Role of MMP14 gene polymorphisms in susceptibility and pathological development to hepatocellular carcinoma

HNF4α isoforms regulate the circadian balance between carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in the liver

Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α (HNF4α), a master regulator of hepatocyte differentiation, is regulated by two promoters (P1 and P2) which drive the expression of different isoforms. P1-HNF4α is the major isoform in the adult liver while P2-HNF4α is thought to be expressed only in fetal liver and liver cancer. Here, we show that P2-HNF4α is indeed expressed in the normal adult liver at Zeitgeber time (ZT)9 and ZT21. Using exon swap mice that express only P2-HNF4α we show that this isoform orchestrates a distinct transcriptome and metabolome via unique chromatin and protein-protein interactions, including with different clock proteins at different times of the day leading to subtle differences in circadian gene regulation. Furthermore, deletion of the Clock gene alters the circadian oscillation of P2- (but not P1-)HNF4α RNA, revealing a complex feedback loop between the HNF4α isoforms and the hepatic clock. Finally, we demonstrate that while P1-HNF4α drives gluconeogenesis, P2-HNF4α drives ketogenesis and is required for elevated levels of ketone bodies in female mice. Taken together, we propose that the highly conserved two-promoter structure of the Hnf4a gene is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to maintain the balance between gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis in the liver in a circadian fashion.

A titratable murine model of progressive emphysema using tracheal porcine pancreatic elastase

Progressive emphysema often leads to end-stage lung disease. Most mouse models of emphysema are typically modest (i.e. cigarette smoke exposure), and changes over time are difficult to quantify. The tracheal porcine pancreatic elastase model (PPE) produces severe injury, but the literature is conflicted as to whether emphysema improves, is stable, or progresses over time. We hypothesized a threshold of injury below which repair would occur and above which emphysema would be stable or progress. We treated 8-week-old C57BL6 mixed sex mice with 0, 0.5, 2, or 4 activity units of PPE in 100 µL PBS and performed lung stereology at 21 and 84 days. There were no significant differences in weight gain or mouse health. Despite minimal emphysema at 21-days in the 0.5 units group (2.8 µm increased mean linear intercept, MLI), MLI increased by 4.6 µm between days 21 and 84 (p = 0.0007). In addition to larger MLI at 21 days in 2- and 4-unit groups, MLI increases from day 21 to 84 were 17.2 and 34 µm respectively (p = 0.002 and p = 0.0001). Total lung volume increased, and alveolar surface area decreased with time and injury severity. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no evidence of alveolar repair over time. Airspace destruction was both progressive and accelerative. Future mechanistic studies in lung immunity, mechano-biology, senescence, and cell-specific changes may lead to novel therapies to slow or halt progressive emphysema in humans.

TLR3 polymorphisms in HIV infected individuals naïve to ART

BACKGROUND

TLR3 polymorphisms affect the risk of HIV infection and modify the disease course. Consequently, we analyzed the association of TLR3 polymorphism (rs5743312, rs3775296, and rs3775291) with susceptilbity to HIV-1 acquisition and disease progression.

METHOD

This is a cross-sectional study. Genotyping of TLR3 polymorphisms were completed by the utilization of the PCR-RFLP technique in 153 HIV naive subjects and 158 healthy controls.

RESULT

A haplotype is a physical grouping of genomic variants that tend to be inherited together. The TCC haplotype was increased in HIV infected individuals compared with healthy controls (0.05% versus 0.03%). TLR3 rs3775291CT genotype was associated to the early stage of HIV infection (OR=2.19, P=0.04), with a higher occurrence in advance stage of HIV infection when contrasted with healthy controls (41.2% versus 32.3%). TLR3 rs3775296 CA genotype was likely to be associated with intermediate stage of HIV infection (19.5% versus 31.6%, OR=0.42, P=0.06). TLR3 rs5743312TT genotype was used to be greater prevalence in advanced stage of HIV infection compared with healthy controls (2.9% versus 1.9%). TLR3 rs3775296CA genotype was less prevalent in HIV subjects devouring tobacco when contrasted with non-users (9.1% versus 34.9%, OR=0.25, P=0.09). TLR3 rs3775296AA and rs3775291CT and TT genotypes have been overrepresented in HIV subjects using alcohol when contrasted with non-users (5.6% versus 1.1%, OR=1.83, P=0.67; 50.0% versus 42.2%, OR=1.84, P=0.31; 5.6% versus 3.3%, OR=2.70, P=0.50). In multivariate examination, rs5743312TT genotype showed a greater risk for HIV infection (OR=1.86, P=0.50).

CONCLUSION

TLR3 rs3775291 C/T polymorphism may assist the risk of disease progression in alcohol consumers. TLR3 rs3775291 CT genotype may enhance the disease progression whereas the TLR3 rs3775296 CA genotype may protect for disease progression.

Study of hsa_circRNA_000121 and hsa_circRNA_004183 in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma

We detected the expressions of hsa_circRNA_000121 and hsa_circRNA_ 004183 in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) and explored their relationship with the invasiveness of PTMC. PTMC patients with (n = 30; metastasis group) and without lymph node metastasis (n = 30; nonmetastasis group) were included. The levels of hsa_circRNA_000121, hsa_circRNA_004183, hsa-miR-4763, hsa-miR-6775, sarcoma gene (SRC), and MMP-14 were detected with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analyzed the diagnostic value of hsa_circRNA_000121 and hsa_circRNA_004183. Binary logistic regression analysis evaluated the relationship of gene expression with PTMC invasiveness. In PTMC tissue samples, compared with the metastasis group, the expression of hsa_circRNA_000121, hsa_circRNA_004183, SRC, and MMP-14 in the nonmetastasis group decreased, while the expression of hsa-miR-4763 and hsa-miR-6775 increased. In peripheral blood, compared with the metastasis group, the expression of hsa_circ_000121 and hsa_circRNA_004183 in the nonmetastasis group decreased. Both hsa_circRNA_000121 and hsa_circRNA_004183 had good sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing PTMC lymph node metastasis, with a cut-off value of 0.796 and 0.938, respectively. However, the gene expressions were not significantly associated with PTMC lymph node metastasis. Hsa_circRNA_000121 may upregulate SRC expression through hsa-miR-4763, while hsa_circRNA 000121 may upregulate MMP-14 expression through hsa-miR-6775, thereby promoting the aggressiveness of PTMC and ultimately leading to cervical lymph node metastasis. hsa_circRNA_000121 and hsa_circRNA_004183 may become potential biomarkers of PTMC aggressiveness.

Target and drug predictions for SARS-CoV-2 infection in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which poses a major threat to humans worldwide. With the continuous progress of the pandemic, a growing number of people are infected with SARS-CoV-2, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the relationship between COVID-19 and HCC has not been fully elucidated. In order to provide better treatment for HCC patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, it’s urgently needed to identify common targets and find effective drugs for both. In our study, transcriptomic analysis was performed on both selected lung epithelial cell datasets of COVID-19 patients and the datasets of HCC patients to identify the synergistic effect of COVID-19 in HCC patients. What’s more, common differentially expressed genes were identified, and a protein-protein interactions network was designed. Then, hub genes and basic modules were detected based on the protein-protein interactions network. Next, functional analysis was performed using gene ontology terminology and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway. Finally, protein-protein interactions revealed COVID-19 interaction with key proteins associated with HCC and further identified transcription factor (TF) genes and microRNAs (miRNA) with differentially expressed gene interactions and transcription factor activity. This study reveals that COVID-19 and HCC are closely linked at the molecular level and proposes drugs that may play an important role in HCC patients with COVID-19. More importantly, according to the results of our research, two critical drugs, Ilomastat and Palmatine, may be effective for HCC patients with COVID-19, which provides clinicians with a novel therapeutic idea when facing possible complications in HCC patients with COVID-19.

