Polymorphisms on 8q24 are associated with lung cancer risk and survival in Han Chinese

The HDAC2-MTA3 interaction induces nonsmall cell lung cancer cell migration and invasion by targeting c-Myc and cyclin D1

Genome-wide association studies have identified numerous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with lung cancer; however, the functions of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) rs13213007 and HDAC2 in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear. Here we identified HDAC2 rs13213007 as a risk SNP and showed that HDAC2 was upregulated in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and NSCLC tissues with the rs13213007 A/A genotype compared with those with the rs13213007 G/G or G/A genotype. Patient clinical data indicated strong associations between rs13213007 genotype and N classification. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed that higher expression of HDAC2 was associated with NSCLC progression. Furthermore, we generated 293T cells with the rs13213007 A/A genotype using CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 gene editing. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing followed by motif analysis showed that HDAC2 can bind to c-Myc in rs13213007 A/A 293T cells. Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, wound-healing, and Transwell assays revealed that HDAC2 upregulates c-Myc and cyclin D1 expression and promotes NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Co-immunoprecipitation, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and western blot analysis assays showed that MTA3 interacts with HDAC2, decreases HDAC2 expression, and rescues the migration and invasion abilities of NSCLC cells. Taken together, these findings identify HDAC2 as a potential therapeutic biomarker in NSCLC.

Polymorphisms in lncRNA CCAT1 on the susceptibility of lung cancer in a Chinese northeast population: A case-control study

OBJECT

To explore the association of rs1948915, rs7013433 in long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) CCAT1 and rs6983267 in MYC enhancer region with the risk of lung cancer in a Chinese northeast population, a case-control study was conducted.

METHODS

The hospital-based case-control study contained 669 lung cancer patients and 697 healthy controls. Taqman® Probe allele resolution was used for genotyping. The differences between the case-control groups were analyzed using Student t-test and chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between the genotypes and the risk of lung cancer. Cross-generation analysis was used to explore the relationship between gene-environment interaction and lung cancer.

RESULTS

There was no association between the three selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the susceptibility of lung cancer. Rs1948915 CT was correlated with lung adenocarcinoma. In female stratification, rs1948915 CT/CC was associated with a decreased susceptibility of lung cancer significantly. Additionally, the additive and multiplicative interaction models showed that there was no interaction between the three selected SNPs and smoking status in lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

There may be an association between lung adenocarcinoma and rs1948915 polymorphism in the Chinese northeast population, while rs7013433 and rs6983267 might have no association. There was no interaction between the three selected SNPs and smoking status.

Investigating the association between rs6983267 polymorphism and susceptibility to gastrointestinal cancers in Iranian population

Genome-wide association studies have revealed that some single nucleotide polymorphisms at 8q24, such as rs6983267, might be effective in susceptibility to various cancers in different populations. Therefore, rs6983267 might be useful as a marker for multiple cancers. In this study, we considered a population, including 478 gastrointestinal cancer cases from the Iranian population, to investigate the association between rs6983267 and susceptibility to gastrointestinal cancers. The samples were genotyped using the TaqMan real-time PCR method while 10% of them were also confirmed by sequencing. Higher frequency of G allele was associated with higher grades of tumors in esophageal cancer and the tumors located in the lower portion of the esophagus (OR 3.56; 95% CI 1.13-11.24; P = 0.03) and cardia (OR 5.24; 95% CI 1.26-21.83; P = 0.02), which both locations are involved in esophageal adenocarcinomas with poor prognosis. The results indicated that in the male subgroup, the rs6983267 GG genotype significantly enhanced the gastric cancer susceptibility (OR 4.76; 95% CI 1.57-14.45; P = 0.01). GG genotype also increased the risk of intestinal-type gastric cancer, located in non-cardia (OR 4.62; 95% CI 1.25-17.04; P = 0.02). Moreover, gastric cancer cases and controls with a family history of gastrointestinal tumors were mostly genotyped with the G allele (OR 3.61; 95% CI = 1.09-12.01; P = 0.04). There were no remarkable associations between rs6983267 and susceptibility to esophageal and colon cancers in the Iranian population. However, different genotypes of rs6983267 had significant correlations with tumor grade, cancer type, and family history of gastrointestinal cancers. Further investigations in a larger population and other ethnicities are required to confirm these results.

