Association of melatonin membrane receptor 1A/1B gene polymorphisms with the occurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Analysis of ZNF208 Polymorphisms on the Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Asian Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a major form of liver cancer, is characterized by high lethality and a multifactorial etiology that includes hepatitis virus infections, lifestyle factors, and genetic predispositions. This study aimed to explore the impact of ZNF208 gene polymorphisms on the clinicopathological features of Taiwanese HCC patients, focusing on three specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): rs2188971, rs2188972, and rs8105767. Our cohort consisted of 438 HCC patients and 1193 control individuals. Clinical staging was determined using the tumor/node/metastasis (TNM) system, and various clinical indicators were collected. Our analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in ZNF208 expression in HCC patients compared to controls, indicating a potential role in HCC progression. Although no substantial association was observed between ZNF208 SNPs and increased HCC risk, specific clinical features such as distant metastasis and vascular invasion showed significant associations with these SNPs, suggesting their influence on disease aggressiveness. Demographic analyses highlighted the importance of factors like alcohol consumption and viral hepatitis markers in HCC. Our study underscores the complexity of genetic influences on HCC, with ZNF208 polymorphisms potentially affecting tumor progression and patient outcomes.

Traumatic Brain Injury, Sleep, and Melatonin-Intrinsic Changes with Therapeutic Potential

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most prevalent causes of morbidity in the United States and is associated with numerous chronic sequelae long after the point of injury. One of the most common long-term complaints in patients with TBI is sleep dysfunction. It is reported that alterations in melatonin follow TBI and may be linked with various sleep and circadian disorders directly (via cellular signaling) or indirectly (via free radicals and inflammatory signaling). Work over the past two decades has contributed to our understanding of the role of melatonin as a sleep regulator and neuroprotective anti-inflammatory agent. Although there is increasing interest in the treatment of insomnia following TBI, a lack of standardization and rigor in melatonin research has left behind a trail of non-generalizable data and ambiguous treatment recommendations. This narrative review describes the underlying biochemical properties of melatonin as they are relevant to TBI. We also discuss potential benefits and a path forward regarding the therapeutic management of TBI with melatonin treatment, including its role as a neuroprotectant, a somnogen, and a modulator of the circadian rhythm.

Membrane Melatonin Receptors Activated Cell Signaling in Physiology and Disease

The pineal hormone melatonin has attracted great scientific interest since its discovery in 1958. Despite the enormous number of basic and clinical studies the exact role of melatonin in respect to human physiology remains elusive. In humans, two high-affinity receptors for melatonin, MT1 and MT2, belonging to the family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been cloned and identified. The two receptor types activate Gi proteins and MT2 couples additionally to Gq proteins to modulate intracellular events. The individual effects of MT1 and MT2 receptor activation in a variety of cells are complemented by their ability to form homo- and heterodimers, the functional relevance of which is yet to be confirmed. Recently, several melatonin receptor genetic polymorphisms were discovered and implicated in pathology-for instance in type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disease, and cancer. The circadian patterns of melatonin secretion, its pleiotropic effects depending on cell type and condition, and the already demonstrated cross-talks of melatonin receptors with other signal transduction pathways further contribute to the perplexity of research on the role of the pineal hormone in humans. In this review we try to summarize the current knowledge on the membrane melatonin receptor activated cell signaling in physiology and pathology and their relevance to certain disease conditions including cancer.

Melatonin and Cancer: A Polyhedral Network Where the Source Matters

Melatonin is one of the most phylogenetically conserved signals in biology. Although its original function was probably related to its antioxidant capacity, this indoleamine has been “adopted” by multicellular organisms as the “darkness signal” when secreted in a circadian manner and is acutely suppressed by light at night by the pineal gland. However, melatonin is also produced by other tissues, which constitute its extrapineal sources. Apart from its undisputed chronobiotic function, melatonin exerts antioxidant, immunomodulatory, pro-apoptotic, antiproliferative, and anti-angiogenic effects, with all these properties making it a powerful antitumor agent. Indeed, this activity has been demonstrated to be mediated by interfering with various cancer hallmarks, and different epidemiological studies have also linked light at night (melatonin suppression) with a higher incidence of different types of cancer. In 2007, the World Health Organization classified night shift work as a probable carcinogen due to circadian disruption, where melatonin plays a central role. Our aim is to review, from a global perspective, the role of melatonin both from pineal and extrapineal origin, as well as their possible interplay, as an intrinsic factor in the incidence, development, and progression of cancer. Particular emphasis will be placed not only on those mechanisms related to melatonin’s antioxidant nature but also on the recently described novel roles of melatonin in microbiota and epigenetic regulation.

Melatonin and circadian rhythms in liver diseases: Functional roles and potential therapies

Circadian rhythms and clock gene expressions are regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus, and melatonin is produced in the pineal gland. Although the brain detects the light through retinas and regulates rhythms and melatonin secretion throughout the body, the liver has independent circadian rhythms and expressions as well as melatonin production. Previous studies indicate the association between circadian rhythms with various liver diseases, and disruption of rhythms or clock gene expression may promote liver steatosis, inflammation, or cancer development. It is well known that melatonin has strong antioxidant effects. Alcohol drinking or excess fatty acid accumulation produces reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress in the liver leading to liver injuries. Melatonin administration protects these oxidative stress-induced liver damage and improves liver conditions. Recent studies have demonstrated that melatonin administration is not limited to antioxidant effects and it has various other effects contributing to the management of liver conditions. Accumulating evidence suggests that restoring circadian rhythms or expressions as well as melatonin supplementation may be promising therapeutic strategies for liver diseases. This review summarizes recent findings for the functional roles and therapeutic potentials of circadian rhythms and melatonin in liver diseases.

Association Between Genetic Polymorphisms of WNT1 Inducible Signaling Pathway Protein 1 and Uterine Cervical Cancer

To date, no study has investigated the involvement of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) in uterine cervical cancer. Therefore, we conducted this study to explore the clinical implications of WISP1 SNPs in cervical cancer. One hundred and fifteen patients with invasive cervical cancer, 95 patients with preinvasive lesions, and 316 normal controls were enrolled. The WISP1 SNPs rs62514004, rs2929973, rs2977530, and rs2977537 were selected, and their genotypic distributions were determined through real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our findings showed that genotypes AG/GG in WISP1 SNP rs2977530 reduced the risk of invasive cervical cancer with AA as a reference; however, these genotypes did not reduce the risk of preinvasive lesions. By contrast, genotype AA in WISP1 SNP rs2977537 elevated the risk of invasive cervical cancer with GG/GA as a reference, but it did not elevate the risk of preinvasive lesions. Moreover, an additional integrated in silico analysis indicated that WISP1 rs2977537 altered the WISP1 expression recorded in the Genotype-Tissue Expression database. In conclusion, genotypes AG/GG in WISP1 SNP rs2977530 reduce the susceptibility of Taiwanese women to invasive cervical cancer, whereas genotype AA in rs2977537 increases the said risk.