Among risk factors (apart from smoking) likely involved in bladder cancer (BCa), metabolic syndrome (MS), obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been explored with contrasting results. In spite of these studies, there is little data on the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), its main driver, i.e., insulin resistance (IR), and BCa. Implanting a cross-sectional retrospective study we tried to investigate both NAFLD and IR prevalence in a hospital based population of BCa patients. We studied laboratory data from 204 patients with histologically confirmed non metastatic BCa and 50 subjects with no BCa, but with bladder diseases (no Ca BD). We evaluated the presence of NAFLD by the triglycerides/glucose Index (TyG Index), using a cut-off of 0.59 and by the Aspartate Aminotransferase/Alanine Aminotransferase AST/ALT ratio. IR was assessed by the same TyG Index (cut-off 4.68) and the triglycerides/High-Density Lipoprotein HDL ratio (cut-off 2.197). The diagnosis of impaired fasting glucose (IFG), condition of prediabetes, as well as that of T2DM was assessed according to canonical guidelines. The TyG Index predicted NAFLD presence in both groups (p = 0.000), but the BCa group showed a major percentage of NAFLD cases with respect to no Ca BD group (59% versus 40%). A greater proportion of IR (47%) in BCa group than in no Ca BD one (37%) was evidenced by the TyG Index with its median value significantly different (p = 0.0092). This high rate of IR in the BCa group was confirmed by the triglycerides/HDL ratio (p = 0.02). Prediabetes and T2DM were more prevalent in the BCa group than no Ca BD group (p = 0.024). In this study a consistent NAFLD presence was found in BCa patients. This is an important comorbidity factor that deserves further consideration in prospective studies. The higher prevalence of NAFLD, IR, prediabetes and T2DM in the BCa group evidences the need that these disorders should be reckoned as adjunct factors that could impact on this cancerous disease.

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Growing evidence supports the pivotal role played by periprostatic adipose tissue (PPAT) in prostate cancer (PCa) microenvironment. We investigated whether PPAT can affect response to Docetaxel (DCTX) and the mechanisms associated. Conditioned medium was collected from the in vitro differentiated adipocytes isolated from PPAT which was isolated from PCa patients, during radical prostatectomy. Drug efficacy was studied by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide citotoxicity assay. Culture with CM of human PPAT (AdipoCM) promotes DCTX resistance in two different human prostate cancer cell lines (DU145 and PC3) and upregulated the expression of BCL‐xL, BCL‐2, and TUBB2B. AG1024, a well‐known IGF‐1 receptor inhibitor, counteracts the decreased response to DCTX observed in presence of AdipoCM and decreased TUBB2B expression, suggesting that a paracrine secretion of IGF‐1 by PPAT affect DCTX response of PCa cell. Collectively, our study showed that factors secreted by PPAT elicits DCTX resistance through antiapoptotic proteins and TUBB2B upregulation in androgen independent PCa cell lines. These findings reveal the potential of novel therapeutic strategies targeting adipocyte‐released factors and IGF‐1 axis to overcome DCTX resistance in patients with PCa.

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Introduction Kidney transplant recipients and patients on the waiting list for kidney transplant who acquire SARS-CoV-2 infection are at serious risk of developing severe COVID-19, with an increased risk of mortality for the their immunosuppressive state; other risk factors for mortality have been identified in some comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes, asthma and chronic lung disease. Materials and Methods The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a sharp reduction in kidney transplants in most countries, mainly due to the concern of patients on the waiting list for their potential increased susceptibility to acquire SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthcare facilities and for the difficulties of transplant centers to ensure full activity as hospitals have had to focus most of their attention on COVID-19 patients. Indeed, while the infection curve continued its exponential rise, there was a vertical decline in kidney donation/transplant activity. Conclusion This review article focuses on the damage induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection on kidney and on the adverse effect of this pandemic on the entire kidney transplant sector.

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