LncRNA PRNCR1 rs1456315 and CCAT2 rs6983267 Polymorphisms on 8q24 Associated with Lung Cancer

Background

Long noncoding RNA single nucleotide polymorphisms (lncRNA-SNPs) PCAT1 rs710886, PRNCR1 rs1456315 and CCAT2 rs6983267 on 8q24 region present generalizability in the susceptibility to multiple cancers, however, the influence of rs710886, rs1456315 and rs6983267 on lung cancer has not been assessed. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between three lncRNA-SNPs and lung cancer.

Methods

A case–control study was performed on 438 patients with lung cancer and 456 healthy controls in the Han population from southern China. The collected samples were genotyped by the TaqMan genotyping, and the association with clinical characteristics, including age, gender, drinking status, smoking status, pathological types and clinical stages were analyzed. And the SNP function prediction was based on lncRNASNP2, RNAfold and GTEx.

Results

The rs1456315 T allele increased the risk of lung cancer [OR=1.95, 95% CI (1.58–2.43), P=0.003] compared to the rs1456315 C allele, and rs1456315 significantly increased the risk of lung cancer in the dominant model [OR=1.86, 95% CI (1.16–3.00), P=0.002]. The rs6983267 G allele, compared with the T allele, increased the risk of lung cancer [OR=1.29, 95% CI (1.07–1.57), P=0.007], and rs6983267 was identified as a risk factor for lung cancer [OR=1.28, 95% CI (1.06–1.55), P=0.003] in the additive model. Both rs1456315 and rs6983267 demonstrated significance after adjusting for the smoking status, drinking status and age. The structure prediction found rs6983267 and rs1456315 influence the secondary structure of its lncRNA. The results from lncRNASNP2 indicated that rs6983267 and rs1456315 change gain/loss target of miRNAs.

Conclusion

PRNCR1 rs1456315 and CCAT2 rs6983267 on 8q24 region are significantly associated with lung cancer in the Han population of southern China and alter the potential biological function in bioinformatic analysis, and the results further extended generalism of the susceptibility of cancer-associated lncRNA-SNPs to lung cancer and underlying mechanism involved in lung cancer.

Identification and characterization of functional long noncoding RNAs in cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key regulators in a variety of cellular processes that influence disease states. In particular, many lncRNAs are genetically or epigenetically deregulated in cancer. However, whether lncRNA alterations are passengers acquired during cancer progression or can act as tumorigenic drivers is a topic of ongoing investigation. In this review, we examine the current methodologies underlying the identification of cancer-associated lncRNAs and highlight important considerations for evaluating their biological significance as cancer drivers.

Long non-coding RNA CASC8 polymorphisms are associated with the risk of esophageal cancer in a Chinese population

Background

Esophageal cancer (EC) is an important disease that threatens public health and safety. Although there are numerous treatment options for esophageal cancer including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, these treatments have limited effects. Its morbidity and mortality vary widely among countries and regions. Esophageal cancer is classified into squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esopheageal adenocarcinoma (EADC). Here, we examined the genetic susceptibility to ESCC in relation to functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) CASC8.

Methods

To detect the susceptibility to ESCC in relation to functional polymorphisms in CASC8, a hypothesis‐driven study was performed to identify CASC8 SNPs in 949 patients with ESCC and 1369 control subjects.

Results

The CASC8 rs1562430 GG genotype was significantly associated with increased ESCC risk in men, patients younger than 63 years, non‐smokers, and nondrinkers.

Conclusions

CASC8 rs1562430 A > G may cause susceptibility to ESCC and CASC8 SNPs may play a vital role in ESCC risk, thereby serving as a potential biomarker for diagnosing ESCC. A larger sample size and multifactor information are needed to confirm these results.

