Serum Antibodies against Helicobacter pylori Neutrophil Activating Protein in Carriers of IL-4 C-590T Genetic Polymorphism Amplify the Risk of Gastritis and Gastric Cancer

Fn-Dps, a novel virulence factor of Fusobacterium nucleatum, disrupts erythrocytes and promotes metastasis in colorectal cancer

Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) is a critical colorectal cancer (CRC)-associated bacterium. DNA hunger/stationary phase protective proteins (Dps) are bacterial ferritins that protect DNA from oxidative stress. However, little is known about the regulatory roles of Fn-Dps towards host cellular functions. Here, we identified Fn-Dps from the culture supernatant of Fn by mass spectrometry, and prepared the recombinant of Fn-Dps protein. We show a novel virulence protein of Fn, Fn-Dps, which lyses and disrupts erythrocytes by the competition for iron acquisition. Also, Fn-Dps facilitates intracellular survival of Fn in macrophages by upregulating the expression of the chemokine CCL2/CCL7. In addition, Fn-Dps can elicit a strong humoral immune response, and mucosal immunization with Fn-Dps conferred protection against Fn in the intestinal tract. Moreover, a high level of anti-Fn-Dps antibody was prevalent in populations, and elevated anti-Fn-Dps antibody levels were observed in CRC patients. Furthermore, Fn-Dps promotes the migration of CRC cells via the CCL2/CCL7-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and promotes CRC metastasis in vivo.

Possible Roles of Interleukin-4 and -13 and Their Receptors in Gastric and Colon Cancer

Interleukin (IL)-4 and -13 are structurally and functionally related cytokines sharing common receptor subunits. They regulate immune responses and, moreover, are involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of human neoplasms. Three different receptors have been described for IL-4, but only IL-4 receptor type II (IL-4Rα/IL-13Rα1) is expressed in solid tumors. While IL-13 can also bind to three different receptors, IL-13 receptor type I (IL-4Rα/IL-13Rα1/IL-13Rα2) and type II (IL-4Rα/IL-13Rα1) are expressed in solid tumors. After receptor binding, IL-4 and IL-13 can mediate tumor cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis in gastric or colon cancer. This review summarizes the results about the role of IL-4/IL-13 and their receptors in gastric and colon cancer.

Association between four SNPs in IL-4 and the risk of gastric cancer in a Chinese population

Gastric cancer (GC) is the 5th most prevalent cancer. The etiology of GC is still poorly understood. We performed a case-control study in a Chinese population to investigate the association of rs2243248 (-1098 G/T), rs2227284 (-33 C/T), rs2243250 (-589 T/C) and rs2070874 (-107 T/C) polymorphisms and haplotypes with the development of gastric cancer in a Chinese population. A total of 362 patients with gastric cancer and 384 controls were recruited between December 2013 and December 2015. Genotyping of rs2243248 (-1098 G/T), rs2227284 (-33 C/T), rs2243250 (-589 T/C) and rs2070874 (-107 T/C) was performed in a 384-well plate format on the sequenom MassARRAY platform, and analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS. The TC and CC genotypes of rs2243250 (-589 T/C) were associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer when compared with the TT genotype, with adjusted ORs (95% CI) of 1.52 (1.07-2.15) and 2.13 (1.30-3.51), respectively. The TTTT haplotype revealed a reduced risk of gastric cancer (OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.45-0.94). No linkage disequilibrium was found among IL-4 rs2243248, rs2227284, rs2243250 and rs2070874. In summary, our findings support a significant association of IL-4 rs2243250 polymorphism with the risk of gastric cancer in the Chinese population, and IL-4 haplotype contributes to the development of this disease.

Roles of IL-4 genetic polymorphisms and haplotypes in the risk of gastric cancer and their interaction with environmental factors

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cancer and imposes a global cancer burden. IL-4 is a typical cytokine of Th2 cells. IL-4 genetic polymorphisms have multiple functions in many cancers. We performed a case-control study in the Chinese population, and evaluated the association between rs2243250 (590 C/T), rs2227284 (107 T/C), rs2070874 (166 T/C) and rs1801275 (576 Q/R) and gastric cancer risk. A total of 340 gastric cancer patients and 364 controls were enrolled into our study. SNP genotyping of IL-4 rs2243250, rs2227284, rs2070874 and rs1801275 was done in a 384-well plate format on the sequenom MassARRAY platform (Sequenom, San Diego, USA). We observed the CC genotype of IL-4 rs2243250 was associated with risk of gastric cancer when compared with the TT genotype (OR=2.36, 95% CI=1.49-3.75). Moreover, individuals harboring the CT+CC genotype exposed a higher risk of gastric cancer in comparison with the TT genotype (OR=1.66, 95% CI=1.17-2.35). However, there was no significant association between IL-4 rs2227284, rs2070874 and rs1801275 and gastric cancer risk. The TT+CT genotype of IL-4 rs2243250 showed a significant increased risk of gastric cancer in males (OR=2.48, 95% CI=1.67-3.68) and those without a family history of cancer (OR=1.97, 95% CI=1.44-2.70). In ever drinkers (OR=2.04, 95% CI=1.24-3.37) and H. pylori infected patients (OR=2.31, 95% CI=1.38-3.86), the TT+CT genotype of IL-4 rs2243250 had a higher risk of gastric cancer than non-drinkers (OR=1.77, 95% CI=1.20-2.61) and non-H. pylori infected ones (OR=1.76, 95% CI=1.19-2.62). The CTCA (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.06-2.24), CTCG (OR=1.83, 95% CI=1.16-2.86) and CTTG (OR=1.89, 95% CI=1.16-3.07) haplotypes showed an increased risk in gastric cancer, while the TCTG (OR=0.22, 95% CI=0.09-0.52), TTCG (OR=0.47, 95% CI=0.32-0.69) and TTTA (OR=0.58, 95% CI=0.42-30.79) haplotypes were associated with an reduction risk of gastric cancer. In conclusion, our study indicated that the IL-4 rs2243250 CC genotype and CT+CC genotype were associated with gastric cancer risk in the Chinese population, and IL-4 haplotypes plays an important role in the development of gastric cancer.