Cyclooxygenase 2 (rs2745557) Polymorphism and the Susceptibility to Benign Prostate Hyperplasia and Prostate Cancer in Egyptians

Connection of COX-2 variants to ankylosing spondylitis susceptibility

This study aimed to explore the associations of COX-2 polymorphisms rs5275, rs20417, and rs2745557 with the susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis among Chinese Han people. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR/RFLP) was adopted for genotyping COX-2 polymorphisms rs5275, rs20417, and rs2745557 among 109 AS patients and 122 healthy controls. Genotype distribution in the control group was examined for these three polymorphisms to test whether it conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) expectation. A χ2 -test was employed to compare genotype and allele frequencies between the two groups. Besides this, logistic regression analyses were also performed to adjust age and gender. A p less than .05 represented a significant level. Genotype distribution of our studied polymorphisms showed fine conformity to HWE in the controls. An increasing effect on AS risk was detected for the polymorphism rs5275 under GG versus AA contrast (crude: OR, 3.040; 95% CI, 1.015-9.104), and the adjustment for age and gender did not change such a relationship (adjusted OR, 3.307; 95% CI, 1.065-10.268). After adjusting age and gender, both polymorphisms of rs20417 and rs2745557 demonstrated a negative relationship with the disease susceptibility. The GC genotype and C allele of rs20417 reduced the disease risk to 0.248 (adjusted: 95% CI, 0.089-0.692) and 0.269 (95% CI, 0.098-0.733), respectively, while the AA genotype and A allele of the latter to 0.413 (adjusted: 95% CI, 0.191-0.893) and 0.676 (adjusted: 95% CI, 0.466-0.981), respectively. Among Chinese Han people, COX-2 polymorphism rs5275 may contribute to increased risk of developing AS, while the polymorphisms rs20417 and rs2745557 may offer protection against disease incidence.

Detection of COX-2 in liquid biopsy of patients with prostate cancer

AIMS

To determine the profile of COX-2 gene expression in patients with prostate cancer attended at the ABC University Health Center outpatient clinic and correlate the results with patients' anatomopathological examinations. Prostate cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide and the second in Brazil. COX-2 expression is associated with an unfavourable prognosis.

METHODS

15.0 mL of peripheral blood were collected from 24 patients and 25 healthy men. RNA extraction was performed using the QIAamp RNA Blood Mini Kit. Complementary DNA synthesis was performed using SuperScript II RNAse Reverse Transcriptase. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed with specific COX-2 oligonucleotides and the endogenous GAPDH gene.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 69 years old. The Gleason scoring system showed 37.5% of patients with Gleason 6 (slow growth, low risk), 45.8% with Gleason 7 (intermediate risk) and 16.7% with Gleason 8 or 9 (risk of high-grade cancer). The median COX-2 expression in the study group was 0.97, while in the control group it was 0.11 (p<0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with prostate cancer showed higher COX-2 expression at diagnosis compared with the control group. Since COX-2 detection associated with prostate-specific antigen dosage shows promise as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis in patients with prostate cancer, further research is required to confirm these findings.

Prostaglandin Endoperoxide H Synthase-2 (PGHS-2) Variants and Risk of Obesity and Microvascular Dysfunction Among Tunisians: Relevance of rs5277 (306G/C) and rs5275 (8473T/C) Genetic Markers