SNP rs17079281 decreases lung cancer risk through creating an YY1-binding site to suppress DCBLD1 expression

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous genetic variants that are associated with lung cancer risk, but the biological mechanisms underlying these associations remain largely unknown. Here we investigated the functional relevance of a genetic region in 6q22.2 which was identified to be associated with lung cancer risk in our previous GWAS. We performed linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis and bioinformatic prediction to screen functional SNPs linked to a tagSNP in 6q22.2 loci, followed by two case-control studies and a meta-analysis with 4403 cases and 5336 controls to identify if these functional SNPs were associated with lung cancer risk. A novel SNP rs17079281 in the DCBLD1 promoter was identified to be associated with lung cancer risk in Chinese populations. Compared with those with C allele, patients with T allele had lower risk of adenocarcinoma (adjusted OR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.80–0.92), but not squamous cell carcinoma (adjusted OR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.91–1.10), and patients with the C/T or T/T genotype had lower levels of DCBLD1 expression than those with C/C genotype in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. We performed functional assays to characterize its biological relevance. The results showed that the T allele of rs17079281 had higher binding affinity to transcription factor YY1 than the C allele, which suppressed DCBLD1 expression. DCBLD1 behaved like an oncogene, promoting tumor growth by influencing cell cycle progression. These findings suggest that the functional variant rs17079281C>T decreased lung adenocarcinoma risk by creating an YY1-binding site to suppress DCBLD1 expression, which may serve as a biomarker for assessing lung cancer susceptibility.

Cumulative Evidence for Relationships Between 8q24 Variants and Prostate Cancer

Multiple independent cancer susceptibility loci at chromosome 8q24 have been identified by GWAS (Genome-wide association studies). Forty six articles including 60,293 cases and 62,971 controls were collected to conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the associations between 21 variants in 8q24 and prostate cancer risk. Of the 21 variants located in 8q2\5 were significantly associated with the risk of prostate cancer. In particular, both homozygous AA and heterozygous CA genotypes of rs16901979, as well as the AA and CA genotypes of rs1447295, were associated with the risk of prostate cancer. Our study showed that variants in the 8q24 region are associated with prostate cancer risk in this large-scale research synopsis and meta-analysis. Further studies are needed to explore the role of the 8q24 variants involved in the etiology of prostate cancer.

Association between 8q24 rs6983267 polymorphism and cancer susceptibility: a meta-analysis involving 170,737 subjects

Published data on the association between 8q24 rs6983267 polymorphism and cancer risk are inconsistent. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between rs6983267 polymorphism and cancer risk. We searched on PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to November 1, 2016 for relevant studies. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the strength of this association. We included 78 case-control studies with a total of 73,996 cases and 96,741 controls in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that rs6983267 polymorphism was significantly associated with increased risk of overall cancer in all genetic models (dominant model: OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.13–1.26; recessive model: OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.14–1.25; homozygous model: OR= 1.31, 95% CI = 1.23–1.40; heterozygous model: OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.10–1.19; allelic model: OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.11–1.18). Stratified analyses indicated that rs6983267 significantly increased the risk of colorectal cancer in Caucasians, prostate cancer in Caucasians and Asians, thyroid cancer in Caucasians and lung cancer in Asians. When studies were stratified by study quality, source of controls and genotyping method, significant associations were especially found in the high quality studies, the publication-based studies, the hospital-based studies, and the PCR-RFLP studies. Additional well-designed studies with large samples should be performed to validate our results.

