Significant association of RUNX3 T/A polymorphism at intron 3 (rs760805) with the risk of gastric atrophy in Helicobacter pylori seropositive Japanese

RUNX3 Polymorphisms Affect the Risk of Ankylosing Spondylitis

Background

We aimed to assess the potential association of runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) gene variants with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) susceptibility among Chinese Han people.

Material/Methods

Genotyping for RUNX3 variants was accomplished through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 115 AS patients and 102 healthy controls. Genotypes distributions of the polymorphisms in controls was assessed for their deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Moreover, odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was achieved using chi-square analysis to evaluate AS risk related to RUNX3 polymorphisms. Additionally, logistic regression analysis produced adjusted OR values.

Results

Genotypes distribution of rs760805 and rs11249206 polymorphisms conformed to HWE in the control group (P>0.05). TT genotype of rs760805 appeared more frequently among AS cases than in controls (P=0.033), indicating its significant association with increased risk of AS onset (OR=2.309, 95%CI=1.069–4.892). The carriage of T allele in rs760805 also heightened AS incidence, in comparison to A allele (OR=1.578, 95%CI=1.075–2.316, P=0.020). Moreover, the carriage of AT+TT genotype in rs760805 and TT genotype in rs11249206 obviously increased risk of AS onset (OR=2.585, 95%CI=1.062–6.288).

Conclusions

RUNX3 rs760805 polymorphism can contribute to AS incidence in Chinese Han people. The interaction of the 2 polymorphisms may be a risk factor for AS.

Association between RUNX3 gene polymorphisms in severe preeclampsia and its clinical features

Preeclampsia is a complex genetic disorder and its pathogenesis remains to be investigated. Single nucleotide polymorphisms serve important roles in genetic predisposition. The present study aimed to explore the association between runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) gene polymorphisms in severe preeclampsia (SPE) and clinical features.A total of 417 participants were enrolled in the present study. The rs2236852, rs7528484 and rs760805 polymorphisms of the RUNX3 gene were tested using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Clinical information of patients and controls was collected. Relationship between clinical feature and different genotype was analyzed.Compared with rs2236852 GG genotype carriers, the odds ratios (OR) for the risk of SPE were 2.26 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24-4.12; P = .023] in AA genotype carriers. A significantly increased risk of SPE was associated with AG/AA genotypes compared with GG genotypes (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.11-2.75; P = .015). AA homozygote carriers with SPE exhibited lower birth weight, shorter birth length and reduced incidence of hypoproteinemia compared with AG heterozygote carriers (P <.05). A significantly increased risk of SPE was determined to be associated with the rs7528484 CC genotype in codominant and recessive models (CC vs TT: OR, 3.70, 95% CI, 1.31-10.43, P = .01; CC vs TT/TC: OR, 3.98, 95% CI, 1.46-10.87, P = .003). Patients carrying C-allele (TC + CC) presented increased systolic pressure and an increased incidence of neonatal pneumonia compared with TT homozygote carriers (P <.05). Compared with rs760805 TT homozygote carriers, patients carrying AA homozygote exhibited significantly reduced 24 hours urinary protein levels, lower serum creatinine concentrations and a decreased incidence of neonatal asphyxia (P <.05).The present study suggested a genetic association between RUNX3 gene polymorphisms and SPE. The data provided a novel insight to guide future investigations.

Association of TLR4 Polymorphisms, Expression, and Vitamin D with Helicobacter pylori Infection

