Involvement of genetic factors and lifestyle on the occurrence of colorectal and gastric cancer

Exploring the mechanism of Erteng-Sanjie capsule in treating gastric and colorectal cancers via network pharmacology and in-vivo validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The Erteng-Sanjie capsule (ETSJC) has therapeutic effects against gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, its underlying pharmacological mechanism remains unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the pharmacological mechanism of ETSJC against GC and CRC via network pharmacology and in-vivo validation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data on the ingredients of ETSJC were obtained from the TCMSP and HERB databases. Further, details on the related targets of the active ingredients were collected from the HERB and SwissTargetPrediction databases. The targets in GC and CRC, which were screened from the OMIM, GeneCards, and TTD databases, were uploaded to STRING for a separate protein-protein interaction network analysis. The common targets shared by ETSJC, GC, and CRC were then screened. Cytoscape and STRING were used to construct the networks of herbs-compounds-targets and PPI. Metascape was utilized to analyze the enrichment of the GO and KEGG pathways. Molecular docking was used to validate the potential binding mode between the core ingredients and targets. Finally, the predicted results were verified with animal experiment.

RESULTS

Eight core ingredients (resveratrol, quercetin, luteolin, baicalein, delphinidin, kaempferol, pinocembrin, and naringenin) and six core targets (TP53, SRC, PIK3R1, AKT1, MAPK3, and STAT3) were filtered via network analysis. The molecular mechanism mainly involved the positive regulation of various processes such as cell migration, protein phosphorylation, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Molecular docking revealed that the core ingredients could be significantly combined with all core targets. The animal experiment revealed that ETSJC could suppress proliferation and promote apoptosis of both GC and CRC tumor cells by regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple targets (TP53, SRC, AKT1, and STAT3) were important in GC and CRC. ETSJC could act on these targets and engage in different pathways against GC and CRC. Simultaneously, inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was a promising therapeutic mechanism for treating GC and CRC.

Development of an immunogenic cell death prognostic signature for predicting clinical outcome and immune infiltration characterization in stomach adenocarcinoma

Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) is a common gastric histological cancer type with a high mortality rate. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) plays a key factor during carcinogenesis progress, whereas the prognostic value and role of ICD-related genes (ICDRGs) in STAD remain unclear. The MSigDB database collecting ICDRGs were selected by univariate Cox regression analysis and LASSO algorithm to establish a novel risk model. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated a significant difference of OS rate of patients by risk score stratification. ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, and single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithms were conducted to estimate the immune infiltration landscape by risk stratification. Subgroup analysis and tumor mutation burden analysis were also analyzed to identify characteristics between groups. Differences in therapeutic responsiveness to chemotherapeutic drugs and targeted drugs were also analyzed between high-risk group and low-risk group. The impact of one ICDRG, GPX1, on the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of was confirmed by in vitro experiments in GC cells to test the reliability of bioinformatics results. This study gives evidence of the involvement of ICD process in STAD and provides a new perspective for further accurate assessment of prognosis and therapeutic efficacy in STAD patients. Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) is a common gastric histological cancer type with a high mortality rate. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) plays a key factor during carcinogenesis progress, whereas the prognostic value and role of ICD-related genes (ICDRGs) in STAD remains unclear. The MSigDB database collected ICDRGs were selected by univariate Cox regression analysis and LASSO algorithm to establish a novel risk model. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated a significant difference of OS rate of patients by risk score stratification. ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, and single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithms were conducted to estimate the immune infiltration landscape by risk stratification. Subgroup analysis and tumor mutation burden analysis were also analyzed to identify characteristics between groups. Differences in therapeutic responsiveness to chemotherapeutic drugs and targeted drugs were also analyzed between high-risk group and low-risk group. The impact of one ICDRG, GPX1, on the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of was confirmed by in vitro experiments in GC cells to test the reliability of bioinformatics results. This study gives evidence of the involvement of ICD process in STAD and provides a new perspective for further accurate assessment of prognosis and therapeutic efficacy in STAD patients.