Clinical Significance of Long Non-Coding RNA CASC8 rs10505477 Polymorphism in Lung Cancer Susceptibility, Platinum-Based Chemotherapy Response, and Toxicity

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) CASC8 rs10505477 polymorphism has been identified to be related to risk of many kinds of cancers, such as colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, and invasive ovarian cancer, and it may be involved in the prognosis of gastric cancer patients who have received platinum-based chemotherapy after surgical treatment. So far, there is no study investigating the clinical significance of lncRNA CASC8 rs10505477 in lung cancer susceptibility and treatment. In this study, we genotyped 498 lung cancer patients and 213 healthy control subjects to explore the correlation between the rs10505477 polymorphism and lung cancer risk in a Chinese population. Among the 498 patients, 467 were selected for the chemotherapy response and toxicity study. We found that the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) rs10505477 was greatly related to lung cancer risk in male and adenocarcinoma subgroups in recessive model (adjusted OR = 0.51, 95%CI = 0.29–0.90, p = 0.02; adjusted OR = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.30–0.89, p = 0.02, respectively). It was also closely correlated with platinum-based chemotherapy response in dominant model (adjusted OR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.05–2.39, p = 0.03). Additionally, we observed that CASC8 rs10505477 polymorphism was significantly relevant to severe hematologic toxicity in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) subgroup in dominant model (adjusted OR = 0.59, 95%CI = 0.35–0.98, p = 0.04) and in additive model (adjusted OR = 0.62, 95%CI = 0.43–0.90, p = 0.01). Furthermore, it was found that rs10505477 polymorphism was greatly associated with gastrointestinal toxicity in SCLC and cisplatin subgroups in dominant model (adjusted OR = 7.82, 95%CI = 1.36–45.07, p = 0.02; adjusted OR = 1.94, 95%CI = 1.07–3.53, p = 0.03, respectively). Thus, lncRNA CASC8 rs10505477 could serve as a possible risk marker for diagnosing lung cancer, and could be used to forecast the response and toxicity of platinum-based treatment in lung cancer patients.

Correlation Between CASC8, SMAD7 Polymorphisms and the Susceptibility to Colorectal Cancer: An Updated Meta-Analysis Based on GWAS Results

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and a number of case-control studies have suggested that several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs7837328, rs7014346, rs6983267, rs10505477 on CASC8 gene and rs4939827, rs4464148, rs12953717 on SMAD7 gene are significantly correlated with the susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC). For the sake of clarifying the association, a meta-analysis was conducted and population heterogeneity was considered in the study.A total of 34 articles including 90 studies (168,471 cases and 163,223 controls) that evaluated the relationship between the CASC8, SMAD7 genes and the risk of CRC under the allelic model were reviewed. Also subgroup analysis was performed by ethnicity (Caucasian, Asian, and African) and all of the analyses were implemented in R 3.2.1 software.Pooled data from the meta-analysis revealed that the A allele of rs7837328, the A allele of rs7014346, the G allele of rs6983267, the A allele of rs10505477, the T allele of rs4939827, the T of rs4464148, and the T of rs12953717 were significantly associated with an increased risk of CRC under the allelic model. Additionally, subgroup analyses of 6 SNPs by ethnicity (rs4464148 excepted) witnessed that the A allele of rs7837328, the G allele of rs6983267, and the T of rs12953717 were notably associated with an increased risk of CRC among Caucasian and Asian. Furthermore, the A allele of rs7014346, the A allele of rs10505477, and the T allele of rs4939827 were significantly related with an elevated risk of CRC only among Caucasian.Our study suggested that for CASC8 gene, SNP of rs7837328 and rs6983267 are risk factors for CRC among both Caucasian and Asian whereas rs7014346 and rs10505477 are risky gene polymorphisms only among Caucasian. For SMAD7 gene, rs4939827 and rs4464148 are risk factors for CRC among Caucasian whereas rs12953717 could elevate the susceptibility to CRC in both Caucasian and Asian.

Elevated expression of CCAT2 is associated with poor prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

CCAT2, a novel long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), is found to promote the metastasis and invasion of colon, lung, and breast cancers. This study aimed to investigate the level of CCAT2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to elucidate its clinical significance.

METHODS

The expression level of CCAT2 and the status of MYC amplification were examined in 229 ESCC samples using quantitative real- time PCR.

