FABP1 Polymorphisms Contribute to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Susceptibility in Chinese Population with Liver Cirrhosis: A Case-Control Study

MiR-22 Deficiency Fosters Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development in Fatty Liver

MiR-22 is mostly considered as a hepatic tumor-suppressor microRNA based on in vitro analyses. Yet, whether miR-22 exerts a tumor-suppressive function in the liver has not been investigated in vivo. Herein, in silico analyses of miR-22 expression were performed in hepatocellular carcinomas from human patient cohorts and different mouse models. Diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinomas were then investigated in lean and diet-induced obese miR-22-deficient mice. The proteome of liver tissues from miR-22-deficient mice prior to hepatocellular carcinoma development was further analyzed to uncover miR-22 regulated factors that impact hepatocarcinogenesis with miR-22 deficiency. MiR-22 downregulation was consistently observed in hepatocellular carcinomas from all human cohorts and mouse models investigated. The time of appearance of the first tumors was decreased and the number of tumoral foci induced by diethylnitrosamine was significantly increased by miR-22-deficiency in vivo, two features which were further drastically exacerbated with diet-induced obesity. At the molecular level, we provide evidence that the loss of miR-22 significantly affects the energetic metabolism and mitochondrial functions of hepatocytes, and the expression of tumor-promoting factors such as thrombospondin-1. Our study demonstrates that miR-22 acts as a hepatic tumor suppressor in vivo by restraining pro-carcinogenic metabolic deregulations through pleiotropic mechanisms and the overexpression of relevant oncogenes.

The association between a Fatty Acid Binding Protein 1 (FABP1) gene polymorphism and serum lipid abnormalities in the MASHAD cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Dyslipidemia is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is partially determined by genetic variations in the genes involved in lipoprotein metabolism. Therefore, we aimed to assess the association between a polymorphism of the Fatty Acid Binding Protein1 (rs2241883) gene locus and dyslipidemia in an Iranian cohort.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a case-control study 2737 individuals were recruited (2203 subjects with dyslipidemia and 534 controls). Dyslipidemia was defined as total cholesterol≥200 mg/dl, or TG≥150 mg/dl, or LDL-C≥130 mg/dl, or HDL-C<40 mg/dl in males and <50 mg/dl in females. Serum lipid profile was determined using a Alcyon Abbott biochemical auto analyzer, USA. Genotyping was made through double amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (ARMs PCR).

RESULT

The frequency of TT, CT, CC genotypes of rs2241883 polymorphism of FABP1 gene were 65.5, 33.4, 5.1 in subjects with dyslipidemia and 56.9%, 40.4%, 2.6% in subjects without dyslipidemia, respectively. Using a dominant genetic model, subjects carrying C allele (CC&CT genotypes) had a 22% lower risk of dyslipidemia (OR: 0.78, CI 95%: 0.62-0.98 P, 0.03). Individuals with CT vs. TT genotypes had a significantly lower risk of a high serum TC and LDL level. Further analysis showed that there was a positive association between FABP1 genotype (CT) and isolated HTG as well as combined dyslipidemia. The change of a polar amino acid (threonine) in position T94A to a hydrophobic amino acid (alanine) can cause transformation protein.

CONCLUSIONS

A CC genotype of the rs2241883 polymorphism of the FABP1 gene appears to confer a higher risk of dyslipidemia in our representative cohort of Iranian individuals.

FABP1 gene variant associated with risk of metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is defined by a clustering of metabolic abnormalities associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. There has been an increasing interest in the associations of genetic variants involved in diabetes and obesity in the FABP1 pathway. The relationship between the rs2241883 polymorphism of FABP1 and risk of MetS remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to examine the association between this genetic polymorphism and the presence of MetS and its constituent factors.

METHODS

A total of 942 participants were recruited as part of the Mashhad Stroke and Heart Atherosclerosis Disorders (MASHAD study) Cohort. Patients with MetS were identified using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria (n=406) and those without MetS (n=536) were also recruited. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples and used for genotyping of the FABP1 rs2241883T/C polymorphism using Tetra-Amplification Refractory Mutation System Polymerase Chain Reaction (Tetra-ARMS PCR). Genetic analysis was confirmed by gel electrophoresis and DNA sequencing.

RESULTS

Using both univariate and multivariate analyses after adjusting for age, sex and physical activity, carriers of C allele (CT/CC genotypes) in FABP1 variant were related to an increased risk of MetS, compared to non-carriers (OR: 1.38, 95%CI: 1.04,1.82, p=0.026).

CONCLUSION

The present study shows that C allele in the FABP1 variant can be associated with an increased risk of MetS. The evaluation of these factors in a larger population may help further confirm these findings.

Association between the rs9131 and rs3806792 polymorphisms of the CXCL2 gene and the risk of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma in a Guangxi population

Background

Genetic polymorphisms in the CXCL2 may participate in the progress of HBV‐related HCC. However, no researches have evaluated the association between them.

Methods

To figure out the effects of CXCL2 gene polymorphisms on the risk of HBV‐related HCC, two major variants of CXCL2 and their association with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), HBV‐related liver cirrhosis (LC), and HCC were conducted in a Guangxi population. CXCL2 polymorphisms rs9131 and rs3806792 were examined in 147 healthy controls, 138 CHB patients, 137 HBV‐related LC patients, and 150 HBV‐related HCC patients, using the SNaPshot™ genotyping technique.

Results

No significant differences were found regarding the CXCL2 rs9131 and rs3806792 polymorphisms among the case groups (including CHB, LC, and HCC) and the healthy controls, no matter in comparisons of alleles, genotypes, or haplotypes. Similar insignificant results were also observed when subgroup analyses were performed in different gender. However, when compared the frequencies of allele and genotype in the healthy individuals of our research and those from the 1000 Genomes Project, CC and C for rs9131, and TT and T for rs3806792 of CXCL2 in our healthy controls were only similar with those in Han Chinese in Beijing, but significantly higher than other ethnicities; this indicates that these two polymorphisms of CXCL2 may be not associated with the pathogenesis of HBV‐related HCC in Chinese population, but may play a role in other ethnicities.