Polymorphisms of nucleotide excision repair genes associated with colorectal cancer risk: Meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

Background: Reduced DNA repair capacity in nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathways owing to genetic variant may influence cancer susceptibility. According to published studies, variants of NER genes associations with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk were inconclusive. Thus, this meta-analysis aimed to explore the possible association. A trial sequence analysis (TSA) analysis was performed to control the risk of false positive or false negative.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Network (CNKI), Wanfang Database and Scientific and Technical Journal Database (VIP) were searched to identify relative studies until April 2022. The association was assessed by odds ratio (OR) in Allele, homozygous, heterozygous, dominant, recessive, and over-dominant models. In addition, Begg’s and Egger’s tests, sensitivity analysis, subgroup analysis and TSA analysis were performed.

Results: A total of 29 studies were eventually included in the meta-analysis, including 12,153 CRC patients and 14,168 controls. It showed that excision and repair cross complementary group 1 (ERCC1) rs11615 CC genotype decreased the risk of CRC, compared with TT genotype (CC vs. TT: OR = 0.816, 95% CI = 0.673–0.990, p = 0.039). For ERCC1 rs3212986, the significant impact was detected on increased the risk of CRC in the allele (OR = 1.267, 95% CI = 1.027–1.562, p = 0.027), homozygous (OR = 1.805, 95% CI = 1.276–2.553, p = 0.001), dominant (OR = 1.214, 95% CI = 1.012–1.455, p = 0.037) and recessive (OR = 1.714, 95% CI = 1.225–2.399, p = 0.002) models, especially in the Asian population. The results revealed the association of ERCC2 rs1799793 A allele with a higher risk of CRC (A vs. G: OR = 1.163, 95% CI = 1.021–1.325, p = 0.023). It also showed that ERCC5 rs17655 increased CRC risk in the allele (OR = 1.104, 95% CI = 1.039–1.173, p = 0.001), homozygous (OR = 1.164, 95% CI = 1.018–1.329, p = 0.026), heterozygous (OR = 1.271, 95% CI = 1.018–1.329, p < 0.001), dominant (OR = 1.241, 95% CI = 1.135–1.358, p < 0.001) and over-dominant (OR = 0.828, 95% CI = 0.762–0.900, p < 0.001) models, especially among Asians.

Conclusion: This meta-analysis based on current evidence suggests that the significant association was observed between ERCC1 rs11615, ERCC1 rs3212986, ERCC2 rs1799793, and ERCC5 rs17655 and CRC susceptibility. However, given the limited sample size and the influence of genetic background, studies of a larger scale and well-designed are required to confirm the results.

High Expression of Interleukin-2 Receptor Subunit Gamma Reveals Poor Prognosis in Human Gastric Cancer

Precision medicine for gastric cancer (GC) is still an unsolved issue, because most available target drugs are not specifically designed for GC. Exploring novel signaling molecules with target value for GC is in urgent need. This study aimed to reveal that interleukin-2 receptor subunit gamma (IL2RG) is such a key molecule in human GC progression. GC tissues and paracancerous gastric tissues were collected from 7 patients (5 males and 2 females) during tumor radical excision surgery. These tissues were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with RNA-seq and serial bioinformatics analyses including Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA), and survival analysis. RT-qPCR and western blotting were performed to compare the mRNA and protein expression levels of IL2RG between GC tissues and adjacent normal gastric tissues as well as between GC cell line SGC-7901 and normal gastric epithelial cell line GES-1. Results showed striking elevations of IL2RG both in the mRNA and protein levels in GC tissues and human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell line compared, respectively, with the adjacent normal gastric tissues and normal GES-1 cells, and higher IL2RG expression was associated with lower survival. Analyses on the GSE29272 and GSE15459 datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus verified that IL2RG was highly expressed in GC patients and was associated with poor overall survival. In addition, molecular docking showed that a small molecule, resatorvid (TAK 242), might be an inhibitor of IL2RG. We conclude that IL2RG is overexpressed in advanced GC and is associated with low survival. IL2RG may serve as a biomarker of GC progression and poor prognosis.

Variant of SNPs at lncRNA NEAT1 contributes to gastric cancer susceptibility in Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) has been implicated in many tumors risk including gastric cancer. However, the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at NEAT1 with gastric cancer risk has not been studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between SNPs in NEAT1 and gastric cancer susceptibility.

METHODS

In this study, four SNPs in lncRNA NEAT1 were selected for genotyping in 484 gastric cancer patients and 484 controls in Chinese Han population. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted to evaluate the potential function of rs3825071. Attributable risk percentage (ARP) and population attributable risk percentage (PARP) were used to assess the epidemiological effect.

