The miR-184 binding-site rs8126 T>C polymorphism in TNFAIP2 is associated with risk of gastric cancer

Polymorphism rs1057147 located in mesothelin gene predicts lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer

Lymph node metastasis, a crucial factor in the spread of gastric cancer (GC), is strongly associated with a negative prognosis for patients. This study aimed to investigate the association of the mesothelin (MSLN) gene polymorphisms (rs3764247, rs3764246, rs12597489, rs1057147, and rs3765319) with the risk of lymph node metastasis of GC patients in a Chinese Han population. The PCR-LDR genotyping was used to detect the genotypes of MSLN polymorphisms in GC patients with lymph node metastasis (n = 610) or without (n = 356). Our research indicates that certain genetic markers, specifically rs3764247, rs3764246, rs12597489, and rs3765319, do not appear to be linked with an increased risk of lymph node metastasis in GC. However, we did observe that patients with the rs1057147 GA genotype exhibited a higher likelihood of lymph node metastasis in GC when compared to those with the GG genotype (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.01 - 1.76, P = 0.045). Patients with rs1057147 GA + AA genotype were found to have a higher likelihood of lymph node involvement (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.03 - 1.77, P = 0.029) when compared to those with GG genotype in the dominant model. The allelic model revealed that the A allele of rs1057147 exhibited a stronger correlation with lymph node metastasis compared to the G allele (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.02 - 1.60, P = 0.031). In addition, we found that rs1057147 polymorphism revealed a poor prognosis for GC patients with lymph node metastasis. Further stratified analysis revealed that the prognostic effect of rs1057147 was more pronounced in patients with GC who had lymph node metastasis and had a tumor size of 4 cm or greater, as well as more than 2 lymph node metastases. Bioinformatics studies showed that the binding mode of miR-3144-5p or miR-3619-3p to MSLN was altered by the mutation of rs1057147. Our study confirmed the important role of MSLN rs1057147 polymorphism locus in GC lymph node metastases and suggested a potential prognostic factor during GC progression. KEY POINTS: • Rs1057147 GA genotype had an increased risk of lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer. • The A allele of rs1057147 had a stronger association with lymph node metastasis than the G allele. • The binding mode of miR-3144-5p or miR-3619-3p to MSLN was altered by the mutation of rs1057147.

Use of machine learning-based integration to develop an immune-related signature for improving prognosis in patients with gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies. Although some patients benefit from immunotherapy, the majority of patients have unsatisfactory immunotherapy outcomes, and the clinical significance of immune-related genes in gastric cancer remains unknown. We used the single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) method to evaluate the immune cell content of gastric cancer patients from TCGA and clustered patients based on immune cell scores. The Weighted Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) algorithm was used to identify immune subtype-related genes. The patients in TCGA were randomly divided into test 1 and test 2 in a 1:1 ratio, and a machine learning integration process was used to determine the best prognostic signatures in the total cohort. The signatures were then validated in the test 1 and the test 2 cohort. Based on a literature search, we selected 93 previously published prognostic signatures for gastric cancer and compared them with our prognostic signatures. At the single-cell level, the algorithms "Seurat," "SCEVAN", "scissor", and "Cellchat" were used to demonstrate the cell communication disturbance of high-risk cells. WGCNA and univariate Cox regression analysis identified 52 prognosis-related genes, which were subjected to 98 machine-learning integration processes. A prognostic signature consisting of 24 genes was identified using the StepCox[backward] and Enet[alpha = 0.7] machine learning algorithms. This signature demonstrated the best prognostic performance in the overall, test1 and test2 cohort, and outperformed 93 previously published prognostic signatures. Interaction perturbations in cellular communication of high-risk T cells were identified at the single-cell level, which may promote disease progression in patients with gastric cancer. We developed an immune-related prognostic signature with reliable validity and high accuracy for clinical use for predicting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

Susceptibility of TNFAIP8, TNFAIP8L1, and TNFAIP2 Gene Polymorphisms on Cancer Risk: A Comprehensive Review and Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies

Objectives: The TNFAIP8 gene family and TNFAIP2 gene are inextricably linked to an elevated risk of cancer development. This systemic review and meta-analysis seeks to establish the relationship between TNFAIP8 (rs11064, rs1045241, rs1045242, and rs3813308), TNFAIP8L1 (rs1060555), and TNFAIP2 (rs710100 and rs8126) polymorphisms with the risk of cancer. Methods and Materials: A systematic search of multiple databases from January 2022 to April 2022 was used to identify relevant studies. Odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% CI and p-value were calculated to assess the association. Bonferroni correction was performed to correct p-values. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) and in-silico messenger RNA expression were also performed. Review Manager 5.4 software was used for performing this meta-analysis. Results: This study comprised 6909 cancer patients and 7087 healthy participants from 14 studies. Four genetic models of rs11064 (codominant 2 [COD2]: OR = 2.30, p = 7.83 × 10^-5; codominant 3 [COD3]: OR = 2.10, p = .0006; recessive model [RM]: OR = 2.24, p = .0001; AC: OR = 1.47, p = .037), two genetic models of rs1045241 (codominant 1 [COD1]: OR = 1.27, p = .009; overdominant model [ODM]: OR = 1.24, p = .018), four genetic models of rs1045242 (COD1: OR = 1.52, p = .005; dominant model (DM): OR = 1.56, p = .002; OD: OR = 1.48, p = .008; AC: OR = 1.48, p = .002), and three genetic models of rs8126 (COD2: OR = 1.41, p = .0005; COD3: OR = 1.44, p = .0002; RM: OR = 1.43, p = .0001) were statistically linked to cancer risk. Only one genetic model of rs1060555 polymorphism showed a significant protective association with cancer (COD2: OR = 0.80, p = .048). The outcomes of TSA also validated the findings of the meta-analysis. Conclusion: This study summarizes that rs11064, rs1045241, and rs1045242 polymorphisms of TNFAIP8 gene and rs8126 polymorphism of TNFAIP2 gene are significantly linked with the risk of cancer development. This meta-analysis was registered at INPLASY (registration number: INPLASY202270073).

Pan-cancer analysis of oncogenic TNFAIP2 identifying its prognostic value and immunological function in acute myeloid leukemia

BACKGROUND

Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2), a TNFα-inducible gene, appears to participate in inflammation, immune response, hematopoiesis, and carcinogenesis. However, the potential role of TNFAIP2 in the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unknow yet. Therefore, we aimed to study the biological role of TNFAIP2 in leukemogenesis.

METHODS

TNFAIP2 mRNA level, prognostic value, co-expressed genes, differentially expressed genes, DNA methylation, and functional enrichment analysis in AML patients were explored via multiple public databases, including UALCAN, GTEx portal, Timer 2.0, LinkedOmics, SMART, MethSurv, Metascape, GSEA and String databases. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and Beat AML database were used to determine the associations between TNFAIP2 expression and various clinical or genetic parameters of AML patients. Moreover, the biological functions of TNFAIP2 in AML were investigated through in vitro experiments.

RESULTS

By large-scale data mining, our study indicated that TNFAIP2 was differentially expressed across different normal and tumor tissues. TNFAIP2 expression was significantly increased in AML, particularly in French-American-British (FAB) classification M4/M5 patients, compared with corresponding control tissues. Overexpression of TNFAIP2 was an independent poor prognostic factor of overall survival (OS) and was associated with unfavorable cytogenetic risk and gene mutations in AML patients. DNA hypermethylation of TNFAIP2 at gene body linked to upregulation of TNFAIP2 and inferior OS in AML. Functional enrichment analysis indicated immunomodulation function and inflammation response of TNFAIP2 in leukemogenesis. Finally, the suppression of TNFAIP resulted in inhibition of proliferation by altering cell-cycle progression and increase of cell death by promoting early and late apoptosis in THP-1 and U937AML cells.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, the oncogenic TNFAIP2 can function as a novel biomarker and prognostic factor in AML patients. The immunoregulation function of TNFAIP2 warrants further validation in AML.

rs2671655 single nucleotide polymorphism modulates the risk for gastric cancer in Helicobacter pylori-infected individuals: a genome-wide association study in the Korean population

OBJECTIVE

To identify genetic variations which is associated with gastric cancer (GC) risk according to Helicobacter pylori infection.

METHODS

This study incorporated 527 GC patients and 441 controls from a cohort at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. The associations between GC risk and single nucleotide polymorphisms were calculated, stratified by H. pylori status, adjusting for age, sex, and smoking. mRNA expression from non-cancerous gastric mucosae was evaluated using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

In the entire cohort, genome-wide association study showed no significant variants reached the genome-wide significance level. In the H. pylori-positive group, rs2671655 (chr17:47,468,020;hg19, GH17J049387 enhancer region) was identified at a genome-wide significance level, which was more pronounced in diffuse type GC. There was no significant variant in the H. pylori-negative group, indicating the effect modification of rs2671655 by H. pylori. Among the target genes of GH17J049387 enhancer (PHB1, ZNF652 and SPOP), PHB1 mRNA was expressed more in cases than in controls, who were not affected by H. pylori. By contrast, an increase in ZNF652 and SPOP in GC was observed only in the H. pylori-negative group (P < 0.05). Mediation analysis showed that PHB1 (P = 0.0238) and SPOP (P = 0.0328) mediated the effect of rs2671655 on GC risk. The polygenic risk score was associated with the number of rs2671655 risk alleles only in the H. pylori-positive group (P = 0.0112).

CONCLUSION

After H. pylori infection, rs2671655 may increase GC risk, especially in diffuse-type GC, by regulating the expression of several genes that consequently modify susceptibility to GC.

