Cancer Stem Cells and Circulatory Tumor Cells Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis

Breast cancer (BC) is a highly metastatic, pathological cancer that significantly affects women worldwide. The mortality rate of BC is related to its heterogeneity, aggressive phenotype, and metastasis. Recent studies have highlighted that the tumor microenvironment (TME) is critical for the interplay between metastasis mediators in BC. BC stem cells, tumor-derived exosomes, circulatory tumor cells (CTCs), and signaling pathways dynamically remodel the TME and promote metastasis. This review examines the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) that facilitate metastasis. This review also discusses the role of cancer stem cells (CSCs), tumor-derived exosomes, and CTs in promoting BC metastasis. Furthermore, the review emphasizes major signaling pathways that mediate metastasis in BC. Finally, the interplay among CSCs, exosomes, and CTCs in mediating metastasis have been highlighted. Therefore, understanding the molecular cues that mediate the association of CSCs, exosomes, and CTCs in TME helps to optimize systemic therapy to target metastatic BC.     

Postural balance and oculomotor control are influenced by neck kinaesthetic functions in elite ice hockey players

BackgroundResearch indicates that neck kinaesthetic awareness plays an important role in oculomotor and balance control, however the relationship has not been studied in athletes. As performance in ice hockey demands visual perception acuity during skating, while constantly shifting between unilateral and bilateral stances in sports specific posture more in-depth relationship should be studied.Research questionWhat is the relationship between neck kinaesthetic awareness, postural balance and eye movement control in professional ice hockey players and non-trained individuals?MethodsIn this observational study, centre-of-pressure was measured using force plate in twenty-eight hockey players and thirty non-trained participants during different stances in eyes-opened and eyes-closed conditions. Butterfly test and Head-to-Neutral Relocation test were performed to assess neck kinaesthesia. Horizontal smooth pursuit eye movements were measured using video-oculography. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between neck kinaesthesia, body sway and oculomotor control.ResultsTime-on-target in Butterfly test was able to predict low to medium proportions of variance in amplitude and velocity parameters for single leg stances in hockey players (R² = .220–.698). Head-to-Neutral Relocation test was able to predict low to medium proportion of variance in average eye movement velocity during first 100 milliseconds of smooth pursuit initiation for both groups (R² = .262–.541).SignificanceFindings from our study suggest that cervical spine afferent input plays an important role in maintaining unilateral postural balance in hockey players, with less evidence presented in controls. Sports specific posture or upper body loading could lead to adaptations in neck proprioception, not frequently considered when searching for balance related injury risk factors or performance deficits. Our study suggests, that in addition to balance control, neck kinaesthesia can also affect oculomotor performance which was present in both groups. This is especially evident when initiating changes in eye movement direction.     

Exploring three levels of interoception in people with functional motor disorders

IntroductionA three-level model of interoception has recently been defined. We aim to study the interoceptive processing in individuals with functional motor disorder (FMD).MethodsTwenty-two patients with FMD were compared to 23 healthy controls. They underwent a protocol measuring different levels of interoception including: accuracy (a heart-beat tracking task), awareness (participant's confidence level) and sensibility (the Body Awareness Questionnaire-BAQ). Depression, anxiety and alexithymia were assessed by means of validated clinical scales.ResultsThe FMD group showed a lower cardiac interoceptive accuracy and sensibility than healthy controls but they did not differ in terms of awareness (p = 0.03 and 0.005 respectively). They were aware of their poor performance in the accuracy task. Cardiac interoceptive accuracy positively correlated with the BAQ sub-scales “Predict Body Reaction” (r = 0.49, p = 0.001) and “Sleep-Wake Cycle” (r = 0.52, p < 0.001). A mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect of group on cardiac interoceptive accuracy through BAQ “Predict Body Reaction” (b = −2.95, 95% BCa CI[-7.2;-0.2]). The direct effect of group on “Predict Body Reaction” was still significant (b = − 6.95, p = 0.02, 95% CI[-13.18;-0.73]).ConclusionsPeople with FMD have impaired cardiac interoceptive accuracy and sensibility but no difference in metacognitive interoception compared to healthy controls.