24-month decline of non-invasive liver fibrosis markers in HCV-mono and HCV/HIV coinfection after direct-acting antiviral therapy

Long term liver fibrosis (LF) changes and their best -monitoring non-invasive markers (NILFM) after effective anti-HCV DAA therapy are little- known. Matrix-metalloproteases (MMPs) and their tissue-inhibitors (TIMPs) are pivotal in liver inflammation repair. Their plasma levels might assess long-term LF changes after therapy. Overall 374 HCV-infected adult patients, 214 HCV-HIV coinfected, were followed-up for 24 months after starting DAA. LF was assessed by transient elastometry (TE), biochemical indexes (APRI, Forns, FIB-4) and, in 61 individuals, by MMPs and TIMP-1 plasma levels. Several MMPs and TIMP-1 SNPs were genotyped in 319 patients. TE was better than biochemical indexes for early and long-term LF monitoring. MMPs-2,-8,-9 and-TIMP-1 levels and TE displayed parallel declining curves although only TIMP-1 correlated with TE (P = 0.006) and biochemical indexes (P < 0.02). HCV monoinfected had significantly higher baseline NILFM and TIMP-1 plasma values, but lower MMPs levels than coinfected patients. No differences in NILFM course were observed between mono-and coinfected or between different DAA regimens. Only the MMP-2 (-1306 C/T) variant TT genotype associated with higher values of NILFM NILFM decline extends 24 months after therapy. TE and TIMP1 are reliable LF-monitoring tools. NILFM courses were similar in mono-and coinfected patients, DAA regimens type did not influence NILFM course.

Gene Polymorphism of MUC15, MMP14, BRAF, and COL1A1 Is Associated with Capsule Formation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The presence of a capsule is an important prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Capsule formation is affected by tumor-host interaction, which may include collagen deposition and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to examine whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes for COL1A1 MUC15, MMP14, CD97, SMYD3, BRAF, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β) are related to capsule formation.

METHODS

We prospectively recruited and analyzed 185 patients with HCC with or without a capsule between 2019 and 2020. The SNPs involved were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. Differences in the allele and genotype frequency between the cases and controls were evaluated using the chi-square test. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age and sex. Stratification analyses were also performed with preselected variables.

RESULTS

The single-locus analysis showed that the presence of a capsule was significantly associated with five SNPs : MUC15 rs17309195 (P=0.01), rs12271124 (P= 0.02), rs10430847 (P=0.04), MMP14 rs17884816 (P=0.01), and BRAF rs74512895 (P=0.03). Adjusted logistic regression revealed that the decreased capsule formation was statistically significantly associated with BRAF rs76603725, COL1A1 rs2269336, and MUC15 rs17309195, while MMP14 rs17884816 and MUC15 rs10430847, rs2063278, and rs967490 were associated with increased capsule formation. The MUC15 block 2 haplotype was associated with increased capsule formation.

CONCLUSIONS

MUC15, MMP14, BRAF, and COL1A1 gene polymorphisms are associated with capsule formation in HCC. Studies involving larger samples are needed to confirm our results.

Genetic Variants of lncRNA GAS5 Are Associated with the Clinicopathologic Development of Oral Cancer

The long noncoding RNA, Growth arrest-specific 5 (GAS5) plays a crucial role in the development of oral cancer. However, potential genetic variants in GAS5 that affect the susceptibility and progression of oral cancer have rarely been explored. In this study, two loci of GAS5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs145204276 and rs55829688) were genotyped by using the TaqMan allelic discrimination in 1125 oral cancer patients and 1195 non-oral-cancer individuals. After statistical analyses, the distribution of both the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 and GAS5 SNP rs55829688 frequencies were similar between the study and control groups. However, the patients with GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variants (Ins/Del or Del/Del) showed a higher tendency of moderate to poor cell differentiation of oral cancer (OR: 1.454, 95% CI: 1.041–2.031, p = 0.028). Moreover, the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variants (Ins/Del or Del/Del) in the non-alcohol-drinking population were associated with significantly advanced tumor stage (OR: 1.500, 95% CI: 1.081–2.081, p = 0.015) and larger tumor size (OR: 1.494, 95% CI: 1.076–2.074, p = 0.016). Furthermore, individuals with the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variant were associated with a higher expression of GAS5 in the GTEx database (p = 0.002), and the higher GAS5 level was associated with poor cell differentiation, advanced tumor stage and larger tumor size in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma from the TCGA database (all p < 0.05). In conclusion, the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variant is related to poor-differentiation cell status in oral cancer. Besides, the presence of the GAS5 SNP rs145204276 variant is associated with a worse tumor stage and tumor size in oral cancer patients without alcohol drinking.

Genetic association of MMP14 promoter variants and their functional significance in gallbladder cancer pathogenesis

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is relatively rare but shows high frequency in certain geographical regions and ethnic groups, which include Northern and Eastern states of India. Previous studies in India have indicated the possible role of genetic predisposition in GBC pathogenesis. Although matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP14) is known modulator of tumour microenvironment and tumorigenesis and TCGA data also suggests its upregulation yet, its role in genetic predisposition for GBC is completely unknown. We explored MMP14 promoter genetic variants as risk factors and their implication in expression modulation and the pathogenesis of GBC. We genotyped all single nucleotide polymorphisms of MMP14 promoter by Sanger's sequencing in approximately 300 GBC and 300 control study subjects of Indian ethnicity and, in 26 GBC tissue samples. Protein expression of MMP14 in GBC tissue samples was checked by immunohistochemistry. In vitro luciferase reporter assay was carried out to elucidate role of promoter genetic variants on expression levels in two different cell lines. MMP14 promoter variants, rs1003349 (p value = 0.0008) and rs1004030 (p value = 0.0001) were significantly associated with GBC. Luciferase reporter assay showed high expression for risk alleles of both the SNPs. Genotype-phenotype correlation for rs1003349 and rs1004030, in patient sample, confirmed that risk allele carriers had higher expression levels of MMP14; moreover, the correlation pattern matched with genetic association models. Overall, this study unravels the association of MMP14 promoter SNPs with GBC which contribute to pathogenesis by increasing its expression.

Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors identified from Camellia sinensis for COVID-19 prophylaxis: an in silico approach

To respond to the public panic, government and private research organizations of every country keep working on the COVID-19 pandemic, even though still there is a lack of more efficacious medicine for the choice of Coronavirus disease treatment. To counteract on this situation several approved drugs including anti-malarial (hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine), and few anti-viral (remdesvir) agents are choice of treatment for COVID-19. However, these agents suffer from certain limitation in their uses and pointed that there is no specific treatment or vaccine available to counter this contagious disease. Hence, there is urgent requirement to find a specific cure for the disease. In this view, there are several ongoing clinical trials of both western and traditional medicines. In present study, phytochemicals from Camellia sinensis were retrieved from the database and identified based on their ability to inhibit matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) against SARS-CoV-2 main protease. Camellia sinensis entails of a massive number of phytochemicals with a good source of polyphenols such as Catechin, Epicatechin, Epigallocatechin and (–)-Epigallocatechin gallate. Molecular docking was performed using the GLIDE docking module of Schrodinger Suite software. The analysis displayed docking score for the five polyphenols i.e. theaflavin (− 8.701), 1-O-caffeoylquinic acid (− 7.795), Genistein (− 7.168), Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (− 6.282) and Ethyl trans-caffeate (− 5.356). Interestingly, theaflavin and Epigallocatechin 3-gallate have not revealed any side effects. These polyphenolic compounds had a strong binding affinity with hydrogen bonds and a good drug-likeness score. Therefore, Camellia sinensis could be the beneficial option in the prophylaxis of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Matrix Metallopeptidase 14: A Candidate Prognostic Biomarker for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Background

Matrix metallopeptidase 14 (MMP14) is an important gene in the regulation of T-cell function. However, the correlation between MMP14 expression, prognosis, and immune cell infiltration in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains unclear.

Methods

We investigated the influence of MMP14 on clinical prognosis using data obtained from three Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database sets (GSE98588, GSE10846, and GSE4475). The expression of MMP14 was analyzed using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). The correlation between MMP14 and immune cell infiltration was investigated using the Cell-type Identification By Estimating Relative Subsets Of RNA Transcripts (CIBERSORT) and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) tools. In addition, the correlation between MMP14 expression and immune gene markers was analyzed by TIMER and GEPIA.