Circ_0021087 acts as a miR-184 sponge and represses gastric cancer progression by adsorbing miR-184 and elevating FOSB expression

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) ranks third among the causes of cancer-related deaths in the world. Circular RNA hsa_circ_0021087 (circ_0021087) plays a repressive role in GC. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which circ_0021087 constrains GC advancement is unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Expression patterns of circ_0021087, microRNA (miR)-184 and FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (FOSB) mRNA were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Gain-of-function experiments were conducted to verify the biological function of circ_0021087 in vitro and in vivo, including cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), flow cytometry, transwell and xenograft assays. Protein levels were analysed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The regulatory mechanism of circ_0021087 was analysed by bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Circ_0021087 and FOSB were lowly expressed in GC, whereas miR-184 had an opposite result. Circ_0021087 overexpression repressed GC cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in xenograft models in vivo and induced GC cell apoptosis, repressed GC cell proliferation, EMT, migration and invasion in vitro. Circ_0021087 could elevate FOSB expression by adsorbing miR-184. MiR-184 mimic reversed the inhibitory influence of circ_0021087 overexpression on GC cell malignancy. Also, FOSB knockdown offset the suppressive impact of miR-184 silencing on GC cell malignancy. In conclusion, circ_0021087 played a repressive influence on GC progression by elevating FOSB expression by adsorbing miR-184, offering a new mechanism for circ_0021087 to inhibit the progression of GC.

Identification of a Novel Prognostic Signature for Gastric Cancer Based on Multiple Level Integration and Global Network Optimization

Gastric Cancer (GC) is a common cancer worldwide with a high morbidity and mortality rate in Asia. Many prognostic signatures from genes and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) levels have been identified by high-throughput expression profiling for GC. To date, there have been no reports on integrated optimization analysis based on the GC global lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network and the prognostic mechanism has not been studied. In the present work, a Gastric Cancer specific lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network (GCsLMM) was constructed based on the ceRNA hypothesis by combining miRNA-target interactions and data on the expression of GC. To mine for novel prognostic signatures associated with GC, we performed topological analysis, a random walk with restart algorithm, in the GCsLMM from three levels, miRNA-, mRNA-, and lncRNA-levels. We further obtained candidate prognostic signatures by calculating the integrated score and analyzed the robustness of these signatures by combination strategy. The biological roles of key candidate signatures were also explored. Finally, we targeted the PHF10 gene and analyzed the expression patterns of PHF10 in independent datasets. The findings of this study will improve our understanding of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory mechanisms and further facilitate the discovery of novel prognostic biomarkers for GC clinical guidelines.

Correlation Between TNFAIP2 Gene Polymorphism and Prediction/Prognosis for Gastric Cancer and Its Effect on TNFAIP2 Protein Expression

Objective: TNFAIP2 is a novel gene induced by TNF-α and participates in inflammatory reaction and tumor angiogenesis. This study aims to understand the correlation between TNFAIP2 gene polymorphism and prediction as well as prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) in a Chinese population.

Methods: One thousand two hundred seventy-nine cases were enrolled, including 640 GC and 639 non-cancer cases. The functional tagSNPs of the TNFAIP2 gene were screened by Haploview software and NIH Snpinfo website. Human whole-blood genomic DNA was extracted by phenol chloroform method and analyzed by KASP SNP typing and sequencing method. ELISA was used to determine the expression of TNFAIP2 protein in serum samples. The miRNAs bound to TNFAIP2 3′ UTR rs8126 were predicted by MirSNP and TargetScan database. SPSS 22.0 software was used for statistical analysis, and P < 0.05 showed statistical difference.

Results: Four functional TNFAIP2 tagSNPs were found by bioinformatics analysis. TNFAIP2 rs8126 T>C polymorphism increased GC risk, and the risk in TC genotype cases was higher than that in TT genotype cases (P = 0.001, OR = 1.557). In the dominant model, the TNFAIP2 rs8126 polymorphic carrier was 1.419 times higher (P = 0.007). TNFAIP2 rs710100 C>T polymorphism, TNFAIP2 rs3759571 G>A polymorphism, and TNFAIP2 rs3759573 A>G polymorphism were not correlated with GC risk. In the subgroup analysis, TNFAIP2 rs8126 TC genotype cases had a higher GC risk in male, aged 60 years or older, Helicobacter pylori-negative, non-smoking, and non-drinking. However, there was no correlation between TNFAIP2 SNPs and GC prognosis. The TNFAIP2 protein concentration in GC patients was significantly different from that in healthy persons (P = 0.029), but it was not associated with GC prognosis. The high or low expression of TNFAIP2 protein had no significant difference with gender, age, H. pylori infection, smoking, and drinking in GC patients. The serum TNFAIP2 protein expression in rs8126 TT genotype carriers was significantly higher than that in rs8126 CC genotype carriers (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: TNFAIP2 3′ UTR rs8126 T>C polymorphism was associated with GC risk in a Chinese population, especially in cases with males aged 60 years or older, H. pylori negative, non-smoking and non-drinking. Compared with healthy persons, serum TNFAIP2 protein expression was higher in Chinese GC patients, and TNFAIP2 3′ UTR rs8126 T>C polymorphism might affect TNFAIP2 protein expression.

Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Proteins in Malignant Tumors: Progress and Prospects

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is the first cytokine used in tumor biotherapy, but TNF-related drugs are limited by the lack of specific targets. Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced proteins (TNFAIPs), derived from TNF, is a protein family and participates in proliferation, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. In order to better understand biological functions and potential roles of TNFAIPs in malignant tumors, this paper in the form of “Gene–Protein–Tumor correlation” summarizes the biological characteristics, physiological functions and mechanisms of TNFAIPs by searching National Center of Biotechnology Information, GeneCards, UniProt and STRING databases. The relationship between TNFAIPs and malignant tumors is analyzed, and protein–protein interaction diagram in members of TNFAIPs is drawn based on TNF for the first time. We find that TNF as a key factor is related to TNFAIP1, TNFAIP3, TNFAIP5, TNFAIP6, TNFAIP8 and TNFAIP9, which can be directly involved in activating TNFAIP1, TNFAIP5, TNFAIP8 and TNFAIP9. We confirm that the mechanism of TNFAIP1, TNFAIP2 and TNFAIP3 inducing tumors may be related to NF-κB signaling pathway, but the mechanism of tumor induction by other members of TNFAIPs is not clear. In the future, translational studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of TNF-TNFAIPs-tumors.

A Dual-Circular RNA Signature as a Non-invasive Diagnostic Biomarker for Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the TOP3 leading cause of human mortality in malignant tumors. Notwithstanding, the association between GC and circRNAs is not clear. The purpose of this research was to determine the association between GC progression and circRNAs. The data of circRNAs was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify gene, which differentially expressed circRNAs in GC tissues and paired normal tissues. The expression of circRNAs in cancer tissues and normal tissues were tested, and the target circRNA was verified before and after surgery in the plasma. A circRNA-micro(mi)RNA-mRNA competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) network was established, and GO and KEGG analysis are performed. Five candidate circRNAs were identified through bioinformatics analysis. Hsa_circ_0021087 and hsa_circ_0005051 were both downregulated in GC tissues, cells and plasma by RTq-PCR. Additionally, there was a significant difference in the expression of plasma hsa_circ_0021087 in patients with GC at the preoperative and postoperative stages (P < 0.001). Hsa_circ_0021087 also promoted the proliferation of GC cells in vitro. Next, the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network of hsa_circ_0021087 was predicted, which may be associated with the development of GC by bioinformatics analysis. In summary, the aforementioned dual-circular RNAs may have important implications on the potential, novel and non-invasive diagnostic method for patients with GC.

The chaperone ERp29 is required for tunneling nanotube formation by stabilizing MSec

Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are membrane conduits that mediate long-distance intercellular cross-talk in several organisms and play vital roles during development, pathogenic transmission, and cancer metastasis. However, the molecular mechanisms of TNT formation and function remain poorly understood. The protein MSec (also known as TNFα-induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2) and B94) is essential for TNT formation in multiple cell types. Here, using affinity protein purification, mass spectrometric identification, and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy assays, we found that MSec interacts with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone ERp29. siRNA-mediated ERp29 depletion in mammalian cells significantly reduces TNT formation, whereas its overexpression induces TNT formation, but in a strictly MSec-dependent manner. ERp29 stabilized MSec protein levels, but not its mRNA levels, and the chaperone activity of ERp29 was required for maintaining MSec protein stability. Subcellular ER fractionation and subsequent limited proteolytic treatment suggested that MSec is associated with the outer surface of the ER. The ERp29-MSec interaction appeared to require the presence of other bridging protein(s), perhaps triggered by post-translational modification of ERp29. Our study implicates MSec as a target of ERp29 and reveals an indispensable role for the ER in TNT formation, suggesting new modalities for regulating TNT numbers in cells and tissues.

The roles of TNFAIP2 in cancers and infectious diseases

TNFα‐induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2) is a primary response gene of TNFα. TNFAIP2 is highly expressed in immune cells and the urinary bladder. The expression of TNFAIP2 is regulated by multiple transcription factors and signalling pathways, including NF‐κB, KLF5 and retinoic acid. Physiologically, TNFAIP2 appears to be a multiple functional mediator not only for inflammation, angiogenesis and tunneling nanotube (TNT) formation but also as a regulator of cell proliferation and migration. The expression of TNFAIP2 is frequently abnormal in human cancers and in infectious diseases. Due to its significant functions in cell proliferation, angiogenesis, migration and invasion, TNFAIP2 could be a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer.

