Association Between Two Polymorphisms in the Promoter Region of miR-143/miR-145 and the Susceptibility of Lung Cancer in Northeast Chinese Nonsmoking Females

Promoter A1312C mutation leads to microRNA-7 downregulation in human non-small cell lung cancer

MicroRNA-7 (miRNA-7, miR-7) is a unique class of tumor suppressors, plays an important role in various physiological and pathological processes including human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In previous works, we revealed that miR-7 could regulate the growth and metastasis of human NSCLC cells. However, the mechanism of dysregulated miR-7 expression in NSCLC remains to be further elucidated. In this study, based on clinical sample analysis, we found that the downregulated expression of miR-7 was dominantly attributed to the decreased level of pri-miR-7-2 in human NSCLC. Furthermore, there were four site mutations in the miR-7-2 promoter sequence. Notably, among these four sites, mutation at -1312 locus (A → C, termed as A1312C mutation) was dominate, and A1312C mutation further led to decreased expression of miR-7 in human NSCLC cells, accompanied with elevated transduction of NDUFA4/ERK/AKT signaling pathway. Mechanistically, homeobox A5 (HOXA5) is the key transcription factors regulating miR-7 expression in NSCLC. A1312C mutation impairs HOXA5 binding, thereby reducing the transcriptional activity of miR-7-2 promoter, resulting in downregulation of miR-7 expression. Together, these data may provide new insights into the dysregulation of specific miRNA expression in NSCLC and ultimately prove to be helpful in the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies against NSCLC.

Noncoding RNA mutations in cancer

Cancer is driven by both germline and somatic genetic changes. Efforts have been devoted to characterizing essential genetic variations in cancer initiation and development. Most attention has been given to mutations in protein-coding genes and associated regulatory elements such as promoters and enhancers. The development of sequencing technologies and in silico and experimental methods has allowed further exploration of cancer predisposition variants and important somatic mutations in noncoding RNAs, mainly for long noncoding RNAs and microRNAs. Association studies including GWAS have revealed hereditary variations including SNPs and indels in lncRNA or miRNA genes and regulatory regions. These mutations altered RNA secondary structures, expression levels, and target recognition and then conferred cancer predisposition to carriers. Whole-exome/genome sequencing comparing cancer and normal tissues has revealed important somatic mutations in noncoding RNA genes. Mutation hotspots and somatic copy number alterations have been identified in various tumor-associated noncoding RNAs. Increasing focus and effort have been devoted to studying the noncoding region of the genome. The complex genetic network of cancer initiation is being unveiled. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.

One-off low-dose CT screening of positive nodules in lung cancer: A prospective community-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

To improve the early stage diagnosis and reduce the lung cancer (LC) mortality for positive nodule (PN) population, data on effectiveness of PN detection using one-off low-dose spiral computed tomography (LDCT) screening are needed to improve the PN management protocol. We evaluate the effectiveness of PN detection and developed a nomogram to predict LC risk for PNs.

METHODS

A prospective, community-based cohort study was conducted. We recruited 292,531 eligible candidates during 2012-2018. Individuals at high risk of LC based on risk assessment underwent LDCT screening and were divided into PN and non-PN groups. The effectiveness of PN detection was evaluated in LC incidence, mortality, and all-cause mortality. We performed subgroup analysis of characteristic variables for the association between PN and LC risk. A competing risk model was used to develop the nomogram.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 14901) underwent LDCT screening; PNs were detected in 1193 cases (8·0%). After a median follow-up of 6·1 years, 193 were diagnosed with LC (1·3%). Of these, 94 were in the PN group (8·0%). LC incidence, mortality, and all-cause mortality were significantly higher in the PN group (adjusted hazard ratios: 10.60 (7.91-14.20), 7.97 (5.20-12.20), and 1.94 (1.51-2.50), respectively). Additionally, various PN characteristics were associated with an increased probability of developing LC. The C-index value of the nomogram for predicting LC risk of PN individuals was 0·847.

CONCLUSIONS

The protocol of PNs management for improvement could focus on specific characteristic population and high-risk PN individuals by nomogram assessment.

