Autophagy is a cellular mechanism by which cells degrade intracellular components in lysosomes, maintaining cellular homeostasis. It has been hypothesized that autophagy could have a role in cancer prevention through the elimination of damaged proteins and organelles; this could explain epidemiological evidence showing the chemopreventive properties of the autophagy-inducer metformin. In this study, we analyzed the autophagy-related effect of metformin in both cancer initiation and progression in non-tumorigenic cells. We also analyzed the induction of tumorigenesis in autophagy-deficient cells, and its correlation with the ER stress. Our results showed that metformin induced massive cell death in preneoplastic JB6 Cl 41-5a cells treated with tumor promoter (phorbol) and in NIH/3T3 treated with H₂O₂. Inhibiting autophagy with wortmannin or ATG7 silencing, the effect of metformin decreased, indicating an autophagy-related cytotoxic activity under stress conditions. We also found an induction of tumorigenesis in ATG7-silenced NIH/3T3 cell clone (3T3-619C3 cells), but not in wild-type and in scrambled transfected cells, and an upregulation of unfolded protein response (UPR) markers in 3T3-619C3 cells treated with H₂O₂. These findings suggest that autophagic cell death could be considered as a new mechanism by which eliminate damaged cells, representing an attractive strategy to eliminate potential tumorigenic cells.

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) does not express estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and is characterized by its aggressive nature, lack of targets for targeted therapies, and early peak of recurrence. Due to these specific characteristics, chemotherapy does not usually yield substantial improvements and new target therapies and alternative strategies are needed. The beneficial responses of TNBC survivors to regular exercise, including a reduction in the rate of tumor growth, are becoming increasingly apparent. Physiological adaptations to exercise occur in skeletal muscle but have an impact on the entire body through systemic control of energy homeostasis and metabolism, which in turn influence the TNBC tumor microenvironment. Gaining insights into the causal mechanisms of the therapeutic cancer control properties of regular exercise is important to improve the prescription and implementation of exercise and training in TNBC survivors. Here, we provide new evidence of the effects of exercise on TNBC prevention, control, and outcomes, based on the inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB also known as Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) (PI3K‐Akt‐mTOR) signaling. These findings have wide‐ranging clinical implications for cancer treatment, including recurrence and case management.

Listeriosis is a foodborne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes species and is known to cause severe complications, particularly in pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Listeria species in food and water using both biochemical and species-specific PCR analysis. L. monocytogenes isolates were further screened for the presence of various antibiotic resistance, virulence, and biofilm-forming determinants profiles using phenotypic and genotypic assays. A total of 207 samples (composed of meat, milk, vegetables, and water) were collected and analyzed for presence of L. monocytogenes using species specific PCR analysis. Out of 267 presumptive isolates, 53 (19.85%) were confirmed as the Listeria species, and these comprised 26 L. monocytogenes, 3 L. innocua, 2 L. welshimeri, and 1 L. thailandensis. The remaining 21 Listeria species were classified as uncultured Listeria, based on 16SrRNA sequence analysis results. A large proportion (76% to 100%) of the L. monocytogenes were resistant to erythromycin (76%), clindamycin (100%), gentamicin (100%), tetracycline (100%), novobiocin (100%), oxacillin (100%), nalidixic acid (100%), and kanamycin (100%). The isolates revealed various multi-drug resistant (MDR) phenotypes, with E-DA-GM-T-NO-OX-NA-K being the most predominant MDR phenotypes observed in the L. monocytogenes isolates. The virulence genes prfA, hlyA, actA, and plcB were detected in 100%, 68%, 56%, and 20% of the isolates, respectively. In addition, L. monocytogenes isolates were capable of forming strong biofilm at 4 °C (%) after 24 to 72 h incubation periods, moderate for 8% isolates at 48 h and 20% at 72 h (p < 0.05). Moreover, at 25 °C and 37 °C, small proportions of the isolates displayed moderate (8–20%) biofilm formation after 48 and 72 h incubation periods. Biofilm formation genes flaA and luxS were detected in 72% and 56% of the isolates, respectively. These findings suggest that proper hygiene measures must be enforced along the food chain to ensure food safety.

Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the enormous importance of maintaining good hygienic conditions in everyday indoor environments for the prevention of infectious diseases. This includes sanitization methods capable of significantly reducing the microbial load in the air and on surfaces. However, in line with the ecological transition, alternative systems for environmental sanitization with reduced environmental impact are urgently needed. The photocatalytic reaction using UV-C light-emitting diode (UV-C LED) lamps with short wavelengths, especially in the range of 200–280 nanometers (nm), can significantly reduce the microbial load, safeguarding the environment thanks to reduced energy consumption. The objective of this review is to describe the latest innovations in the use of UV-C LED technology in the sanitization of indoor environments, reporting the fundamental principles on which its activity relies. Methods: Two databases (PubMed, Web of Science), were searched, following PRISMA guidelines. Results: A total of 1348 publications were identified, of which 379 were assessed in detail and, of these, 16 were included in the review. Conclusions: This literature review highlighted that UV-C LEDs irradiation represents a valid, eco-sustainable sanitization method that could be exploited as an alternative to chemical compounds to contain indoor microbiological pollution in living and working environments.

Epidemiological evidence shows that physical activity lowers the risk of developing breast cancer and decreases the risk of disease recurrence [1,2]. The main hypothesis on the positive effects of exercise-oncology has focused on lowering the basal systemic levels of cancer risk factors with exercise training. Recently, the effects of cancer progression control by components released after acute exercise bouts have gained attention [3,4]. However, the evaluation of the antiproliferative potential of a single exercise bout needs technical improvement. Here, we present data of a pilot study showing how to evaluate the anti-cancer potential of single exercise bouts with an in vitro three-dimensional cell growth assay, using a triple-negative breast cancer cell line cultured with exercise-conditioned serum.