Results

MMP14 expression positively correlated with favorable progression-free survival (PFS; GSE98588, P = 0.02) and overall survival (OS; GSE98588, P = 0.003; GSE10846, P = 5.517e-05; and GSE4475, P = 9.85e-04). Moreover, MMP14 expression was higher in DLBCL tumors than in normal tissues. Regarding clinical characteristics, high MMP14 expression was found to be correlated with race. MMP14 expression was also correlated with immune cell infiltration and had a remarkable correlation with various immune marker sets. It was found that M0 macrophages were the immune cells most related to survival, decreasing with the increase in Ann Arbor clinical stage. The results especially showed that MMP14 was a prognostic biomarker and related to the macrophages M0.

Conclusion

The results suggest that MMP14 is a novel prognostic molecular marker for DLBCL and is related to the immune cell infiltration, especially related to the macrophages M0. Our study provides insights for understanding the potential roles of MMP14 in tumor immunology and its suitability as a prognosis biomarker in DLBCL.

TLR7 Polymorphism (rs179008 and rs179009) in HIV-Infected Individual Naïve to ART

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the innate immune response to HIV infection. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in TLR7 (Gln11Leu) gene has been associated with a rapid decline of CD4T cell count. Hence, we assessed the TLR7 (rs179008, Gln11Leu (A/T) and rs179009, IVS2-151 (A/G)) polymorphism in 150 HIV-infected individuals naïve to ART and 158 healthy controls. The genotyping of TLR7 Gln11Leu (A/T) and IVS2-151 (A/G) polymorphisms was done using the PCR-RFLP method. In univariate analysis, none of the genotype and haplotype of TLR7 Gln11Leu (A/T) and IVS2-151 (A/G) polymorphism differed significantly between HIV-infected individuals and healthy controls. The occurrence of TLR7 rs179009AG genotype in the codominant model and rs179009 AG-GG genotype in the dominant model was significantly reduced in HIV-infected individuals as compared to healthy controls (18.0% vs. 29.1%, OR = 0.42, P = 0.016; 26.7% vs. 36.7%, OR = 0.52, P = 0.016). TLR7 rs179009AG genotype was significantly underrepresented in the intermediate HIV disease stage compared with healthy controls (OR = 0.03, P = 0.04). TLR7 rs179009AG genotype expressed higher in tobacco-consuming HIV-infected individuals compared with nonusers (OR = 1.71, P = 0.47). In conclusion, rs179009 AG-GG and AG genotypes were found reduced in HIV-infected individuals as compared to healthy controls; their higher prevalence in health individuals clearly support that they are associated with reduced risk of acquisition of HIV-1 infection.

Polymorphisms in MMP-14 and MMP-2 genes and ovarian cancer survival

BACKGROUND

Functional polymorphisms in matrix metalloproteinases can increase or decrease the risk of cancer. This study focused on ovarian cancer and investigated how polymorphisms in the coding region of MMP-14 and the promoter region of MMP-2 are related to clinical characteristics including survival.

METHODS

In 144 patients with ovarian tumours from a Caucasian population, polymorphisms of MMP-14 (+7096 and +6767) and MMP-2 (-735 and -1306) were analysed. These results were then correlated to the immunohistochemical expression of MMP-14 and MMP-2 and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

In these patients, the MMP-14 +7096 polymorphism showed only TT genotype, in sharp contrast to the described MAF (minimal allele frequency) C of 27%. The MMP-14 +6767 G>A polymorphism was found to have a hazard ratio of 2.09 (CI 1.00-4.35, p 0.046) for recurrence-free survival in advanced-stage patients. However, this significance disappeared after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. No other correlations between MMP-14 and MMP-2 polymorphisms, immunohistochemistry and clinical characteristics were found, except between the MMP-2 -1306 polymorphism and differentiation grade, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of -0.19, p 0.064.

CONCLUSIONS

In ovarian cancer, the MMP-14 +6767 G>A polymorphism in the coding region seems to improve recurrence-free survival with a hazard ratio of 2.09 (CI 1.00-4.35, p 0.046). However, as this significance disappeared after correction for multiple testing, there is a need for further research on the functional effect of this change in the MMP-14 gene with larger patient sample sizes.

The association between interleukin-21 (rs2055979G/T) gene polymorphism and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and metastasis in patients with hepatitis C virus

Cancer prevalence is critically increasing worldwide; accordingly, improved prediction and therapeutic tools are necessary. Interleukin (IL)-21 is a potent antitumor cytokine, and the relationship between its gene variations and cancer risk is well established. Nevertheless, so far no study has investigated its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and metastasis in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected people. Therefore, the present investigation was led on 267 Egyptian participants, involving 177 patients with HCV of which 90 patients had HCC (HCC group), 87 patients without HCC (non-HCC group), and 90 unrelated healthy controls. The association between rs2221903A/G and rs2055979G/T of the IL-21 gene and the risk of HCC and metastasis, as well as the clinico-pathological features, were analyzed. While rs2221903A/G polymorphism was not polymorphic in our cohort, patients carrying the genotype TT and allele T of the rs2055979G/T polymorphism had a significantly lower risk of HCC when comparing with HCC group and healthy controls. Also, participants carrying the aforementioned genotype and allele had a significantly lower risk of metastasis when comparing metastatic group with both nonmetastatic group and control group. The rs2055979G/T polymorphism was not significantly associated with clinico-pathological features of HCC. This is the first study to report a relationship between an intronic polymorphism in IL-21 gene and HCC and metastasis risk in the Egyptian people, in addition to identifying a potential new marker for the early detection and treatment of HCC.

Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 Polymorphisms and Risk for HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder

The imbalance between MMPs and TIMPs is associated with the HIV dissemination tissue damage pathology neurodegenerative disorders, including HAND. Genetic variations in the TIMP gene may modulate the neurocognitive disorder in HIV patients. Hence, we evaluated the genetic variants of TIMP-2 (-418G/C, 303G/A) gene with the risk of HAND. Genotyping of TIMP-2 polymorphism was performed in 50 patients with HAND, 100 no HAND, and 154 healthy controls by PCR-RFLP. TIMP-2 -418GC and 303AA genotypes represented a predominant risk for HAND severity (OR = 1.55, P = 0.30; OR = 4.58, P = 0.24). The variant -418CC genotype, -418A allele, had exhibited a significant risk for the acquisition of HAND (OR = 12.55, P = 0.026; OR = 2.66, P = 0.004). TIMP-2 303GA, 303AA genotype, and 303A allele evinced a higher risk for HAND severity (OR = 1.82, P = 0.14; OR = 1.70, P = 0.63; and OR = 1.68, P = 0.12). In HIV patients, TIMP-2 -418CC genotype and -418C allele significantly occurred in comparison to healthy controls (OR = 10.10, P = 0.006; OR = 2.02, P = 0.009). In the intermediate and early HIV disease stage, TIMP-2 -418CC genotype was significantly increased compared with healthy controls (11.1% vs. 1.3%, OR = 14.63, P = 0.01; 16.9% vs. 1.3%, OR = 14.51, P = 0.002). In patients with HAND among tobacco and alcohol users, TIMP-2 -418CC genotype displayed a risk for HAND severity (OR = 3.96, P = 0.26; OR = 4.83, P = 0.19). On multivariate logistic regression, TIMP-2 303AA genotype, advanced stage, and gender had a risk for HAND severity (OR = 28.98, P = 0.02; OR = 2.35, P = 0.070; and OR = 2.36, P = 0.04). In conclusion, TIMP-2 -418G/C polymorphism independently, along with alcohol and tobacco, may have an impact on the acquisition of HAND and its severity. TIMP-2 303G/A polymorphism bare a risk for HAND severity.

A DNA aptamer recognizing MMP14 for in vivo and in vitro imaging identified by cell-SELEX

A key challenge for the management of various types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, is accurate diagnosis at an early stage. Matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) is overexpressed in numerous types of cancer and is associated with poor prognosis. Therefore, MMP14-specific imaging probes have potential use in the diagnosis of MMP14-positive cancer. Aptamers are short oligonucleotide sequences that can bind to molecular targets with a high specificity and affinity. Aptamers are typically obtained from an in vitro library; this process is usually termed systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). In the present study, a DNA aptamer targeting MMP14 was obtained by cell-SELEX and termed M17, which specifically recognizes MMP14-positive cells. Aptamer M17 selectively binds to membrane proteins of MMP14-transfected 293T cells (Kd, 4.98±1.26 nM). Pancreatic cancer cell imaging suggested that aptamer M17 can bind to the cell membranes of two pancreatic cancer cell lines (MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1). In vivo tumor imaging demonstrated that the targeting recognition of MIA PaCa-2 tumor cells in mice could be visualized using Cy5-labeled aptamer M17. Aptamer M17-conjugated polyethylene glycol-Fe3O4 can specifically bind to MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1 cells, and reduce MRI T2-weighted imaging signal intensity. The DNA aptamer M17 has the advantages of simplicity of synthesis, small size, low immunogenicity, high penetrability and high affinity. Therefore, aptamer M17 is a potential molecular probe for the diagnosis and treatment of MMP14-positive cancer.

