. The corresponding tmax values are 65.6±44.4, 73.1±29.4, 75.0±27.8, and 65.6±22.6 minutes and the analytes had elimination half-lives < 2hr. The 8-, 10-gingerol and 6-shogaol conjugates were present as either glucuronide or sulfate conjugates, not as mixed conjugates, although 6-, 10-gingerol were an exception.

Conclusion

Six-, 8-, 10-gingerol and 6-shogaol is absorbed after oral dosing and can be detected as glucuronide and sulfate conjugates.

Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) is proven an efficient way of reducing mortality from colorectal cancer but has a relatively low positive predictive value (PPV). This study evaluated the ability to detect K-ras mutations in stool DNA from FOBT cards and to improve the PPV of the screening process. 205 consecutive positive FOBT cards and an arbitrary sample of 38 negative cards from a population-based screening program were included. K-ras mutations in FOBT card stool were sought using allele-specific hybridization. DNA was successfully amplified from 87.2% of cards. In 130 cases with positive FOBT and amplifiable DNA 23 malignancies and 25 adenomas were detected. In 34.8% of the malignancies, a mutation in K-ras was detected. The PPV for malignancies increased from 17.7% (all positive cards) to 60.0% if cards with 4 or more fields were positive and K-ras was positive (RR=2.66,95%CI:1.2–6.1). Testing for k-ras mutations in DNA extracted from stool from positive FOBT cards is feasible. Sequential detection of cancer-associated genetic markers from FOBT-based stool samples may potentially help separate true from false positives in a FOBT-based screening process.

Our previous studies demonstrated that urine contains DNA derived from the circulation and that this DNA originated, in part, from organ sites and tumors distal to the urinary tract. To explore the potential use of DNA from urine as compared to other body fluids as a source for circulating DNA for cancer detection, the DNA concentration and the frequency of detection of mutated Kristin-ras (K-ras) DNA in serum, plasma, and urine were examined. The concentration of DNA in the urine was similar to that in the serum, but the DNA concentration in plasma was significantly lower than in either urine or serum (P < 0.05). When DNA derived from 10 μL of body fluid was used in each mutation assay, the detection frequency of mutated K-ras DNA was comparable among serum, plasma, and urine. However, when DNA derived from 200 μL of body fluid was used, the incidence of detecting mutated K-ras DNA in urine was significant higher (95%) than in either serum (35%) or plasma (40%) (P < 0.0005), suggesting that inhibitory factors in serum/plasma may be more limiting than in urine. The use and practicality of urine as a source of circulating DNA for cancer detection are discussed.

We have previously demonstrated that mutated DNA derived from the circulation can be detected in urine and predominantly exists as DNA fragments < 1 kb. To preferentially isolate the trans-renal DNA from urine, we developed a method using carboxylated beads to separate high-MW (1 kb or larger) from low-MW DNA in urine. A primer set for 18s rRNA (generating a PCR product of 872 bp) was designed and optimized for real-time PCR quantification of high-MW DNA templates. To evaluate the method, urine samples from 5 volunteers with no known diseases and 36 patients with various colorectal diseases were collected and tested. It was found that the average removal efficiency of high-MW DNA from total urine DNA using carboxylated beads is 92.72% ± 1.42%. Furthermore, compared with using total urine DNA, our method provides a greater ability to detect mutated K-ras in the urine of colorectal cancer patients. The concurrence of K-ras mutations detected in disease tissue and the corresponding urine specimen is significantly higher (P = 0.0015) when the samples were enriched in low-MW DNA.

Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis, in part due to lack of early detection. The identification of circulating tumor antigens or their related autoantibodies provides a means for early cancer diagnosis. We have used a proteomic approach to identify proteins that commonly induce a humoral response in pancreatic cancer. Proteins from a pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line (Panc-1) were subjected to two-dimensional PAGE, followed by Western blot analysis in which individual sera were tested for autoantibodies. Sera from 36 newly diagnosed patients with pancreatic cancer, 18 patients with chronic pancreatitis and 15 healthy subjects were analyzed. Autoantibodies were detected against a protein identified by mass spectrometry as vimentin, in sera from 16/36 patients with pancreatic cancer (44.4%). Only one of 18 chronic pancreatitis patients and none of the healthy controls exhibited reactivity against this vimentin isoform. Interestingly, none of several other isoforms of vimentin detectable in 2-D gels exhibited reactivity with patient sera. Vimentin protein expression levels were investigated by comparing the integrated intensity of spots visualized in 2-D PAGE gels of various cancers. Pancreatic tumor tissues showed greater than a 3-fold higher expression of total vimentin protein than did the lung, colon, and ovarian tumors that were analyzed. The specific antigenic isoform was found at 5-10 fold higher levels. The detection of autoantibodies to this specific isoform of vimentin may have utility for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

We describe a reversed-phase HPLC method that uses gradient elution and UV detection (325 nm) to determine levels of resveratrol and identify 6 major conjugated metabolites in the plasma and urine of human volunteers after administration of a single oral dose of 1 g. Waters Atlantis C18 3μ served as the stationary phase. The gradient was formed using ammonium acetate and methanol, containing 2% propan-2-ol. Detection is linear between 5 ng/mL and 500 ng/mL in plasma (5–1000 ng/mL in urine). The coefficient of variation for intra- and inter-day variation is <10%. The average recovery of resveratrol from plasma and urine is 58 ± 3%. The data presented in this report demonstrate a rapid, sensitive and accurate method for the analysis of resveratrol and its metabolites in human plasma and urine for pharmacokinetic studies.

Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis, in part due to lack of early detection. The identification of circulating tumor antigens or their related autoantibodies provides a means for early cancer diagnosis. We have used a proteomic approach to identify proteins that commonly induce a humoral response in pancreatic cancer. Proteins from a pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line (Panc-1) were subjected to two-dimensional PAGE, followed by Western blot analysis in which individual sera were tested for autoantibodies. Sera from 36 newly diagnosed patients with pancreatic cancer, 18 patients with chronic pancreatitis and 15 healthy subjects were analyzed. Autoantibodies were detected against a protein identified by mass spectrometry as vimentin, in sera from 16/36 patients with pancreatic cancer (44.4%). Only one of 18 chronic pancreatitis patients and none of the healthy controls exhibited reactivity against this vimentin isoform. Interestingly, none of several other isoforms of vimentin detectable in 2-D gels exhibited reactivity with patient sera. Vimentin protein expression levels were investigated by comparing the integrated intensity of spots visualized in 2-D PAGE gels of various cancers. Pancreatic tumor tissues showed greater than a 3-fold higher expression of total vimentin protein than did the lung, colon, and ovarian tumors that were analyzed. The specific antigenic isoform was found at 5–10 fold higher levels. The detection of autoantibodies to this specific isoform of vimentin may have utility for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

The CA 19-9 assay detects a carbohydrate antigen on multiple protein carriers, some of which may be preferential carriers of the antigen in cancer. We tested the hypothesis that the measurement of the CA 19-9 antigen on individual proteins could improve performance over the standard CA 19-9 assay. We used antibody arrays to measure the levels of the CA 19-9 antigen on multiple proteins in serum or plasma samples from patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma or pancreatitis. Sample sets from three different institutions were examined, comprising 531 individual samples. The measurement of the CA 19-9 antigen on any individual protein did not improve upon the performance of the standard CA 19-9 assay (82% sensitivity at 75% specificity for early-stage cancer), owing to diversity among patients in their CA 19-9 protein carriers. However, a subset of cancer patients with no elevation in the standard CA 19-9 assay showed elevations of the CA 19-9 antigen specifically on the proteins MUC5AC or MUC16 in all sample sets. By combining measurements of the standard CA 19-9 assay with detection of CA 19-9 on MUC5AC and MUC16, the sensitivity of cancer detection was improved relative to CA 19-9 alone in each sample set, achieving 67–80% sensitivity at 98% specificity. This finding demonstrates the value of measuring glycans on specific proteins for improving biomarker performance. Diagnostic tests with improved sensitivity for detecting pancreatic cancer could have important applications for improving the treatment and management of patients suffering from this disease.