Good News for Women with Liver Cancer

Adiponectin, a hormone that is present in women at higher levels can keep them away from liver cancer, reveals a new study.

The study showed that a potential contributor to this gender disparity is adiponectin, a hormone secreted by fat cells that helps control the body's metabolism.

Western Diet During Pregnancy Increases Lifelong Obesity Risk in Offspring
Western diet elevates levels of insulin, leptin and adiponectin hormones starting at birth and may serve as an early biomarker for detecting obesity risk.

‘Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. However, adiponectin and metformin, can be used as novel treatments for liver cancer.’

The hormone activates two proteins inside liver cells, known as p38 and AMPK, that block cell proliferation and impair tumour growth, said the study, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

"Circulating adiponectin levels have been reported to be higher in women than in men," said Guadalupe Sabio at the Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) in Spain.

Similar to humans, male mice are more also prone to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) -- the most common form of liver cancer -- than females, as the increased levels of adiponectin in female mice protect them from HCC, the study said.

Salivary PH a Potential Biomarker for Risk of Heart Disease
Study analyzes the potential of saliva to act as an effective biomarker for cardiovascular disease risk factors, by establishing the relationship between salivary pH and adiponectin in women.

Inhibiting testosterone production in male rodents increased their adiponectin levels and reduced tumour growth.

Importantly, the study suggested that adiponectin and metformin -- a common antidiabetic drug -- could be used as novel treatments for liver cancer.

Pharmaco-Genetic Intervention to Fight Metabolic Syndrome
Pharmaco-genetic interventions that target HO-1-adiponectin axis may have a beneficiary role in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Sabio said that adiponectin's role in HCC is controversial and needed further investigation.

Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

Adiponectin Replacement Therapy may Help Prevent ARDS in Obese Individuals
When gene therapy was used to restore the decreased adiponectin levels in obese mice, it was seen that the obese mouse were less vulnerable to developing ARDS.

Source-IANS