Promoter polymorphism MMP-1 (-1607 2G/1G) and MMP-3 (-1612 5A/6A) in development of HAND and modulation of pathogenesis of HAND

The pathogenesis of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) is modulated by host genetic susceptibility factors such as Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Promoter polymorphism of MMP-1 and MMP-3 may modify the expression of the gene. Hence, we evaluated the association of MMP-1-16072G/1G and MMP-3-1612 5A/6A polymorphisms with development of HAND and the modulation of pathogenesis of HAND. We enrolled a total of 180 individuals, 50 HIVinfected individuals with HAND, 130 without HAND, and 150 healthy controls. Polymorphism of MMP-1 and MMP-3 were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. MMP-1-1607 2G1G, -16071G/2G-1G/1G genotypes and -1607 1G allele were associated with the development of HAND (OR = 1.64, P = 0.05; OR = 1.45, P = 0.04; OR = 1.69, P = 0.05). MMP-1- 16071G1G, MMP-3-16125A5A genotypes increased the risk for the development of HAND (OR = 1.78, P = 0.25; OR = 2.39, P = 0.13). MMP-3-1612 5A5A, -1612 6A/5A-5A/5A genotypes and -1612 5A allele were associated with the reduced risk of HAND (OR = 0.40, P = 0.05; OR = 0.53, P = 0.04; OR = 0.40, P = 0.01). Haplotype 5A1G increased the risk of development of HAND (OR = 1.93, P = 0.05). As observed in advanced HIV disease stage, MMP-1-1607 1G1G genotype enhance the risk for advancement of HIV disease (OR = 1.69, P = 0.89). MMP-3-1612 6A5A genotype showed higher risk for development of HAND in alcohol users (0R = 1.65, P = 0.44). MMP-1 genotype may have an influence on development of HAND whereas MMP3-1612 5A5A genotype may reduce risk for pathogenesis of HAND.

Effect of matrix metalloproteinase-21 (572C/T) polymorphism on HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder

Remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM) by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is a presumed reason for the development of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). The coding region polymorphism in MMP-21 572C/T gene may have a potential functional effect on ECM remodeling. Hence, we aimed to examine the association of MMP-21 polymorphism with the modulation of HAND severity and its prevalence in HIV-infected and healthy individuals. Genotyping of MMP-21 572C/T polymorphism was performed by PCR-RFLP in total 150 HIV-infected individuals, 50 with HAND, 100 without HAND and 150 healthy controls. MMP-21 572TT genotype was predominantly higher in HAND patients compared with no HAND (OR = 1.63, p = 0.57). MMP-21 572T allele was associated with reduce risk for HAND severity (OR = 0.50, p = 0.04). Similarly, MMP-21 572TT genotype underrepresented in HIV-infected individuals compared to healthy controls (3.0% vs 6.7%, OR = 0.27, p = 0.08). MMP-21 572CT genotype and early HIV disease stage showed a higher risk for the advancement of HIV disease with marginal significance (OR = 1.89, p = 0.07). MMP-21 572CT genotype increased the risk for the modulation of HAND severity in tobacco users (OR = 1.98, p = 0.43). MMP-21 572CT genotype among tobacco and alcohol users showed elevated risk for the development of HAND in HIV-infected individuals (OR = 2.30, p = 0.15; OR = 1.86, p = 0.23). Similarly, MMP-21 572TT genotype enhanced the risk for the development of HAND in tobacco users (OR = 3.48, p = 0.40). In conclusion, the presence of coding region 572T allele may have protection for HAND severity. MMP-21 572C/T polymorphism and tobacco and alcohol usage may facilitate the development of HAND.

Prevalence of MMP-8 gene polymorphisms in HIV-infected individuals and its association with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are well-known as mediators of neuroinflammation in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Increased levels of MMP-8 have been observed in the HIV-infected patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association of MMP-8 gene polymorphisms with modulation of HAND severity and its prevalence in HIV-infected and healthy individuals. We enrolled a total of 150 HIV-infected individuals, 50 HAND patients, 100 HIV-infected and 150 healthy individuals. MMP-8 (-799C/T, +17C/G) polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. MMP-8 -799TT genotype and +17G allele showed the higher risk for modulation of HAND severity (OR=2.20, P=0.19; OR=1.97, P=0.23). MMP-8 -799TT genotype differed significantly in HIV-infected individuals compared to healthy controls (20.0% vs. 11.3%, OR=2.36, P=0.048). Haplotype TG increased the risk for modulation of HAND severity (OR=2.29, P=0.29). MMP-8 -799TT and +17CG genotypes were overrepresented in the intermediate HIV disease stage compared with healthy controls (25.9% vs. 11.3%, OR=4.34, P=0.021, 14.8% vs. 9.3%, OR=2.88, P=0.11). MMP-8 +17CG genotype enhanced the risk for modulation of HAND severity in tobacco using HAND patients (OR=5.01, P=0.17). MMP-8 -799TT genotype was more frequent in tobacco using HIV-infected individuals compared with nonusers (26.3% vs. 16.7%, OR=2.08, P=0.32). MMP-8 +17CG genotype increased the risk for modulation of HAND severity in alcohol using HAND patients (OR=4.99, P=0.18). In conclusion, MMP-8 polymorphisms independently and with alcohol and tobacco usage revealed a trend of higher risk for the modulation of HAND severity. MMP-8 -799TT genotype was associated with the advancement of HIV disease.

Genetic variation of MMP-2(-735 C>T) and MMP-9(-1562 C>T) gene in risk of development of HAND and severity of HAND

BACKGROUND

Astrocytes are susceptible to HIV-1 infection. Neurocognitive dysfunction has also been associated with the toxicity of certain antiretroviral drugs. HIV-1 induced neurological toxicity has been associated with deficiency of matrix metalloproteinases. Therefore, we evaluated the association of MMP-2(-735C > T) and MMP-9(-1562C > T) polymorphisms with respect to the susceptibility of developing HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) and its severity.

METHODS

We enrolled 50 HIV-infected individuals with HAND, 130 without HAND and 150 unrelated healthy controls. Polymorphism for MMP-2-735C > T and MMP-9-1562C > T genes was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.

RESULTS

Individuals with the MMP-2 -735 CT genotype and -735 T allele were at higher risk of developing HAND [odds ratio (OR) = 5.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.30-21.35, p = 0.02 and OR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.57-3.27, p = 0.0001 respectively]. The MMP-2 -735 CT genotype and -735 T allele of MMP-2 were associated with a reduced likelihood of severe HAND (OR =0.32, 95% CI = 0.15-0.66, p = 0.002 and OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.14-0.71, p = 0.005). When evaluating gene-gene interaction models, the combined genotype MMP-2-735TT + MMP-9-1562CC and MMP-2-735CT + MMP-9-1562CT was associated with the risk of developing HAND (OR = 4.84, p = 0.0001, OR = 1.81, p = 0.03). However, individuals with the combined genotype of MMP-2-735TT + MMP-9-1562CC were found to be protective for severe HAND (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.13-0.67, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with the MMP-2 -735CT genotype, -735 T allele and combined genotype MMP-2 -735TT + MMP-9 -1562CC had an enhanced risk of developing HAND. Those with the MMP-2 -735 CT genotype, -735 T allele and combined genotype of MMP-2-735TT + MMP-9-1562CC were suggested to have protection from developing severe HAND.

