Adiponectin receptor expression in gastric carcinoma: implications in tumor development and progression

Visceral-to-subcutaneous fat ratio independently predicts the prognosis of locally advanced gastric cancer----- highlighting the role of adiponectin receptors and PPARα, β/ δ, ɤ

BACKGROUND

Results of computed tomography body composition (CTBC) predicting long-term outcomes of gastric cancer have been mixed and the plausible mechanism remains elusive.

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled a cohort of stage III gastric cancer who had undergone curative-intent gastrectomy. Clinicopathological variables, preoperative CTBC including abdominal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and nutritional and inflammatory index were taken together to construct prognostic analysis. In vitro tests using co-culture system of gastric cancer cell lines and visceral adipocytes were conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 191 eligible patients were enrolled. By multivariate analysis, SAT and VAT/ SAT ratio were prognostic factors of disease-free survival, while sarcopenia was not. SAT remained as a prognostic factor of overall survival. SAT index was positively correlated with prognostic nutritional index, while VAT HU was positively correlated with platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio. Expression of adiponectin receptor 1 and 2 (AdipoR1, R2), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α, β/δ, ɤ of patients with higher VAT/SAT ratio were decreased as compared to those with lower VAT/SAT ratio. Proliferation of gastric cancer cells co-cultured with adipocytes was increased by 50-100% and accompanied by down-regulation of mRNAs of AdipoR1, 2, PPARα, β/δ, ɤ, and pro-apoptotic genes, as compared to their controls.

CONCLUSION

SAT and VAT played exactly opposite prognostic roles of locally advanced gastric cancers, which might work through modulation of AdipoR1, 2 and PPARα, β/δ, ɤ. Preoperative CTBC, supplementary to classic TNM system, helps clinicians tailor individualized adjuvant therapy and/or nutritional support.

Association between adipokines and thyroid carcinoma: a meta-analysis of case-control studies

Background

The incidence of thyroid carcinoma is increasing all over the world. Some studies have suggested that the change of adipokines expression can induce thyroid carcinoma. However, other studies have come to the opposite conclusion. Therefore, we studied the relationship between adipokines and thyroid carcinoma.

Methods

Databases—PubMed, Cochrane Library, SinoMed, CNKI, Wanfang, and clinical trial registries were searched. A meta-analysis was then performed through a fixed or random-effects model to calculate I values for heterogeneity analysis.

Results

Twenty-nine articles were finally included for analysis. The level of serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) [standardized mean difference (SMD) =1.31, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.35 to 2.28, I² = 98%, P = 0.008] and the ratio of TNF-α immunoreactivity in tissues [odds ratios (OR) =6.36, 95% CI: 1.92 to 21.05, I² = 66%, P = 0.002] in thyroid carcinoma are significantly higher than those in control. The serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with thyroid carcinoma is higher than that in control (SMD = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.40 to 1.67, I² = 96%, P = 0.001). There is no significant difference of the ratio of IL-6 immunoreactivity in tissues between carcinoma and control (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.62 to 2.43, I² = 86%, P = 0.55). The ratio of leptin immunoreactivity in tissues is significantly associated with the risk of thyroid carcinoma (OR = 12.21, 95% CI: 3.36 to 44.40, I² = 85%, P < 0.00001). However, after analyzing the expression level of serum adiponectin in three studies, no significant difference is found between thyroid carcinoma and the control (P = 0.81).

Conclusions

Adipokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and leptin) show a strong relationship between elevated concentrations (in serum and/or tissue) and thyroid carcinoma. However, the association between adiponectin and thyroid carcinoma needs further research.

Metabolic syndrome-related sarcopenia is associated with worse prognosis in patients with gastric cancer: A prospective study

OBJECTIVES

Sarcopenia and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are associated with the prognosis from malignant tumors. However, evidence of the relationship between sarcopenia and MetS among gastric cancer (GC) patients following radical gastrectomy is lacking. This study assessed the association between preoperative sarcopenia and MetS among GC patients and analyzed the prognosis of patients with different malnutrition statuses.