RESULTS

CCAT2 was upregulated in ESCC tissues, especially in cases with lymph node metastasis (LNM), advanced TNM stages, and MYC amplification. Furthermore, the level of CCAT2 was positively correlated with TNM stages, LNM, and the number of positive lymph nodes. High CCAT2 expression and MYC amplification were significantly associated with TNM stages and LNM. Survival analyses revealed that high CCAT2 expression and MYC amplification were significantly associated with poorer overall survival in ESCC patients. Furthermore, patients with high CCAT2 expression and MYC amplification had a 2.199-fold increased risk of death compared with those with low CCAT2 expression and MYC non-amplification.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides the first evidence associating CCAT2 expression and poor survival in ESCC. CCAT2 may be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for ESCC.

Genetic variation at 8q24, family history of cancer, and upper gastrointestinal cancers in a Chinese population

Genetic variation at 8q24 is associated with prostate, bladder, breast, colorectal, thyroid, lung, ovarian, UADT, liver and stomach cancers. However, a role for variation at 8q24 in familial clustering of upper gastrointestinal cancers has not been studied. In order to explore potential inherited susceptibility, we analyzed epidemiologic data from a population-based case-control study of upper gastrointestinal cancers from Taixing, China. The study population includes 204 liver, 206 stomach, and 218 esophageal cancer cases and 415 controls. Associations between 8q24 rs1447295, rs16901979, rs6983267 and these cancers were stratified by family history of cancer. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were adjusted for potential confounders: age, sex, education, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, and BMI at interview. We also adjusted for hepatitis B and aflatoxin (liver cancer) and Helicobacter pylori (stomach cancer). In a dominant model, among those with a family history of cancer, rs1447295 was positively associated with liver cancer (OR(adj) 2.80; 95% CI 1.15-6.80). Heterogeneity was observed (P(heterogeneity) = 0.029) with rs6983267 and liver cancer, with positive association in the dominant model among those with a family history of cancer and positive association in the recessive model among those without a family history of cancer. When considered in a genetic risk score model, each additional 8q24 risk genotype increased the odds of liver cancer by two-fold among those with a family history of cancer (OR(adj) 2.00; 95% CI 1.15-3.47). These findings suggest that inherited susceptibility to liver cancer may exist in the Taixing population and that variation at 8q24 might be a genetic component of that inherited susceptibility.

Association of microRNA polymorphisms with the risk of myocardial infarction in a Chinese population

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the regulation of a variety of biological processes, such as inflammation. Dysregulation of miRNAs have been implicated in many human disease, including cardiovascular diseases. Polymorphisms in miRNA genes may affect the miRNA biogenesis and function, and thus cause changes in the expression of thousands of genes. The aim of this study was to examine whether miRNA polymorphisms (miR-146a rs2910164, miR-149 rs71428439, miR-196a2 rs11614913, miR-218 rs11134527, and miR-499 rs3746444) contribute to the risk for the development of myocardial infarction (MI). Five miRNA polymorphisms were genotyped in a total of 1808 subjects composed of 919 MI patients and 889 control individuals. The GG genotype of rs3746444 was found to be associated with a significantly increased risk of MI (recessive model, adjusted OR = 1.710, 95% CI: 1.058-2.763, P = 0.029). Although the CC genotype of rs2910164 significantly increased the risk of MI under dominant and additive models (P < 0.05), this difference disappeared after adjustment for age, sex, blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and diabetes. In addition, when rs3746444 and rs2910164 were evaluated together by the number of putative high-risk alleles, we found an increased risk of MI for subjects carrying 3-4 risk alleles (3-4 risk alleles vs. 0-1 risk allele, adjusted OR = 1.580, 95% CI: 1.069-2336, P = 0.022; 3-4 risk alleles vs. 0-2 risk allele, adjusted OR = 1.513, 95% CI: 1.031-2.219, P = 0.034). These findings indicate that miR-499 rs3746444 and miR-146a rs2910164 may represent novel markers of MI susceptibility.