The Insulin-like Growth Factor System and Colorectal Cancer

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are peptides which exert mitogenic, endocrine and cytokine activities. Together with their receptors, binding proteins and associated molecules, they participate in numerous pathophysiological processes, including cancer development. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease with high incidence and mortality rates worldwide, whose etiology usually represents a combination of the environmental and genetic factors. IGFs are most often increased in CRC, enabling excessive autocrine/paracrine stimulation of the cell growth. Overexpression or increased activation/accessibility of IGF receptors is a coinciding step which transmits IGF-related signals. A number of molecules and biochemical mechanisms exert modulatory effects shaping the final outcome of the IGF-stimulated processes, frequently leading to neoplastic transformation in the case of irreparable disbalance. The IGF system and related molecules and pathways which participate in the development of CRC are the focus of this review.

MiRNAs in Lung Cancer: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Potential

Lung cancer is the dominant emerging factor in cancer-related mortality around the globe. Therapeutic interventions for lung cancer are not up to par, mainly due to reoccurrence/relapse, chemoresistance, and late diagnosis. People are currently interested in miRNAs, which are small double-stranded (20–24 ribonucleotides) structures that regulate molecular targets (tumor suppressors, oncogenes) involved in tumorigeneses such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and angiogenesis via post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA. Many studies suggest the emerging role of miRNAs in lung cancer diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics. Therefore, it is necessary to intensely explore the miRNOME expression of lung tumors and the development of anti-cancer strategies. The current review focuses on the therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic potential of numerous miRNAs in lung cancer.

Association Between miR-143/145 rs4705343 Polymorphism and Risk of Congenital Heart Disease in a Chinese Tibetan Population

Objective: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect worldwide and is caused by both genetic and environmental factors. The microRNA (miR)-143/145 cluster is involved in various biological processes related to cardiovascular development. The functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4705343 of miR-143/145 may influence the expression of these miRNAs. In this study, we aimed to estimate the association between miR-143/145 rs4705343 and the risk of CHD in a Chinese Tibetan population. Methods: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry assays were performed to genotype the miRNA-143/145 rs4705343 SNP in 510 CHD Tibetan patients and 681 unrelated Tibetan healthy controls. The associations between the SNP frequencies and the CHD risk were analyzed by χ² test/Fisher's test and assessed by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: We successfully genotyped 1165 subjects with a SNP call rate of 97.8%. Under the allelic model we found that rs4705343 was not associated with the risk of CHD (p = 0.082), but under the recessive model the CC genotype at this locus was associated with a significantly increased risk of CHD compared with the other genotypes (CC vs TT+TC: OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.08-2.37, p = 0.017). Conclusion: The present study suggests that the rs4705343 CC genotype of miR-143/145 is associated with CHD risk in a Chinese Tibetan population.

Functional Variants of miR-143 Are Associated with Schizophrenia Susceptibility: A Preliminary Population-Based Study and Bioinformatics Analysis

Single nucleotide polymorphisms within genes encoding microRNAs may alter the expression of microRNAs and their target genes, contributing to the etiology of psychiatric disorders. We aimed to investigate the link between rs4705342T/C and rs4705343T/C polymorphisms in the promoter region of miR-143 and the risk of schizophrenia (SCZ) in a sample of an Iranian population. In this experimental study, a total of 398 subjects were recruited. Genotyping carried out using allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR) method. Different bioinformatics databases and Cytoscape V3.4.0 software were used for the analysis of the gene-miRNA interaction network. The genotypic analysis of rs4705342C/T showed that CC genotype in the co-dominant model significantly decreased the risk of SCZ (p < 0.001). Also, a significantly reduced risk of SCZ was observed under allelic (p < 0.001), dominant (p = 0.007), and recessive (p = 0.001) models of this variant. As regards rs4705343T/C, significantly enhanced risk of SCZ was found under the co-dominant CC (p = 0.01) and recessive (p = 0.007) contrasted genetic models. For this variant, the C allele conferred an increased risk of SCZ by 1.41 fold. Haplotype analysis showed that the C_rs4705342 T_rs4705343 haplotype significantly diminished SCZ susceptibility. The result of the bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-143, as a critical miRNA, targets ERK5, ERBB3, HK2, and PKCε, the four major genes involved in SCZ development. Our findings suggest that these two polymorphisms might affect SCZ susceptibility. Elucidating the precise regulatory mechanisms of gene expression in the development of SCZ will help researchers discover a novel target for therapeutic interventions.