RESULTS

In the dominant model (GG), the genotypes AG + AA of rs3825071 and rs7943779 were associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer (OR = 1.72, 95%CI = 1.27-2.32 and OR = 1.63, 95%CI = 1.19-2.22). Individuals harboring ≥ 3 risk alleles have higher risk of gastric cancer (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.26-2.80, P = 0.002). ARP and PARP associated with gastric cancer were 42.53% and 10.88% for rs3825071, and were 33.78% and 6.26% for rs7943779, respectively. Furthermore, compared with the genotype GG of rs3825071, the genotypes AG and AA had higher expression of NEAT1.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that the genetic variations in NEAT1 were significantly associated with risk of gastric cancer. The G > A variant of rs3825071 may confer gastric cancer susceptibility by changed biological effects to increase the expression of NEAT1.

Fission Yeast Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Ensures Mitotic and Meiotic Chromosome Segregation Fidelity

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a key enzyme in the folate metabolic pathway, and its loss of function through polymorphisms is often associated with human conditions, including cancer, congenital heart disease, and Down syndrome. MTHFR is also required in the maintenance of heterochromatin, a crucial determinant of genomic stability and precise chromosomal segregation. Here, we characterize the function of a fission yeast gene met11⁺, which encodes a protein that is highly homologous to the mammalian MTHFR. We show that, although met11⁺ is not essential for viability, its disruption increases chromosome missegregation and destabilizes constitutive heterochromatic regions at pericentromeric, sub-telomeric and ribosomal DNA (rDNA) loci. Transcriptional silencing at these sites were disrupted, which is accompanied by the reduction in enrichment of histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) and binding of the heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1)-like Swi6. The met11 null mutant also dominantly disrupts meiotic fidelity, as displayed by reduced sporulation efficiency and defects in proper partitioning of the genetic material during meiosis. Interestingly, the faithful execution of these meiotic processes is synergistically ensured by cooperation among Met11, Rec8, a meiosis-specific cohesin protein, and the shugoshin protein Sgo1, which protects Rec8 from untimely cleavage. Overall, our results suggest a key role for Met11 in maintaining pericentromeric heterochromatin for precise genetic inheritance during mitosis and meiosis.

Association of MTHFR C677T polymorphism with severity and localization of chronic atrophic gastritis patients without Helicobacter pylori infection: a case control study

Background

Previous reports indicate that the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C > T polymorphism plays a role in gastric cancer. However, whether it influences the development and progression of atrophic gastritis remains ambiguous. We aimed to determine the possible relationship between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and the severity of atrophic gastritis.

Methods

A total of 128 patients without Helicobacter pylori infection were included in the study. The severity of gastric atrophy was assessed by pathological diagnosis using OLGA and OLGIM Gastritis Staging System. MTHFR 677C > T genotyping was performed by digital fluorescence molecular hybridization. Categorical variables were analyzed by percentages using the χ² test.

Results

In this study, the TT genotype was significantly more frequent among Helicobacter pylori-negative patients aged ≤44 years (age ≤ 44 years vs. > 44 years, P = 0.039). Patients with TT genotype showed a higher ratio of incisura with atrophy or intestinal metaplasia (TT vs. CC + CT, P = 0.02). Furthermore, TT genotype was associated with more severe lesions compared with the CC + CT genotypes (TT vs. CC + CT for atrophy: P = 0.07; for intestinal metaplasia: P = 0.01; for moderate-to-severe lesions: P = 0.01). OLGA and OLGIM stages III-IV were observed more frequently in patients with TT genotype compared with CC + CT genotypes (for OLGA: P = 0.003; for OLGIM: P = 0.036).

Conclusions

The MTHFR 677C > T TT genotype showed an increased risk of moderate-to-severe lesions by OLGA and OLGIM stages, and these results indicate that MTHFR C677T polymorphism may act as a predictive marker for precancerous gastric lesions, especially in Helicobacter pylori-negative patients aged ≤44 years.

CD44 Gene rs8193 C Allele Is Significantly Enriched in Gastric Cancer Patients

OBJECTIVE

Gastric cancer is a multifactorial disease. In addition to environmental factors, many genes are involved in this malignancy. One of the genes associated with gastric cancer is CD44 gene and its polymorphisms. CD44 gene plays role in regulating cell survival, growth and mobility. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs8193, located in the CD44 gene, has not been studied in gastric cancer patients of the Iranian population. The present study aims to study this polymorphism in 86 gastric cancer patients and 96 healthy individuals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional case-control study, rs8193 polymorphism was genotyped by allele specific primer polymerase chain reaction (ASP-PCR) technique. The obtained data were statistically analyzed. To find the potential mechanism of action, rs8193 was bioinformatically investigated.

