ALKBH5 gene polymorphisms and Wilms tumor risk in Chinese children: A five-center case-control study

N6-methyladenosine modification of circMARK2 enhances cytoplasmic export and stabilizes LIN28B, contributing to the progression of Wilms tumor

BACKGROUND

The potential involvement of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in the progression of Wilms tumor (WT) has not been fully elucidated. This study investigates the regulatory mechanisms and clinical significance of m6A-modified circMARK2 and its role in WT progression.

METHODS

We identified dysregulated circRNAs through deep sequencing and validated their expression by qRT-PCR in WT tissues. The biological functions of circMARK2 were assessed using clone formation, transwell migration, and orthotopic animal models. To dissect the underlying mechanisms, we employed RNA immunoprecipitation, RNA pull-down, dual-luciferase reporter assays, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

CircMARK2, upregulated in WT tissues, was found to be m6A-modified and promoted cytoplasmic export. It facilitated WT progression by stabilizing LIN28B mRNA through the circMARK2/IGF2BP2 interaction. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that circMARK2 enhances the malignant behavior of WT cells. Clinically, higher circMARK2 levels in tumor tissues of WT patients were linked to increased tumor aggressiveness and reduced survival rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides the first comprehensive evidence that m6A-modified circMARK2 contributes to WT progression by enhancing LIN28B mRNA stability, promoting cellular aggressiveness. CircMARK2 emerges as a potential biomarker for prognosis and a promising target for therapeutic intervention in WT, underscoring the clinical relevance of m6A modification in pediatric renal cancer.

LMO family gene polymorphisms and Wilms tumor susceptibility in Chinese children: a five-center case-control study

BACKGROUND

Wilms tumor is the most prevalent embryonal kidney malignancy in children worldwide. Previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified that LIM domain only 1 (LMO1) gene polymorphisms affected the susceptibility to develop certain tumor types. Apart from LMO1, the LMO gene family members also include LMO2-4, each of which has oncogenic potential.

METHODS

We conducted this five-center case‒control study to assess the correlations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in LMO family genes and Wilms tumor susceptibility. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to evaluate the strength of the association.

RESULTS

We found LMO1 rs2168101 G > T and rs11603024 C > T as well as LMO2 rs7933499 G > A were significantly associated with Wilms tumor risk. Stratified analysis demonstrated a protective role of rs2168101 GT/TT genotypes against Wilms tumor in the subgroups of age ≤ 18 months, males and clinical stages I/II compared to the rs2168101 GG genotype. Nevertheless, carriers with the rs11603024 TT genotype were more likely to have an increased risk of Wilms tumor than those with rs11603024 CC/CT genotypes in age > 18 months. And the rs11603024 was identified as a protective polymorphism for reducing the risk of Wilms tumor in the sex- and gender- subgroup. Likewise, carriers with the rs7933499 GA/AA genotypes were at significantly elevated risk of Wilms tumor in age ≤ 18 months and clinical stages I/II.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our study identified the importance of LMO family gene polymorphisms on Wilms tumor susceptibility in Chinese children. Further investigations are needed to validate our conclusions.

ALKBH5 gene polymorphisms and risk of neuroblastoma in Chinese children from Jiangsu Province

Background

Neuroblastoma is one of the most common extracranial malignant solid tumors in children. AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) is an RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) demethylase that plays a critical role in tumorigenesis and development. We assessed the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ALKBH5 and the risk of neuroblastoma in a case-control study including 402 patients and 473 non-cancer controls.

Methods

Genotyping was determined by the TaqMan method. The association between ALKBH5 polymorphisms (rs1378602 and rs8400) and the risk of neuroblastoma was evaluated using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

We found no strong association of ALKBH5 rs1378602 and rs8400 with neuroblastoma risk. Further stratification analysis by age, sex, primary site, and clinical stage showed that the rs1378602 AG/AA genotype was associated with a lower risk of neuroblastoma in males (adjusted OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.35-0.97, p = 0.036) and children with retroperitoneal neuroblastoma (adjusted OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.34-0.98, p = 0.040).

