CD44 gene polymorphisms in breast cancer risk and prognosis: a study in North Indian population

Genetic Polymorphism in FSCN1 rs3801004 C/G and CD44 rs353639 A/C, as Prognostic Factor in Egyptian Breast Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

One of the main causes of cancer-related deaths is breast cancer. Fascin-1(FSCN1) is an actin-binding protein that is present in the mesenchymal, neuronal, and endothelial cells of mammals. Patients with breast cancer have been found to have FSCN1 overexpression. CD44 is crucial for the development, invasion, and tumour spread. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of FSCN1&CD44 gene polymorphisms in breast cancer (BC) risk and prognosis.

MATERIALS & METHODS

A total of 96 BC patients and 50 controls were included in the case-control study for risk prediction. We examined the association between The SNPs on FSCN1(rs3801004) and CD44(rs353639) and BC susceptibility and clinicopathological features using a real-time PCR in a cohort of the Egyptian population.  Results: A significant association of both SNPs on FSCN1(rs3801004)C allele and CD44(rs353639)A allele and BC susceptibility(adjusted OR=4.38,95%CI:2.6-7.4,p<0.001, and adjusted OR=4.44,95%CI:2.65-7.44,p <0.001,respectively). Moreover, CC genotype in FSCN1(rs3801004) were likely to progress to developing G2&G3 and N2&N3 and stage II & stage IV, according to the TNM staging and GG+GC genotypes increased within individuals who had a positive family history of BC. Individuals who carry at least one A allele for CD44rs353639 were likely to progress developing N2 according to the TNM in BC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that both SNPs on FSCN1 (rs3801004) and CD44 (rs353639) affected BC susceptibility. FSCN1 (rs3801004) genetic variants may have a significant effect on BC prognosis. However, CD44 (rs353639) affected lymph node invasions in BC patients.

Clinicopathologic Correlation of CD44 + /CD24 - Expression in Breast Cancer: a Report from Tertiary Care Medical University in India

CD44 + /CD24 - phenotype has been associated with stem cell-like characteristics with enhanced invasive properties, radiation resistance, and with distinct genetic profiles suggesting a correlation to adverse prognosis in western literature. The aim of this study was to study CD44 + /CD24 - phenotype as an adverse prognostic marker in Indian breast cancer patients. N = 61 breast cancer patients included in a tertiary care facility in India were evaluated for receptor studies (estrogen receptor ER, progesterone receptor PR, Herceptin antibody Her2 neu receptor, CD44 & CD24 stem cell markers). CD44 + /CD24 - phenotype was statistically related to adverse factors like estrogen and progesterone receptors non-expression, her 2 neu expression, and triple-negative breast cancer. Of the 39 patients with ER-ve status, 33 (84.6%) were found to have CD44 + /CD24 - phenotype and 82.5% of all the CD 44 + /CD24 - patients were ER negative (p = 0.001). Thirty-four (75.5%) of the PR-ve patients showed the CD44 + /CD24 - phenotype, and of all the CD 44 + /CD24 - patients, 85% of were PR negative (p = 0.006). Thirty-six (75%) of Her-2-Neu + ve were CD44 + /CD24 - . Approximately 90% of the Her 2 Neu patients expressed CD44 + /CD24 - and 76.9% of all the triple-negative patients were found to be CD44 + /CD24 - expression (p = 0.001). CD44 + /CD24 - had a significant association with adverse prognostic factors like stage of disease, hormonal receptor status, and molecular subtypes in Indian breast cancer patients like the Western data.

Correlation between rs13347 polymorphism of CD44 gene and the risk of occurring breast cancer: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

With the attention paid to the heritability of breast cancer, the search for the genetic susceptibility gene of breast cancer has become a hot spot. At present, a number of studies have explored the relationship between rs13347 polymorphism of cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) gene and breast cancer, but the research conclusions are inconsistent. Therefore, we will use this meta-analysis to explore the role of this gene polymorphism in breast cancer susceptibility.