METHODS

We prospectively assessed the preoperative statuses of sarcopenia and MetS among patients who underwent radical gastrectomy from July 2014 to December 2017. We combined sarcopenia and MetS to generate four groups: MetS-related sarcopenia group (MSS), sarcopenia group (S), MetS group (MS), and normal group (N).

RESULTS

A total of 749 patients with resectable GC were included in this study. Preoperative MetS was associated with sarcopenia (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression presented that MetS-related sarcopenia (OR = 2.445; p = 0.010) and sarcopenia alone (OR = 2.117; p = 0.001) were independent predictors of grade Ⅱ and above complications, while MetS alone was not (p = 0.342). Cox regression analysis revealed that MetS-related sarcopenia led to the worst prognosis in the four groups (MSS vs MS: HR = 3.555, p < 0.001; MSS vs N: HR = 2.020, p = 0.003; MSS vs S: HR = 1.763, p = 0.021). However, the MetS group had better prognosis than the normal group (MS vs N: HR = 0.568, p = 0.048).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative MetS was associated with sarcopenia among GC patients. MetS-related sarcopenia resulted in a significantly worse prognosis. The long-term prognoses of patients with sarcopenia were impaired by preoperative MetS, while patients without sarcopenia benefited. Thus, patients with both sarcopenia and MetS require more medical interventions.

CXC chemokine ligand 1 mediates adiponectin-induced angiogenesis in ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVES

Adiponectin is a cytokine secreted from adipose tissue that regulates energy homeostasis, inflammation, and cell proliferation. Obesity is associated with increased risk of various cancers, including ovarian cancer. Adipokines, including adiponectin, have been implicated as a factor linking obesity and carcinogenesis. The oncogenic role of adiponectin is not known with regard to various cancer types. We sought to determine the role of adiponectin in angiogenesis in ovarian cancer in vitro.

METHODS

We transfected SKOV3 cells with vascular endothelial growth factor small interfering RNA in order to identify the independent angiogenic role of adiponectin in ovarian cancer. The vascular endothelial growth factor knockdown SKOV3 cell lines were treated with adiponectin for 48 h. The cytokines involved in adiponectin-mediated angiogenesis were explored using the human angiogenesis cytokine array and were verified with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The angiogenic effect of adiponectin was evaluated using the human umbilical vein endothelial cell tube formation assay. We also investigated the effects of adiponectin treatment on the migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells.

RESULTS

The number of tubes formed by human umbilical vein endothelial cell decreased significantly after knockdown of vascular endothelial growth factor (via transfection of vascular endothelial growth factor small interfering RNA into SKOV3 cells). When these vascular endothelial growth factor knockdown SKOV3 cells were treated with adiponectin, there was an increase in the number of tubes in a tube formation assay. Following adiponectin treatment, the CXC chemokine ligand 1 secretion increased in a cytokine array. This was confirmed by both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot. The increased secretion of CXC chemokine ligand 1 by adiponectin occurred regardless of vascular endothelial growth factor knockdown. In addition, the induction of migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells were significantly stronger with adiponectin treatment than they were without.

CONCLUSION

Adiponectin treatment of ovarian cancer cells induces angiogenesis via CXC chemokine ligand 1 independently of vascular endothelial growth factor. These findings suggest that adiponectin may serve as a novel therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.

Analysis of the Relationship Between ADIPOR1 Variants and the Susceptibility of Chronic Metabolic Diseases in a Northeast Han Chinese Population

Objective: Shared genetic variants in ADIPOR1 have been identified as closely related to coronary artery disease (CAD), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and T2D with CAD susceptibility, suggesting that these variants are strong candidates for the common soil hypothesis. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the relationship between ADIPOR1 variants and the susceptibility to CAD, T2D, and T2D with CAD in other populations.