Conclusions

ALKBH5 SNPs do not seem to be associated with neuroblastoma risk. More studies are required to confirm this negative result and reveal the relationship between gene polymorphisms of the m6A modifier ALKBH5 and neuroblastoma.

TRMT6 gene rs236110 C > A polymorphism increases the risk of Wilms tumor

tRNA methyltransferase 6 (TRMT6)is an enzyme catalyzing N1-methyladenosine, a reversible modification in RNA, including tRNA, mRNA, rRNA, and lncRNA. Increasing evidence has shown the implications of this post-transcriptional modification and its regulators in carcinogenesis. However, its roles in Wilms tumor haven't been reported. In this study, four TRMT6 gene polymorphisms (rs236170 A > G, rs451571 T > C, rs236188 G > A, and rs236110 C > A) were tested for association with susceptibility to Wilms tumor, the most frequently diagnosed pediatric renal tumor. TaqMan method was adopted to analyze the genotypes of these polymorphisms in 414 cases and 1199 controls. Among the four TRMT6 gene polymorphisms, only the rs236110 C > A displayed a significant association with the risk of Wilms tumor [AA vs. CC, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.93, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.14-3.27, P = 0.015]. This association was confirmed under the recessive models (AA vs. CC/CA, OR = 1.92, 95 % CI = 1.14-3.23, P = 0.015). Furthermore, after stratifying by age, gender, and clinical stage, we mainly detected significant associations for the rs236110 C > A in children older than 18 months, boys, and those with stage IV or III + IV diseases. The rs236110 A allele was significantly associated with decreased expression of MCM8. In conclusion, we identified the rs236110 C > A in the TRMT6 gene as a Wilms tumor susceptibility locus, and this polymorphism warrants more validation studies to be translated into individualized risk prediction strategies for children.

Identification of the expression patterns and potential prognostic role of m6A-RNA methylation regulators in Wilms Tumor

BACKGROUND

To explore the potential role of m6A methylation modification in Wilms Tumor (WT) by m6A-RNA Methylation (m6A) regulators.

METHODOLOGY

The association of m6A modification patterns with immune and prognostic characteristics of tumors was systematically evaluated using 19 m6A regulators extracted from Wilms Tumor's samples in public databases. A comprehensive model of "m6Ascore" was constructed using principal component analysis, and its prognostic value was evaluated.

RESULTS

Almost all m6A regulators were differentially expressed between WT and normal tissues. Unsupervised clustering identified three distinct m6A clusters that differed in both immune cell infiltration and biological pathways. The m6Ascore was constructed to quantify m6A modifications in individual patients. Our analysis suggests that m6Ascore is an independent prognostic factor for WT and can be used as a novel predictor of WT prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This study comprehensively explored and systematically characterized m6A modifications in WT. m6A modification patterns play a critical role in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and WT prognosis. m6Ascore provides a more comprehensive understanding of m6A modifications in WT and offers a practical tool for predicting WT prognosis. This study will help clinicians to identify valid indicators of WT to improve the poor prognosis of this disease.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at https://www.aliyundrive.com/drive/folder/64be739cd6956a741fb24670baeea53422be6024 .

WDR4 gene polymorphisms and Wilms tumor susceptibility in Chinese children: A five-center case-control study