METHODS

The search time is set from the establishment of the database in March 2021 in this study. The search database include China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP Information Chinese Journal Service Platform, and China Biology Medicine disc, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. The subjects are observational studies on the relationship between rs13347 polymorphism of CD44 gene and breast cancer (including case-control study, cross-sectional study and a cohort study). The language is limited to English and Chinese. The data of the included study are extracted and the literature quality is evaluated by two researchers independently. The data are statistically analyzed by Stata 16.0 software.

RESULTS

Based on the existing studies, this study will systematically evaluate the relationship between CD44 gene rs13347 polymorphism and breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study will provide evidence-based medical evidence to clarify the role of CD44 gene polymorphism in breast cancer, and provide help for the early detection and preventive intervention of breast cancer.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Private information from individuals will not be published. This systematic review also does not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval will not be required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated at relevant conferences.

OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER

DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/WBC7F.

CD44 polymorphisms and its variants, as an inconsistent marker in cancer investigations

Among cell surface markers, CD44 is considered the main marker for identifying and isolating the cancer stem cells (CSCs) among other cells and has attracted significant attention in a variety of research areas. Many studies have shown the essential roles of CD44 in initiation, metastasis, and tumorigenesis in different types of cancer; however, the validity of CD44 as a therapeutic or diagnostic target has not been fully confirmed in some other studies. Whereas the association of specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CD44 gene and related variants with cancer risk have been observed in clinical investigations, the significance of these findings remains controversial. Here, we aimed to provide an up-to-date overview of recent studies on the association of CD44 polymorphisms and its variants with different kinds of cancer to determine whether or not it can be used as an appropriate candidate for cancer tracking.

CD44 Genotypes Are Associated with Susceptibility and Tumor Characteristics in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Colorectal cancer is the third cause of cancer and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The CD44 gene plays a key role in malignant processes, including growth, survival, epithelial to mesenchymal transition and metastasis. It is also known that some variants as rs187116 (c.67+4883G>A) and rs7116432 (c.2024+779A>G) can modulate the function of the CD44 gene and malignant transformation in several neoplasms. This study aims to explore, for the first time, the association of the CD44 rs187116 and rs7116432 variants in patients with colorectal cancer. Genomic DNA from 250 patients and 250 healthy blood donors were analyzed. The identification of variants was made by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methodology. Association was calculated by the odds ratio (OR) test and multivariate analysis. Individuals carrying the G/A and A/A genotypes for the rs187116 polymorphism showed an increased risk for colorectal cancer (OR = 3.11, 95% CI: 1.87-5.16, P = 0.001 and OR = 3.59, 95% CI: 2.06-6.25, P = 0.001, respectively). After adjusting for age and gender, these same genotypes and the G/G genotype of the rs7116432 polymorphism were associated with TNM stage and tumor location in the colon. Moreover, the A-G (rs187116 and rs7116432) haplotype was associated with increased risk; while, the haplotype G-A (rs187116 and rs7116432) was related with decreased risk. In conclusion, our results suggest that the here analyzed CD44 variants are involved with risk, TNM stage and tumor location in colorectal cancer.

CD44 Gene rs8193 C Allele Is Significantly Enriched in Gastric Cancer Patients

OBJECTIVE

Gastric cancer is a multifactorial disease. In addition to environmental factors, many genes are involved in this malignancy. One of the genes associated with gastric cancer is CD44 gene and its polymorphisms. CD44 gene plays role in regulating cell survival, growth and mobility. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs8193, located in the CD44 gene, has not been studied in gastric cancer patients of the Iranian population. The present study aims to study this polymorphism in 86 gastric cancer patients and 96 healthy individuals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional case-control study, rs8193 polymorphism was genotyped by allele specific primer polymerase chain reaction (ASP-PCR) technique. The obtained data were statistically analyzed. To find the potential mechanism of action, rs8193 was bioinformatically investigated.

RESULTS

rs8193 C allele played a risk factor role for gastric cancer. Patients carrying this allele were more susceptible to have gastric cancer, with lymph node spread. On the other hand, rs8193 T allele, a protective factor, was associated with a higher chance of accumulation in the lower stages of cancer. C allele might impose its effect via destabilizing CD44 and miR-570 interaction.

CONCLUSION

rs8193 is statistically associated with the risk of malignancy, lymph node spread and stage of gastric cancer in Iranian population.

