Osteopontin promoter polymorphisms at locus -443 significantly affect the metastasis and prognosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma

Genetic polymorphisms as potential pharmacogenetic biomarkers for platinum-based chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer

Platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC) is a widely used treatment for various solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its efficacy is often compromised by the emergence of drug resistance in patients. There is growing evidence that genetic variations may influence the susceptibility of NSCLC patients to develop resistance to PBC. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms underlying platinum drug resistance and highlight the important role that genetic polymorphisms play in this process. This paper discussed the genetic variants that regulate DNA repair, cellular movement, drug transport, metabolic processing, and immune response, with a focus on their effects on response to PBC. The potential applications of these genetic polymorphisms as predictive indicators in clinical practice are explored, as are the challenges associated with their implementation.

Common Variants in Osteopontin and CD44 Genes as Predictors of Treatment Outcome in Radiotherapy and Chemoradiotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Osteopontin (OPN)-CD44 signaling plays an important role in promoting tumor progression and metastasis. In cancer, OPN and CD44 overexpression is a marker of aggressive disease and poor prognosis, and correlates with therapy resistance. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the OPN and CD44 genes with clinical outcomes in 307 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. The potential impact of the variants on plasma OPN levels was also investigated. Multivariate analysis showed that OPN rs11730582 CC carriers had a significantly increased risk of death (p = 0.029), while the CD44 rs187116 A allele correlated with a reduced risk of locoregional recurrence (p = 0.016) in the curative treatment subset. The rs11730582/rs187116 combination was associated with an elevated risk of metastasis in these patients (p = 0.016). Furthermore, the OPN rs1126772 G variant alone (p = 0.018) and in combination with rs11730582 CC (p = 7 × 10-5) was associated with poor overall survival (OS) in the squamous cell carcinoma subgroup. The rs11730582 CC, rs187116 GG, and rs1126772 G, as well as their respective combinations, were independent risk factors for unfavorable treatment outcomes. The impact of rs11730582-rs1126772 haplotypes on OS was also observed. These data suggest that OPN and CD44 germline variants may predict treatment effects in NSCLC.

Thrombin Cleavage of Osteopontin and the Host Anti-Tumor Immune Response

Osteopontin (OPN) is a multi-functional protein that is involved in various cellular processes such as cell adhesion, migration, and signaling. There is a single conserved thrombin cleavage site in OPN that, when cleaved, yields two fragments with different properties from full-length OPN. In cancer, OPN has tumor-promoting activity and plays a role in tumor growth and metastasis. High levels of OPN expression in cancer cells and tumor tissue are found in various types of cancer, including breast, lung, prostate, ovarian, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer, and are associated with poor prognosis and decreased survival rates. OPN promotes tumor progression and invasion by stimulating cell proliferation and angiogenesis and also facilitates the metastasis of cancer cells to other parts of the body by promoting cell adhesion and migration. Furthermore, OPN contributes to immune evasion by inhibiting the activity of immune cells. Thrombin cleavage of OPN initiates OPN's tumor-promoting activity, and thrombin cleavage fragments of OPN down-regulate the host immune anti-tumor response.

Association of deleted in liver cancer-1 gene polymorphism with increased risk of chronicity of disease among Malaysian patients with hepatitis B infection

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to examine the association between genetic variations in deleted in liver cancer 1 (DLC1) gene with progression of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

METHODS

A total of 623 subjects were included in this study, of whom, 423 were chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients without liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 103 CHB with either liver cirrhosis ± HCC and 97 individuals who had resolved HBV. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms rs3739298 and rs532841 of DLC1 gene were genotyped using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform.

RESULTS

Our results indicated significant differences between the chronic HBV and resolved HBV groups in genotype and allele frequencies of DLC1-rs3739298 [odds ratio (OR) = 2.23; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.24-3.99; P = 0.007] and (OR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.07-2.22; P = 0.021), respectively. Moreover, haplotype analysis revealed significant associations between chronicity of HBV with TG and GA haplotypes (P = 0.041 and P = 0.042), respectively.

CONCLUSION

A significant association exists between the rs3739298 variant and susceptibility to CHB infection.

The effect of key DNA methylation in different regions on gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer with high morbidity and mortality. As we all know, the alteration of DNA methylation has a crucial impact on the occurrence of HCC. However, the mechanism of the effect of DNA methylation in different regions on gene expression is still unclear. Here, by computing and analyzing the distribution of differential methylation in 12 different regions in HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues, not only the hypermethylation of CpG islands and global hypomethylation were found, but also a stable distribution pattern of differential methylation in HCC was found. Then the correlations between DNA methylations in different regions and gene expressions were calculated, and the diversity of correlations in different regions was determined. The key genes of differential methylation and differential expression related to the survival of HCC patients were obtained by using Cox regression analysis, a four-gene prognostic risk scoring model was constructed, and the prognostic performance was well verified. The regions of the differentially methylated CpG sites corresponding to the four key genes were located and their influences on the expression were analyzed. The results indicate that the promoter, first exon, 5'UTR, sixth exon, N_Shore, and S_Shore hypomethylation promotes the expression of key oncogenes, which together lead to the occurrence of HCC. These results might help to study the role of DNA methylation in HCC and provide potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of HCC.

The interaction between cancer associated fibroblasts and tumor associated macrophages via the osteopontin pathway in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Cancer-tumor associated macrophage (TAM)-cancer associated fibroblast (CAF) interactions are an important factor in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were cultured with cancer cell-conditioned medium (Ca.-CM), TAM-CM and CAF-CM, and the expression of CAF markers were evaluated by RT-PCR. Whether HSCs cultured with Ca.-CM, TAM-CM and CAF-CM contributed to the enhanced malignancy of cancer cells was examined using proliferation, invasion and migration assays. Furthermore, the differences between these three types of CM were evaluated using cytokine arrays.

