Association of polymorphisms in the genes of the urokinase plasminogen activation system with susceptibility to and severity of non-small cell lung cancer

Proteolysis is the most fundamental property of malignancy and its inhibition may be used therapeutically (Review)

The mortality rates of cancer patients decreased by ~1.5% per year between 2001 and 2015, although the decrease depends on patient sex, ethnic group and type of malignancy. Cancer remains a significant global health problem, requiring a search for novel treatments. The most common property of malignant tumors is their capacity to invade adjacent tissue and to metastasize, and this cancer aggressiveness is contingent on overexpression of proteolytic enzymes. The components of the plasminogen activation system (PAS) and the metal-loproteinase family [mainly matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)] are overexpressed in malignant tumors, driving the local invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. This is the case for numerous types of cancer, such as breast, colon, prostate and oral carcinoma, among others. Present chemotherapeutics agents typically attack all dividing cells; however, for future therapeutic agents to be clinically successful, they need to be highly selective for a specific protein(s) and act on the cancerous tissues without adverse systemic effects. Inhibition of proteolysis in cancerous tissue has the ability to attenuate tumor invasion, angiogenesis and migration. For that purpose, inhibiting both PAS and MMPs may be another approach, since the two groups of enzymes are overexpressed in cancer. In the present review, the roles and new findings on PAS and MMP families in cancer formation, growth and possible treatments are discussed.

The study of the relation of DNA repair pathway genes SNPs and the sensitivity to radiotherapy and chemotherapy of NSCLC

To analyze the relation between SNPs in DNA repair pathway-related genes and sensitivity of tumor radio-chemotherapy, 26 SNPs in 20 DNA repair genes were genotyped on 176 patients of NSCLC undertaking radio-chemotherapy treatment. In squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), as the rs2228000, rs2228001 (XPC), rs2273953 (TP73), rs2279744 (MDM2), rs2299939 (PTEN) and rs8178085, rs12334811 (DNA-PKcs) affected the sensitivity to chemotherapy, so did the rs8178085, rs12334811 to radiotherapy. Moreover rs344781, rs2273953 and rs12334811 were related with the survival time of SCC. In general, the “good” genotype GG (rs12334811) showed greater efficacy of radio-chemotherapy and MSF (24 months) on SCC. In adenocarcinoma, as the rs2699887 (PIK3), rs12334811 (DNA-PKcs) influenced the sensitivity to chemotherapy, so did the rs2299939, rs2735343 (PTEN) to radiotherapy. And rs402710, rs80270, rs2279744 and rs2909430 impacted the survival time of the adenocarcinoma patients. Both GG (rs2279744) and AG (rs2909430) showed a shorter survival time (MFS = 6). Additionally, some SNPs such as rs2228000, rs2228001 and rs344781 were found to regulate the expression of DNA repair pathway genes through eQTLs dataset analysis. These results indicate that SNPs in DNA repair pathway genes might regulate the expression and affect the DNA damage repair, and thereby impact the efficacy of radio-chemotherapy and the survival time of NSCLC.

Association between the polymorphisms of urokinase plasminogen activation system and cancer risk: a meta-analysis

Purpose

The present study aimed to investigate the potential association between the urokinase plasminogen activation (uPA) system polymorphisms (rs4065, rs2227564, and rs344781) and cancer risk.

Methods

An extensive search was performed to identify published case–control studies on the association between the uPA system polymorphisms and cancer risk. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the relationship between the uPA system polymorphisms and cancer risk.

Results

A total of 20 studies comprising 7,037 cancer cases and 10,094 controls were identified and included in the present meta-analysis. Overall, significantly increased cancer risk was associated with the uPA polymorphism rs4065 (T vs C: OR 1.50, 95% CI: 1.19–1.89; TT vs CC: OR 4.63, 95% CI: 3.10–6.91; dominant model: OR 1.93, 95% CI: 1.60–2.33; recessive model: OR 3.02, 95% CI: 1.26–7.25) and the uPA receptor polymorphism rs344781 (T vs C: OR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04–1.23; TC vs CC: OR 1.26, 95% CI: 1.06–1.49; TT vs CC: OR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.13–1.63; dominant model: OR 1.29, 95% CI: 1.10–1.52). No significant association was found between the uPA polymorphism rs2227564 and cancer risk. Subgroup analysis suggests that the T allele of the rs4065 (T allele vs C allele: OR 1.50, 95% CI: 1.19–1.89) and rs344781 polymorphisms (T allele vs C allele: OR 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04–1.23) was associated with increased cancer risk in Asians.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the uPA polymorphism rs4065 and the uPA receptor polymorphism rs344781 are associated with increased cancer risk.

Association between promoter region of the uPAR (rs344781) gene polymorphism in genetic susceptibility to migraine without aura in three Iranian hospitals

INTRODUCTION

Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder. Inflammation has a key role in migraine pathophysiology. Urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) directly involves in inflammatory conditions by facilitating migration of inflammatory cells to different tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate whether uPAR rs344781, common genetic polymorphism in the uPAR promoter region, might be associated with migraine without aura susceptibility in an Iranian population.

METHODS

We enrolled 103 newly diagnosed patients with migraine and 100 healthy controls. Peripheral blood sample was used for DNA extraction and uPAR rs344781 gene polymorphism was determined. Patients filled HIT-6 as a tool to evaluate headache severity.