Gene Combination of CD44 rs187116, CD133 rs2240688, NF-κB1 rs28362491 and GSTM1 Deletion as a Potential Biomarker in Risk Prediction of Breast Cancer in Lower Northern Thailand

Background:

Biomarkers play an important role in oncology, including risk assessment, treatment prediction, and monitoring the progression of disease. In breast cancer, many genes are used as biomarkers. Since, several SNP variations of hallmark – related genes have been reported to be of value in risk prediction in various cancers and populations, some genetic polymorphism loci were combined and reported as biomarkers for use in the risk assessment of breast cancer in Thai people.

Methods:

Twelve cancer gene hallmarks (15 polymorphic loci) were selected and genotyped in 184 breast cancer patients and 176 healthy individuals in Phitsanulok, Thailand.

Results:

AA genotype of CD44 rs187116 (c.67+4883G>A), the C allele of CD133 rs2240688 (c.*667A>C), the *2 allele (4 bp deletion) of NF-κB1 rs28362491 and the homozygous null allele genotype of GSTM1 were significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer (p<0.05). A combination of these 4 significant loci showed that AA-AA-*1*1-homozygous null allele genotype has the greatest correlation with increased risk of breast cancer (OR = 21.00; 95% CI: 1.77 to 248.11; p = 0.015), followed by GA-AA-*2*2- homozygous null allele genotype (p = 0.037) and GG-AC-*1*2- homozygous null allele genotype (p = 0.028).

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that the polymorphisms of CD44 rs187116 (c.67+4883G>A), CD133 rs2240688 (c.*667A>C), NF-κB1 rs28362491 and GSTM1 homozygous null allele genotype might be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, and this gene combination could possibly be used as biomarkers for risk prediction, which would be of benefit in planning health surveillance and cancer prevention.

Association of CD44 polymorphisms and susceptibility to HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma in the Chinese population

Background

This study aimed to determine whether CD44 polymorphisms were correlated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to reveal a new potential target for early prediction, prevention, and diagnosis of HCC.

Method

This study involved 96 cases with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 96 cases with hepatitis B virus‐related liver cirrhosis (LC), 204 cases with HCC related to the hepatitis B virus, and 210 healthy controls. The genotype of rs8193 was determined using the restriction fragment length polymorphism method, while the genotypes of rs10836347 and rs13347 were determined by direct sequencing.

Results

The results showed that patients with the CD44 rs13347 TT and T allele polymorphisms exhibited higher risks of LC than those carrying the CC genotype and C allele. The CD44 rs13347 CT and TT genotypes and T allele were significantly associated with an increased risk of HCC after adjusting for gender, age, smoking, and alcohol consumption (for CT: odds ratio [OR] = 1.626, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.057‐2.500, P = .027; for TT: OR = 1.965, 95% CI = 1.043‐3.702, P = .037; and for T: OR = 1.461, 95% CI = 1.091‐1.956, P = .011). In the rs13347 site of the female population, the CT and TT genotypes were related to the high occurrence of HCC. In the population aged ≥50 years, carriers of the CD44 rs13347 CT and TT alleles were more susceptible to HCC compared with CC carriers. Those who consumed alcohol who carried the rs10836347 CT genotype exhibited a risk factor for HCC.

Conclusion

For the CD44 rs13347 site, mutations in the T allele might be a risk factor for HCC.

Association of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms of CD44 Gene with Susceptibility to Breast Cancer in Chinese Women

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the association of CD44 gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms with susceptibility to breast cancer.

Material/Methods

This case-control study included 242 breast cancer patients and 252 normal people without disease. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the CD44 gene in the 2 groups were genotyped by PCR-LDR method. The OR and its 95% CI was calculated by chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. The construction of haplotypes and their interaction analysis with relevant factors were carried out by SHEsis and SNPStats online.

Results

The genotype distribution of CC and CT, CC and CC+CT, and CC+CT and TT in rs13347 showed a significant difference between cases and controls, and the difference in distribution of alleles C and T was statistically significant. The genotype and alleles distribution of rs4756195 and rs8193 showed no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). The haplotypes distribution of CAC, CGT, TAC, and TGT showed a significant difference between the 2 groups (P<0.05). The results of analysis of haplotypes and their interactions with relevant factors showed that breast cancer risk in the PR-negative group was significantly higher than that in the PR-positive group (P=0.016). We found an interaction between haplotypes and PR status.