RESULTS

HSCs cultured with Ca.-CM, TAM-CM and CAF-CM showed significantly increased mRNA expression of αSMA, FAP and IL-6. All HSCs cultured with each CM exhibited significantly increased proliferation, invasion and migration of cancer cells. The osteopontin concentration was significantly higher in HSCs cultured with TAM-CM than the other CAF-CMs. Osteopontin inhibition significantly reduced osteopontin secretion from HSCs cultured with TAM-CM and suppressed the proliferation and invasion of cancer cells enhanced by HSCs cultured with TAM-CM.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed enhanced osteopontin secretion from TAMs, and this increased osteopontin further promoted osteopontin secretion from HSCs cultured with TAM-CM, leading to increased malignancy. For the first time, we demonstrated the importance of cancer-TAM-CAF interactions via osteopontin in hepatocellular carcinoma.

A Case-Control Study of the Association Between the SPP1 Gene SNPs and the Susceptibility to Breast Cancer in Guangxi, China

Secreted phosphoprotein-1 (SPP1) has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer (BRC), but the influence of SPP1 single nucleotide polymorphisms on the BRC susceptibility has been rarely reported. In this study, we explored the association between rs11730582, rs2853750, and rs35893069 in the SPP1 gene and the BRC susceptibility. We used Snapshot assay to detect SPP1 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 471 BRC patients and 471 controls. The plasma SPP1 level was measured by ELISA. We found that the CC genotype and C allele of rs11730582 were associated with a significantly decreased BRC risk compared with the TT genotype and T allele, respectively [CC vs. TT: odds ratio (OR) = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.37–0.94, P = 0.026; C vs. T: OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.65–0.96, P = 0.022]. In addition, BRC patients and controls with the rs11730582 CC genotype had a lower plasma SPP1 level than did BRC patients and controls with TT genotype (P = 0.007 and P = 0.011, respectively). Moreover, the proportions of rs11730582 CC genotype and C allele were decreased in BRC patients with clinical stages I–III compared with those with clinical stage IV (P = 0.012 and P = 0.003, respectively). Besides, the C-G-T haplotype was associated with a significantly decreased BRC risk compared with the T-A-T haplotype (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.52–0.93, P = 0.015). However, there was no significant association between rs2853750 or rs35893069 and the BRC risk. In summary, our study found the association between rs11730582 and the risk of BRC and suggested that rs11730582 may promote the occurrence and development of BRC by regulating SPP1 expression.

DNA methylation-driven genes for constructing diagnostic, prognostic, and recurrence models for hepatocellular carcinoma

In this study, we performed a comprehensively analysis of gene expression and DNA methylation data to establish diagnostic, prognostic, and recurrence models for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: We collected gene expression and DNA methylation datasets for over 1,200 clinical samples. Integrated analyses of RNA-sequencing and DNA methylation data were performed to identify DNA methylation-driven genes. These genes were utilized in univariate, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses to build a prognostic model. Recurrence and diagnostic models for HCC were also constructed using the same genes.

Results: A total of 123 DNA methylation-driven genes were identified. Two of these genes (SPP1 and LCAT) were chosen to construct the prognostic model. The high-risk group showed a markedly unfavorable prognosis compared to the low-risk group in both training (HR = 2.81; P < 0.001) and validation (HR = 3.06; P < 0.001) datasets. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated the prognostic model to be an independent predictor of prognosis (P < 0.05). Also, the recurrence model successfully distinguished the HCC recurrence rate between the high-risk and low-risk groups in both training (HR = 2.22; P < 0.001) and validation (HR = 2; P < 0.01) datasets. The two diagnostic models provided high accuracy for distinguishing HCC from normal samples and dysplastic nodules in the training and validation datasets, respectively.

Conclusions: We identified and validated prognostic, recurrence, and diagnostic models that were constructed using two DNA methylation-driven genes in HCC. The results obtained by integrating multidimensional genomic data offer novel research directions for HCC biomarkers and new possibilities for individualized treatment of patients with HCC.

CCN2-MAPK-Id-1 loop feedback amplification is involved in maintaining stemness in oxaliplatin-resistant hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Chemotherapy is an alternative treatment for advanced HCCs, but chemo-resistance prevents cancer therapies from achieving stable and complete responses. Understanding the underlying mechanisms in chemo-resistance is critical to improve the efficacy of HCC.

Methods

The expression levels of Id-1 and CCN2 were detected in large cohorts of HCCs, and functional analyses of Id-1 and CCN2 were performed both in vitro and in vivo. cDNA microarrays were performed to evaluate the alterations of expression profiling of HCC cells with overexpression of CCN2. Finally, the role of downstream signaling of MAPK/Id-1 signaling pathway in oxaliplatin resistance were also explored.

Results

The increased expression of Id-1 and CCN2 were closely related to oxaliplatin resistance in HCC. Upregulation of CCN2 and Id-1 was independently associated with shorter survival and increased recurrence in HCC patients, and significantly enhanced oxaliplatin resistance and promoted lung metastasis in vivo, whereas knock-down of their expression significantly reversed the chemo-resistance and inhibited HCC cell stemness. cDNA microarrays and PCR revealed that Id-1 and MAPK pathway were the downstream signaling of CCN2. CCN2 significantly enhanced oxaliplatin resistance by activating the MAPK/Id-1 signaling pathway, and Id-1 could upregulate CCN2 in a positive feedback manner.

