Association of a variant in the tumor necrosis factor alpha gene with risk of cervical cancer

Interplay between LncRNA/miRNA and TGF-β Signaling in the Tumorigenesis of Gynecological Cancer

Gynecologic cancers are among the most common malignancies with aggressive features and poor prognosis. Tumorigenesis in gynecologic cancers is a complicated process that is influenced by multiple factors, including genetic mutations that activate various oncogenic signaling pathways, including the TGF-β pathway. Aberrant activation of TGF-β signaling is correlated with tumor recurrence and metastasis. It has been shown that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have crucial effects on cancer cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis. Upregulation of various ncRNAs, including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and microRNAs (miRNAs), has been reported in several tumors, like cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers, but their cellular mechanisms remain to be investigated. Thus, recognizing the role of ncRNAs in regulating the TGF-β pathway may provide novel strategies for better treatment of cancer patients. The present study summarizes recent findings on the role of ncRNAs in regulating the TGF-β signaling involved in tumor progression and metastasis in gynecologic cancers.

The Association of TNF-α Promoter Polymorphisms with Genetic Susceptibility to Cervical Cancer in a Chinese Han Population

Background

The tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) gene plays an important role in the host immune response, which will influence the development and clearance of cancer. Polymorphism of the TNF-α promoter region is considered to influence its transcription and be a risk factor for tumorigenesis. In the current study, we evaluated the role of TNF-α promoter region polymorphisms in susceptibility to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer (CC).

Methods

A total of 2732 subjects, including 1173 healthy controls, 579 patients with CIN and 980 patients with CC in a Chinese Han population, were selected for the current study. Five SNPs in the TNF-α promoter, rs1799964 (−1031 C>T), rs1800630 (−863 A>C), rs1799724 (−857 C>T), rs1800629 (−308 A>G) and rs361525 (−238 A>G), were selected and genotyped using TaqMan Assays. The association of these SNPs with CIN and cervical cancer was evaluated among healthy controls, CIN and CC patients.

Results

The frequency distribution of rs1800629 and rs361525 alleles was significantly different between the CC group and the control group (P=0.009 and P=0.002). The rs1800629 A allele was found to be a protective factor for CC (OR=0.72; 95% CI=0.56–0.92). The rs361525 A allele was found to be a risk factor for CC (OR=1.69; 95% CI=1.21–2.38). After pathological subtyping of CC, the allele distribution of rs1800629 and rs361525 were both significantly different between the cervical squamous cell carcinoma and control groups (P=0.002 and P<0.001). The rs1800629 A allele was protective factor for cervical squamous cell carcinoma (OR=0.66; 95% CI=0.50–0.86). The rs361525 A allele was a risk factor for cervical squamous cell carcinoma (OR=1.87; 95% CI=1.32–2.65). Moreover, the genotypic frequency of rs361525 was significantly different between cervical cancer stage I and stage II (P=0.003).

Conclusion

The rs1800629 and rs361525 in the TNF-α promoter are associated with susceptibility to CC in the Chinese Han population.