Conclusions

The genotypes CT, CT+TT, TT, and allele T in rs13347 may be risk factors for breast cancer. The haplotype CAC may be a protective factor against breast cancer, and CGT, TAC, and TGT may be risk factors for breast cancer. The PR status interacts with CD44 gene SNP.

Quantitative assessment of CD44 genetic variants and cancer susceptibility in Asians: a meta-analysis

CD44 is a well-established cancer stem cell marker playing a crucial role in tumor metastasis, recurrence and chemo-resistance. Genetic variants of CD44 have been shown to be associated with susceptibility to various cancers; however, the results are confounding. Hence, we performed a meta-analysis to clarify these associations more accurately. Overall, rs13347 (T vs. C: OR=1.30, p=<0.004, p_corr=0.032; CT vs. CC: OR=1.29, p=0.015, p_corr=0.047; TT vs. CC: OR=1.77, p=<0.000, p_corr=0.018; CT+TT vs. CC: OR=1.34, p=<0.009, p_corr=0.041) and rs187115 (GG vs. AA: OR=2.34, p=<0.000, p_corr=0.025; AG vs. AA: OR=1.59, p=<0.000, p_corr=0.038; G vs. A allele OR=1.56, p=0.000, p_corr=0.05; AG+GG vs. AA: OR=1.63, p=<0.000, p_corr=0.013) polymorphisms were found to significantly increase the cancer risk in Asians. On the other hand, rs11821102 was found to confer low risk (A vs. G: OR=0.87, p=<0.027, p_corr=0.04; AG vs. GG: OR=0.85, p=<0.017, p_corr=0.01; AG+AA vs. GG: OR=0.86, p=<0.020, p_corr=0.02). Based on our analysis, we suggest significant role of CD44 variants (rs13347, rs187115 and rs11821102) in modulating individual's cancer susceptibility in Asians. Therefore, these variants may be used as predictive genetic biomarkers for cancer predisposition in Asian populations. However, more comprehensive studies involving other cancers and/or populations, haplotypes, gene-gene and gene-environment interactions are necessary to delineate the role of these variants in conferring cancer risk.

Unique CD44 intronic SNP is associated with tumor grade in breast cancer: a case control study and in silico analysis

Background

CD44 encoded by a single gene is a cell surface transmembrane glycoprotein. Exon 2 is one of the important exons to bind CD44 protein to hyaluronan. Experimental evidences show that hyaluronan–CD44 interaction intensifies the proliferation, migration, and invasion of breast cancer cells. Therefore, the current study aimed at investigating the association between specific polymorphisms in exon 2 and its flanking region of CD44 with predisposition to breast cancer.

Methods

In the current study, 175 Iranian female patients with breast cancer and 175 age-matched healthy controls were recruited in biobank, Breast Cancer Research Center, Tehran, Iran. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of CD44 exon 2 and its flanking were analyzed via polymerase chain reaction and gene sequencing techniques. Association between the observed variation with breast cancer risk and clinico-pathological characteristics were studied. Subsequently, bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict potential exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) motifs changed as the result of a mutation.

Results

A unique polymorphism of the gene encoding CD44 was identified at position 14 nucleotide upstream of exon 2 (A37692→G) by the sequencing method. The A > G polymorphism exhibited a significant association with higher-grades of breast cancer, although no significant relation was found between this polymorphism and breast cancer risk. Finally, computational analysis revealed that the intronic mutation generated a new consensus-binding motif for the splicing factor, SC35, within intron 1.

Conclusions

The current study results indicated that A > G polymorphism was associated with breast cancer development; in addition, in silico analysis with ESE finder prediction software showed that the change created a new SC35 binding site.

