Cervical cancer-associated promoter polymorphism affects akna expression levels

Functional Role of AKNA: A Scoping Review

Human akna encodes an AT-hook transcription factor whose expression participates in various cellular processes. We conducted a scoping review on the literature regarding the functional role of AKNA according to the evidence found in human and in vivo and in vitro models, stringently following the “PRISMA-ScR” statement recommendations. Methods: We undertook an independent PubMed literature search using the following search terms, AKNA OR AKNA ADJ gene OR AKNA protein, human OR AKNA ADJ functions. Observational and experimental articles were considered. The selected studies were categorized using a pre-determined data extraction form. A narrative summary of the evidence was produced. Results: AKNA modulates the expression of CD40 and CD40L genes in immune system cells. It is a negative regulator of inflammatory processes as evidenced by knockout mouse models and observational studies for several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, AKNA contributes to the de-regulation of the immune system in cancer, and it has been proposed as a susceptibility genetic factor and biomarker in CC, GC, and HNSCC. Finally, AKNA regulates neurogenesis by destabilizing the microtubules dynamics. Conclusion: Our results provide evidence for the role of AKNA in various cellular processes, including immune response, inflammation, development, cancer, autoimmunity, and neurogenesis.

Evaluation of Common Variants in the AKNA Gene and Susceptibility to Knee Osteoarthritis Among the Han Chinese

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex degenerative joint disease that is associated with both genetic and environmental factors. The AKNA gene, located at 9q32, has recently been identified as being associated with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in the Mexican population. Our aim was to investigate the relationship of common variants in this gene with the risk of KOA in a large Han Chinese population. Methods: A total of 2,500 Han Chinese subjects were recruited, consisting of 824 KOA patients and 1,676 controls. Eight tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within the ANKA gene were selected for genotyping. Single marker-based association analyses were conducted using multiple modes of inheritance, including genotypic, allelic, dominant, and recessive. Haplotype-based association analyses were also performed. Plink was utilized for genetic association analyses. In addition, we examined the GTEx database to test the expression quantitative loci effects of the significant SNPs within the AKNA gene. Results: Among these eight SNPs evaluated we identified one, rs10817595, as being significantly associated with the risk of KOA. Compared to the CC genotype at this locus, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for KOA with the AA genotype was 1.58 (1.23-2.01)-fold greater. A linkage disequilibrium block that included this SNP was also determined to be significantly associated with the risk of KOA (χ² = 25.08, p = 3.58 × 10^-6). In general, the minor allele A of SNP rs10817595 was associated with an increased risk of KOA. Conclusion: This study is the first to present evidence for a potential link between the risk of KOA and an AKNA gene polymorphism among persons with a Han Chinese ancestry. Future functional analyses based on animal models and sequencing-based population studies are needed to elucidate the biological plausibility and genetic architecture of AKNA for KOA susceptibility.

AKNA Is a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Gastric Cancer and Function as a Tumor Suppressor by Modulating EMT-Related Pathways

The AT-hook transcription factor, AKNA, is a nuclear protein that affects a few physiological and pathological processes including cancer. Here, we investigated the role of AKNA in gastric cancer (GC). By using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assays, AKNA was found deregulated in both GC cell lines and 32 paired GC tissues. Subsequently, Kaplan-Meier analysis and clinicopathological analysis were conducted using both 32 GC cases' data above and RNA-Seq data of AKNA in 354 GC patients and the corresponding clinical-pathological data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and AKNA expression was found closely related to location, metastasis, and TNM staging of GC. Then, the potential molecular mechanisms of AKNA in GC were explored by gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), qRT-PCR, and Western blot assays. AKNA was found to be a hub gene related to homotypic cell to cell adhesion, regulation of cell to cell adhesion, leukocyte cell to cell adhesion, and regulation of T cell proliferation in GC. GO analysis revealed that AKNA involved in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related pathways including chemokine signaling pathway, cytokine to cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules, and jak-stat signaling pathway in GC. To explore the regulation of AKNA expression, Targetscan and TargetMiner were used to predict the possible miRNA which targeted AKNA and found the expression of AKNA was negatively correlated to miR-762 which could be sponged by circTRNC18. In conclusion, AKNA could function as a tumor suppressor by modulating EMT-related pathways in GC. The expression of AKNA might be regulated by circTRNC18/miR-762 axis. AKNA could serve as a potential biomarker and an effective target for GC diagnosis and therapy.