RESULTS

The genotype frequency of uPAR is significantly different between migraine patients and control subjects. Heterozygote genotype (AG) was statistically more frequent in the patients than the controls (P=0.001; OR=2.67, 95% CI=1.51-4.7). Also G allele was more frequent in the patients. Total HIT-6 score was not significantly different between heterozygote and homozygote patients (55.50±2.22 vs. 49.60±3.68 respectively, P=0.075).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our study showed a significant association between uPAR rs344781 gene promoter polymorphism and migraine without aura susceptibility but not with headache severity.

Meta-analysis of the urokinase gene 3'-UTR T/C polymorphism and susceptibility to urolithiasis

Urokinase is involved in the processes of initiating urinary stones. Several published case-control studies have examined the relationship of urokinase gene 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) T/C polymorphism and urolithiasis, but yielded inconsistent findings. In this study, a comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted by pooling relevant studies to obtain reliable conclusions. Studies focusing on the association between urokinase gene 3'-UTR T/C polymorphism and urolithiasis were retrieved through PubMed, Medline, Web of Science and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure platform without any limit on language, until October 2012. Four independent articles were eventually identified as eligible for the final meta-analysis, involving 1,195 subjects. Crude odds ratios (ORs), as well as 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were assessed for the association by either fixed- or random-effects models using RevMan 5.0 software. Significant associations were noted in the 'TC vs. CC' codominant model for total population (OR=2.53; 95% CI, 1.43-4.46; P=0.001), Asian population (OR=2.46; 95% CI, 1.38-4.40; P=0.002), male (OR=2.98; 95% CI, 1.43-6.21; P=0.004), Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) (OR=2.46; 95% CI, 1.38-4.40; P=0.002) and recurrence (OR=2.66; 95% CI, 1.51-4.67; P=0.00). Statistically significant associations were also observed in the 'TT+TC vs. CC' dominant model for the Asian, male, HWE and recurrence population (P<0.05). Additionally, a significant difference was detected in the 'T vs. C' allele model for HWE. However, there were no associations in either the 'TT vs. CC' codominant model or 'TT vs. TC+CC' recessive model. In conclusion, the present meta-analysis suggests that urokinase gene T allele may increase the susceptibility of urolithiasis.

Intracerebral infusion of the bispecific targeted toxin DTATEGF in a mouse xenograft model of a human metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-cancer effect of the bispecific diphtheria toxin (DT) based immunotoxin DTATEGF, which targets both the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) receptor (uPAR) in vitro and in vivo when delivered by convection-enhanced delivery (CED) via an osmotic minipump in a human metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) brain tumor mouse xenograft model. The effects of the bispecific immunotoxin DTATEGF, and monospecific DTAT, DTEGF and control DT at various concentrations were tested for their ability to inhibit the proliferation of human metastatic NSCLC PC9-BrM3 cells in vitro by MTT assay. A xenograft model of human metastatic NSCLC intracranial model was established in nude mice using the human NSCLC PC9-BrM3 cell line genetically marked with a firefly luciferase reporter gene. One microgram of DTATEGF in the treatment group or control DT in the control group was delivered intracranially by CED via an osmotic minipump. The bioluminescent imaging (BLI) was performed at day 7, 14, 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months. Kaplan-Meier survival curves for the two groups were generated. The brain tissue samples were stained by hematoxylin and eosin for histopathological assessment. In vitro, DTATEGF could selectively kill PC9-BrM3 cells and showed an IC(50) less than 0.001 nM, representing a more than 100- to 1000-fold increase in activity as compared to monospecific DTAT and DTEGF. In vivo, mice with tumors were treated intracranially with drug via CED where the results showed the treatment was successful in providing a survival benefit with the median survival of mice treated with DTATEGF being significantly prolonged relative to controls (87 vs. 63 days, P = 0.006). The results of these experiments indicate that DTATEGF kills the NSCLC PC9-BrM3 cell line in vitro, and when it is delivered via CED intracranially, it is highly efficacious against metastatic NSCLC brain tumors. DTATEGF is a safe and effective drug where further preclinical and clinical development is warranted for the management of metastatic brain tumors.

Genetic polymorphism of urokinase-type plasminogen activator is interacting with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 to raise risk of cervical neoplasia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of plasminogen activator (PA) system genes, including urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), uPA receptor (uPAR), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene polymorphisms in patients with the cervical neoplasia.

METHODS

In total, 336 blood samples were collected from healthy women and 136 patients with cervical neoplasia to analyze the gene polymorphisms of representative PA system genes.

RESULTS

There was no significant association between cervical neoplasia cases and gene polymorphisms of uPA, uPAR and PAI-1 genes as well as to the carcinogenesis of cervical if the cervical neoplasia cases were stratified to HSILs and invasive cancer cases. However, we found a mutual interaction between uPA/PAI-1 genes, which women carrying the uPA/PAI-1 CC/4G4G allele had a 1.70-fold higher risk (OR = 1.70; 95% CI 1.04-2.79) of cervical neoplasia compared with those carrying the CC/4G5G allele.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with uPA/PAI-1 CC/4G5G allele were in high susceptibility for cervical neoplasia. The combined polymorphism of uPA/PAI-1 might diminish the ability of PAI-1 to inhibiting cervical cancer carcinogenesis when PAI-1 alone as the role of inhibitor.