Conclusions

CCN2/MAPK/Id-1 loop feedback amplification is involved in oxaliplatin resistance, and the combination of oxaliplatin with inhibitor of CCN2 or MAPK signaling could provide a promising approach to ameliorating oxaliplatin resistance in HCC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s12072-019-09960-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies a Genetic Prediction Model for Postoperative Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

As an important aspect of tumor heterogeneity, genetic variation may influence susceptibility and prognosis in different types of cancer. By exploring the prognostic value of genetic variation, this study aimed to establish a model for predicting postoperative survival and assessing the impact of variation on clinical outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Material/Methods

A genome-wide association study of 367 patients with HCC was conducted to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with prognosis. Identified predictors were further evaluated in 758 patients. Two prognostic models were established using Cox proportional hazards regression and Nomogram strategy, and validated in another 316 patients. The effect of the SNP rs2431 was analyzed in detail.

Results

A prognostic model including 5 SNPs (rs10893585, rs2431, rs34675408, rs6078460, and rs6766361) was established and exhibited high predictive accuracy for HCC prognosis. The panel combined with tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage resulted in a significantly higher c-index (0.723) than the individual c-index values. Stratified by the Nomogram prediction model, the median overall survival for the low-risk and high-risk groups were 100.1 versus 30.8 months (P<0.001) in the training set and 82.2 versus 22.5 months (P<0.001) in the validation set. A closer examination of rs2431 revealed that it may regulate the expression of FNDC3B by disrupting a microRNA-binding site.

Conclusions

This study established prediction models based on genetic factors alone or in combination with TNM stage for postoperative survival in patients with HCC, and identified FNDC3B as a potential therapeutic target for combating HCC metastasis.

Prognostic value of osteopontin in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

The prognostic value of tissue and serum osteopontin (OPN) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain controversial. The aim of present meta-analysis was to evaluate the prognostic value of OPN in patients with HCC.

METHODS

Eligible studies were systematically searched by PubMed, EMBASE, and Google scholar. A meta-analysis of 12 studies included 2117 cases was performed to estimate the association between OPN level and overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) in HCC patients. Subgroup analyses were also performed in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The pooled data of studies showed that high OPN level was significantly associated with poor OS (hazard ratios [HR] 1.84; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.54-2.20; P = .000) and DFS (HR 1.67; 95% CI 1.40-1.98; P = .000) in HCC. Furthermore, in subgroup analysis, high tissue based OPN by immunohistochemistry detection and serum-based OPN by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection were both significantly associated with OS (tissue: HR 1.88; 95% CI 1.53-2.31; P < .0001; serum: HR 2.38; 95% CI 1.58-3.59; P < .0001). Simultaneously, we also found that OPN expression was positively associated with stage (odds ratios [OR] 5.68; 95% CI 3.443-7.758), tumor size (Size≤5 cm vs >5 cm; OR 2.001; 95% CI1.036-3.867).

CONCLUSION

The current evidence indicates that OPN could serve as a prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Osteopontin promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the PI3K/AKT/Twist signaling pathway

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) serves critical roles in the migration, invasion and metastasis of human cancer cells. This process is initiated by regulation of E-cadherin expression by the major inducers of EMT. Previous studies reported that osteopontin (OPN) is essential for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis as it facilitates the EMT in HCC. However, the role and clinical significance of OPN as an EMT regulator in HCC remains unknown. The present study revealed that OPN regulated the expression of Twist by activating RAC serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt), a critical EMT regulator. Interfering with the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway may suppress the expression of Twist enhanced by OPN. Increased Twist levels in HCC were associated with poor survival and tumor recurrence in patients with HCC following surgery. A significant association was observed between OPN expression and Twist levels in HCC, and a combination of these two parameters was revealed to be a more powerful predictor of poor patient prognosis. The findings of the present study indicate that Twist serves an notable role in OPN-mediated metastasis of HCC through activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Twist may be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of HCC metastasis in patients exhibiting high OPN expression.

Osteopontin alters DNA methylation through up-regulating DNMT1 and sensitizes CD133+/CD44+ cancer stem cells to 5 azacytidine in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), CD133+/CD44+ cells are one subgroup with high stemness and responsible for metastatic relapse and resistance to treatment. Our previous studies have demonstrated that osteopontin (OPN) plays critical roles in HCC metastasis. We further investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the role of OPN in regulating the stemness of HCC epigenetically and explored possible targeting strategy.

METHODS

CD133+/CD44+ subgroup sorting from HCC cell lines and HCC tissues was used to investigate the effects of OPN knockdown on stemness. iTRAQ and MedIP-sequencing were applied to detect the protein profile and epigenetic modification of CD133+/CD44+ subgroup with or without OPN knockdown. The antitumor effects of 5 Azacytidine were examined in cultured HCC cells and patient derived xenograft (PDX) models.

RESULTS

OPN was accumulated in CD133+/CD44+ subgroup of HCC cells. Knocking down OPN significantly inhibited the sphere formation and stemness-related genes expression, and delayed tumor initiation of CD133+/CD44+ subgroup of HCC cells. Employing MedIP-sequencing, dot blot and iTRAQ analyses of CD133+/CD44+ SCR and CD133+/CD44+ shOPN cells, we found that OPN knockdown leaded to reduction in DNA methylation with particular enrichment in CGI. Meanwhile, DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), the main methylation maintainer, was downregulated via proteomics analysis, which mediated OPN altering DNA methylation. Furthermore, DNMT1 upregulation could partially rescue the properties of CD133+/CD44+ shOPN cells. Both in vitro and in vivo assays showed that CD133+/CD44+ cells with high OPN levels were more sensitive to DNA methylation inhibitor, 5 Azacytidine (5 Aza). The above findings were validated in HCC primary cells, a more clinically relevant model.

CONCLUSIONS

OPN induces methylome reprogramming to enhance the stemness of CD133+/CD44+ subgroup and provides the therapeutic benefits to DNMT1 targeting treatment in HCC.