Common polymorphisms in CD44 gene and susceptibility to cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 45 studies

CD44 is one of the commonly recognized stem cell markers, which plays a critical role in many cancer related cellular processes. Relationships between CD44 polymorphisms and cancer risk have been widely investigated previously, whereas results derived from these studies were inconclusive and controversial. We conducted present meta-analysis aiming to explore the association between CD44 polymorphisms and cancer risk. We calculated pooled odds ratios (ORs) corresponding with the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to make the evaluation clear. Embase, Web of Science, PubMed and Cochrane Library databases were retrieved to identify all eligible publications. As a result, a total of 12 publications comprised 25,777 cases and 27,485 controls fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Nevertheless, the pooled analyses suggested that no significant association was uncovered between CD44 (rs10836347, rs11821102, rs13347, rs1425802, rs353639, rs713330 and rs187115) polymorphisms with overall cancer risk. Subsequently, we conducted subgroup analysis for rs13347 polymorphism based on source of control, and we identified a significantly increased cancer risk for the population-based (P-B) group restricted to a recessive model (TT vs. TC+CC: OR = 2.030, 95%CI: 1.163-3.545, PAdjust < 0.001). In conclusion, our meta-analysis demonstrates that CD44 polymorphisms may not represent risk factors for cancer. Future well-designed large-scale case-control studies are warranted to verify our findings.

Prognostic value of the expression of cancer stem cell-related markers CD133 and CD44 in hepatocellular carcinoma: From patients to patient-derived tumor xenograft models

High expression of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers is related to poor prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the expression of these markers in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and the relationship of the expression levels of these markers between HCC patients and their PDX models at subsequent low passages are unclear. To investigate the prognostic impact of putative CSC markers in patients with HCC and in related PDX models, the expression of CD133, CD90, CD44, ALDH1, CK7, CK19, OCT4, SOX2, vimentin, nestin, CD13 and EpCam were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and then were validated using immunohistochemistry in tumor or peritumoral tissues from patients and tumor tissues from PDX models. Cumulative survival analysis of the patients and animals was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Only the expression levels of CD133 and CD44 were higher in tumor tissues than in the peritumoral tissues of HCC patients by qRT-PCR. High consistency of the prognostic value of the expression of CD133/CD44 was observed in HCC patients and the PDX models. High expression levels of CD133 and CD44 were positively related to the poor prognosis of HCC patients and to that in the PDX models. PDX HCC models in the present study have been suggested to be predictive of disease outcome, which could shed light on personalized medicine and the mechanisms of CSC marker expression on prognosis.

Polymorphisms of cancer stem cell marker gene CD133 are associated with susceptibility and prognosis of gastric cancer

AIM

This study was aimed to investigate the associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms of cancer stem cell marker genes, CD44 and CD133, and susceptibility and prognosis of gastric cancer.

PATIENTS & METHODS

Five single nucleotide polymorphisms in CD44 and CD133 genes were genotyped in 898 gastric cancer cases and 992 controls.

RESULTS

The A/C or C/C genotypes of CD133 rs2240688 were associated with decreased risk of gastric cancer comparing with the A/A genotype (odds ratio: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.67-0.97; p = 0.023). The T allele of CD133 rs3130 predicted a worse survival for gastric cancer patients receiving tumorectomy (hazard ratio: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.04-1.58; p = 0.020), independent from tumor node metastasis stage, vessel invasion and postoperational chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

 CD133 polymorphisms are promising biomarkers for genetic susceptibility and prognosis prediction of gastric cancer.

Associations of five polymorphisms in the CD44 gene with cancer susceptibility in Asians

CD44 polymorphisms have been previously associated with cancer risk. However, the results between independent studies were inconsistent. Here, a meta-analysis was performed to systematically evaluate associations between CD44 polymorphisms and cancer susceptibility. A comprehensive literature search conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases through August 10, 2016 yielded 11 eligible publications consisting of 5,788 cancer patients and 5,852 controls. Overall, odds ratios (OR) calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI) identified a significant association between CD44 polymorphism rs13347 and cancer susceptibility under all genetic models. Additionally, the minor allele of polymorphism rs11821102 was associated with a decreased susceptibility to cancer in allele contrast, dominant, and heterozygous models, while no significant association was identified for polymorphisms rs10836347, rs713330, or rs1425802. Subgroup analysis by ethnicity revealed rs13347 was significantly associated with cancer susceptibility for Chinese but not for Indians. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) between different polymorphisms varied across diverse ethnic populations. In conclusion, the results indicate that CD44 polymorphism rs13347 acts as a risk factor for cancer, especially in Chinese, while the minor allele of polymorphism rs11821102 may be associated with a decreased susceptibility to cancer. Nevertheless, further studies on a larger population covering different ethnicities are warranted.