Identification of micro-RNA expression profile related to recurrence in women with ESMO low-risk endometrial cancer

Background

Actual European pathological classification of early-stage endometrial cancer (EC) may show insufficient accuracy to precisely stratify recurrence risk, leading to potential over or under treatment. Micro-RNAs are post-transcriptional regulators involved in carcinogenic mechanisms, with some micro-RNA patterns of expression associated with EC characteristics and prognosis. We previously demonstrated that downregulation of micro-RNA-184 was associated with lymph node involvement in low-risk EC (LREC). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether micro-RNA signature in tumor tissues from LREC women can be correlated with the occurrence of recurrences.

Methods

MicroRNA expression was assessed by chip analysis and qRT-PCR in 7 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) LREC primary tumors from women whose follow up showed recurrences (R+) and in 14 FFPE LREC primary tumors from women whose follow up did not show any recurrence (R−), matched for grade and age. Various statistical analyses, including enrichment analysis and a minimum p-value approach, were performed.

Results

The expression levels of micro-RNAs-184, -497-5p, and -196b-3p were significantly lower in R+ compared to R− women. Women with a micro-RNA-184 fold change < 0.083 were more likely to show recurrence (n = 6; 66%) compared to those with a micro-RNA-184 fold change > 0.083 (n = 1; 8%), p = 0.016. Women with a micro-RNA-196 fold change < 0.56 were more likely to show recurrence (n = 5; 100%) compared to those with a micro-RNA-196 fold change > 0.56 (n = 2; 13%), p = 0.001.

Conclusions

These findings confirm the great interest of micro-RNA-184 as a prognostic tool to improve the management of LREC women.

A novel gene expression-based prognostic scoring system to predict survival in gastric cancer

Analysis of gene expression patterns in gastric cancer (GC) can help to identify a comprehensive panel of gene biomarkers for predicting clinical outcomes and to discover potential new therapeutic targets. Here, a multi-step bioinformatics analytic approach was developed to establish a novel prognostic scoring system for GC. We first identified 276 genes that were robustly differentially expressed between normal and GC tissues, of which, 249 were found to be significantly associated with overall survival (OS) by univariate Cox regression analysis. The biological functions of 249 genes are related to cell cycle, RNA/ncRNA process, acetylation and extracellular matrix organization. A network was generated for view of the gene expression architecture of 249 genes in 265 GCs. Finally, we applied a canonical discriminant analysis approach to identify a 53-gene signature and a prognostic scoring system was established based on a canonical discriminant function of 53 genes. The prognostic scores strongly predicted patients with GC to have either a poor or good OS. Our study raises the prospect that the practicality of GC patient prognosis can be assessed by this prognostic scoring system.

The association between differentially expressed micro RNAs in breast cancer cell lines and the micro RNA-205 gene polymorphism in breast cancer tissue

Micro (mi)RNAs are an endogenous non-coding small RNA comprised of 19–26 nucleotides. miRNAs regulate gene expression through the recognition of its ‘seed sequence’ and interactions with 3′-untranslated region of target miRNAs. Previous studies identified that miRNAs are associated with the onset and development of breast cancer and that a number of mutations in the coding DNA sequence of miRNAs affect its expression. Therefore, the present study aimed to screen differentially expressed miRNAs using miRNA expression profile chips to analyze the expression of miRNA (miR)-205 in 12 breast cell lines of different metastatic performance and benign proliferative variation as well as breast cancer via in-situ hybridization, and screen out single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the miR-205 coding gene region. In addition, the association between SNP and the clinicopathological features of breast lesions was investigated. The results of the present study demonstrated that the expression of miR-205 was decreased in breast cancer cells and tissues compared with benign lesions. SNPs in the miR-205 coding gene region were identified in tumor cell lines and as increasing lengths of the AGC repetitive sequence were lost, miR-205 expression increased. An association was identified between a number of SNPs in the miR-205 coding gene region and breast cancer, as well as between SNPs in miR-205 coding gene region and the clinicopathological features of breast cancer.

Downregulation of TNFAIP2 suppresses proliferation and metastasis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) plays a pivotal role in malignant tumor formation in the tumor microenvironment. To investigate the role of TNF-α in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), we assessed expression profiles of the downstream gene TNF-α-induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2), which e previously unknown in ESCC. TNFAIP2 mRNA and protein expression levels were examined by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis in 24 fresh and 55 paraffin‑embedded specimens, respectively. The results demonstrated that TNFAIP2 mRNA and protein levels were overexpressed in tumor cells, and TNFAIP2 overexpression was significantly associated with T stage (p=0.049), N stage (p=0.019) and the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) stage (p=0.028). In vitro, TNFAIP2 was highly expressed in TNFα-stimulated Eca109, Kyse150, Kyse510 and TE-10 cells. Lentivirus-mediated RNA interference of TNFAIP2 inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, invasion and the cell cycle. Moreover, LV-RNAi-mediated TNFAIP2 was found to regulate the Wnt/β-catenin by decreasing expression of some genes downstream from β-catenin (i.e., C-myc, cyclin D1, MMP-7 and Snail), and upregulating expression of E-cadherin and p-GSK-3β. Taken together, these results show that TNFAIP2 may be a potential tumorigenesis gene in ESCC. Our data indicate that TNFAIP2 overexpression may facilitate proliferation and metastasis via activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in ESCC.