RESULTS

rs8193 C allele played a risk factor role for gastric cancer. Patients carrying this allele were more susceptible to have gastric cancer, with lymph node spread. On the other hand, rs8193 T allele, a protective factor, was associated with a higher chance of accumulation in the lower stages of cancer. C allele might impose its effect via destabilizing CD44 and miR-570 interaction.

CONCLUSION

rs8193 is statistically associated with the risk of malignancy, lymph node spread and stage of gastric cancer in Iranian population.

Interaction between fasting blood glucose and tumor embolus in predicting the postoperative prognosis of 4330 Chinese patients with gastrointestinal tract cancer

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the interaction between fasting blood glucose and tumor embolus, and the potential mediation effect of fasting blood glucose on tumor embolus in predicting gastrointestinal tract cancer-specific mortality risk postoperatively.

Methods and Results: 4330 patients were consecutively recruited between January 2000 and December 2010, with annual follow-up ending in December 2015. The median follow-up time was 48.6 months. Two optimal cutoff points for fasting blood glucose (6.11 and 11.69 mmol/L) were identified. Patients with fasting blood glucose <6.11 mmol/L and negative tumor embolus had the best survival, and the worst survival was seen in patients with fasting blood glucose >11.69 mmol/L and positive tumor embolus. The risk was highest for patients with fasting blood glucose >11.69 mmol/L and positive tumor embolus (adjusted HR: 11.91, 95% CI: 9.13 to 15.52). Using the Sobel-Goodman mediation test, the proportion of total effect conferred by tumor embolus that was mediated by fasting blood glucose was estimated to be 45.3%.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate a synergistic interaction between fasting blood glucose and tumor embolus in predicting the postoperative prognosis of gastrointestinal tract cancer.

Correlation between the rs7101 and rs1063169 polymorphisms in the FOS noncoding region and susceptibility to and prognosis of colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

The FOS gene is located on human chromosome 14q21-31 and encodes the nuclear oncoprotein c-Fos. This study analyzed the correlation between the FOS noncoding region rs7101 and rs1063169 polymorphisms and colorectal cancer susceptibility and prognosis.

METHODS

We analyzed the FOS genotypes in 432 colorectal cancer patients and 315 healthy subjects by PCR/Sanger sequencing. Survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis. Western blot was used to detect the expression of c-Fos protein in cancer tissues and adjacent tissues in colorectal cancer patients with different genotypes.

RESULTS

The presence of a T allele at rs7101 and a T allele at rs1063169 in FOS carried a higher risk of colorectal cancer [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.237, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.131-1.346, P ≤ .001 and adjusted OR = 1.218, 95% CI = 1.111-1.327, P ≤ .001, respectively]. c-Fos protein levels were significantly higher in variant cancer tissues than in normal mucosa tissues (P < .05), and c-Fos proteins levels were also higher in homozygous variant cancer tissues than in heterozygous variant cancer tissues. The 3-year survival rate of patients with wild-type FOS was higher than that of patients with variant FOS (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The rs7101 and rs1063169 polymorphisms in the noncoding region of FOS are associated with the risk of developing colorectal cancer and the progression of colorectal cancer, which may be because the mutation enhances the expression of c-Fos protein to promote the incidence and development of colorectal cancer.

REG3A overexpression suppresses gastric cancer cell invasion, proliferation and promotes apoptosis through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway

Gastric cancer (GC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths. In recent years some essential factors for resolution were identified, but the clinical trials still lack the effective methods to treat or monitor the disease progression. Regenerating islet-derived 3α (REG3A) is a member of REG protein family. Previous studies have investigated the altered expression of REG3A in various cancers. In this investigtion we aimed at the biological function and the underlying molecular mechanism of REG3A in GC. We found that REG3A was significantly downregulated in GC and closely related with patient prognoses. REG3A overexpression suppressed the invasion and proliferation promoting apoptosis of GC cells. While REG3A knockdown promoted the invasion, and proliferation suppressing apoptosis of GC cells. It was further found that REG3A performed its biological functions mainly through phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt-GSK3β signaling pathway axis. REG3A may be a promising therapeutic strategy for GC.