Positive association between CD44 gene rs13347 C>T polymorphism and risk of cancer in Asians: a systemic review and meta-analysis

Background

Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) is an important surface marker of cancer stem cells in a variety of tumors. A number of previous studies have been conducted to investigate the association between CD44 gene rs13347 C>T polymorphism and cancer risk in humans; nevertheless, the results remain controversial. We therefore performed this meta-analysis to confirm the role of this polymorphism in susceptibility to human cancer.

Materials and methods

The studies published up to December 2015 were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. Twelve eligible case–control studies were identified, involving a total of 6,982 cases and 7,430 controls. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a fixed or random-effect model to estimate the strength of the association.

Results

The results of the overall analyses indicated that CD44 gene rs13347 polymorphism was significantly associated with cancer risk in Asians (CT vs CC: OR =1.35, 95% CI =1.12–1.62; TT vs CC: OR =1.99, 95% CI =1.52–2.60; TT + CT vs CC: OR =1.41, 95% CI =1.16–1.71; and TT vs CC + CT: OR =1.74, 95% CI =1.41–2.14), especially in Chinese population (CT vs CC: OR =1.42, 95% CI =1.16–1.75; TT vs CC: OR =2.13, 95% CI =1.58–2.86; TT + CT vs CC: OR =1.50, 95% CI =1.21–1.87; and TT vs CC + CT: OR =1.80, 95% CI =1.43–2.26). In stratified analyses by cancer types, there was evidence for an association between this polymorphism and nasopharyngeal cancer and breast cancer, respectively.

Conclusion

The results of this meta-analysis suggest that the CD44 gene rs13347 C>T polymorphism is associated with elevated risk of human cancer in Asians, especially in Chinese population. Further well-designed studies on a larger population covering other ethnicities should be carried out to validate our results.

Cluster of Differentiation 44 (CD44) Gene Variants: A Putative Cancer Stem Cell Marker in Risk Prediction of Bladder Cancer in North Indian Population

CD44 is involved in cancer-cell growth, invasion, proliferation and metastasis and is also a causal factor for acquisition of resistance to apoptosis. Therefore we evaluated different SNPs of CD44 gene viz. CD44rs187116 A/G, CD44rs4755392 A/T, CD44rs187115 C/T, CD44rs13347 C/T and CD44 rs353639 G/T for bladder cancer risk in North Indian population. 240 bladder cancer patients and 270 cancer free controls were recruited in this study. Genotyping was done by PCR-RFLP for CD44rs187116 A/G. However, CD44rs4755392 A/T, CD44rs187115 C/T, CD44rs13347 C/T and CD44 rs353639 G/T were genotyped by allelic discrimination Taqman^® assay. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS. In-silico analysis was done using F-SNP. We found reduced risk in variant genotype, TT of rs4755392 (p = 0.011) as well as in variant allele, T (p = 0.045). No risk was seen in rs13347, heterozygous genotype, CT (p = 0.023) and variant allele, T (p = 0.007). The dominant model, CT + TT also revealed reduced risk (p = 0.009). A marginal risk was seen in dominant model, GT + TT of rs353639 (p = 0.044) and reduced risk in variant allele T (p = 0.040). A significant manifold risk was seen in smokers carrying variant genotype, TT of CD44rs353639 G/T (p = 0.038, OR 1.960). Haplotypic analysis revealed significant association in 4 sets viz. TCCGG p = 0.005, TTCGA p = 0.039, ACTGG p = 0.008 and TCTGA p = 0.006. In-silico analysis using F-SNP, showed altered transcriptional regulation for rs187115, rs13347 and rs353639. Our study suggests that rs353639 shows a marginal risk for bladder cancer susceptibility, whereas rs4755392 and rs13347 have reduced risk of bladder cancer and rs187115 and rs187116 had no effect on bladder cancer susceptibility in North Indians.

CD44 single nucleotide polymorphism and isoform switching may predict gastric cancer recurrence

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The clinical implications of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CD44 remain unclear. This study examined the relationships of CD44 SNPs with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in Japanese gastric cancer patients.

METHODS

The CD44 SNPs were analyzed in 11 gastric cancer cell lines and 517 clinical specimens. The expression of CD44 standard (CD44s) and CD44 variant 9 isoform (CD44v9) transcripts were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

The CD44 rs187116 A/A, A/G, and G/G genotypes were present in 10.3%, 45.1%, and 44.7% of patients, respectively. The presence of CD44 rs187116 A/G or G/G genotypes was significantly associated with positive peritoneal washing cytology (P = 0.012). Disease-free survival of patients with these genotypes was significantly worse than in those with the A/A genotype (P = 0.039). Multivariate analysis showed that the CD44 rs187116 was independently prognostic of disease-free survival (P = 0.047). The CD44s/CD44v9 ratio was significantly lower in patients with the CD44 rs187116 A/A genotype than in those with the A/G (P = 0.046) and G/G (P = 0.047) genotypes.

CONCLUSIONS

The CD44 rs187116 genotype could predict disease recurrence in Japanese gastric cancer patients, and the SNP was associated with CD44 isoform switching.

Association of CD44 Gene Polymorphism with Survival of NSCLC and Risk of Bone Metastasis

Background

Previous studies have reported CD44 expression influenced the development and progression of tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CD44 gene are associated with survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and occurrence rate of bone metastasis.

Material/Methods

A total of 234 patients with NSCLC between 2003 and 2010 were enrolled in this study and 468 healthy persons were used as controls. Two polymorphisms, rs13347 and rs187115, in the CD44 gene were genotyped using DNA from blood lymphocytes. For statistical analysis we used the chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, Kaplan-Meier method, and log-rank test.

Results

CD44 gene rs13347 polymorphism was not associated with NSCLC risk. For rs187115, the association with NSCLC risk was observed (P<0.001). Allele G carriers had significantly higher occurrence rates of bone metastasis (OR=0.4, 95%CI: 0.20–0.64, P<0.001) and more advanced tumor stage (OR=2.6, 95%CI: 1.50–4.45, P=0.001) compared to carriers of allele A. The survival rates for patients with AA genotype were significantly higher than for patients with the AG+GG genotypes (P<0.001). In multivariate analysis of survival in NSCLC patients, significant predictors were CD44 gene (AG+GG) (RR=0.48, 95%CI: 0.34–0.68, P<0.001), tumor stage (RR=0.45, 95%CI: 0. 0.31–0.65, P<0.001), and bone metastasis (RR=1.52, 95%CI: 1.05–2.21, P=0.027).

Conclusions

CD44 gene rs187115 polymorphism is a potential predictive marker of survival in NSCLC patients, and is significantly correlated with bone metastasis and tumor stage.

Functional Genetic Variations at the microRNA Binding-Site in the CD44 Gene Are Associated with Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Chinese Populations

CD44 as one of the most putative stem cell markers plays a key role in many cellular processes, including cancer cell growth and migration. Functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CD44 may modulate its gene functions and thus cancer risk. In the current study, we investigated if polymorphisms in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of CD44 are associated with increased susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC) by conducting a case-control study of 946 CRC patients and 989 cancer-free controls. Three polymorphisms (rs13347C/T, rs10836347C/T, rs11821102G/A) in the 3'-UTR of CD44 were genotyped. We found that the variant genotypes (CT and TT) of rs13347 (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.50-2.17) increased an individual's susceptibility to CRC, compared with rs13347CC homozygous genotypes. We also found that CRC patients with the CT/TT genotype had a 1.6-fold increased risk for developing advanced (stage III + IV) CRC. Furthermore, functional assays showed that the C to T base change at rs13347C/T disrupts the binding site for the microRNA hsa-mir-509-3p, thereby increasing CD44 transcriptional activity and expression level. These findings suggest that the rs13347C/T in microRNA binding site may be potential biomarkers for genetic susceptibility to CRC.