Wilms tumor is the most common embryonal renal malignancy in children. WDR4 is an indispensable noncatalytic subunit of the RNA N7-methylguanosine (m7G) methyltransferase complex and plays an essential role in tumorigenesis. However, the relationship between polymorphisms in the WDR4 gene and susceptibility to Wilms tumor remains to be fully investigated. We performed a large case-control study involving 414 patients and 1199 cancer-free controls to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the WDR4 gene are associated with Wilms tumor susceptibility. WDR4 gene polymorphisms (rs2156315 C > T, rs2156316 C > G, rs6586250 C > T, rs15736 G > A, and rs2248490 C > G) were genotyped using the TaqMan assay. In addition, unconditioned logistic regression analysis was performed, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association between WDR4 gene SNPs and Wilms tumor susceptibility as well as the strength of the associations. We found that only the rs6586250 C>T polymorphism was significantly associated with an increased risk of Wilms tumor (adjusted OR=2.99, 95% CI = 1.28-6.97, P = 0.011 for the rs6586250 TT genotype; adjusted OR=3.08, 95% CI = 1.33-7.17, P = 0.009 for the rs6586250 CC/CT genotype). Furthermore, the stratification analysis revealed that patients with the rs6586250 TT genotype and carriers with 1-5 risk genotypes exhibited statistically significant associations with increased Wilms tumor risk in specific subgroups. However, the rs2156315 CT/TT genotype was identified as having a protective effect against Wilms tumor in the age >18 months subgroup compared with the rs2156315 CC genotype. In brief, our study demonstrated that the rs6586250 C > T polymorphism of the WDR4 gene was significantly associated with Wilms tumor. This finding may contribute to the understanding of the genetic mechanism of Wilms tumor.

Variant rs8400 enhances ALKBH5 expression through disrupting miR-186 binding and promotes neuroblastoma progression

Objective

AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) has been proven to be closely related to tumors. However, the role and molecular mechanism of ALKBH5 in neuroblastomas have rarely been reported.

Methods

The potential functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ALKBH5 were identified by National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) dbSNP screening and SNPinfo software. TaqMan probes were used for genotyping. A multiple logistic regression model was used to evaluate the effects of different SNP loci on the risk of neuroblastoma. The expression of ALKBH5 in neuroblastoma was evaluated by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), plate colony formation and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assays were used to evaluate cell proliferation. Wound healing and Transwell assays were used to compare cell migration and invasion. Thermodynamic modelling was performed to predict the ability of miRNAs to bind to ALKBH5 with the rs8400 G/A polymorphism. RNA sequencing, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) sequencing, m6A methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) and a luciferase assay were used to identify the targeting effect of ALKBH5 on SPP1.

Results

ALKBH5 was highly expressed in neuroblastoma. Knocking down ALKBH5 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of cancer cells. miR-186-3p negatively regulates the expression of ALKBH5, and this ability is affected by the rs8400 polymorphism. When the G nucleotide was mutated to A, the ability of miR-186-3p to bind to the 3'-UTR of ALKBH5 decreased, resulting in upregulation of ALKBH5. SPP1 is the downstream target gene of the ALKBH5 oncogene. Knocking down SPP1 partially restored the inhibitory effect of ALKBH5 downregulation on neuroblastoma. Downregulation of ALKBH5 can improve the therapeutic efficacy of carboplatin and etoposide in neuroblastoma.

Conclusions

We first found that the rs8400 G>A polymorphism in the m6A demethylase-encoding gene ALKBH5 increases neuroblastoma susceptibility and determines the related mechanisms. The aberrant regulation of ALKBH5 by miR-186-3p caused by this genetic variation in ALKBH5 promotes the occurrence and development of neuroblastoma through the ALKBH5-SPP1 axis.

Impact of m6A demethylase (ALKBH5, FTO) genetic polymorphism and expression levels on the development of pulmonary tuberculosis

Objective

The m6A methylation was involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), and our study aimed to reveal the potential association of m6A demethylase (ALKBH5, FTO) genes variation, expression levels and PTB.

Methods

Eight SNPs (ALKBH5 gene rs8400, rs9913266, rs12936694, rs4925144 and FTO gene rs6499640, rs8047395, rs1121980, rs9939609) were selected for genotyping by SNPscan technique in 449 PTB patients and 463 healthy controls.