Materials and Methods: A case–control study was conducted which included three case cohorts [CAD (n = 316), T2D (n = 295), T2D with CAD (n = 302)], and a control cohort (n = 268) from a population in northeast China. Six ADIPOR1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped by high-resolution melting and polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Results: We confirmed that the shared variant, rs3737884*G, in ADIPOR1 is associated with CAD, T2D, and T2D with CAD (p-value range: 6.54E-6–1.82E-5, odds ratio [OR] range: 1.770–1.844) and that rs16850797*C is associated with T2D and T2D with CAD (p-value range: 0.001–0.001, OR range: 1.529–1.571). We also found that a novel shared variant, rs7514221*C, is associated with an increased susceptibility to CAD, T2D, and T2D with CAD (p-value range: 0.002–0.004, OR range: 1.194–2.382) in this population.

Conclusions:ADPOR1 variants, rs3737884*G and rs7514221*C, may be shared risk factors associated with CAD, T2D, and T2D with CAD in a population of northeast China.

Tumor expression of adiponectin receptor 2 and lethal prostate cancer

To investigate the role of adiponectin receptor 2 (AdipoR2) in aggressive prostate cancer we used immunohistochemistry to characterize AdipoR2 protein expression in tumor tissue for 866 men with prostate cancer from the Physicians' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. AdipoR2 tumor expression was not associated with measures of obesity, pathological tumor stage or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at diagnosis. However, AdipoR2 expression was positively associated with proliferation as measured by Ki-67 expression quartiles (P-trend < 0.0001), with expression of fatty acid synthase (P-trend = 0.001), and with two measures of angiogenesis (P-trend < 0.1). An inverse association was observed with apoptosis as assessed by the TUNEL assay (P-trend = 0.006). Using Cox proportional hazards regression and controlling for age at diagnosis, Gleason score, year of diagnosis category, cohort and baseline BMI, we identified a statistically significant trend for the association between quartile of AdipoR2 expression and lethal prostate cancer (P-trend = 0.02). The hazard ratio for lethal prostate cancer for the two highest quartiles, as compared to the two lowest quartiles, of AdipoR2 expression was 1.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-3.0). Results were similar when additionally controlling for categories of PSA at diagnosis and Ki-67 expression quartiles. These results strengthen the evidence for the role of AdipoR2 in prostate cancer progression.

Metabolic syndrome is associated with better prognosis in patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Introduction

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with several cancers, but it is not clear whether MS affects the prognosis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of MS in TSCC.

Methods

Clinical data from 252 patients with TSCC who were initially treated at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between April 1998 and June 2011 were collected, and the associations between MS and clinicopathologic factors were retrospectively analyzed. Prognostic outcomes were examined by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis.

Results

Of the 252 patients, 48 were diagnosed with MS. MS was associated with early N category in TSCC (P < 0.001). The patients with MS showed longer survival than those without MS (P = 0.028). MS was an independent prognostic factor for patients with TSCC.

Conclusions

MS is associated with early N category in TSCC. It is an independent prognostic factor for better survival in patients with TSCC.

Patients with old age or proximal tumors benefit from metabolic syndrome in early stage gastric cancer

Background

Metabolic syndrome and/or its components have been demonstrated to be risk factors for several cancers. They are also found to influence survival in breast, colon and prostate cancer, but the prognostic value of metabolic syndrome in gastric cancer has not been investigated.

Methods

Clinical data and pre-treatment information of metabolic syndrome of 587 patients diagnosed with early stage gastric cancer were retrospectively collected. The associations of metabolic syndrome and/or its components with clinical characteristics and overall survival in early stage gastric cancer were analyzed.

Results

Metabolic syndrome was identified to be associated with a higher tumor cell differentiation (P = 0.036). Metabolic syndrome was also demonstrated to be a significant and independent predictor for better survival in patients aged >50 years old (P = 0.009 in multivariate analysis) or patients with proximal gastric cancer (P = 0.047 in multivariate analysis). No association was found between single metabolic syndrome component and overall survival in early stage gastric cancer. In addition, patients with hypertension might have a trend of better survival through a good control of blood pressure (P = 0.052 in univariate analysis).

Conclusions

Metabolic syndrome was associated with a better tumor cell differentiation in patients with early stage gastric cancer. Moreover, metabolic syndrome was a significant and independent predictor for better survival in patients with old age or proximal tumors.