CXM: a new tool for mapping breast cancer risk in the tumor microenvironment

The majority of causative variants in familial breast cancer remain unknown. Of the known risk variants, most are tumor cell autonomous, and little attention has been paid yet to germline variants that may affect the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we developed a system called the Consomic Xenograft Model (CXM) to map germline variants that affect only the tumor microenvironment. In CXM, human breast cancer cells are orthotopically implanted into immunodeficient consomic strains and tumor metrics are quantified (e.g., growth, vasculogenesis, and metastasis). Because the strain backgrounds vary, whereas the malignant tumor cells do not, any observed changes in tumor progression are due to genetic differences in the nonmalignant microenvironment. Using CXM, we defined genetic variants on rat chromosome 3 that reduced relative tumor growth and hematogenous metastasis in the SS.BN3(IL2Rγ) consomic model compared with the SS(IL2Rγ) parental strain. Paradoxically, these effects occurred despite an increase in the density of tumor-associated blood vessels. In contrast, lymphatic vasculature and lymphogenous metastasis were unaffected by the SS.BN3(IL2Rγ) background. Through comparative mapping and whole-genome sequence analysis, we narrowed candidate variants on rat chromosome 3 to six genes with a priority for future analysis. Collectively, our results establish the utility of CXM to localize genetic variants affecting the tumor microenvironment that underlie differences in breast cancer risk.

The prognostic value of CD44 expression in gastric cancer: a meta-analysis

Several studies have been conducted to examine the association between CD44 expression and the prognosis of gastric cancer (GC). However, the conclusions remain controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis study of 16 published studies with 2403 patients to evaluate the correlation between CD44 expression and clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival of the GC patients. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the correlation of CD44 expression with the clinicopathological features of GC patients. Hazard ratios (HRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the association between CD44 and prognosis of GC patients. Total CD44 expression was detected in ten studies, and CD44v5 and CD44v6 expressions were detected in one and five papers, respectively. The results revealed that CD44 expression was associated with some clinicopahological features, such as lymph node metastasis (pooled OR=1.81, 95% CI=1.44-2.34, P=0.000), distant metastasis (pooled OR=3.29, 95% CI=1.90-5.67, P=0.001) and TNM stage (Pooled OR=1.84, 95% CI=1.13-2.99, P=0.014). Moreover, we also found that GC patients with positive CD44 expression had a worse prognosis than the ones with negative CD44 expression (HR=1.93, 95% CI=1.54-2.42, P=0.000). In stratified analysis, the combined HR with CD44 and CD44v6 was 2.20 (95% CI=1.81-2.67) and 1.70 (95% CI=1.00-2.90), respectively. These results suggested that positive CD44 expression could predict a lower overall survival rate and could be an independent dangerous prognostic factor in GC patients.

Association of genetic variants of cancer stem cell gene CD44 haplotypes with gallbladder cancer susceptibility in North Indian population

CD44 is an important marker for cancer stem cells. Germline variants in CD44 gene have been associated with susceptibility to breast and nasopharyngeal carcinomas but no study in gallbladder cancer (GBC) has been done yet. The present study included 405 GBC patients and 200 healthy controls from North India. Tagger SNPs for CD44 were selected from the GIH population data. Genotyping was carried out by PCR-RFLP and Taqman probes. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS. Bonferroni correction was applied in subgroup analysis. Logistic regression analysis showed no individual association of CD44 polymorphisms with GBC risk. However, [CCAT] haplotype was associated with overall reduced risk of GBC [P = 0.04, odds ratios (OR) = 0.47]. Gender stratification revealed that [CCAT] and [TAGT] haplotypes were significantly associated with decreased risk in female GBC patients [P = 0.022, OR = 0.38; P = 0.011, OR = 0.17, respectively]. The CAAT haplotype was marginally associated with low GBC risk in patients with co-existing gallstones [P = 0.026, OR = 0.53]. The cancer risk was not further modified with tobacco usage or age of onset. In silico analysis showed change in transcriptional regulation of selected SNPs. This study reports an important role of CD44 haplotypes with reduced risk of GBC.