Paracrine regulation of matrix metalloproteinases contributes to cancer cell invasion by hepatocellular carcinoma-secreted 14-3-3σ

14-3-3σ overexpression results in enhanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell migration and HCC tumor vascular-invasion is significantly associated with 14-3-3σ expression. However, increased expression of 14-3-3σ paradoxically suppresses in vitro cell invasion of HCC. We hypothesize that surrounding tumor-associated stromal cells play a crucial role in 14-3-3σ-regulated HCC cell invasion. In this study, H68 fibroblasts, THP-1 and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-treated THP-1 (PMA-THP-1) cells were incubated with conditioned media of control (control-CM) and 14-3-3σ-overepxressing cells (14-3-3σ-CM), followed by co-culture with HCC cells. Invasiveness of HCC cells was examined by a Boyden chamber assay. HCC cells co-cultured with 14-3-3σ-CM treated cells significantly enhanced their invasive ability compared with control-CM treated cells. Moreover, incubation with 14-3-3σ-CM induced differential expression profiles of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in fibroblasts (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-12 and MMP-14), THP-1 (MMP-1 and MMP-12) and PMA-THP-1 cells (MMP-2, MMP-12 and MMP-14). In contrast, silencing of 14-3-3σ by siRNA significantly abolished 14-3-3σ-CM induced MMPs. In addition, treatment with recombinant 14-3-3σ (r14-3-3σ) protein exhibits a similar expression profile of MMPs induced by 14-3-3σ-CM in fibroblasts, THP-1 and PMA-THP-1 cells. Finally, knockdown of aminopeptidase N (APN) significantly abrogated r14-3-3σ induced expression of MMPs in HS68 fibroblasts. These results suggest that HCC-secreted 14-3-3σ promotes expression of MMPs in cancerous surrounding cells via an APN dependent mechanism. 14-3-3σ has a paracrine effect in educating stromal cells in tumor-associated microenvironment.

In-depth analysis of secretome and N-glycosecretome of human hepatocellular carcinoma metastatic cell lines shed light on metastasis correlated proteins

Cancer cell metastasis is a major cause of cancer fatality. But the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood, which results in the lack of efficient diagnosis, therapy and prevention approaches. Here, we report a systematic study on the secretory proteins (secretome) and secretory N-glycoproteins (N-glycosecretome) of four human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines with different metastatic potential, to explore the molecular mechanism of metastasis and supply the clues for effective measurement of diagnosis and therapy. Totally, 6242 unique gene products (GPs) and 1637 unique N-glycosites from 635 GPs were confidently identified. About 4000 GPs on average were quantified in each of the cell lines, 1156 of which show differential expression (p<0.05). Ninety-nine percentage of the significantly altered proteins were secretory proteins and proteins correlated to cell movement were significantly activated with the increasing of metastatic potential of the cell lines. Twenty-three GPs increased both in the secretome and the N-glycosecretome were chosen as candidates and verified by western blot analysis, and 10 of them were chosen for immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis. The cumulative survival rates of the patients with candidate (FAT1, DKK3) suggested that these proteins might be used as biomarkers for HCC diagnosis. In addition, a comparative analysis with the published core human plasma database (1754 GPs) revealed that there were 182 proteins not presented in the human plasma database but identified by our studies, some of which were selected and verified successfully by western blotting in human plasma.

β-mangostin suppresses human hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasion through inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and activating the ERK and JNK pathways

β-mangostin is a dietary xanthone that has been reported to have the anticancer properties in some human cancer cell types. However, the antimetastatic effect and molecular mechanism of β-mangostin action in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells remain unknown. In this study, we found that β-mangostin did not induce cytotoxicity in human HCC cells (SK-Hep-1, Huh-7 and HA22T/VGH cells). β-mangostin could inhibit migration and invasion of human HCC cells. Meanwhile, β-mangostin significantly decreased the protein activities and expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 via increasing the activation of MEK1/2, ERK1/2, MEK4 and JNK1/2 signaling pathways. Furthermore, using specific inhibitor for ERK1/2 (PD98059) and JNK1/2 (JNKII) significantly restored the expression of MMP-2/-9 and invasion by β-mangostin treatment in Huh-7 cells. In addition, β-mangostin effectively restored the protein levels and transcription activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in siERK or siJNK-transfected Huh-7 cells, concomitantly with promotion on cell migration and invasion. Taken together, these findings are the first to demonstrate the antimetastatic activity of β-mangostin against human HCC cells, which may act as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of HCC.

Matrix Metalloproteinases Polymorphisms as Prognostic Biomarkers in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Background

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare disease with a relatively short overall survival (OS). Metalloproteinases (MMPs) have a vast biological effect on tumor progression, invasion, metastasis formation, and apoptosis. MMP expression was previously associated with survival in MPM. Our aim was to evaluate if genetic variability of MMP genes could also serve as a prognostic biomarker in MPM.

Methods

We genotyped 199 MPM patients for ten polymorphisms: rs243865, rs243849 and rs7201, in MMP2; rs17576, rs17577, rs20544, and rs2250889 in MMP9; and rs1042703, rs1042704, and rs743257 in MMP14. We determined the influence on survival using Cox regression.

Results

Carriers of polymorphic MMP9 rs2250889 allele had shorter time to progression (TTP) (6.07 versus 10.03 months, HR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.45–4.14, p = 0.001) and OS (9.23 versus 19.2 months, HR = 2.39, 95% CI = 1.37–4.18, p = 0.002). In contrast, carriers of at least one polymorphic MMP9 rs20544 allele had longer TTP (10.93 versus 9.40 months, HR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.38–0.86 p = 0.007) and OS (20.67 versus 13.50 months, HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.37–0.85, p = 0.007). MMP14 rs1042703 was associated with nominally shorter TTP (8.7 versus 9.27 months, HR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.06–4.12, p = 0.032).

Conclusions

Selected MMP SNPs were associated with survival and could be used as potential genetic biomarkers in MPM.

Matrix metalloproteases and their tissue inhibitors in non-alcoholic liver fibrosis of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients

AIM

To investigate the relationships among diverse metalloproteases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) and non-alcoholic liver fibrosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients.

METHODS

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MMPs, TNF-α and CCR5 genes, and serum levels of MMPs and TIMPs were determined in HIV-infected individuals with/out hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection. A total of 158 patients were included, 57 of whom were HCV-coinfected. All patients drank < 50 g ethanol/day. Diverse SNPs (MMP-1 -1607 1G/2G, MMP-8 -799C/T, MMP-9 -1562 C/T, MMP-13 -77A/G, TNF-α -308 G/A, CCR5-∆32), and serum levels of MMPs (2, 3, 8, 9 and 10) and TIMPs (1, 2 and 4) were assessed. Liver fibrosis was determined by transient elastometry, although other non-invasive markers of fibrosis were also considered. Significant liver fibrosis (F ≥ 2) was defined by a transient elastometry value ≥ 7.1 kPa.

RESULTS

A total of 34 patients (21.5%) had liver fibrosis ≥ F2. MMP-2 and TIMP-2 serum levels were higher in patients with liver fibrosis ≥ F2 (P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively) and correlated positively with transient elastometry values (P = 0.02 and P = 0.0009, respectively), whereas MMP-9 values were negatively correlated with transient elastometry measurements (P = 0.01). Multivariate analyses showed that high levels of MMP-2 (OR = 2.397; 95%CI: 1.191-4.827, P = 0.014) were independently associated with liver fibrosis ≥ F2 in the patients as a whole. MMP-2 (OR = 7.179; 95%CI: 1.210-42.581, P = 0.03) and male gender (OR = 10.040; 95%CI: 1.621-62.11, P = 0.013) were also independent predictors of fibrosis ≥ F2 in the HCV-infected subgroup. Likewise, MMP-2, TIMP-2 and MMP-9 were independently associated with transient elastometry values and other non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis. None of the six SNPs evaluated had any significant association with liver fibrosis ≥ F2.

CONCLUSION

Certain MMPs and TIMPs, particularly MMP-2, seems to be associated with non-alcoholic liver fibrosis in HIV-infected patients with/without HCV coinfection.