Rs2303428 of MSH2 Is Associated with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prognosis in a Chinese Population

The defects of DNA repair genes may lead to genomic instability and cancer. As an important DNA mismatch repair gene that maintains genomic stability from DNA replication errors, genetic variants of mutS homolog 2 (MSH2) are associated with some cancers. In this study, 1021 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases and 1021 non-HCC controls from Guangxi were included to explore the association between MSH2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and HCC. Among the eight MSH2 SNPs, only genotype distribution of rs2303428 was significantly different from HCC and non-HCC patients (p < 0.05). Moreover, CT, TT, and CT/TT genotype of rs2303428 could increase HCC risk [OR (95% CI) = 1.758 (1.195-2.657), 1.846 (1.213-2.896), and 1.823 (1.219-2.763), respectively] and decrease the survival time of HCC patients [codominant, HR (95% CI) = 1.267 (1.046-1.535); dominant, HR (95% CI) = 1.675 (1.162-2.414)]. In addition, rs2303428 was found to interact with HBV infection and family history to increase HCC risk by gene-environment analysis (p < 0.05). Finally, multivariate COX regression analysis showed that rs2303428, tumor number, tumor staging, and metastasis had a significant influence on HCC prognosis. Our results provide MSH2 SNP, rs2303428, as a new prognostic biomarker for HCC patients.

BRCA1 missense polymorphisms are associated with poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients in a Chinese population

Pancreatic cancer is a highly lethal disease with limited prognostic marker. BRAC1 and BRCA2 are two classic tumor suppressor genes which play an important role in DNA repair. Somatic mutations and germline genetic variants on BRCA1/2 have been found associated with the tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer. However, the correlations between BRCA1/2 polymorphism and pancreatic cancer prognosis remained unknown. In this study, we genotyped three tag missense variants on BRCA1/2 in 603 sporadic pancreatic cancer patients in a Chinese population. We found rs1799966 on BRCA1 was associated with poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients with hazard ratio being 1.23 (95% CI: 1.09–1.40, P = 0.0010). Further stratification analyses showed that significant correlation was particularly in locally advanced stage patients with hazard ratio being 1.36 (95% CI: 1.13–1.64, P = 0.0014), but not in patients in local stage (P = 0.1139) or metastatic stage (P = 0.5185). Two missense variants (rs766173 and rs144848) on BRAC2 showed no significant correlation with pancreatic cancer patients’ overall survival. In conclusion, we identified a germline missense variant on BRAC1 significantly associated with poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients with locally advanced stage. These results may contribute to the precision medicine of this disease.

Osteopontin promotes metastasis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma through recruiting MAPK1 and mediating Ser675 phosphorylation of β-Catenin

The incidence and mortality of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are increasing worldwide in recent decades. Osteopontin (OPN) plays an important role in cancer metastasis, but its functional mechanism in ICC is not clear yet. In this study, we found that OPN level was elevated both in plasma and tumor tissues of ICC patients, which was closely related to a shorter overall survival (OS) and high probability of tumor relapse after curative resection. The gain- and loss-of-function studies determined that OPN could promote ICC growth and metastasis. OPN selectively interacted with β-Catenin and knockdown of β-Catenin abrogated the effects induced by OPN. OPN recruited MAPK1 and activated MEK-MAPK1 pathway to mediate the S675 phosphorylation of β-Catenin and nucleus accumulation, which induced the activation of Wnt signaling. Moreover, a significant correlation between OPN and β-Catenin was found in ICC tissues. OPN, β-Catenin, and their combination were independent prognostic indicator for ICC patients. In conclusion, OPN promotes ICC progression through recruiting MAPK1 and activating the Wnt/β-Catenin pathway and can serve as a novel prognostic marker and therapeutic target for ICC.

AFAP1-AS1: A novel oncogenic long non-coding RNA in human cancers

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a group of non-protein-coding RNAs with more than 200 nucleotides in length, are involved in multiple biological processes, such as the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion. Moreover, numerous studies have shown that lncRNAs play important roles as oncogenes or tumour suppressor genes in human cancers. In this paper, we concentrate on actin filament-associated protein 1-antisense RNA 1 (AFAP1-AS1), a well-known long non-coding RNA that is overexpressed in various tumour tissues and cell lines, including oesophageal cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, biliary tract cancer and gastric cancer. Moreover, high expression of AFAP1-AS1 was associated with the clinicopathological features and cancer progression. In this review, we sum up the current studies on the characteristics of AFAP1-AS1 in the biological function and mechanism of human cancers.

CCN3 is a therapeutic target relating enhanced stemness and coagulation in hepatocellular carcinoma

The general prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains extremely dismal, due to the high frequency of metastasis. Since 2003, our research group has explored the gene expression profiles of metastasized HCC tissue samples and identified a significant upregulation of CCN3. However, the role and precise pathological function of CCN3 remains elusive. We showed that CCN3 is associated with the poor prognosis of patients with HCC, the malignant phenotype of HCC, and vascular thrombosis. We further evaluated the negative roles of CCN3 in vitro and in vivo, and identified osteopontin (OPN), and coagulation factors tissue factor (TF) and thrombin as the leading genes downstream of CCN3, that are positively associated with HCC cell stemness. We demonstrated that overexpressed CCN3 in HCC cells leads to enhanced survival and increased number of pulmonary metastases in vivo. The elevated levels of OPN and TF were associated with signal activation of nuclear factor κB (NFκB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK). Our findings suggest CCN3 is a potential therapeutic target that would affect the upregulation of OPN and coagulation factors, which would lead to an enhanced stemness and blood coagulation microenvironment in HCC tissue.