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the strongest recognized risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma. Since previous observations have shown that polymorphisms in innate immune system genes, as well as vitamin D (VitD) levels, could modify the risk of infection with Helicobacterpylori (H. pylori), we analyzed the relation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLRs (TLR1, TLR2, TLR4) CD14, RUNX3 and VitD levels with H. pylori infection. A case-control study on four hundred sixty Lebanese individuals was conducted. Eleven SNPs in total were genotyped and gene expression analysis using real-time PCR was performed in white blood cells of a subsample of eight individuals. A total of 49% of the participants were affected. Although no direct association was found between the SNPs and H. pylori infection, rs4986790G>A and rs4986791T>C in TLR4 were negatively associated with VitD levels (β = −0.371, p = 5 × 10⁻³ and β = −0.4, p = 2 × 10⁻³, respectively), which was negatively associated with H. pylori infection (OR = 0.01, p < 1 × 10⁻³). TLR4 expression was 3× lower in individuals with H. pylori compared with non-infected (p = 0.01). TLR4 polymorphisms, expression, and VitD could be implicated in H. pylori infection and further development of gastric adenocarcinoma.

Runx3 in Immunity, Inflammation and Cancer

In this chapter we summarize the pros and cons of the notion that Runx3 is a major tumor suppressor gene (TSG). Inactivation of TSGs in normal cells provides a viability/growth advantage that contributes cell-autonomously to cancer. More than a decade ago it was suggested that RUNX3 is involved in gastric cancer development, a postulate extended later to other epithelial cancers portraying RUNX3 as a major TSG. However, evidence that Runx3 is not expressed in normal gastric and other epithelia has challenged the RUNX3-TSG paradigm. In contrast, RUNX3 is overexpressed in a significant fraction of tumor cells in various human epithelial cancers and its overexpression in pancreatic cancer cells promotes their migration, anchorage-independent growth and metastatic potential. Moreover, recent high-throughput quantitative genome-wide studies on thousands of human samples of various tumors and new investigations of the role of Runx3 in mouse cancer models have unequivocally demonstrated that RUNX3 is not a bona fide cell-autonomous TSG. Importantly, accumulating data demonstrated that RUNX3 functions in control of immunity and inflammation, thereby indirectly influencing epithelial tumor development.

Runx3 at the interface of immunity, inflammation and cancer

Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) in normal cells provides a viability/growth advantage that contributes cell-autonomously to cancer. More than a decade ago claims arose that the RUNX3 member of the RUNX transcription factor family is a major TSG inactivated in gastric cancer, a postulate extended later to other cancers. However, evidence that Runx3 is not expressed in normal gastric and other epithelia has challenged the RUNX3-TSG paradigm. Here we critically re-appraise this paradigm in light of recent high-throughput, quantitative genome-wide studies on thousands of human samples of various tumors and new investigations of the role of Runx3 in mouse cancer models. Collectively, these studies unequivocally demonstrate that RUNX3 is not a bona fide cell-autonomous TSG. Accordingly, RUNX3 is not recognized as a TSG and is not included among the 2000 cancer genes listed in the "Cancer Gene Census" or "Network for Cancer Genes" repositories. In contrast, RUNX3 does play important functions in immunity and inflammation and may thereby indirectly influence epithelial tumor development.

Genetic predisposition to Helicobacter pylori-induced gastric precancerous conditions

Gastric cancer is the most common malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract in East Asian populations and the second most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. While previous studies have investigated the genetic factors involved in gastric carcinogenesis, there still exist relatively few studies that have investigated the genetic traits associated with the risk of gastric precancerous conditions. In this paper we will review the biology and genetic polymorphisms involved in the genesis of gastric precancerous conditions reported to date and discuss the future prospects of this field of study. The associations of gastric precancerous conditions with polymorphisms in the cytotoxin-associated gene A-related genes (e.g. PTPN11 G/A at intron 3, rs2301756), those in the genes involved in host immunity against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection (e.g. TLR4 +3725G/C, rs11536889) or polymorphisms of the genes essential for the development/ differentiation of the gastric epithelial cells (e.g. RUNX3 T/A polymorphism at intron 3, rs760805) have been reported to date. Genetic epidemiological studies of the associations between H. pylori-induced gastric precancerous conditions and other gene polymorphisms in these pathways as well as polymorphisms of the genes involved in other pathways like oxidative DNA damage repair pathways would provide useful evidence for the individualized prevention of these H. pylori-induced gastric precancerous conditions.