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of six PGHS-2 genetic variants on obesity development and microvascular dysfunction. The study included 305 Tunisian subjects (186 normal weights, 35 overweights and 84 obeses). PCR analyses were used for allelic discrimination between polymorphisms. Prostaglandin (PGE2, PGI2), leptin, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP1, 2, 3, 9) levels were evaluated by ELISA. Fatty acid composition was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our results revealed that subjects carrying the PGHS-2 306CC (rs5277) and 8473CC (rs5275) genotypes present higher anthropometric values compared to wild-type genotypes (306GG, BMI (Kg/m²): 27.11 ± 0.58; WC (cm): 93.09 ± 1.58; 306CC, BMI: 33.83 ± 2.46; WC: 109.93 ± 5.41; 8473TT, BMI: 27.75 ± 0.68; WC: 93.96 ± 1.75; 8473CC, BMI: 33.72 ± 2.2; WC: 117.89 ± 2.94). A reduced microvascular reactivity and a higher PGE2 level were also found in individuals with the 306CC and 8473CC genotypes in comparison to 306GG and 8473TT carriers (306GG, Peak Ach-CVC (PU/mmHg): 0.46 ± 0.03; PGE2 (pg/ml): 7933.1 ± 702; 306CC, Peak Ach-CVC: 0.24 ± 0.01; PGE2: 13,380.3 ± 966.2; 8473TT, Peak Ach-CVC: 0.48 ± 0.05; PGE2: 7086.41 ± 700.31; 8473CC, Peak Ach-CVC: 0.23 ± 0.01; PGE2: 13,175.7 ± 1165.8). Fatty acid analysis showed a significant increase of palmitic acid (PA) (34.2 ± 2.09 vs. 16.82% ± 1.76, P < 0.001), stearic acid (SA) (25.76 ± 3.29 vs. 9.05% ± 2.53, P < 0.001), and linoleic acid (LA) (5.25 ± 1.18 vs. 0.5% ± 0.09, P < 0.001) levels in individuals carrying the PGHS-2 306CC genotype when compared to GG genotype individuals. Subjects with the 8473CC genotype showed also a significant increase of PA, SA ,and LA levels when compared to TT genotype carriers (PA: 38.02 ± 1.51 vs. 12.65% ± 1.54, P < 0.001; SA: 32.96 ± 1.87 vs. 1.38% ± 0.56, P < 0.001; LA: 26.84 ± 2.09 vs. 3.7% ± 1.54, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that PGHS-2 306CC and 8473CC variants are significantly associated with obesity status (OR 6.25, CI (1.8-21.6), P = 0.004; OR 3.01, CI (1.13-8.52), P = 0.03, respectively). Haplotypes containing the C₃₀₆:T₈₄₇₃ (OR 2.91; P = 0.01) and G_306:C₈₄₇₃ (OR 5.25; P = 0.002) combinations were associated with an enhanced risk for obesity development in the studied population. In conclusion, our results highlight that PGHS-2 306G/C and 8473T/C variants could be useful indicators of obesity development, inflammation, and microvascular dysfunction among Tunisians.

Association of genetic variants with prostate cancer in Africa: a concise review

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) has one of the highest heritability of all major cancers, where the genetic contribution has been documented, and knowledge about the molecular genetics of the disease is increasing. However, the extent and aspects to which genetic variants explain PCa heritability in Africa are limited.

Main body

In this review, we summarize studies that highlight how identified genetic variants explain differences in PCa incidence and presentation across ethnic groups. We also present the knowledge gaps in PCa genetics in Africa and why Africa represents an untapped potential ground for genetic studies on PCa. A significant number of genome-wide association studies, linkage, and fine-mapping analyses have been conducted globally, and that explains 30–33% of PCa heritability. The African ancestry has a significant mention in PCa incidence and presentation. To date, the candidate gene approach has replicated 23 polymorphisms including dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeats in 16 genes. CYP17-rs743572, CYP3A4-rs2740574, CYP3A5-rs776746, CYP3A43-rs501275, and haplotype blocks, containing these variants, are significantly associated with PCa among some population groups but not others. With the few existing studies, the extent of genetic diversity in Africa suggests that genetic associations of PCa to African ancestry go beyond nucleotide sequence polymorphisms, to a level of environmental adaptation, which may interpret genetic risk profiles. Also, the shreds of evidence suggest that evolutionary history contributes to the high rates of PCa relative to African ancestry, and genetic associations do not always replicate across populations.

Conclusion

The genetic architecture of PCa in Africa provides important contributions to the global understanding of PCa specifically the African-ancestry hypothesis. There is a need for more prostate cancer consortiums to justify the heritable certainties of PCa among Africans, and emphasis should be placed on the genetic epidemiological model of PCa in Africa.