Results

The mRNA expression levels of ALKBH5, FTO were detected by qRT-PCR. There were no significant differences in genotype, allele distributions of all SNPs between PTB patients and healthy controls. Haplotype analysis demonstrated that the frequency of FTO gene GAAA haplotype was significantly reduced in PTB patients when compared to controls. ALKBH5 rs8400 AA genotype, A allele frequencies were associated with the decreased risk of sputum smear-positive, while AA genotype frequency was related to the increased risk of hypoproteinemia in PTB patients. In addition, rs9913266 variant was linked to the occurrence of drug-induced liver injury, sputum smear-positive, and rs4925144 variant was associated with leukopenia among PTB patients. In FTO gene, rs8047395 GG genotype and G allele frequencies were significantly higher in the PTB patients with drug resistance than that in the PTB patients without drug resistance. The ALKBH5, FTO expression levels were significantly decreased in PTB patients in comparison to controls. Moreover, ALKBH5 level was increased in PTB patients with drug resistance, and FTO level was decreased in PTB patients with sputum smear-positive.

Conclusion

FTO gene polymorphisms might be associated with PTB susceptibility, and ALKBH5, FTO levels were decreased in PTB patients, suggesting that these m6A demethylase played important roles in PTB.

The role of m6A modification in pediatric cancer

With the development of RNA modification research, the importance of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in tumors cannot be ignored. m6A promotes the self-renewal of tumor stem cells and the proliferation of tumor cells. It affects post-transcriptional gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms, combining various factors to determine proteins' fate and altering the biological function. This modification process runs through the entire tumors, and genes affected by m6A modification may be the critical targets for cancers breakthroughs. Though generally less dangerous than adult cancer, pediatric cancer accounts for a significant proportion of child deaths. What is more alarming is that the occurrences of adult tumors are highly associated with the poor prognoses of pediatric tumors. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the importance of pediatric cancer and discover new therapeutic targets, which will help improve the therapeutic effect and prognoses of the diseases. We collected and investigated m6A modification in pediatric cancers based on mRNA and non-coding RNA, finding that m6A factors were involved in glioma, hepatoblastoma, nephroblastoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma, medulloblastoma, retinoblastoma, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Consequently, we summarized the relationships between the m6A factors and these pediatric cancers.

METTL14 gene polymorphisms influence hepatoblastoma predisposition in Chinese children: Evidences from a seven-center case-control study

Hepatoblastoma as the most prevalent hepatic malignancy in children, its etiology remains unclear. N⁶-Methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification which can modify various physiological processes, plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. Methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14), an important component of the m⁶A methyltransferase complex, remains elusive during hepatoblastoma occurrence and development. We explored the relationship between METTL14 gene polymorphisms (rs1064034 T > A, rs298982 G > A, rs62328061 A > G, rs9884978 G > A, and rs4834698 T > C) and hepatoblastoma susceptibility from 313 patients and 1446 controls. The role of METTL14 polymorphisms in hepatoblastoma was evaluated by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Of the included subjects, 308 patients and 1444 controls were successfully genotyped. We did not find any significant correlation between the risk of hepatoblastoma and the five potentially functional METTL14 polymorphisms individually. However, the presence of 4-5 risk genotypes exhibited a significant increased hepatoblastoma risk (adjusted OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.03-1.69, P = 0.031) compared to those carriers with 0-3 risk genotypes. Furthermore, the stratified analysis demonstrated that the rs1064034 AA genotype, rs62328061 AG/GG genotypes, rs4834698 TC/CC genotypes, and 4-5 risk genotypes were related to hepatoblastoma susceptibility in certain subgroups. The expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis revealed that rs1064034 T > A and rs4834698 T > C were correlated with the expression levels of METTL14 and its surrounding genes. Prospectively, these findings suggested that METTL14 polymorphisms may correlation with hepatoblastoma susceptibility and provide a fresh insight into the genetic underpinnings of m⁶A modification in hepatoblastoma.

