RAB40C gene polymorphisms rs62030917 and rs2269556 are associated with an increased risk of lumbar disc herniation development in the Chinese Han population

Incidence of and risk factors for lumbar disc herniation with radiculopathy in adults: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with radiculopathy is associated with greater pain, disability, healthcare use, and costs compared with nonspecific low back pain. Reliable information about its incidence and risk factors were lacking.

QUESTIONS

(1) What is the incidence of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with radiculopathy in adults? (2) What are the risk factors for LDH with radiculopathy in adults?

METHODS

Systematic review. We searched five electronic databases from 1970 to September 2023. Eligible cohort and case-control studies were identified and independently assessed for risk of bias. A qualitative best evidence synthesis of low and moderate risk of bias studies was conducted.

RESULTS

We critically reviewed 87 studies and synthesised data from 59 (68%) studies; 12 were of low and 47 of moderate risk of bias. The lower and upper bound limits of the 95% CIs of annual incidence estimates ranged from 0.3 to 2.7 per 1000 persons for surgical case definitions, from 0.04 to 1.5 per 1,000 persons for hospital-based case definitions, and from 0.1 to 298.3 per 1,000 persons for clinical case definitions. Factors associated with the development of LDH with radiculopathy included middle-age (30-50 years), smoking, higher BMI, presence of cardiovascular risk factors (in women), and greater cumulative occupational lumbar load by forward bending postures and manual materials handling, with effect sizes ranging from ranging from 1.1 (1.0-1.3) to 3.7 (2.3-6.0).

CONCLUSIONS

Incidence of LDH varies in different populations and according to case definition. Risk factors include individual, behavioural, and work-related variables. Our findings support the need to develop standardised case definitions that validly classify the clinical spectrum of LDH and for future low risk of bias studies examining causal relationships for LDH with radiculopathy in adults.

Genetic variants of the GLP-1R gene affect the susceptibility and glucose metabolism of gestational diabetes mellitus: a two-center nested case‒control study

BACKGROUND

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common complication during pregnancy, occurring under the combined action of environmental and genetic factors. Genetic variants of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) have been reported to affect insulin secretion and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to explore the role of GLP-1R polymorphisms in GDM and glucose metabolism.

METHODS

A two-center nested case‒control study was designed, including 200 pregnant women with GDM and 200 pregnant women without GDM genotyped for five tag SNPs of GLP-1R using Sanger sequencing. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between GLP-1R polymorphisms and GDM risk. Glucose and insulin concentrations were measured based upon the 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Beta cell function of different genotypes was estimated with the 60 min insulinogenic index (IGI₆₀) and OGTT-derived disposition index (DI).

RESULTS

Mutant genotype AG + GG of tag SNP rs6458093 nominally increased GDM risk (p = 0.049), especially among subjects younger than 35 years (p = 0.024) and with BMI no less than 24 (p = 0.041), after adjusting for confounders. Meanwhile, compared with subjects with wild genotype AA, subjects with genotype AG + GG of rs6458093 also showed nominally significantly lower IGI₆₀ (p = 0.032) and DI (p = 0.029), as well as significantly higher 75 g OGTT-based 1 h glucose load plasma glucose levels (p = 0.045). Moreover, the mutant heterozygous genotype GA of tag SNP rs3765467 nominally decreased GDM risk among subjects older than 35 years (p = 0.037) but showed no association with insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis.

CONCLUSIONS

Tag SNP rs6458093 of GLP-1R was nominally associated with increased GDM risk and affected beta cell function and postprandial glucose metabolism, while tag SNP rs3765467 of GLP-1R was nominally associated with decreased GDM risk, providing evidence for molecular markers and etiological study of GDM.

An Integrative Analysis Identifying RAB40C as an Oncogenic Immune Protein and Prognostic Marker of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background

RAB40C, a member of the Ras oncogene family, is a protein with GTPase and GTP-binding activity and is also predicted to be important in immunomodulation. However, the link between RAB40C and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) has not yet been elucidated. Exploring the relationship between RAB40C and LUSC could help expand the repertoire of immunotherapeutic targets for LUSC and provide more effective therapeutic options for LUSC patients, which behalf of our aim for our study.

Methods

We analyzed the RAB40C expression in different tumor types and stages based on the TCGA database. Subsequently, we explored the differences in RAB40C expression in LUSC versus paracancerous tissues through immunohistochemical analysis. The prognostic value of RAB40C was assessed by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Gene set enrichment analysis-based RAB40C impact pathways and the correlation between RAB40C expression and immune infiltration were obtained using the TIMER2.0 and the CIBERSORT analytical tools. Tumor mutational load and microsatellite instability (MSI) were assessed by the Spearman correlation analysis. Finally, the close association of RAB40C with LUSC was explored by correlating immune cell infiltration with immunomodulator expression, assessing risk scores in combination with other factors, and analyzing prognostic nomogram.

Results

The expression of RAB40C was significantly elevated in LUSC. RAB40C expression was significantly associated with immune factors, immune-related pathways, and MSI. Moreover, RAB40C significantly negatively correlated with LUSC-associated immune infiltrating cells, CD4 memory-activated cells, γδ T cells, M1-like macrophages, and the immune regulator CD28, while it positively associated with the activation of Tregs and natural killer cells. Further, a risk model constructed from RAB40C and its associated immune genes showed that RAB40C might be an independent prognostic factor for LUSC.

Conclusion

RAB40C can be used as an effective prognostic biomarker and a potential immunotherapeutic target for the treatment of LUSC.