STAT4 gene polymorphism and risk of chronic hepatitis B-induced hepatocellular carcinoma

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 (STAT4) Association with Pituitary Adenoma

Background/Objectives: This study aims to investigate whether Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 (STAT4) influences the anti-tumor immune response and is possibly involved in the initiation or relapse of pituitary adenomas (PAs) by examining STAT4 polymorphisms and serum levels. This research seeks to uncover potential connections that could inform future therapeutic strategies and improve our understanding of PA pathogenesis. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at the Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood samples, and the genotyping of four STAT4 SNPs (rs7574865, rs10181656, rs7601754, and rs10168266) was performed using real-time PCR with TaqMan® Genotyping assays. The serum STAT4 levels were measured via ELISA, and the optical density was read at 450 nm. Genotype frequencies, allele distributions, and serum STAT4 levels were statistically analyzed to assess associations with pituitary adenoma occurrence. Results: A binary logistic regression revealed that the STAT4 rs7574865 GT + GG genotypes vs. TT were associated with 1.7-fold increased odds of PA occurrence under the dominant genetic model (p = 0.012). The stratification by gender showed no significant associations in females; however, in males, the STAT4 rs10168266 CC + CT genotypes compared to TT were linked to 2.5-fold increased odds of PA under the dominant genetic model (p = 0.005). STAT4 rs10181656, rs7574865, rs7601754, and rs10168266 were analyzed to evaluate the associations with the pituitary adenoma size. We found that the STAT4 rs7574865 GG genotype was statistically significantly less frequent in the macro PA group compared to in the reference group (p = 0.012). For PA relapse, the rs7574865 G allele was less frequent in the PA group without relapse (p = 0.012), and the GT + GG genotypes were associated with a 1.8-fold increase in the PA group without relapse occurrence (p = 0.008). The serum STAT4 levels were higher in the PA patients compared to those of the reference group (p < 0.001). Elevated STAT4 serum levels were observed in PA patients with the STAT4 rs10181656 CC or CG genotypes (CC: p = 0.004; CG: p = 0.023), and with the rs7574865 GG or GT genotypes (GG: p = 0.003; GT: p = 0.021). The PA patients with the STAT4 rs7601754 AA genotype exhibited higher serum levels compared to those of the reference group (p < 0.001). Similarly, higher serum levels were found in the PA patients with the STAT4 rs10168266 CC or CT genotypes (CC: p = 0.004; CT: p = 0.027). A haplotype frequency analysis revealed no statistically significant results. Conclusions: The STAT4 genotypes were significantly associated with the PA occurrence, size, and relapse. Elevated serum STAT4 levels were observed in the PA patients, highlighting its potential role in PA pathogenesis.

Assessment of STAT4 Variants and Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Latin Americans and Europeans

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The STAT4 rs7574865 genetic variant has been associated with an increased risk of developing HCC in Asian populations. However, this association has not been studied in Latin America and is poorly assessed in European populations. This case-control study investigated the association between STAT4 rs7574865 and HCC risk in these populations. We evaluated DNA samples from seven medical institutions across six Latin American countries and one Dutch institution in 1060 individuals (344 HCC and 716 controls). STAT4 rs7574865 SNP was genotyped using TaqMan-genotyping assay and analyzed using logistic regression. We found no significant association between the homozygous risk allele (G) of STAT4 and HCC development in either population, with odds ratios (OR) for GG versus TT of 0.85 (CI: 0.48-1.52, p = 0.58) and 0.81 (CI: 0.34-1.93, p = 0.67) for Latin Americans and Europeans respectively. No correlation was found between the risk allele and HCC based on underlying liver disease. However, we found that Latin Americans of European ancestry were more likely to carry the risk allele. Our results suggest that the STAT4 SNP rs7574865 does not influence the risk of developing HCC in Latin American or European populations, highlighting the importance of evaluating genetic risk factors in various ethnic groups and understanding the possible influence of ancestry on the genetic basis of disease.

A new discovery of STAT4 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with hepatocellular carcinoma risk in Chinese Han population: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common fatal malignant tumor worldwide. STAT4 is HCC susceptibility gene identified by genome-wide association study. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between four candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in STAT4 genes and HCC risk in Chinese Han population.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted to assess the association between STAT4 SNPs and HCC risk in 1011 Chinese Han population. Agena MassARRAY was used to genotype SNPs. The association between SNPs and HCC susceptibility under different genetic models was evaluated by logistic regression analysis. Multifactorial dimension reduction (MDR) analyzed the interaction of 'SNP-SNP' in HCC risk. The difference of clinical characteristics between different genotypes was completed by ANOVA.

RESULTS

The results showed that STAT4 rs11889341 was significantly associated with HCC risk under multiple genetic models (homozygote: OR = 0.60, p = 0.033; recessive: OR = 0.63, p = 0.028; log-additive: OR = 0.83, p = 0.032). The results of subgroup analysis showed that STAT4 rs11889341 is significantly associated with HCC risk with participants who were > 55 years, male or smoking. Both STAT4 rs7574865 and rs10174238 were significantly associated with HCC risk among participants who were > 55 years old, smoking or drinking. STAT4 haplotype (Trs11889341Trs7574865) could reduce the risk of HCC. In addition, rs11889341 and rs7574865 were significantly associated with the level of serum ferritin.

CONCLUSION

STAT4 rs11889341, rs7574865 or rs10174238 is potentially associated with HCC risk in Chinese Han population. In particular, rs11889341 showed outstanding association with HCC risk.