Diosmetin inhibits the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by downregulating the expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant types of tumor worldwide with a high rate of mortality. Diosmetin (DIOS) exhibits various activities, including anticancer activities. However, the role of DIOS in the metastasis of HCC, and its underlying molecular mechanism, remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, the antimetastatic effects of DIOS were investigated in SK‑HEP‑1 and MHcc97H HCC cell lines. Cell proliferation, wound healing, motility, invasion and adhesion capacities were examined to evaluate the inhibitory effect of DIOS on the metastasis of HCC cells. Cell viability was detected using an MTT assay in order to verify the inhibitory effect of DIOS on the proliferation of HCC cells. Cell migration was assessed using would healing and motility assays in order to verify the inhibitory effect of DIOS on the migration of HCC cells. Cell invasion and adhesion assays were performed in order to verify the inhibitory effect of DIOS on the invasion and adhesion of HCC cells. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑2/9, proteins of the mitogen‑activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway (c‑Jun N‑terminal kinase, extracellular signal‑regulated kinase and p38 MAPK) and protein kinase C‑δ were detected in order to verify the potential molecular mechanisms of DIOS in the inhibition of the metastasis of HCC cells. DIOS was observed to inhibit the metastasis of SK‑HEP‑1 and MHcc97H cells by downregulating the expression of MMP‑2/9 via the PKC/MAPK/MMP pathways. DIOS also inhibited the migration and invasion of the HCC cells, and may serve as a potential candidate agent for the prevention of HCC metastasis.

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Observations from clinical and in vitro analyses

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is associated with enhanced tumorigenicity in many cancers. A recent study has revealed that MT1-MMP induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in prostate and breast cancer cells. However, its role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been studied. Here, we investigated the role of MT1-MMP in the dissemination of ESCC. Expression of MT1-MMP was detected by immunohistochemistry and tissue microarray in 88 Kazakh ESCC patients. Western blotting was performed to detect endogenous and overexpressed exogenous MT1-MMP in the Eca109 and Eca9706 cell lines, respectively. Transwell assay was used to estimate MT1-MMP-induced invasion and metastasis. EMT-associated proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. The associations between the expression of MT1-MMP and EMT-associated proteins with clinicopathologic parameters were analyzed. Overexpression of MT1-MMP was confirmed in Kazakh ESCC patients. MT1-MMP levels were found to be correlated with the depth of tumor infiltration. MT1-MMP induced EMT in ESCC both in vivo and in vitro, N-cadherin and Vimentin expression was upregulated upon MT1-MMP transfection into cells. However, E-cadherin was found to be downregulated. MT1-MMP-induced EMT led to increase migration and invasion in ESCC cell lines. In conclusion, our results suggest that MT1-MMP promotes ESCC invasion and metastasis.

The role of matrix metalloproteinase 14 polymorphisms in susceptibility to intervertebral disc degeneration in the Chinese Han population

INTRODUCTION

Matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). The present study aimed to determine whether two single nucleotide polymorphisms (-378 T/C and -364 G/T) of MMP14 were associated with the risk and severity of IVDD in the Chinese Han population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 908 patients with IVDD and 906 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The grade of disc degeneration was determined according to Schneiderman's classification for magnetic resonance imaging. The polymorphisms of MMP14 were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing.

RESULTS

The genotype distribution of -364G/T did not show a significant difference between IVDD patients and healthy controls. The frequencies of the -378T/C and CC genotypes were significantly lower among IVDD patients compared with healthy controls (p < 0.001); unconditional logistic regression analysis revealed that the CT and CC genotypes were significantly associated with a decreased risk of IVDD compared with the TT genotype (p < 0.001). Patients with IVDD showed significantly higher frequencies of the T allele at -378T/C than healthy controls (p < 0.001). In addition, the -375 CC genotype, as well as the C allele, was associated with lower degenerative grades of IVDD compared with the TT genotype and the T allele, respectively (both p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The -378T/C polymorphism of MMP14 may be associated with the risk and severity of IVDD in the Chinese Han population. It shows potential to become a biomarker to predict risk and severity of IVDD.

Glabridin inhibits migration and invasion by transcriptional inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase 9 through modulation of NF-κB and AP-1 activity in human liver cancer cells

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

High mortality and morbidity rates for hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan primarily result from uncontrolled tumour metastasis. Glabridin, a prenylated isoflavonoid of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) roots, is associated with a wide range of biological properties, such as regulation of energy metabolism, oestrogenic, neuroprotective, anti-osteoporotic and skin whitening. However, the effect of glabridin on the metastasis of tumour cells has not been clarified.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

A wound healing model and Boyden chamber assays in vitro were used to determine the effects of glabridin on the migration and invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HHC) cells. Western blot analysis, gelatin zymography, real-time PCR and promoter assays were used to evaluate the inhibitory effects of glabridin on matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) expression in these cells.

KEY RESULTS

Glabridin significantly inhibited migration/invasion capacities of HCC cells, Huh7 and Sk-Hep-1, cell lines that have low cytotoxicity in vitro, even at high concentrations. Western blot analysis and gelatin zymography showed that glabridin inhibited the expression, activities and protein levels of MMP9 and the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2. These inhibitory effects were associated with an up-regulation of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and a down-regulation of the transcription factors NF-κB and activator protein 1 signalling pathways. Finally, the administration of glabridin effectively suppressed the tumour formation in the hepatoma xenograft model in vivo.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Glabridin inhibited the invasion of human HCC cells and may have potential as a chemopreventive agent against liver cancer metastasis.

Matrix metalloproteinases and genetic mouse models in cancer research: a mini-review

Carcinogenesis is a multistep and also a multifactorial process that involves agents like genetic and environmental factors. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are major proteolytic enzymes which are involved in cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Genetic variations in genes encoding the MMPs were shown in human studies to influence cancer risk and phenotypic features of a tumor. The complex role of MMPs seems to be important in the mechanism of carcinogenesis, but it is not well recognized. Rodent studies concentrated particularly on the better understanding of the biological functions of the MMPs and their impact on the pathological process, also through the modification of Mmp genes. This review presents current knowledge and the existing evidence on the importance of selected MMPs in genetic mouse models of cancer and human genetic association studies. Further, this work can be useful for scientists studying the role of the genetic impact of MMPs in carcinogenesis.

11-epi-Sinulariolide acetate reduces cell migration and invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma by reducing the activation of ERK1/2, p38MAPK and FAK/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways

Cancer metastasis is one of the major causes of death in cancer. An active compound, 11-epi-sinulariolide acetate (11-epi-SA), isolated from the cultured soft coral Sinularia flexibilis has been examined for potential anti-cell migration and invasion effects on hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC). However, the molecular mechanism of anti-migration and invasion by 11-epi-SA on HCC, along with their corresponding effects, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated anti-migration and invasion effects and the underlying mechanism of 11-epi-SA in HA22T cells, and discovered by trans-well migration and invasion assays that 11-epi-SA provided a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the migration of human HCC HA22T cells. After treatment with 11-epi-SA for 24 h, there were suppressed protein levels of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in HA22T cells. Meanwhile, the expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) were increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Further investigation revealed that 11-epi-SA suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38MAPK. The 11-epi-SA also suppressed the expression of the phosphorylation of FAK/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways.

A4383C and C76G SNP in Cathepsin B is respectively associated with the high risk and tumor size of hepatocarcinoma

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in some genes is a candidate for having or developing a cancer. Cathepsin B (CTSB) is considered to be the biomarker of cancers. The study aimed to evaluate the impacts of three SNPs in CTSB gene on the risk and progress of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The SNPs of CTSB C76G (rs12338), CTSB A4383C (rs13332), and CTSB A8422G (rs8898) from 135 patients with HCC and 520 control participants in Taiwan were determined by real-time PCR. Through analyzing by statistics, we found that the polymorphism of rs13332 was significantly associated to the risk of HCC cancer; a significantly high frequent tumor size development was observed in HCC patients carrying rs12338 polymorphic genotype than those carrying ancestral genotype. The SNPs of rs12338, rs13332, and rs8898 were irrelevant to the frequencies of HCC clinical status and the levels of HCC clinicopathological markers. In conclusions, CTSB A4383C SNP is observed modestly more often in patients who developed HCC than in healthy controls and might be associated with the risk of HCC. The association between CTSB C76G SNP and greater tumor size may warrant further study in regards to the biology of HCC.