Genetic Variants in WNT2B and BTRC Predict Melanoma Survival

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is the most lethal skin cancer. The Wnt pathway has an impact on development, invasion, and metastasis of CM, thus likely affecting CM prognosis. Using data from a published genome-wide association study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, we assessed the associations of 19,830 common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 151 Wnt pathway autosomal genes with CM-specific survival and then validated significant SNPs in another genome-wide association study from Harvard University. In the single-locus analysis, 1,855 SNPs were significantly associated with CM-specific survival at P < 0.05, of which 547 SNPs were still considered noteworthy after the correction by the false-positive report probability. In the replication, two SNPs remained significantly associated with CM-specific survival after multiple comparison correction. By performing functional prediction and stepwise selection, we identified two independent SNPs (i.e., WNT2B rs1175649 G>T and BTRC rs61873997 G>A) that showed a predictive role in CM-specific survival, with an effect-allele-attributed hazards ratio (adjusted hazards ratio) of 1.99 (95% confidence interval = 1.41-2.81, P = 8.10 × 10-5) and 0.61 (0.46-0.80, 3.12×10-4), respectively. Collectively, these variants in the Wnt pathway genes may be biomarkers for outcomes of patients with CM, if validated by larger studies.

Osteopontin at the Crossroads of Inflammation and Tumor Progression

Complex interactions between tumor and host cells regulate systemic tumor dissemination, a process that begins early at the primary tumor site and goes on until tumor cells detach themselves from the tumor mass and start migrating into the blood or lymphatic vessels. Metastatic cells colonize the target organs and are capable of surviving and growing at distant sites. In this context, osteopontin (OPN) appears to be a key determinant of the crosstalk between cancer cells and the host microenvironment, which in turn modulates immune evasion. OPN is overexpressed in several human carcinomas and has been implicated in inflammation, tumor progression, and metastasis. Thus, it represents one of the most attracting targets for cancer therapy. Within the tumor mass, OPN is secreted in various forms either by the tumor itself or by stroma cells, and it can exert either pro- or antitumorigenic effects according to the cell type and tumor microenvironment. Thus, targeting OPN for therapeutic purposes needs to take into account the heterogeneous functions of the multiple OPN forms with regard to cancer formation and progression. In this review, we will describe the role of systemic, tumor-derived, and stroma-derived OPN, highlighting its pivotal role at the crossroads of inflammation and tumor progression.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in MLH1 predict poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in a Chinese population

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant cancer causing deleterious health effect worldwide, especially in China. So far clinical cure rate and long-term survival rate of HCC remains low. Most HCC patients after cancer resection have recurrence or metastasis within 5 years. This study aims to explore the genetic association of mutL homolog 1 (MLH1) polymorphisms with HCC risk and prognosis. Four candidate MLH1 polymorphisms, rs1800734, rs10849, rs3774343 and rs1540354 were studied from a hospital-based case-control study including 1,036 cases (HCC patients) and 1,036 controls (non-HCC patients) in Guangxi, China. All these SNPs interacted with environmental risk factors, such as HBV infection, alcohol intake and smoking in the pathogenesis of HCC. However, only rs1800734 had significant difference between cases and controls. Compared to the AA genotype, patients with AG, GG and AG/GG genotype of rs1800734 had an increased risk of HCC [ORs (95% CI) = 1.217 (1.074∼1.536), 1.745 (1.301∼2.591) and 1.291 (1.126∼1.687)] and a decreased survival time [co-dominant, HR (95% CI) = 1.553 (1.257∼1.920); dominant, HR (95% CI) = 2.207 (1.572∼3.100)]. Furthermore, we found that tumor number, tumor staging, metastasis and rs1800734 were associated with the overall survival of HCC patients by multivariate COX regression analysis. No significant difference was found between the other three MLH1 polymorphisms with HCC risk and prognosis. Our study suggests MLH1 SNP, rs1800734 as a new predictor for poor prognosis of HCC patients.

Osteopontin splice variants and polymorphisms in cancer progression and prognosis

Osteopontin (OPN) is an extracellular matrix protein that is overexpressed in various cancers and promotes oncogenic features including cell proliferation, survival, migration, and angiogenesis, among others. OPN can participate in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment, affecting both cancer and neighboring cells. Here, we review the roles of OPN splice variants (a, b, c) in cancer development, progression, and prognosis, and also discuss the identities of isoforms 4 and 5. We also discussed how single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the OPN gene are an additional factor influencing the level of OPN in individuals, modulating the risks of cancer development and outcome.

Association of Osteopontin Gene Polymorphisms with Colorectal Cancer

We investigated the association of the Osteopontin (OPN) (rs9138 and rs1126616) polymorphisms with colorectal cancer (CRC). One hundred CRC patients and 112 healthy individuals were subjected to OPN (rs9138 and rs1126616) genotyping and measurement of OPN protein plasma level. The C allele of OPN rs1126616 and the CC haplotype were significantly higher in CRC patient (p = 0.036, 0.003, respectively). In females, the C allele of OPN rs9318 (A/C) polymorphism was significantly associated with increased CRC risk (p = 0.036). The plasma OPN level >104.35 ng/mL was significantly associated with CRC. Our findings suggest a significant role played by OPN (rs9138 and rs1126616) in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Clinical significance of expression of CMTM7 in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM

To detect the expression of CMTM7 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to analyze its clinical significance.

METHODS

Tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry method were used to detect 75 pairs of HCC tissues and tumor-adjacent normal tissues. The relationship of CMTM7 expression with clinical pathological features and overall survival of postoperative patients was analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

The expression rate of CMTM7 in HCC tissues (20.00%, 15/75) was significantly lower than that in paired para-carcinoma normal tissues (81.33%, 61/75; P < 0.05). The expression of CMTM7 in HCC had no obvious correlation with gender, age, smoking history, drinking history, family history of hepatitis B virus infection or tumor, tumor number, pathological classification, or clinical stage. However, CMTM7 expression had a significant correlation with liver cirrhosis, distant metastasis, tumor size, TNM stage, and α-fetoprotein levels (P < 0.05). The survival time of postoperative HCC patients in the CMTM7 negative group was obviously lower than that of patients in the CMTM7 positive group, suggesting that CMTM7 expression may be related to the prognosis of HCC patients.