Association of STAT3 and STAT4 polymorphisms with susceptibility to chronic hepatitis B virus infection and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

Background: It has been reported that polymorphisms of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 and STAT4 might be associated with susceptibility to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and risk of chronic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Owing to limitation of sample size and inconclusive results, we conducted a meta-analysis to clarify the association. Methods: We identified relevant studies by a systematic search of Medline/PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library up to 20 February 2019. The strength of the association measured by odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was studied. All the statistical analyses were conducted based on Review Manager 5.3 software. Results: A total of 5242 cases and 2717 controls from five studies were included for the STAT3 polymorphism, 5902 cases and 7867 controls from nine studies for the STAT4 polymorphism. Our results suggested that STAT3 rs1053004 polymorphism was a significant risk factor of chronic HBV infection (C vs. T: OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07–1.29, P_A=0.0007; CC + CT vs. TT: OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.09–1.76, P_A=0.008). Validation with all the genetic models revealed that rs7574865 polymorphism of STAT4 gene was closely associated with chronic HBV infection (P_A<0.01) and chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related HCC (P_A<0.05). Meanwhile, the authenticity of the above meta-analysis results was confirmed by trial sequential analysis (TSA). Conclusions: The meta-analysis showed that STAT3 rs1053004 polymorphism may be the risk for developing chronic HBV infection but not associated with HCC. The present study also indicates that STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism increased the risk of chronic HBV infection and HCC.

Multiple genetic variants associated with posttransplantation diabetes mellitus in Chinese Han populations

OBJECTIVES

Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a major complication after solid organ transplantation. This study is to investigate the association of nine genetic variant factors and PTDM in Chinese Han patients.

METHODS

HLA-DP (rs3077, rs9277535), HLA-DQ (rs7453920), signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) (rs7574865), IL-28B (rs12979860, rs8099917, and rs12980275), and IL-18 (rs1946518 and rs187238) were investigated in 260 liver transplant recipients (PTDM vs non-PTDM) by high-resolution melting curve analysis. Serum interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, interferon-γ, inducible protein-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1b were analyzed by a Bio-Plex suspension array system (Bio-Plex Multiplex Immunoassays, Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA).

RESULTS

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (rs7574865) T allele and IL-18 (rs1946518) A allele increase the risk for insulin resistance and PTDM.

CONCLUSIONS

Recipients with STAT4 (rs7574865) T allele are associated with an increased concentration of IL-1β, interferon-γ, monocyte chemoattractant protein, and macrophage inflammatory protein-1b. The genetic variants of STAT4 (rs7574865) and IL-18 (rs1946518) may be new important markers for PTDM.

Meta-analysis reveals an association between signal transducer and activator of transcription-4 polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma risk

AIM

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins play a multitude of important functions in liver pathophysiology. Recent studies have indicated associations of rs7574865 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the STAT4 gene with various autoimmune diseases. The association between STAT4 polymorphism and the risk of HCC has been analyzed in several studies, but results remain inconsistent. This study used a meta-analysis approach to comprehensively investigate the correlation between STAT4 polymorphism and HCC risk based on previously published reports.

METHODS

Studies were searched from the databases of PubMed, EMBase, Web of Science, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure up to 31 December 2015. The meta-analysis was carried out based on the statement of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

RESULTS

Eight published studies, consisting of 7503 HCC patients (cases) and 13 831 individuals without HCC (controls), were included in the present study. Meta-analysis of the included studies revealed that STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism contributed to the risk of HCC under all four genetic models, consisting of the allelic model (G vs. T: odds ratio [OR], 1.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-1.30), the dominant effect model (GG + GT vs. TT: OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.26-1.84), the recessive effect model (GG vs. GT + TT: OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.21-1.50), and the co-dominant effect model (GG vs.. TT: OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.42-2.10) comparisons. No publication bias was indicated from either visualization of the funnel plot or Egger's test.

CONCLUSION

A significantly increased risk of HCC associated with the rs7574865 G was found. The rs7574865 polymorphism might be used as one risk factor for HCC.

Clinicopathological significance of STAT4 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its effect on cell growth and apoptosis

Background

Recent studies showed that signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) was downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues. However, the role of STAT4 in HCC is still unknown. The aim of this study is to explore the association between STAT4 expression and other clinicopathological features in HCC and to test the effect of STAT4 on cell growth and apoptosis in vitro.

Methods

STAT4 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 171 HCC and corresponding paraneoplastic liver, 37 cirrhosis, and 33 normal liver tissues. Association between STAT4 and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Meta-analysis on STAT4 in cancer was performed. The effect of STAT4 small interfering RNA (siRNA) on cell growth and cell apoptosis was also detected.

Results

Positive rate of STAT4 was 29.2% (50/171) in HCC tissues, 53.2% (91/171) in paraneoplastic liver tissues, 64.9% (24/37) in cirrhosis tissues, and 72.7% (24/33) in normal liver tissues. STAT4 was upregulated in younger patients who were female, with single tumor node, early TNM stage, without portal vein tumor embolus, and α-fetoprotein (AFP)-positive tumors compared with the groups comprising older patients, males, and those with multiple tumor nodes, advanced TNM stage, with portal vein tumor embolus, and AFP negative tumors. Meta-analysis showed STAT4 was correlated with TNM stage (OR =0.50, 95% CI =0.30, 0.83, P=0.008) and age (OR =0.58, 95% CI =0.38, 0.95, P=0.032) in malignant tissues, and with AFP level (OR =1.76, 95% CI =1.06, 2.94, P=0.03) in HCC. STAT4 siRNA promoted growth and suppressed apoptosis of HepG2 cells.

Conclusion

STAT4 might play a vital role in development of HCC, via influencing cell growth and apoptosis, as a tumor suppressor.