Risk Factors for Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review

Objective: Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with many influences contributing to the disease. The aim of this study was to identify the most important risk factors. Methods: This study was conducted in 2017 with a structured overview in the Science Directe, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science (ISI) databases. In the first step, articles were extracted based on their titles and abstracts; the quality of 43 articles was evaluated using the STORBE tool. Inclusion criteria were studies carried out on human, English language (first step), year of the study and the study type (second step). Results: Finally, 1,381 articles were found, of which 1,269 were excluded in primary and secondary screening. In reviewing the references of the remaining 44 papers, 4 studies were added. Finally, 43 articles were selected for the quality assessment process. A total of 52 risk factors for gastric cancer were identified and classified into nine important categories: diet, lifestyle, genetic predisposition, family history, treatment and medical conditions, infections, demographic characteristics, occupational exposures and ionizing radiation’. Conclusion: Several environmental and genetic factors are involved in the development of gastric cancer. Regarding the role of changes in ‘diet and lifestyle’, considering appropriate nutrition and improving the level of education and awareness of people is vital for early diagnosis and timely treatment of this disease, especially in people with a family history and genetic predisposition.

Interaction between alcohol consumption and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms in thyroid cancer risk: National Cancer Center cohort in Korea

The effect of alcohol intake on thyroid cancer is unestablished, and its interaction effects with genetic susceptibility are unclear. In this case-control study, the relationship among alcohol intake, the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, and thyroid cancer risk has been evaluated. In total, 642 cases and 642 controls of Korean origin were included, and the genetic variants C677T and A1298C of the MTHFR gene were analysed. The interactions between alcohol-consumption behaviour and genetic variants were analysed with a likelihood ratio test, wherein a multiplicative interaction term was added to a logistic regression model. There was an independent association between the C677T polymorphism and thyroid cancer risk but not for drinking history. For C677T C/C homozygotes, individuals with a history of alcohol consumption showed a protective OR (95% CI) of 0.42 (0.15–1.13) when never drinkers were used as the reference. However, this protective association was not observed among individuals with a T+ allele with an OR (95% CI) of 1.27 (0.89–1.82), showing different directions for the association between genotypes with a significant interaction (P_interaction = 0.009). Based on the genetic characteristics of individuals included, an interaction between alcohol intake and MTHFR C677T may modify the risk of thyroid cancer.

LMO3 promotes gastric cancer cell invasion and proliferation through Akt-mTOR and Akt-GSK3β signaling

The present study assessed the biological functions of LIM domain only 3 (LMO3) in gastric cancer (GC) investigated and the underlying molecular mechanisms. It was revealed that the expression of LMO3 was significantly upregulated in GC tissues. A GC tissue microarray (n=164) indicated that LMO3 expression was closely associated with clinicopathological factors, as well as overall survival and disease-free survival of patients. After knockdown of LMO3 in MGC-803 and SGC-7901 cells, the invasion and proliferation were obviously suppressed. Furthermore, LMO3 knockdown suppressed the phosphorylation of Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)3β signaling. An inhibitor of mTOR, dactolisib, abrogated recombinant LMO3 protein-induced GC cell invasion and proliferation, while an inhibitor of GSK3β, CHIR-98014, only abrogated rLMO3 protein-induced proliferation. These results suggested that LMO3 promotes GC cell invasion and proliferation mainly through Akt/mTOR and Akt/GSK3β signaling. LMO3 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for GC in the future.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism and colorectal cancer susceptibility: a meta-analysis

The association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and colorectal cancer (CRC) susceptibility has been researched in numerous studies. However, the results of these studies were controversial. Therefore, the objective of this meta-analysis was to offer a more convincible conclusion about such association with more included studies. Eligible studies published till May 1, 2017 were searched from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CNKI database about such association. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) together with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate such association. And the Begg's funnel plot and Egger's test were applied to assess the publication bias. This meta-analysis contained 37049 cases and 52444 controls from 87 publications with 91 eligible case-control studies. Because of lack of data for a particular genotype in several studies, all the included studies were analysed barely in the dominant model. Originally, there was no association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and CRC susceptibility (OR =0.99, 95% CI =0.94-1.05). After excluding 13 studies according to their heterogeneity and publication bias, rs1801133 polymorphism was found to reduce the risks of CRC significantly (OR =0.96, 95% CI =0.94-0.99). In the subgroup analysis of ethnicity, there was a significant association in Asians (OR =0.94, 95% CI =0.89-1.00). Furthermore, when stratified by the source of controls and genotyping methods, the positive results were observed in population-based control group (OR =0.97, 95% CI =0.93-1.00) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method (OR =0.95, 95% CI =0.91-0.99. The results of the meta-analysis suggested that MTHFR C677T polymorphism was associated with CRC susceptibility, especially in Asian population.