CONCLUSION

The down-regulated expression of CMTM7 may be closely related with the occurrence and development of HCC.

Role of Osteopontin in Liver Diseases

Osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional protein, is involved in numerous pathological conditions including inflammation, immunity, angiogenesis, fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis in various tissues. Extensive studies have elucidated the critical role of OPN in cell signaling such as regulation of cell proliferation, migration, inflammation, fibrosis and tumor progression. In the liver, OPN interacts with integrins, CD44, vimentin and MyD88 signaling, thereby induces infiltration, migration, invasion and metastasis of cells. OPN is highlighted as a chemoattractant for macrophages and neutrophils during injury in inflammatory liver diseases. OPN activates hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to exert an enhancer in fibrogenesis. The role of OPN in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has also generated significant interests, especially with regards to its role as a diagnostic and prognostic factor. Interestingly, OPN acts an opposing role in liver repair under different pathological conditions. This review summarizes the current understanding of OPN in liver diseases. Further understanding of the pathophysiological role of OPN in cellular interactions and molecular mechanisms associated with hepatic inflammation, fibrosis and cancer may contribute to the development of novel strategies for clinical diagnosis, monitoring and therapy of liver diseases.

Critical role for the long non-coding RNA AFAP1-AS1 in the proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Increasing evidence has indicated that dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can contribute to the progression and metastasis of human cancer, including HCC. Previous studies have shown that the lncRNA AFAP1-AS1 plays a critical role in cancer. However, the roles of AFAP1-AS1 in HCC remain to be determined. In the present study, AFAP1-AS1 was found to be increased in HCC tissues, and high AFAP1-AS1 expression was associated with tumor size, TNM stage, vascular invasion, and poor prognosis. Silencing of AFAP1-AS1 significantly reduced cell proliferation, clonal growth, cell migration, and invasion and increased apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, AFAP1-AS1 silencing markedly reduced tumor growth in a murine allograft model in vivo. The results suggested that AFAP1-AS1 is important in HCC development and serves as a therapeutic target of HCC.

New insights into molecular diagnostic pathology of primary liver cancer: Advances and challenges

Primary liver cancer (PLC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide with increasing incidence and accounts for the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Traditional morphopathology primarily emphasizes qualitative diagnosis of PLC, which is not sufficient to resolve the major concern of increasing the long-term treatment efficacy of PLC in clinical management for the modern era. Since the beginning of the 21st century, molecular pathology has played an active role in the investigation of the evaluation of the metastatic potential of PLC, detection of drug targets, prediction of recurrence risks, analysis of clonal origins, evaluation of the malignancy trend of precancerous lesions, and determination of clinical prognosis. As a result, many new progresses have been obtained, and new strategies of molecular-pathological diagnosis have been formed. Moreover, the new types of pathobiological diagnosis indicator systems for PLC have been preliminarily established. These achievements provide valuable molecular pathology-based guide for clinical formulation of individualized therapy programs for PLC. This review article briefly summarizes some relevant progresses of molecular-pathological diagnosis of PLC from the perspective of clinical translational application other than basic experimental studies.

Significance of genetic variants in DLC1 and their association with hepatocellular carcinoma

DLC1 has been shown to be downregulated or absent in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is associated with tumorigenesis and development. However, only a small number of studies have focused on genetic variations of DLC1. The present study performed exon sequencing for the DLC1 gene in HCC tissue samples from 105 patients to identify functional genetic variation of DLC1 and its association with HCC susceptibility, clinicopathological features and prognosis. A novel missense mutation and four non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs3816748, rs11203495, rs3816747 and rs532841) were identified. A significant correlation of rs3816747 polymorphisms with HCC susceptibility was identified. Compared to individuals with the GG genotype of rs3816747, those with the GA (odds ratio (OR)=0.486; P=0.037) or GA+AA genotype (OR=0.51; P=0.039) were associated with a significantly decreased HCC risk. Furthermore, patients with the GC+CC genotype of rs3816748, the TC+CC genotype of rs11203495 or the GA+AA genotype of rs3816747 had small-sized tumors compared with those carrying the wild-type genotype. No significant association of DLC1 SNPs with the patients' prognosis was found. These results indicated that genetic variations in the DLC1 gene may confer a risk for HCC.

Evaluation of serum osteopontin level and gene polymorphism as biomarkers: analyses from the Nordic Adjuvant Interferon alpha Melanoma trial

Malignant melanoma is highly aggressive cancer with poor prognosis and few therapeutic options. Interferon alpha (IFN-α) has been tested as adjuvant immunotherapy in high-risk melanoma patients in a number of studies, but its beneficial role is controversial. Although IFN-α treatment can prolong relapse-free survival, the effect on overall survival is not significant. However, a small subset of patients benefits from the treatment, signifying the need for biomarkers able to identify a responding subgroup. Here we evaluated whether serum osteopontin (OPN) could function as a biomarker identifying patients with poor prognosis that might benefit from IFN-α. The choice of osteopontin was based on the knowledge about the dual role of this protein in cancer and immune response, an apparent association between OPN and IFN signaling and a prognostic value of OPN in multiple other tumor types. Serum samples from 275 high-risk melanoma patients enrolled in the Nordic Adjuvant IFN Melanoma trial were analyzed for circulating OPN concentrations and OPN promoter polymorphisms in position -443. The potential relation between serum OPN levels, the genotypes and survival in non-treated patients and patients receiving adjuvant IFN-α was investigated. Although slightly better survival was observed in the treated patients that had high levels of OPN, the difference was not statistically significant. In conclusion, serum OPN (its level or the genotype) cannot distinguish melanoma patients with poor prognosis, or patients that might benefit from adjuvant treatment with IFN-α.