Association between the rs3733846 in the flanking region of miR-143/145 and risk of cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Aim: To investigate the effect of rs3733846 in the flanking region of miR-143/145 on susceptibility to cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Materials & methods: We collected venous blood samples from 242 CSCC patients and 250 healthy controls. The rs3733846 polymorphism was genotyped by SnaPshot and Sanger sequencing. The expression of miR-143/145 in CSCC tissues was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Results: The rs3733846 AG genotype was associated with a decreased risk of CSCC in genetic model (AGvs.AA: adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.30-0.66; p < 0.001). Patients with the rs3733846 AG/GG genotypes had a reduced risk of developing poorly differential status (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.33-0.98; p < 0.04) and lymph node metastasis (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.26-0.92; p < 0.03). Conclusion: The rs3733846 in the flanking region of miR-143/145 was related to the susceptibility of CSCC.

Functional miR143/145 Cluster Variants and Haplotypes Are Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease: a Preliminary Case-Control Study and Computational Analyses

MiR-143/145 cluster is a novel transcriptional target of many signaling pathways, with variations within this cluster contributed to the risk of multiple diseases. To date, no data regarding the link between miR143/145 cluster polymorphisms and the risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been reported. Hence, we aimed to examine such association in a population of Iranian ancestry. In this preliminary study, 276 CKD patients and 300 unrelated age and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP and allele-specific-PCR methods. Computational analyses were performed to predict the potential effects of the variants. Our findings indicated that rs41291957, rs12659504, and rs353292 polymorphisms were positively associated with CKD, while rs4705342 and rs4705343 polymorphisms demonstrated a significant negative association with the disease. Moreover, a significant association was observed between CC + TC and TT genotypes and CKD stages. We found that AACTT, AATTC, AATTT, GATTC, GATTT, and GGCTT haplotypes significantly enhanced the risk of CKD compared with the G_rs41291957AA_rs12659504C_rs353292T_rs4705342T_rs4705343 haplotype. Computational analysis showed that rs353292, rs4705342, and rs4705343 might alter the binding of the transcription factors in this gene cluster. We found that miR-143/145 cluster polymorphisms were associated with CKD risk in a sample of the Iranian population. Replicated studies on different ethnicities are necessary to investigate the association between these promoter variants and clinical outcomes.

Relationship between miR-143/145 cluster variations and cancer risk: proof from a Meta-analysis

Recent studies have suggested that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the miR-143/145 cluster might be linked to cancer risk. In this meta-analysis association study, we sought to quantitatively measure the strength of this association with cancer susceptibility in the overall analysis. Relevant publications were retrieved through a literature search in Web of Science, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar databases (updated January 22, 2020). Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated under different genetic contrasted models. Our findings showed that rs4705341 (under allelic, codominant AA, dominant, and recessive), rs4705342 (under allelic, codominant TC, codominant CC, dominant, and recessive), and rs353292 (under allelic, codominant CT, and dominant) significantly decreased cancer risk. However, we did not find any association between the rs4705343, rs353293, rs3733845, and rs3733846 variants and cancer risk under any genetic models. The stratified analysis by cancer type showed that the rs41291957 and rs4705342 variants showed protective effects against colorectal- and prostate cancers, respectively. Our findings support the association between some miR-143/145 cluster variants and cancer risk. Replication large-scale studies on different races are encouraged to precisely delineate such associations.

Impact of cooking oil fume exposure and fume extractor use on lung cancer risk in non-smoking Han Chinese women

Smoking tobacco is the major risk factor for developing lung cancer. However, most Han Chinese women with lung cancer are nonsmokers. Chinese cooking methods usually generate various carcinogens in fumes that may inevitably be inhaled by those who cook the food, most of whom are female. We investigated the associations of cooking habits and exposure to cooking fumes with lung cancer among non-smoking Han Chinese women. This study was conducted on 1,302 lung cancer cases and 1,302 matched healthy controls in Taiwan during 2002-2010. Two indices, "cooking time-years" and "fume extractor use ratio," were developed. The former was used to explore the relationship between cumulative exposure to cooking oil fumes and lung cancer; the latter was used to assess the impact of fume extractor use for different ratio-of-use groups. Using logistic models, we found a dose-response association between cooking fume exposure and lung cancer (odds ratios of 1, 1.63, 1.67, 2.14, and 3.17 across increasing levels of cooking time-years). However, long-term use of a fume extractor in cooking can reduce the risk of lung cancer by about 50%. Furthermore, we provide evidence that cooking habits, involving cooking methods and oil use, are associated with risk of lung cancer.