Conclusion

Our observation suggests that SNPs rs9131 and rs3806792 of CXCL2 gene might not contribute to the development of CHB, HBV‐related LC, and HCC in a Guangxi population.

GOLGA7 rs11337, a Polymorphism at the MicroRNA Binding Site, Is Associated with Glioma Prognosis

MicroRNAs bind to the 3' untranslated regions of mRNAs, affecting translation, tumorigenesis, and apoptosis. This study evaluated the role of TYMS (rs1059394, C > T, and rs2847153, G > A), RYR3 (rs1044129, G > A), KIAA0423 (rs1053667, T > C), and GOLGA7 (rs11337, G > T) polymorphisms for assessment of glioma risk and prognosis among the Chinese Han population. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms were assessed in 605 glioma patients and 1,300 controls. We found a significant correlation between rs1059394 and glioma susceptibility in the homozygote and dominant genetic models (TT versus CC, odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.52-0.97, p = 0.03; CT+TT versus CC, OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.55-0.99, p = 0.04). The results of the Kaplan-Meier and log rank tests revealed that the rs11337 GG genotype correlated with better overall survival of glioma patients (p = 0.017) than the GT genotype. Multivariate Cox regression analysis results also showed that the rs11337 GT genotype correlated with worse overall survival (p = 0.017, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.04-1.5) than the GG genotype. These results suggest that GOLGA7 (rs11337) polymorphism may play a role in the prognosis of glioma patients and that TYMS (rs1059394) is associated with glioma risk.

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.

The influence of ACYP2 polymorphisms on gastrointestinal cancer susceptibility in the Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal cancer (GI cancer) is a type of cancer that has a high death rate. It has been reported that ACYP2 gene was associated with the development of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, but it is not clear that the relationship between ACYP2 gene and GI cancer in Chinese Han population. This study aimed to investigate the association between polymorphisms of ACYP2 and GI cancer in the Chinese Han population.

METHODS

We used Agena MassARRAY to determine the genotypes of 1,160 GI cancer patients and 495 healthy controls. The correlation between ACYP2 variants and GI cancer risk was examined by logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

We identified that rs6713088 (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.00-1.36, p = 0.047), rs843711 (OR = 1.17, 95 CI: 1.01-1.36, p = 0.035), and rs11896604 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.00-1.45, p = 0.048) were correlated with an increased risk of GI cancer under allele model. Rs11125529 under the recessive model (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.00-4.23, p = 0.038), rs843711 in recessive model (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.04-1.82, p = 0.026), and rs11896604 under log-additive model (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.01-1.51, p = 0.042) were associated with an increased risk of GI cancer.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggested that polymorphisms of ACYP2 gene might be associated with susceptibility to GI cancer.

Association of OPG gene polymorphisms with the risk of knee osteoarthritis among Chinese people

BACKGROUND

Osteoarthritis (OA) is usually recognized to have a genetic factor, and in our study, we performed a case-control study to analyze the association between 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in OPG and the risk of knee OA in a Chinese Han population.

METHODS

Fourteen OPG SNPs were assayed using MassARRAY in 393 patients clinically and radiographically diagnosed with knee OA and in 500 controls. Allelic and genotypic frequencies were compared between the groups. Logistic regression adjusting for age and gender was used to estimate risk associations between specific genotypes and knee OA by computing odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

RESULTS

We found that the minor alleles of six SNPs in OPG were associated with an increased or decreased risk of knee OA in the allelic model analysis. In the genetic model analysis, we found that rs1905786, rs1032128, rs3134058, rs11573828, rs11573849, rs3134056, and rs1564861 were associated with an increased or decreased risk of knee OA before adjusted by sex and age. And after adjustment, three SNPs (rs1485286, rs1905786, and rs1032128) were identified to have a negative effect on knee OA.

CONCLUSION

Our results verify that genetic variants of OPG contribute to knee OA susceptibility in the population of northern China. These genetic associations may identify individuals at a particularly high risk of developing knee OA.

Association of the MUTYH Gln324His (CAG/CAC) variant with cervical carcinoma and HR-HPV infection in a Chinese population

This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the MUTYH Gln324His (CAG/CAC) genotype and risk of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in a case-control setting. Mismatch amplification-polymerase chain reaction (MA-PCR) was applied to detect the polymorphism in 400 CSCC, 400 CIN III and 1200 control participants. The homozygous His324His (CAC/CAC) genotype of MUTYH was associated with significantly increased risk of CIN III (OR = 1.94) and CSCC (OR = 3.83). Increased risk of CIN III (OR = 1.34) and CSCC (OR = 1.97) was additionally observed with the heterozygous CAG/CAC genotype. Overall, individuals in both CAC/CAC and CAG/CAC genotype groups were at higher risk of cervical carcinoma (CINIII (OR = 1.46) and CSCC (OR = 2.34)). Within the HR-HPV infection-positive group, CAC/CAC and CAG/CAC genotypes were significantly enriched in relation to CIN III and CSCC. Moreover, we observed a positive correlation between the proportion of homozygous CAC/CAC MUTYH genotype and malignant prognostic factors of CSCC, such as cell differentiation grade and lymph node metastasis. These findings clearly highlight associations between the MUTYH Gln324His (CAG/CAC) polymorphism and susceptibility to CSCC, HR-HPV infection and specific prognostic factors, supporting the utility of this variant as an early indicator for patients at high risk of cervical carcinoma.