Differentially expressed gene profiles of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma by integrated microarray analysis

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are common primary liver cancers worldwide. However, the survival and prognosis of ICC are much poorer than those of HCC, indicating the different molecular characteristics and mechanisms between ICC and HCC. To identify differentially expressed (DE) genes between ICC and HCC or combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (CHC), we performed integrated analysis of publicly available microarray Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets by MetaOmics. Three GEO datasets comprising 32 ICC biochips, 77 HCC biochips, and 34 CHC biochips were available for the data integration. We identified 7313 DE genes between ICC and HCC, including 3650 upregulated genes and 3663 downregulated genes. The S100 family members on chromosome 1q21 were extensively upregulated in ICC, and S100A11 had the greatest degree of upregulation in ICC. Based on the DE genes, combined gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed the enhanced pathways of local adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, and regulation of action cytoskeleton, suggesting the enhanced communication between ICC and the microenvironment. Additionally, development-related genes and development-related pathways, including the Notch, Wnt, and TGF-β signaling pathways, were shown to be active prominently in ICC. Taken together, we identified the characteristically upregulated or downregulated DE genes and pathways in ICC compared with HCC or CHC. These DE genes and pathways supply new transcriptomics evidence for ICC and could help identify new therapeutic targets.

Heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma contributes to cancer progression

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous disease displaying differences in angiogenesis, extracellular matrix proteins, the immune microenvironment and tumor cell populations. Additionally, genetic variations and epigenetic changes of HCC cells could lead to aberrant signaling pathways, induce cancer stem cells and enhance tumor progression. Thus, the heterogeneity in HCC contributes to disease progression and a better understanding of its heterogeneity will greatly aid in the development of strategies for the HCC treatment.

OPN Polymorphism Is Related to the Chemotherapy Response and Prognosis in Advanced NSCLC

Background. Osteopontin (OPN) is associated with prognosis of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, little is known about the association between OPN gene polymorphism and the chemotherapy response in NSCLC patients. Methods. A total of 497 patients with inoperable advanced stage of NSCLC (stages III B and IV NSCLC) were enrolled. All patients had received platinum-based chemotherapy. OPN gene polymorphisms at 156 GG/G, 443 C/T, and -66T/G were determined. Results. The genotypes and allele frequency of -443C>T were significantly different between the responders and nonresponders. Responders had a markedly higher frequency of -443TT genotype than responders (40.71% versus 19.09%, P < 0.001). With CC as reference, the TT genotype carriers had a higher chance to be well responders (adjusted OR = 4.43, 95% CI: 2.60-7.53, adjusted P < 0.001). The median overall survival time for patients with -443CC, -443CT, and -443TT genotype carriers was significantly different. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models showed that OPN -443C>T gene polymorphisms were closely correlated to poor NSCLC prognosis. Conclusion. OPN -443C>T gene polymorphism may be used as a molecular marker to predict the treatment response to chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients.

Genomic aberrations in the HTPAP promoter affect tumor metastasis and clinical prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

We previously reported that the intronic tagSNP +357G/C in the metastasis suppressor HTPAP is associated with metastasis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate whether SNPs in the HTPAP promoter modulate HTPAP expression and prognosis of HCC. Genomic DNA from 572 microdissected HCCs were genotyped by pyrosequencing and verified by direct sequencing. Haplotype blocks were analyzed. Reporter plasmids were constructed and transfected into HCC cell lines. Transcriptional activities of plasmids were analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter systems. HTPAP expression was measured by real-time quantitative PCR, western blots, and tissue microarrays. Invasion was assessed by Matrigel assays. The prognostic values of HTPAP promoter SNPs in HCC were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. We identified six SNPs, including -1053A/G and +64G/C, in the HTPAP promoter. The SNPs were in complete linkage disequilibrium, resulting in three promoter haplotypes (promoter I:-1053AA/+64GG, promoter II: -1053AG/+64GC, and promoter III: -1053GG/+64CC). Promoter I manifested the highest luciferase index (p<0.005). However, no significant difference was observed between promoters II and III. We consistently found that HTPAP mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in promoter I than that of promoter II+III (p<0.001). Invasion was increased in HCC cells transfected with promoters II+III compared to those transfected with promoter I (p<0.05). The HTPAP promoter II+III haplotype was associated with significantly increased metastasis compared to that of promoter I (p = 0.023). The postoperative five-year overall survival of patients with promoters II+III was lower than that of patients with promoter I (p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that the promoter II+III haplotype was an adverse prognostic marker in HCC. The genetic variants at loci –1053 and +64 of the HTPAP promoter affect the expression of HTPAP, which might be a novel determinant and target for HCC prognosis.

Osteopontin is a promoter for hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis: a summary of 10 years of studies

In this review, we summarize the novel findings from our series of studies on the leading metastasis-related gene, osteopontin (OPN). In our previous gene expression profiling study, OPN was identified as one of the leading genes associated with the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We focused on OPN to evaluate its prognostic values and important roles in HCC metastasis. A retrospective study of large cohorts of HCC patients demonstrated that plasma OPN level was one of the leading independent prognostic factors for HCC patients, even in the early stage of HCC, and could serve as a surrogate serologic biomarker for monitoring the treatment response and tumor recurrence after HCC resection. Using both in vitro and in vivo investigations, we found that OPN has an important role in metastasis and tumor growth of HCC and is an attractive potential therapeutic target for combating HCC metastasis. We also found that OPN⁺ HCC cells have much more amplifications at chromosomal regions, and promoter polymorphisms are important in the regulation of OPN expression and tumor growth and lung metastasis of HCC.

