Cancer is one of the life-threatening disorders that, in spite of excellent advances in medicine and technology, there is no effective cure for. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are extensively applied in cancer therapy, but their efficacy in eradication of cancer cells, suppressing metastasis, and improving overall survival of patients is low. This is due to uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells and their high migratory ability. Finding molecular pathways involved in malignant behavior of cancer cells can pave the road to effective cancer therapy. In the present review, we focus on phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) signaling as a tumor-suppressor molecular pathway in gastric cancer (GC). PTEN inhibits the PI3K/Akt pathway from interfering with the migration and growth of GC cells. Its activation leads to better survival of patients with GC. Different upstream mediators of PTEN in GC have been identified that can regulate PTEN in suppressing growth and invasion of GC cells, such as microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs. It seems that antitumor agents enhance the expression of PTEN in overcoming GC. This review focuses on aforementioned topics to provide a new insight into involvement of PTEN and its downstream and upstream mediators in GC. This will direct further studies for evaluation of novel signaling networks and their targeting for suppressing GC progression.

Keratin 7 (KRT7), also known as cytokeratin-7 (CK-7) or K7, constitutes the principal constituent of the intermediate filament cytoskeleton and is primarily expressed in the simple epithelia lining the cavities of the internal organs, glandular ducts, and blood vessels. Various pathological conditions, including cancer, have been linked to the abnormal expression of KRT7. KRT7 overexpression promotes tumor progression and metastasis in different human cancers, although the mechanisms of these processes caused by KRT7 have yet to be established. Studies have indicated that the suppression of KRT7 leads to rapid regression of tumors, highlighting the potential of KRT7 as a novel candidate for therapeutic interventions. This review aims to delineate the various roles played by KRT7 in the progression and metastasis of different human malignancies and to investigate its prognostic significance in cancer treatment. Finally, the differential diagnosis of cancers based on the KRT7 is emphasized.

Diabetes mellitus can lead to structural disorders in the brain. One of the most common complications of diabetes, diabetic neuropathy is associated with central nervous system disorders. Aloe vera has anti-diabetic, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of Aloe vera gel on the hippocampus changes as well as the expression of nerve growth factor and receptors TrkA and P75 in the hippocampus of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. 25 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups including: control (normal saline), diabetic (normal saline), Aloe vera gel (400 mg/kg/day; gavage), diabetic + Aloe vera gel (400 mg/kg/day; gavage) and diabetic + insulin NPH (10 IU/kg/day; subcutaneous). Experimental diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection (60 mg/kg; intraperitoneal). All groups treated for 8 weeks. At the end of treatment course, the rat brains were removed for measuring the expression of nerve growth factor, p75 and TrkA receptors were evaluated in the hippocampus. Diabetes induction after 8 weeks caused NGF and P75 expression levels in the diabetic group than other groups significantly increased (p<0.05). The TrkA receptor expression in the diabetic group compared with the control had a significant reduction (p<0.05). On the other hand in the diabetic group receiving Aloe vera gel expression of NGF and P75 expression levels compared to the diabetic group was significantly reduced (p<0.05) and the TrkA receptor expression compared with the diabetic group had a significant increase (p<0.05). The results showed that oral administration of Aloe vera gel in diabetic rats ameliorates diabetes-induced hyperglycemia. On the other hand, Aloe vera gel cause modulation of the expression of NGF neurotrophic factor via increased expression of TrkA receptor-specific and non-specific receptor down-regulation of P75 in the hippocampus of STZ-induced diabetic rats.