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) E6 Oncoprotein Regulates CD40 Expression via the AT-Hook Transcription Factor AKNA

Persistent infection with high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the main requisite for cervical cancer development. Normally, HPV is limited to the site of infection and regulates a plethora of cellular elements to avoid the immune surveillance by inducing an anti-inflammatory state, allowing the progress through the viral cycle and the carcinogenic process. Recent findings suggest that the AT-hook transcriptional factor AKNA could play a role in the development of cervical cancer. AKNA is strongly related to the expression of co-stimulatory molecules such CD40/CD40L to achieve an anti-tumoral immune response. To date, there is no evidence demonstrating the effect of the HPV E6 oncoprotein on the AT-hook factor AKNA. In this work, minimal expression of AKNA in cervical carcinoma compared to normal tissue was found. We show the ability of E6 from high-risk HPVs 16 and 18 to interact with and down-regulate AKNA as well as its co-stimulatory molecule CD40 in a proteasome dependent manner. We also found that p53 interacts with AKNA and promotes AKNA expression. Our results indicate that the de-regulation of CD40 and AKNA is induced by the HPV E6 oncoprotein, and this event involves the action of p53 suggesting that the axis E6/p53A/AKNA might play an important role in the de-regulation of the immune system during the carcinogenic process induced by HR-HPV.

The association of AKNA gene polymorphisms with knee osteoarthritis suggests the relevance of this immune response regulator in the disease genetic susceptibility

Recent studies have identified AKNA as a potential susceptibility gene for several inflammatory diseases. Here, we aimed to assess the potential association of AKNA polymorphisms with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) susceptibility in a Mexican population, following STREGA recommendations. From a DNA bank of 181 KOA patients and 140 healthy controls, two AKNA SNPs were genotyped using TaqMan probes. The association between KOA susceptibility and AKNA polymorphisms genotypes was evaluated by multivariated logistic regression analysis. Information regarding patients' inflammatory biomarkers levels was obtained and their association with AKNA polymorphisms genotypes was assessed by lineal regression. We found a positive association with the recessive inheritance model of both AKNA polymorphisms (A/A genotype for both) and KOA susceptibility adjusting by age, body mass index (BMI), gender and place of birth (OR = 2.48, 95% CI 1.09-5.65 for rs10817595 polymorphism; and OR = 4.96; 95% CI 2.421-10.2 for rs3748176 polymorphism). Additionally these associations were also seen after stratifying patients by KOA severity and age. Furthermore the total leukocyte count was positively associated with rs10817595 AKNA polymorphism (β = 1.39; 95% CI 0.44-2.34) adjusting by age, BMI, gender, place of birth and disease severity. We suggest that regulatory and coding polymorphisms of the inflammatory modulator gene AKNA can influence the development of KOA. Further structural and functional studies might reveal the role of AKNA in OA and other rheumatic diseases.

HIF1A (rs11549465) and AKNA (rs10817595) Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome

Objective. To evaluate the allele and genotype frequencies of polymorphic sites of HIF1A and ANKA genes in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Methods. We included 110 patients with pSS and 141 ethnically matched healthy controls. Three HIF1A gene polymorphisms (Pro582Ser, Ala588Thr, and C191T) and two AKNA gene polymorphisms (−1372C>A and Pro624Leu) were genotyped using TaqMan probes in a Real-Time PCR instrument. Associations between pSS and genotypes, alleles, and inheritance models of the SNPs of interest were evaluated by logistic regression adjusted by age and gender. Results. The C/T genotype and the T allele of the HIF1A Pro582Ser polymorphism protected against pSS (OR = 0.22; 95% CI = 0.09–0.52; P < 0.01; OR = 0.26; 95% CI = 0.12–0.58; P < 0.01, resp.), whereas under a recessive model adjusted by age and gender, the AKNA −1372C>A polymorphism A/A genotype was associated with an increased risk of pSS (OR = 2.60; 95% CI = 1.11–6.12; P = 0.03). Conclusions. We identified HIF1A Pro582Ser T allele and C/T genotype as well as AKNA −1372C>A polymorphism A/A genotype as genetic factors associated with pSS. Further studies in other populations are needed to validate our findings and research is warranted in order to shed some light on their functional implications across biological pathways in this disease.