Association between miR-125a rs12976445 and survival in breast cancer patients

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) act as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor by negatively regulating target genes. Genetic variants in miRNA genes confer susceptibility to cancer and risk of death in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to investigate whether miRNA polymorphisms were associated with survival in breast cancer patients. Five miRNA polymorphisms (miR-26a1 rs7372209, miR-125a rs12976445, miR-218 rs11134527, miR-423 rs6505162, and miR-608 rs4919510) were genotyped in 196 breast cancer patients. We found that miR-125a rs12976445 was significantly associated with survival in codominant, recessive, and dominant models. However, only association under the codominant model remained significant after adjustment for lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor. Furthermore, this effect remained in stratification analysis. In conclusion, our results provide evidence that miR-125a rs12976445 may serve as a prognostic biomarker for breast cancer. Further large-scale studies are required to confirm these findings.

Genetic polymorphisms in oxidative stress-related genes are associated with clinical outcome in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Many types of cancer have high antioxidant capacity that effectively scavenges reactive oxygen species and thus protect cancer cells against oxidative damage. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 20 oxidative stress-related genes on clinical outcome in 219 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were treated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). We assessed the associations of SNPs with prognosis in all patients as well as stratified by clinical characteristics. Three SNP (rs1695, rs2333227 and rs699512) were significantly associated with overall survival (OS). In a multivariate analysis, rs1695 AA and rs2333227 AG/GG genotypes were identified as independent prognostic factors for poor OS. Stratification analyses revealed that these 3 SNPs remained significantly associated with OS. Furthermore, there was a strong gene-dosage effect of these 3 SNPs on OS that patients with increasing number of unfavorable genotypes had significantly increased death risk. In conclusion, our findings provide the first evidence that genetic variants in oxidative stress-related genes may influence treatment outcome in advanced NSCLC patients receiving EGFR TKIs.

Association of miR-146a rs2910164 with childhood IgA nephropathy

BACKGROUND

Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of immune response and inflammation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (mir-146a rs2910164, let-7a-2 rs1143770, miR-196a2 rs11614913) and susceptibility to and severity of childhood immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN).

METHODS

We genotyped three miRNA SNPs in two independent Han Chinese populations composed of 158 patients and 265 controls (discovery set), and 246 patients and 446 controls (validation set), respectively.

RESULTS

We found that rs2910164 was significantly associated with IgAN in the discovery but not the validation set. Combined analysis revealed that rs2910164 CC and CG genotypes were associated with increased risk of IgAN compared with the GG genotype [adjusted odds ratios (OR) = 1.684, 95 % confidence interval (CI)1.190-2.384, P = 0.003; adjusted OR = 1.472, 95 % CI 1.079-2.007, P = 0.015, respectively). We also found that the frequency of the rs2910164 CC genotype was significantly higher in patients with Haas grade III-V than in those with Haas grade I-II for all study populations (P < 0.05). The expression of miR-146a in normal renal tissues with CC genotype was lower than in those with a G allele (P = 0.038).

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that rs2910164 may affect the susceptibility and severity of pediatric IgAN. Further studies are needed to validate these findings.

The impact of pri-miR-218 rs11134527 on the risk and prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

MicroRNA-218 (miR-218) acts as a tumor suppressor in numerous types of cancer by regulation of the expression of target genes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether polymorphisms in miR-218 LAMB3 pathway were associated with the risk and prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Pri-mir-218 rs11134527 and LAMB3 rs2566 were genotyped in ESCC patients and 745 controls to assess their associations with cancer risk and overall survival. Pri-mir-218 rs11134527 was significantly associated with a decreased risk of ESCC under codominant, recessive and additive models. Although there was a significant association between rs11134527 and better survival of ESCC patients under codominant, recessive and additive models, the association disappeared after adjustment for TNM and LNM. However, further stratified analysis revealed that the association remained significant in patients with TNM stages I and II or non-LNM. Our data suggest that pri-miR-218 rs11134527 may contribute to the genetic susceptibility and prognosis for ESCC in Chinese Han population.

