Yu-Kuei Chen

Arecoline, the primary alkaloid in areca nut, is a major risk factor for metastasis-associated progression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol in green tea, has exhibited anti-cancer and anti-metastatic activity in multiple tumor models. However, the effects of EGCG on arecoline-induced metastatic behavior in ESCC have not been directly examined. In this study, we examined the effects of EGCG on arecoline-induced migration and invasion in human ESCC cells. Parental CE81T/VGH cells and a highly invasive subline, CE81T-M4, were treated with arecoline, EGCG, or their combination. Cell migration and invasion were assessed using the wound-healing and transwell assays, while changes in EGFR-related signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated markers were analyzed by western blotting and immunofluorescence. Arecoline increased ESCC cell motility and invasion and activated EGFR-dependent signaling, including AKT and P38 phosphorylation, accompanied by increased expression of EMT-associated markers. EGCG suppressed these effects in both parental and invasive ESCC cells. Genetic knockdown of AKT reduced P38 activation and VIMENTIN expression, supporting a role for AKT upstream of P38 in regulating EMT-related responses. The attenuation of arecoline-driven metastatic behavior in ESCC cells by EGCG is associated with alterations in EGFR-AKT-P38 signaling, supporting its potential role as a dietary or adjunctive agent in areca-associated esophageal cancer.

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia may be influenced by lifestyle and dietary factors. Emerging evidence suggests that certain foods such as sea vegetables and fruits contain bioactive compounds may help protect against muscle loss. This study investigated the association between sea vegetable and fruit intake and the risk of sarcopenia and physical performance in older adults in Taiwan. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 588 individuals aged ≥65 years recruited from three hospitals (outpatient and home-care settings) in southern Taiwan (2018–2020). Questionnaire, medical chart, and laboratory data were used to examine the associations between demographic characteristics, dietary intake, and nutritional status and sarcopenia, defined as low muscle mass plus reduced strength or poor physical performance. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. The performance variables we measured were grip strength, gait speed, and chair stand time. Logistic regression was used to identify associated factors, and linear regression was used to assess the contributions of these factors to performance measures. Results: Sarcopenia was identified in 159 (27.0%) of the 588 participants. Those with sarcopenia had lower education levels, poorer nutritional status, weaker grip strength, and slower mobility. Daily intakes of sea vegetables (adjusted OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.20–0.74) and fresh fruits (adjusted OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.16–0.49) were independently associated with reduced risk of sarcopenia. Sea vegetable intake was positively associated with grip strength, while fruit intake was inversely associated with chair stand time. Conclusions: Dietary factors and nutritional status were significantly associated with sarcopenia risk and physical performance. Sarcopenia prevention strategies might want to include promoting the consumption of sea vegetables and fruits.

Background: Drinking alcohol of adolescents is an important issue in Taiwan. The purpose of the research is to determine how drinking expectancy and drinking refusal self-efficacy influence drinking behavior among Taiwanese adolescents based on a cognitive model of alcohol consumption. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 908 students, selected from 10th to 12th grade of six high schools in Taiwan, were stratified randomly. Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among drinking expectancy, refusal self-efficacy, and alcohol use, including drinking frequency and drunkenness frequency. Results: There was significant positive relationship between drinking expectancies, and drinking and drunkenness frequency; and negative correlation between drinking refusal self-efficacy, and drinking and drunkenness frequency. Multiple regression analysis revealed that (1) tension reduction, sexual enhancement, social pressure, emotional relief, and opportunity to drink significant predicted drinking frequency (Adjusted R² = 0.352, p < 0.001) and (2) tension reduction, increased confidence, cognitive enhancement, and social pressure significant predicted drunkenness frequency (Adjusted R² = 0.226, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Adolescents have positive outcome expectancies regarding increased drinking frequency. Under the pressure of social interaction, drinking was the most difficult to refuse. Alcohol expectancy and drinking refusal self-efficacy have both shown notable influences on Taiwanese adolescents.