YTHDC1 gene polymorphisms and neuroblastoma susceptibility in Chinese children

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common extracranial tumor in children. YTHDC1, a member of RNA methylation modification binding proteins, plays critical roles in tumor occurrence and metastasis. However, it is unclear whether YTHDC1 gene polymorphisms are related to NB susceptibility. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the association between YTHDC1 gene polymorphisms (rs2293596 T>C, rs2293595 T>C, rs3813832 T>C) and susceptibility of NB by logistic regression models. In this eight-center case-control study, 898 patients with NB and 1734 healthy controls were genotyped by TaqMan assay. The results showed that rs3813832 TC genotype could significantly reduce the susceptibility of NB compared with the TT genotype [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.68-0.96, P = 0.018]. Combined genotype analysis revealed that individuals with 3 protective genotypes had a prominently lower NB risk than those with 0-2 protective genotypes (AOR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.68-0.94, P = 0.006). The stratified analysis also demonstrated the protective effect of rs3813832 TC/CC and 3 protective genotypes in certain subgroups. Further functional experiments revealed that YTHDC1 siRNA-554, targeting the area near the rs3813832 T>C polymorphism site, could observably inhibit the proliferation and migration of NB cells. In conclusion, our findings highlight the involvement of YTHDC1 gene and its genetic variants in the etiology of NB.

METTL14 gene polymorphisms decrease Wilms tumor susceptibility in Chinese children

BACKGROUND

Wilms tumor is a highly heritable malignancy. Aberrant METTL14, a critical component of N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) methyltransferase, is involved in carcinogenesis. The association between genetic variants in the METTL14 gene and Wilms tumor susceptibility remains to be fully elucidated. We aimed to assess whether variants within this gene are implicated in Wilms tumor susceptibility.

METHODS

A total of 403 patients and 1198 controls were analyzed. METTL14 genotypes were assessed by TaqMan genotyping assay.

RESULT

Among the five SNPs analyzed, rs1064034 T > A and rs298982 G > A exhibited a significant association with decreased susceptibility to Wilms tumor. Moreover, the joint analysis revealed that the combination of five protective genotypes exerted significantly more protective effects against Wilms tumor than 0-4 protective genotypes with an OR of 0.69. The stratified analysis further identified the protective effect of rs1064034 T > A, rs298982 G > A, and combined five protective genotypes in specific subgroups. The above significant associations were further validated by haplotype analysis and false-positive report probability analysis. Preliminary mechanism exploration indicated that rs1064034 T > A and rs298982 G > A are correlated with the expression and splicing event of their surrounding genes.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, our results suggest that METTL14 gene SNPs may be genetic modifiers for the development of Wilms tumor.

Role of FTO gene polymorphisms in Wilms tumor predisposition: A five-center case-control study

BACKGROUND

Wilms tumor is the most frequently occurring renal malignancy in pediatrics. The FTO gene exhibits a featured genetic contribution to cancer development. Nonetheless, its single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) contribution to Wilms tumor remains unknown.

METHODS

In the present study, 402 Wilms tumor patients and 1198 healthy controls were successfully genotyped for FTO gene SNPs (rs1477196 G>A, rs9939609 T>A, rs7206790 C>G and rs8047395 A>G) using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), generated from unconditional logistic regression, were applied to quantify the effects of FTO gene SNPs on Wilms tumor risk.

RESULTS

We found that the rs8047395 A>G polymorphism was significantly correlated with an increased risk for Wilms tumor (GG versus AA/AG: adjusted OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.04-1.85, p = 0.027). Carriers with 1 and 1-2 risk genotypes are more susceptible of developing Wilms tumor than those without risk genotypes. Stratified analysis of rs8047395 and risk genotypes revealed more significant relationships with Wilms tumor risk in certain subgroups. Preliminary functional annotations revealed that the rs8047395 A allele increases expression levels of the FTO gene as determined by expression quantitative trait locus analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides evidence that rs8047395 may regulate FTO gene expression and thus confer susceptibility to Wilms tumor. The candidate FTO gene rs8047395 A>G polymorphism identified in this study warrants independent investigation.

The Genetic Changes of Hepatoblastoma

Hepatoblastoma is the most common malignant liver cancer in childhood. The etiology of hepatoblastoma remains obscure. Hepatoblastoma is closely related to genetic syndromes, hinting that hepatoblastoma is a genetic predisposition disease. However, no precise exposures or genetic events are reported to hepatoblastoma occurrence. During the past decade, significant advances have been made in the understanding of etiology leading to hepatoblastoma, and several important genetic events that appear to be important for the development and progression of this tumor have been identified. Advances in our understanding of the genetic changes that underlie hepatoblastoma may translate into better patient outcomes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been generally applied in the research of etiology's exploration, disease treatment, and prognosis assessment. Here, we reviewed and discussed the molecular epidemiology, especially SNPs progresses in hepatoblastoma, to provide references for future studies and promote the study of hepatoblastoma's etiology.