Prognostic relevance of urinary bladder cancer susceptibility loci

In the last few years, susceptibility loci have been identified for urinary bladder cancer (UBC) through candidate-gene and genome-wide association studies. Prognostic relevance of most of these loci is yet unknown. In this study, we used data of the Nijmegen Bladder Cancer Study (NBCS) to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the prognostic relevance of all confirmed UBC susceptibility loci. Detailed clinical data concerning diagnosis, stage, treatment, and disease course of a population-based series of 1,602 UBC patients were collected retrospectively based on a medical file survey. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox proportional hazard regression were performed, and log-rank tests calculated, to evaluate the association between 12 confirmed UBC susceptibility variants and recurrence and progression in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients. Among muscle-invasive or metastatic bladder cancer (MIBC) patients, association of these variants with overall survival was tested. Subgroup analyses by tumor aggressiveness and smoking status were performed in NMIBC patients. In the overall NMIBC group (n = 1,269), a statistically significant association between rs9642880 at 8q24 and risk of progression was observed (GT vs. TT: HR = 1.08 (95% CI: 0.76-1.54), GG vs. TT: HR = 1.81 (95% CI: 1.23-2.66), P for trend = 2.6 × 10(-3)). In subgroup analyses, several other variants showed suggestive, though non-significant, prognostic relevance for recurrence and progression in NMIBC and survival in MIBC. This study provides suggestive evidence that genetic loci involved in UBC etiology may influence disease prognosis. Elucidation of the causal variant(s) could further our understanding of the mechanism of disease, could point to new therapeutic targets, and might aid in improvement of prognostic tools.

CCAT2 is a lung adenocarcinoma-specific long non-coding RNA and promotes invasion of non-small cell lung cancer

The prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still poor, and it is necessary to identify effectively diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for NSCLC. Recent evidence demonstrates that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is actively transcribed from human genome. Some lncRNAs show a time- or tissue-specific expression manner and play important roles in diverse biological processes. Additionally, various cancer-associated lncRNAs have been identified, such as metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 for lung cancer. Here, we characterized the expression profile of a novel lncRNA, colon cancer-associated transcript 2 (CCAT2), in lung cancer and found that CCAT2 was significantly over-expressed in NSCLC tissues compared with paired adjacent normal tissues, with an average up-regulation fold of 7.5. Intriguingly, over-expression of CCAT2 was significantly associated with lung adenocarcinoma (p=0.033) but not squamous cell cancer. Silencing CCAT2 by siRNA led to inhibition of proliferation and invasion in NSCLC cell lines in vitro. Additionally, CCAT2 combined with CEA could predict lymph node metastasis. Our findings indicate that CCAT2 is a lung adenocarcinoma-specific lncRNA and promotes invasion of NSCLC and highlight its potential as a biomarker for lymph node metastasis.

Prognostic role of microRNA polymorphisms in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving platinum-based chemotherapy

PURPOSE

MicroRNA (miRNA) polymorphisms contribute to cancer susceptibility and prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of miRNA polymorphisms on clinical outcomes in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

METHODS

Five polymorphisms (miR-146a rs2910164, miR-196a2 rs11614913, miR-100 rs1834306, miR-125a rs12976445 and miR-26a1 rs7372209) were genotyped in 378 patients with advanced ESCC recruited at Zhongshan Hospital. The associations between genotypes and drug response, toxicity, and overall survival were analyzed.

RESULTS

miR-146a rs2910164 was significantly associated with an increased risk of severe hematological toxicity [odds ratio = 0.374, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.171-0.819, P = 0.014]. The TT genotypes of both miR-196a2 rs11614913 and miR-125a rs12976445 were associated with worse survival [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.552, 95 % CI 1.112-2.165, P = 0.010; HR = 2.171, 95 % CI 1.173-4.017, P = 0.014, respectively]. Combined analysis revealed a 4.073-fold increased risk of death in patients carrying two unfavorable genotypes (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these findings indicate that miRNA polymorphisms may predict prognosis in advanced ESCC patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy.