Four polymorphisms in the IL-22 gene and the risk of cancer: A meta-analysis

The genetic polymorphisms of immune-related genes contribute to the susceptibility and survival of lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Though immunological abnormalities have been proven involved in the pathogenesis of lymphoma, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.

METHODS

We investigated 25 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 21 immune-related genes and explored their roles in lymphoma. The genotyping assay of the selected SNPs was used by the Massarray platform. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the associations of SNPs and the susceptibility of lymphoma or clinical characteristics of lymphoma patients. In addition, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression was used to further analyze the relationships with the survival of lymphoma patients and candidate SNPs, and the significant difference between genotypes was verified by the expression of RNA.

RESULTS

By comparing 245 lymphoma patients with 213 healthy controls, we found eight important SNPs related to the susceptibility of lymphoma, which were involved in JAK-STAT, NF-κB and other functional pathways. We further analyzed the relationships between SNPs and clinical characteristics. Our results showed that both IL6R (rs2228145) and STAT5B (rs6503691) significantly contributed to the Ann Arbor stages of lymphoma. And the STAT3 (rs744166), IL2 (rs2069762), IL10 (rs1800871), and PARP1 (rs907187) manifested a significant relationship with the peripheral blood counts in lymphoma patients. More importantly, the IFNG (rs2069718) and IL12A (rs6887695) were associated with the overall survival (OS) of lymphoma patients remarkably, and the adverse effects of GC genotypes could not be offset by Bonferroni correction for multiple comparison in rs6887695 especially. Moreover, we determined that the mRNA expression levels of IFNG and IL12A were significantly decreased in patients with shorter-OS genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

We used multiple methods of analysis to predict the correlations between lymphoma susceptibility, clinical characteristics or OS with SNPs. Our findings reveal that immune-related genetic polymorphisms contribute to the prognosis and treatment of lymphoma, which may serve as promising predictive targets.

Association between interleukin gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to gastric cancer in the Qinghai population

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the associations between interleukin (IL) gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to gastric cancer in the Qinghai population, China.

METHODS

Patients with gastric cancer and cancer-free controls were enrolled into the study from Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital between September 2016 and September 2018. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped with the Sequenom MassARRAY® SNP genotype system. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in allele and genotype frequencies, and general characteristics between patients with gastric cancer and cancer-free controls, were evaluated using χ²-test. Potential associations between interleukin gene variants and the risk of gastric cancer were analysed by logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among eight candidate SNPs, the allele and genotype frequency distribution of IL-1B rs1143634 polymorphism was significantly different between patients with gastric cancer (n = 190) and cancer-free controls (n = 186). The IL-1B rs1143634 GA genotype and IL-1B rs1143634 GA + AA genotype were associated with a reduced risk of gastric cancer, however, the remaining SNPs were not statistically associated with gastric cancer risk in the Qinghai population.

CONCLUSION

The IL-1B rs1143634 polymorphism might be associated with a decreased risk of gastric cancer, and may be a protective factor against gastric cancer.

A preliminary study of cytokine gene polymorphism effects on Saudi patients with colorectal cancer

OBJECTIVE

 To determine the possible associations of polymorphisms in interleukin (IL)-8 (rs4073 T/A), IL-10 (rs1800896 A/G), IL-22 (rs1179251 C/G and rs2227485 C/T), IL-27 (rs17855750 T/G), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFß1) (rs1800469 C/T) with colorectal cancer (CRC) susceptibility in Saudi patients.

METHODS

The case-control study was carried out between July 2019 and January 2020 in King Khaled University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 70 patients with CRC and 70 healthy controls were included  in  the  study.  Single nucleotide polymorphisms of promoter regions were determined using TaqMan genotyping assays.

RESULTS

 A statistically significant reduction in CRC risk was identified for carriers of the IL-10 (rs1800896 A/G) AG genotype, IL-22 (rs1179251 C/G) G allele, IL-27 (rs17855750 T/G) G allele and TGFß1 (rs1800469 C/T) CT and TT genotype. While IL-10 (rs1800896 A/G) AA genotype and TGFß1 (rs1800469 C/T) CC genotype were significantly associated with increased susceptibility to CRC. No significant associations were identified between the cytokine polymorphisms of IL-8 (rs4073 T/A) and IL-22 (rs2227485 C/T), and CRC risk. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a significant impact of IL-10 (rs1800896 A/G), IL-22 (rs1179251 C/G), IL-27 (rs17855750 T/G) and TGF-ß1 (rs1800469 C/T) polymorphisms on risk of CRC; while the IL-8 (rs4073 T/A) and IL-22 (rs2227485 C/T) and polymorphisms were not associated with CRC risk.

Matrix metalloproteinase 1 1 G/2 G gene polymorphism is associated with acquired atrioventricular block via linking a higher serum protein level

Limited studies are available regarding the pathophysiological mechanism of acquired atrioventricular block (AVB). Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of arrhythmia. However, the relationship between these molecules and acquired AVB is still unclear. One hundred and two patients with documented acquired AVB and 100 controls were studied. Gene polymorphisms of the MMP1 and ACE encoding genes were screened by the gene sequencing method or polymerase chain reaction-fragment length polymorphism assay, followed by an association study. The frequencies of the MMP1 −1607 2G2G genotype and MMP1 −1607 2 G allele were significantly higher in the AVB group than that in the controls (OR = 1.933, P = 0.027 and OR = 1.684, P = 0.012, respectively). Consistently, the level of serum MMP1 was significantly greater in acquired AVB patients than that in controls (6568.9 ± 5748.6 pg/ml vs. 4730.5 ± 3377.1 pg/ml, P = 0.019). In addition, the MMP1 2G2G genotype showed a higher MMP-1 serum level than the other genotypes (1G1G/1G2G) (7048.1 ± 5683.0 pg/ml vs. 5072.4 ± 4267.6 pg/ml, P = 0.042). MMP1 1 G/2 G gene polymorphism may contribute to determining the disease susceptibility of acquired AVB by linking the MMP serum protein level.

Inflammation-related gene polymorphisms associated with Parkinson’s disease: an updated meta-analysis

Background

Strong evidence supports the involvement of inflammation processes in the development and progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD), where increasingly correlations have been identified between genetic variations in inflammation-related genes and PD. However, data varies between studies. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to clarify associations between inflammation-related gene polymorphisms and PD risk.

Methods

All studies were identified through online databases. Pooled and stratified groups based on racial descent were assembled to evaluate associations between polymorphisms and PD.

Results

The pooled results showed that protective effects for PD were observed for (1) IL-1α -889 C/T in Asian populations (T vs. C, OR = 0.831, P = 0.031; TT + CT vs. CC, OR = 0.827, P = 0.049); (2) IL-6 -176 G/C in Caucasian populations (CC + GC vs. GG, OR = 0.656, P = 0.000; GC vs. GG, OR = 0.673, P = 0.000); (3) IL-8 -251 A/T (T vs. A, OR = 0.812, P = 0.041; TT vs. AT + AA, OR = 0.663, P = 0.012), particularly in Caucasian populations (TT vs. AT + AA, OR = 0.639, P = 0.010); (4) IL-10 -819 T/C (C vs. T, OR = 0.742, P = 0.034); (5) IL-18 -607 C/A (AA + CA vs. CC, OR = 0.597, P = 0.015; CA vs. CC, OR = 0.534, P = 0.005), and (6) CCR2 +190 G/A (AA vs. GA + GG, OR = 0.552, P = 0.018; AA vs. GG; OR = 0.554; 95% CI 0.336–0.914, P = 0.005). An increased risk of PD was associated with IL-10 -1082 G/A in Asian populations (A vs. G, OR = 1.731, P = 0.000; AA + GA vs. GG, OR = 1.910, P = 0.000). No significant associations with PD were observed for polymorphisms in IL-1β -511 C/T, IL-10 -592 C/A, IL-18 -137 G/C, TNFα -863 C/A, TNFα -857 C/T, TNFα -308 G/A, IFNΥ +874 T/A, and MCP1/CCL2 +2518 A/G.

Conclusions

We suggest that IL-1α -889, IL-6 -176, IL-8 -251, IL-10 -1082, IL-10 -819, IL-18 -607, and CCR2 +190 polymorphisms may be associated with PD risk; however, further studies must verify these conclusions.

Lack of association between interleukin-22 gene polymorphisms and cancer risk: a case-control study and a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Interleukin-22 (IL22) has been implicated in inflammation and tumorigenesis. The association between IL22 gene polymorphisms and cancer risk has been widely explored. However, the limited sample sizes of previous studies may produce inadequate statistical power and conflicting results, which calls for further investigations. In this study, we recruited a total of 1490 cancer patients (480 liver cancer patients, 550 lung cancer patients, and 460 gastric cancer patients) and 800 normal controls to explore the associations between IL22 gene polymorphisms (rs1179251, rs2227485, rs2227511, and rs2227473) and cancer risk.

METHOD

The genotyping was performed with polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and Sanger sequencing.

RESULTS

Our results showed that none of the four IL22 gene polymorphisms was associated with the risk of liver, lung or gastric cancer in Hubei Han Chinese population. To improve the statistical strength, a meta-analysis was further conducted. The results further confirmed our present findings and showed that rs1179251, rs2227485, and rs2227473 were not associated with cancer risk in total or stratified analysis.

CONCLUSION

Consequently, the rs1179251, rs2227485, rs2227511, and rs2227473 polymorphisms may not be associated with cancer risk. However, further investigations using larger samples in different ethnic populations are required.