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, has been found to be influenced by nutrition and lifestyle in studies in the western countries. Little is known, however, about their effect on sarcopenia in Asia. This study examined the association between diet, clinical status, and clinical setting with sarcopenia and physical performance in older adults in Taiwan. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 588 individuals aged ≥ 65 years recruited from three hospitals in southern Taiwan (2018–2020). Questionnaire, medical chart, and laboratory data were used to study the association between demographic, dietary, nutritional status, and biochemical data with sarcopenia, defined as low muscle mass plus reduced strength or poor physical performance. Logistic regression was used to identify associated factors and linear regression was used to assess the contributions of these factors to grip strength, gait speed, and chair stand time. Results: Sarcopenia was identified in 159 (27.0%) of the 588 participants. Those with sarcopenia had lower education levels, poorer nutritional status, weaker grip strength, and slower mobility. Daily intakes of sea vegetables (adjusted OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.22–0.90) and fresh fruits (adjusted OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.23 – 0.76) were independently associated with reduced risk of sarcopenia. Those with increased risk were older (adjusted OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.05) and recruited from Pingtung Veterans General Hospital Longquan Branch (adjusted OR = 6.48, 95% CI: 3.16–13.3), compared with those recruited from Pingtung Hospital. Sea vegetable intake was positively associated with grip strength, while fruit intake was inversely associated with chair stand time. Conclusions: Dietary factors, nutritional status, and recruitment setting were significantly associated with sarcopenia risk and physical performance. Prevention efforts might want to focus on increasing consumption sea vegetables and fruits and addressing institutional disparities.

Scope: Kaempferol (KMP), a bioactive flavonoid compound found in fruits and vegetables, contributes to human health in many ways but little is known about its relationship with muscle mass. The effect of KMP on C2C12 myoblast differentiation and the mechanisms that might underlie that effect are studied.Methods and results: This study finds that KMP (1, 10 µM) increases the migration and differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts in vitro. Studying the possible mechanism underlying its effect on migration, the study finds that KMP activates Integrin Subunit Beta 1 (ITGB1) in C2C12 myoblasts, increasing p‐FAK (Tyr398) and its downstream cell division cycle 42 (CDC42), a protein previously associated with cell migration. Regarding differentiation, KMP upregulates the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) and activates IGF1/AKT/mTOR/P70S6K. Interestingly, pretreatment with an AKT inhibitor (LY294002) and siRNA knockdown of IGF1R leads to a decrease in cell differentiation, suggesting that IGF1/AKT activation is required for KMP to induce C2C12 myoblast differentiation.Conclusion: Together, the findings suggest that KMP enhances the migration and differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts through the ITG1B/FAK/paxillin and IGF1R/AKT/mTOR pathways. Thus, KMP supplementation might potentially be used to prevent or delay age‐related loss of muscle mass and help maintain muscle health.

Aging and muscle disorders frequently cause a decrease in myoblast migration and differentiation, leading to losses in skeletal muscle function and regeneration. Several studies have reported that natural flavonoids can stimulate muscle development. Quercetin, one such flavonoid found in many vegetables and fruits, has been used to promote muscle development. In this study, we investigated the effect of quercetin on migration and differentiation, two processes critical to muscle regeneration. We found that quercetin induced the migration and differentiation of mouse C2C12 cells. These results indicated quercetin could induce myogenic differentiation at the early stage through activated p-IGF-1R. The molecular mechanisms of quercetin include the promotion of myogenic differentiation via activated transcription factors STAT3 and the AKT signaling pathway. In addition, we demonstrated that AKT activation is required for quercetin induction of myogenic differentiation to occur. In addition, quercetin was found to promote myoblast migration by regulating the ITGB1 signaling pathway and activating phosphorylation of FAK and paxillin. In conclusion, quercetin can potentially be used to induce migration and differentiation and thus improve muscle regeneration.