Gene expression polymorphisms of interleukins-1 beta, -4, -6, -8, -10, and tumor necrosis factors-alpha, -beta: regression analysis of their effect upon oral squamous cell carcinoma

TNFRSF1B A1466G genotype is predictive of clinical efficacy after treatment with a definitive 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Currently definitive 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/cisplatin (CDDP) -based chemotherapy is recognized as one of the most promising treatments for esophageal cancer. A series of studies performed found genetic polymorphisms and the plasma concentration of 5-FU to be predictive of acute severe toxicities and clinical response. Genetic polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -alpha and its surface receptors, TNFRSF1A and TNFRSF1B have been examined in terms of susceptibility to various cancers. In this study, genetic polymorphisms of TNFRSF1B gene were evaluated Japanese esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients treated with the definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy and their predictive values of prognosis or severe acute toxicities were assessed.

METHODS

Forty-six patients with ESCC were treated with the definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy, one course of which consisted of the continuous infusion of 5-FU for days 1-5 and 8-12, the infusion of CDDP on days 1 and 8, and the radiation at 2 Gy/day on days 1-5, 8-12, and 15-19, with a second course repeated after 2-week interval. Genetic polymorphisms of a TNF-alpha receptor TNFRSF1B gene were determined by a TaqMan(R) MGB probe-based polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

The genotype of TNFSR1B A1466G, but not M196R/T587G or C1493T, was found to be predictive of clinical response, i.e., a complete response or not (p = 0.040). Clinical response was predicted by tumor size (p = 0,002), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.007), distant metastasis (p = 0.001) and disease stage (p < 0.001), but TNFRSF1B A1466G genotype was independent of these factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic polymorphism of TNFRSF1B A1466G was found to be predictive response in Japanese ESCC patients with a definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy. Further clinical investigation with a large number of patients or experiments in vitro should be performed to assess the predictive value of TNFRSF1B A1466G genotype after chemoradiotherapy.

IL-8 -251A/T polymorphism is associated with decreased cancer risk among population-based studies: evidence from a meta-analysis

Growing evidence suggests that interleukin-8 (IL-8) play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of cancer through the modulation of tumour immune response or enhanced angiogenesis. A single nucleotide polymorphism, -251A/T, has been identified in the promoter region of the IL-8 gene and has been shown to influence its production. Results from previous studies on the association of -251A/T polymorphism with different cancer types remained contradictory. To assess the effect of -251A/T of IL-8 on cancer susceptibility, we conducted a meta-analysis, up to May 2009, of 14,876 cases with different cancer types and 18,465 controls from 45 published case-control studies. Summary odds ratios and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for IL-8 polymorphism and cancer were estimated using fixed- and random-effects models when appropriate. The AA/AT genotypes were associated with a significantly increased risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma when compared with TT genotype (OR=1.48; 95% CI, 1.16-1.89). Moreover, significantly elevated risks were observed in 'other cancers', and also in African population when population is concerned. Interestingly, when stratified separately by population-based studies and hospital-based studies, significantly elevated risk was found among hospital-based studies (OR=1.21, 95% CI, 1.07-1.37), whereas significantly decreased risk was found among population-based studies (OR=0.90, 95% CI, 0.83-0.97). This meta-analysis shows that IL-8 -251A/T polymorphism may play a complex role in cancer development.

Cytokines levels, severity of acute mucositis and the need of PEG tube installation during chemo-radiation for head and neck cancer--a prospective pilot study

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this pilot study was to detect a correlation between serum cytokine levels and severity of mucositis, necessitating installation of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG) in head and neck (H&N) cancer patients receiving combined chemo-radiation therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifteen patients with H&N epithelial cancer were recruited to this study. All patients received radiotherapy to the H&N region, with doses ranging from 50-70 Gy. Chemotherapy with cisplatin, carboplatin, 5-fluorouracil and taxanes was given to high-risk patients, using standard chemotherapy protocols. Patients were evaluated for mucositis according to WHO common toxicity criteria, and blood samples were drawn for inflammatory (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine levels before and during treatment.

RESULTS

A positive correlation was found between IL-6 serum levels and severity of mucositis and dysphagia; specifically, high IL-6 levels at week 2 were correlated with a need for PEG tube installation. A seemingly contradictory correlation was found between low IL-8 serum levels and a need for a PEG tube.

CONCLUSION

These preliminary results, indicating a correlation between IL-6 and IL-8 serum levels and severity of mucositis and a need for a PEG tube installation, justify a large scale study.