DNA Methylation-Mediated Silencing of Regenerating Protein 1 Alpha (REG1A) Affects Gastric Cancer Prognosis

Background

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cause of cancer-related deaths. The clinical trials still lack the effective methods to treat or monitor the disease progression. In this research, the biological function and the underlying molecular mechanism of regenerating protein 1 alpha (REG1A) in GC were investigated.

Material/Methods

Gene expression omnibus (GEO), KMplot datasets and GC tissue microarray (n=164) were used to analyze the expression of REG1A and related patient prognoses in GC. Transwell matrigel assay, flow cytometry analysis and CCK8 cell viability assay were performed to detect the biological functions of REG1A. Western blotting and real-time PCR were used to detect the REG1A expression and PI3K/Akt related signaling.

Results

It was found that the expression of REG1A was significantly downregulated in GC and closely related with clinicopathological findings or patient prognoses. REG1A overexpression could suppress the invasion, cell viability and promote the apoptosis of GC cells. Moreover, we found that the epigenetic methylation suppressed the expression level of REG1A in GC, and REG1A overexpression could suppress the phosphorylation of Akt or GSK3β signaling.

Conclusions

Taken together, REG1A regulates cell invasion, apoptosis and viability in GC through activating PI3K/Akt-GSK3β signaling. REG1A may serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for GC.

Do alcoholic beverages, obesity and other nutritional factors modify the risk of familial colorectal cancer? A systematic review

PURPOSE

Individuals with family history of colorectal cancer are at higher risk of colorectal cancer than the general population. Until now, guidelines for familial colorectal cancer risk have only pointed at early diagnosis efforts via screening tests and surveillance, and payed scarce or no attention to lowering exposure to modifiable risk factors, notably nutritional factors.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of epidemiological studies investigating the associations between nutritional factors, family history of colorectal cancer, and colorectal cancer risk. From the 5312 abstracts identified until December 2016, 184 full text articles were examined for eligibility. Finally, 31 articles (21 from case-control studies, 9 from cohort studies and 1 from an intervention study) met inclusion criteria and were analyzed.

RESULTS

Mainly, the combinations of family history of colorectal cancer and higher consumptions of alcoholic beverages, red or processed meat, or overweight/obesity increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Consistently, a strong increase is observed with the combinations of family history of colorectal cancer and unhealthy dietary patterns/lifestyles. Statistically significant interactions between these nutritional factors, family history of colorectal cancer and colorectal cancer risk are reported. Other data are inconclusive and additional prospective studies are needed.

CONCLUSIONS

For the first time, our findings highlight that addressing high consumption of alcoholic beverages, red or processed meat, and overweight/obesity, and more largely the exposure to multiple unhealthy dietary/nutritional behaviors could offer new perspectives of prevention to individuals with family history of colorectal cancer. A better information of these patients and of health professionals on these nutritional modifiable risk factors is recommended.

Alcohol consumption and gastric cancer risk: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

We performed this meta-analysis to explore the precise quantification relationship between alcohol consumption and gastric cancer and to provide evidence for preventing gastric cancer. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for articles published up to December 2016, and identified 23 cohort studies that included a total population of 5,886,792 subjects. We derived meta-analytic estimates using random-effects models, taking into account correlations between estimates. We also investigated the dose–response relationship between gastric cancer risk and alcohol consumption. We found that alcohol consumption increased gastric cancer risk, where the summary risk ratio was 1.17 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00–1.34; I² = 79.6%, p < 0.05. The dose–response analysis showed that every 10 g/d increment in alcohol consumption was associated with 7% increased gastric cancer risk (95% CI 1.02–1.12; I² = 28.9%, p = 0.002). This meta-analysis provides evidence that alcohol consumption is an important risk factor of the incidence of gastric cancer.