MMP-14 overexpression correlates with poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer

Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) has been demonstrated to play an important role in tumor progression. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between MMP-14 expression and clinicopathologic features and its prognostic significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Immunohistochemical staining for MMP-14 protein was performed in 104 patients with NSCLC. High levels of MMP-14 protein were positively correlated with the status of clinical stage (I-II vs. III-IV; P < 0.001), N classification (N0-N1 vs. N2-N3; P < 0.001), distant metastasis (no vs. yes; P = 0.014), and differentiated degree (high vs. low or undifferentiated; P = 0.001). The patients with higher MMP-14 expression of protein had shorter survival time than patients with low MMP-14 expression. Multivariate analysis indicated that the level of MMP-14 expression was an independent prognostic indicator (P < 0.001) for the survival of patients with NSCLC. In conclusion, MMP-14 is a potential unfavorable prognostic factor for patients with NSCLC.

Sequential transcriptome analysis of human liver cancer indicates late stage acquisition of malignant traits

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Human hepatocarcinogenesis is as a multi-step process starting from dysplastic lesions to early carcinomas (eHCC) that ultimately progress to HCC (pHCC). However, the sequential molecular alterations driving malignant transformation of the pre-neoplastic lesions are not clearly defined. This lack of information represents a major challenge in the clinical management of patients at risk.

METHODS

We applied next-generation transcriptome sequencing to tumor-free surrounding liver (n = 7), low- (n = 4) and high-grade (n = 9) dysplastic lesions, eHCC (n = 5) and pHCC (n = 3) from 8 HCC patients with hepatitis B infection. Integrative analyses of genetic and transcriptomic changes were performed to characterize the genomic alterations during hepatocarcinogenesis.

RESULTS

We report that changes in transcriptomes of early lesions including eHCC were modest and surprisingly homogenous. Extensive genetic alterations and subsequent activation of prognostic adverse signaling pathways occurred only late during hepatocarcinogenesis and were centered on TGFβ, WNT, NOTCH, and EMT-related genes highlighting the molecular diversity of pHCC. We further identify IGFALS as a key genetic determinant preferentially down-regulated in pHCC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results define new hallmarks in molecular stratification and therapy options for patients at risk for HCC, and merit larger prospective investigations to develop a modified clinical-decision making algorithm based on the individualized next-generation sequencing analyses.

Positive association of MMP 14 gene polymorphism with vulnerable carotid plaque formation in a Han Chinese population

BACKGROUND

MMP 14 is expressed in atherosclerotic plaques and potentially plays an important role in the development of vulnerable carotid plaques. MMP 14 gene polymorphisms can influence the bioactivity or expression of MMP 14.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between MMP 14 position + 7096 T > C (NM_004995.2:c.855T> C, rs2236307) polymorphism and vulnerable carotid plaque formation.

METHODS

1370 patients with ischemic cerebral infarctions were enrolled and divided into three groups according to their carotid ultrasound examination: No plaque group (n = 346), stable plaque group (n = 695) and vulnerable plaque group (n = 329). The traditional atherosclerosis risk factors were recorded, and the MMP 14 polymorphism were genotyped by Applied Biosystems 7300 Real-Time PCR System using the TaqMan assay.

RESULTS

In the multiple logistic regression analysis done among the sub-groups, compared to no carotid plaque group, individuals with the MMP 14 position + 7096 TC+ CC genotype showed a significantly (p = 0.009) lower risk for vulnerable plaque (AOR = 0.675; 95% CI, 0.568-0.922) formation compared with subjects of the TT genotype; however, no relation between TC+ CC genotype and stable carotid plaque was observed (p > 0.125). Age was a risk factor for both stable plaque (p = 0.000; AOR = 3.732; 95% CI: 2.496-5.58) and vulnerable plaque formation (p = 0.001; AOR = 2.234; 95% CI: 1.387-3.597). Meanwhile, fibrinogen (> 4.0 g/L) was a risk factor for stable plaque (p = 0.004; AOR = 2.313; 95% CI: 1.308-4.091).

CONCLUSIONS

The MMP 14 position + 7096 TC+ CC genotype might lower the risk of vulnerable carotid plaque formation. Fibrinogen (> 4.0 g/L) was a risk factor for stable plaque.

N-glycoproteome analysis of the secretome of human metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines combining hydrazide chemistry, HILIC enrichment and mass spectrometry

Cancer cell metastasis is a major cause of cancer death. Unfortunately, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown, which results in the lack of efficient diagnosis, therapy and prevention approaches. Nevertheless, the dysregulation of the cancer cell secretome is known to play key roles in tumor transformation and progression. The majority of proteins in the secretome are secretory proteins and membrane-released proteins, and, mostly, the glycosylated proteins. Until recently, few studies have explored protein N-glycosylation changes in the secretome, although protein glycosylation has received increasing attention in the study of tumor development processes. Here, the N-glycoproteins in the secretome of two human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines with low (MHCC97L) or high (HCCLM3) metastatic potential were investigated with a in-depth characterization of the N-glycosites by combining two general glycopeptide enrichment approaches, hydrazide chemistry and zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction chromatography (zic-HILIC), with mass spectrometry analysis. A total of 1,213 unique N-glycosites from 611 N-glycoproteins were confidently identified. These N-glycoproteins were primarily localized to the extracellular space and plasma membrane, supporting the important role of N-glycosylation in the secretory pathway. Coupling label-free quantification with a hierarchical clustering strategy, we determined the differential regulation of several N-glycoproteins that are related to metastasis, among which AFP, DKK1, FN1, CD151 and TGFβ2 were up-regulated in HCCLM3 cells. The inclusion of the well-known metastasis-related proteins AFP and DKK1 in this list provides solid supports for our study. Further western blotting experiments detecting FN1 and FAT1 confirmed our discovery. The glycoproteome strategy in this study provides an effective means to explore potential cancer biomarkers.

Effects of EZH2 polymorphisms on susceptibility to and pathological development of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

The enhancer of zeste 2 (EZH2) gene encodes the histone methyltransferase that is the catalytic component of the polycomb repressive complex-2, which initiates epigenetic silencing of genes. The expression level of EZH2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly correlated with tumor progression; however, it has not been determined if specific EZH2 genetic variants are associated with the risk of HCC. This study investigated the potential associations of EZH2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms with HCC susceptibility and its clinicopathologic characteristics.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A total of 220 HCC patients and 552 cancer-free controls were analyzed for four EZH2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs6950683, rs2302427, rs3757441, and rs41277434) using real-time PCR genotyping. After adjusting for other co-variants, the individuals carrying at least one C allele at EZH2 rs6950683 and rs3757441 had a 0.611-fold and a 0.660-fold lower risk of developing HCC than did wild-type (TT) carriers, respectively. The CCCA or CCTA haplotype among the four EZH2 sites (rs6950683, rs2302427, rs3757441, and rs41277434), respectively, was also associated with a reduced risk of HCC. Furthermore, HCC patients who carried at least one C allele at rs6950683 or rs3757441 had a higher lymph–node-metastasis risk but a lower liver-cirrhosis risk than did patients carrying the wild-type allele.

Conclusions

The rs6950683 and rs3757441 polymorphic genotypes of EZH2 might contribute to the prediction of susceptibility to and pathological development of HCC. This is the first study to provide insight into risk factors associated with EZH2 variants in carcinogenesis of HCC in Taiwan.

The antimetastatic effects of resveratrol on hepatocellular carcinoma through the downregulation of a metastasis-associated protease by SP-1 modulation

BACKGROUND

The mortality and morbidity rates from cancer metastasis have not declined in Taiwan, especially because of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Resveratrol has been shown to have benefits such as cardioprotection, providing antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer properties in previous studies. Therefore, HCC cells were subjected to treatment with resveratrol and then analyzed to determine the effects of resveratrol on the migration and invasion.

METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Modified Boyden chamber assays revealed that resveratrol treatment significantly inhibited cell migration and invasion capacities of Huh7 cell lines that have low cytotoxicity in vitro, even at a high concentration of 100 µM. The results of casein zymography and western blotting revealed that the activities and protein levels of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) were inhibited by resveratrol. Western blot analysis also showed that resveratrol inhibits phosphorylation of JNK1/2. Tests of the mRNA level, real-time PCR, and promoter assays evaluated the inhibitory effects of resveratrol on u-PA expression in HCC cells. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that reactive in transcription protein of nuclear factor SP-1 was inhibited by resveratrol.

