Objectives Weight-related stigmatization is pervasive in American society with health and social consequences. The public increasingly gets news online and it can influence how they understand health issues, including obesity. Online media has a wide reach and can perpetuate the social acceptability of weight stigma through language and visual content. To combat weight bias, experts recommend the use of People-First Language (PFL) and avoidance of stigmatizing images by the media. Research has not yet analyzed the use of weight-related PFL or images in online coverage of any presidential physical exam. Our first objective was to determine the prevalence of PFL in online news coverage of the 2018 presidential physical exam. Our second objective was to examine the images that accompanied the online coverage. Methods Google search engine was used to identify all US based online news articles that covered the physical exam between December 7, 2017 and February 17, 2018. Articles meeting inclusion criteria were coded for the presence of weight-related language keywords and use of PFL. We then performed a content analysis on the images that accompanied the online news articles. Four coders systematically reviewed the visual content to capture images that may be stigmatizing. Simple descriptive statistics were used to summarize data. Results Exactly 1242 articles were obtained based on keyword searches and 376 met inclusion criteria. After excluding duplicates, 179 articles were included in the final analysis. Use of PFL was observed in 2% (4 of 179 articles) of coverage. Use of the adjective “obese” occurred in 44% of coverage, the condition “obesity” in 19% of coverage and “overweight” in 37% of coverage. About 28% (64 of 227) of images portrayed the president as exercising, but of those, 84% (54 of 64) were portrayed in a stigmatizing way. Of 227 photographs of the president accompanying the online news coverage, 37% (83 of 227) were portrayed in a negative and stigmatizing manner. Conclusions Prevalence of weight-related PFL was low and use of stigmatizing images was noticeable. Exercise should display positive characteristics in an image. However, in our study it was counterintuitively used for stigmatizing portrayals. Future research should identify factors surrounding the lack of PFL and use of stigmatizing images by online news media. Funding Sources LJ received funding from the U.S. Dept. of Education HSI STEM grant.
Objectives Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprises 10–20% of breast cancer cases. It is particularly aggressive with limited and deleterious treatment options. Increasingly, research confirms that communication between cancer cells and neighboring macrophages promotes disease progression in part by secretion of cytokines that increase tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a chemopreventive phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli) shown to alter cytokine secretion in macrophages and breast cancer cells grown in single culture. However, its effect in the tumor microenvironment remains unclear. This study aims to characterize cytokine profiles in media where TNBC cells and macrophages are grown in coculture with and without SFN treatment. We expect SFN to modify cytokine secretions in coculture media, suggesting SFN may disrupt vital cell-cell signaling needed for cancer progression. Methods TNBC cells (MDA-MB-231) were grown in Transwell plates with and without macrophages (THP-1 cells differentiated with PMA). Cell cultures (n = 3) were treated with either 15 μM SFN, DMSO (vehicle-control), or a non-treatment control. Cytokine levels were evaluated in media at 24 and 48 hours after treatment using BioPlex 2000 assay. Results Treatment with sulforaphane significantly reduced the levels of several targets in coculture including IL-1ra, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, CCL2 (MCP-1), CCL11, CCL22, CCL26, CXCL12, IFN-y, G-CSF, GM-CSF, Eotaxin, and VEGF. Conversely, MIF was elevated following treatment. Effects were discovered at 24-hour and 48-hour time points. Conclusions We demonstrated that SFN altered the levels of numerous cellular signaling proteins in cancer cell-macrophage coculture, many of which are known to be involved with breast cancer progression. These results reveal mechanistic links underlying SFNs chemopreventive function and bolster SFNs potential as a treatment strategy for TNBC. Funding Sources Department of Nutrition and Food Science, CSU Chico; Graduate Studies, CSU Chico; CSUPERB: CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology.
Objectives Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) makes up approximately 10–20% of all breast cancer cases and is more common in younger women and in Hispanic and African American populations. It is particularly difficult to treat, exhibiting high-metastasis rates, poor prognosis, and limited treatment options. Mortality from TNBC is largely due to the tumor cells high invasive capacity and rapid progression to metastasis. Evidence suggests that macrophages in the breast tumor microenvironment release cytokines that increase tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a broccoli phytochemical that has been identified to slow the progression of breast cancer as well as alter cytokine secretion from macrophages and breast cancer cells grown in single culture. SFN effects on cytokine secretion in the breast tumor microenvironment remain unclear. This study is investigating the effect of SFN on cytokine levels in cell culture media of TNBC cells grown with and without macrophages. Our hypothesis is that cytokine levels differ in media from cocultured cells versus singly cultured cells, and SFN treatment further alters cytokine levels in media. Methods In this study, TNBC cells (MDA-MB-231) were grown in transwell plates with and without macrophages (THP-1 cells differentiated with phorbol-myristate acetate). Cell cultures (n = 3) were treated with either 15 µM SFN, DMSO (vehicle-control), or a non-treatment control. We evaluated the levels of 44 individual cytokines in cell culture media at 24 and 48 hours after treatment using a multi-plex (BioPlex) assay. Control groups included single-cultured MDA-MB-231 and differentiated THP-1 cells. Results Preliminary analyses revealed that cytokine levels differed in the media of single versus cocultured cells and among treatment groups after 24 and 48 hours of treatment. Conclusions The profile of cytokines in the media of TNBC cells grown with macrophages was influenced by SFN treatment. This information may help establish mechanisms underlying SFN effects on TNBC behavior and identify new treatment strategies. Funding Sources California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology, California State University-Chico.
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