Provided herein are materials and methods for isolation of eukaryotic nucleic acid from a human or non-human animal stool sample. Also provided are methods of analysis of eukaryotic biomarkers present in a human or non-human animal stool sample.

Although tumor-associated macrophages have been extensively studied in the control of response to radiotherapy, the molecular mechanisms involved in the ionizing radiation-mediated activation of macrophages remain elusive. Here the present inventors show that ionizing radiation induces the expression of interferon-regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) promoting thus macrophage activation toward a pro-inflammatory phenotype. They reveal that the activation of the Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase is required for ionizing radiation-elicited macrophage activation, but also for macrophage reprogramming after treatments with γ-interferon, lipopolysaccharide or chemotherapeutic agent (such as cis-platin), underscoring the fact that the kinase ATM plays a central role during macrophage phenotypic switching toward a proinflammatory phenotype. They further demonstrate that NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2)-dependent ROS production is upstream to ATM activation and is essential during this process. They also report that hypoxic conditions and the inhibition of any component of this signaling pathway (NOX2, ROS and ATM) impairs pro-inflammatory activation of macrophages and predicts a poor tumor response to preoperative radiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer. Altogether, these results identify a novel signaling pathway involved in macrophage activation that may enhance effectiveness of radiotherapy through the re-programming of tumor infiltrating macrophages.

Provided is a non-invasive method for diagnosing colorectal cancer in a subject by detecting enrichment or reduction of certain bacterial species. A kit and device useful for such methods are also provided. In addition, a method for reducing the risk of colon cancer by regulating the pertinent bacterial species in human colon is also provided.

An object of the present invention is to provide an anticancer drug capable of treating cancer by finding a target molecule specifically expressed in cancer cells and by specifically acting on the target molecule, and to provide a cancer testing method including a step of measuring the target molecule in a sample. The present invention provides an anticancer drug containing, as an active ingredient thereof, an anti-transmembrane protein 180 (TMEM-180) antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof. In addition, the present invention provides a cancer testing method including a step of measuring the amount of TMEM-180 in a sample collected from a subject.

Apparatus and methods are described for use with feces of a subject that are disposed within a toilet bowl. One or more light sensors receive light from the toilet bowl, while the feces are disposed within the toilet bowl. A computer processor detects a set of three or more spectral components that have a characteristic relationship with each other in a light spectrum of bile, by analyzing the received light, and detects a presence of bile within the feces, in response to detecting the set of three or more spectral components. The computer processor generates an output in response thereto. Other applications are also described.

Quorum-sensing peptides are provided as diagnostic biomarkers, and quorum-sensing peptide inhibiting substances are provided for use in the treatment of metastasis of colorectal cancer in a subject, in particular a human subject. Methods for reducing metastasis of colorectal cancer in a subject include administering to the subject a microorganism that reduces or blocks activity of a pro-metastatic quorum-sensing peptide or a metabolite thereof present in a gastrointestinal tract or blood of the subject; and/or that reduces or blocks production of the pro-metastatic quorum-sensing peptide or the metabolite thereof in the gastrointestinal tract or blood of the subject. The pro-metastatic quorum-sensing peptide may include EntF or the metabolite EntF* of EntF.

The present invention relates to a method for providing information for the preemptive diagnosis of colorectal cancer with non-invasive biospecimens, wherein the excellent quantification of carcinogenic PhIP and MeIQx is achieved in terms of yields, when a biological sample, such as urine, is hydrolyzed with strong alkali reagents and then prepared through a specific liquid-liquid extraction, as compared to when the sample is prepared with other hydrolysis methods or extraction.

Provided herein are methods and systems of molecular profiling of diseases, such as cancer. In some embodiments, the molecular profiling can be used to identify treatments for a disease, such as treatments that were not initially identified as a treatment for the disease or not expected to be a treatment for a particular disease.

There is disclosed a method of identifying colon cancer-specific vesicle-associated proteins from a tissue sample of a subject. The method comprises isolating tissue-resident extracellular vesicles from the tissue sample; identifying vesicle-associated proteins associated with the isolated tissue-resident extracellular vesicles; quantifying the identified vesicle-associated proteins to identify one or more major vesicle-associated proteins; creating vesicle-associated protein profiles for the identified vesicle-associated proteins; and comparing the vesicle-associated protein profiles for the identified vesicle-associated proteins with pre-determined vesicle-associated protein profiles of the tumour tissue samples and/or non-tumour tissue samples.

Apparatus and methods are described for use with feces of a subject that is disposed within a toilet bowl (23), and an output device (32). One or more light sensors (60, 62, 64, 66) receive light from the toilet bowl, while the feces are disposed within the toilet bowl. A computer processor (44) analyzes the received light, and, in response thereto, determines that there is a presence of blood within the feces, and determines a source of the blood from within the subject's gastrointestinal tract. The computer processor (44) generates an output on the output device (32), at least partially in response thereto. Other applications are also described.