A comprehensive microarray-based DNA methylation study of 367 hematological neoplasms

BACKGROUND

Alterations in the DNA methylation pattern are a hallmark of leukemias and lymphomas. However, most epigenetic studies in hematologic neoplasms (HNs) have focused either on the analysis of few candidate genes or many genes and few HN entities, and comprehensive studies are required.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Here, we report for the first time a microarray-based DNA methylation study of 767 genes in 367 HNs diagnosed with 16 of the most representative B-cell (n = 203), T-cell (n = 30), and myeloid (n = 134) neoplasias, as well as 37 samples from different cell types of the hematopoietic system. Using appropriate controls of B-, T-, or myeloid cellular origin, we identified a total of 220 genes hypermethylated in at least one HN entity. In general, promoter hypermethylation was more frequent in lymphoid malignancies than in myeloid malignancies, being germinal center mature B-cell lymphomas as well as B and T precursor lymphoid neoplasias those entities with highest frequency of gene-associated DNA hypermethylation. We also observed a significant correlation between the number of hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes in several mature B-cell neoplasias, but not in precursor B- and T-cell leukemias. Most of the genes becoming hypermethylated contained promoters with high CpG content, and a significant fraction of them are targets of the polycomb repressor complex. Interestingly, T-cell prolymphocytic leukemias show low levels of DNA hypermethylation and a comparatively large number of hypomethylated genes, many of them showing an increased gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

We have characterized the DNA methylation profile of a wide range of different HNs entities. As well as identifying genes showing aberrant DNA methylation in certain HN subtypes, we also detected six genes--DBC1, DIO3, FZD9, HS3ST2, MOS, and MYOD1--that were significantly hypermethylated in B-cell, T-cell, and myeloid malignancies. These might therefore play an important role in the development of different HNs.

Acetylated NPM1 localizes in the nucleoplasm and regulates transcriptional activation of genes implicated in oral cancer manifestation

Nucleophosmin (NPM1) is a multifunctional protein involved in the regulation of centrosome duplication, ribosome biogenesis, genomic stability, histone chaperone function, and transcription. Overexpression of NPM1 is associated with cancers of diverse histological origins. Here, we have found that p300-mediated acetylation of NPM1 modulates its subcellular localization and augments its oncogenic potential. Acetylated NPM1 is predominantly localized in the nucleoplasm, where it associates with transcriptionally active RNA polymerase II. Deacetylation of NPM1 is brought about by human SIRT1 and reduces its transcriptional activation potential. Remarkably, increased levels of acetylated NPM1 were found in grade II and III oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patient samples. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of NPM1 in an OSCC cell line, followed by microarray analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, revealed that some of the genes involved in oral cancer malignancy are regulated by NPM1 and have acetylated NPM1 localized at their promoters. Either suppression of p300 by siRNA or mutation of acetylatable lysine residues of NPM1 resulted in reduced occupancy of acetylated NPM1 on the target gene promoter concomitant with its decreased transcript levels. These observations suggest that acetylated NPM1 transcriptionally regulates genes involved in cell survival and proliferation during carcinogenesis.

Association of leptin -2548G/A and leptin receptor Q223R polymorphisms with increased risk for oral cancer

PURPOSE

We investigated the possible association of DNA polymorphisms -2548G/A and Q223R in the leptin (LEP) and leptin receptor (LEPR) genes, respectively, which both affect the amount of circulating cytokine-type hormone leptin, with risk for development of oral cancer.

METHODS

Polymerase chain reaction-based restriction analysis was performed in DNA samples of 150 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and 152 healthy control subjects of equivalent gender, age, and ethnicity (Greeks and Germans).

RESULTS

Compared to controls, the homozygous high gene expression genotype A/A of the LEP -2548G/A polymorphism was significantly increased in the subgroups of patients with advanced cancer stages (P = 0.0001; OR 9.0, 95% CI 2.62-30.89), with a positive family history of cancer (P = 0.0346; OR 3.55, 95% CI 1.15-11.01), without tobacco abuse (P = 0.0051; OR 9.69, 95% CI 1.03-91.24), and without alcohol abuse (P = 0.0472; OR 2.16, 95% CI 0.87-5.37). The homozygous low-leptin-binding genotype G/G of the LEPR Q223R polymorphism was strongly associated with an increased risk for OSCC for all patients (P = 0.0028; OR 4.11, 95% CI 1.30-12.97) as well for most of the patient subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

The above findings are consistent with the growth-promoting role of leptin in cancer and its induction effect on angiogenesis and metastasis. This is the first study indicating the association of these LEP and LEPR gene polymorphisms with increased risk for OSCC.

Genetic association of cytokine DNA polymorphisms with head and neck cancer

Mutations in oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, as well as environmental factors such as tobacco chewing or smoking, poor oral hygiene, ill-fitting dental appliances, infection by certain HPV types, or alcohol abuse, seem to be involved in the multifactorial process of carcinogenesis in head and neck. Recently, several genetic association studies have indicated that common DNA polymorphisms in low penetrance genes may affect the susceptibility of an individual to malignancy. Cytokines are an important group of proteins that regulate and mediate inflammation and angiogenesis. Tumor growth, invasion and metastasis are facilitated when there is a deregulation in their production. Cytokines include interleukins (ILs), tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) and certain growth factors (GFs). A number of genetic association studies have recently investigated the putative correlation between functional DNA polymorphisms in cytokine genes and head and neck carcinomas. This review discusses the findings of such studies in oral, nasopharyngeal and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. Extensive research has indicated that functional polymorphisms affecting gene expression of IL-4,-6,-8,-10 as well as TNF-alpha are strongly associated with increased risk for oral cancer. Gene expression of TNF-alpha seems to be associated also with esophageal carcinomas, while for nasopharyngeal cancer the picture is yet unclear. It is generally believed that such genetic association studies will gradually increase our knowledge regarding the predisposed manifestation and advancement of these malignancies in the head and neck region.