Association of CD14 gene -260C>T and -561C>T polymorphisms with cancer susceptibility: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Two polymorphisms, -260C>T (rs2569190) and -561C>T (rs5744455), in the CD14 gene have been implicated in susceptibility to cancer. However, the results remain inconclusive. The current meta-analysis was carried out aiming to confirm the function of these two polymorphisms on the susceptibility of cancer.

METHODS

We collected eligible studies from databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP (Weipu). We used logistic regression calculation to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

After strict selection, 24 studies with 5854 cases and 10339 controls for -260C>T and seven studies with 1809 cases and 7289 controls for -561C>T were finally enlisted into our analysis reference material. Pool results revealed that neither -260C>T, nor -561C>T was found to have any association with overall cancer susceptibility. Nevertheless, when stratified by cancer type, we detected a decreased risk associated with other cancers in a heterozygous model (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.51-0.93, p = 0.014) and a dominant model (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.53-0.93, p = 0.012) for -561C>T. An increased risk was found in other cancers under an allele model (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.03-1.62, p = 0.026), in laryngeal cancer under a dominant model (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.11-1.71, p = 0.003) and for a score ≤ 9 under a recessive model (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.09-1.91, p = 0.009) for -561C>T.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, we conclude that the CD14 -260C>T and -561C>T polymorphisms might not be associated with overall cancer risk. Further studies are encouraged to confirm this conclusion.

The 100 Top-Cited Systematic Reviews/Meta-Analyses on Diabetic Research

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to analyze the 100 top-cited systematic reviews/meta-analyses on diabetic research.

METHODS

The Science Citation Index Expanded database was searched to identify top-cited studies on diabetic research up to March 4^th, 2020. Studies were analyzed using the following characteristics: citation number, publication year, country and institution of origin, authorship, topics, and journals.

RESULTS

The 100 top-cited diabetic systematic reviews/meta-analyses were published in 43 different journals, with Diabetes Care having the highest numbers (n = 17), followed by The Journal of the American Medical Association (n = 14) and Lancet (n = 9). The majority of studies are published in the 2000s. The number of citations ranged from 2197 to 301. The highest number of contributions was from the USA, followed by England and Australia. The leading institution was Harvard University. The hot topic was a risk factor (n = 33), followed by comorbidity (n = 27).

CONCLUSIONS

The 100 top-cited systematic reviews/meta-analyses on diabetic research identify impactful authors, journals, institutes, and countries. It will also provide the most important references to evidence-based medicine in diabetes and serve as a guide to the features of a citable paper in this field.

The POLR2E rs3787016 polymorphism is strongly associated with the risk of female breast and cervical cancer

The rs3787016 polymorphism, in polymerase II polypeptide E (POLR2E), was previously identified as being associated with the risk for prostate cancer, esophageal cancer, breast cancer, papillary thyroid carcinoma and liver cancer, suggesting that rs3787016 may server as a common genetic factor to affect individual susceptibility to cancer. To prove the hypothesis, we here performed a case-control study to explore the association between rs3787016 and cervical cancer risk, and to confirm the association between rs3787016 and breast cancer in a central Chinese population, which was followed by a meta-analysis to precisely estimate the association between rs3787016 and risk of female breast and cervical cancer. The genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and confirmed by sequencing. Our results indicated that rs3787016 was associated with the risk of both breast cancer and cervical cancer, and stratified analysis indicated that the association remained particularly for ≤60 years old females who smoke and drink. Moreover, after grouping breast cancer and cervical cancer together, our meta-analysis demonstrated that rs3787016 was associated with overall cancer risk and breast cancer risk. Collectively, the POLR2E rs3787016 polymorphism may be a valuable biomarker for female breast and cervical cancer predisposition.

Effects of eNOS gene polymorphisms on individual susceptibility to cancer: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Whether endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) polymorphisms are implicated in cancer development remains controversial. Therefore, we performed this study to obtain a more conclusive result on associations between eNOS polymorphisms and cancer.

METHODS

Literature retrieve was conducted in PubMed, Medline and Embase. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

RESULTS

Forty-one studies were enrolled for analyses. Pooled overall analyses showed that rs1799983 (dominant model: p = 0.01; recessive model: p = 0.007; allele model: p = 0.005), rs2070744 (recessive model: p = 0.004) and rs869109213 (recessive model: p < 0.0001; allele model: p = 0.02) polymorphisms were all significantly associated with individual susceptibility to cancer. Further subgroup analyses revealed that rs2070744 and rs869109213 polymorphisms were only significantly associated with individual susceptibility to cancer in Caucasians, whereas the rs1799983 polymorphism was significantly associated with individual susceptibility to cancer in both Caucasians and Asians.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated that rs1799983, rs2070744 and rs869109213 polymorphisms may serve as genetic biomarkers of cancer in certain ethnicities.