Detection of gastric juice microRNAs for screening and diagnosis of gastric cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of noncoding small RNA molecules (21-25 nucleotides long) which are found in plants and animals. They can regulate the expression of target genes by cleaving and degrading or repressing the translation of target miRNAs. Many studies have confirmed that body fluid miRNAs are closely related to tumor development. This paper introduces the structure, function, characteristics and detection of gastric juice miRNAs, highlighting their role in the screening and diagnosis of gastric cancer.

MicroRNA-184 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion, and specifically targets TNFAIP2 in Glioma

Background

miRNA-184 is an oncogene in human hepatocellular carcinoma but acts as a tumor suppressor in tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Studies have shown that miR-184 was down-regulated in glioma and TNFα-induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2) was closely related to tumorigenesis. This study aimed to determine the functions of miR-184 in glioma and the mechanisms of miRNA-184-TNFAIP2 mediated glioma progression.

Methods

Real-time reverse-transcription PCR detected expression of miR-184 and TNFAIP2. U87 and U251 cells were transfected with miR-184 mimic, inhibitor, or negative control miRNA, and their invasion abilities were assayed. Cellular proliferation was measured by the cell counting kit-8 assay. miR-184 effects on glioma cell apoptosis and cell cycle were assessed by flow cytometer. Biological information software have predicted that miR-184 could target TNFα-induced protein 2 (TNFAIP2), Which was further validated by Western blot and qRT-PCR in glioma cells. In vivo, U87 cells transduced with either lentiviral over-expressed miR-184 or control lentivirus were injected into nude mice subcutaneously and intracranial respectively.

Results

Expression of miR-184 was significantly lower in glioma tissues and cell-lines compared to normal brain tissues. Protein and mRNA expression of TNFAIP2 were inversely correlated with miR-184 in glioma. In vitro, proliferation and invasion abilities were also decreased in U87 and U251 cells after transfection with miR-184 mimic. In vivo, the xenografted tumor size in the miR-184 overexpressing group were smaller than the miR-NC group. Concordantly, U87 and U251 cells transfected with miR-184 mimic had a higher apoptosis rate, triggering an accumulation of cells at the G0/G1 phase and decreased cells in S-phase.

Conclusions

miR-184 could regulate TNFAIP2 expression and affected its translation in glioma. miR-184 could also inhibit glioma progression and might serve as a novel therapeutic target in glioma.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13046-015-0142-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Genetic Variations and Gastric Cancer

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Gastric cancer (GC) has an apparent hereditary component. However, in a large fraction of gastric cases, no known genetic syndrome or family history can be identified, suggesting the presence of ‘missing heritability' in GC etiology. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and traditional candidate gene studies have both led to the identification of multiple replicable common genetic variants associated with GC risk. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> We summarize the genetic variants associated with GC risk identified up to date. Achievements derived from translational cancer research including the following aspects: (a) contribution to the our understanding of gastric tumorigenesis, (b) guidance to individualized treatment and (c) prediction of patient prognosis. We also prospect future research direction such as post-GWAS analyses and rare variants studies. <b><i>Key Message:</i></b> Many genetic variants were found through GWAS or candidate gene studies, and interpreting their underlying mechanisms will help us translate risk profiles generated from these variations into use in the clinical setting for targeted screening and treatment. <b><i>Practical Implications:</i></b> Investigation of the potential use of genetic variations as prognostic and predictive markers is a developing field. Many people could benefit from a better understanding of genetic polymorphisms to potentially identify a priori individuals who might have the best chance of survival and therefore derive most clinical benefit from treatment. Outcomes of particular scientific interest for molecular epidemiologic studies should include overall survival, recurrence- and progression-free survival, response to treatment, and early and late toxicities stemming from chemotherapy and radiation.