Osteopontin: Versatile modulator of liver diseases

Osteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional protein, involved in pathological conditions including inflammation, immunity, angiogenesis, fibrosis and cancer progression in various tissues. Hepatic inflammation and fibrosis induced by feeding with a diet deficient in methionine and choline (MCD diet) were markedly attenuated in OPN knockout mice when compared with wild-type mice in the model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Hepatic cholangiocytes, myofibroblastic stellate cells and natural killer T cells were suggested to secret OPN in mice fed an MCD diet. Plasma and hepatic OPN levels were significantly higher in patients with NASH with advanced fibrosis than in those with early fibrosis. Hepatic OPN mRNA level was correlated with hepatic neutrophil infiltration and fibrosis in patients with alcoholic liver diseases. In those with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), OPN levels in plasma and HCC were prognostic factors after liver resection or transplantation. Downregulation of OPN inhibited tumor growth and lung metastasis in nude mice implanted with HCC cells. The single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of the OPN gene was shown to be associated with activity of hepatitis in chronic hepatitis C patients, prognosis in patients with HCC, and growth and lung metastasis of HCC xenografts in nude mice. OPN was reported to be a downstream effecter of Hedgehog pathway, which modulates hepatic fibrosis and carcinogenesis. This review focuses on the roles of OPN in hepatic inflammation, fibrosis and cancer progression. Further elucidation of cellular interactions and molecular mechanisms associated with OPN actions may contribute to development of novel strategies for treatment of the liver diseases.

Osteopontin is a prognostic biomarker in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

In a previously published report we characterized the expression of the metastasis-associated proteins S100A4, osteopontin (OPN) and ephrin-A1 in a prospectively collected panel of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors. The aim of the present follow-up study was to investigate the prognostic impact of these potential biomarkers in the same patient cohort. In addition, circulating serum levels of OPN were measured and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the -443 position of the OPN promoter were analyzed.

METHODS

Associations between immunohistochemical expression of S100A4, OPN and ephrin-A1 and relapse free and overall survival were examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Serum OPN was measured by ELISA, polymorphisms in the -443 position of the tumor OPN promoter were analyzed by PCR, and associations between OPN levels and promoter polymorphisms and clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome were investigated.

RESULTS

High expression of OPN in NSCLC tumors was associated with poor patient outcome, and OPN was a strong, independent prognostic factor for both relapse free and overall survival. Serum OPN levels increased according to tumor pT classification and tumor size, and patients with OPN-expressing tumors had higher serum levels than patients with OPN-negative tumors. S100A4 was a negative prognostic factor in several subgroups of adenocarcinoma patients, but not in the overall patient cohort. There was no association between ephrin-A1 expression and patient outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

OPN is a promising prognostic biomarker in NSCLC, and should be further explored in the selection of patients for adjuvant treatment following surgical resection.

Association of osteopontin polymorphisms with nasopharyngeal carcinoma risk

No previous study has reported the association of osteopontin polymorphisms with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) risk. We aimed to investigate the association in a Chinese population. Four variants of osteopontin, rs11730582, rs1126772, rs9138, and rs4754 polymorphisms, were assessed in a case-control study which consists of 108 NPC patients and 210 health controls, by using polymerase chain reaction--restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Serum osteopontin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum osteopontin levels were significantly higher in NPC patients than those in controls (P<0.01). Carriers of CC and CT genotype of rs11730582 presented lower serum osteopontin levels than those of TT genotype carriers (P<0.05). Genotypes CT and CT+CC of rs11730582 were associated with the risk of NPC (CT:OR = 0.57, 95%CI = 0.34-0.94; CC+CT:OR = 0.54, 95%CI = 0.34-0.87). Haplotype analysis revealed that haplotype T-A-A-C of rs11730582, rs1126772, rs9138, and rs4754 was associated with NPC risk (OR = 0.49, 95%CI = 0.27-0.86). Stratification analysis showed that genotypes CT and CT+CC of rs11730582 were associated with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). No associations were found between rs1126772, rs9138, and rs4754 polymorphisms and NPC risk (P>0.05). The variant rs11730582 of osteopontin is associated with NPC risk. It potentially serves as a genetic marker of NPC predisposition.

The polymorphisms of osteopontin gene and plasma osteopontin protein levels with susceptibility to colorectal carcinoma

Osteopontin (OPN) plays an important role in the development and progression of some tumors. The polymorphisms of OPN probably change its expression and contribute to interindividual differences of susceptibility to some cancers. The purpose of the present study was to explore the association of rs9138 (+1239; 3'UTR: 3'untranslated regions) and rs1126616 (+750; exon 7) polymorphisms located in the OPN gene with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) susceptibility and to investigate the correlation of the polymorphisms, plasma levels of the OPN protein, clinicopathologic parameters, tumor markers, and lipid. The genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The plasma levels, tumor markers, and lipid were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results indicated that genotype AA and AC of rs9138 and CC and CT of rs1126616 were associated with increased risk of CRC. The allelic frequencies of rs9138A, rs1126616C, and the haplotype (A-C) were associated with increased risk of CRC. Although there was no significant difference of plasma levels in various genotypes, increased plasma protein expression in CRC patients compared with controls was found. Our results suggested that the rs9138 and rs1126616 of OPN were associated with CRC risk, and the OPN protein in plasma may be a potential tumor marker of CRC.

Interactions among bone, liver, and adipose tissue predisposing to diabesity and fatty liver

Growing epidemiological evidence connects obesity and its complications, including metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to reduced bone health and osteoporosis. Parallel to human studies, experimental data disclosed a complex network of interaction among adipose tissue, the liver, and the bone, which reciprocally modulate the function of each other. The main mediators of such crosstalk include hormonal/cytokine signals from the bone (osteopontin, osteocalcin, and osteoprotegerin), the liver (fetuin-A), and adipose tissue [leptin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and adiponectin]. Dysregulation of this network promotes the development of diabesity, NAFLD, and osteoporosis. We will review recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of bone-liver-adipose tissue interaction predisposing to obesity, diabetes, NAFLD, and osteoporosis and their potential clinical implications.