CONCLUSIONS

Resveratrol inhibits u-PA expression and the metastasis of HCC cells and is a powerful chemopreventive agent. The inhibitory effects were associated with the downregulation of the transcription factors of SP-1 signaling pathways.

Terminalia catappa Exerts Antimetastatic Effects on Hepatocellular Carcinoma through Transcriptional Inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 by Modulating NF-κB and AP-1 Activity

High mortality and morbidity rates for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Taiwan primarily result from uncontrolled tumor metastasis. Previous studies have identified that Terminalia catappa leaf extracts (TCE) exert hepatoprotective, antioxidative, antiinflammatory, anticancer, and antimetastatic activities. However, the effects of TCE on HCC and the underlying molecular mechanisms of its activities have yet to be fully elucidated. The present study's findings demonstrate that TCE concentration dependently inhibits human HCC migration/invasion. Zymographic and western blot analyses revealed that TCE inhibited the activities and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Assessment of mRNA levels, using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR, and promoter assays confirmed the inhibitory effects of TCE on MMP-9 expression in HCC cells. The inhibitory effects of TCE on MMP-9 proceeded by upregulating tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), as well as suppressing nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and activating protein-1 (AP-1) on the MMP-9 promoter in Huh7 cells. In conclusion, TCE inhibits MMP-9 expression and HCC cell metastasis and, thus, has potential use as a chemopreventive agent. Its inhibitory effects are associated with downregulation of the binding activities of the transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1.

Co-expression of MMP-14 and MMP-19 predicts poor survival in human glioma

AIM

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-14 and MMP-19 have been demonstrated to play an important role in the development of human gliomas. However, their prognostic values are not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether co-expression of MMP-14 and MMP-19 has prognostic relevance in human gliomas.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry and western blot were used to investigate the expression of MMP-14 and MMP-19 proteins in 128 patients with gliomas.

RESULTS

The expression levels of MMP-14 and MMP-19 proteins in glioma tissues were both significantly higher (both P < 0.001) than those in non-neoplastic brain tissues according to the immunohistochemistry analysis, which was confirmed by the western blot analysis. Additionally, the overexpression of either MMP-14 or MMP-19 was significantly associated with the advanced WHO grade (both P = 0.02), the low Karnofsky performance score (KPS) (P = 0.008 and 0.01, respectively) and the poor overall survival (both P = 0.01). Moreover, the Multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis revealed that the increased expressions of MMP-14 and MMP-19 were both independent prognostic factors for poor overall survival (both P = 0.02). Furthermore, the co-expression of MMP-14 and MMP-19 was additively and more significantly (P = 0.006) associated with adverse prognosis in patients with gliomas than respective expression of MMP-14 and MMP-19.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated for the first time that the co-expression of MMP-14 and MMP-19 is significantly correlated with prognosis in glioma patients, suggesting that the co-expression of these proteins may be used as both an early diagnostic and independent prognostic marker.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes of membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase in susceptibility and clinical significance of squamous cell neoplasia of uterine cervix in Taiwan women

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) participates in the activity of MMP-2, which correlates with cancer of uterine cervix. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in promoter and exon of MT1-MMP may influence their binding with transcription factors and gene transcription. To date, no study reports the association of the MT1-MMP polymorphisms with cervical neoplasia. Therefore, we investigated the influence of the MT1-MMP gene polymorphisms on the susceptibility and clinicopathological variables of cervical neoplasia for women in Taiwan. We recruited 72 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma and 63 with high-grade dysplasia as 1 subgroup. Meanwhile, 280 control women were included as another subgroup. The SNPs rs1003349 (site -165), rs2236307 (+7096), and rs3751489 (+8153) as well as rs2236302 (site +6727) of MT1-MMP gene were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism and real-time PCR genotyping, respectively. Then, we correlated these SNPs and haplotypes with the development of cervical neoplasia and cancer clinicopathological variables. We found that women with CC genotype in rs2236307 SNP exhibited a more risk to develop cervical neoplasia as compared with those with wild genotype TT. Haplotypes -165 T, +6727 C, +7096 C, +8153 G or -165 G, +6727 G, +7096 T, and +8153 G and diplotypes including at least 1 type of these haplotypes of MT1-MMP gene showed a higher risk of cervical neoplasia. However, both haplotypes were not significantly correlated with the clinicopathological characteristics of cervical cancer. In conclusion, Taiwan women with variant homozygote CC (+7096) and haplotypes, TCCG and GGTG, of MT1-MMP exhibit more risk in developing cervical neoplasia.

Effect of RECK gene polymorphisms on hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility and clinicopathologic features

BACKGROUND

The reversion-inducing-cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) down-regulation has been confirmed in numerous human cancers and is clinically associated with metastasis. This study investigates the potential associations of RECK single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) susceptibility and its clinicopathologic characteristics.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

A total of 135 HCC cancer patients and 501 cancer-free controls were analyzed for four RECK SNPs (rs10814325, rs16932912, rs11788747, and rs10972727) using real-time PCR and PCR-RFLP genotyping analysis. After adjusting for other co-variants, the individuals carrying RECK promoter rs10814325 inheriting at least one C allele had a 1.85-fold [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-3.36] risk of developing HCC compared to TT wild type carriers. The HCC patients, who carried rs11788747 with at least one G allele, had a higher distant metastasis risk than wild type probands.

CONCLUSIONS

RECK gene polymorphisms might be a risk factor increasing HCC susceptibility and distant metastasis in Taiwan.

Survivin T9809C, an SNP located in 3'-UTR, displays a correlation with the risk and clinicopathological development of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is seldom available because of the lack of reliable markers. Survivin is an anti-apoptotic protein that is implicated in the regulation of apoptosis and cell cycle, and it is undetectable in normal adult tissues but is overexpressed in various types of cancers. Survivin is thus commonly considered to be a marker of malignancy. The aim of this study was to explore the association between survivin gene polymorphisms and the risk and diagnostic progress of HCC.

METHODS

A total of 135 patients with HCC and 496 healthy control subjects were recruited. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of survivin genes were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) and further analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

We first found that the -241 C/T and -235 G/A genetic polymorphisms of survivin did not occur frequently enough or even lacked in Taiwanese population. The +9809 C/C polymorphism exhibited a significant (P < .05) low risk of 0.525-fold (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.297-0.930) to have HCC compared with the wild-type homozygotes and a low ratio of 0.214-fold (95% CI = 0.051-0.890) for positive anti-HCV was shown in the individuals with survivin +9809 polymorphic CC allele compared with the TT/TC genotypic subgroup.

CONCLUSIONS

Survivin +9809 polymorphic genotype is associated with the risk of HCC, and the HCC patients with survivin +9809 CC homozygotes might have a low risk of developing infected HCV-dependent HCC. The results suggest that the survivin T9809C SNP might contribute to the prediction of susceptibility and pathological development to HCC.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes of MMP-14 are associated with the risk and pathological development of oral cancer

BACKGROUND

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-14 is one of the pericellular collagenases to degrade extracellular matrix (ECM), which is involved to the modulation of susceptibility or clinicopathological features of a cancer. The contributions of MMP-14 on the susceptibility or clinicopathological features of certain cancers have been well documented, and the expression of MMP-14 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) also has been observed. This study was designed to examine the association of MMP-14 gene polymorphisms with the susceptibility and clinicopathological development of OSCC.

METHODS

A total of 363 patients with OSCC and 506 healthy control subjects were recruited. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of MMP-14 genes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism genotyping and haplotype-base analysis.

RESULTS

MMP-14 +7096 TC/CC genotypes might lower the risk of OSCC, and MMP-14 +6767 GA/AA genotypes cause a poor clinical status in OSCC patients. The +6727 C: +6767 G: +7096 T: +8153 G haplotype and diplotype increased the risk for OSCC by 1.706-fold (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.383-2.105) and 2.276-fold (95% CI = 1.531-3.384), respectively, compared with the reference. The diplotype with at least one CGTG exhibited a high risk (adjusted odds ratio, 1.639; 95% CI, 1.005-2.673) for developing a poor clinicopathological diagnosis of OSCC compared with the others/other diplotype.

CONCLUSIONS

The +7096 and +6767 polymorphic genotypes and haplotype +6727 C: +6767 G: +7096 T: +8153 G of MMP-14 gene might contribute to the prediction of susceptibility and pathological development of OSCC.