Association between polymorphisms of microRNA-binding sites in integrin genes and gastric cancer in Chinese Han population

Highly elevated expression of integrin has been observed in a variety of malignant tumors. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the microRNA-binding sites in the 3' UTR region of target genes may result in the level change of target gene expression and subsequently susceptible to diseases, including cancer. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between polymorphisms of microRNA-binding sites of integrin genes and gastric cancer (GC) in Chinese Han population. Five SNPs of the microRNA-binding sites in the 3' UTR region of integrin genes (rs1062484 C/T in ITGA3, rs17664 A/G in ITGA6, rs3809865 A/T in ITGB3, rs743554 C/T in ITGB4, and rs2675 A/C in ITGB5) were studied using high resolution melting (HRM) analysis in 1000 GC patients and 1000 unrelated controls. The polymorphism of SNP rs2675 was associated with susceptibility of GC [odds ratio (OR) = 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.28-0.97, P = 0.028]. In addition, genotype AA of rs2675 and genotype GG of rs17664 were associated with a lower chance of GC at stage 1b [OR = 0.39 (0.18-0.85), P = 0.009; and OR = 0.37 (0.17-0.78), P = 0.004, respectively]; also, the frequency of allele G of rs17664 was associated with a lower chance of stage 1b tumor [OR = 0.50 (0.26-0.95), P = 0.021]. Furthermore, the frequency of genotype AA and allele A of rs3809865 were associated with a higher risk of stage 4 GC [OR = 1.85 (1.11-3.09), P = 0.012; and OR = 1.52 (0.99-2.33), P = 0.043, respectively]. For rs17664, GG genotype and allele G appeared to be associated with a higher risk with GC with lymphatic metastasis 3b [OR = 1.76 (1.00-3.11), P = 0.036; and OR = 1.64 (0.98-2.75), P = 0.048, respectively]. Our data suggest that polymorphisms of the microRNA-binding sites in the 3' UTR region of integrin are associated with GC susceptibility (rs2675), tumor stage (rs2675, rs17664, and rs3809865), and lymphatic metastasis (rs17664) in Chinese Han population.

A functional TNFAIP2 3'-UTR rs8126 genetic polymorphism contributes to risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Accumulated evidences demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in mRNA 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) may impact microRNAs (miRNAs)-mediated expression regulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressors. There is a TNFAIP2 3'-UTR rs8126 T>C genetic variant which has been proved to be associated with head and neck cancer susceptibility. This SNP could disturb binding of miR-184 with TNFAIP2 mRNA and influence TNFAIP2 regulation. However, it is still unclear how this polymorphism is involved in development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Therefore, we hypothesized that the functional TNFAIP2 rs8126 SNP may affect TNFAIP2 expression and, thus, ESCC risk.

Methods

We investigated the association between the TNFAIP2 rs8126 variant and ESCC risk as well as the functional relevance on TNFAIP2 expression in vivo. Genotypes were determined in a case-control set consisted of 588 ESCC patients and 600 controls. The allele-specific regulation on TNFAIP2 expression by the rs8126 SNP was examined in normal and cancerous tissue specimens of esophagus.

Results

We found that individuals carrying the rs8126 CC or CT genotype had an OR of 1.89 (95%CI  = 1.23–2.85, P = 0.003) or 1.38 (95%CI  = 1.05–1.73, P = 0.017) for developing ESCC in Chinese compared with individual carrying the TT genotype. Carriers of the rs8126 CC and CT genotypes had significantly lower TNFAIP2 mRNA levels than those with the TT genotypes in normal esophagus tissues (P<0.05).

Conclusions

Our data demonstrate that functional TNFAIP2 rs8126 genetic variant is a ESCC susceptibility SNP. These results support the hypothesis that genetic variants interrupting miRNA-mediated gene regulation might be important genetic modifiers of cancer risk.

Genetics of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer remains highly prevalent and accounts for a notable proportion of global cancer mortality. This cancer is also associated with poor survival rates. Understanding the genetic basis of gastric cancer will offer insights into its pathogenesis, help identify new biomarkers and novel treatment targets, aid prognostication and could be central to developing individualized treatment strategies in the future. An inherited component contributes to <3% of gastric cancers; the majority of genetic changes associated with gastric cancer are acquired. Over the past few decades, advances in technology and high-throughput analysis have improved understanding of the molecular aspects of the pathogenesis of gastric cancer. These aspects are multifaceted and heterogeneous and represent a wide spectrum of several key genetic influences, such as chromosomal instability, microsatellite instability, changes in microRNA profile, somatic gene mutations or functional single nucleotide polymorphisms. These genetic aspects of the pathogenesis of gastric cancer will be addressed in this Review.

