Suppressors of cytokine signaling in tuberculosis

Synchronous vascular endothelial growth factor protein profiles in both tissue and serum identify metastasis and poor survival in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. We examined if tumor tissue and circulating protein levels of all vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and VEGF receptors (VEGFRs) were synchronous and different in Taiwan patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC) vs. non-mCRC. We analyzed samples from 109 patients enrolled from 2005–2017, 50 with stages I/II and 59 with stages III/IV CRC. We found that VEGF-A, -B, -C, -D, placental growth factor (PlGF), VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and VEGFR-3 were higher in tumor tissues than non-tumor tissues. Metastatic patients had higher levels of circulating VEGFs and soluble VEGFRs (sVEGFRs) than healthy subjects, as well as higher VEGF-A, -B, -C, -D, and PlGF proteins in both tumor tissue and serum than non-metastatic patients. Protein levels of VEGF and VEGFR were mainly associated with the patient’s age, tumor site, tumor size, tumor stage, and lymph node metastasis. Patients exhibiting high levels of VEGF, VEGFR, and sVEGFR had a shorter overall survival and disease-free survival than those with low levels. We conclude that synchronous changes in VEGF and VEGFR levels in CRC tissue and serum VEGF can discriminate between metastatic and non-metastatic subjects and high levels are associated with poor survival in CRC.

Polymorphisms of suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis among Han Taiwanese

BACKGROUND

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS), particularly SOCS-3, allow discrimination of patients with active tuberculosis (TB) from healthy subjects in a gender- and age-dependent manner. However, no information is available on whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SOCS-3 gene occur in patients with TB. This study was designed to investigate SOCS-3 SNPs in association with susceptibility to TB in the Taiwanese population.

METHODS

Four SNPs in the SOCS-3 gene located at rs8064821, rs4969168, rs2280148, and rs35037722 were studied by the TaqMan SNP Genotyping assay in 200 healthy and 210 TB patients enrolled in 2015-2018.

RESULTS

Significant differences were not detected in genotype frequencies or odds ratios (ORs) between healthy and TB patients for any of the four polymorphisms. The lack of significant differences was also found when the patients were stratified by sex. However, males exhibited GG homozygous at rs35037722 in association with susceptibility to TB after the OR analysis was adjusted for age. For rs8064821, AA and AC genotypes were associated with TB susceptibility in patients ≤ 65 years old compared to CC genotype, whereas older subjects had no such association.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that particular SOCS-3 SNPs are dependent on gender or age to influence TB susceptibility in the Han Taiwanese.