Integrative genomic analysis of N6-methyladenosine-single nucleotide polymorphisms (m6A-SNPs) associated with breast cancer

Due to the important role of N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) in breast cancer, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes with m⁶A modification may also be involved in breast cancer pathogenesis. In this study, we used a public genome-wide association study dataset to identify m⁶A-SNPs associated with breast cancer and to further explore their potential functions. We found 113 m⁶A-SNPs associated with breast cancer that reached the genome-wide suggestive threshold (5.0E-05), and 86 m⁶A-SNPs had eQTL signals. Only six genes were differentially expressed between controls and breast cancer cases in GEO datasets (GSE15852, GSE115144, and GSE109169), and the SNPs rs4829 and rs9610915 were located next to the m⁶A modification sites in the 3ʹUTRs of TOM1L1 and MAFF, respectively. In addition, we found that polyadenylate-binding protein cytoplasmic 1 might have a potential interaction with rs4829 (TOM1L1) and rs9610915 (MAFF). In summary, these findings indicated that the SNPs rs4829 and rs9610915 are potentially associated with breast cancer because they had eQTL signals, altered gene expression, and were located next to the m⁶A modification sites in the 3ʹUTRs of their coding genes. However, further studies are still needed to clarify how genetic variation affects the epigenetic modification, m⁶A, and its subsequent functions in the pathogenesis of breast cancer.

Impact of YTHDF1 gene polymorphisms on Wilms tumor susceptibility: A five-center case-control study

Background

Wilms tumor is the most frequent renal malignancy in children. YTHDF1 is associated with the development of several kinds of cancers, yet whether common variants of the YTHDF1 gene influence Wilms tumor risk is unknown. We present, here, a hospital‐based case‐control study specifically designed to investigate the role of YTHDF1 genetic variants on Wilms tumor.

Methods

We successfully genotyped samples of 408 Wilms tumor cases and 1198 controls which were collected from five hospitals across China. The unconditional logistic regression was adopted to analyze the contributions of YTHDF1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to the risk of Wilms tumor. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were generated to evaluate the conferring risk of YTHDF1 gene SNPs (rs6011668 C>T, rs6090311 A>G).

Results

Neither of the two SNPs could contribute to the risk of Wilms tumor. A negative association was also detected in the combined effects of protective genotypes on Wilms tumor risk. The stratification analysis revealed that compared with those with CC genotype, rs6011668 CT/TT genotype was associated with increased Wilms tumor risk in those ≤18 months (OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.02–2.30, p = 0.038), and with decreased Wilms tumor risk in those >18 months (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.50–0.97, p = 0.034).

Conclusion

Our present work sheds some light on the potential role of YTHDF1 gene polymorphisms on Wilms tumor risk.

YTHDC1 gene polymorphisms and Wilms tumor susceptibility in Chinese children: A five-center case-control study

Wilms tumor is a common pediatric tumor with abundant genetic drivers. YTHDC1 is an important reader of the N⁶-methyladenosine modification that widely regulates eukaryotic transcripts. YTHDC1 has been associated with the occurrence and development of some tumors. However, this is the first study on YTHDC1 gene polymorphisms and Wilms tumor susceptibility. In brief, we conducted a five-center case-control study to explore the associations between YTHDC1 polymorphisms (rs2293596 T > C, rs2293595 T > C, and rs3813832 T > C) and Wilms tumor susceptibility in Chinese children. A total of 404 cases and 1198 controls were successfully genotyped using TaqMan real-time PCR. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as the evaluation indicators. We found that children with the 2-3 risk genotypes were more likely to develop Wilms tumor than those with the 0-1 risk genotypes (adjusted OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.01-1.62, P = 0.042). However, no other statistically significant results were found in this research study. The combined effect of YTHDC1 polymorphisms significantly increases Wilms tumor susceptibility. Our results need to be verified in different populations after increasing the sample size and controlling for confounding factors.

ALKBH5 Gene Polymorphisms and Hepatoblastoma Susceptibility in Chinese Children

Incidence of hepatoblastoma has been increasing, but the causes of this disease remain unclear. Some studies have suggested that abnormal expressions of ALKBH5 gene are associated with multiple cancers. This study aims to test the hypothesis that hepatoblastoma risk may be modulated by genetic polymorphisms in ALKBH5 gene based on genotyped data from samples of 328 cases and 1476 controls enrolled from eight hospitals in China. We used TaqMan assay to genotype ALKBH5 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1378602G > A and rs8400G > A. We calculated the odds ratios (ORs) and P values using logistic regression models to estimate the association between hepatoblastoma risk and ALKBH5 gene SNPs. We found the rs1378602G > A and rs8400G > A could not impact hepatoblastoma risk in single or combined analysis. Stratified analysis revealed that subjects with the rs8400 AA genotype are prone to getting hepatoblastoma in the clinical stage III + IV subgroup (adjusted OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.20-3.10, P=0.007), when compared to those with GG/GA genotype. False-positive report probability validated the reliability of the significant results. Preliminary functional annotations revealed that rs8400 A is correlated with increased expression of ALKBH5 gene in the expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis. In all, our investigation presents evidence of a weak impact of ALKBH5 gene polymorphisms on hepatoblastoma risk, using the largest hepatoblastoma sample size. These findings shed some light on the genetic basis of hepatoblastoma, implicating the role of ALKBH5 gene polymorphisms in the etiology of hepatoblastoma.

The contribution of YTHDF2 gene rs3738067 A>G to the Wilms tumor susceptibility

YTHDF2 is responsible for maintaining the dynamic N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification balance and influences a variety of cancers. We tested whether YTHDF2 gene rs3738067 A>G polymorphism is related to Wilms tumor by genotyping samples of Chinese children (450 cases and 1317 controls). However, the rs3738067 A>G polymorphism showed no statistical significance with Wilms tumor susceptibility. Stratification analysis also revealed that there was no remarkable association of rs3738067 variant AG/GG genotype with Wilms tumor risk in every subgroup (age, gender, and clinical stages). In all, the results indicated YTHDF2 gene rs3738067 A>G polymorphism could not alter Wilms tumor risk significantly.

METTL3 polymorphisms and Wilms tumor susceptibility in Chinese children: A five-center case-control study

BACKGROUND

Wilms tumor is a common pediatric tumor worldwide. Methyltransferase like 3 (METTL3) is a core gene of the N⁶ -methyladenosine (m⁶ A) modification that widely affects the transcription of tumor-related genes in eukaryotes. METTL3 has been extensively investigated in various tumors but not Wilms tumor.

METHODS

We describe a five-center case-control study with 414 patients and 1199 controls aiming to explore the associations between METTL3 polymorphisms (rs1061026 T>G, rs1061027 C>A, rs1139130 A>G and rs1263801 G>C) and Wilms tumor susceptibility. A TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed for genotyping. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported as evaluation indicators to determine any associations.

RESULTS

Referring to the preliminary analysis results, protective genotypes were identified as rs1061026 TG/GG, rs1061027 CA/AA, rs1139130 GG and rs1263801 GC/CC. The children with three protective genotypes were less likely to develop Wilms tumor than children without protective genotypes (adjusted OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.46-0.999, p = 0.0496). Similarly, stratified analysis of the subgroup aged > 18 months, carrying 3 or 4 protective genotypes, was a protective factor for Wilms tumor compared to carrying 0-2 protective genotypes (adjusted OR = 0.59 95% CI = 0.39-0.91, p = 0.016). However, we did not observe any other significant results.

CONCLUSIONS

The combined effect of METTL3 polymorphisms reduce Wilms tumor susceptibility in Chinese children. This conclusion requires further verification.