A functional variant at miR-34a binding site in toll-like receptor 4 gene alters susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma in a Chinese Han population

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a key role in prompting the innate or immediate response. A growing body of evidence suggests that genetic variants of TLR4 gene were associated with the development of cancers. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of a functional variant (rs1057317) at microRNA-34a (miR-34a) binding site in toll-like receptor 4 gene and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. A single center-based case-control study was conducted. In this study, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing were used to genotype sequence variants of TLR4 in 426 hepatocellular carcinoma cases and 438 controls. The modification of rs1057317 on the binding of hsa-miR-34a to TLR4 messenger RNA (mRNA) was measured by luciferase activity assay. Individuals carrying the AA genotypes for the rs1057317 were associated significantly with increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma comparing with those carrying wild-type homozygous CC genotypes (adjusted odds ratio [OR] by sex and age, from 1.116 to 2.452, P = 0.013). The activity of the reporter vector was lower in the reporter vector carrying C allele than the reporter vector carrying A allele. Furthermore, the expression of TLR4 was detected in the peripheral blood mononucleated cell of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, suggesting that mRNA and protein levels of TLR4 might be associated with SNP rs1057317. Collectively, these results suggested that the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma was associated with a functional variant at miR-34a binding site in toll-like receptor 4 gene. miR-34a/TLR4 axis may play an important role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

MicroRNA binding site polymorphisms as biomarkers in cancer management and research

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of eukaryotic gene expression. They have been implicated in a broad range of biological processes, and miRNA-related genetic alterations probably underlie several human diseases. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of transcripts may modulate the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression by miRNAs and explain interindividual variability in cancer risk and in chemotherapy response. On the basis of recent association studies published in the literature, the present review mainly summarizes the potential role of miRNAs as molecular biomarkers for disease susceptibility, diagnosis, prognosis, and drug-response prediction in tumors. Many clues suggest a role for polymorphisms within the 3' untranslated regions of KRAS rs61764370, SET8 rs16917496, and MDM4 rs4245739 as SNPs in miRNA binding sites highly promising in the biology of human cancer. However, more studies are needed to better characterize the composite spectrum of genetic determinants for future use of markers in risk prediction and clinical management of diseases, heading toward personalized medicine.

miRNA polymorphisms and risk of gastric cancer in Asian population

miRNAs are endogenous 19- to 25-nt noncoding RNAs that can negatively regulate gene expression by directly cleaving target mRNA or by inhibiting its translation. Recent studies have revealed that miRNA plays a significant role in gastric cancer development either as a tumor suppressor gene or oncogene. miRNA-single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as a novel class of functional SNPs/polymorphisms, have been identified as candidate biomarkers for gastric cancer susceptibility. On the basis of recent data, the present review summarizes current knowledge of the functional effects of miRNA-SNPs and their importance as candidate gastric cancer biomarkers. Additionally, this review also includes a meta-analysis of the most frequently studied miRNA-SNPs in gastric cancer.

Mir-184 post-transcriptionally regulates SOX7 expression and promotes cell proliferation in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common human malignancies and the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The development and progression of HCC is a complicated process, involving the deregulation of multiple genes that are essential to cell biological processes. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been suggested to be closely associated with tumorigenesis. Our study showed that miR-184 is upregulated in HCC cell lines and tissues. Overexpression of miR-184 in HCC cells increased cell proliferation, tumorigenicity, and cell cycle progression, whereas inhibition of miR-184 reduced cell proliferation, tumorigenicity, and cell cycle progression. Additionally, we identified SOX7 as a direct target of miR-184. Ectopic expression of miR-184 led to downregulation of the SOX7 protein, resulting in upregulation of c-Myc, Cyclin D1, and phosphorylation of Rb. Our findings suggested that miR-184 represents a potential onco-miR and plays an important role in HCC progression by suppressing SOX7 expression.

TGF-α gene variations and increased susceptibility of gastric cancer in an Eastern Chinese Han population

Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α) correlates with deep invasion, advanced stage and poor prognosis in gastric cancer. Genetic variants in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of TGF-α gene may influence the stability and post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA and contribute to gastric cancer predisposition. To test this hypothesis, we genotyped five polymorphisms in 3'UTR (rs3771527, rs503314, rs473698, rs3732253 and rs538118) and one in 3' near region (rs11466306) of the TGF-α gene by polymerase chain reaction-ligation detection reaction methods (PCR-LDR). We found that GA/AA genotype of rs11466306 in the 3' near gene could increase the risk of overall gastric cancer (adjusted OR = 1.499, 95%CI: 1.101-2.041), compared to the wild homozygous GG genotype. Meanwhile, the risk effect was more obvious in the intestinal gastric cancer and gastric noncardia cancer (adjusted OR = 1.682, 95%CI: 1.188-2.380; adjusted OR = 1.495, 95%CI: 1.072-2.086, respectively), but not for the diffuse type and gastric cardia cancer (p > 0.05). CT/TT genotype for rs3732253 in the 3' UTR was associated with increased risk of intestinal gastric cancer (adjusted OR = 1.464, 95%CI: 1.036-2.069), compared to their wild homozygous genotypes. These findings indicate that potentially functional TGF-α gene variant may contribute to the risk of intestinal gastric cancer and/or gastric noncardia cancer and could be used as molecular markers for detecting intestinal gastric cancer and/or gastric noncardia cancer in Chinese Han population.