YTHDC1 gene polymorphisms and hepatoblastoma susceptibility in Chinese children: A seven-center case-control study

BACKGROUND

Hepatoblastoma is a commonly occurring embryonal tumors in children. N6-methyladenosine (m⁶ A) plays a critical role in gene expression, thus contributing to the occurrence and progression of cancer. RNA splicing is regulated by the nuclear m⁶ A reader YTHDC1, yet the roles of YTHDC1 polymorphisms in hepatoblastoma remain unclear.

METHODS

We conducted a seven-center case-control study to determine the association between YTHDC1 gene polymorphisms (rs2293596 T>C, rs2293595 T>C and rs3813832 T>C) and hepatoblastoma susceptibility. We recruited 313 hepatoblastoma patients and 1446 healthy controls.

RESULTS

There was no significant association between all of these polymorphisms and hepatoblastoma susceptibility in single locus or combined analysis. Stratification analysis revealed that rs2293596 TC/CC genotype carriers had a higher risk of developing hepatoblastoma in the subgroup of clinical stages III + IV [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.18-2.76, p = 0.007]. In addition, 3 risk genotype carriers are more likely to develop hepatoblastoma in the subgroup of clinical stages III + IV (adjusted OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.18-2.76, p = 0.007). Furthermore, false-positive probability analysis was used to notarize our findings. Haplotype analysis indicated that there was no significant association between inferred haplotypes of YTHDC1 gene based on observed genotypes and hepatoblastoma risk.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, our findings suggest that the rs2293596 T>C polymorphism may contribute to hepatoblastoma susceptibly and YTHDC1 gene polymorphisms may have a cumulative effect on hepatoblastoma risk.

The Potential Roles of RNA N6-Methyladenosine in Urological Tumors

N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is regarded as the most abundant, prevalent and conserved internal mRNA modification in mammalian cells. M⁶A can be catalyzed by m⁶A methyltransferases METTL3, METTL14 and WTAP (writers), reverted by demethylases ALKBH5 and FTO (erasers), and recognized by m⁶A -binding proteins such as YTHDF1/2/3, IGF2BP1/2/3 and HNRNPA2B1 (readers). Emerging evidence suggests that m⁶A modification is significant for regulating many biological and cellular processes and participates in the pathological development of various diseases, including tumors. This article reviews recent studies on the biological function of m⁶A modification and the methylation modification of m⁶A in urological tumors.

ALKBH5 gene polymorphisms and Wilms tumor risk in Chinese children: A five-center case-control study

BACKGROUND

Wilms tumor is a frequently diagnosed renal cancer among children with unclear genetic causes. N6-methyladenosine (m⁶ A) modification genes play critical roles in tumorigenesis. However, whether genetic variations of m⁶ A modification genes predispose to Wilms tumor remain unclear. ALKBH5 (AlkB homolog 5), a crucial member of m⁶ A modification genes, encodes a demethylase that functions to reverse m⁶ A RNA methylation.

METHODS

Herein, we evaluated the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the m⁶ A modification gene ALKBH5 and Wilms tumor susceptibility in a large multi-center case-control study. A total of 414 Wilms tumor cases and 1199 healthy controls were genotyped for ALKBH5 rs1378602 and rs8400 polymorphisms by TaqMan.

RESULTS

No significant association was detected between these two polymorphisms and Wilms tumor risk. Moreover, 1, 2, and 1-2 protective genotypes (rs1378602 AG/AA or rs8400 GG) did not significantly reduce Wilms tumor risk, compared with risk genotypes only. Stratification analysis revealed a significant relationship between rs1378602 AG/AA genotypes and decreased Wilms tumor risk in children in clinical stage I diseases [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.32-0.98, P = .042]. The presence of 1-2 protective genotypes was correlated with decreased Wilms tumor risk in subgroups of age > 18 months, when compared to the absence of protective genotypes (adjusted OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.56-0.98, P = .035).

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our results demonstrate that ALKBH5 SNPs may exert a weak influence on susceptibility to Wilms tumor. This finding increases the understanding of the role of the m⁶ A gene in tumorigenesis of Wilms tumor.